Affymetrix® EXP Data File Format
EXP FILE
Description
The EXP file contains information captured in the Experiment window of the MAS 5 software. Experiment files are not available in GCOS or LIMS. Experiment information in those applications are stored in a database and are available via the Affymetrix GCOS SDK.
Format
The format of the EXP file is an ASCII text file similar to the Windows INI format.
The first line defines the file type. The value is always: "Affymetrix GeneChip Experiment Information".
The second line contains the version number of the file. The value is always: "Version 1".
The remainder of the file is divided up into sections. The start of each section is defined by a line containing a section name enclosed in square braces. The section names are: "Sample Info", "Fluidics" and "Scanner". The data in each section is of the format TAG<tab>VALUE, where the TAG and VALUE are separated by a tab.
The "Sample Info" section contains information about the experiment. The TAGS are:
| TAG | Description | MAS Term (as displayed in the Experiment window) |
|---|---|---|
| Chip Type | The type of probe array. This is the only required field. | Probe Array Type |
| Chip Lot | The lot number of the array. | Probe Array Lot |
| Operator | The name of the user. | Operator Name |
| Sample Type | The type of sample. | Sample Type |
| Description | A description of the sample. | Sample Description |
| Project | The project name. | Sample Project |
| Comments | Comments about the experiment. | Comments |
| Solution Type | The reagents used in the experiment. | Reagents |
| Solution Lot | The lot number of the reagents. | Reagent Lot |
The "Fluidics" section contains information about the last fluidics run. The TAGS are:
| TAG | Description | MAS Term (as displayed in the Experiment window) |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol | The name of the fluidics protocol run on the fluidics station. | Protocol |
| Station | The station number. | Fluidics Station |
| Module | The module number. | Module |
| Hybridize Date | The date and time of the hybridization. | Date |
Other tags may be in this section. The names of the tags are the steps in the fluidics script executed on the experiment. Other lines in this section may be defined but do not follow the TAG<tab>VALUE format. These lines may include status messages provided by the fluidics station.
The "Scanner" section contains information about the last scan. The TAGS are:
| TAG | Description | MAS Term (as displayed in the Experiment window) |
|---|---|---|
| Pixel Size | The pixel size used. | Pixel Size |
| Filter | The filter used. | Filter |
| Scan Temperature | This item is not used by the current GeneChip scanners. | Temperature |
| Scan Date | The date and time of the scan. | Date |
| Scanner ID | The ID of the scanner. | Scanner ID |
| Number of Scans | The number of multi-image scans. | # of scans |
| Scanner Type | The type of scanner. | NA |