HI All--

Just to let you know, new patch out.  As always, if it ain't broke...

They have some new suggestions for using Version Handler and comments
about fixing problems with anti-virus programs in the release notes.
Updated manuals for mass specs, peripherals and Isodat located under the
mass spec, IRMS Peripheral's, or Isodat headings.  Most application
files under DeltaXP mass spec heading.

Other items of note for upgrade without Excaliber installed:
1.  On sequence start (or options), don't know what check off box in
"Standby" section does, except crash computer if you don't have peak
centering on.  Maybe it has something to do with Xcaliber.
2.  Some new devices, namely autosamplers, are listed in Isodat's
Configurator, but only work through Xcaliber if Xcaliber has them
available and configured.  The version supplied with the Isodat patch is
for LC systems and it doesn't have the files for the CTC Pal, so we're
still running it the old fashioned way (A200S emulation, use only
internal, on PAL, autosampler methods--hey, it works).
3.  Peak numbering problems when switching from N to C gases while
running EA seems to be fixed.  On again off again problem of it using
the same number for the last N peak and the first C peak is off now.
4.  Print problems, GC was not printing out "via Result Workshop" in
patch 2.34 (we weren't printing out for a while, so I hadn't noticed it
earlier), now it does.
5.  GB sampling valve diagram shows only "load" and "inject" during runs
which corresponds to "off" and "on" in the info box.  Load is loading
sample loop, inject is "injecting" sample in loop onto GC column.  If
your migrating from an older version, e.g. 1.5, you'll have to rebuild
your methods and these designations may have switched.
6.  Gasbench, ConfloIII with Costech EA and GCC with ThermoTrace GC all
seem to run ok with real runs.  Mock runs with confloIII and TC/EA
indicate it should be fine.  I've not tested H-dev (dual inlet) yet.
7.  It reads previous Isodat2.0 files.  So far, I've only had problems
reading ver1.5 H-dev files in ver2.0. (IsodatNT only, the only other
older files I have are from an AppleIIe, and I can't read them into Isodat).

take care

gerry

P.S.  Playing games (with Xcaliber)--or do as I say, not as I do...I've
gotten away with playing with this version without doing proper full
backups or using version handler, but I don't recommend that.
  If you run with Xcaliber on your system, you know more than I.  You
can do the upgrade and check the box to use your version of excaliber,
and that's supposed to work.  If you don't want to play with Xcaliber,
then check top box and don't worry about it.  If you really want to play
around with it, then check middle box, install Xcaliber 1.4 with Isodat
patch.  One of the times when I installed Xcaliber with Isodat,
WebRoot's Spysweeper  program  gave an alert (on reboot I think).  I
only have that on a workstation set up (no mass spec attached, but set
to emulate a mass spec for test purposes), and just turned off
Spysweeper for rest of tests.  At end of Isodat update, Xcaliber routine
starts.  I ended up installing everything to see what was there.  At end
of Xcaliber update, you'll see a dialog box asking to reboot your system
now.  Don't reboot.  There's another hidden dialog box (minimize windows
to find it) that you need the click "yes" on once Excaliber install is
done.  Then the Xcaliber install registers it's *.dll's.  After that,
reboot system.  After reboot, you can run xconfig.exe, found in
c:\finnigan\isodat nt\global\xcal\system\program\.  That shows you
what's available and what's been configured in Xcaliber, and also lets
you configure available devices for Xcaliber.  If there is a device
available and configured in Xcaliber, you can then use it in Isodat if
Isodat has been configured for it.  Run isodat's configurator and create
or change a configuration to make use of Xcaliber devices listed under
devices.  Please note, the device must be available and configured in
both Xcaliber and Isodat to work e.g. the "HTC Pal" is a device in
Isodat, but I didn't have any PAL device available in Xcaliber, so I
couldn't get it to work at all.  AS-AI 3000 was available in both, and
even though I didn't have one connected, I could get a dialog box up and
running in Isodat that told me it was not ready.  Since we couldn't use
it, we got rid of Xcaliber by quitting Isodat, using windows Add/Remove
programs to remove Xcaliber and Surveyor (a program installed with
Xcaliber for control of the Surveryor system that we didn't have)
programs, then re-applying the Isodat 2.38 patch, this time checking off
the isodat only (no xcaliber) option.  Re-run configurator to remove the
xcaliber devices from our active configurations, then run Isodat.  The
Xcaliber link on the top menus in Isodat is now gone.