Vector NTI Suite/Vector NTI Express
Frequently Asked Questions
General
- What is the difference between Vector NTI Suite and Vector NTI Express?
- What are the minimum hardware requirements?
- Does Vector NTI work with macOS (10.x)?
Licensing
- How do I install dynamic license for Vector NTI Suite or Vector NTI Express?
- Can our lab maintain both PC and Mac versions of Vector NTI?
Software
- How often should I back up my Explorer Database?
- How do I connect to the Dynamic License server from home?
Support
- How do I join the Vector NTI users mailing list?
- Do you provide paid support for Vector NTI?
- Who should I contact for help with Vector NTI related queries?
Tips
- How do I use the camera function to copy a sequence alignment?
- Can my molecule files be transferred between PC and Mac versions of Vector NTI?
- How do I import oligonucleotides into my database?
- How do I export oligonucleotides from my database?
- How do I perform sequence searches of the Vector NTI database?
General
What is the difference between Vector NTI Suite and Vector NTI Express?
Vector NTI Suite (PC Only) and Vector NTI Express (for PC and Mac) are two completely separate programs. Both are currently supported by Life Technologies. They share overlapping featureset but do not share a database. Vector NTI Express is written in Java and receives more frequent updates as compared to classic Vector NTI Suite.
What are the minimum hardware requirements?
Vector NTI Suite/Express will run on any windows PC of a recent vintage. Both 32-bit as well as 64-bit windows versions are ok.
For Intel®-based Macs, a a Boot Camp created partition or a commercial program (VMWare Fusion or Parallels Desktop) is required to run the Vector NTI Suite (PC version).
Vector NTI express for Mac will work natively on most recent macOS releases (10.10 and above).
Does Vector NTI work with mac OS?
Vector NTI Suite (PC version) does not work natively with macOS (see above for alternate solutions). Vector NTI Express for Mac will natively work with OS X (10.10.x and above).
Licensing
How do I install the dynamic license for Vector NTI Suite or Vector NTI Express?
Can our lab maintain both PC and Mac versions of Vector NTI?
Yes. Any combination of PC/Mac Vector NTI software and the dynamic license can be run within a group. The objects (molecule files, analysis results, etc.) within the Explorer database are completely compatible between all of these versions. Archives and Database backups are also completely compatible.
Software
How often should I back up my Explorer Database?
We suggest once a week. This process takes less than 5 minutes and will save all of the types of files within your Database. Database backup is done in the Vector NTI Explorer window (Choose “Database” –> “Database Backup” –> “Backup database now”). We also suggest backing up the Database backup folder that gets created in two separate locations. You should copy this folder to either a network share (that is regularly backed up) and an external hard drive.
In case your computer suffers a catastrophic failure or if you wanted to move your database to a new computer (to a fresh install of Vector NTI) then the only way to retrieve/transfer your data is by using this database backup folder. In absence of a good database backup there is no way to recover data from an old install of Vector NTI.
How do I connect to the Dynamic License server from home?
You will need to download and install VPN Client to access the dynamic license server from an off-campus location. More information (and support for installing VPN software) please visit ITS VPN help page.
See connecting to license server from off-campus.
Support
How do I join the Vector NTI users mailing list?
This mailing list is used for announcements of system maintenance and downtime schedules for the dynamic license version of Vector NTI. You will be automatically added to Vector NTI email list once your request for dynamic license is approved.
Do you provide paid support for Vector NTI?
No. The support we provide is available only to researchers at UNC-CH.
Who should I contact for help with Vector NTI related queries?
Hemant Kelkar, Ph.D.
Center for BioInformatics
UNC-CH, School of Medicine,
CB #7104,
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7104
Tel : 919-962-4458
Email : hkelkar@unc.edu
Tips
How do I use the camera function to copy a sequence alignment?
A sequence alignment cannot be directly pasted into PowerPoint without losing the color and font; this has to be done indirectly. Click once within the sequence alignment pane. Click on the camera button, select “Text” format to select the entire alignment, and click on OK. Open a Microsoft Word document and paste the alignment into an empty document. If the alignment is skewed, then repeat the process with a smaller word wrap of 30-40. Once the alignment is copied into a Word file it can then be selected and copied and the “Paste Special” function in PowerPoint can be used to move the alignment into PowerPoint.
Can my molecule files be transferred between PC and Mac versions of Vector NTI?
Yes. Any molecule in your Database can be transferred between PC/Mac versions and/or static/dynamic versions of Vector NTI. Place the files into a subset (sub-base for Macs) in your Explorer Database. Archive the subset by clicking once on the subset then opening the Table dropdown menu and going to Export -> Subset into archive. This archive can then be placed into the Explorer Database of a separate copy of Vector NTI by copying it over.
How do I import oligonucleotides into my database?
Detailed instructions on how to import oligonucleotides into your Oligo Database
How do I export oligonucleotides from my database?
Detailed instructions on how to export oligonucleotides from your Oligo Database
How do I perform sequence searches of the Vector NTI database?
Detailed instructions on how to perform sequence searches of the Vector NTI database