Design-Expert 7 Read Me

Design-Expert^® version 7
software for experiment design

June 25, 2007

ELECTRONIC SOFTWARE DELIVERY (ESD)

If you downloaded your Design-Expert 7 purchase via ESD, please read these installation notes before installing it: www.statease.com/files/InstallESD.htm.

ON-LINE REGISTRATION

If you purchased the full version of Design-Expert (single user or network license) and haven't registered, you can do so on-line at www.statease.com/dx_register.html.

WHAT IS NEW IN VERSION 7?

A description of what's new can be found in the help system. In the program, choose Help/Contents from the menu bar. Under the topic, "Welcome to Design-Expert 7," you will find a section titled, "What's new in version 7 (the highlights)." The help system has also changed from the standard Windows Help to HTML format.

Also check out the frequently ask questions FAQs section at the end of this file for common help questions.

INSTALLATION NOTES

Supported operating systems

Windows NT
Windows 98 2nd Edition
Widows ME
Windows 2000
Windows XP

System Requirements

Attribute	Minimum	Recommended
Display resolution	800x600	1024x768 or greater
Memory (NT,98SE,ME)/(2000,XP)	128/256 MB	256/512 MB or greater
Processor	Pentium Pro	Pentium IV
Operating system	Windows 98 SE	Windows XP

Math Kernel Library (MKL)

Version 7 of Design-Expert uses Intel's Math Kernel Library (MKL) to optimize the computational speed. It is distributed as part of the installation.

Installing DLLs

When you choose "Install Design-Expert 7" from the main menu, the setup program will warn you if you do not have the proper authority to install system files. You will need to log out of your current account and log in as an administrator then restart the installation. Windows 2000 and later will give you an opportunity to enter a suitable account and password if you don't have administrative rights

Help file on network

A recent security change in XP prevents it from opening HTML help files that reside on a LAN or the Internet. If the dx7HelpFile.chm file doesn't work from your network drive see the Microsoft support document, http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=896054

Follow the instruction for Method 2 and set the MaxAllowedZone value to 1 to permit LAN access.

New tool for identifying effects

If you are analyzing a 2-level factorial, you can now identify unselected effects (and their values) on the normal/half-normal plots by holding the the Ctrl key and right-clicking on the point on the graph.

MISSING FUNCTIONALITY / KNOWN BUGS

June 28, 2006:

BUGS FIXED SINCE VERSION 7.0.2

No longer get extra point when using only design points in Numerical Optimization.
Hiding interaction lines for Numeric by Categoric case now works properly.
Fixed Constraints node display for Mixture by Mixtures and for U_Pseudo coding.
Fixed XML file problem for 2-level factorial block generators.
Y-axis now expanded to fit LSD bars in original scale for transformed response.
When using design points as starting points, Optimization now only includes those design points that meet the criteria.
Model order is reset correctly when adding terms in combined model selection.
F1 help now displays correct topic after scrolling on a report.
Minor user interface fixes.
Program now remembers customized contour settings for different types of graphs.
Can now export optimization graphs to EMF file format and copy Ramps to clipboard.
Fixed various small graphing problems.
The default response scale no longer includes ignored runs when calculating range.
Ignored cells display correctly after deleting or inserting rows.
Minor fixes and enhancements to model editing.
XML supports equation only responses.
Fixed problems with solution flags and buttons in numeric optimization.
Minor report formatting changes.
Fixed problem with some ordinal categoric contrasts.
Improved factor tool performance for combined designs.
Corrected some graph formatting problems.
Adding blocks no longer deletes ignored rows or point type information for mixtures. Also, center points are now assigned randomized run numbers after adding blocks.
Select by Design Model choice now available in Evaluation.
Illegal design points cannot be removed from the ignore list..
Fixed various problems with transformed responses in optimization.
Fixed various problems for mixture designs with very small ranges.
Fixed problems with mixture coding in optimization when maximizing/minimizing a component.
Now can display gradients or set a Cox model in ANOVA when mixture has blocks.
Now assign point types to Mixture by Mixture by Process designs properly.

OTHER CHANGES SINCE VERSION 7.0.2

Open file dialog now displays all supported file types (DX7, DX6, DX5, ...)
Network administrators now have the ability to add a custom message to the "no more license" dialog using the LanLimitMsg parameter in the custdata.ini file. For example, the entry:

   [Network]
   LanLimitMsg=Call the IT Hotline for assistance

Will display the following text if no license are available:

      User Limit Exceeded
      Maximum licenses in use (5)
      Call the IT Hotline for assistance
Improvements to Numerical Optimization solution finding when categoric factors are set to "equal to."
The program permits the user to choose to show actual equations for nonhierarchical models.
Ignored effects calculation improved. We now calculate the model with the ignored effects, then calculate just the model effects and subtract the difference to get the ignored effects DF and Sum of Squares which are reported in the ANOVA.
Added option to spread out center points among blocks when adding blocks.
Allow keystrokes (Ctrl-plus and Ctrl-minus) to switch between optimization solutions.
Added BoxCox results to diagnostic report and XML output.
Default is now 3FI for ignore model in factorial design evaluation.
Default Y-axis low/high values corrected for transformed models.

