Probe Software Users Forum

Software => Probe Image => Topic started by: Malcolm Roberts on April 14, 2014, 11:55:59 PM

Title: PI developments
Post by: Malcolm Roberts on April 14, 2014, 11:55:59 PM
Hi John
I notice that even though a compo image is collected, this is analogue and PI's handling of this is under development. How is this progressing? We also have an XClent CL system here and it would be nice to interface this with PI too. I relish the day of being as unencumbered by JEOL software as possible...
Cheers,
Malc.
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: Probeman on April 16, 2014, 01:31:23 PM
I too would very much like to see CL spectrum images integrated along with our quantitative x-ray maps. 

In fact, the CalcImage software *already* has that feature implemented for Thermo EDS spectrum images as described here:

http://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=83.msg298#msg298

And in fact, there is a checkbox waiting to enable this... what am I waiting for? Well Thermo was very nice and shared a DLL that allows us to read their .SI files, but I need the CL spectrum image format that ExCLent uses for their spectrum data.

If you can get that, then I would be pleased to implement it!
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: Malcolm Roberts on April 16, 2014, 08:29:46 PM
I will see what I can find out...
Watch this space.....
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: Malcolm Roberts on April 16, 2014, 09:45:32 PM
I have had a response from the XCLent developers who say they do not support Probe image and have no plans to do this. I would suggest to anyone looking to interface to a CL system using PI that other systems may be a better choice.
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: John Donovan on April 16, 2014, 09:48:15 PM
Quote from: Malcolm Roberts on April 16, 2014, 09:45:32 PM
I have had a response from the XCLent developers who say they do not support Probe image and have no plans to do this. I would suggest to anyone looking to interface to a CL system using PI that other systems may be a better choice.

Tell them they don't need to "support it", just please provide the read format for their CL spectrum image files.
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: Malcolm Roberts on April 30, 2014, 10:48:03 PM
No response John..... The shutters have come down........
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: John Donovan on August 02, 2014, 10:40:47 AM
Consistent with our "open" policies, I attach the PPT file from my IUMAS talk. To give you a proper introduction I will ask this question:

If I told you that you can perform fully quantitative x-ray mapping at trace levels *and* with the same accuracy *and* improved precision *and* in 1/2 the acquisition time as you are currently utilizing, what would you say?
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: Malcolm Roberts on August 06, 2014, 12:38:28 AM
Hi John..... This is a really handy presentation, which might help out with a problematic user who is very old school. What would I say.... "I am not surprised.....". PI does great things, but unfortunately it is shackled to a retard, namely the JEOL operating system. Anyway, I was wondering what is going on with the mods to PI? I would really like to see a GUI to edit the output to Surfer. As I stands, I have to edit the script myself to change font type and size plus page layout. I also don't like the X and Y axes nor the title and a whole bunch of other layout issues I would like to manage more effectively ,such as adding scale bars. Maybe a layout library could be a possibility?
Cheers,
malc.
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: John Donovan on August 06, 2014, 05:41:25 AM
Quote from: Malcolm Roberts on August 06, 2014, 12:38:28 AM
Hi John..... This is a really handy presentation, which might help out with a problematic user who is very old school. What would I say.... "I am not surprised.....". PI does great things, but unfortunately it is shackled to a retard, namely the JEOL operating system. Anyway, I was wondering what is going on with the mods to PI? I would really like to see a GUI to edit the output to Surfer. As I stands, I have to edit the script myself to change font type and size plus page layout. I also don't like the X and Y axes nor the title and a whole bunch of other layout issues I would like to manage more effectively ,such as adding scale bars. Maybe a layout library could be a possibility?
Cheers,
malc.

Hi Malc,
The PI mods are proceeding. I am testing the new version with Z-tilt for Cameca probes, and the JEOL implementation will be ready to test REAL SOON NOW!  ;-)

The CalcImage output title can easily be edited in the Specify Quantitative Parameters dialog.

