WinTab 64bit
– a program by Daryl Lafferty, Arizona State University –
(original concept: E. Mietzsch, H.T. Lumbsch & J.A. Elix)
WinTab 64bit is a program written by Daryl Lafferty in collaboration with Frank Bungartz (Arizona State University) and John A. Elix (Australian National University) to help with the interpretation of thin-layer chromatography plates for the analysis of lichen secondary metabolites.
The program shares many functionalities with its popular predecessor Wintabolites, a software originally developed at the University of Essen (Germany) by Esther Mietzsch-Lumbsch and H. Thorsten Lumbsch, in collaboration with John A. Elix, Australian National University (Australia). The authors have generously allowed us to adopt their original concept and re-write a now 64-bit compatible new version, which we make available here.
The original Wintabolites was written on a 16 bit Windows platform. It therefore no longer runs on 64bit computers. WinTab 64bit only runs on Windows. A platform-independent alternative using NaviKey for the identification of secondary lichen metabolites is provided as LIAS metabolites from the Botanische Staatssammlung München.
To install WinTab 64bit …
Extract the files from the Zip Archive into a folder on your System Drive. Run the program by double-clicking WinTab.exe.
This completely re-written, new, 64bit version is still in beta and it needs more rigorous testing, but there are already a some additions, where this new version works slightly more smoothly than the original:
- there are now two matching algorithms, the traditional “correlation” and a new one that Daryl Lafferty developed calling it “RF-error” (it probably needs a lot more testing, which one works better)
- when entering a spot value, one can double-click into the data entry box, this brings up the RF-calculator (also works, when selecting and applying a Cune)
- the search configuration allows modifying all search parameters from one single window, one cannot overwrite the search default, but can save custom search configurations
- records for secondary metabolites cannot only be viewed, but also be edited (only when editing is enabled) and one can add additional substances [be careful, when you change the data; make a backup; new updates may overwrite your edits]
- data and options to match against additional solvents have been added
- the results of possible matches pop-up immediately, when a spot is added and all spots can be updated “on the fly”, the results refresh immediately; no need to re-do data entry
- for all possibly matching results data from the database are displayed
- the results window displays not only matches against the solvents, but, if enabled, also lichen thallus spot tests and the thallus UV-reactions
- per default possible matches are presented as “best match” according to either one of two different algorithms, with the possibility to switch algorithms on the fly (and, if enabled, applying Cune values)
- via “View Lichens” you can retrieve a list of species that are known to contain a particular secondary metabolite (click the substance – choose “View Lichens”; you can toggle between an exact and inexact match; exact matches will only return lichens known to contain this particular metabolite; inexact matches also include lichens that are known to contain physiologically related secondary metabolites)
- To match lichens against known secondary metabolites the program uses the Consortium database [data can be updated via “Data – Download CNALH data”]
- clicking the header of a column sorts the results alphabetically or by best match to a specific solvent (clicking Acid Spray or Archer’s resets to “best match“)
- one can save search configurations, Cune data, spot test data and backup the modified database; all these files can be exchanged with other WinTab 64bit installations on different PCs
There are a couple of other, minor changes. Please consult the help files (which are still a bit rudimentary).
WinTab 64bit already includes the latest version of Jack Elix’s Lichen Chromatography Catalog, which you can obtain from the author or download here:
Please cite this catalog as follows:
Elix, J.A. (2018) A Catalogue of Standardized Chromatographic Data and Biosynthetic Relationships for Lichen Substances. Fourth Edition. Published by the author, Canberra.
For publications, we suggest to cite this program/website as follows:
Lafferty, D., Bungartz, F. & Elix, J.A. (2021) Wintab 64bit – a program developed at Arizona State University for the analysis of secondary metabolites of lichens, based on an original concept published by E. Mietzsch, H.T. Lumbsch & J.A. Elix. Help & Resources for the Consortium of Lichen Herbaria, available at https://help.lichenportal.org/index.php/en/resources/metabolites/
Please remember: This program is still in beta.
We welcome bug reports and suggestions: CNALH.help@gmail.com
