Software Status Bulletin

PerkinElmer GC     M8242BA PerkinElmer GC

Preface
-------------------------
This Software Status Bulletin (SSB) documents all known problems in the software
product designated above. The SSB is derived from Known Problem Reports (KPR)
which result from user problems that have been classified as documentation
problems or software defects. When a KPR is written, an identifying number is
assigned to it, and the KPR is added to the next edition of the SSB.

User inputs that have been classified as Enhancement Requests are not documented
in the SSB. User problems that have been submitted, but that have not been
classified by the time the SSB is generated are not included in the SSB.

How to use the SSB
-------------------------
When you experience a problem with a product, first check this SSB to see if the
problem has been reported already, and if there is a temporary workaround
available for the problem, or if the problem has already been fixed by a new
revision. If the problem is not listed in this SSB then you may wish to report
it to the Response Center or to your field support representative.

To determine if your problem is documented in this SSB, first look in the
Keyword Index section of the SSB. Under each keyword is a listing of one-line
descriptions of related KPRs. If any of these sound like yours, locate the KPR
# in the Known Problem Reports section of the SSB, and read the full KPR. The
KPRs in the Known Problem Reports section are sorted by KPR #.

There are two sections in the SSB:
Keyword Index: This index is categorized by keyword. For each KPR there is a
brief description and a KPR #. A KPR may be associated with more than one
keyword.

Known Problem Reports: This section contains KPRs, with all the available
information relevant to the problem. KPRs in this section are sorted by KPR #.

Keyword Glossary

Keyword Index

Keyword: Audit Trail

KPR#:292456 Units for carrier A timetable
KPR#:297766 Method Audit Trail Incorrectly References Detector A Gas 2 as Gas 3

Keyword: Configuration

KPR#:288817 Instrument status shows temperature value for non-configured injector
KPR#:486957 PE AutoSystem XL GC: cannot add VICI valves

Keyword: Documentation

KPR#:260862 PE Clarus GC: Some Method parameters are missing in the method report
KPR#:651995 PE Clarus GC 500: Min Firmware for Mainboard Missing in Training

Keyword: Installation

KPR#:290491 No warning when installing later PE GC driver version with the preinstalled older version might lead to malfunction
KPR#:297111 SVT for OpenLab CDS disappears upon uninstalation of PE Clarus GC Drivers
KPR#:298681 There is no Warning When Another Version of PE Driver is Installed Over The Previous One
KPR#:303159 SVT report does not show the installed driver for non-default path CDS installation

Keyword: Instrument Control

KPR#:211507 Inlet time program does not work properly
KPR#:212506 Only one valve functions
KPR#:286720 Status of Oven and Autosampler is "Ready" when the GC is switched off
KPR#:288479 PE Clarus GC: at the end of a run ""The current method has changed" message
KPR#:723437 PE Clarus 480 GC Cannot Be Connected to the AIC Due to Communication Error

Keyword: Localization

KPR#:287503 PE Clarus GC: Decimal symbol for syringe volume

Keyword: Method

KPR#:288808 Split flow in instrument status is always X mL/min higher than in instrument setup
KPR#:290303 Instrument Setup Window: Time constant for FIDW is displayed without a unit
KPR#:297200 Incorrect Units (°C) for carrier gas settings in Method report
KPR#:761728 PE TurboMatrix and Clarus GC: System Sometimes Prompts to Save Unmodified Method
KPR#:800420 PE TurboMatrix and Clarus GC: System Sometimes Prompts to Save Unmodified Method
KPR#:1063041 PE Clarus GC Default Method Setting Combination for Carrier Not Allowed with EZChrom
KPR#:1155105 Clarus GC: Method UI Might Appear Hanging For Carrier Tab Under Certain Condition

Keyword: Method Usage

KPR#:297768 Incorrect Carrier Info in Method Report

Keyword: Performance

KPR#:804696 PE Clarus 680: Attenuation Time Change Events Do Not Work Properly

Keyword: Report Templates

KPR#:288580 Carrier table in method report is incorrect

Keyword: Audit Trail

One-line Description:

Units for carrier A timetable

Problem:

The UI of the carrier A timetable is always displaying the unit "psi".
Changes in the Rate and Setpoint columns are creating Audit trail entries which always use the unit "psi".
This is only correct if the Control is set to "Pressure" and the system is currently configured to use "psi" as pressure unit.

Temporary Solution:

n/a

Fix Information:

Fixed in PE Clarus GC Control 2.0

Keyword: Audit Trail

One-line Description:

Method Audit Trail Incorrectly References Detector A Gas 2 as Gas 3  

Problem:

Method report only contains a reference to Detector A Gas 1 and 2. However, method audit trail incorrectly references Detector A Gas 2 as Gas 3.

Temporary Solution:

N/A

Fix Information:

Fixed in PE Clarus GC Control 2.0

Keyword: Configuration

One-line Description:

Instrument status shows temperature value for non-configured injector

Problem:

In the Oven/Inlets tab of the Instrument Status window, injector B shows up the temperature even though it is not configured.