Mar 22, 2006:

BUGS FIXED SINCE VERSION 7.0.1

Various minor improvements to the user interface.
Eliminated unnecessary help error warnings.
Better handling of mean mixture choice in model selection.
Allow user to replicate design multiple times from design builder.
Better handling of small response values in the normal and half-normal plots.
Corrected issue with missing LSD bars in one factor and interaction plots.
Fixed problems with reading and writing candidate lists for some mixture and combined designs.
Fixed problem where selection in point prediction did not display in original scale.
You can now rebuild designs with more than 99 blocks. Program would crash before.
Improvements made to optimization interface and presentation for desirability graph.
Changes to algorithm to cover design space more evenly.
Various cosmetic changes and enhancements to graphs.
Now use Piepel's direction instead of Cox as this is more likely to find optimal points.
Changed how we do Effects so that we calculate the ignored terms along with the model terms and report their SS on the effects list.
Flags planted on a contour graph did not get cleared in some circumstances.
If you have a POE for a transformed response and choose "Original Scale," the POE values remain in transformed scale though they are not explicitly labeled as such.
Various minor fixes and enhancements to XML.
Running an XML script now changes the working directory to the location of the script file for consistency.
Exporting Point Prediction report now supported in XML.

OTHER CHANGES SINCE VERSION 7.0.1

Software enhancements:

DX7 files can now be saved in DX6 format.
Change lower limit on effect size power calculation to 0.001
You can now sort design layout based on row status by right-clicking in upper left corner of design layout
Can now export Effects and Diagnostic plots to enhanced metafile format.

Installation changes:

Can now edit the serial number when activating. This is useful for delayed activation when software is acquired by electronic software delivery (ESD).
Registration and Activation may be done during the installation.
Deactivation is provided as part of the uninstall utility.

Jan 18, 2006:

BUGS FIXED SINCE VERSION 7.0.0

Clear selection on effects plots and lists now only clears the Model terms selected, not Ignored or Block terms. The Clear All on the View menu clears Model, Ignored, and Block terms.
Improved graphing of narrow constrained regions of Desirability graph in optimization.
A number of minor cosmetic problems with the graphs have been corrected as have several user interface annoyances.

OTHER CHANGES SINCE VERSION 7.0.0

Software enhancements:

Program now works under Windows NT 4 OS. (NT was not supported for version 7.0.0)
POE graphs of transformed responses are now available in Original scale also. (Previously not supported.)
The default method in D-optimal and distance based algorithmic designs is now Point Exchange instead of Coordinate Exchange.
You can now search the optimization space starting with both the design points and random starting points (now the default). Previously you had to choose one or the other. The maximum number of each point type is set in the options dialog.
Added new user preference to disable the MKL Library. The Intel Math Kernel Library (MKL) shipped with Design-Expert only works for Intel processors running under Windows XP and later. If you have an earlier OS it is simply not used. If your processor is not Intel the program may crash or hang when you try to open or build a design. If that is the case, you can turn off MKL in one of two ways:

1. in the Math tab of Edit/Preferences... uncheck the box labeled, "Use MKL routines when available."

Or

2. Edit the CUSTDATA.INI file in the DX7 application folder with a text editor and add the following lines:

[Installation]
IncludeMKL=0
This change will affect all users of this installation which is good for a single computer but may be inappropriate for network users. Individual users can turn this option off by launching the program and proceed directly to the Preferences under the Edit menu. Go to the Math tab and uncheck the "Use MKL routines when available" box and click OK.
Can now export a VarTran file. If you use VarTran(R) by Taylor Enterprises for robust design analysis you can export directly to a VarTran file. (Response surface and factorial designs only.) From the "File / Save as..." menu choice choose "VarTran File (*.vta)" from the "Save as type" drop down list in the dialog.
Clicking on the Print Icon in the toolbar now prints directly to the default printer without bringing up the Print dialog.
The reported Predicted R-Squared value for factorial designs is now adjusted for curvature.

The maximum number of replicates you can select in the factorial design builder has been increased from 100 to 1000.

Installation changes:

Product registration is now built into the installer so that you need not visit the web page to register. If you prefer the web registration, it remains available at www.statease.com/dx_register.html .

The network license has been changed to allow the license file to be read-only. Version 7.0.0 required it to be writeable which left it vulnerable to corruption. The network updater will not change this file's permissions so the administrator will need to do that manually.
A number of network users have reported getting the message, "machnm1.exe not found." While usually of no consequence, this message is annoying. The problem can be resolved in one of three ways:

Method 1:
1. Right click on the shortcut to the program and choose "Properties...."
2. Change the "Start in" folder to be the same folder that DX7Net.EXE resides in on the server.
3. Click OK.

