Chemstation - Transfer Calib Tables from Method to Method

[findtheway]

We need a ROUTINE that will transfer only the calibration tables from method-to-method on a daily basis. For very specific reasons, acquisition and all other instrument settings are different from both methods but these must be preserved when copied.

On another note, I observed that every METHODFILE.D folder has a RECALIB.MTH file. If I were to copy and paste that file into the new folder, would that satisfy my needs (sorry for not attempting this 1st and just report my findings, but just got hired on a new job and don't want to be known as the new kid who screwed up. NOT sure if old Murphy followed me here ) ????

[mbicking]

The bigger question is why you would want to transfer a calibration table to another instrument that has different settings. This is a violation of proper analytical practices in many ways. For chromatographic instruments, calibration of an instrument applies only to that instrument.

[findtheway]

The bigger question is why you would want to transfer a calibration table to another instrument that has different settings. This is a violation of proper analytical practices in many ways. For chromatographic instruments, calibration of an instrument applies only to that instrument.

Who said anything about "..ANOTHER INSTRUMENT..."? Its the same instrument operating under the same conditions. Again, for very specific reasons (one being that in one method we have a multi-switching valve and the other we don't, the multi-valve is set into a default position) we just need to update the calibration table cause in our multiuser enviroment: one group will calibrate while the other will just operate this online instrument, thus the needed routine or an SOP. One method will be strictly used for calibration and the other for data acquisition. Nevertheless, thanks for the lesson on proper analytical practices.

[Schmitty]

Maybe I don't understand what you are trying to do, but I use one method for running samples, i.e. PESTICIDES.M, ANALYTE_D.M, PROJECTC.M and I use another method for sample integration, i.e. DATE_A.M, 100404_1.M, etc.

When I go from integrating, calibrating and quantifying from one day to the next, I will save the current integration method, then save it again with the appropriate date, and finally clear the calibration responses. The I can update the areas in the newly saved method with the "replace" function in update from the current sequence.

This is for GC/MS Chemstation...I haven't used the HPLC Chemstation in quite a few years, but from what I recall, it has the same method organization.

[mbicking]

There is no "easy" way to do this. I would not try transferring individual files, as that is likely to cause other problems or errors.

If the differences in methods are relatively small, the easiest approach might be to calibrate the instrument, then make the change in the valve position, and choose Method Save As... It is a manual change but if the differences are small this would be quicker than the other options. If the changes are more complicated, then it would require more time. The other option, as noted, would be to calibrate at the beginning of each run, using that method. This requires more injections and more time.

Other data systems have a separate cal file that you can use in different methods. ChemStation is not designed that way.