How Do I Configure Analyst® Software for Network Acquisition

For research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
Answer 

Analyst projects (and therefore data and methods) are stored in what is called a Root Directory.  This Root Directory is configured at Install and is usually set to D:\Analyst Data.  The Root directory contains all of the Projects Analyst uses including the settings Project – ‘API Instrument’, as well as your default for new projects as well as your Data Acquisition projects.  These data acquisition projects can be re-directed to a network location and many instruments can use the same network location greatly simplifying the maintenance of your data storage.  This article only applies to Analyst software when configured with a Quadrupole or QTRAP® instrument using Analyst software.

1. Map the Network Drive.
   1. Using Windows Explorer right mouse click on computer and select ‘Map Network Drive’

2. Chose a Drive Letter (in this example X:) and enter the full UNC path into the Folder: entry box.

And press ‘Finish’.  You may at this point be asked to enter your network credentials in order to map the drive.

3. You should now see the drive in your list of mapped drives

Some Notes on Drive Mapping:

It is a good idea (though not essential) for all members of a team to map drives to the same letters, this does make it attractive for your IT dept to map the drives at a Group Policy level.  Using GPO from > Windows Server 2008 this will work fine.  However if you are using an older group policy version and the drives appear mapped like this LabData(X:) instead of LabData(\\emwar-labfs1)(X:) eg the UNC path is after the name then Analyst will not be able to determine the path accurately and this can lead to problems with saving methods and data.

2. Create the New Project Root.

This step is only required if you are attaching your first instrument to the network location.  If you are attaching to an existing data location this is not required.

1. Open Analyst Software
2. In Configure mode Navigate to Tools > Project > Create Root Directory ….

3. Use the Browse button to select the parent directory in which to create the root directory and then press OK.

4. Type the name for your new Root directory in the New: box and press OK

5. This will generate the Projects and Workspaces directories within the project root.

3. Attach Analyst to the new Root Directory
   1. In Configure Mode go to Tools > Project > Set Root Directory

2. Use the Folder Browser to select the Root Folder you selected in step 2 and press OK

3. You will now see that you only have the Default project in your project drop down and the root directory (shown at the bottom right of the screen) will show the UNC path of your network location.

4. Using and creating projects as normal will now result in project contents being stored in the defined network location.

RUO-MKT-18-3847-A