Commands and Tips for Thermo Scientific Devices
ThermoQuest TRACE GC (2000/Ultra) and Focus GC Commands

A large number of commands is available for the individual options of the TRACE and FOCUS GCs. Only the most important of them are described below (please note that the display Filter level determines which commands and properties are displayed). They are common to the respective device types (for example, the different detectors). For a short description of all GC commands, refer to the corresponding Commands view (press the F8 key in the program) or the Properties/Link box.

GC

Command

Min

Max

Default

Description

AutoPrepRun

Off

On

Off

Allows the GC to automatically prepare the run.

AutoStart

Off

On

Off

Allows the GC to automatically start the run when it becomes ready.

 Note:
This property is only available if the "Allow Auto Start" check box is selected on the Options tab of the GC configuration.

Before enabling AutoStart, make sure to do the following:

  • Synchronize your samples with the GC.

  • Manually remove the WAITGC.Ready command from the control program (PGM File). This command is no longer required as the GC goes straight into running.

  • Manually remove the INJECT command from the control program (PGM File). This might be present, for example, if the program was moved or copied from a GC with an inject device configured.

Cryo
(TRACE GC only)

Off

On

Off

ON: The cryo valve will operate when needed. OFF: The cryo valve is disabled. (The property is visible only if the cryo option is enabled.)

Range

0

3

1

Sets the output range of the detector signal. Note: Logarithmic scale with 10^ nA.

RawSignalValue

 

 

 

Value of the detector signal as shown on the keypad.

SignalSource

 

 

 

Sets the signal source of the relevant GC channel. The following settings are available:

None (no assignment)
DetA (Detector A)
DetB (Detector B)
DetC (Detector C)
OvenSetpoint (nominal oven temperature)
OvenTemp (current oven temperature)
AmbientTemp (ambient temperature)
PercentPower (relative power input)

 Tip:  

If all three available detectors are installed, assign the relevant signal sources as follows:
"Right" detector (= GC1) -> DetA"„Left" detector (= GC2) -> DetB
"Aux" detector (= GC3) -> DetC.
If no right detector is installed, the left detector is assigned to the DetA signal source instead of DetB.

TempCtrl

OFF

ON

ON

Turns the oven's temperature control on or off.

Temperature

 

 

 

The allowed maximum temperature change is 120°C/min (1200°C/min for the TRACE UltraFast). A maximum of 6 ramps per program are possible.

.Nominal

30
Note 1

Note 2

50

Nominal oven temperature in [°C].

.Value

30
Note 1

Note 2

N/A

Actual oven temperature in [°C] (read-only).

.UpperLimit

70

Note 2

350 (FOCUS)
450 (TRACE)

Upper limit for the oven temperature in [°C].

.LowerLimit

30
Note 1

50°C

30

Lower limit for the oven temperature in [°C].

 

Note 1: TRACE GC: Depending on the cryo settings, the minimum temperature can be 30°C, -55°C, or -99°C.

Note 2: TRACE GC: Depending on the cryo settings, the maximum temperature can be 450°C or 500°C.
FOCUS GC: Depending on the cryo settings, the maximum temperature can be 350°C.

 

Inlet

Command

Range

Default

Description

TempCtrl

ON, OFF

ON

Turns temperature control on or off.

Temperature

 

 

 

.Nominal

30–450 (TRACE)
50–375 (FOCUS)

50 (TRACE)
150 (FOCUS)

Nominal inlet temperature in [°C]

.Value

30–450 (TRACE)
50–375 (FOCUS)

N/A

Actual inlet temperature in [°C] (read-only).

Mode

N/A

Split

Inlet mode: Split or Splitless

 

Detector(s)

Command

Range

Default

Description

Autozero

 

 

Sets the signal output to 0.

TempCtrl

ON, OFF

ON

Turns temperature control on or off.

