How to Export an ICP-MS MassHunter Batch with SDA and Protect Local Data On

Answer

This Information Applies To: ICP-MS MassHunter with Spectroscopy Database Administrator (SDA) and Protect Local Data On.

Issue

With Spectroscopy Database Administrator (SDA) and Protect Local Data turned on, batches are not accessible through file explorer, and steps must be taken to export/download a batch. 

Background

It may be necessary to export an ICP-MS MassHunter batch from SDA to move a copy of the batch to a new database, share the batch with a colleague or Agilent support for review, or to use Custom Report Designer. The ICP-MS Database Utility Program is used to download the batch files from the database and restore the files to the batch folder format BatchName(yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm-ss).b.

Steps to Follow

1. Start the ICP-MS Database Utility Program
   1. Click the Windows start icon on the toolbar (Figure 1; Item 1).
   2. Select the ICP-MS MassHunter Workstation folder (Figure 1; Item 2).
   3. Select the ICP-MS Database Utility application (Figure 1; Item 3).
      

      
      
      Figure 1. Starting the ICP-MS Database Utility
      1. Start 2. ICP-MS MassHunter Workstation Folder 3. ICP-MS Database Utility
      
      

2. In the ICP-MS Database Utility window, click Launch BatchView to open the Database Viewer window (Figure 2).
   

   
   
   Figure 2. ICP-MS Database Utility
   
   

3. Download the Batch
   1. In the Database Viewer, in the left panel, select the server (Figure 3; Item 1), select the database (Figure 3; Item 2), and select the folder (Figure 3; Item 3).
   2. In the top-right panel, select the batch to be extracted (Figure 3; Item 4).
   3. In the bottom-right panel, right-click any batch file in the batch and select Download Batch ... (Figure 3; Item 5.)
      

      
      
      Figure 3. MassHunter Database Viewer
      1. Server 2. Database 3. Folder 4. Batch to be extracted 5. Download Batch
      
      

4. Enter the user name and password of a Windows user who is a member of the Windows group ICPMHAdmin (Figure 4).
   

   
   
   Figure 4. Authentication Required Window
   
   

   Tips: If you receive an error such as "The server could not be contacted" or "The User is not a member of the ICPMHAdmin group", see the article Error Downloading Batch from ICP-MS MassHunter Database Viewer

    

5. Select a location to save the downloaded batch
   1. In the Browse For Folder window, select the C (or D) drive (Figure 5; Item 1).
   2. Click Make New Folder (Figure 5; Item 2).
   3. Give the new folder a name - such as 'Downloaded Batches' (Figure 5; Item 3).
      

      
      
      Figure 5. Browse For Folder Window
      1. C drive 2. Make New Folder button 3. New folder created and ready to be renamed
      
      

   4. Select the newly created folder (Figure 6; Item 1) and click OK (Figure 6; Item 2).
      

      
      
      Figure 6. Browse For Folder Window
      1. Downloaded Batches folder selected 2. OK button
      
      

6. Exit out of the Batch Viewer window (Figure 7), but keep the Database Utility window open.
   

   
   
   Figure 7. Exit out of Database Viewer
   
   

7. The Batch is now downloaded, but needs to be restored to a format that is readable by ICP-MS MassHunter Software. Use the ICP-MS Database Utility to restore the batch to the proper format
   1. In the ICP-MS Database Utility window, click Browse ... (Figure 8.)
      

      
      
      Figure 8. ICP-MS Database Utility window
      
      

   2. Select the folder created in step 5 (Figure 9; Item 1) and click OK (Figure 9; Item 2).
      

      
      
      Figure 9. Browse For Folder Window
      1. Downloaded Batches folder selected 2. OK button
      
      

   3. Click Restore (Figure 10; Item 1). This will automatically restore and save the batch to the location listed on the Destination line (Figure 10; Item 2). 
      

      
      
      Figure 10. ICP-MS Database Utility Restore
      1. Restore Button 2. Destination of batch
      
      

8. Open File Explorer and browse to the destination location and locate the batch folder with folder extension *.b (Figure 11).
   For example C:\ Download Batches \Download (yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm-ss) \BatchName(yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm-ss).b 
   

   
   
   Figure 11. C:\ Download Batches \Download (yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm-ss)
   
   

9. If sharing this batch with Agilent for review, zip the batch folder
   1. Right click BatchName(yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm-ss).b (Figure 12; Item 1).
   2. Select Send To (Figure 12; Item 2).
   3. Select compressed (zipped) folder (Figure 12; Item 3). 
      

      
      
      Figure 12. Send to Compressed (zipped) folder
      
      

10. Attach the zipped batch folder to an email. 

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