Importing/converting Cameca MDB files for use with JEOL 8200/Jeol PFE

[Dan MacDonald]

Good morning, everyone:

From what I have read so far in archived posts (and I have not done an exhaustive search, yet), the MDB files for Cameca probes and Jeol probes are significantly different, or at least different enough owing to hardware/software/standard names etc. differences between to 2 makes of probes that one can't use or import Cameca MDB files into PFE for a Jeol probe.  Does anyone have any advice on how to (easily?) either, a) extract the information for spectrometer setup parameters/general analytical conditions from a Cameca MBD file so that I can duplicate the run conditions in a Jeol MDB file for a quantitative run (not offline reprocessing), or b) directly import a Cameca MDB file into PFE for Jeol probes (I know this is problematic owing to use of different standard names and units used, plus a lot of other parameters with which I am not familiar, not having used a Cameca in about 25 years).  Thank you all very much in advance!

Best regards

Dan MacDonald (chief cook and bottle washer at Dalhousie Univ., Halifax, N.S.)

[Dan MacDonald]

Good morning, everyone:

Whereas I am a beginner in the world of PFE for Jeol, I was wondering if there exists a compilation or 'codex' of MDB files for analysts and users for both general mineral analyses, alloys, 'composite' materials etc., that we could draw upon as templates to adopt and modify to our specific needs.  For beginners like me, this would save a lot of trouble and time, especially when supervisors set an ambitious learning curve.  Some might call this 'laziness', but I prefer to look at it with the point of view of 'why re-invent the wheel' if I don't have to do so.  Seriously, though, I think such a library would provide deep insight  into understanding the rationale of doing analyses using tried and true methods for PFE- beginner-operators like myself, and the students we all teach.  For those of us who operate labs that analyse a wide variety of materials, such a library would be a valuable resource, and would be a good exercise in community-building.  That being said, there is likely nothing new under the sun, and such libraries probably already exist, but being a beginner, I just don't know where to find them.  Thank you all very much for your kind help - I really appreciate it!

Best regards

Dan MacDonald, Dalhousie Univ, Halifax, N.S.

"If the ladies don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy..."

[John Donovan]

From what I have read so far in archived posts (and I have not done an exhaustive search, yet), the MDB files for Cameca probes and Jeol probes are significantly different, or at least different enough owing to hardware/software/standard names etc. differences between to 2 makes of probes that one can't use or import Cameca MDB files into PFE for a Jeol probe.  Does anyone have any advice on how to (easily?) either, a) extract the information for spectrometer setup parameters/general analytical conditions from a Cameca MBD file so that I can duplicate the run conditions in a Jeol MDB file for a quantitative run (not offline reprocessing), or b) directly import a Cameca MDB file into PFE for Jeol probes (I know this is problematic owing to use of different standard names and units used, plus a lot of other parameters with which I am not familiar, not having used a Cameca in about 25 years).  Thank you all very much in advance!

Hi Dan,
I just have to ask: where are you getting a Cameca MDB file from?

Second: It would be an enormous (impossible?) effort to convert a Cameca MDB to a JEOL MDB (or visa versa). For one thing, the two instruments are very unlikely to have the same hardware setup, e.g., spectrometer crystal configurations!

It would be far easier to create a new MDB file.
john

[John Donovan]

From what I have read so far in archived posts (and I have not done an exhaustive search, yet), the MDB files for Cameca probes and Jeol probes are significantly different, or at least different enough owing to hardware/software/standard names etc. differences between to 2 makes of probes that one can't use or import Cameca MDB files into PFE for a Jeol probe.  Does anyone have any advice on how to (easily?) either, a) extract the information for spectrometer setup parameters/general analytical conditions from a Cameca MBD file so that I can duplicate the run conditions in a Jeol MDB file for a quantitative run (not offline reprocessing), or b) directly import a Cameca MDB file into PFE for Jeol probes (I know this is problematic owing to use of different standard names and units used, plus a lot of other parameters with which I am not familiar, not having used a Cameca in about 25 years).  Thank you all very much in advance!

Hi Dan,
OK, now I see what you're after... it's a good idea, but it ain't gonna work!  Sorry.

Because the hardware setups will be so different on different instruments, you're gonna have to "roll your own" mineral setups on your own instrument.

The only thing I can suggest- and I for one would be happy to chime in- is for you to post a request such as: "how to create a new run for alkali glasses" or something like that, and I suspect you will get several people to respond with useful suggestions with regard to which elements, which spectrometers/crystals, what beam conditions, what elements to perform TDI on, etc, etc.
john

[Dan MacDonald]

Hi John:

The reason I mention the Cameca MDB files is that the head of our department, James Brenan, told me the other day that he has a bunch of Cameca MDB files from when he used a Cameca probe with PFE on it, and he thought I might be able to simply import them, which would save myself and his students a lot of time.  It's too bad there isn't a pot of gold at the end of this trail, but that's a good thing to know.  In the future, I will take your sage advice and ask kindly for help from other members of the forum.  Thanks very much!

Best regards

Dan

[Probeman]

The reason I mention the Cameca MDB files is that the head of our department, James Brenan, told me the other day that he has a bunch of Cameca MDB files from when he used a Cameca probe with PFE on it, and he thought I might be able to simply import them, which would save myself and his students a lot of time.  It's too bad there isn't a pot of gold at the end of this trail, but that's a good thing to know.  In the future, I will take your sage advice and ask kindly for help from other members of the forum.  Thanks very much.

Hi Dan,
Yeah, I get it.  It's a good idea but completely impractical due to the vast differences between the instruments (just be glad you don't have to support 2 vendors all with different interfaces for every model instrument like I do!).

In fact it would be impossible even if your department head had used a JEOL 8200 like you currently have, just due to the fact the crystal setups on your spectrometers are undoubtedly be different from the other JEOL 8200 instrument!

But setting up a new run is easy, especially once you have a few basic runs set up.  Gareth can help you with that remotely. The really nice thing about PFE is that once you have a run for a specific purpose, it is just a few mouse clicks to load it into a new run. And you not only get the element setups, but also all the global parameters that you specified previously *and* the standard intensities if you desire. 

In fact you're off and running collecting new data in about a minute if you don't need to "touch up" the peak positions, or acquire new standard intensity calibrations.  And even if you do, PFE can automatically peak each element on it's assigned standard, and acquire new standard intensities while you get a cup of coffee!   

Here's a post about modifying a newly loaded sample setup if you need to change anything:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=262.msg1242#msg1242

Finally see this post about utilizing previously saved element setups for putting together a new run:

http://probesoftware.com/smf/index.php?topic=110.msg404#msg404

john

[Dan MacDonald]

Hi, Probeman:

Thanks very much for the links to these messages - you've saved me a lot of time! I am  indeed glad that I don't have to support the amount of models/interfaces/platforms as you do.  I'm sure that Gareth will provide me with a lot of good answers, too.  Hopefully we will be up in a day or two, and be able to get started.  Thanks very much for putting up with all the questions - I appreciate it in the extreme.

Best regards

Dan