Upgrading and Installing AfterMath Blue
Last Updated: 5/31/24 by Neil Spinner
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1AfterMath Blue Features
We are proud to announce the release of AfterMath Blue! If you are currently running a "green" version of AfterMath (version numbers 1.x.xxxxx), you can now upgrade to our new-and-improved AfterMath Blue (version numbers 2.x.xxxxx). A short bulleted list of major upgrades and improvements is provided below:
- Improved (blue) graphical user interface (GUI)
- Compatibility with AfterMath Live Electrochemical Simulation and generated results
- Spectroelectrochemistry support for newer spectrometers
- Dramatic improvements to existing methods, such as EIS, LPR, and PFRU, as well as introduction of new battery methods, including PITT and GITT
- 64-bit architecture with improved overall performance
- Improved data export functionality
- Improved potentiostat filter selection
- Improved OCP measurement (specifically, settling periods prior to measurement)
- Overlay of a chosen reference plot superimposed on other plots, including live data
2Downloading and Installing AfterMath Blue
The first thing that must be done before downloading and installing AfterMath Blue is determining whether your PC's operating system (OS) is 32-bit or 64-bit. Most modern PCs running Windows OS are 64-bit (as of the writing of this article), but it is important to check to make sure the most upgraded version possible of AfterMath Blue is installed.
2.1Is Your System 32-bit or 64-bit?
To determine whether your system is 32-bit or 64-bit, you can click the "Start" or Windows button at the lower-left side of the screen, typically located at the end of the taskbar, and type "about:"
Clicking on "About your PC" will open the system settings information (shown below), and the "System type" will display whether the OS is 32-bit or 64-bit:
An alternative pathway to access the system settings is to open the "Control Panel" (more common on older, often 32-bit systems), and click "System" from the list of options.
2.232-bit System Installation Instructions
If your PC is running a 32-bit operating system, there is only one upgrade necessary. Follow the below instructions to upgrade from a 32-bit "green" AfterMath (version numbers 1.x.xxxxx) to 32-bit AfterMath Blue (version numbers 2.x.xxxxx).
2.2.1Download/Obtain Installation Files
2.2.2Install 32-bit AfterMath Blue
Double-click the setup/installation file. This will be a file called "setup.exe" or "aftermath_2_x_xxxxx_setup.msi" (see example below, where the 'x's will be the exact version number) - either file is acceptable and will accomplish the same thing. Follow the steps during installation, which are also detailed in a separate article here.
2.2.3Open 32-bit AfterMath Blue
After successful installation, open the newly-installed 32-bit AfterMath Blue. Doing so initiates the automatic detection and transfer of existing instrument permissions files and licenses to a new location on your PC. The location for AfterMath permissions and license files has typically been
C:\Program Files (x86)\Pine\AfterMathor
C:\Program Files\Pine\AfterMathdepending on whether your PC is running a 32-bit or 64-bit OS, and also whether it may be physically capable of running a 64-bit system at all. Older PCs may not be able to run a 64-bit OS, while newer machines are often 64-bit (even if they are still running a 32-bit OS). After opening AfterMath Blue, any existing permissions and license files will be automatically copied and pasted into the new directory, which is:
C:\ProgramData\Pine\AfterMathAdditionally, AfterMath Blue now has a License Manager where you can view the instrument and feature licenses found on the PC:
The License Manager also allows you to check whether licenses are valid or expired (mostly relevant for Simulation and Circuit Fit Licenses), and has a Browse button where you can add new licenses to the PC if needed.
2.364-bit System Installation Instructions
If your PC is running a 64-bit operating system, you have the option of upgrading to either 32-bit or 64-bit AfterMath Blue. However, for those with a 64-bit systems it is recommended to fully upgrade to 64-bit AfterMath Blue.
The first step is to complete all parts detailed in "Section 2.2, 32-bit System Installation Instructions" above. This will replace your existing 32-bit "green" AfterMath (version numbers 1.x.xxxxx) with 32-bit AfterMath Blue (version numbers 2.x.xxxxx). In particular, it is important that the installed 32-bit AfterMath Blue is opened on your PC (detailed in "Section 2.2.3, Open 32-bit AfterMath Blue" above) before completing these 64-bit installation steps.
2.3.1Download/Obtain Installation Files
2.3.2Uninstall Existing 32-bit AfterMath Blue
AfterMath software does not permit multiple instances to be simultaneously installed on a PC at any given time. This is why earlier updates (all 32-bit) automatically uninstalled the existing version before installing the new one. However, in the case of this 64-bit AfterMath Blue installer, existing 32-bit versions cannot be automatically uninstalled, which means that if you try to install 64-bit AfterMath Blue and there is already an existing 32-bit AfterMath installed (either green or blue), the installation will fail.
Therefore, a manual uninstall of 32-bit AfterMath must be performed first. This can be done by clicking the "Add or remove programs" option from the start menu, or accessing the "Programs and Features" submenu from the Control Panel.
2.3.3Install 64-bit AfterMath Blue
Double-click the setup/installation file. This will be a file called "setup.exe" or "aftermath_2_x_xxxxx_setup_x64.msi" (see example below, where the 'x's will be the exact version number) - either file is acceptable and will accomplish the same thing. Follow the steps during installation, which are also detailed in a separate article here.
2.3.4Open 64-bit AfterMath Blue
After successful installation, open the newly-installed 64-bit AfterMath Blue. Doing so initiates the automatic detection and transfer of existing instrument permissions files and licenses to a new location on your PC. The location for AfterMath permissions and license files has typically been
C:\Program Files (x86)\Pine\AfterMathor
C:\Program Files\Pine\AfterMathdepending on whether your PC has been running a 32-bit or 64-bit OS in the past. After opening AfterMath Blue, any existing permissions and license files will be automatically copied and pasted into the new directory, which is:
C:\ProgramData\Pine\AfterMathAdditionally, AfterMath Blue now has a License Manager where you can view the instrument and feature licenses found on the PC:
The License Manager also allows you to check whether licenses are valid or expired (mostly relevant for Simulation and Circuit Fit Licenses), and has a Browse button where you can add new licenses to the PC if needed.
