OpticalRayTracer is a free (GPL) Linux (Xwindows GUI-based) utility that analyzes systems of lenses. It uses optical principles and a virtual optical bench to predict the behavior of many kinds of ordinary and exotic lens types. OpticalRayTracer includes an advanced, easy-to-use interface that allows the user to rearrange the optical configuration by simply dragging lenses around using the mouse.

OpticalRayTracer fully analyzes lens optical properties, incuding refraction and dispersion. The dispersion display uses color-coded light beams, as shown above, to simplify interpretation of the results.

Educators take note: OpticalRayTracer has significant educational potential in the teaching of basic optical principles, and it has some entertaining and game-like behaviors to hold the student's attention.

OpticalRayTracer includes a detailed tutorial/help file to assist the user in getting started in this interesting activity, and this online documentation is also available.

OpticalRayTracer is © Copyright 2008, P. Lutus. All rights reserved.
OpticalRayTracer is released under the General Public License.
OpticalRayTracer is also Careware (http://arachnoid.com/careware),
unless this kind of idea makes you crazy, in which case OpticalRayTracer is free (e.g. GPL).

• OpticalRayTracer includes a user-oriented help file with substantial technical depth.
• Click here for an online technical discussion of the methods used in OpticalRayTracer.

• Source tar archive raytracer.tar.bz2 (489 KB)
• Binary raytracer (212 KB)

• If you have downloaded the binary, just put it in /usr/local/bin, give it executable permissions and run it like this:

  $ raytracer
                      

  You can make a desktop shortcut with this as its executable target.

• If you have downloaded the source package:
  • Put it in any convenient location.
  • $ tar -xjf raytracer.tar.bz2
  • $ cd raytracer
  • $ ./auto_install.sh
  If you don't want the automatic installation or you want to fine-tune the process, instead of running "auto_install.sh", after the unpacking step above, do this:
  • $ ./configure
  • $ make
  • $ sudo make install

  Obviously you may want to modify some of these steps to suit your platform. For example, on 64-bit systems, I've been told that this invocation of "configure" may be needed:

  ./configure --libdir=/usr/lib64

• 09/11/2008 Version 1.2. Updated source to allow compilation on 64-bit systems and with newer compilers.
• 09/14/2006 Version 1.1. Updated source to conform to gcc 4.1 requirements.
• 11/10/2004 Version 1.0. Initial public release.