✅ Special Characters

When working with the Delvotest® Accelerator Smart (DAS), it’s important to understand which characters are allowed for naming and describing various inputs. While many software systems restrict characters to ensure compatibility, the DAS takes a pragmatic approach: it generally follows the Base64 URL and Filename Safe Alphabet🔗, with a few specific exceptions. By adhering to these guidelines, you help prevent issues when data is exported, processed, and integrated with other systems—especially when working with formats like .csv files, where unexpected characters can disrupt data structure.

Allowed Characters

The DAS typically accepts the following character set, which closely resembles the Base64 URL and Filename Safe Alphabet defined in RFC 4648:

• Uppercase letters: A–Z
• Lowercase letters: a–z
• Digits: 0–9
• Hyphen (dash): -
• Underscore: _

For most fields, using only these characters ensures consistent handling across different systems, making data easier to export and interpret without errors.

Notable Exceptions

Operators File (operators.txt)
When creating or editing your operators.txt file, the same character set applies, but spaces are also permitted. This exception allows for more readable operator names or descriptions, while still maintaining a largely restricted and predictable character set. For more information about how to view and edit your operators.txt file, check out this article🔗.

Layout Data Fields (e.g., Cellinfo)
In certain data fields, such as Cellinfo, additional characters like spaces may also be allowed. While this provides flexibility, we recommend exercising caution: avoid special punctuation or symbols that might interfere with .csv delimiters (commas or semicolons) or cause confusion when parsing data externally. For more information about the Cellinfo field, check out this article🔗.

Why These Restrictions?

Restricting the character set to a safe subset helps prevent corruption or misinterpretation of data. For example:

.csv Files
Data exported to .csv format relies on consistent delimiters (commas or semicolons) to separate rows and columns. Introducing unsupported characters can break this structure, making it harder to process or analyse the data.

Integration with Other Systems
External tools, scripts, and Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) expect data to follow predictable patterns. Sticking to safe characters reduces the likelihood of errors or incompatibility issues during integration.

Best Practices

1. Stick to the Allowed Character Set
    Unless explicitly stated (as with operators.txt spaces), avoid characters not listed in the allowed set.
   
   
2. Keep It Simple
   Even when spaces are permitted, consider using short, clear identifiers that won’t cause confusion.
   
   
3. When in Doubt, Test First
   If you’re unsure about adding certain characters, test with a small sample before rolling it out across your workflow.

By following these recommendations, you ensure smoother data handling within the DAS and across your laboratory’s data management ecosystem.