Even if you do not use a blocking scheme in your company, it may be beneficial to use a block list in REGINA3, in order to identify your slides more easily. If a block list exists, REGINA3 creates the slide numbers automatically for you by combining the animal number and the block number (please see also the discussion in chapter 3 "Defining the format of slide numbers").

To enter your block data into REGINA3 you need to activate the Block data entry module: press F2=Data Entry on the main screen and select the "Block list data" option. Alternatively, as a short-cut, you can press the B key on the main screen.

You can also copy a Block list from another study if one exists on your system: To do so, first select the "Initialize new study" option from the F3=Study pull-down menu and then the option "Copy block list data" from the sub-menu. REGINA3 displays a list of all existing studies created for the same species and same nomenclature system as your current study, from which you can select. This allows you to re-use the Block List definition from another study.

Please note:

• If the blocking scheme of your new study is not completely identical to an older one, it may be a good idea to copy the complete blocking information and modify only the data for some organs.
  
  
• REGINA3 can use your blocking information only during data entry of new findings. If you modify or extend your block list after you have entered findings, this will have no effect on the findings you have entered so far!
  
  
• It is recommended to use the copy function directly after creating a new study (this is the reason why this function is located in the study initialization sub-menu). You can, however, also use the function later, but only if no block data have been defined for that study so far.

Notes for data entry:

• After you have activated the Block data entry module (see above), REGINA3 displays a list of all organs and you can enter the block numbers in the right column. Use the scrolling keys (Up, Down, PageUp, PageDown, etc.) to select an organ. You also can use the "Find facility" (available in all selection boxes) by pressing Alt+F: The cursor is now visible in the "Find line" and if you enter the first few characters of an organ name, the content of the selection box is scrolled. Pressing Enter or any cursor key takes you back to the organ line to enter the block numbers.
  
  
• If you enter the blocking information, you always associate an organ with the corresponding block number. Block numbers can consist of "numbers" and "characters", i.e. "4c" is a valid block number. If you are routinely using more than one block per organ, enter all block numbers and separate them by using a semicolon (;), e.g. "6a; 6b". REGINA3 version 3.10 now also accepts the comma as separator and automatically converts it to a semicolon. Leading or trailing commas/ semicolons are also removed automatically. A message is displayed if REGINA3 detects a sequence of more than one comma or semicolon without a block number in between. The dot "." is not allowed in a block number since it is used to separate slide numbers and staining methods (please see the discussion in chapter 5 "Adding the staining method to the slide number" for more details).
  
  
• You should not enter extra block numbers in the blocking list, i.e. additional block numbers, which you use to designate macro findings. Instead, enter this information for the individual finding later.
  
  
• After you have finished entering the block numbers, do not forget to press the F10 key to store the information to disk. You may cancel data entry by pressing Esc.

Reports:

• To retrieve a listing of the block data you have entered, open the F5=Reports pull-down menu (on the main screen) and select the "Block list data" report.