GMT Tutorial Exercise 23 - Workflow 2 - Step 11

Using the macro - the DNA Sample Sorter worksheet

• The screenshot shows the DNA Sample Sorter worksheet of the "Automated Designer for Genetic Analysis, University of Adelaide Special Edition".
• This worksheet is opened by clicking the Generate a table for DNA sample names and identifiers that can be sorted button or (once it's been created) the Go to DNA sample sort worksheet on the SAMPLE file worksheet.
• Use this worksheet to select and copy a list of DNA sample names that will be present on the ABI3730 plate, to be uses when generating the SAMPLE file.
• Follow the instructions on the worksheet, see also further explanations below.

(1) Use the AutoFilter buttons to generate the list of DNA samples that you want to paste into the ABI3730 sample submission file table on the SAMPLE file worksheet.

• The table on this worksheet shows the DNA sample names that were entered on the Project Details worksheet.

1. Use the Activate / Deactivate AutoFilter button to switch on the AutoFilter function, if necessary. When AutoFilter is active, arrow buttons [â–¼] are displayed next to the column headings.
2. To sort or filter the table by the entries in a given column:
   1. Click on the arrow button [â–¼] next to the column heading. A sort / filter menu box appears.
   2. Use the options in the menu box to sort / filter the table by the entries in this column. In the screenshot above, for example, the filter option was used to display only entries for extraction plate number "3".
   3. Verify that entries under column header Location on extraction plate are in the same order as under the Sample location on 96 DNA plate heading of the box on the SAMPLE file worksheet. If not, be sure to re-sort the table by the entries in this field.

If you find that you cannot use the filter or sort options for the table, you have to "unprotect" the worksheet first: In Excel2003, select Tools » Protection » Unprotect Sheet from the main menu. In Excel2007, the Unprotect Sheet option is found under the main menu item Review.

(2) Paste the list of DNA sample names in the ABI3730 sample submission file table using Copy and Edit » Paste Special » Values functions

1. Once the list of DNA sample names that will be located in the ABI3730 plate is correctly displayed, select the relevant entries under DNA sample names and use Excel's copy function.
2. Click the Previous Page button to return to the SAMPLE file worksheet.
3. In the box under instruction (7) of this worksheet, click into the cell of column DNA sample name where the top-most DNA sample name is to be pasted.
4. Choose Paste Special... » Values to paste in the list of DNA sample names.
5. The SAMPLE file worksheet can now be used to create the sample file.

• Find out more about the sample file itself in the next step of this workflow.