General Usage

Integrated Help

Just press F1 to open a dedicated help window with comprehensive documentation right at your fingertips. This built-in help system contains detailed articles for every method and feature, so you never have to leave your workflow to find answers.

The help system covers every topic you’ll encounter, with particularly rich documentation for the Custom Experiment Builder. Whether you’re getting started or diving into advanced features, you’ll find clear explanations and practical guidance tailored to your current context.

Want the latest updates? Visit https://doc.zahner.de/im7 for the most current documentation, while your Zahner Lab installation includes help content specific to your version for guaranteed compatibility.

Exporting Datasets

You can export datasets using the File menu, context menu or simply by dragging and dropping them.

When you have both the Lab and File Explorer open, just drag datasets from the Lab and drop them into your desired directory.

You can also export entire folder structures, each containing multiple datasets, via the File menu or context menu.

CSV Export

If you want to process your data in a spreadsheet application, a plotting program, or your own analysis scripts, you can export any dataset as a CSV file from its context menu. Right-click a dataset and choose Export as to write it to disk, either in the Zahner format or as a CSV file. Everything below the Zahner Measurement (*.zmx) entry is an export preset, and each entry shows the file extension it will produce. Presets are typed, so an EIS dataset only offers EIS presets and a DC dataset only offers DC presets.

Note

A CSV file holds only the columns you selected for it. Your original dataset is not affected in any way, but everything that is not part of those columns is simply not included in the CSV file.

The Zahner .zmx format keeps all of it. A .zmx file is plain-text XML, and the measured data sits inside it as CSV within a single tag. You can therefore read it with any text editor or parse it with a few lines of script, and at the same time the file preserves everything a CSV file leaves behind. The complete measurement parameters, such as bias, amplitude, scan rate, frequency range, current ranges, and stop conditions, stay attached to the data, so you can still tell months later how a curve was recorded and reproduce it. For EIS, the raw voltage and current waveforms of every frequency point are kept as well, which is what makes the Wave and FFT displays, the THD values, and any later check of linearity and stationarity possible. The measurement context, such as device type, serial number, firmware version, and time stamps, travels along too, which also allows our support team to see your full measurement.

So export CSV files whenever you need them, but always keep the .zmx file as your original.

Managing Export Presets

All presets are managed under Edit → Preferences → CSV Export. The Export presets list on the right shows every preset with its dataset type, and the editor on the left always applies to the preset that is currently selected there.

Four presets ship with Zahner Lab and are always available:

• DRT Tools writes comma-separated frequency, Z’ and Z’’ without a header row, which is exactly what the DRT Tools import expects.

• Lin-KK writes the same three columns as a comma-separated .txt file with a single header line, in scientific notation with 8 digits and Windows line endings.

• Zahner full (EIS) and Zahner full (DC) write the complete native column set of the dataset, tab separated and with all three header lines.

The buttons above the list let you create a new EIS or DC preset, duplicate the selected one, delete it, or share it: Export preset writes it to a .zex file and Import preset reads such a file back in, so you can hand a preset to a colleague or move it to another computer. Built-in presets cannot be deleted, but you are free to edit them, and the reset button restores the factory definition of the selected built-in preset at any time.

The check mark in the Default column marks the preset that Zahner Lab uses when no specific preset is chosen, for example when you drag a dataset into an application that receives it as text. There is one default for EIS and one for DC, and the Set as default button assigns it for the type of the selected preset.

While you edit a preset, the Preview field at the bottom shows sample rows in exactly the format the export would write, including the separators, the number formatting, the header lines, and the results of any formulas.

Number Format

The format settings apply to the whole file and are independent of the dataset type.

Delimiter separates the cells within a row and can be a tab, a comma, a semicolon, a space, or any custom character you enter in the field next to it. Decimal selects the decimal separator, either a point or a comma, which is what most spreadsheet applications in continental Europe expect.

Warning

Do not use a comma as the decimal separator together with a comma as the delimiter. The resulting file cannot be read back correctly by any program, because the two roles of the comma are indistinguishable. Use a semicolon or a tab as the delimiter instead.

