Load Multiple Setups
This button is used to load multiple sample setups based on sample setups that have been previously saved sample setups within the current run. All considerations for Samples Setups apply for Multiple Setups (see Sample Setups above). To create sample setups for digitizing position samples, use the "Elements/Cations" button in the Analyze! Window or by clicking the Add To Setup button in the Analyze! window.
When more than one sample setup is specified by the user in the New Sample dialog, the program will automatically combine the specified sample setups into a single sample. This is useful in several situations, for example, when performing major and trace element acquisition it may be desired to acquire the major elements at one set of column conditions (kilovolts, beam current and/or beam size) and the trace elements using a different column condition (kilovolts, beam current, etc.).
In this case, each element will be evaluated and if different column conditions are required, all elements with similar column condition will be acquired before the program attempts acquiring elements with a different column condition. This is analogous to using the "Combine Multiple Setups" check box in the Automate! window. There are, however, important differences. When you "Load Multiple Setups" you create a NEW setup which now has say, two conditions. Those two conditions are applied immediately to each and every point, meaning that the column is constantly changing from the first condition to the second for each spot before proceeding to the next spot. The alternate procedure, using the Combine Multiple Setups checkbox in the Automate! window, applies both (if for example, two) setups to the digitized set of points, but here proceeds through the complete list of points only with the first setup; after the last point is acquired, it will return to the first point and now acquire with the second setup.
The way the program actually combines multiple setup with multiple column condition samples (in either the Acquire! Or Automate! is as follows: first the program looks at the first spectrometer used and finds the first element on that spectrometer. What the first element is, of course depends on the acquisition order option used. It might be channel order, ascending or descending angstroms or user defined order. Whatever conditions that "first" element uses, that is the first condition that is run. You must add a "dummy" element to the first spectrometer of the first setup if one is not present, to be sure that that setup actually is run first, if that is desired.
After all elements with that condition have been run, then the program looks for the next element (not already acquired) on the first used spectrometer and runs that condition and so on. So keep this is mind when creating "combined" column condition setups.
See also the Combined Conditions button in the Acquire! window to change the acquisition order of elements using combined conditions so that elements with similar conditions are run as together.