suggestions for time-saving improvements

[base]

We have used BASE for protein microarray data, and would find the improvements suggested below extremely useful and time-saving:

Currently, for each sample to be added in BASE and associated with a raw data file, an extract needs to be created from the sample, followed by a labeled extract, a hybridization, a scan, and finally a raw bioassay. These steps can all be useful when they are fully utilized with sample amounts, protocols, or when using pooled samples or extracts, et cetera. When this is information is not relevant, which has been the case for the protein microarray studies conducted so far, all these steps are not only unnecessary but also very time-consuming. One simple improvement would be an option to select all relevant samples, and from these be able to create extracts with one single click (simply using the default names given by BASE), and similar for the remaining steps, making the entire workflow considerably faster.

Woúld very much appreciate if you would look into this matter and implement, if possible! Thank you!

[Nicklas Nordborg]

There was a (somtimes hectic) discussion about similar issues on the BASE mailing list some time ago. The general conclusion was that while one solution fits one particular lab/facitlity it doesn't fit most of the others. So, you won't see much of this coming out from the core team of BASE developers. Instead, we urge everyone to develop plug-ins for this kind of work and share them with others on the BASE plug-ins site: ​http://lev.thep.lu.se/trac/baseplugins

This way, everyone can benefit from work already done by other and maybe find something that nearly fits the own situation or something that can easily be modified to fit.

The previous discussion ended with one such plug-in created by Micha Bayer: ​http://lev.thep.lu.se/trac/baseplugins/wiki/uk.ac.scri.batchimporter