ToF-AMS DAQ Release Notes

See Also: ToF-AMS DAQ; ToF-AMS DAQ FAQs; ToF-AMS Main

4.0.0

CHANGES

• Real Time
  • TimeTrace.txt retired. All Real Time display should use RT.txt files
• Menu Window
  • AP240 tab eliminated. AP240 functionality moved to ToF-AMS tab.
  • LS settings moved from acquisition window to Menu Window
  • Added interface on Analog Tab for calculating least squares fit to calibrate channels
• Acquisition Window
  • New MS stick, PTOF, Raw MS, and light scattering displays with mouse zoom functionality
  • Added time series tab
  • LS Threshold determination moved to Settings Tab
  • Diagnostic values now reported in table (rather than individual labels)
• Bitwise
  • New baseline and threshold breaker displays, with mouse zoom functionality
  • Single Extraction data: For m/Q 28 (or other single m/Q value), now display PHD
  • Single Extraction data: Displayed single ion trace represents entire SI mass list collection
  • Button to save SI Mass List average area as SI value
  • SI Analysis tab shows expanded data for SI mass list
• IE
  • First draft of IE window, only basic functionality

3.1.2 (04-Feb-2011)

FIXES

• Menu Window
  • On default tab, check box to enable/disable online help and version update checks.

3.1.1 (29-Jan-2011)

REQUIRES NIDAQmx Upgrade -- contact Joel with questions. FIXES

• Acquisition Window
  • If in FMS at midnight, acquisition would get stuck in FMS mode. Fixed.
  • GenAlt Non-Autosave, BFSP acquisition skipped after first GenAlt cycle. Fixed.
  • GenAlt w/BFSP and PToF active, PToF data from first cycle through GenAlt was being cleared and not included in saved average. Fixed.

3.1.0 (23-Aug-2010)

CHANGES

• TPS Control
  • Re-instated text file control of TPS voltages. Should only be used with instruments having electrodes, such as quadrupole, which cannot be controlled by standard voltage control interface.

3.0.31 (7-May-2010)

CHANGES

• Bitwise
  • SI Mass List: Added interface to determine nominal masses to use for "ensemble" single ion measurement. User sets minimum and maximum probability for single ion nominal masses. Software continuously acquires single extraction MS, and displays spectrum with y-axis = peak probability. Pressing "Generate" creates mass list based on current data.
  • Auto Baseline: Option to let DAQ set baseline automatically in baseline determination measurement. Users sets acceptable error bar. Software iterates measurements and baseline setting until measured value within acceptable error.
  • Bitwise-On-the-Hour: Option for automatic reset of baseline during Bitwise on the hour.
• Menu Window
  • Analog/Digital Tab: Button to read current value of digital line "In"

3.0.30 (26-March-2010)

CHANGES

• Menu Window
  • On Analog/Digital Tab: Added option for digital line out state = "2". This follows chopper position in MS Mode. High = Blocked, Low = Open
  • Moved Chopper position settings to ToF-AMS Tab
  • On ToF-AMS Tab: Added optional wait after chopper adjustment for each menu. This value is added to / subtracted from the common mmenu value. Only applies during MS mode
  • On ToF-AMS Tab: Added option to fix the chopper in Open or Closed Position, independent of software commands. Set for each menu.

3.0.29 (04-March-2010)

CHANGES

• PTOF
  • Changed PTOF Timeout to 7 sec. Averaging on the AP240 is terminated if acquisition not complete (set number of chopper cycles recorded) in this time span. Generally indicates that chopper is not spinning or problem with connection of chopper trigger signal.

FIXES

• Menu Window
  • Dig Out Values for CH5, 6, and 7 were being forced to 0 each time window opened. Repaired.

3.0.28 (21-Jan-2010)

CHANGES

• Bitwise
  • Added Advanced Diagnostic for viewing pulser ringing in spectrum. This is a common / useful diagnostic if ion signals in TOF are lost or greatly reduced. Click Advanced diagnostics, check "Show Pulsers" below baseline display, and click start. Should see positive and negative spikes from pulser events. If not visible, possible that pulser circuitry (box) needs repair. DO NOT set baseline when pulsers are visible.

FIXES

• Mass Calibration
  • Repaired error that prevented write of itx data (bug introduced in 3.0.25)

3.0.27 (21-Jan-2010)

CHANGES

• Light Scattering
  • More error handling changes related to NI timeout when no particle detected for 10 sec

3.0.26 (20-Jan-2010)

CHANGES

• Acquisition
  • Option to apply wait at start of EACH run with a given menu. Formerly just start of FIRST run with menu

• BitWise
  • Horizontal line in ratio plots now represent duty cycle corrected standard value. 40/28= 0.0184 and 32/28 = .205

• Light Scattering
  • Added ComParVal(145) = Distance between chopper and LS unit in meters
  • Error handling related to NI timeout when no particle detected for 10 sec

FIXES

• Light Scattering
  • Fixed bug where acquisition crashed if no PTOF data save selected. LSchop saved to stick directory, if no PTOF data save

3.0.25 (18-Jan-2010)

CHANGES

• Acqisition
  • Various Controls moved to control menu
  • Added optional autoscale of MS Stick display, scales to max of current OR held data
  • Acquisition was programmed to stop if PTOF Timeout or AP240 error. Now, report error on screen and attempt to continue acquisition
  • Option to turn BitWise-On-the-Hour On/Off from Acquisition window (menu)

