CHROMuLAN
Chromatographic System for Everyone

This page is old version, see http://www.pikron.com/pages/products/hplc/chromulan.html for actual information

(Overview, Features, Manuals, Resources, Download, News Cables and Wiring)

Project Goals

The project offers free software for controlling of chromatographic devices and subsequent evaluation of the acquired data. The set of the chromatographic devices, which was developed by PiKRON company during the last 9 years, communicates with the program using uLAN network protocol.

For incorporation of other devices (mainly detectors with analog output) was developed two channel adaptor with 20-bit AD converters and TTL inputs and outputs. Due to open-source nature of the project, it is possible to create software modules (MS Windows DLLs) for communication with devices of other manufacturers.

The project was initiated and is sponsored by the PiKRON company (www.pikron.com), that deals with development of devices for liquid chromatography, robotic and positioning systems, or infusion technique. Up to now there have been manufactured more than 3000 devices communicating with uLAN protocol, designed by the company.

Captured CHROMuLAN Screen

Currently is the software being developed using Borland Delphi for WindowNT/2000. Extension to Linux, using Borland Kylix is expected. The main developer and maintainer of the software CHROMuLAN is Jindrich Jindrich (www.jindrich.com), assistant professor at the Department of Organic Chemistry, Charles University, Prague (orgchem.natur.cuni.cz).

HPLC devices are manufactured and distributed by the instruments division of INGOS company (www.instruments.ingos.cz). The currently available devices are HPLC pumps LCP5020, LCP5021 and LCP5081, detectors UV and UV-VIS LCD5000, UV254 LCD5200, thermostat LCT5100, autosampler LCS5040. Other product distributed together with chemical know-how is aminoacid analyzer AAA400.

Project CHROMuLAN is really for everyone

CHROMuLAN System Features

CHROMuLAN System Manuals

CHROMuLAN - Basic Instruction (English) engflag.gif (375 bytes) pdficon15.gif (146 bytes)
Getting started instructions, method and instruments setup preparation and results computation
CHROMuLAN - Basic Instruction (Czech) engflag.gif (375 bytes) pdficon15.gif (146 bytes)
Same as above in Czech language

CHROMuLAN for AAA 400 Manual (English) engflag.gif (375 bytes) pdficon15.gif (146 bytes)
Usage of CHROMuLAN system with AAA 400 Amino Acids Analyzer
CHROMuLAN for AAA 400 Manual (Czech) engflag.gif (375 bytes) pdficon15.gif (146 bytes)
Same as above in Czech language

Important WWW pages and download areas

Software Download (http://orgchem.natur.cuni.cz/chromulan/)
Main sources and binaries archive
Project Homepage(http://www.chromulan.org)
Future place dedicated for CHROMuLAN development and user community
Jindrich Jindrich (http://www.jindrich.com)
Software developer, project coordinator
PiKRON Ltd. (http://www.pikron.com)
Project initiator, sponsor, instrument developer
Pavel Pisa (http://cmp.felk.cvut.cz/~pisa)
Embedded software developer
uLan Driver documentation (http://cmp.felk.cvut.cz/~pisa/ulan/ul_drv.html)
uLan driver documentation and source code
uLan Driver Project Page at SourceForge Site (http://sourceforge.net/projects/ulan/)
Main uLan driver development is now held in SourceForge CVS now.
Temporary Archive and Patches (http://cmp.felk.cvut.cz/~pisa/CHROMuLAN)
Fast fix patches for users not committed to main archive

Initial Czech language presentation of CHROMuLAN project

Recommended Downloads

CHROMuLAN v0.79.5
This version includes support for multi-level calibration selectable for each component by means of composed calibration files (*.ULC). Multi-level calibrations can be expressed as set of line segments or can be approximated by analytical functions (linear, quadratic, ... with use of least squares method). The workaround for problems caused by recent versions of antivirus software has been added. But it is only poor patch for fundamental antivirus software bug causing occasional system rename operations failures.
uLan Driver v0.6.3 for NT
Self-install archive for Windows NT 4.0 version of driver prepared for computers equipped by Tedia OX16C954 based RS-485 PCI card or PiKRON 80C510 based ISA RS-485 card. Installed driver is usable for PiKRON RS-232<=>RS-485 dongle converter, but this setup requires manual configuration modification by registry editing or CHROMuLAN driver setup dialog.
uLan Driver v0.7 for Windows2000/XP/98
ZIP archive containing WDM PnP driver files for Windows2000 and Windows98 systems. PnP information files can be used for automatic PCI OX16C954 card recognition and uLan installation. Driver can be assigned with use of device manager for new or existing PiKRON uLan ISA card or dongle as well. There is initial version of USB converter compiled in. The uLan driver development has been moved to SourceForge uLan Project CVS.