Temp

 

 

 

.Nominal

30–450 (TRACE)
100–375 (FOCUS)

150

Nominal detector temperature in [°C]

.Value

30–450 (TRACE)
100–375 (FOCUS)

N/A

Actual detector temperature in [°C] (read-only).

 

Column(s)

Command

Range

Default

Description

PressureCtrl

ON, OFF

ON

Turns the control of the column gas pressure on or off.

Pressure

 

 

 

.Nominal

0.03– 10.00

N/A

Nominal pressure in the column [bar].

.Value

0.03–10.00

N/A

Actual pressure in the column [bar] (read-only).

FlowCtrl

ON, OFF

ON

Turns the column flow control on or off.

Flow

 

 

 

.Nominal

0.0–50.0 (TRACE)
0.0–100.0 (FOCUS)

N/A

Nominal flow in the column [ml/min].

.Value

0.0–50.0 (TRACE)
0.0–100.0 (FOCUS)

N/A

Actual flow in the column [ml/min].

 

Valves and External Events

The following commands and properties are available if a valve or external event is configured on the Valves dialog page in the Chromeleon Server Configuration.

Command/Property

Range

Description

Default

(FOCUS GC only)

Off (0) or On (1)

(External events only) Specifies the default value of the external event (the setting is valid for as long as the FOCUS GC is not performing a run).

Note:

The following interaction exists between the Default and State command: When a Default value is specified, State is automatically set to Off. If you want to specify a Default value and State = On at the same time, you must reset State to On.

On/Off

 

Sets the valve or external event state either to On or Off.

Duration: (Optional) Specifies a time limit after which the valve or event state is reset to the initial value (i.e., either On or Off). Range: 0.6–60000.0 s.

State

Off (0) or On (1)

(External events only) Sets the event state.

Type

ON

Displays the valve type (GSV or External) as specified in the Chromeleon Server Configuration (read-only).

Program Tips:

 

Dual Injection

The following commands are available if the GC is configured for dual operation:

 

Command

Min

Max

Default

Description

AS2000Sync
Mode

Normal

Twin

Normal

Shows the inject synchronization mode to be used with an AS800 or AS2000 autosampler (read-only).

Normal: Injection with one autosampler.

Twin: Dual injection with two different autosamplers.

 Tip:

To ensure correct injection when the GC is configured for dual operation, the PGM File must include the related command for the autosampler. For an example program file for dual injection, refer to  ThermoQuest AS2000/Fisons AS800: Example Program for Dual Operation.

DualOperation

LeftOnly

RightOnly

Shared

Specifies the timebase that controls the GC.

LeftOnly: The GC is controlled from the timebase to which the left columns are assigned (as specified on the Timebases tab page in the Chromeleon Server Configuration program).

Right Only: The GC is controlled from the timebase to which the right columns are assigned (as specified on the Timebases tab page in the Chromeleon Server Configuration program).

Shared: Dual Operation, i.e., the GC is controlled from both timebases simultaneously.

 Tip:

This command is available only if the detector is configured for dual operation in the Chromeleon Server Configuration program.

Sharable

Off

On

On

Allows sample processing in shared mode, i.e., samples from two different timebases can be processed in parallel.

ON: The sample is processed in shared mode. However, the related sample on the other timebase must be configured for shared mode in the PGM File and the oven program must be identical.

OFF: Disables the shared mode for the sample so that the sample is processed separately.

 Tip:

The setting is considered only if DualOperation has been set to Shared before.

TBleftStatus
TBRightStatus

Idle, Pending, Running

Idle

Shows the batch status of the related timebase (read-only).

Idle: No sample is running.

Pending: A sample is ready for processing and is waiting for the start.

Running: A sample is currently being processed.

 

Further Information

The Administrator Help section provides more information about the TRACE and FOCUS GCs. Refer to Hardware Installation:

 TRACE GC (2000/Ultra): Installation

 TRACE GC (2000/Ultra): Dual Operation

 FOCUS GC: Installation