• Mass Calibration
  • Various Controls moved to control menu
  • Added timestamp and last set voltages to mass calib itx file
  • TPS labels re-ordered as: Set / Read / Menu
  • Increase size of raw display

• BitWise
  • Calculated ratios for 40/28 and 32/28 apply duty cycle correction

FIXES

• Acqisition
  • Noise display in MS Stick for linear and log now working properly

3.0.24 (07-Jan-2010)

CHANGES

• Light Scattering
  • DAQ version written as attribute of PartInfo dataset, will allow version specific logic in acquisition code
  • Second Channel NI6024 Acquisition re-enabled (was disabled with new timing scheme in 3.0.23)

• Front Panel
  • Help buttons moved to control menu

FIXES

• Bitwise
  • +/- 10V changes in MCP now saved to menu file

3.0.23 (29-Dec-2009)

CHANGES

• Light Scattering
  • New timing scheme for synchronizing PTOF (AP240) and LS (NI6024) data

3.0.22 (29-Dec-2009)

CHANGES

• Light Scattering
  • Add 3 diagnostic values to partInfo:
    • (9) Chop Number at Download (Chem minus LS)
    • (13) Wait for LS Download (s)
    • (14) T at Download (Chem - LS)

3.0.21 (07-Dec-2009)

CHANGES

• Acquisition
  • Now allows 0.1s Averaging in FMS mode

FIXES

• PTOF Display bug fixed, first display was not working in v3019
• Nitrate Loading value fixed, displayed value had error in v3019
• Swap button bug fixed, Calibration Group and Sampling Type values were lost when swap was used in previous versions

3.0.19 (29-Sept-2009)

CHANGES

InfoVals

• InfoVal(106) indicates seconds after midnight at start of run
• InfoVal(107) indicates active menu number
• If DIO5, 6, or 7 is in, save state as save
• InfoVal(108, 109, 110) states of digital in 5, 6, 7 (NaN if disabled)
• InfoVal(111) Relative time within fast MS cycle (NaN if not FMS mode)
• InfoVal(112) Relative run number within FMS cycle (NaN if not FMS mode)

Menu Switching

• New menu value allows optional wait at the start of a run
• Added Menu Cycle Time Grid as alternative to run-based time grid

BitWise

• Baseline and SI area now based on MS mode; no longer need chopper to run Bitwise
• Single Ion peak list is now saved to menu file
• Optional "Bitwise on the hour" measures baseline and SI area every hour
• All three displayed nominal masses share a single peak discriminator, saved as menuVal
• Suggests best baseline bit, See [| related FAQ]

Acquisition / Acquisition Window

• Logic allows FMS with closed block = 0
• Logic allows MS mode with % Open = 100
• Added functionality and interface updates for MS acquisition without chopper (controlled with menu val 141)
• Zoom windows on right side of acquisition window allow change of nominal mass with scroll wheel
• If MSclosed does not exist, displayed resolution values are calculated from open data
• Option to display MSClosed sticks
• Horizontal zoom in stick display with mouse
• Eliminated %MSOpen. MS Dwell time now calculated as (MSOpenT+MSClosedT)*MSLoopsPerDwell. Loops enables multiple MSClosed / MSOpen *Dwells per dwell.
• Vertical scaling in zoom windows
• Check RealTime Configuration at load of window. See [| Related FAQ]
• PTOF DC markers calculation adjusted based on number of TOF/chop and co-adds
• Fixed display of speciated sticks for SP-AMS Dark Green for Cn and Fullerene
• MS Stick display size depends on what other modes are active in acquisition cycle

Digital Lines

• DIO5, 6, and 7 now configurable as in or out (common across menu)

If out, state unique to each menu If in, value is recorded and saved as infoVal

• Option to control acquisition start/stop from DIO5
• Option to control menu switching with encoding on 6 and 7

Mass Calibration Window

• Peak intensity displayed in units of Hz; calculation uses bit-ns per second, SI Area, and TOF pulser frequency
• Total Ion Current (TIC) reported below trace of peak areas/heights
• Option to save itx file with last acquired mass spectrum. Includes raw MS, raw mass axis, and unit mass resolution stick spectrum
• Added Accumulation mode as option on tuning tab. MS data are continuously acquired and summed, allowing determination of resolution (etc) for low intensity peaks.

Window Messages

• Allows control of acquire start/stop and menu number from external software with windows messages

Real Time Files / Serial Output

• Write MSSDiff.itx to C:\ToFAMS\ToFAMSData\LogFiles\TimeTrace\MS for each run. Optional - controlled by check box in Real Time box on averagin and saving tab.
• New Serial output formats

Front Panel

• If DAQ PC has internet connection, check for updated version of DAQ. If update exists, button on panel links to download.

National Instruments

• Auto-determination of National instrument board device numbers. If board(s) not found, features disabled accordingly.

3.0.3

CHANGES (Since 3.0.0)

Acquisition Window

• Optional automatic baseline and SI determination during acquisition. Turned on/off on AP240 tab of Menu Window. This is still considered a BETA feature. Last values are saved as InfoVals.

Calib Window

• Step sizes (volts) for TPS scans are saved as common menu values
• Scroll wheel and arrow keys to change TPS voltages and calibration center points

Info Vals

• If TPS remote control is enabled, last monitored TPS voltages are saved as infoVals for each run

Data Save

• Allows transient save in FMS mode. itx written to transient drive, without write to C: drive

Archive

Archive of release notes from v2.1.4