RE: Creating a database of FCS files

For Coulter users, using the Expo or RXP software, creating an Excel file is
simple.  The program exports data and selected FCS keywords and data into an
Excel file.  The only thing you need to do is to select which keywords and
FCS data fields you wish to export into an Excel file.	This is likely to be
different if you use files created by different programs, like the old Elite
DOS program, the System II software for the XL, Cellquest files transferred
to a PC, etc.  Once you create the protocol for the file type, it is real
easy to export the files into Excel, presuming Excel is loaded on the same
computer.

Of course, there are probably better database programs than Excel, and if
you don't have Excel, you can export the data into a comma delimited text
file.

I do not work for Beckman-Coulter, but I thought I would share this, FWIW.

Have fun, it looks like there are plenty of options out there.

Doug

-----Original Message-----
From: Adrian Smith [mailto:A.Smith@centenary.usyd.edu.au]
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2004 9:57 PM
To: cyto-inbox
Subject: Creating a database of FCS files


Hi all,

Some of the users here have raised the desirability of having a 
database of all the FCS headers from all their data files. They could 
then, for example, search for all the files/experiments in which they 
used a particular stain etc.

Is anybody doing this? Would this be something that other people 
would find useful?

I would love to set something up but I don't have the requisite 
skills or time at the moment.

As a temporary measure I suggested they export the FCS header info 
from FlowJo using using a table and then compile them all in another 
program like excel. This works for a few experiments but it needs to 
be automated (and easy) if it is going to be generally applicable.

Any comments or suggestions?

Adrian Smith
Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology
Sydney, Australia