Temporary Solution:

n/a

Fix Information:

Fixed in PE Clarus GC Control 2.0

Keyword: Configuration

One-line Description:

PE AutoSystem XL GC: cannot add VICI valves

Problem:

When configuring an instrument, one cannot add VICI sampling valves.

Temporary Solution:

Use a workaround to add VICI valves:
An AutoSystem XL GC Registry Key has to be manually edited:
In Regedit find the registers corresponding to the AutoSystem XL GC and 
under the CategoryType change the original value 1 to 11.
After that one should be able to add VICI valves to the configuration.

Fix Information:

There is no fix for this.

Keyword: Documentation

One-line Description:

PE Clarus GC: Some Method parameters are missing in the method report

Problem:

Some Method parameters are missing in the method report that appear in Agilent GC method report.

Temporary Solution:

NA

Fix Information:

Method parameters are now present in PE Clarus GC reports with driver version 1.3.0.21 (OpenLab EZChrom system) and 1.0.21.1 (OpenLab CDS 2.x system)

Keyword: Documentation

One-line Description:

PE Clarus GC 500: Min Firmware for Mainboard Missing in Training

Problem:

The minimal main control board firmware version for PE Clarus GC 500 is not specified in the documentation.

Temporary Solution:

The main control board firmware version 4.3.026 (min.) is required to use PE Clarus GC 500 Control (v1.3.0.22 and older) for OpenLab CDS.

Fix Information:

PE Clarus GC 500 is now obsoleted (starting with Clarus GC Control 2.0).

Keyword: Installation

One-line Description:

No warning when installing later PE GC driver version with the preinstalled older version might lead to malfunction

Problem:

Upon installation of the most recent version of the driver, there is no warning if uninstallation of the older version of the driver is not performed manually. This leads to coexistence of the two versions of the driver that might cause malfunctioning in the instrument control later. This issue happens with OpenLab CDS 2.x.

Temporary Solution:

n/a

Fix Information:

Fixed in PE Clarus GC Control 2.0

Keyword: Installation

One-line Description:

SVT for OpenLab CDS disappears upon uninstalation of PE Clarus GC Drivers

Problem:

When Clarus GC drivers are uninstalled, the OpenLab CDS node in the Software verification Tool is not available any more and one cannot run the software verification report.

Temporary Solution:

n/a

Fix Information:

Fixed in PE Clarus GC Control 2.0

Keyword: Installation

One-line Description:

There is no Warning When Another Version of PE Driver is Installed Over The Previous One

Problem:

There is no warning that another version of the driver already exists if another version is being installed. This leads to the co-existence of both driver versions that is also displayed in "Programs and features" . This might cause issues in instrument control. 

Temporary Solution:

n/a

Fix Information:

Fixed in PE Clarus GC Control 2.0

Keyword: Installation

One-line Description:

SVT report does not show the installed driver for non-default path CDS installation

Problem:

The SVT report does not show the installed driver for non-default path CDS installation.

Temporary Solution:

The Windows Control panel does show the driver.

Fix Information:

There is no fix.

Keyword: Instrument Control

One-line Description:

Inlet time program does not work properly

Problem:

If one enters the flow of for example 1.5ml/min and goes to the next column, it is automatically rounded to the next number 2, without digits.

Temporary Solution:

N/A

Fix Information:

This has been fixed in driver version 4.2.1.0

Keyword: Instrument Control

One-line Description:

Only one valve functions

Problem:

In the Method Editor, the valves can be time programmed. But only Valve 1 has an effect.

Temporary Solution:

n/a

Fix Information:

This has been fixed in v. 4.2.1.0 of the driver

Keyword: Instrument Control

One-line Description:

Status of Oven and Autosampler is "Ready" when the GC is switched off 

Problem:

When the instrument is off-line, the status of the oven and the autosampler might incorrectly display them to be in a "Ready" state.

Temporary Solution:

n/a

Fix Information:

Fixed in PE Clarus GC Control 2.0

Keyword: Instrument Control

One-line Description:

PE Clarus GC: at the end of a run ""The current method has changed" message

Problem:

When acquisition of a single run is finished, a dialog appears "The current method has changed - would you like to save it?" 
At this point, the method which was loaded before is not displayed in the header of the EZChrom UI any more, but "untitled.met" is displayed.
 When "No" is clicked in the dialog, the window disappears and the previously loaded method is shown again.

Temporary Solution:

There is no work around available.

Fix Information:

Will not be fixed.

Keyword: Instrument Control

One-line Description:

PE Clarus 480 GC Cannot Be Connected to the AIC Due to Communication Error

Problem:

PE Clarus 480 GC cannot be connected to the AIC due to communication error.

Temporary Solution:

There is no workaround.

Fix Information:

Perkin Elmer stopped the support of Clarus 480 GC.

