Diablo Analytical

A Technology and Development Company

Contact Us: (925) 755-1005

Diablo Analytical

Root Element is Missing Error

By

If you experience a “Root Element is Missing” error when starting EZReporter, it is most likely generated when the “ezreporter.xml” initialization file that holds the last settings has become corrupted.  However, it is also possible that your configuration file has become corrupted.

Note:  This error is now addressed automatically as of EZReporter version 4.0.11.9 or later.

Here are the troubleshooting steps to recover from this error:

First try deleting or renaming the following file:

C:\ProgramData\Diablo Analytical\EZReporter\ezreporter.xml

Note that the ProgramData folder is usually hidden by Windows, so you may have to type the path into the Windows file browser manually.

After deleting this file, restart EZReporter.

If EZReporter starts without the error and you are prompted with the New Configuration File Wizard, select any of the configuration templates and continue.

Finally try reloading your configuration file.  If you get the error again, then it is your configuration file that is corrupt, and you will need to restore from backup.  If no error occurs, then the ezreporter.xml file was corrupted, in which case you are good to go.

 

EZReporter 4.0.12.17 Released

By

Diablo Analytical has released Version 4.0.12.17 of the  EZReporter Software.  This is a minor release that includes a number of enhancements to the Modbus Slave Server.  It is also recommended if one of the fixes addresses an issue you have been experiencing.  A complete list of both enhancements and fixes is provided in the release notes.

Installing this Release

If you are running version 4.0.4.1 or later, you can download and install the correct version of the software using the “Check for Updates” option of the “Help” menu.

Otherwise, simply download and run the installation program from the download page.

IMPORTANT: Make sure you download the installer that includes support for the chromatography data system you are using.

NOTE: The “web” version of the installer can be used to upgrade an existing installation even if the computer doesn’t have Internet access.

Your current version of EZReporter will be uninstalled and the new version installed automatically.  Your license status will be preserved.

Software Support/Maintenance Subscription

This is a free upgrade if your software support subscription has not expired.  You can view the status of software support in the License Status window (click “Help > License Status”).  If software support has expired then you will either need to extend your support subscription or upgrade depending on when your support subscription expired.  Contact Diablo Analytical for information on extending software support, or upgrading your license.

About Diablo EZReporter Software

The Diablo EZReporter software is a flexible, advanced, post-run data analysis and reporting solution for any instrument that can be controlled by a supported chromatography data system. The EZReporter Natural Gas Analysis and Natural Gas Liquids Editions are state-of-art solutions for natural gas analysis and natural gas liquids/extended reporting.

For more information:  Diablo EZReporter Software

Upgrading

The price to upgrade to EZReporter 4.0 from earlier versions of EZReporter and BTU Calculator will depend on 1) the number of licenses, 2) the edition you are upgrading from and upgrading to, and 3) the number of instruments you want to license.

For Additional Information:

Contact Diablo Analytical if you have any questions about EZReporter 4.0.

EZReporter 4.0.12.10 Released

By

Diablo Analytical has released Version 4.0.12.10 of the  EZReporter Software.  This is a minor release that is recommended if one of the fixes addresses an issue you have been experiencing.  A complete list of fixes is provided in the release notes.

Installing this Release

If you are running version 4.0.4.1 or later, you can download and install the correct version of the software using the “Check for Updates” option of the “Help” menu.

Otherwise, simply download and run the installation program from the download page.

IMPORTANT: Make sure you download the installer that includes support for the chromatography data system you are using.

NOTE: The “web” version of the installer can be used to upgrade an existing installation even if the computer doesn’t have Internet access.

Your current version of EZReporter will be uninstalled and the new version installed automatically.  Your license status will be preserved.

Software Support/Maintenance Subscription

This is a free upgrade if your software support subscription has not expired.  You can view the status of software support in the License Status window (click “Help > License Status”).  If software support has expired then you will either need to extend your support subscription or upgrade depending on when your support subscription expired.  Contact Diablo Analytical for information on extending software support, or upgrading your license.

About Diablo EZReporter Software

The Diablo EZReporter software is a flexible, advanced, post-run data analysis and reporting solution for any instrument that can be controlled by a supported chromatography data system. The EZReporter Natural Gas Analysis and Natural Gas Liquids Editions are state-of-art solutions for natural gas analysis and natural gas liquids/extended reporting.

For more information:  Diablo EZReporter Software

Upgrading

The price to upgrade to EZReporter 4.0 from earlier versions of EZReporter and BTU Calculator will depend on 1) the number of licenses, 2) the edition you are upgrading from and upgrading to, and 3) the number of instruments you want to license.

For Additional Information:

Contact Diablo Analytical if you have any questions about EZReporter 4.0.

