HEP Tables


hep-tables aims to join different parts of the data query pipe-line together:

  • Data fetched from ServiceX
  • That data processed by coffea and similar tools
  • Fits into the same ecosystem that tools like pyhf and cabinetry inhabit.

Further, it does this with a fairly straightforward array-like syntax:

  • Initial dataset to histogram are specified in a coherent and unified way.
  • Syntax is inspired by pandas and numpy array syntax

Features

  • Basic array processing features
  • Lambda variable capture to allow for multi-object relationships
  • Basic histogramming
  • Uses ServiceX and awkward as back ends

Road map

It is best to check the repositories mentioned above for the most recent status. But some future projects

  • Integration of coffea as a backend processor to default to multi-CPU/processor work.
  • Ability to run numba (or numba-like) code
  • Ability to run C++ code
  • Running in a facility with the user having a very simple light-weight python front-end package.

Status

At the moment this is a prototype package. It’s development is being driven by the requirements of an analysis in ATLAS.

  • Some initial documentation exists in the form of a tour to show off what it can do.
  • Three packages make up this project currently:
    1. dataframe_expressions - User facing API, converts array expressions into AST’s. Other packages then interpret this in order to execute or act on the user’s desire. Includes support for leaf referencing, slicing, lambda functions, and numpy integration.
    2. hep_tables - Interprets a dataframe expression and converts it to func_adl to be executed on a ServiceXDatasetSource. It can only interpret as much as what func_adl (or ServiceX can do: return data from the service.
    3. hl_tables - Plug-in architecture allows multiple back-ends for execution. Currently supports hep_tables to run data fetch and basic queries and also an immediate awkward array processor. The array processor can generate histograms among other things.

Team