This article covers the following topics:
- Overview
- Adding Custom Test Groups and Tests
- Available Tests
- Average, Sum, Standard Deviation, Magnitude, Difference, Product, and Division Options
- Managing Custom Test Groups and Tests
- Changing Group and Test Visibility
- Deleting Custom Groups, Tests, Meta-items and Child Tests
- Adding and Managing Meta-Items
- Adding Child Tests
- Move/Copy Custom Tests
- Using Custom Tests
Overview
You can create your own custom test groups and individual tests so that you can accommodate any regulatory or institutional protocols and requirements.
Test groups allow you to organize your individual tests into logical groupings corresponding to protocols or checklists. Within groups, tests are organized by sections. For example, in the preset TG142 tests the tests are generally grouped by the main tables in the TG142 report and then sectioned by test type (dosimetry, mechanical etc.) to correspond to the TG142 table subdivisions.
All individual tests are created as part of a test group and section. Individual tests can accommodate numerical, pass-fail, pass-fail warning, document attachment, and text entry type tests.
To create and manage custom tests, navigate to the "Manage - Custom Tests" page.
Adding Custom Test Groups and Tests
If you have not previously added any custom tests you will see a button to add an initial main test group. Click the Add Group button to open the Create Group dialog.
In the Create Group dialog, you will add a label. This will be the label that will be displayed when creating templates. You may optionally add a description for the group. Select device type(s) for this custom test group. The test group will only be available for templates with the corresponding selected device types. To have the group available for all templates select the Other device type.
When you are ready to add the group click the Add group button. To cancel the addition click the Cancel button.
Once you have a group established you can add sections under that groups. The create group dialog for sections is the same as for the main group. After establishing one or more sections you may add tests to each of the sections.
Clicking the Add test button opens the Create Test dialog. Enter the test parameters to configure the test.
- Name: this is the name that will be displayed when you are creating a template.
- Subname: label for the parent test used if child tests are added.
- Description (Optional): a description of the test. Descriptions may be richly formatted and include images
- Type: choose the test type. Note that the test type may not be changed after creation
- Allow multiple values?: if 'Yes' is selected then a button allowing multiple entries will be present when performing QA with this test.
Click the Add test button to save the test. After the test is created, we recommend previewing the test by clicking the Preview button to the right of the newly created test.
Available Tests
Below is a listing of available tests:
- Numeric Table: this test can be added by clicking the "Add numeric table" button, rather than the "Add test" button. When creating a new numeric table test, a popup dialogue will open where the number of rows and columns may be selected. One or more calculations can be made on each column, row, or selected cells. The available calculations are average, sum, standard deviation, magnitude, difference product, or division. Each row may also have one or more meta-items assigned. Additionally custom calculations may be used that use one or more operands and reference cells of the table.
- Numeric: a test that requires a numerical entry. Units may be specified
- Numeric Energy-Dependent (photon): a numeric test that will be associated with specific photon energies. Units may be specified
- Numeric Energy-Dependent (electron): a numeric test that will be associated with specific electron energies. Units may be specified
- Deviation: a numeric test where the final result is the deviation between the entered value and a nominal value. Units may be specified. The deviation test may be designated a percentage deviation test in which case the final result will the percentage difference between the nominal and measured quantities ( (Nominal-Measured)/Nominal x 100% ). A deviation test may also be identified as angular. Note that a meta-item containing the Nominal entry will automatically be created for deviation type tests. To edit the label please see Adding and Managing Meta-Items below.
- Ratio: a ratio test will calculate the ratio of an entered numerator divided by an entered denominator. Numerator and denominator labels may be customized. Units may be specified. If the numerator and denominator units are identical the ratio will be considered unitless and will not display a unit. If they are different the ratio will display with units for both the numerator and the denominator.
- Pass/Fail: a binary choice between pass and fail. The labels on the buttons can be edited.
