Agilent VWorks Protocol Authors Quick Start Guide

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VWorks Protocol Authors

Quick Guide

Workflow overview To create protocols in the VWorks software:

Step For this task...

1 Add devices.

2 Create a protocol.

3 Add tasks.

4 Compile the protocol and simulate the protocol run.

5 Run the protocol.

6 Optional. Create a form for operators to use to run the protocol.

Step 1.

Add devices

To add devices:

1 In the VWorks window, select File > New > Device. A device file tab appears.
2 Add a device to the device file tab:

a Double-click the device icon in the Available Devices area. (If you are in the

Workspace tab, click the Available Devices tab to display the devices.)

b Type a name for the device and set the device properties.

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Step 2. Create a protocol

3 To create a profile for the device, click the device name in the device file tab and

then click Device diagnostics. When the device diagnostics window opens:

a Name the profile, select the connection type (Ethernet or serial), and locate

and connect to the device in the Discovered Bionet Devices dialog box
(Ethernet connections only).

b Set the teachpoints.

For devices such as the BenchCel Microplate Handler, you also need to
reference the teachpoint file.

4 Select the profile in the device properties area.
5 Click File > Save, and then repeat steps 1 to 4 to add other devices.

VWorks Plus. If the Audit Comments dialog box appears, enter a reason for the
change, and then click OK.

6 In the Devices area, click Initialize all devices.

Step 2.

Create a protocol

Refer to the following figure for this step.

To create a protocol:

1 Select File > New > Protocol.
2 Click Protocol Options in the protocol area to verify the device file location, provide

a description of the protocol, add notes about the protocol, and set other options.
If you are using a VWorks form to run the protocol, specify the form to use and

whether to automatically load the form file.

3 VWorks 14.0 and later. If the protocol will use any files created in other software,

click File > Import Misc Files and import the file into storage for use in the VWorks
software.

4 Click Main Protocol.
5 Click Configure Labware to set the starting locations of labware in a device.

Note: Configured labware will return to its starting location by the end of the
protocol run.

Repeat this step for each device in the system.

6 Set up a process.

a Click the process - n icon.
b Set the process plate parameters in the Task Pa ram eters area.

Note: A process is a sequence of tasks that are performed on a particular
labware or a group of labware. The process labware will move into the system
to be processed, and move out of the system when processing is finished.

7 Repeat step 6 to add additional processes.

2 VWorks Protocol Authors Quick Guide

Figure Creating a protocol

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Step 2. Create a protocol

VWorks Protocol Authors Quick Guide

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