EXPGUI Wish List
New Features Completed, In Progress, Planned, or Requested
This page describes recent features added to EXPGUI or that are being
considered for addition.
See the EXPGUI documentation for a description of
the current features and see the EXPGUI Revision log
for a complete list of all changes for the source files.
Requested EXPGUI improvements 2001-
The suggested improvements obtained from EXPGUI users are listed here.
Prioritization is mine, with input from users.
Additional suggestions and input on priorities are welcome; send them to
Brian.Toby@NIST.GOV
Highest
Priority
- graphical excluded region editing
(done)
- Fixed background editor; fit a Chebeschev polynomial to
selected background points
(done)
- import coordinates from EXP files
(done)
- import coordinates from .xtl files
- support the new archived .EXP files (.Oxx)
- Liveplot: look for a valid histogram on startup
(done)
- support new refinement control options (convergence...)
(done)
- support histogram flags
(done)
Medium
Priority
- Add GUI support for bond-distance soft constraints
[a major project]
- Support dummy histograms for powder simulations
(done)
- "finalplot" program for publication-quality output
- Import diffraction data from CIFs (& revisit CIF exporting)
[a major project]
- Fourier Transform interface,
perhaps with two parts: set up options for map computing and at some
point later think about map viewing options.
- Rework coordinate export interface, support more formats
[examples: Platon (http://www.ccp14.ac.uk/tutorial/platon,
http://www.cryst.chem.uu.nl/platon/,
ftp://xraysoft.chem.uu.nl/pub/),
CrystalMaker)
- Support dummy histograms in EXCLEDT
Low
Priority
- "save as" for DISAGL output
- instrument parameter file editor
- import all histogram parameters (e.g. bkg, profile, scale, ...)
from another .EXP file
- import from other .EXP: Preferred orientation, Restraints, Constraints
- log/graph parameters vs cycle
- "wizard" that would lead new users through the steps of
setting up a refinement. This may be hard to do well, but ideas
are solicited.
Not Planned
- Shelx style disagl output
- point & click GUI-Forplot
- save plot as metafile
RECENT ADDITIONS TO EXPGUI
Additional features added to EXPGUI since mid-2000 are listed here,
with an approximate date the features were added and the EXPGUI version
where the feature was added. This list includes only the major changes.
For a complete list of all changes for the source files
see the EXPGUI Revision log
- Import coordinates from EXP files
-
A .EXP or .Oxx file is selected (as well as a phase,
if more than one is present) and the coordinates are imported into
the current experiment file.
(10/2001, 1.48)
- Dummy Histograms
-
Dummy histograms are used to simulate powder diffraction patterns.
It is now possible to set them up in EXPEDT using the "add histogram"
button.
(9/2001, 1.47)
-
Histogram flags
-
The use/do not use flag for histograms can now be set using a button
on the histogram pane.
(9/2001, 1.47)
-
Excluded region/Data limits editor
-
This allows the range of data to be included in the refinement
to be selected graphically.
(9/2001, 1.46)
-
Adjustable screen font selection
-
Font size can now be selected from a menu. Convenient, as well as
perhaps improving on utility for folks with visual disabilities.
The customization discussion in expgui_cfg.html
now tells how to do override the default families & relative sizes.
(9/2001, 1.46)
-
Add Marquardt damping, LeBail damping to GUI
-
These parameters are on "LS Controls" pane, along with
the convergence parameter. The documentation for this
pane
has also been expanded
to better explain what these options do. (7/2001, 1.44)
-
Fixed background points (BKGEDIT)
-
Fits a Chebeshev polynomial to a set of fixed points input by a user.
If need be (not recommended, though) the background points
can be input to GSAS as fixed background values. (7/2001, 1.44)
-
"doc-less" install
-
Allow doc web pages to be read from www.ncnr.nist.gov, if not present on
local system (6/2001, 1.43)
-
Load archived files (Unix only)
-
A convenient way to load archived versions of the .EXP file has been
added to the EXPNAM command (4/2001, 1.42).
-
Sort atoms to be added
-
A convenient way to sort the atom list (4/2001, 1.42).
-
WWW links
-
Implemented context-sensitive help that brings up web pages
from local storage. (10/2000, 1.38)
-
Error reporting
-
When an invalid entry is specified, (for example 1..0 is typed, instead
of 1.0) EXPGUI ignores the entry and (now) it is also displayed in red, to
flag the error. This only happens for entries on the main panes. For
entries on modal dialogs (where there a "done" or "keep" button), these
errors will be reported only when the button is pressed. (10/2000, 1.38)
-
Import Atoms/Import Phase
-
A CIF import routine is now available. (10/2000, 1.38)
-
"Non-shell" version of EXPGUI
-
EXPGUI has two functions, 1) to act as a "shell" that calls the
various GSAS programs, and 2) to edit the .EXP file. For use with
MacGSAS (and possibly the standard Win-95 GSAS shell), it is possible
to turn off the "shell" features -- by calling EXPGUI with the argument
-noshell or /noshell or by setting environment variable EXPGUI_NOSHELL to 1.
This mode has not yet been tested. (10/2000, 1.36)
-
NIST accessibility requirement
-
NIST requires that all images in WWW pages have an ALT= tag included.
This has been done on all the documentation HTML pages, despite the
fact that (in this case) it adds no new content for anyone.
-
Change space group/Import from file
-
A mechanism where one can specify a new space group, cell,
and reinput all atoms for the phase (to get site syms correct). One can
keep the old atoms for the phase or replace them. It is possible
to do this manually or with a file import capability.
At present the only file type accepted is
the .CEL format from PowderCell. New format filters can be "dropped" in
place. (8/2000, 1.33)
-
Import Atoms/Import Phase
-
This appears on the add atoms & add phase dialogs and draws on the above.
(8/2000, 1.33)
-
Transform Atoms
-
There is now a "xform atom(s)" button on the phase pane that
can be used to transform coordinates,
globally set the occupancy & Uiso and switch atoms between
iso/aniso and erase selected groups of atoms
(8/2000, 1.31)
-
Delete phases
-
Work around -- change phase flags on the histogram page (appears when 2+ phases
present).
(8/2000, 1.31)
-
Spherical Harmonic (ODF) Preferred Orientation
-
done
(7/2000, 1.29)
-
Define background types
-
The pull-down background selection menu now shows the names of the
background functions (7/2000, 1.29)
Brian Toby (Brian.Toby@NIST.GOV)
$Revision: 1.16 $ $Date: 2001/10/14 05:32:26 $