- Pass/Fail/Warning: a trinary choice between a pass, fail and warning. The labels on the buttons can be edited.
- List: a list of text options.
- File Attachment: allows a file attachment containing test results.
- Text: allows a free form text entry.
- Linear Regression: a test that takes an x and y values and fits them to a curve. In addition, an optional plot, the slope, the intercept, RMS Deviation, mean absolute deviation, maximin absolute deviation, R², and Pearson's R may be included.
Average, Sum, Standard Deviation, Magnitude, Difference, Product, and Division Options
Any of the numeric table, numeric, deviation, or ratio tests can be a single value or they can be a user selected number of entries with an associated average, sum, standard deviation, magnitude, difference, product, or division of those entries. This is selectable under tests. Below is an example of a numeric test with two entries that are averaged:
The resulting test would look like the image below:
Managing Custom Test Groups and Tests
To manage groups and tests after they are created click the Manage button next to each group, section or test. This will open the appropriate dialog to change the group or test parameters.
Limitations on changing group and test parameters:
- The test type may not be changed once the test has been created.
- Sections may not be reassigned to different sections or groups, however, tests may be moved or copied to different sections or groups.
Changing Group and Test Visibility
To make sections and tests visible toggle the Show/Hide button next to each section and test. Clicking the button when it displays 'Show' will turn visibility on and change the label to 'Hide'. Clicking the button when it says 'Hide' will turn off the button visibility and will change the label to 'Show'. Hiding a group or section will hide all subordinate sections and tests.
If a number of tests are marked hidden, the page can become cluttered. Hidden tests can be hidden from view on the Manage Custom Tests page by changing the Hidden Test Display button to off.
Deleting Custom Groups, Tests, Meta-items and Child Tests
Custom tests, meta-items and child tests may be deleted under the following circumstances:
- Groups and sections may be deleted if they contain no tests or sections.
- Tests may be deleted if they are not part of any template and have not had any data saved against the test.
- Meta-items and child tests may be deleted if no records using the meta-item or child test have been saved.
If the conditions above are met a delete button will appear next to the item and it may be deleted. If the conditions are not met the item may only be hidden.
Adding and Managing Meta-Items
Meta-Items are pieces of information that are associated with the test during entry. This can include items such as dose rate, field size and other information to segment the data. To add a meta-item to a custom test click the Meta Items button for the test.
When the add meta item dialog appears you can add up to a maximum of 10 meta-items. Meta-items may be one of three types:
- Numeric: When setting up numeric tests you can also assign a unit to the meta-item to guide the user when entering the data.
- List: Custom lists can be created from which the user will choose from at run time. For example, you could have a list of field sizes.
- Text: This type of meta-item is designed when the user is expected to add free-form text to the test.
- Date: An option to enter in a Date only or Date and Time.
Once you have entered the meta-item's parameters click the Update meta items button to add the meta-item to the test. To edit the meta-item click on the Meta items button again. Note that although you can change description and other text fields you cannot change the meta-item type. You can prevent the meta-item from appearing by clicking the Hide button next to it.
Once meta-items are added their values can be preset when setting up schedule settings for a scheduled template that uses the custom test.
Adding Child Tests
Child tests can be added to a test. To add a child test to an existing test click the Create Child Test button.
This will open a dialog for adding child tests. The allowed types for child tests are more limited than for top-level tests.
After adding several child tests to a test the order of the tests can be adjusted by dragging them up and down in the list.
During data entry, this will display the main test and child tests horizontally across the page.
Move/Copy Custom Tests
To move/copy custom tests, navigate to the "Manage - Custom Tests" page. In the custom tests page locate your desired test and select the "Move/Copy" button.
From the Move/Copy page, you will have the option to name your test, copy to current section, copy to another section, or move to another section. Be sure to confirm to save you selections.
Using Custom Tests
Once custom test groups and tests are established they may be used like any other set of tests when creating templates. All the visible groups and tests will appear at the end of the available tests.
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