Both Scienta (.ibw) and SpecsLab (.xy) raw files capture multidimensional XPS data but use different terminology to structure it. Scienta uses "Region Iterations" and "Sequence Iterations". SpecsLab organizes data by "Groups" or "Regions" (different elemental energy sweeps), "Scans" (time-resolved repetitions), and "Curves". Scienta Region Iterations are automatically averaged to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, while Scienta Sequence Iterations and SpecsLab Scans are preserved to keep the time-resolved data. For SpecsLab files specifically, distinct Regions are split into separate table rows. Ultimately, the preserved time-resolved data is saved in the table's image variable as a 2D matrix ([Energy bins × Sequence iterations/Scans]).
File type handling: Added .xy as a recognized XPS format. Currently, the script differentiates data types strictly by file extension (NEXAFS: .h5, XPS: .ibw and .xy). This extension-based differentiation needs to be improved in future updates.
Metadata parsing: Implemented global header scanning for .xy files to correctly extract instrument parameters (Acquisition Mode, Lens Mode, Slit, Workfunction) located before the first region block.
Timezone alignment: Added timestamp conversion for .xy files from UTC to local time (Europe/Zurich) to ensure synchronization with LabView logs.
Region separation: Modified .xy parsing to append a _RegX suffix to filenames. This correctly splits single .xy files that contain multiple elements or energy sweeps into distinct table rows so they can be processed individually.
Import efficiency: Added an originalFileName variable. The script now cross-references the input DataTable and skips files that have already been imported to reduce execution time on re-runs.
Testing status: Processing of .xy data has currently only been tested and debugged with nappGenerateSpectra and nappPlot. Compatibility with other functions in the suite remains untested.
bartels-rausch
florez_j