System, method, and computer product for simplified instrument control and file management

A method for managing files generated from biological probe arrays, comprising:

• producing a first data file comprising a plurality of raw intensity values, and metadata comprising a first identifier that uniquely identifies the first data file;
• producing a second data file comprising a plurality of processed intensity values each representing a probe feature on a biological probe array, and metadata comprising a second identifier different than the first identifier that uniquely identifies the second data file and a pointer to the first identifier;
• and
• storing the metadata for the first and second data files in a cache database.

A network based system for identifying files generated from biological probe arrays, comprising:

• a server comprising an instrument control and image analysis application stored for execution thereon comprising:
• a first generator that produces a first data file comprising a plurality of raw intensity values, and metadata comprising a first identifier that uniquely identifies the first data file;
• a second generator that produces a second data file comprising a plurality of processed intensity values each representing a probe feature on a biological probe array, and metadata comprising a second identifier different than the first identifier that uniquely identifies the second data file and a pointer to the first identifier;
• and
• a file indexer that stores the metadata for the first and second data files in a cache database;
• and
• a computer comprising a client application stored for execution thereon the performs a method comprising:
• displaying a graphical user interface comprising one or more graphical elements that accepts a user request;
• communicating the user request to the file indexer over a network;
• and
• displaying the graphical user interface comprising an identification of the second data file in response to the user request, wherein the file indexer identifies the meta data for the second data file in the cache database and returns the identification to the client application over the network.