MassLynx spectrum and chromatogram headers are missing date and time - WKB45581

SYMPTOMS

• Chromatogram and Spectrum headers do not contain information that the Header preferences have been set to display (e.g., the date and time of acquisition)

Header preferences:

Header actually displays:

What the settings should display:

ENVIRONMENT

• MassLynx 4.1 SCN 802 + SCN 862
• Other QTof MassLynx SCNs also likely to be affected

CAUSE

Bug.

There is a theoretical limit of 32 functions per experimental method on QTof instruments (or 31 plus a lock mass function). However, if the experimental method contains 32 functions, the chromatogram and spectrum header preferences are not correctly applied, and the header is missing some information. Methods with up to 30 functions will display the spectrum and chromatogram headers correctly.

FIX or WORKAROUND

For future acquisitions, reduce the number of functions in the experimental method to 30 or fewer.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

All testing in relation to this problem was done on QTof instrument control SCNs. Desktop processing SCNs are based on Quad instrument control software. Quad instruments support many more than 32 functions per method. It's possible that you might be able to work around this if you open existing 32-function QTof data using a desktop processing SCN.