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In this issue of T3 Update Online, we introduce you to three of the most popular threads in the Club Biomek Forum. We cover new ways of getting data into the Biomek® Laboratory Automation Workstation, as well as a novel way to aid Biomek users by displaying position pause step timers.
Directly Accessing Microsoft* Excel* Worksheets http://forums.beckmancoulter.com/index.php?showtopic=587 Although many functions within the Biomek software (e.g. Worklist, Create Data Set, Transfer From File) can use either comma-separated-values files (.csv) or tab-delimited-text files (.txt), there is no built-in functionality to access a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet directly. When an inquiry came my way about the possibility of implementing this via script or a custom step, I decided to test the power of the Club Biomek User Forum. Later that day, one of my colleagues within the Biomek community provided a piece of VBscript code that allows either a specific worksheet cell of interest, or a range, to be returned from the function and passed to the script. The return value from the worksheet cell can be used to set a global variable so that the information will be available to the rest of the Biomek method. This is an excellent example of the power of the underlying Biomek software architecture. Please see the thread referenced above for complete details.
Button Prompt http://forums.beckmancoulter.com/index.php?showtopic=161 In past issues of T3 Update Online, we have showcased several modes of prompting users for input at runtime, including prompts for filenames and text. The thread above contains information needed to implement "Button Prompts," which provide clickable buttons at runtime, allowing the user to select from the choices the method author creates. A default value is also passed back for the purposes of validating the method. This makes for a very easy means of prompting users without worrying that they will enter invalid responses. The script code is very simple; a single line takes care of it. The result can be easily stored in a global variable for use later in the method. An example of the sort of window that can be created is shown here.
Scripted Pause Timer http://forums.beckmancoulter.com/index.php?showtopic=304 The Biomek software contains a built-in Pause step that can pause either the entire system, or a single deck position or other resource. We have periodically received requests for the Pause step to be able to pop up a timer window indicating how far along in the pause the step is, to aid users who may be watching the method as it progresses. The thread above links you to an example where a pair of pause timers are initiated. Each counts down independently. This example includes steps that could be easily modified for individual method requirements and incorporated into advanced, intuitive methods for process automation.
That's all for this issue! Check back next issue for more highlights from the Club Biomek User Forum. Please click here to send us feedback on the types of forum highlights you would like to see.
For Research Use Only; not for use in diagnostic procedures. For comments or questions about T3 Update, please contact the T3 Editor. Email this page to a colleague
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