Line ending switches between LF (Unix) and CRLF (Windows). Most programs accept both, so only change it if a specific tool insists on one of them. File extension determines the extension of the exported file and is also shown in the Export as submenu, which is useful when a tool refuses anything but .txt.

Number format controls how the values are written, and it changes the meaning of Precision:

• Automatic writes each value in the shorter of the two representations and switches to an exponent only when that is more compact. Precision is the maximum number of significant digits, so a precision of 12 keeps twelve meaningful digits regardless of how large or small the value is. This is the right choice for measurement data that spans many orders of magnitude, such as impedance values.

• Scientific always writes an exponent, for example 1.23456789e+03. Precision is the number of digits after the decimal point of the mantissa, so it directly sets the number of significant digits minus one.

• Fixed never writes an exponent, for example 1234.567890. Precision is the number of digits after the decimal point. Keep in mind that a small precision silently rounds small values to zero, so a current of 5 nA becomes 0.000000 at a precision of 6.

Precision can be set from 1 to 17 digits, and the default of 12 is a good compromise between readable files and full measurement resolution. The upper limit of 17 is the point at which a double-precision floating-point number is described completely, so nothing is gained beyond it.

Header Rows

The Header row check box turns the header on and off completely, and the three check boxes next to it select which header lines are written:

• Column names writes the name of each column, or the header alias you defined for it.

• Units writes the unit of each column, for example Hz or Ohm.

• Signal paths writes the full internal path of each column, which identifies the exact channel the data came from.

Many analysis tools expect either no header at all or exactly one line, so switch off what the target program does not understand.

Columns

The Columns list defines which columns are written and in which order. The buttons next to the list add a column through the channel selection assistant or remove the selected one, and the ▲ and ▼ buttons move a column within the list. The check box in front of each entry lets you temporarily exclude a column without deleting it.

For an EIS preset, the assistant offers the index columns frequency and time, every impedance of the measurement with its dimension (|Z|, Z', Z'', phase in radians or degrees, and the absolute phase), and every signal channel, which is exported as its measured value. For a DC preset, the assistant lists the channels of your hardware configuration, since DC datasets have no fixed column vocabulary.

The Header alias cell replaces the header text of that column with your own wording. This is the fastest way to satisfy an import routine that insists on a particular column name, and it is only used when the header row is enabled.

Remaining columns decides what happens to everything you did not add to the list. Omit writes only the selected columns and is what you want for a tool with a fixed input format. Append after the selected columns writes your curated columns first and then the complete remaining native column set, so nothing is left out. A preset with an empty column list and Append therefore reproduces the full native table, which is exactly how the Zahner full presets are built.

Formulas

The Formula cell of a column lets you convert the values while they are being written, without touching the stored dataset. A formula is a small JavaScript expression in which x stands for the value of that column. All functions and constants of the JavaScript Math object are available, and the Math reference on MDN lists every one of them, for example Math.abs(), Math.log10(), Math.sqrt(), Math.pow(), and Math.PI. Leaving the cell empty writes the raw value.

Typical uses are unit conversions and sign conventions that a downstream tool expects:

Formula	Effect
x * 1000	Converts amperes to milliamperes, or ohms to milliohms.
-x	Flips the sign, for example to write Z’’ with the opposite sign convention.
x / 0.785	Divides a current by the electrode area to obtain a current density.
x * 180 / Math.PI	Converts a phase from radians to degrees.
Math.log10(x)	Writes the base-10 logarithm, for a tool that expects logarithmic input.
Math.abs(x)	Writes the magnitude regardless of sign.

A formula is checked while you type it. If it cannot be evaluated, the cell turns red and a tooltip explains the problem. An invalid formula is simply ignored during the export and the raw values are written instead, and any value the formula does not turn into a number is written as an empty cell.

Analyzing Data

You can analyze data using the Zahner Analysis software. Exported datasets can be opened in the Analysis software for further processing and visualization.

