Open Source Scripting

Computer-controlled potentiostats are great and no one wants to go back to analog instruments, but there is a big problem with software-controlled instruments.  Computerized instruments can only do the experiments that their software has been programmed to perform.  If the Software Engineer who wrote your potentiostat software didn't think about what you want to do and allow for it, you probably can't do it.

That same is true for the analysis of your data.  If an analysis procedure isn't a standard feature, then you probably can't do it.

Open Source Scripting is Gamry's solution for flexible electrochemical software.  We know that we can never anticipate the electrochemical experiments that our users may want to perform and build those experiments into a simple point-and-click Windows format.  So we write our software in scripts that can be opened and modified by either our users or by Gamry Software Engineers.  It's a unique approach that is only offered by Gamry and it means that you are never limited by your, or our, software.

And when we say that experiments may be modified, we don't just mean the electrochemical details.  You can also do things to change the Setup Window like change the default value of a variable, add a new text box for a new variable, or remove a variable completely so it can't be changed!  If you've ever been frustrated by software limitations, you ought to take a look at it. 

By the way, scripting is different from sequencing.  A "sequence" is a combination of standard electrochemical techniques that is run automatically by the instrument.  For example, a sequence can be constructed to apply -0.5 V to a sample for 300 seconds, followed by an EIS curve, followed by a cyclic voltammogram from -0.5 V to +0.5 V, followed by another EIS curve.  In the Framework, sequences are built using the Sequence Wizard.

Gamry scripts come in two flavors.  Scripts for data acquisition in the Framework are written in Explain.  Explain was written by Gamry to control Gamry Potentiostats.  Three Application Notes on Explain may be viewed below.

Scripts for data analysis in the Echem Analyst are written in Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications.  There are many programming resources for VBA. 

Explain Application Notes

Three Applications Notes on Explain are below.  These are long documents, in excess of 20 pages, so we recommend that you print them for easier digestion.  You'll need Adobe Acrobat.

Customizing Electrochemical Experiments with Explain
This is an Application Note on the use of Explain as a scripting language for electrochemistry.  It's written for the non-programmer, so it's worth at least a quick viewing.

Commonly Requested Changes to Explain Scripts
This Application Note walks us through several script modifications to perform specific electrochemical functions.

Programming Reference for Explain
This Application Note gives you a bit more of the technical detail of Explain.  Written more for the user who is ready to start programming, it will be helpful if you decide to invest some time in Explain.

Scripting is Different from Sequencing
For clarification, Open Source Scripting is not "sequencing".  Sequencing experiments combines several electrochemical experiments into one automated procedure.  For example, you may wish to charge a battery, then run an EIS curve, then discharge the battery.  This could be done by sequencing a galvanostatic experiment (to charge the battery) with an EIS experiment with another galvanostatic experiment (to discharge the battery)

Sequencing is easily done with Gamry software with the Sequence Wizard.

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Last revised on Thursday, February 28, 2008