GC Image GCxGC Edition Users' Guide

New Features and Improvements in Version 2024

GC Image GCxGC Edition 2024 has many new features and improvements. See the GC Image GCxGC Edition Users' Guide for full documentation.

What's New in Version 2024 Release 1 (March 2024)

Improved Reliability and Performance for Importing Shimadzu Data Files

Version 2024R1 introduces significant improvements to the reliability and performance of importing Shimadzu GCD, QGD, and LCD files. The readers for Shimadzu files have been optimized to eliminate random failures and significantly improve speed and efficiency.

Enhanced Quantification with Group-Based Response Factors

Version 2024R1 includes a suite of new features designed to streamline and enhance the quantification workflow using group-based response factors.

• Improved Calibration and Response Factor Options:
  • New Calibration Table from Response Factor Table: Easily generate a calibration table from existing response factors with the new New Calibration Table from Response Factor Table menu under Quantification.
  • Support Fit Intercept to 0: Gain greater control over calibration ranges by forcing a calibration curve to pass through the origin (0,0) with the new Set Intercept to 0 option.
  • Flexible calibrant assignment for Unknows: Choose None, Default, Group Neighbor, or Nearest Neighbor for uncalibrated compounds.
  • Default Response Factor for Unknowns: Apply a pre-defined Default Response Factor to uncalibrated compounds.
  • Target Group Assignment for Calibrants: Enhance the accuracy of your group-based calibration by assigning specific target groups to individual calibrants using the new Target Group option.
• Improved Reporting and Visualization:
  • Interactive Calibration Report: Review the calibration quality with an interactive report directly accessible from the Calibration Table.
  • Response Factor Column in Calibration Report: View response factors alongside other crucial calibration parameters, if appropriate.
  • ISTD Column Visibility: ISTD columns are now only displayed for ISTD calibrations, simplifying reports.
  • Increased Decimal Places for Amount and Response: Improved visualization of small values in the Calibration Table with 4 decimal places displayed for amount and response values.

Enhanced Boiling Range Distribution Analysis with Slice Reports

Version 2024R1 introduces significant improvements to the Slice Report functionality, specifically designed to enhance the analysis of boiling range distributions.

• Quick SimDist Report Generation: Generate SimDist reports directly from an open image using the new Slice Report for Boiling Range Distribution menu under Tools.
• Enhanced Control and Flexibility:
  • Focused Calculation - Limit calculations to specific areas of interest by utilizing the new option to restrict analysis to regions within detected peaks or included graphics and areas.
  • Tailored Baseline Correction - Gain finer control over the analysis with the new option to enable/disable ASTM D2887 baseline correction within Slice Reports. Disabling the option allows the user to use the data, already processed with background subtraction and normal baseline correction, without further modification.
  • Customizable Remainder Display - Choose to only show the Remainder value when necessary (default behavior) or enable the new Always Show Remainder option for backward compatibility.
  • New ASTM D2887 Slice Option - Choose the predefined mass percent-off intervals for ASTM D2887 analysis directly within the Slice Report.
• Project-Level Enhancements:
  • Expanded File Selection - Utilize all images within a project for generating Slice, Slice Calibration, and ASTM D2887 reports.
  • Streamlined Calibration Run Selection - Select calibration runs within a project for Slice and ASTM D2887 reports with a more friendly and consistent UI.

Enhanced Side-by-Side Chromatogram Comparison

Version 2024R1 has new and improved functionality for Compare Images Side-by-Side, making user analysis workflow more efficient and intuitive:

• Enhanced Navigation: Auto-pan functionality upon selecting a blob in the Compare Images tables eliminates the need for manual scrolling, allowing the user to focus on specific regions of interest in both chromatograms easily.
• Customizable Blob Attributes: Customizing blob attributes based on current blob table configuration allows the user to tailor the displayed information to the user's specific needs and highlight the information most relevant to the investigation.
• Multitasking: The enhanced Compare Images tool now allows the user to open multiple instances, each operating independently. This enables the user to interact with other tools freely, while comparing the open image with multiple images side-by-side and performing additional analyses concurrently.

Improved Multi-Sample Alignment Workflow

Version 2024R1 has several improvements to the Auto Feature workflow, designed to streamline the process and enhance efficiency:

• Automatic ISTD Selection: The Auto Feature process now automatically identifies and sets the internal standard (ISTD) present in all samples within the feature template. This ensures that the subsequent analyses are based on reliable and consistent reference peaks derived from the same ISTD compound across all samples.
• Improved Error Handling and Logging: During the Auto Feature validation step, any invalid run paths will now be logged for easier troubleshooting. This helps identify potential issues with data inconsistencies and facilitates addressing them promptly.
• Persistent Configuration for Streamlined Analysis: The Use Configuration option will now persist across sessions. This eliminates the need to manually re-select the option each time for a multi-sample alignment task.

Simplified Multi-Sample Comparison with New Compound Finder Algorithm and Enhanced Spectra View

Version 2024R1 includes two new improvements that will enhance the workflow for analyzing and comparing compounds across multiple sample classes:

• New Compound Finder Algorithm: The enhanced Compound Finder 2024r1 algorithm improves the identification of both common and unique compounds. It analyzes representative spectra of defined classes, focusing on those consistently present within the majority of samples belonging to the same class. These representative spectra are then compared with spectra from other classes. This refined approach leads to more accurate identification of common compounds across multiple samples and unique compounds specific to individual samples.
• Enhanced Spectra View: The Spectra View now provides a clearer and more informative presentation of class data, including:
  • Class names in title - Quickly identify the associated class for each spectrum.
  • Class groups - Easily visualize spectra grouped by their assigned class.
  • Alternating color scheme - Improved visual distinction between different classes in the spectra plot.

Improved Window Management

Version 2024R1 introduces several enhancements to the window management system, making it easier to organize the workspace, including:

• Enhanced Window Layout: The Tile Selected Windows menu now manages all open windows, allowing the user to easily arrange them in various tile layouts.
• Enhanced Window Switching: Access any open window directly from the Windows menu, eliminating the need to look for them on the screen.
• New Close All SIC Windows Menu: Close all SIC windows with a single click.
• Auto Window Repositioning: Off-screen windows will automatically come back into view when selected. Also, the main Image window will be placed into view if it is off-screen. This improvement makes it easier to switch between single and dual monitor setups.
• Clearer Layout Icons: New icons for Tile Vertically and Tile Horizontally menus provide a more intuitive understanding of the available layout options.

Other New Improvements

Version 2024R1 has other improved operations, including:

• Simplified MS Range Editing:
  • Up to 10 recently used MS ranges and formulas for opening SIC views and selecting ranges will be remembered. This helps save time and effort when revisiting frequently used analyses.
  • A list of common hydrocarbon general formulas is now conveniently listed within the MS Range edit UI. This eliminates the need for manual entry and reduces the risk of errors.
  • The MS Range edit UI pane is now more compact and collapsible in MS View.
• Enhanced Blob Set Table: For analyses involving sets of sets (e.g., constellations, graphic groups, residuals), Blob Set Table has a new ordering and color scheme. This improved visualization makes it easier to identify and differentiate between different levels of group hierarchy.

Contents Next: Introduction

GC Image™ GCxGC Edition Users' Guide © 2001–2024 by GC Image, LLC, and the University of Nebraska.