HI--

We have a 253 and DeltaXP running 1.5 (on WindowsNT) and last fall got a
DeltaAdvantage running 2.0 (WindowsXP).  I have the latest patches,
1.5patch1.8 and 2.0patch1.33 installed, available from
www.thermo-bremen.com, login into the CIS site.  I've not upgraded the
1.5 systems yet.  Some things I've noticed were:

1.  Ver 1.5 on NT likes to be installed on the D: drive, ver 2.0 on XP
prefers the C: drive.
2.  Ver 2.0 does run now.
3.  Scripts are different!!!
4.  Results, result workshop files, and I think time event lists are
interchangeable (not sure about export templates)
5.  Methods and sequences need to be re-done, if for no other reason
than to be recognized as being compatable with the new configuration.
6.  The "Dual-Inlet" and "Continous Flow" acquisition programs in 1.5
both under single "Acquisition" program in 2.0.  Also 2.0 has
"Workspace", separate from "Acquisition", where you can reprocess data
and edit/make methods and scripts while having a run going.  It seems
less likely than 1.5 to crash when, say, you're trying to reprocess data
while it is in the middle of peak centering.
7.  Get the latest 2.0 patch!  The version that came with our instrument
wouldn't let you save data in sub-folders, which was finally fixed in
the 1.33 patch that came out last December.  However, if you try to
print out a ratio trace via a result workshop template, you'll just get
an empty box.  Raw traces and data tables are fine, just ratios won't
print out now (this was fine with earlier patches).
8.  "Dynamic background", which is essential if you running a GCC and
have a sloping baseline, will CRASH the system.  This happens with both
versions (can be intermittent, from about every sample to once every 20
samples).  When it doesn't crash the system, the numbers can bounce around.
9.  The EULA changed--officially you're not allowed to set up ver 2.0 on
a different computer for data processing, which was allowed under the
EULA that shipped with 1.5.
10.  Our 2.0 system was shipped with a ConfloIII, so I have examples of
methods that use the Conflo.  If you happen to install 2.0 on a new
system in the mock set-up (not just for data analysis) from the supplied
disk, the examples are present, but configuration specific.  They don't
all work--if you try opeing the "Kiel-dev.." method from the dual-inlet
configuration in "Workspace", you crash "Workspace".  Other examples are
present for this and other configurations, which don't crash the
system.  My stuff shipped with the system and may be different than the
current shipping disks.  Also, some of them call up old, ver1.5?,
scripts that don't exist anymore in ver2.0 (oops)--e.g. the H-device
method calls up "double side.sct" for the acquisition script, which
doesn't exist, and the method only takes .isl scripts-so you can use
acquisition.isl from the H-device folder.  FYI--I've not run an H-device
with ver 2.0, I'm just playing off line with ver 2.0 for everything but
the Costech EA on the ConfloIII.
11.  Ver 2.0 is supposed to allow for better control over Trace GC's:
The sequence lets you call up a GC method for programming the oven and
"external events"--which is seperate from your acquisition method (same
for HP-GC's).  The latest ver 1.5 lets you do some limited programing of
the GC in your acquisition method.  Neither one lets you pick a program
that's already stored on the GC, and PTV inlets are not controlled via
either version of Isodat.
12.  Ver2.0 is supposed to let you use the "plug'nplay" feature on your
devices so you can have two conflo's attached to the same mass spec (if
you pop open the connector and set the numbers properly--listed in the
manual), with switching between them done by the software if configured
correctly--but I don't know if that is actually working.  It's also
supposed to let you set up different PAL autosamplers on the same system
too--that is you can define one for com1 and the other for com3 (of
course your PC would need enough com ports).  Apparently you're limited
to the ones they supply for  you in devices under "configurator", so one
PAL autosampler would be "A200S" and the other "Conflo-liquid".  If you
create a duplicate of these in the devices, the sequence software won't
recognize it as an autosampler, so you won't get the choice of of
autosampler method number nor position number (it won't work).
13.  Both now let you do batch reprocessing for either actual
reprocessing or for print outs or data export.
14.  Ver 1.5 is no longer supported.

If things are working, knock on wood...  switch later...

take care

gerry

Bernie Genna wrote:

> Hi All,
>
>        We were recently 'suprised' by the arrival of the ISODAT 2.0
> upgrade from
> Thermofinnigan. We are currently running a Delta Plus-XL connected in
> various ways to an Elemental Analyzer, a TC/EA and a gasbench with the
> old
> 1.5 software using Windows NT 4.0 operating system. My question is, 'Has
> anyone out there tried out this new version of the software yet?'
> Since we
> need to reinstall all of our methods, sequences and calibrations in order
> to upgrade, I'd like to find out if this would be worth the effort.
>
> Thanks for you input,
>
> Bernie Genna
>