Workshop Preparations:

All participants of an UltraScan workshop are strongly encouraged to complete a list of prerequisites before the workshop. Below, detailed instructions for steps that need to be completed before the workshop are given:

Until further notice, all workshops will be presented via Zoom. Make sure you have a zoom client installed and your laptop has either a well-functioning microphone or headset attached. During the zoom session, we ask participants to mute themselves and activate recording only to ask questions.
For workshops held at locations other than the University of Lethbrigde, Canada, please make sure the following are available/satisfied:

A high resolution digital projector (minimum 1200x1024 pixels) and projection screen for the presenter.
high speed Internet connectivity for presenter and all participants in hands-on practice sessions
Every participant will need a valid e-mail address
A desktop or laptop computer with a recent 64-bit operating systems (Linux, Mac OSX, or Windows). IMPORTANT: minimum vertical resolution of 900 pixels or virtual screen larger than 900 pixels in the vertical dimension, Internet connectivity, 1 GB of free diskspace.
The network configuration CANNOT have any blocks to your LIMS server, outbound service must be unrestricted on port 3306 so you can connect to the database. This can be tested during software setup, see below.

For new institutions who have not used UltraScan before, the manager of the AUC core facility or laboratory who is in charge of the XLA/I instrument(s) will need to apply for a USLIMS-III instance on behalf of their institution. In general, each laboratory with their own instrument (multi-user or single-user instruments) should apply for their own LIMS instance at a LIMS server geographically closest to their laboratory. The LIMS instance is a web-based program with a database backend which allows you to submit analysis jobs to the supercomputer and share your analysis results with authorized colleagues.
After the LIMS instance has been granted, it will be listed in the UltraScan III LIMS Portal. All investigators associated with the institution for which the LIMS instance has been set up should apply for an account. Select your institution's LIMS instance and click on the Login button in the left bar. Proceed to the link for New Users and sign up for a new account. You will be sent an e-mail to your e-mail address which will ask you to confirm your registration by clicking on a link supplied in your e-mail. After that, you can log into your LIMS instance and set personal options, including a password you can remember, by clicking on the Change My Info button in the left bar.
Send us an e-mail and request an "Analyst" upgrade for your account on your LIMS system. Please indicate the name of the LIMS system for which you are applying for an upgraded user level.
While you are logged into the USLIMS-III instance, please also click on the Database Login Info button in the left bar and print out the login information for your LIMS instance. This will be needed later.
Next, all users should download the latest version of the UltraScan-III software suite and install it on their computers. A free license will need to be requested the first time you use the program. A license registration panel will pop up that needs to be filled out. An e-mail will be sent to your e-mail address which contains a registration link that you need to confirm. After that is done, you can finish your registration in the registration panel and restart UltraScan and confirm the new license. If all went well, the license will be issued and stored locally for future access, and UltraScan is ready to use.
UltraScan-III configuration: The first time you start UltraScan-III, please set up the preferences. To do so, navigate to "Edit:Preferences" in the menu bar. A detailed description of this process can be found here.
- The first step is to switch to database service and then to set up a Master Password. This password will need to be entered everytime UltraScan is started. As long as UltraScan is open, no passwords need to be entered or remembered. If the master password is entered correctly, UltraScan will automatically remember all other passwords or authentications every time they are needed for any operation. Select the Master Password button and simply enter a password that you can remember, and then confirm it. The first time UltraScan is started, and a password is needed, you will be prompted to enter the master password. Once it is entered, and UltraScan is not closed, UltraScan will remember it throughout your UltraScan session.
- Next, make sure that the Default Data Location: shows the Database as selected.
- Under Database Preferences: you need to enter the details for your institution's UltraScan LIMS-III instance. Under Database Description: you can enter a brief description for the name of your institution. For all other fields, please copy the information shown in the printed form that you obtained above after logging into your LIMS-III instance for the first time. Everything is case sensitive! After you entered everything, please click on Test Database Connectivity, and if successful, click on Save Entry, at which point your LIMS connectivity to UltraScan will be established. Double-clicking on the database description will now set it to be the default connection for all future connections inside of UltraScan.
As a last test, please select Database:Manage Investigator Data and check to see if your own name is registered. If you can see your name, congratulations: you are ready for the workshop!!