RE: Oxford/Canberra LB5100 Y2K problem - Help

["Ryder, R (Roy)" <R.Ryder@dl.ac.uk>]

Excel 4 does not handle 2 digit years correctly since 01/01/2000. It treats
them as 1900 hence your 100 years error. Before you do any thing else try
using 4 digits in all code. Excel 5 certainly does accept 4 digits correctly
and is downward compatible. Some of the latest versions of XL are not
completely backward compatible with functions and macros.

Roy Ryder

-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel.Harlan@orst.edu [mailto:Daniel.Harlan@orst.edu]
Sent: 16 March 2000 17:00
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Oxford/Canberra LB5100 Y2K problem - Help


Hello Radsafers

I need advice and cost-conscious options for fixing a Y2K bug we discovered
in the following counter:

Oxford (now Canberra) LB-5100 windowless proportional counter.  The machine
is about 8 years old and is controlled by a computer running Windows 3.1.
The interface software consists of C++ code and Microsoft Excel macros run
from an Excel (ver 4) interface. Communication between the counter and PC is
through a National Instruments GPIB board.

The Y2K problem is in the decay calculations used for determining isotope
efficiency, i.e. decayed values for source activities are greater than
original activities by minus 100 years. The error is apparently in the C++
code or the macros, but in either case can not be fixed in-house, and there
are no patches available from Canberra.  

Canberra's fix is a complete upgrade at a cost of about $9500, including new
computer, software, hardware for the counter, and on-site installation.
They could not offer any alternatives for upgrading this system.

Has anybody out there had experience with this equipment?  I would
appreciate your comments.

Thanks

Dan Harlan
Assistant Radiation Safety Officer
Oregon State University
daniel.harlan@orst.edu
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