Coronavirus Notice

By

The Diablo Analytical office and development lab is located in the San Francisco Bay Area and is currently subject to a “shelter in place” order by county health officials as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.  The shelter in place order has been extended indefinitely.  However, our personnel are working normal hours remotely and can respond to email and voicemail, with more limited availability for phone calls.  Orders for physical items that must be shipped may be delayed.  Please contact us at one of the following email addresses if you have questions or need technical support:

For technical support:  support@diabloanalytical.com

For sales and other inquiries:  sales@diabloanalytical.com

We hope that all of our customers, partners, and suppliers remain healthy and safe during this crisis.

*Updated 7/2/2020*

May 2020 Pyrolysis and GC/MS Course

By

Lecture and Lab Training on Frontier Lab Pyrolysis Products

This course has been cancelled due to Coronavirus travel restrictions

May 12-15, 2020 in the San Francisco Bay Area

Day 1: GC/MS Fundamentals

Join world renowned professor, author, and mass spectrometry expert, Dr. O. David Sparkman, for an information packed day all about GC/MS and the use of the NIST 17 Mass Spectral Library and AMDIS spectral deconvolution software, which is critical for most pyrolysis GC/MS use.

Day 2-4: Pyrolysis GC/MS

Join Dr. Terry Ramus, application scientist and Itsuko Iwai, Research Chemist, for 3 full days of lectures and labs. You’ll learn how to quickly characterize materials, optimize parameters, perform precise quantitation, and maintain your Frontier pyrolyzer for quality results in your lab. Topics include:
  •  Materials Characterization & Method Map
  •  Pyrolysis Demystified
  •  Hardware Overview
  •  Run real samples
  •  Data review tools
  •  Sample Preparation
  •  Method Development
  •  Routine Maintenance
  •  Common Questions
  •  Universal Applications
  •  Advanced Techniques

Class Size*: 3-10 *We require a minimum of 3 attendees or we reserve the right to reschedule the class.  10 is the maximum enrollment.

Course Flyer

frontier_training_course_flyer_05_2020.1

Course Logistics

frontier_training_course_logistics_05_2020.1

Details and Registration

https://diabloanalytical.com/event/pyrolysis-users-training-course-may-2020/  

 

Why are there no GC/MS/MS Mass Spectral Libraries?

By

The full NIST Mass Spectral Library consists of the NIST\EPA\NIH Electron Ionization (EI) mass spectral library (mainlib and replib), the NIST 17 Tandem Library (nist_mms and nist_msms), the NIST Mass Spectral Search Program v.2.3, Mass Spect Interpreter, AMDIS, and Lib2NIST.

The Tandem Library is compose of product-ion mass spectra which are produced by the collisional activated dissociation of precursor-ions produced  primarily by electrospray ionization. A handful of these precursor-ions were produced by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI). The reason product-ion spectra are measured from LC generated precursor-ions is because the precursor-ions are very stable. This means that there is almost no fragmentation to product-ions that can be used to determine the structure of an unknown. All LC/MS techniques are called “soft-ionization” methods. The ion representing the intact molecule is formed by the addition of a hydrogen ion (a protonated molecule), the abstraction of a hydrogen nucleus  to produce a deportended molecule (a negative ion), or the extraction of a hydride to produce an [M – H]+ ion.

The only way to get structural information is to cause these precursor-ions to fragment. This is done by isolating ions of a single m/z  value using MS1 in a tandem mass spectrometer. The isolated ions are then subjected to collisions with an inert substance in the gas phase such as Ar atoms or N2 molecules. The resulting product-ions are then analysed by the second mass spectrometer. The resulting mass spectrum is then evaluated in the same way that an EI mass spectrum is evaluated using interpretation rules and libraries of like mass spectra.

In EI mass spectrometry, which is what most GC/MS is, the ion representing the intact molecule is the molecular ion, an ion formed by the removal of a single electron from a gas-phase molecule. This process is called “hard-ionization”. This molecular ions will under go extensive fragmentation. If you wanted to get structural information using MS/MS, you would isolate the molecular ion. Have it under go fragmentation in the collision area of an instrument and then obtain a mass spectrum using the second mass spectrometer. This spectrum would have little difference from the mass spectrum obtained by the standard EI process and would be far less sensitive.

With GC/MS/MS  you are typically doing selected reaction monitoring (SRM a.k.a. MRM). This is a process where you isolate a fragment ion from the decomposition of a molecular ion using the first  mass spectrometer; cause this ion to fragment in the collision area; and, then used the second mass spectrometer to measure the ion current of a specific product-ion. These data are then used for quantitation, not structure determination.

Libraries like the NIST\EPA\NIH EI Library and the NIST 17 Tandem Library are used to determine the structure of unknown analytes,

There are no GC/MS/MS libraries, because they would not contain any additional information to that found in a library of EI spectra of the same compounds.

For more information on the NIST Mass Spectral Libraries, see:

NIST Mass Spectral Library