Agilent LC/GC System Control (ICF)
Miscellaneous Hints

This topic describes practical hints and known issues with Agilent LC/GC systems controlled by the Instrument Control Framework (ICF).

• Consistency checks (Agilent methods):

  When you define a method in the Agilent method editor, Chromeleon does not check whether the settings in the method are useful or correct. If you specify method conditions that cannot be met by the instrument, run start will time out.

  Therefore, always make sure that the method settings in the Agilent method editor comply with the actual device status; for example, verify that the lamps are on if option "Lamp on required for acquisition" is selected for the detector, or the oven temperature is within the specified range when option "Enable analysis when temperature is within..." is selected.

• Timetable events: Changing the spectra acquisition mode results in a failed acquisition of spectra (DAD):

• The following method settings result in a failed acquisition of spectra:

  In the Advanced section of the DAD tab, spectral collection mode is set to Store: None. In the DAD Timetable section, the function Change Spectra Acquisition Mode: All is added to enable 3D field acquisition. This setting results in no spectra being acquired over the entire run.

  This is a known issue in the Instrument Control Framework and will be addressed by Agilent.

• Data Storage:

  By default, data storage of data provided by the LC/GC system is at variable data rates. In the Chromeleon PGM, this is indicated by the parameter setting Step=Auto.

  If a fixed data rate is desired, manually edit the Step parameter in the Chromeleon PGM:

  At first, determine the data rate by using the Peak Width – Data Rate table provided in the user manual of the respective Agilent detector.

  For each channel add Step=n to the Chromeleon PGM file, whereby n= 1/data collection rate.

  Example for a DAD:

  At a peak width of 0.1min, the data rate is 2.5 Hz, resulting in DAD_Signal_A.Step=0.4.

• Overlapping Samples – How to shutdown the system without using an extra sequence for the shutdown program:

• When overlapping is enabled you can shutdown the system without using an extra sequence for the shutdown program.

  Proceed as follows:

  1. Create the required Agilent method/pretreatment. Open the file in the Commands view of the Chromeleon PGM Editor, specify Overlapping=Enabled and Mode=Default. Use this PGM file for samples 1 to n-1.

  2. Save a copy of this PGM file (using Save As from the PGM Editor), then open the file in the Commands view of the PGM Editor and change Mode=Shutdown (Agilent method/pretreatment parts will remain the same.) Use this PGM file for sample n.

  Such a sequence should then pass Batch Ready Check and perform an instrument shutdown at the end of the final sample.

• Fraction Collection:

1. Fraction collection is not supported for the Agilent ICF.

The following scenarios apply to the Agilent 7697A Headspace Sampler only:

• Values with decimal places:

1. Some instrument parameters logged to the audit trail are rounded to the nearest integer value. However, all values are downloaded to the instrument with the proper precision.

2. When instrument method parameters of the 7697A headspace sampler are included in a report, the Fill Pressure parameter is rounded to the nearest integer value.

• Chromeleon Server Configuration - different limits for diameter of Transfer line parameter:

1. If you use the front panel of the Agilent 7697A headspace sampler, the allowed range for the diameter of the Transfer line parameter is 200-600 microns. However, in the Chromeleon device configuration for the sampler the limit of this value is 250-530 microns.

• Change Settings:

1. If you close the PGM Editor and reopen it to adapt your settings, such as the purge flow or time, the Save button is not enabled and your changes will not be saved after closing the editor. This is a limitation of the Agilent ICF Framework for GCs. To avoid losing your changes, select a different tab page and click the Save button.

Further Information

Agilent LC System Commands (ICF)

Agilent GC System Commands (ICF)

Creating, Modifying, Resolving and Printing Methods

Setting the Run Time

Monitoring the Instrument Status

Troubleshooting