Older Versions of Program and Drivers

CHROMuLAN v0.60.3
Version with minor update for AAA-400 samples evaluation and correction in reading ULF files from future CHROMuLAN versions.
CHROMuLAN v0.60.4
Update with support for preparing gradient and flow program for LCP5080 pumps.
CHROMuLAN v0.76.2
Chromatogram evaluation enhancements, bug-fixes and weighted average calibration files added. The *.ULF files generated by this CHROMuLAN version can be used with all CHROMuLAN versions from 0.60.3 and above.
CHROMuLAN v0.79
This version introduces multi-level calibration selectable for each component by means of composed calibration files (*.ULC). The workaround for problems caused by recent versions of antivirus software has been added as well.
uLan Driver v0.6.1 for NT
uLan Driver v0.6.1 for Windows2000/98
uLan Driver v0.6.3 for Windows2000/98
This version has been used for long time and there has not been raised any bug report against this version.

News and Notices

UL_DRV 0.6.1 - released
Fixed version of uLan driver behaves correctly with dongle converter. Driver was tested on Win2000, WinNT and Linux with success. Driver works with Win98 but Win98 scheduler blocks interrupts for 8 ms and longer intervals for WDM driver and this causes occasional packet loses.
CHROMuLAN v0.60 - successfully tested
Version was fully tested with AAA-400 Amino Acid Analyzer and LC5000 chromatographic system. There was not noticed any problems through last month .
UL_DRV 0.6.3 - uploaded
This version adds support for latest revision of Tedia PCI-1482 cards with optional inbuilt hardware support for uLan communication. This version has been already used for six months in latest system installations with many instruments configurations without any problems.
CHROMuLAN 0.76.2 - released
This is new stable branch from the development tree. It contains many enhancements and bug-fixes. The buttons for faster chromatogram evaluations, method and calibration files selection have been added to chromatogram window. New file type added (*.ULC) for composed calibrations builded as weighted averages of responses from more samples. The calibration file can be initiated as new empty file or can be build from selected samples from the sequence browser. It can be edited and updated later. It is used as external standard calibration in same places as standard sample *.ULF files.
CHROMuLAN 0.79 - released
This is the latest development version which implements such multi-level calibrations computation as line segments or function parameters (linear, quadratic, ...). The version has been tested with AAA-400 and no problems has been found.
UL_DRV 0.7 - released
The uLan driver sources has been reorganized to better reflect driver functional units structure. Initial version of Linux USB support has been added. Petr Smolik contributed USB adaptation layer for Windows. Development has been moved into SourceForge CVS.
CHROMuLAN 0.79.5 - released
This version contains updates and corrections of previous version. It has been released after long testing period and upgrade from older versions is recommended.

Cables and Wiring

uLan communicating modules/instruments are interconnected through two conductor twisted or coaxial cables. The BINDER subminiature circular connectors series 719 are used for connection to the instruments. PC RS-485 communication boards use their specific connectors.

Binder 719 series connectors
Type 09 9765 2004 male socket is used on instruments
Type 09 9764 7004 female insert is used on cables

  1. not connected or optional ground (GND)
  2. D- connected to the cable inner wire
  3. not connected or optional power supply (VCC)
  4. D+ connected to the cable shielding
Tedia PCI-1482 RS-485 card
Card has to be switched for RS-422 Multimaster mode (SW1 1-OFF 2-ON)

  1. RX+ connected to pin 8
  2. RX- connected to pin 9
  3. TX+ connected to the cable shielding
  4. TX- connected to the cable inner wire
PiKRON ISA RS-485 card

The ISA card needs to be switched for correct I/O address and interrupt source by jumpers. The jumpers description in a provided diagram

  1. D- connected to the cable inner wire
  2. not connected or optional ground (GND)
  3. D+ connected to the cable shielding
  4. not connected or optional power supply (VCC)

Auxiliary I/O connector

The most of LC5000 instruments is equipped with auxiliary I/O interface for sensing and control of TTL (+5V based) logic signals. The interface can be used for starting of gradient program and data acquisition by a microswitch on injection valve and for interfacing instruments with instruments without own intelligence and communication infrastructure (simple fractions collectors, technological valves, etc.). It can be used for notification of start for third party integration software as well.

  1. OUT 1
  2. GND
  3. OUT 4
  4. OUT 2
  5. OUT 3
  6. IN 1
  7. IN 2