AutoQC Loader

2024-03-28

AutoQC Loader is a utility application that uses SkylineRunner to invoke Skyline without a user interface for automated data processing. AutoQC Loader can be run on an instrument control computer to capture new QC runs automatically, add them to a Skyline document, and upload the document to a Panorama QC folder. Panorama retains a full history of QC run performance, and presents users with interactive plots for key metrics including retention time and peak area. Additionally, users can add information about changes including instrumentation, maintenance, and reagents, which are overlaid on the plots, providing a convenient way to correlate cause and effect.

Install AutoQC Loader for Skyline or Skyline-daily (Note: The most recent versions are recommended, but Skyline 3.5 and later or Skyline-daily 3.1.1.8694 or later are supported.)

Note:You can download and install AutoQC Loader unplugged on computers with issues connecting directly to the internet.

AutoQC Loader Documentation
Panorama QC folder documentation
AutoQC Setup Tutorial


AutoQC Loader Release Notes

AutoQC Loader 22.1.0.122 (May 2nd, 2022)
  • Updated SkylineRunner.exe and SkylineDailyRunner.exe to support ampersand (&) in the Windows username


AutoQC Loader 21.1.0.158 (June 7th, 2021)
  • Added new buttons to
    • Open the Skyline document associated with a configuration
    • Open the Panorama folder associated with a configuration in a web-browser
    • Open the folder that AutoQC Loader is monitoring for raw data
    • Open the folder that contains the AutoQC.log file for a configuration
  • Added a Skyline tab in the AutoQC Configuration form that allows selecting the Skyline installation that should be used for a configuration
  • Configurations can be exported as AutoQC Configuration files (.qcfg). These files can be imported by clicking the Import button and selecting a .qcfg file to import, or by double-clicking the .qcfg file
  • Invalid configurations are displayed in red text, and can be fixed with a wizard-like Configuration Set Up Manager
  • Added a Remove results checkbox. This is checked by default to remove older results and keep the active Skyline document from getting too large. It can be unchecked to keep all the imported results in the Skyline document. (Note: for long running projects this may eventually cause a noticeable slowdown in upload times.)
  • AutoQC.log file is written into a directory with the same name as the name of the configuration. This directory can be found in the directory that contains the template Skyline document
  • Importing raw data into the Skyline document and uploading it to Panorama are now separate commands. If a Panorama upload fails it is retried every 5 minutes until it succeeds or more than 24 hours have elapsed since the last successful upload. The configuration stops with an error if Panorama uploads have not been successful in over 24 hours.
  • Pinging the Panorama server now requires a single request instead of two. The first request was made to get a CSRF token. This is now reused for subsequent ping requests so that only a one http request is made


AutoQC Loader 1.1.0.20237 (Aug 23rd, 2020)
  • This release combines AutoQC Loader and AutoQC Loader-daily into a single installer
  • The Settings tab has additional options to:
  • When AutoQC Loader first start up after this upgrade it will attempt to look for an existing Skyline installation


AutoQC Loader 1.1.0.19128 (May 8th, 2019)
  • Added a Settings tab with 2 checkboxes
    • Keep AutoQC Loader running: This will start AutoQCStarter.exe, a small executable, that checks every couple of minutes to see if AutoQC Loader is running, and starts it if it is not running. Any configurations that had been running when AutoQC Loader was last running are automatically started. A shortcut to AutoQCStarter.exe is placed in the Windows Startup folder so that AutoQC Loader is starts up automatically when the computer restarts
    • Minimize program to Windows System Tray: This will put an icon for the program in the System Tray instead of the Windows Task Bar when the program is minimized


AutoQC Loader 1.1.0.19048 (Feb 18th, 2019)
  • Use TLS 1.2 protocol. PanoramaWeb disabled everything but TLS 1.2


AutoQC Loader 1.1.0.19027 (Jan 27th, 2019)
  • Keep configuration running if watched path is on a network share and becomes unavailable due to temporary network disruptions
  • Change color of "Running" status if watched path (network share or mapped network drive) is unavailable
  • Wait for up to an hour to re-connect to network share before stopping configuration
  • Keep last 100 log messages in memory


AutoQC Loader 1.1.0.18345 (Dec 11th, 2018)
  • Bug fixes:
    • AutoQC Loader was not putting a raw file on the re-import queue if Skyline was unable to save the .sky or .skyd file (e.g. if the document is open in another instance of Skyline) after successfully importing the file
    • A raw file could be put on the re-import queue more than once. Example case: A file backup utility copies raw files from the instrument computer to the computer where AutoQC Loader is running. The file may be copied while it is still being acquired, and will fail to import and be added to the re-import queue. If the file is then added again to the folder by the backup program, before full acquisition, it will fail to import again and be added to the re-import queue a second time


AutoQC Loader 1.1.0.18302 (Nov 1st, 2018)
  • Fixed bug: AutoQC Loader was not listening to file rename events (reported by Vidya)
    • Reported case: backup program copies files from the instrument computer to a mapped network drive. File is renamed when it is fully copied
  • Fixed bug: UNC paths could not be used for the Skyline file or watched folder (reported by Michel)
  • Include CSRF token in all POST requests to a Panorama server