Shimadzu LabSolutions saves each LC run as an .lcd data file: a compound document holding the
detector chromatograms, the PDA spectra, the pump and oven status logs, the peak tables and the
sample information. LabSolutions can export it as text, but only on a PC with the software. This
page reads the .lcd file directly.
How to convert an .lcd file
- Upload one or more
.lcdfiles, or a ZIP of them. - Choose the number format and, for PDA data, the wavelengths you want as chromatograms (by default those of the file's multi-chromatograms).
- Download one CSV per detector channel, the PDA table, the peak table and the Excel workbook.
What you get
- Detector channels such as an SPD-20A UV detector, an RID-10A or an analog input, each as a CSV with retention time in minutes and the value in the unit the file selects for display, scaled with the calibration factor stored for the channel.
- PDA spectra as a time × wavelength table in mAU on the PDA's own wavelength grid, plus chromatograms averaged over a band at chosen wavelengths.
- Peak tables as LabSolutions stored them: R.Time, area, height, concentration, mark, ID and compound name, plates, tailing, resolution and the other columns of its export, one table per detector channel and PDA chromatogram.
- Status traces: pump pressure, oven, cell and room temperatures.
- LC-MS runs of quadrupole instruments such as the LCMS-8050: the total ion chromatogram of every scan event, labelled with its scan type and MRM transitions.
- Sample information: sample name and ID, operator, vial, injection volume, method, instrument.
How the numbers compare with LabSolutions
The values were checked against LabSolutions ASCII exports of the same files: every stored chromatogram value agrees with the export, which prints whole µV, all stored PDA values are identical (the export prints µAU; the table here is in mAU) and every printed peak table cell matches. Two differences are expected:
- LabSolutions exports add a point at the start that repeats the first value; the CSV holds the stored points only.
- The acquisition time is given in UTC with the stored time-zone text, because the file does not record daylight saving time.
Not supported yet
LC-MS mass spectra are not exported, only the TIC, and LCMS-9030 Q-TOF files without other data are refused. For GC files see Shimadzu .gcd and .qgd to CSV.
More about what this tool reads and writes: Chromatography Data Converter (Agilent, Shimadzu, Waters, AIA).