Wish List for PFE Features

[John Donovan]

Thanks for adding the import function to PictureSnapApp!

What would be handy is if there would be now a complementary export function in PFE for stage locations of unknowns (but really any kind of locations: standard/wavescans) that would allow me to export them into the PictureSnapApp compliant format with the option of either short-line labels or long-line labels as the comment.

This could either be from the Analyze! window in the right-click context menu (so that I can select subsets of positions) or similarly in the Locate menu.

I would have two main applications: one is that I could easily show locations for a single mineral type or sample without having to disable/enable the individual analyses each time in the mdb. Secondly, at times I run into problems with available memory with large images within PictureSnap but usually not within PictureSnapApp. That problem is on my side of course but it would be a super useful option.

We could do this...  but after the EPMA workshop!   

[Anette von der Handt]

Absolutely. Not urgent but thanks for being open as always to add it.

[John Donovan]

PHA Scan peak fit

After peaking an element we often acquire the PHA bias scan. However, in the output (Display PHA, Peaking and Peak Scan Data) we get a peak fit only for the ROM Scan for the peak position, which is automatically updated for the element in the run.

How difficult would it be to implement a peak fit for the Bias Scan, where the peak is not always as smooth as a spectrometer position peak scan?

Or would it be at least possible to implement some feature where, similar to the peak scan position update, upon clicking in the graph, the new value for the bias is automatically updated for the element (would need to be an integer without decimals) ?



Until now we need to determine the new bias by hand from the graph and note the value on a piece of paper (or the more advanced of us use excel or other digital media  ), then go to the PHA dialogue and type it in for every element. Now this might be not such a big deal for the daily routine analysis, but when the routine becomes a set of 20 and more elements it is quite time consuming to do this manually. Sorry for being spoiled...

Rgds,
Radek

Now that the Athens EPMA 2024 workshop has finished:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=99.msg12500#msg12500

We were able to get back to work!  I think we've implemented the right click for bias scans as you wanted:



And this right click update now also works on Cameca instruments for gain scans:



By the way, just a small aside, I've modified the simulation mode in Probe for EPMA to better simulate a gain or bias scan:



Better for teaching in the classroom using Probe for EPMA in simulation mode:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=837.0

[Radek_MM]

Hi!

AWESOME! Thank you all for your effort! This is certainly making work with many elements and complicated runs a lot easier (and faster to set up the instrument)!

I checked it with our JEOL and it works just fine. Very much appreciated!

Thanks again!

And sorry I could not join the Athens workshop this time, I was just on holiday skiing in Lapland... 

Rgds,
Radek

[John Donovan]

Thanks for adding the import function to PictureSnapApp!

What would be handy is if there would be now a complementary export function in PFE for stage locations of unknowns (but really any kind of locations: standard/wavescans) that would allow me to export them into the PictureSnapApp compliant format with the option of either short-line labels or long-line labels as the comment.

This could either be from the Analyze! window in the right-click context menu (so that I can select subsets of positions) or similarly in the Locate menu.

I would have two main applications: one is that I could easily show locations for a single mineral type or sample without having to disable/enable the individual analyses each time in the mdb. Secondly, at times I run into problems with available memory with large images within PictureSnap but usually not within PictureSnapApp. That problem is on my side of course but it would be a super useful option.

Your wish is granted! 

Download PFE v. 13.8.3 using the Help menu and you will find it in the Analyze! window right click menu as seen here:



The file format is seen here:



And when imported into PictureSnapApp:



I hope you find this helpful and I'm glad you are finding PictureSnapApp useful. For those interested in learning more about PictureSnapApp see here:

https://probesoftware.com/PictureSnapApp.html

and here:

https://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?board=34.0

It's a sample navigation app that is more flexible than one might suspect...

[Scott B.]

PHA Scan peak fit

After peaking an element we often acquire the PHA bias scan. However, in the output (Display PHA, Peaking and Peak Scan Data) we get a peak fit only for the ROM Scan for the peak position, which is automatically updated for the element in the run.

How difficult would it be to implement a peak fit for the Bias Scan, where the peak is not always as smooth as a spectrometer position peak scan?

Or would it be at least possible to implement some feature where, similar to the peak scan position update, upon clicking in the graph, the new value for the bias is automatically updated for the element (would need to be an integer without decimals) ?



Until now we need to determine the new bias by hand from the graph and note the value on a piece of paper (or the more advanced of us use excel or other digital media  ), then go to the PHA dialogue and type it in for every element. Now this might be not such a big deal for the daily routine analysis, but when the routine becomes a set of 20 and more elements it is quite time consuming to do this manually. Sorry for being spoiled...

Rgds,
Radek

This was a fantastic suggestion Radek.

Thanks for implementing this John. Just used it for the first time in version 13.8.3, and it turned one of my least favorite method setup chores into a 90 second breeze!

[Anette von der Handt]

Is it possible to add "average" to the MPB fit types? Thanks!

[Probeman]

Is it possible to add "average" to the MPB fit types? Thanks!

Yes, sorta.

You can acquire the data as multi-point background (MPB), but then choose one of the off-peak models as shown here:



When you do that the data will still be acquired as an MPB element, but it will apply the selected off-peak model (e.g., linear, average, etc.) to the MPB intensities:

Last (Current) On and Off Peak Count Times:
ELEM:    si ka   fe ka
BGD:      MULT    MULT
BGDS:     MULT    AVG
SPEC:        1       2
CRYST:     PET    LIFH
ORDER:       1       1
ONTIM:   10.00   10.00
HITIM:    5.00    5.00
LOTIM:    5.00    5.00
HIMULT   10.00   10.00
LOMULT   10.00   10.00

In all cases where an off-peak model is applied to MPB intensities, PFE will combine the high side MPB intensities into a single high off-peak value and combine the low side MPB intensities into a single low off-peak value, and then apply the selected off-peak model to those combined values.

Pretty cool...   

[Anette von der Handt]

When I open a mdb file and one of the internal standard compositions differs from the local standard db composition, PFE asks if I want to overwrite the internal value or export the mdb value to the local database. It would be great if I could see the values side-by-side (either a popup table or output to the log window) before making this decision.

Also, I wish that the "cancel" option would leave everything unchanged instead of just closing the project altogether.

Thanks!

[John Donovan]

When I open a mdb file and one of the internal standard compositions differs from the local standard db composition, PFE asks if I want to overwrite the internal value or export the mdb value to the local database. It would be great if I could see the values side-by-side (either a popup table or output to the log window) before making this decision.

Also, I wish that the "cancel" option would leave everything unchanged instead of just closing the project altogether.

Thanks!

Can you post a screen shot of the dialog box PFE presents?

[John Donovan]

When I open a mdb file and one of the internal standard compositions differs from the local standard db composition, PFE asks if I want to overwrite the internal value or export the mdb value to the local database. It would be great if I could see the values side-by-side (either a popup table or output to the log window) before making this decision.

Also, I wish that the "cancel" option would leave everything unchanged instead of just closing the project altogether.

Thanks!

Your wish is granted!

This is what the old dialog warning looked like:



And here is what the new dialog looks like (for a different standard):



In addition (as requested also), if one clicks the cancel button the software now offers to make you a temporary standard database or one can select different standard database.  If one declines making a temporary standard database and also cancels the file open dialog for opening another standard database, the program will close.