PI developments

[Malcolm Roberts]

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.

[Probeman]

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://probesoftware.com/smf/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!

[Malcolm Roberts]

I will see what I can find out...
Watch this space.....

[Malcolm Roberts]

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.

[John Donovan]

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.

[Malcolm Roberts]

No response John..... The shutters have come down........

[John Donovan]

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?

[Malcolm Roberts]

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.

[John Donovan]

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

[Malcolm Roberts]

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.

[John Donovan]

Check out the new CalcImage menus for utilizing user customized Surfer scripts:

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

This makes it easy to maintain and modify custom scripts for Surfer presentation output.

[John Donovan]

The latest Probe Image (v. 1.1.0.1867) now has an improved acquisition interface to compensate for tilted samples:



Check it out:

http://probesoftware.com/Update.html

Contact Probe Software if you need the download and/or unzip passwords.

[John Donovan]

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:



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://probesoftware.com/smf/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://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=396.msg2505#msg2505

[Malcolm Roberts]

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.

[Gareth D Hatton]

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...