Sample Management

EvoNEST provides tools for organizing, viewing, and maintaining samples in your database. The system handles different sample types (animals, subsamples, plants, etc.) with type-specific features for each. Creating ad-hoc cards for your own samples is easy: you can get more information by contacting the EvoNEST team or you can just do it yourself by visiting the Developer guide.

Getting Started

Accessing Samples

1. Navigate to Samples in the main menu
2. Choose your view:
   • General - All samples in one table
   • By Type - Filtered views (animal, subsample, silk, etc.)
   • Maintenance - Specialized views for live animal care

Sample Overview Tables

Features:

• Sort by any column (name, date, species, etc.)
• Filter by sample type, status, or taxonomic information
• Export to CSV, XLSX, or JSON formats
• Bulk operations (when applicable)

Available Data:

• Basic identification (name, ID, family/genus/species)
• Collection details (date, location, responsible person)
• Current status and recent changes
• Storage information (box, slot, collection)

Individual Sample Management

Sample Details Page

Access by clicking any sample name. Each sample has a details page with cards for different functions:

Core Information Card:

• Edit sample name and notes
• View unique ID and basic metadata
• See collection location and date

Edit Fields Card:

• Modify taxonomic information (family, genus, species)
• Change responsible person
• Update basic sample details

Hierarchy Card:

• View parent-child relationships
• Link subsamples to parent animals
• Navigate between related samples

Gallery Card:

• View images associated with the sample
• Delete unwanted images
• Full-screen image viewing

Position Card:

• Edit geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude)
• Quick link to OpenStreetMap

Type-Specific Features

Animal Samples:

• Sex selection (male, female, unknown)
• Life status (alive, preserved, lost)
• Life stage (egg, juvenile, sub-adult, adult)
• Extraction tracking (silk extraction success/failure)

Subsamples:

• Sample subtype selection (from configured categories)
• Storage location (box and slot)
• Parent animal linkage

Silk Samples:

• Silk type selection (dragline, flagelliform, etc.)
• Storage tracking

Plant Samples:

• Growth stage tracking
• Watering management with charts
• Fertilizer application tracking

Preserved Samples:

• Preservation method (ethanol, formalin, freezing, drying)
• Preservation date
• Storage details (collection, box, slot)
• Preservation notes

Maintenance Features

Live Animal Care

Navigate to Samples > Maintenance for specialized animal management:

QR Code Feeding:

1. Click "Scan QR" button
2. Scan animal QR codes to quickly record feeding
3. System automatically increments feeding counter
4. Prevents duplicate scans in same session

Alive Animals Table:

• Feeding status with visual progress bars
• Quick feeding buttons
• Molting and egg sac tracking buttons
• Life stage and status management

Preserved Animals Table:

• Preservation method and date
• Storage location management
• Preservation notes

Position Management:

• Geographic coordinate editing
• Location tracking for field samples

Status Tracking

Feeding System (Live Animals):

• Visual progress bars showing days since last feeding
• One-click feeding buttons
• Automatic logbook entries
• Feeding count tracking

Life Stage Progression:

• Molting button with automatic counting
• Egg sac production tracking
• Life stage transitions

Health Monitoring:

• Extraction success/failure tracking
• General status updates

Sample Creation

Manual Creation

1. Use the Add Sample button in any samples view
2. Fill required fields (family, genus, species, type, responsible person)
3. Optional fields include location, dates, and notes
4. System auto-generates sample names if not provided

Custom ID Creation

Create samples with specific IDs:

1. Navigate to /sample/new/[your-custom-id]
2. ID must be at least 6 characters
3. Fill sample details
4. Automatic redirect to sample page once created

Data Export

Export Options:

• CSV - For spreadsheet analysis
• XLSX - For Excel compatibility
• JSON - For programmatic use

Export Features:

• Respects current table filters
• Exports all columns (even if hidden)
• Maintains data relationships

How to Export:

1. Apply any desired filters to the table
2. Click download button in table toolbar
3. Choose format (CSV/XLSX/JSON)
4. File downloads automatically

Label Generation

QR Code Labels

Each sample can generate printable labels:

1. Open individual sample page
2. Scroll to "Label maker" card
3. Configure options:
   • Label width (default 300px)
   • Include genus name
   • Include species name
   • Include sample name
4. Generated label shows as image for printing

QR Code Features:

• Encodes compressed sample ID
• Compatible with mobile scanning
• Automatic feeding when scanned in maintenance mode

Storage Management

Physical Storage Tracking

Storage Fields:

• Collection - Storage collection/facility
• Box - Physical box identifier
• Slot - Position within box

Storage Features:

• Editable directly in tables (for maintenance pages)
• Filterable and sortable
• Bulk editing capabilities

Preservation Tracking

Preservation Methods:

• Ethanol
• Formalin
• Freezing
• Drying
• Other (with notes)

Preservation Data:

• Date of preservation
• Method used
• Detailed notes
• Storage location after preservation

Current Limitations

Missing Features:

• No batch operations for status changes
• Cannot import samples with parent-child relationships in single step
• No advanced search across multiple fields simultaneously
• No sample templates or protocols
• Limited bulk editing capabilities

Storage Limitations:

• Storage location is free text (no validation against actual storage systems)
• No storage capacity tracking
• No automatic storage suggestions

Data Limitations:

• QR codes work only with EvoNEST system
• Cannot export/import sample hierarchies easily
• No integration with external label printing systems
• Limited customization of label formats

Troubleshooting

Common Issues:

Sample not appearing in tables:

• Check if filters are applied
• Verify sample type matches current view
• Refresh page if data seems stale

Cannot edit sample fields:

• Ensure you have appropriate permissions
• Some fields may be read-only depending on sample status
• Check if sample is being edited by another user

QR scanning not working:

• Ensure camera permissions are granted
• Try different lighting conditions
• Verify QR code is from EvoNEST system

Export not including all data:

• Exports include only filtered data
• Clear filters to export complete dataset
• Check that all desired columns are visible

For more help:

• Data Import Guide - Adding samples in bulk
• Traits Management - Managing measurements
• Data Export - Advanced export options