An important feature of a laboratory information system is its ability to allow custom desktop application development. ActiveX Controls save time and money by providing software components that drop into your OLE enabled applications. ActiveX Controls work in every major browser and in just about every major development environment including Microsoft Visual Basic, Microsoft Visual C++, PI-ProcessBook, Microsoft Access, Powersoft’s PowerBuilder, and Borland’s Delphi.
The LinkPlus ActiveX toolkit is a suite of ActiveX Controls enabling customers to create their own LabPlus applications through any ActiveX compliant application. This toolkit provides a generic interface to the LabPlus system for programmers and power users.
The ActiveX toolkit provides several controls to link with the LabPlus database. These tools use the latest COM technology and they ensure secure, high performance access to the LabPlus database.
LabPlus Technologies is committed in staying on the leading edge of available technology and will continue to develop new controls that provide added functionality to its clients. The first release of the LinkPlus - ActiveX toolkit includes the following controls, please contact the LabPlus Support for an update:
Sample Search This object allows search of lab samples through a tree view search component (similar to Windows Explorer). It enables the user to navigate through the LabPlus sample queue to find samples and their attached results. One interesting feature is the ability to follow the status of the sample in real time, as well as the specification validation status for each result. This object can be coupled to a graphical component for plotting the result.
Sample Log This component allows sample logging to the LabPlus sample queue. The user can specify up to 40 sample properties, select the analysis to be done and log the sample. A sample label and a sample tag can then be printed.
Sampling Point Status One of the most useful features in an integrated plant system is clicking at a sampling point and getting the latest analysis results and statuses. This is what the Sampling Point Status component does. This object gives you the latest analysis performed at a sampling point as well as the pass/fail status for product specifications. For example, you can assign this object to a finished goods tank in a PI-ProcessBook display and click on the tank to obtain the latest analysis results and the specifications status.
Product Specification Information This component allows the user to scroll the product specification sheets for the various product grades configured within LabPlus. The user navigates throughout the product sheets using a tree view. The product sheet stores the product pedigree, the recipe and the specifications for several tests at different sampling points. This component allows fast deployment of the latest product specifications changes throughout your organization.
Product Change This object enables updates to product grade changes at a specific sampling point. This change is automatically detected by LabPlus and the sampling schedule is adapted accordingly. This object is extremely useful on a plant operator control screen for keeping the latest updates in product grade changes. The Product Change component could also be used into a Visual Basic routine that is executed automatically to detect product grade changes and update them in LabPlus.
Date Time Sampled Update It is common practice to schedule sampling in a production plant. The samples are automatically scheduled and logged into the sample queue at pre-defined times in the production shift. However, the sampling date/time rarely matched the scheduled time. This object provides and easy interface for updating the real sampling time using the sampling point and the scheduled sampling time. This increases the accuracy of the LabPlus database and eases information reconciliation.
Analysis Entry Point Some laboratory system analysis results are collected on the plant floor rather than in the laboratory. Usually the information is transmitted to the laboratory by fax or by phone to be entered in the laboratory system. The Analysis Entry Point component allows the operator to enter an analysis result from the plant floor workstation. The collected values stay in a “pending” state in LabPlus until a laboratory technician approves them. This component helps save time by eliminating data entry errors.
Each component offers a secure environment. You must provide user accounts and passwords as object properties. Moreover, access to the information is controlled by user account, allowing access to information for specific samples and a list of plant areas.
Data access is enabled by the latest OLE-DB/ADO (ActiveX Data Object) technology developed by Microsoft. This technology ensures high performance communication between the client and the server and allows a 3-tier system architecture.
Advantages:
Applications created using LinkPlus ActiveX controls have the following advantages:
New LabPlus data entry and data view screens are easily created and maintained.
Creation of custom applications in a very rapid development cycle.
Broadcasting of laboratory results and simplified data access by using common browsers.
This approach offers the power of a LIMS while remaining simple to use.
Summary:
The ActiveX toolkit contains components that can be used directly in ActiveX compliant applications.
ActiveX objects can be easily inserted on various applications to allow access to information thorough a production facility.
The components may be used in applications programmed in several environments, including Visual Basic, Visual C++ and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).
Security is managed within every component.
Data access is driven by the latest Microsoft OLE-DB/ADO technology.
Comprehensive documentation is provided with the toolkit.
LabPlus is a global quality data management system that will provide consistent, accurate and timely quality information meeting the needs of your organization.
