Software Overview

4 Software Overview
Starting the SpectrAA software 47
SpectrAA windows 47
Working with the SpectrAA software 50
Help 51

The Agilent AA system software (SpectrAA) is a powerful interface that provides

high levels of spectrometer control and is easy to use. This chapter provides a
brief overview of the SpectrAA software to help you familiarize yourself with its
various windows. A more detailed description and instructions for use are included
in the extensive Help. The optional SpectrAA CFR version software offers you the
tools to help you achieve compliance with the US FDA 21 CFR Part 11
requirements. More information on the CFR compliance features of the software is
detailed in the Help.

Starting the SpectrAA software

To start the SpectrAA software double-click on the desktop SpectrAA icon (created
during the installation of the software).

SpectrAA windows

Index page
When you start the SpectrAA software, the first screen to appear is the
introductory screen.
The Index page contains four buttons: Worksheet, Reports, Administration, and
Exit.

Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman) 47

 Software Overview

The function of each button is as follows:

Worksheet Opens the Worksheet window (see Page 48)
Reports Opens the Reports window (see Page 49)
Administration Opens the Administration window (see Page 50)
Exit Shuts down the SpectrAA software.

Worksheet window
The Worksheet window allows you to develop and edit methods, sequences and
labels, and initiate sample analysis.
The worksheet is the fundamental file type for SpectrAA, containing one or more
methods, sample labels, sequence information, and analytical results. You can
load an existing worksheet or develop a new one.
The Worksheet window consists of four tabbed pages: Filing, Develop, Labels, and
Analysis. To access a particular page, click on the appropriate page tab appearing
under the menu bar.

The Filing page

Use the Filing page to perform basic worksheet operations such as opening,
saving, and closing worksheets, creating a template from a worksheet, and loading
worksheets. You can also view information about the worksheet currently open. If
you have the CFR version of the software, the Filing page enables you to apply
electronic signatures (approval) to the worksheet.

The Develop page

Use the Develop page to add, delete, review and modify methods, modify
sequence parameters, change the order of methods and copy methods to the
Method Library.

The Labels page

Use the Labels page to set up solution labels, weights, volumes, and dilution
factors and to configure SPS or PSD samplers.

The Analysis page

Use the Analysis page to control the AA and initiate analysis. Data is presented in
the form of a spreadsheet, with one row per sample. The sample labels are
displayed in the left-hand column with concentration results for each element
across the remaining columns.

48 Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman)

 Software Overview

The SpectrAA software enables you to have up to a maximum of 10 worksheets

open at the same time. The Worksheet tab at the bottom of the Analysis page
enables you to switch between worksheets.

Worksheet menus
When you are viewing the worksheet, the following menu items are available:
File This menu allows you to perform filing tasks such as opening, saving and renaming
files.
Edit The Edit menu allows you to copy and paste information, Edit Replicates and Go To
certain parts of a worksheet.
View The View menu enables you to nominate what is displayed on the Analysis page.
Instrument This menu enables you to perform many Instrument functions such as Optimization,
Reslope, and Zero.
Options The Options menu enables you to alter the displays on the Analysis page.
Window This menu enables you to quickly move around the software.
Help This menu enables you to access the Help.

NOTE Not all menu items are available on all pages of the Worksheet window. If an item
or menu is grayed, it is unavailable on that page.

Menu items can be accessed by clicking the desired item with the mouse, or
pressing Alt and the active (underlined) letter in the menu name (for example,
Alt+E to access the “Edit” menu). This displays a menu list. The options in the
menu list can be accessed in the same manner.

Reports window
The Reports window allows you to generate a report for the current worksheet or
any of the worksheets saved in the system.
The Reports window consists of four tabbed pages: Worksheet, Select, Settings,
and Report. To select a particular page, click on the appropriate page tab
appearing under the menu bar.

Worksheet page
Use the Worksheet page to select the worksheet results to include in the report.
You can use the “Filter” and “Search” buttons to refine your search.

Select page
Use the Select page to choose methods and solutions to include in the report.

Settings page
Use the Settings page to specify the report style and content.

Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman) 49

 Software Overview

Report page
Use the Report page to view and print the report, write it to a text file, or export it to
a PRN file.

Administration window
The Administration window allows you to: migrate worksheets into the system
(such as old worksheets on CD-ROM, etc.); delete worksheets and library methods;
and activate and modify password protection of the system. The Administration
window also allows you to configure your system.

Working with the SpectrAA software

Menu bar
The Worksheet window contains a menu bar directly beneath the window title bar.
This bar displays several menu items. For more information on these menus, see
Page 49.

NOTE When menu items or options appear grayed, they are unavailable for selection.

Toolbar
The Toolbar appears on the Index page and the Worksheet window and provides
easy shortcuts to many common functions and other windows.

Dialog boxes
In some cases, selecting a menu option or pressing a button activates a dialog
box. This is a box that contains several different input fields relevant to that
operation.
You can move the focus from field to field in a dialog box either by clicking each
entry item with the mouse or by pressing the Tab and arrow keys to move the
cursor from field to field. After entering/changing any values in a dialog box, press
“OK” to accept the changes and close the dialog.

50 Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman)

 Software Overview

Help

The SpectrAA software contains extensive Help, which serves as your primary
source of information on how to use the software and the instrument. The Help
consists of contextual help and multimedia help. The Help also contains an
extensive ‘How To…’ section. This section provides many set by set instructions on
how to perform common procedures.
The contextual help is accessed from any window, page, or dialog box in the
SpectrAA software by pressing F1 (the Help function key), the ‘Help’ button (where
available), or by selecting ‘On-line Help’ from the Help menu at the top of any page
in the Worksheet window and provides help specific to that screen.
The multimedia help contains hardware-related information and other details to
help you set up, operate and maintain your Agilent AA instrument.
For example, the Help includes:
 Installation procedures for the components of the instrument that are
customer-installable
 Maintenance procedures for the parts of the spectrometer that are customer-
serviceable
 Checklists to help you ensure that you have correctly prepared your system for
analysis.

Searching for help

You can quickly get help on a specific topic using keywords and the Search facility.
To search for information on a particular subject:
1 Open the Help (if it is not already open).
2 Select the Search tab at the top of the SpectrAA Help window.
3 Enter the word(s) you want to search for in the field provided and select List
Topics.
4 A list of all the Help topics associated with the keyword(s) displays in the
second list.
5 Select the desired topic and click Display.

Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman) 51

 Software Overview

This page is intentionally left blank.

52 Agilent 240/280 Series AA (including Zeeman)