Method 2:
Install the DLLs to the workstation in the Windows\System32 folder. This is one of the options offered by WrkSetup.exe.

Method 3:
If you don't want to install the DLLs, simply copy the following two files from the DX7Net server folder to your System32 folder:

1. machnm1.exe
2. machnm32.sys
WrkSetup.exe has been updated to set the Start In folder to be the same as the DX7Net server folder.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here is a sampling of what can be found in the Help system. In the program, choose Help/Contents from the menu bar. Expand the topic node, "Welcome to Design-Expert 7," and you will find a sub-topic titled "Program Hints and Frequently Asked Questions."

Q.	I can't find a command that I expected to be here. Where should I look for it?
A.	Try clicking the RIGHT mouse button. In conformance with Windows standards, the right mouse button is used extensively throughout the program for various options. Also be sure to check the VIEW menu on the menu bar at the top of the screen. Different choices are offered depending on what view is being displayed.

Q.	How can I import data from a spreadsheet?
A.	Data can be imported and exported using the standard Windows cut and paste operations. Simply highlight the group of cells (or select all) and select copy (Ctrl-C). Go to the program you want to paste them into and select paste (Ctrl-V). If you are trying to import a new design from a spreadsheet, first set up a similar dummy design in Design-Expert making sure the factor levels are correctly defined. Next duplicate (or delete) rows in the design layout to get the desired number of rows. Last, copy and paste the data from the other source into the design layout over the old dummy data.

Q.	Why do I get different results than the program gives me when I do the calculations myself?
A.	Differences between program results and hand calculations are normally due to a loss of significant digits when transferring values from Design-Expert to the program or calculator used to make the calculations. These differences can be particularly pronounced when a transformation is being used. For example, for readability, coefficients for the model on the ANOVA sheet are, by default, only displayed with 2 decimal places. You can increase the number of decimal places displayed by choosing the "force precision X decimal places" option under Edit/Preferences/Math. To make sure you are not using truncated values, use the standard Windows cut and paste operations to copy the values (e.g., from the ANOVA sheet) and paste them directly into the spreadsheet or calculator program you are using to perform the calculations.

Q.	How do I view a graph of actual vs. predicted values, or some other combination of variables, which is not already provided in the program?
A.	This can be done by inserting one or two blank responses in the design layout and copying data from reports, like the Diagnostic section at the bottom of the ANOVA. Then choose Graph Columns using these new columns. The extra responses can be deleted when you are finished looking at or printing out the graph.

Q.	In many cases, it's cost-prohibitive for us to replicate the experiments to account for experimental variation. Is there a method using DX7 for us to utilize repetition (multiple samples) in each trial run?
A.	When there are multiple samples for individual runs, it is important to distinguish between experimental error (variation in control factors) and sample error (variation in sample measurements). You need to replicate the whole experiment to measure experimental error. To handle sample error, you can take multiple samples for a particular run and enter the mean and standard deviation of the measurements as two separate responses. This will provide you with a single value (the mean), and a measure of the sample error (the standard deviation). It does not, however, give you any more information about the experimental error than is already provided by the hidden replication of the design.

Q.	How can I change the coding of a factor, or several factors, when the coded values have gotten messed up? This can happen if you enter actual values while displaying coded factors or edit the highs and lows in the design layout rather than the factor info dialog.
A.	Follow these steps: Display the data in the design layout in actual units. Click on a factor header to highlight the data in the column. Copy (Ctrl-C) to the clipboard. Right click on the column header and select "edit info..." Change the +1 / -1 levels to the actual factor levels. Watch out for CCD's so that you don't enter the alpha values here. Click OK and you will see the actual factor levels change to new incorrect values. Paste (Ctrl-V) the original values back into the column. You will get a warning message. Click OK! Repeat steps 2 to 7 for the remaining factors. Unfortunately, this trick won't work with mixtures as you can't edit the pseudo ranges. You will need to rebuild the design.

Q.	In the design builder, parts of the display appear to be missing or overlapping.
A.	The program was designed for a minimum resolution of 800x600 using small system fonts. If you are using 800x600 with large fonts, not all views in the design builder will appear as they should. You can make these screens usable by turning off the design descriptions that appear at the top of the screen. To do this, follow these steps: Get out of the design builder and go back to the main view. Select Preferences from the Edit menu. In the "Math Design" section, check the box that is labeled: "Do not display design descriptions."

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

For Technical Support or other information contact:

Phone:	612.378.9449
Fax:	612.746.2069
E-mail:	support_at_statease.com *
Web site:	www.statease.com
Other info:	:info_at_statease.com *

* replace _at_ with @ to use the e-mail address.

Design-Expert^® is a registered trademark of

Stat-Ease, Inc.
2021 East Hennepin Avenue
Suite 480
Minneapolis, MN 55413