Keyword: Localization

One-line Description:

PE Clarus GC: Decimal symbol for syringe volume

Problem:

The Method parameter "Syringe capacity" is not following the Regional Settings for the Decimal Symbol and will be always displayed with a dot (Options are 0.5 mL, 5.0 mL and 50 ml). As consequence, the "Syringe capacity" is also always printed with a dot in the Method Report. This doesn't have any impact on the instrument functionality.

Temporary Solution:

n/a

Fix Information:

Fixed in PE Clarus GC Control 2.0

Keyword: Method

One-line Description:

Split flow in instrument status is always X mL/min higher than in instrument setup

Problem:

When one enters a value for split flow in Instrument Setup and downloads the method to the instrument, the split flow displayed in the instrument status is always X ml/min higher than the value entered, where X is the septum purge flow plus the column flow.
 
The value displayed as "Split flow" in the Status UI is the TOTAL flow value, i.e.septum purge flow plus the column flow plus the split flow, as it is displayed on the GC device UI.

Temporary Solution:

n/a

Fix Information:

Fixed in PE Clarus GC Control 2.0

Keyword: Method

One-line Description:

Instrument Setup Window: Time constant for FIDW is displayed without a unit

Problem:

The field Time constant for FIDW is displayed without a unit in the Instrument setup window.

Temporary Solution:

n/a

Fix Information:

Fixed in PE Clarus GC Control 2.0

Keyword: Method

One-line Description:

Incorrect Units (°C) for carrier gas settings in Method report

Problem:

In the method UI carrier settings are shown with unit psi in the time table (which is wrong when the flow control mode is selected).  When the method is printed in CDS 2.x, the carrier settings in the table are shown with the unit "°C", which is always incorrect independent of the mode.

Temporary Solution:

n/a

Fix Information:

Fixed in PE Clarus GC Control 2.0

Keyword: Method

One-line Description:

PE TurboMatrix and Clarus GC: System Sometimes Prompts to Save Unmodified Method 

Problem:

When trying to load an existing method or creating a new one, the system sometimes asks the user to save the current method even it has not been modified. This only happens if TurboMatrix Headspace is part of the system.

Temporary Solution:

N/A

Fix Information:

Addressed in the Point Patch for TurboMatrix driver. Contact 3PIC for the patch.

Keyword: Method

One-line Description:

PE TurboMatrix and Clarus GC: System Sometimes Prompts to Save Unmodified Method 

Problem:

When trying to load an existing method or creating a new one, the system sometimes asks the user to save the current method even it has not been modified. This only happens if TurboMatrix Headspace is part of the system.

Temporary Solution:

N/A

Fix Information:

Fixed by the Point Patch for TurboMatrix driver. Contact 3PIC for the patch.

Keyword: Method

One-line Description:

PE Clarus GC Default Method Setting Combination for Carrier Not Allowed with EZChrom

Problem:

Clarus GC, EZChrom:
Upon creating a brand-new method, one can encounter an issue where they cannot switch out of the Carrier tab without any error being displayed. If this happens, it means that the following two default settings are not simultaneously allowed: 
Mode / Carrier A Control = Programmed Flow
AND
Split Control / Mode = None

Temporary Solution:

Change the Split mode to a "Flow" from "None". Alternatively, change the Carrier Mode to "None" and keep Split Mode at "None".
This might only happen when the method is created. After that, the tooltip is properly displayed informing the user about the combinations that are not allowed.

Fix Information:

To be addressed in the future revision of the driver.

Keyword: Method

One-line Description:

Clarus GC: Method UI Might Appear Hanging For Carrier Tab Under Certain Condition

Problem:

Under certain conditions, it can happen that the Clarus GC Method Editor appears to be hanging in the Carrier Tab.

Temporary Solution:

One should use a temporary workaround: switch to another tab in the method editor (e.g. Oven or Detector) and continue working. The current method is not affected by that and can be saved for further use.

Fix Information:

To be fixed with next Clarus GC Control driver version

Keyword: Method Usage

One-line Description:

Incorrect Carrier Info in Method Report

Problem:

In the method report, under "Carrier B setting", there is "Carrier A Control: NONE"
 It should be "Carrier B Control: NONE"

Temporary Solution:

n/a

Fix Information:

Fixed in PE Clarus GC Control 2.0

Keyword: Performance

One-line Description:

PE Clarus 680: Attenuation Time Change Events Do Not Work Properly

Problem:

Timed attenuation changes in the run cause variable peak areas and heights throughout the run, yet the ratio of the peaks remains consistent. 

Temporary Solution:

None

Fix Information:

Fixed in PE Clarus GC Control 2.0

Keyword: Report Templates

One-line Description:

Carrier table in method report is incorrect

Problem:

Carrier table in method report displays the information for Carrier Ramp incorrectly. 

Temporary Solution:

n/a

Fix Information:

Fixed in PE Clarus GC Control 2.0