API ReferenceProduct Documentation
Product Documentation
Start typing to search…

Tetra UNICORN Agent v3.9.x Release Notes

The following are the Tetra UNICORN Agent release notes for versions 3.9.x. Tetra UNICORN Agent is a high-performance Windows application that acquires ÄKTA batch data through UNICORN OPC Historical Data Access (HDA) Service and detects Alarms & Events (A&E) generated from UNICORN in real-time.

📘

NOTE:

To upgrade the Tetra UNICORN Agent, see Upgrade an Agent.

v3.9.0

Release date: 3 April 2026

TetraScience has released its next version of the Tetra UNICORN Agent version 3.9.0. This release introduces database access capabilities for improved result file scanning and richer data retrieval (method data, scouting variables, text instructions, questions, and method variables). It also provides enhanced event logging for better visibility into Agent operations, backoff retry logic for improved upload and generation reliability, an Agent installation upgrade script, and several bug fixes.

Prerequisites

The following Tetra Data components are required for Tetra UNICORN Agent v3.9.0:

📘

NOTE

Documentation for Tetra Data components is in the TetraConnect Hub. To request access, see Access the TetraConnect Hub.

  • Operating system: Windows 10 or Windows 11
  • Supported UNICORN versions:
    • UNICORN v6.x or v7.0–v7.8: Supported natively via Classic OPC HDA.
    • UNICORN v7.10–v7.13: Supported via the Classic OPC HDA workaround, which uses UNICORN v7.8 SP1 as an intermediary interface. For setup instructions, see Connect to UNICORN v7.10 or Later (Classic OPC HDA Workaround) in the Tetra UNICORN Agent Installation Guide (v3.9.x).
  • Tetra Data:

New Functionality

New Functionality includes features not previously available in the Tetra UNICORN Agent.

UNICORN Database Access Configuration

The Tetra UNICORN Agent Management Console now includes a Database Access configuration option that allows customers to enable or disable direct access to the UNICORN database. When database access is enabled, the Agent can query the UNICORN database directly to detect result files, improving detection efficiency.

When database access is enabled, the Agent now does the following:

  • Database-Based Result File Scanning: Agent scans UNICORN result files directly through database access, rather than relying on file system monitoring.
  • Method Data Retrieval from Database: Agent automatically falls back to the UNICORN database to fetch method-related data when the Classic OPC HDA interface returns empty method data. This occurs for UNICORN methods created in version 11 and later. The database fallback retrieves method information and scouting variables, which are populated into the existing structured fields in the output Raw JSON file. In addition, the raw MethodData XML from the database is preserved in the optional UnicornRaw.MethodData property of the output Raw JSON file, containing the complete method definition including blocks, instructions, and parameters.
  • Text Instruction Retrieval from Database: Agent fetches and parses Result file text instructions directly from the UNICORN database, providing more complete result file data.
  • Questions Retrieval from Database: Agent now fetches Questions data directly from the UNICORN database, enhancing the completeness of result file information.
  • Variables Retrieval from Database: Agent now fetches Variables data directly from the UNICORN database, populating the Variables field in the output Raw JSON file with the converted variables XML from the method data.

For more information, see Configure Database Access Settings in the Tetra UNICORN Agent User Guide (v3.9.x).

Agent Installation Script

A new Agent installation script simplifies the installation and upgrade process for the Tetra UNICORN Agent. The script automates common installation tasks and reduces manual configuration steps.

Enhancements

Enhancements are modifications to existing functionality that improve performance or usability, but don't alter the function or intended use of the system.

Upload Events

The Agent now generates upload events that provide visibility into file upload activities. These events help customers monitor and track the Agent's upload operations.

Generation Events

The Agent now generates events during the file generation process, providing enhanced visibility into data extraction activities.

Scan Events

The Agent now generates events during file scanning operations, allowing customers to monitor scanning activities and troubleshoot issues more effectively.

Backoff Retry Logic for Uploads

The Agent now implements backoff retry logic for file uploads. When an upload fails, the Agent automatically retries the upload with increasing delays between attempts, improving upload reliability in unstable network conditions. The Tetra UNICORN Agent Management Console includes a new Maximum Number of Uploads configuration option that allows customers to control the maximum number of retry attempts for failed uploads.

For more information, see Configure HDA Service Settings in the Tetra UNICORN Agent User Guide (v3.9.x).

Backoff Retry Logic for Result Generation

The Agent now implements backoff retry logic for result generation. When a generation attempt fails, the Agent automatically retries with increasing delays between attempts. The Tetra UNICORN Agent Management Console includes a new Generation Max Retry Limit configuration option (default: 40) that allows customers to control the maximum number of retry attempts for failed result generations.

For more information, see Configure HDA Service Settings in the Tetra UNICORN Agent User Guide (v3.9.x).

Bug Fixes

The following bugs are now fixed:

  • Fixed a generation failure that occurred with UNICORN v7.12 data when numeric values were returned in scientific notation (for example, 2.565153E-05). The Agent now correctly parses these values using locale-invariant decimal formatting.

Deprecated Features

There are no new deprecated features in this release. For more information about TDP deprecations, see Tetra Product Deprecation Notices.

Known and Possible Issues

The following are known or possible issues in Tetra UNICORN Agent v3.9.0:

  • Due to a bug in the OPC HDA interface of UNICORN, the Peak Start and Peak End have the same value. The workaround to address this is to calculate the Peak End as Peak Start + Peak Width (both values are present in the PeakTable object in UNICORN and the RAW JSON file).

  • When using the database access approach with UNICORN methods created in version 11 or later, the Method Signature and FracXY data are not available in the RAW file. This is a limitation of the database access method for newer UNICORN method versions.

  • When ingesting result files generated by UNICORN v7.11 or later (which use UNICORN Method version 11 or later), if the Database Access option is not enabled, method-related data — including method items, scouting variables, variables, and questions — may be missing from the RAW JSON file. To retrieve this data, enable the Database Access option and configure the database connection settings. For more information, see Configure Database Access Settings in the Tetra UNICORN Agent User Guide (v3.9.x).

  • If a result file does not include a run log, the Agent will not generate a RAW JSON file for that result.

Upgrade Considerations

To upgrade the Agent, see Upgrade an Agent and the Tetra UNICORN Agent Installation Guide (v3.9.x).

To configure and use the Agent after it's installed, see the Tetra UNICORN Agent User Guide (v3.9.x).

📘

NOTE

If you want to use the new database access features, you must configure database access settings after upgrading. The Agent installation upgrade script will automatically add the necessary database columns (Result ID and ResultPath) to support database-based scanning.

Other Release Notes

To view other release notes for Tetra Agents, see Tetra Agent Release Notes.

Updated about 2 hours ago