Creating User-defined Columns

New columns can be created either in the sample list of the Browser (see Data Management  The Browser) or in the peak table of the QNT Editor:

1. a) In the sample list of the Browser: Click the datasource for the sequence for which you want to create a new column. Select Properties on the context menu, and then click the User-defined Columns tab page.

   b) In the peak table of the QNT Editor: On the context menu or Edit menu, select Columns, and then select Display User-defined Columns.

2. Select <New user-defined column> from the Columns list to enable the Properties section.

3. Type a caption for the new column in the Name input field.

    Note: When you enter the name, keep the following restrictions in mind:

   • Use only characters, numbers, and the underscore. The first character must be a letter.

   • Do not use the German "Umlaute" or "ß."

   • Names starting with SEQ_ or SMP_ are not permitted.

   • If the name is also an SQL keyword, Dionex recommends preceding it with an abbreviation of your company name (or some other agreed-upon text). For example, if the new caption is INTEGER, you might enter it as DX_INTEGER, where DX stands for Dionex. This will prevent collisions with SQL keywords and help you instantly recognize user-defined columns.

   • Several protected names, such as, Retention, Wavelength, Flow, etc., cannot be used as names for user-defined columns unless a prefix or suffix is added. Since it would be very time-consuming to check long lists of protected names before assigning a name, it is recommended in this case, also, that you use a company abbreviation as a prefix. For example, instead of "Flow," assign the name 'DX_Flow' to a user-defined column.

   • Names of columns that have been deleted in the current ‘dialog session’ cannot be entered again. You must close and then re-open the dialog box before re-entering these names.

4. Specify the Value Type for the new column by selecting the corresponding option from the drop-down list:

   • Integer (whole numbers)

   • Floating point (numbers with a defined number of decimal places)

   • Date

   • Time

   • Date and Time

   • Enumeration (open the combo box to select an item from the list)

   • String (any sequence of characters. Please note: Spaces at the end of the string are deleted.)

5. Type the Dimension for the values in the new column in the corresponding input field.

6. More specification fields may be displayed, depending on the selected value type.

    Note:

   The operating system restricts date input to the period of 1/2/1970 - 12/30/2037.

7. a) When creating a user-defined column in the sample list of the Browser, click Append Column to add the new column to the Columns list. Click OK to append the new column to the sample list. 
   
   b) When creating a user-defined column in the peak table of the QNT Editor, click Append Column to append the new column to the peak table.

New columns are added on the right-hand side of the table. However, you can also change the order of the columns afterward. For more information, refer to  Displaying Sequence Columns.

Any new column created in the sample list of the Browser applies to the entire Datasource; i.e., it becomes part of all Sequences in the datasource.

 Tips:

Be careful when creating user-defined columns in the sample list of the Browser. Be sure not to assign the same column name twice in different datasources or on different computers that may communicate with each other. Otherwise, unless the column definitions are identical, problems may occur when you copy sequences or when you  Restore backup files.

When you have entered or changed user-defined columns in the sample list, shut down and restart the Server to use the new and/or changed columns in the PGM File.

There are some restrictions on the deletion of user-defined columns. Chromeleon cannot delete user-defined columns unless they are empty. In addition, Chromeleon cannot delete user-defined columns in some database configurations, e.g., this is not allowed in Oracle, version 8.0, or MS SQL Server, version 6.5. In this case, use the Oracle or MS SQL Server database tools to delete the column. For the corresponding database columns, refer to the SAMPLES database table. The column header corresponds to the name of the user-defined column in Chromeleon (without the preceding asterisk). Please note: Deleting a user-defined column in Oracle or MS SQL invalidates Electronic Signature for all sequences containing this column.

If you enter a number in a column of the "string" or "enumeration" type, the string will be treated as a number and can be used in formulas. If you want numbers that are entered in these columns to be treated as strings, clear the Always convert UDCs... check box on the Report tab page in the Preferences.

In a typical HPLC or IC configuration, it is possible to process at least 16 user-defined sample list columns in the program.

Application

For two examples of how to use user-defined columns, refer to Creating and Using Report Tables  Calculating the Concentration Percentage (in Relation to the Total Concentration).

If you still cannot display all the values you need, see  Creating a Sequence Report Column.