Software Release Notes 6.1

We are pleased to introduce the ANDATA Spring Release 6.1, which continues our efforts to modernize the software suite while extending the analytical capabilities of our core tools. This release completes a major milestone in the transition away from legacy Java-based UI frameworks, introduces substantial improvements to signal processing workflows in Stipulator, expands functionality in Expectator, and welcomes the new DataDiver tool to the ANDATA software family.

With version 6.1, all graphical user interfaces and dialogs across our software suite have now been migrated to MATLAB®'s current uifigure framework. This completes the modernization initiative started several releases ago and ensures compatibility with current and future MATLAB releases, including the newest R2026a. The migration has also enabled a tighter integration of previously separate dialogs into the main applications. In Stipulator, for example, signal processing definition and editing is now available directly within the main GUI through the new Processings tab, resulting in a more streamlined and efficient workflow.

Signal processing in general has received several important functional enhancements. Existing processing chains can now be reused as modules within other processing chains, enabling more modular and maintainable configurations. Individual processing steps may be temporarily disabled without removing them from a processing chain, simplifying testing and development. In addition, the introduction of processing variables allows user-defined constants to be referenced throughout a processing chain, improving flexibility and reducing configuration effort.

Further improvements include the migration and modernization of all expectation calibration dialogs in Expectator to the uifigure framework and the integration of plausibility overviews directly into the main application window. We are also excited to introduce DataDiver, a new tool for interactive data exploration that was previously presented in our software blog. Complementing these functional enhancements, error handling has been comprehensively refactored across all tools. Errors, warnings and informational messages are now presented consistently through the integrated Status Table component, providing improved transparency and a more unified user experience.

Detailed instructions on the quickest and easiest way to receive the ANDATA Spring Release 6.1 can be found at How to Install ANDATA Software.

The most important updates are highlighted in the following.

Stipulator

• The Edit signal processing GUI in Processings > Edit has been integrated into the main Stipulator window and is now available through the new Processings tab.

• Existing signal processings can now be used as modules within other signal processing chains.

• A new concept of processing variables allows user-defined constants to be defined and referenced from within signal processings.

• Individual processing steps may be temporarily disabled without removing them from a processing chain, simplifying testing and development.

• Fixed an error that happened when trying to add a new category from File > Reference attributes > Edit…

• (SI-375) Scrolling in the Actions tab in Cases > Edit > Modify… was wrongly inactive even when the list of actions exceeded the available space in the GUI. This bug has been fixed.

• An incorrect update of row colors after reordering cases using Cases > Reorder has been fixed.

• Fixed an error occurring in Signals > Show assignments… when a Stipulator project contained cases but no reference signals or attributes.

• Signals > Show assignments… could fail when executed repeatedly. This problem has been fixed.

• (SI-387) Fixed an issue in worker function createActions where numeric rounding effects could generate NaN values for actions defined as [Inf Inf].

• The default value of the “Link axes” setting in Analysis > Preferences… has been changed. By default, the X axes in plot figures are now linked.

Brainer

• (SI-381) Fixed an error that caused some plot function to stop working after using command brainer('setplotspecificppsettings').

• A problem that might happen when opening certain configurations in Models > Sampling settings… has been resolved.

• Fixed an issue that prevented custom extensions from being added to existing menus.

Expectator

• As part of the modification in Stipulator, Expectator was also enhanced with the ability to temporarily disable individual steps in a signal processing without having to remove them from the processing chain

• Processing variables, as introduced in Stipulator, are now available in Expectator signal processing as well. These allow users to define custom constants and reference them throughout a signal processing chain.

• Data > Select > By selected expectations now supports an additional option to consider not only expectation domains but also the availability of all required channels and attributes.

• A new result table can be generated after the plausibility check in the “Postprocessing” tab. This functionality can be activated with the “Check Result Table” option. The table can optionally be displayed in a separate figure.

• A new expectation method, OutlierDetection, has been added.

• Data > Plot now generates separate plots grouped by channel and by data set when multiple data sets are selected.

• Selector-based expectation domains can now be edited by double-clicking.

• (SI-384) Expectation and Data lists now support non-unique names. This resolves issues that could occur in Data > Select > By selected expectations and Expectations > Select > By selected data.

• (SI-385) A warning is now issued if the attribute referenced by a calibrated ScalarWithinInterval expectation is not found and the first available attribute is selected automatically.

• Fixed an error that prevented attributes stored as MATLAB double-quoted strings from being used in selector-based expectation domains.

• The Standard HTML report (tab “Postprocessing” > Execute functions > Standard HTML report) listed all evaluated channels incorrectly as “Unplausible channels”. This problem has been solved and a new field “Evaluated channels” now reports this information correctly.

• (SI-384) Fixed an issue when filtering Data or Expectations using the filter boxes above the lists, where the input field could lose focus while the lists were updated.

• Buttons for zooming, panning and related navigation functions have been removed from the Expectation Calibration dialogs, as these capabilities are already provided by MATLAB axes.

• Several internal modifications improved the responsiveness of the Expectation Calibration dialogs.

• The generation of the standard HTML report (tab “Postprocessing” > Execute functions > Standard HTML report) has been substantially sped up if the Parallel Computing Toolbox™ is available.

• Fixed an issue in Data > Plot that occurred when the selected data sets contained different channels.

General

• Filter boxes in the UniversalList component now support wildcard expressions. These filters are used in various dialogs and graphical user interfaces across the software suite.

• A new helper filter function ssconvertfromts converts non-equidistant time series channels to equidistant channels and automatically determines a suitable sampling rate.

• Helper filter function ssConditionalSetNan now supports non-equidistant time series channels.

• Fixed an error that occurred when converting logical channels to matrices using helper function ss2mat.

• Error handling has been refactored and harmonized across all tools. Errors, warnings and informational messages are now reported directly through the graphical user interface.

• Improved robustness of helper filter function ssarith when evaluating expressions involving non-equidistant time series channels.