[Ifeffit] Importing Multiple Data Sets into Athena

[Bruce Ravel]

On Thursday, September 06, 2012 10:29:43 AM Daniel Whittaker wrote:
> Hi Scott,
> 
> I have attached 3 of the data files and the Zr foil ref scan (already
> calibrated). I first import the reference Zr foil scan and then the 3 files.
> The Numerator for the data is column 30 and i also import the ref channel
> where the numerator is column 7. If i choose to set ref to standard values
> (as you would expect that to work) it fails and makes processing difficult.
> The only way round it i see is to import each data set individually and set
> the element, edge and value of E0 manually (for the reference - the data is
> read correctly) before then using the "align marked groups" function to
> align all the data to the standard Zr foil i imported at the start.
> 
> Having played with the setting on the preprocess tab if you check the "align
> to standard" radio button it aligns the data (not the reference channel)
> despite the fact the "same element" radio is not checked - should the
> preprocessing not apply to the reference channel (if present) before the
> data channel?
> 
> As i say it is not a huge problem and i only report it in the interest of
> bug removal.


I am very glad that you did so.  The only way that the programs can
improve is if people let me know when they run into problems.  I
cannot fix problems that I do not know about.



That said, if the attached data files are representative of the files
you bring home from the beamline, the fact that Athena's automated
alignment feature doesn't work for you is the very least of your
problems.

Each of those three data files has 33 columns of data but have been
wrapped so that no line is longer than 80 characters.  As a result,
Athena cannot read these files without lots of help.

Is this really how the beamline you use sends your data home with you?
If so, they are doing you and their other users quite a disservice.
Do you use some tool to preprocess these things before importing into
Athena?  Or has someone written an Athena filetype plugin to be able
to read these monstrosities?

Or have the data files become damaged (perhaps by reading into and
writing from a text editor or a word processor) before you sent them
to me?



It is certainly good practice to provide example data that
demonstrates the bug you are reporting.  I am grateful that you
finally did so.  I wish, though, that the data were not such a
challenge to read.


B



-- 

 Bruce Ravel  ------------------------------------ bravel at bnl.gov

 National Institute of Standards and Technology
 Synchrotron Methods Group at NSLS --- Beamlines U7A, X24A, X23A2
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