This error message has been seen in the web after trying to update a barcode using that action.  This has been forwarded on to Progeny.  They are looking into it, but said that you should be able to log back in after a few minutes and the lock will be released.

• A coworker in the lab
• The Progeny User Manual
• The Progeny Community

It has recently come to my attention that people are unaware of the User Manual and the Progeny Community. Both of these are resources that can help you better use Progeny.

So, here’s how to check out the User Manual and Progeny Community:

• The user manual can be found in Progeny under the Help drop down on the main top toolbar. Once you open it up, you can look at the table of contents, view the index, or search for an answer to your question (pretty similar to any Windows help guide). The user manual is a great first place to look for information.
• The Progeny Community exists at http://www.progenygenetics.com/community/. This is a place where Progeny users can post questions and get answers and advice from other Progeny users and the company (to post you need a community username, which you can sign up for at http://www.progenygenetics.com/community/register.php).  You can read more about the idea of the Progeny Community at http://www.progenygenetics.com/blog/2009/06/01/welcome-to-the-progeny-community/. You can also subscribe to Community postings in an RSS feed.
• Also, if you check out the Progeny website, there are video tutorials (http://www.progenygenetics.com/tutorials.html) and a knowledge base (http://www.progenygenetics.com/kb/). People who are new Progeny users might find the tutorials helpful as they start to use Progeny.

Please check out these resources and let others know about them.

What other Progeny advice do people have? Are there other resources that people use?

If you need to change an existing field into a computed field in progeny, please start the computed field as a completely new field and delete the old one rather than changing the field type on an existing field.  When you change the field type of an existing field to a computed field it will cause a database error.  The field won’t work and it will interfere with things like how the individual or sample data sheets are displayed or how LIMS actions/reactions that utilize that field work.  If it happens, we just need to delete the field everywhere that it is referenced, so it isn’t the end of the world, but it is better if we just avoid the problem all together!  Thanks.

Anyone can come to me with additional questions, but the thing I wanted to remind everyone about is performing error checks.  When you select to check for mendelian errors, or discrepancies you should check the corresponding tab for those types of errors at the end of the import to see if you have any errors and to resolve them if possible.  (See screen shot below)

You should always check for:

1) Rejected genotypes:  This will tell you if some of your genotypes were not entered.  (examples of possible reasons include a typo in the sample or marker name or your marker is not in the set you selected to import into)

2) Discrepancies:  If someone else has already typed the marker you are typing or if you re-run a plate or re-process a plate and re-import, there may be differences in what was in progeny and what you are trying to put in.  When you select to check for discrepancies Progeny will keep the original data unless you resolve the discrepancy. I am telling you this because someone recently incorrectly processed plates and imported, then re-processed and re-imported, but was still getting the original (wrong) genotypes out for analysis.  The reason was that the original genotypes were still in the database and the new (discrepant) genotypes were being held, waiting for confirmation of whether or not they should overwrite the existing genotypes. In order to overwrite existing genotypes, you must either a) resolve discrepancies, or b) not select to check for discrepancies (new genotypes will automatically overwrite what is in progeny).

Here is an example of the genotype import page.  Notice the tabs across the bottom with the different types of error checks that you should review. The Progeny user manual also has more in depth information about this.  Feel free to ask me any questions about this.

Jamie