Chromatography Forum

without a doubt this is the worse chromatography software I have ever used. A few questions -
1-why does it randomly open different methods when you are processing data.
2-why can you not select a printer before you print
3-why does it default to double sided printing
4-why do you have to keep saving the method, even for simple things like changing the printer?

It seems that Agilent do not get chromatographers involved with their software development. The reporting is just as bad as EZchrom (what was easy about that???)

Hello

First of all...This is forum, and the idea is to help you with problem you have. Personally I think it is very bad to write first sentence as "this is the worst software I've ever used". To be honest I don't care what your opinion is. And don't forget that you'll find a lot of users with different opinion.

1-why does it randomly open different methods when you are processing data - you can set up method that is loaded when you start processing results

2, 3 - PC setting but also possible to set up in OpenLAB

4-why do you have to keep saving the method, even for simple things like changing the printer - it is for automation purpose. Some people like to have all parameters stored with method, you can set up sequence overnight and have printouts in the morning (useful for hundreds runs overnight)

I'd recommend to study user manuals.

Regards

Tomasz Kubowicz

If a piece of software is not performing as you want it, the first thing to ask is if you're using it the right way

1) It definitely is not RANDOMLY opening different methods! If you open a single datafile, you can specify which method to open: The original acquisition method, the method used to create the last results or the present method (i.e. don't open a method at all). If you're using result sets, of course it opens the respective result set method, that's how it's supposed to work.
2) If you're processing a bunch of a data in the result set mode, of course you can select a printer. If you want to print a single piece of data, you have to manually select the printer in advance
3) Because it's set in the printer configuration?
4) Basically because everytime you change anything in the method, it needs to be saved for tracibility reasons (21 CFR...). Unfortunately, the printer setting is part of the method...I admit that one is really not very smart.

What is so bad about the reporting? Basic reporting was fine for me in the past, I didn't have the time to really delve into the intelligent reporting capabilities yet.

Did you adress your issues to Agilent? That would be the first thing to do, if they can't help you, THEN it's time to shout your frustration to the world.

If you don't use the result set mode yet, I'd strongly suggest to consider using it.

I'm retired now. But we switched from Chemstation A.09 with ChemStor to Chemstation C-something and OpenLab without having anything in between. I think most of the issues we had were due to the new Chemstation revisions and not the OpenLab. OpenLab is just the security layer on top of Chemstation, mainly for cGMP and GLP electronic data security legal requirements.

Yeah, we had crazy issues with printers and used up a ton of paper. We had our own internal network (not set up or wanted by me), kept having issues with signing on to instruments intermittently, all others had to sign off and a network administrator had to re-boot.

Sometimes issues would be from passwords that expired during a session, with no warning from the software (it can't "count" days?). It actually took us like 3 years to really know how to do everything we really wanted; we all helped each other because it wasn't uncommon to forget a small detail. I would say that I was an expert on A.09 and an idiot with revision C. I was the only one in the department who actually had the guts to use the Standalone Data analysis capabilities of the software (pointy-haired boss was sure THAT was screwing up the system, as if Agilent never tested that).

And what's up with Agilent not providing ppm calculations (etc.) like it's only 10000 difference from ESTD%.

Even though everything you mentioned can be easily fixed by reading the user manual. But I would agree with you that Agilent OpenLab Chemstation is just an nightmare even for advanced user and administers. The software really lack of attention to details, customizability, organization and user-friendliness. Yes, it can do a lot things like any other CDS, but it really difficult for user to fully understand and customize the software. It seems like Agilent is just keep adding new features to a 15 years old software without optimize and overhaul the existing modules up to today's customer expectation.

The new reporting service (old one as well IMO) is just a headache to use. The template editor is full of bugs. For simple calculations, it handles ok. As soon as you have few more complex logical calculations, it start to give you problems or just stopped working. Although, it can be fix by open the template file and edit programing code directly, but it is very frustrating to fix even for who know how to fix.

Also it lack of automated project based organization and access control. Agilent claim the software meet 21 CFR requirement. However, the software lacks of customization capabilities like Empower and Chromeleon. For a high volume facility, it is next to impossible to separate result of different projects manually. This has becoming a concern during regulatory audit.

Maybe Chemstation was a good CDS a decade ago, but it has becoming an inferior product in today's standard as other software companies continuously improving their product.

Even though everything you mentioned can be easily fixed by reading the user manual. But I would agree with you that Agilent OpenLab Chemstation is just an nightmare even for advanced user and administers. The software really lack of attention to details, customizability, organization and user-friendliness. Yes, it can do a lot things like any other CDS, but it really difficult for user to fully understand and customize the software. It seems like Agilent is just keep adding new features to a 15 years old software without optimize and overhaul the existing modules up to today's customer expectation.

The new reporting service (old one as well IMO) is just a headache to use. The template editor is full of bugs. For simple calculations, it handles ok. As soon as you have few more complex logical calculations, it start to give you problems or just stopped working. Although, it can be fix by open the template file and edit programing code directly, but it is very frustrating to fix even for who know how to fix.

Also it lack of automated project based organization and access control. Agilent claim the software meet 21 CFR requirement. However, the software lacks of customization capabilities like Empower and Chromeleon. For a high volume facility, it is next to impossible to separate result of different projects manually. This has becoming a concern during regulatory audit.

Maybe Chemstation was a good CDS a decade ago, but it has becoming an inferior product in today's standard as other software companies continuously improving their product.

Not just OpenLab but all CDS has become too complicated. We have a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) which handles all of the project and other complicated tasks well, but now the CDS tries to handle all those jobs too and begins to lose usability for simply acquiring and quantifying data. Years ago Chemstation was software written by chemist who knew a little programming, now it is software written by software engineers who know nothing about analytical chemistry and how analytical chemist actually use their equipment.

@ Tomasz Kubowicz; I do care about users opinion. That is fundamental to know what to improve.

Regards
Csaba Urbaniczky

that was what I was thinking. OPEN LAB IS THE WORST SOFTWARE I HAVE USED. Horrible experience... The letters are very small and ther is no way to enlarge them!! There is a big almos empty page and very small letters..If I can not see the letters what is the meaning??? This is a big issue and when I use the magnifier resolution is bad.

Also I can not directly get the data of chromatogram, calibration curve or whatever. Report creation has many different issues not only the method selection related problems. It lookd like agilent hired a computer person to write with full of details which we are not going to use ever. Also, the software gave error in processing many many times, does not complete the processing.
I think Agilent made a big mistake. They should provide chem station to existent users. One more thing is that I can not download the open lab to my own personal computer for data analysis whenever and wherever I want.
Everything is stored in the instrument computer in the lab. I am dissappointed so much!