I believe you achieve completeness more quickly (fewer crystals) if you just take random orientations.  At least, that's what I learnt from Dave Stuart.
phx



On 18/11/2011 04:20, Frank Murphy wrote:
[log in to unmask]" type="cite">Yanwu,

I surmise from your question that you are inquiring how to go about collecting from many crystals optimally. Merging data ex post facto is a totally different kettle of fish.

In my opinion, the most robust way to go about this is to use a kappa goniometer as Jim suggested (I am most familiar with the MK3). Since you intend to collect from many crystals, align the first and all subsequent crystals to the same easily attainable (or seemingly so) orientation, and then collect the sweep suggested by your data collection strategy program of choice.

To achieve this at NE-CAT, we have a GUI-based system that used STAC for orientation determination and BEST for strategy generation. As Jim suggested, more options than STAC exist.

If anyone is unable to get to a kappa goniometer, they can employ Mosflm or XDS (Xplan) to generate strategies for data collection from a crystal taking into account previously collected data. This is not nearly as robust a solution, but is a workable substitute (and also automated at NE-CAT).

I know there are other ways to achieve similar results, but I have suggested the methods I am most familiar with...


Yours,
Frank Murphy


Begin forwarded message:

From: yanwu huo <[log in to unmask]>
Date: November 17, 2011 4:00:06 PM CST
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ccp4bb] crystal orientation during data collection
Reply-To: yanwu huo <[log in to unmask]>

Hi,
I worked on a crystal sensitive to radiation damage, So I need to merge many crystal to obtain complete dataset, Does anyone know such program that can tell crystal orientation after first frame exposure.
Thank you in advance.


--
Thank you very much and all the best,

Yanwu Huo
Postdoctoral Associate
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY, 14853
Email:[log in to unmask]