You can also drag and drop datasets directly from the Lab into the Analysis software for immediate analysis.

Recording Pool

The Recording Pool automatically saves measurement data to disk in the background while your experiment is running. This protects your data against unexpected events such as power outages, system crashes, or accidental shutdowns.

Zahner Lab uses an adaptive save interval that starts at 100 ms and gradually doubles up to a maximum of 30 seconds for long-running measurements. This keeps the saved data closely up to date - especially during the critical early phase of a measurement - while avoiding unnecessary disk load over extended run times.

During a measurement, data is stored as a temporary .live file. Once the measurement is complete, the .live file is replaced with the final dataset in its own folder. You can open this location by clicking the folder icon next to the Recording Pool.

The Recording Pool is enabled by default. You can change the storage location or disable it in the Preferences to conserve system resources, for example on less powerful computers or when disk I/O is limited.

Dashboards

For each method, you can choose from 9 different dashboards that can be tailored exactly to match your personal preferences. You can switch between dashboards using the 9 icons shown in the screenshot below or by pressing the number keys 1-9 on your keyboard.

Zahner Lab gives you complete freedom to design your workspace layout. You have full control over what content is displayed and how it appears, so you can create the perfect setup for your specific workflow and analysis needs.

You can edit any dashboard using the pen icon on the right, and share your configurations with colleagues using the export and import icons on the left. The icon with the two arrows rescales your plots back to their original view if you’ve zoomed in on any axis.

Sliding Window

The sliding window feature lets you focus on the most recent portion of your measurement data - perfect for long-running experiments where you want to monitor current trends without scrolling through the entire timeline.

You can configure the window duration to display exactly the time range that matters most to your analysis, whether that’s the last few seconds or the last several minutes.

As an added benefit, reducing the sliding window size also lowers the number of data points rendered on screen, which can help maintain smooth dashboard performance on less powerful computers.

Reference Curve

You can drag and drop any dataset from the Recording Pool onto an open dashboard to display it as a reference curve alongside your live measurement. Alternatively, right-click a dataset and select Show as Reference in Dashboard from its context menu.

Reference curves are rendered in a lighter, faded color, keeping them visually distinct from your live measurement while still providing useful context. Having a previous result displayed right alongside your live measurement makes it easy to compare the two at a glance, without switching between datasets or waiting until the measurement is finished.

View Controls

Full-Screen Mode

Press F11 to enter full-screen mode and maximize your available workspace area.

Tab Management

You can undock device tabs for flexible window arrangement:

• Double-click on any device tab to undock it into a separate window

• Click the close button (X) on an undocked window to dock it back into the main tab bar

• This allows you to arrange multiple devices across multiple monitors or organize your workspace according to your preferences

Widget Layout Customization

You can customize the application layout by dragging and dropping different widgets to new positions. For example, the Project and Experiments widgets can be repositioned anywhere within the interface to better suit your workflow.

To rearrange widgets:

• Click and hold on any widget’s title bar

• Drag the widget to your desired location

• Drop it in place to lock the new position

• The layout will automatically save your preferences

You can also export and import dashboards to share settings across different computers.

Zahner Lab Update System

Keep your Zahner Lab up to date to take advantage of the latest features, performance improvements, and bug fixes.

Zahner Lab can automatically check for updates each time you launch the application. This option is enabled by default, to disable it, go to Edit → Preferences → General and turn off the automatic update check.

When enabled, Zahner Lab connects to our update server at startup and lets you know if a newer version is available. If an update is found, a notification text appears in the upper-right corner of the welcome screen, simply click it to download and install the update automatically.

You can also check for updates at any time by going to Help → Check for Updates, regardless of your automatic update settings.

If your computer does not have internet access, you can download the latest update manually from zahner.de/service-support on another computer, copy the update file to a USB drive, and install it offline.

Language Settings

Zahner Lab is available in multiple languages. To change the interface language, go to Edit → Preferences → General and select your preferred language from the dropdown menu. The change takes effect after restarting Zahner Lab.