Bulk import wavescans into a new file

[Jens Andersen]

Probably an issue that has been discussed many times in the past (thank you for your patience). When starting a new file, is there a convenient and easy way to bulk import wavescans from a different sample/setup? It would be nice to have the option when setting up a new file to automatically load standards and wavescans. I can only find a way to import one wavescan at a time. At the moment, I have been opening a previous file and "save as", but that does create excessively large files as they accumulate more and more data over time.

[John Donovan]

Yes, currently one can only import one wavescan at a time into a new run. But it's just a click or two for each wavescan, correct?

May I ask how many wavescans you want to import, and what is the goal or purpose here for importing more than a few wavescans? 

[Jens Andersen]

Thanks John.

The purpose is to resolve the background positions and interferences for the Ag-Sb range of transition metals, as well as Ga-Ge-As-Se. I'm working with minor elements in polymetallic sulphide lodes, and there's particularly quite a dense forest of L-lines to work through. I've done wavescans for around 15 standards over a weekend and would hope not to have to do them again. Some of them already don't seem to be compatible with a new setup...

Perhaps I should do a single file with all of the standards and wavescans (but no sample data) and use that as the template for the different variant setups that I need to do (with "save as" to a different file name).

[JonF]

Perhaps I should do a single file with all of the standards and wavescans (but no sample data) and use that as the template for the different variant setups that I need to do (with "save as" to a different file name).

This is similar to how I work: I have a "standard silicate" MDB file with all the elements (inc bias/gain settings, BG positions, standards etc) I'm likely to be interested in for a routine silicate run, plus wavescans over the standards.

For a new run, I'll import the file setup via the Load File Setup button in New Sample/Setup in the Acquire! window, remove any elements I don't need, re-peak (and check PHA) and then re-standardise. You do get the option to import the standard intensities too, but they'll likely be well out of date by that point. 

[Jens Andersen]

Thanks Jon, that's very helpful. I will proceed with that model for now, it sounds like a good way for me. When you load a file setup, does it automatically load the wavescans as well?

[John Donovan]

Thanks Jon, that's very helpful. I will proceed with that model for now, it sounds like a good way for me. When you load a file setup, does it automatically load the wavescans as well?

Using Load File Setup only loads the selected sample setup and optionally, the standards.  Wavescans can still be loaded one at a time from another run, as you are already doing I suspect.

I think what Jon is suggesting is that instead of using Load File Setup, you create a "base" run with your sample setup, then peak all the elements, and acquire all your wavescans and optionally your standards. 

Then when you want to start a new run, use the File | Save As menu to save that "base" run to a new probe run. That gives you a new run with your sample setup and wavescans (and optionally any standards).

Then in the new run you can re-peak if you want, and acquire standards. Sometimes only the major element standards need to be re-peaked/re-acquired, because for trace elements the standards aren't the most important, rather the backgrounds on the unknowns are much more important. MAN backgrounds standard also tend to be stable since they are not acquired on a peak.  See here for more on this topic:

https://smf.probesoftware.com/index.php?topic=1535.msg12121#msg12121

And also my webinar on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOca7-G4FvQ&t=25s

The idea being that since the wavescans are really there only for avoiding off-peak interferences, they usually don't need to be re-peaked and re-acquired. Whereas major element standards should be re-peaked before re-acquiring as they can shift slightly, especially if there's been some crystal flips since the "base" run was created.

Finally for the next new run on another project, again, open the "base" run, do File | Save As and re-peak and re-standardize as necessary in the new file. 

Of course one can also create multiple "base" probe runs for different samples types, e.g., silicates, sulfides, Fe alloys, etc, etc. And of course one can always add or delete elements as needed to the new probe run.

[Jens Andersen]

Tried and tested now, and it works great for me in this way. I did a nice base file over the weekend (which I have locked as 'read only') and I can now tweak it into several different run types for the different minerals that I need to work with (each which needs different background positions). Thanks Jon and John.