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Weights and Saturation

 

Weighted 1-dimensional histograms

It is possible to compare weighted with weighted histograms, and weighted with unweighted histograms, but only if HBOOK has been instructed to maintain the necessary information by appropriate calls (before filling) to HBARX. However it is not possible to take into account underflow or overflow bins if the events are weighted.

Saturated 1-dimensional histograms

If there is saturation (more than the maximum allowed contents in one or more bins), the probability PROB is calculated as if the bin contents were exactly at their maximum value, ignoring the saturation. This usually will result in a higher value of PROB than would be the case if the memory allowed the full contents to be stored, but not always.   It should therefore be realized that the results of HDIFF are not accurate when there is saturation, and it is the user's responsability to avoid this condition.

2-dimensional histograms

Routine HDIFF cannot work if the events are weighted, since, in the current version of HBOOK, the necessary information is not maintained. HDIFF will also refuse to compare 2-dimensional histograms if there is saturation, since it does not have enough information in this case.


Janne Saarela
Tue May 16 09:09:27 METDST 1995