General Options

Option 

Explanation

Show Full Path

Under some circumstances, file names are displayed in FCS Express. This option allows you to choose whether the entire directory path and file name are displayed or only the file name.

Math Range Checking

When performing parameter math, it is possible for the result of a mathematical operation to exceed the allowed range of the file. Storing out-of-range values may cause improper results to be displayed when using data analysis packages other than FCS Express. If Math Range Checking is on, values greater than the maximum allowed value will be stored as the maximum allowed value. If Math Range Checking is off, the real out-of-range value will be stored.

When dragging a data set onto a plot

When dragging a dataset onto a plot, one of three possible actions will occur: replace existing overlays with the file being dragged onto the plot; add overlays to append the FCS file to the plot; or, prompt me to ask the user what action to take. To set the action, choose it from the drop-down list.

In new layouts, remember parameters by

FCS Express can remember the arrangement of parameters in the plots displaying data by their Parameter Number (Parameter 1, Parameter 2, P1, P2, etc.) or by their Parameter Name (FITC-A, FL2-H, etc.).

The Parameter Number refers to the numerical sequence that the parameters have been written to the data file by the acquisition software.  

If the Number option is used, FCS Express will remember the Parameter Number for the parameters displayed within a plot and will use the same parameter numbers when the next file is loaded into a plot.

The Number option is a good option to use if your data is collected consistently with the same number of parameters in the same sequence within each data file.

The Name option will remember the exact text that is used for the X and Y labels and is used in tandem with the Keyword for Parameter Matching option found within the Instrument Specific Settings.

The Name option is a good option to use if the total number of parameters collected or the sequence of parameters collected is not consistent from data file to data file, however, the text used to describe a parameter is consistent between data files.

The default option in FCS Express is Number.  If a user prefers to use Name, this option must be set prior to building the layout.  This option cannot be changed after a layout has been created and saved.

In new layouts, remember the scale formula for manually scaled plot parameters

If checked, manual changes to the scale for a given plot parameter will be remembered and applied automatically to all plots in the layout.  See Axis formatting for details.

Show Hints on layout

When this check box is enabled, a hint will appear showing the plot ID and names of the files currently displayed when the mouse is hovering over the plot.

Maintain aspect ratio of layout objects after Maximize

When this check box is enabled, the aspect ratio (height vs. width) of objects will be maintained.

Measurement Units to Use

Choose Inches, Centimeters, or Millimeters from the drop-down list.

Allow multiple format windows for objects that are on-page

When this option is selected, multiple format windows can be opened from the Format tab for objects on the current page.

In new layouts, use this text for token errors

Add custom text as the output for token errors. TIP: A shorter phrase or character (such as #) will help maintain table sizes when multiple token errors occur and after they are resolved. ##ERROR## is the default but any text can be used.

Compensation Options

These options allow you to chose how compensation is applied to new layouts and whether to append or overwrite compensated parameters.

Suffix for Compensated Data

When analyzing compensated data, the text typed into this box will be used as a suffix to describe the compensated data.  This text can be viewed in the Title of a plot when using the keyword $FCSE_FILENAME or $FCSE_FILENAMENOPATH.

Suffix for New Parameters

When the option to append new compensated parameters to data after uncompensated parameters has been selected, the text typed into this box will be used as a suffix to identify the new compensated parameters from the uncompensated parameters.

New Compensated Parameters Should

When applying compensation to data, FCS Express allows the new compensated parameters to overwrite or be appended after the original uncompensated parameters. Note these options can be changed from the Compensation Options in the Compensation and Unmixing editor as well.

•Overwrite uncompensated parameters. The new compensated parameters will appear in place of the uncompensated parameters. No suffix will be used to denote the new compensated parameters. The uncompensated parameters will not be available to plot.

•Append to data after uncompensated parameters. The new compensated parameters will appear after the uncompensated parameters. The Suffix for New Parameters will be appended to each new compensated parameter name to identify the new parameter as having compensation applied.

Compensation/Unmixing to use in new layouts

To set Compensation for new overlays, select one of the options below. See Selecting the Default Compensation for additional details:

•None. No compensation will be used.

•Compensation/Unmixing Default. The Compensation/Unmixing Default is selected in the Compensation Info window.

•FCS File. The Compensation used for acquisition will be taken from the FCS file header.

•FCS file, then Compensation/Unmixing Default. FCS Express will load Compensation from the FCS file. If there is no Compensation stored in the FCS file, the Compensation/Unmixing Default from the Compensation Info window will be used.

•Compensation/Unmixing Default, then FCS file. FCS Express will load the compensation/unmixing default from the compensations navigator by default. If a default compensation/unmixing does not exist, the compensation associated with the FCS file will be used. This is the default setting in FCS Express.

Appearance Options

These options allow you to chose the border colors for selected objects and objects that are being edited.

Default Zoom

You can customize the default zoom for your layouts.  Also, you can choose to Apply after opening saved layouts by default.

Apply after opening saved layouts

Applies the chosen default zoom level to layouts that were originally saved with a different zoom level.

Border color for selected objects

Choose the color of the border displayed when an object is selected from the drop-down color pallet.

Border color for object being edited

Choose the color of the border displayed when an object is being edited from the drop-down color pallet.

Off Page Color

Choose the color of the background surrounding the page.

Print black and white inverted for plots with black background

When this option is selected, when displaying plots with black backgrounds, those plots will print out white, rather than black.

Picture output options

These options allow you to choose the format, quality, and resolution of images of a plot copied to the clipboard for future use.

Use the screen resolution

Uses the resolution of the picture on the screen for an exported or copied picture.

Allow metafiles when copying into clipboard

When this option is checked, FCS Express will create both bitmap and metafiles when generating images for the clipboard. If left unchecked, FCS Express will only generate a bitmap file.

Use this resolution

Uses a manually inputted value (in pixels) for the resolution of an exported or copied picture.

JPEG picture quality

Determines the quality of an exported or copied JPEG picture (Max of 100).

Duplicate object options

These options control where duplicated objects are placed after they are duplicated.

Place the duplicated objects in a grid

When this option is selected, duplicated objects will be placed in a Custom Grid according to the Grid Options selected.

Grid Options

Sets the Tiling Options for the Custom Grid. See Custom Grid Options for additional details.

Place the duplicated objects relative to the original

When this options is selected, allows the position of the duplicated object to be set relative to the original object position.

The position of the duplicated object is

Determines the position of a duplicated object relative to the original object using the drop-down list to define the position.

Distance between original and duplicated object(s)

Defines the space (in inches) between a duplicated object and the original object after duplication.

If duplicated object(s) are off the page, put them on a new page

If a duplicated object falls off of the page a new page will be created containing the duplicated object.