Next, you can easily edit the presentation output for  axes labels, etc., etc., using the full Surfer app. Simply double click the .srf file and edit to your hearts content!
john
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: Malcolm Roberts on August 06, 2014, 08:50:32 PM
Hi John
Yes... I can do that in surfer but it means I have to do it for every plot. I want to modify the script output produced by calcimage so I can save time in surfer, or at least specify those parameters I want at that point...... At the moment, I open the script and then make some changes there (plots per page, font and size plus cut down on the 8 secs waiting time), then make the rest of the changes in surfer......
Cheers,
Malc.
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: John Donovan on August 22, 2014, 10:17:47 AM
Check out the new CalcImage menus for utilizing user customized Surfer scripts:

http://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=305.msg1560#msg1560

This makes it easy to maintain and modify custom scripts for Surfer presentation output.
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: John Donovan on September 01, 2014, 10:24:39 AM
The latest Probe Image (v. 1.1.0.1867) now has an improved acquisition interface to compensate for tilted samples:

(https://smf.probesoftware.com/oldpics/i60.tinypic.com/esq2b6.jpg)

Check it out:

https://www.probesoftware.com/resources/

Contact Probe Software if you need the download and/or unzip passwords.
Title: Re: PI developments (scan rotation control)
Post by: John Donovan on April 01, 2015, 11:00:13 AM
Note that the latest version of Probe Image now allows one to "turn off" the scan rotation control for acquisition of beam scan images as seen here:

(https://smf.probesoftware.com/oldpics/i61.tinypic.com/t9v09d.jpg)

Now why would one ever want to do this?  Well, when calibrating your beam scan images at different keVs and mags, we want to calibrate X and Y, but also image rotation (or maybe you don't).

But the point is, if you want to calibrate your image rotation (in addition to X and Y extents), in CalcImage as described here:

http://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=396.0

you'll want to acquire your beam scan images *without* re-setting the scan rotation which normally occurs automatically in PFE and PI.  See here for info on preventing sending the scan rotation command in PFE:

http://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=396.msg2505#msg2505
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: Malcolm Roberts on July 26, 2015, 11:49:21 PM
Hi John
The bad news is that a glorious mapping run set up over the weekend died because PI bombed for reasons I do not know after acquiring the first run. Nothing saved. I think I have mentioned this previously way back in the dark mists of time, but it would be good if PI could be modified such that data is automatically saved as soon as a run is completed and prior to  starting the next. That way, if the program does decide to die for reasons of its own, the previous few hours will not have been wasted. The "save to folder' option could be enabled before the run even starts as part of the set up. Something like this could save considerable heartache and wailing from users.
Cheers,
Malc.
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: Gareth D Hatton on July 27, 2015, 03:03:44 AM
I believe that John's team are working on a fix for this at the moment but currently PI can only take around 80 maps (I do mine at 300 square) but it may be fewer for larger maps.  I try to get more data out by using MAN but there is still the limit... :-[
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: John Donovan on July 27, 2015, 07:59:54 AM
Quote from: Gareth D Hatton on July 27, 2015, 03:03:44 AM
I believe that John's team are working on a fix for this at the moment but currently PI can only take around 80 maps (I do mine at 300 square) but it may be fewer for larger maps.  I try to get more data out by using MAN but there is still the limit... :-[

Yes. The next version of PI will have this automatic saving *and* unlimited number of map acquisitions.  Should be out "real soon now". 

Thanks for your patience!
john
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: Malcolm Roberts on July 27, 2015, 05:40:49 PM
Hi Gareth
Good. I have a new PC here with a huge RAM and a Massive video card especially to enable PI to go to the limits. Not that I was doing that. I had a total of 18 maps lined up over three runs. None of them exceeding the maximum size. I fear the cause of the death of PI was due to some kind of miscommunication where for some reason PfEPMA had decided that spec1 "had no label". Although, PfEPMA was not running during the mapping, there may have been a knock on effect into PI as they both use the .elm file which has been causing some grief recently. This is speculation of course and info from those who know on why the spec 1 has no label error appeared and made my afternoon a misery would be appreciated. Bear in mind that the info from the JEOL side of things was correct.
Cheers,
Malc.
Title: Re: PI developments
Post by: John Donovan on July 27, 2015, 05:49:51 PM
Quote from: Malcolm Roberts on July 27, 2015, 05:40:49 PM
This is speculation of course and info from those who know on why the spec 1 has no label error appeared and made my afternoon a misery would be appreciated. Bear in mind that the info from the JEOL side of things was correct.

Hi Malcolm,
It would be better to provide an actual error message (hit the <alt> <PrtScn> key combo to capture just the error message dialog in the system clipboard) and number rather than speculate. 

Since you updated PFE, this error cannot have been caused by the ELM file issue you reported a while ago.  However, it is very likely that the error was a comms error in the spectrometer electronics (note the JEOL software will not show this type of error if it is just idling), but then again, that is mere speculation on my part until I see an error message...   :o
john