title: Integrated software for macromolecular crystallography synchrotron beamlines II: revision, robots and a database.
abstract: This manuscript chronicles the evolution of software used originally to control a diffractometer at a macromolecular crystallography beamline. The system has been augmented and rewritten. A modular and carefully organized suite of programs now handles the whole experimental environment from a single vantage point. It provides automatic logging of the experiment and communication with the user, all the way from an initial proposal to perform the work to the end of data collection. This has included construction of a relational database to organize all details of the experiment and incorporation of a robotic specimen changer to provide automation for high-throughput applications.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.forename: Rick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buono
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bosshard
authors.forename: Howard H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Héroux
authors.forename: Alexei S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Dieter K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Sweet
mesh_terms: D003461:Crystallography / Q000379:methods; D016208:Databases, Factual; D012371:Robotics; D012984:Software; D017356:Synchrotrons