FTIR Tutorial
This is the data handling method setup screen.
Settings you need to note are circled in red:
- Data Collection Mode - leave on standard.
- Display / Write. - Check both boxes, for BOTH Sample
and Background. With these buttons checked, your data will be automatically
saved every time you measure a spectrum.
- Change Data Directory - use this button to select your data directory. If you do not have one, create a directory in C:\First\Data using your name. It's important when you load a method to change the data directory, otherwise, you might overwrite someone else's' files, and lose your data!
- Check Autoname, and Increment. Set the starting value to 1. Then fill in the circled box with a name to identify your sample. The starting value will be appended to the name you use. Therefore you can only use 7 characters at most.
IMPORTANT NOTE: When you save your method, the starting value will be saved. Therefore if you use the method again another day, there is a danger that the previous days' files will be overwritten! (e.g. if you used the method illustrated above, the software will attempt to overwrite c:\first\data\pete\pstest1.sbm ).
If after scanning, the machine prompts you: "OVERWRITE YES/NO ?" select "NO". You will still have your data on screen, which you may then save under a different name.
To avoid this, whenever you load a method, go to Data Handling, and update the "Starting Value".
Other settings of interest are prompt level, and verbosity level, which alter the amount of feedback from the computer while you scan, and autoname, which creates an informative comment to identify your file.
Next click the Devices tab, and the next page will show the settings required.