This is a short explanation of phrases and terms which have a specific meaning within McXtrace. We have tried to keep the list as short as possible running the calculated risk that the reader may occasionally miss an explanation. In this case, you are more than welcome to contact the McXtrace core team.
Arm A generic McXtrace component which defines a frame of reference for other components.
Component One unit (e.g. optical element) in an x-ray beamline. These are considered as Types of elements to be instantiated in an Instrument description.
Component Instance A named Component (of a given Type) inserted in an Instrument description.
Definition parameter An input parameter for a component. For example the radius of a sample component or the divergence of a collimator. Technically, a definition parameter is translated into a literal constant, which prevents it from being edited at runtime.
Input parameter For a component, either a definition parameter or a setting parameter. These parameters are supplied by the user to define the characteristics of the particular instance of the component definition. For an instrument, a parameter that can be changed at simulation run-time.
Instrument An assembly of McXtrace components defining an x-ray beamline.
Kernel The McXtrace language definition and the associated compiler
Output parameter An output parameter for a component. For example the counts in a monitor. An output parameter may be accessed from the instrument in which the component is used using MC_GETPAR.
Run-time C code, contained in the files mcxtrace-r.c and mcxtrace-r.h included in the McXtrace distribution, that declare functions and variables used by the generated simulations.
Setting parameter Similar to a definition parameter, but with the restriction that the type of the parameter must be declared unless it is a number. In technical terms, a setting parameter is translated into an actual variable (as opposed to a definition parameter) which may be dynamically updated.