Chemstation vs. Openlab ease of use

[MichaelVW]

I've always been good at figuring out software. Maybe I'm getting old, though. I miss Data Analysis from Chemstation as compared to the version in OpenLab CDS.

I want a table that shows concentration and abundance for each cal level of a peak.

I want to be able to shift all retention times by x minutes.

I don't want multiple versions of a method with the same name to be able to exist. And I'd rather not have to "link" methods/datafiles.

If I have 10 samples running and the first one is finished, I want to be able to look at the results without any special effort. As far as I can tell, you have to snapshot it to do that rather than just open the file, because all the files in a run are packaged together with "no metadata available" until the run is finished.

I don't want to have to click "refresh" to update the list of available files under "data selection." Not because it's a big deal, just because it seems like adding an option to auto-refresh the list would have been trivial.

I want to be able to choose the colors for each signal when I have them stacked. The default is Sig1=Blue Sig2=Teal Sig3=Purple. Why would you not pick dissimilar colors for that? Or better yet, allow users to choose? My vision isn't great but I feel bad for colorblind people.

Click & drag to integrate a peak exactly how I want to, even if only as a "preview."

If anyone knows workarounds for any of this (or, for curiosity's sake, understands the design choices here) I'd like to hear it.

[sbashkyrtsev]

The default is Sig1=Blue Sig2=Teal Sig3=Purple.

Started crying after this one It's a gem.

If you don't shy away of using additional software, you can try https://peaksel.elsci.io (: Most of the problems that you listed don't exist there, and it's free if you can stay within the limits (e.g. process data → download reports → delete data). And if you're doing academic work, then you can get the on-premise version for free. It's not going to help during the acquisition though..

[antonk]

Just try a drop-in replacement of Chemstation.
https://www.unichrom.com/unichrome.shtml

All the Agilent/HP formats supported.
https://www.unichrom.com/chrom/uc-ffe.shtml

Calibration table is live: i.e. you change standard amount, graph immediately updated. See the screencast (server with self-signed cert)
https://black.inpnet.net/support/uc/alt ... 03:23.webm

Various identification tricks:
https://black.inpnet.net/support/m.osma ... ident.webm

Processing and reporting is free.
Excel/LibreOffice Calc reporting is somewhat unique: https://www.unichrom.com/calc/calce.shtml