The layout is the name for an FCS Express document. The layout contains and organizes plots, regions, quadrants, statistics, text boxes, graphics, printer settings, and more. There is no limit (other than your computer memory) to the number of layouts that can be open at one time. It is possible to copy objects easily from one layout to another. There are many other powerful formatting and graphics features in FCS Express that allow you to display data exactly as you wish.

 

The layout organization in FCS Express is similar to that in a Microsoft PowerPoint® presentation. Like a presentation containing a series of slides with text and graphics, each FCS Express layout contains a page or series of pages with text boxes, plots, statistics, and other objects. Similar to a slide in PowerPoint, each page in an FCS Express layout can be modified, saved, printed, or exported. The layout itself can be set up with different background colors or images on each page. In addition, a saved layout can be used as a template for batch processing of selected files, or can be linked to specific data files. When a linked layout file is reopened, the data files and plots used to create it are displayed. This feature is useful in documenting clinical cases by providing an archival record of the analysis, or for recreating any kind of repetitive analysis.

 

Any object inserted into a layout, whether it is a plot, text box, statistics window, or graphic, can be manipulated in many different ways. Again, it is helpful to think of objects on a layout page as if they were objects inserted onto a slide in PowerPoint. Single or multiple objects can be selected, and once selected, the object(s) can be formatted, moved, resized, or aligned with one another.