The eLabJournal application eLabWebEdit provides a seamless interface for viewing and editing files linked to the ELN without manually downloading files to the desktop and reuploading them to eLabJournal.
eLabWebEdit is a desktop application that must be installed on the computer. Start by downloading and installing eLabWebEdit. Next, navigate to Apps and Connections within eLabJournal and activate eLabWebEdit by switching it to On.
After activating eLabWebEdit, the option to edit the file will appear in the file section of the ELN. Almost all file types are compatible with eLabWebEdit.
Note: If a specific file type is unsupported, please contact eLabNext support.
When editing a file with eLabWebEdit for the first time, the browser will ask for a confirmation before opening the file using eLabWebEdit. Accept and confirm the request to launch the application and check the option to remember the confirmation.
Note: Depending on the security settings, an organization's IT department may first need to allow eLabWebEdit to be accessed from the browser.
Once eLabWebEdit starts, the file will be downloaded and opened using the associated program.
Users can work on the file as if they were working on a regular file stored on their desktop PC. Once they are finished modifying the file, they can save it. A new file version will automatically be uploaded to the ELN section from where the file was opened. In compliance with GLP, the previous file version will be kept in the archive so users can trace the entire file audit trail.
Note: After uploading the file to the eLabJournal, only the uploaded file will be edited; the original file will remain unchanged on your computer.
Note: when using this feature, the file will have a very long and specific name once downloaded for editing on the desktop. Users should only use the 'Save' functionality of the program and never use 'Save as' to change the file's location and/or name. Failure to do so will cause eLabWebEdit to lose track of the file and will no longer be able to update and upload the file to an experiment.
Office auto-save function
For programs that support an auto-save function, such as Microsoft Office, please note that every auto-save stores a new version. If the auto-save option is set to 5 minutes, a completely new version will be uploaded and linked into the ELN at 5-minute intervals. We recommend changing the auto-save time, especially when working with large data files. Read more about this setting for the following programs:
LibreOffice Auto-save function
Microsoft Office Auto-save function
Troubleshooting
- eLabWebEdit does not open the file - check if the file is already opened on another screen
- eLabWebEdit does not open the file - close the program that will be editing the file and open the file from eLab to trigger a restart of eLabWebEdit
- eLabWebEdit does not open the file - restart your computer to make sure the file is not locked
- eLabWebEdit gives download error - A user organization security/firewall blocks the downloading of files from eLab via eLabWebEdit; Bio-ITech can not solve this problem and needs your organisation to whitelist communication with eLabWebEdit
- eLabWebEdit opens the file in the wrong program - programs are opened in the default program in Windows; instructions for changing these settings can be found here
If these solutions do not resolve the eLabWebEdit issues, please contact the eLabNext support team and include the eLabWebEdit log files. To retrieve the log files, open eLabWebEdit from the system tray and click the eLabWebEdit icon
Select Open Logs Folder
A window opens with the log eLabWebEdit Log files.