Download Kinetics Software

Unless you have already purchased a license, the downloaded software will be unlicensed. In the unlicensed mode it functions indentically to the licensed version, but can neither import external data nor export results from simulation or fitting. The free software comes with more than one hundred example files to explore all features, and allows you to create your own reaction models, define output expressions, and generate synthetic data. This means you can completely model and simulate your own experiments, save these files, and share them with collaborators or students.

Once you are ready to license the software, you may purchase a license online and activate your already-downloaded software instantly. If already have a valid software-license on your computer, any version downloaded to that computer will automatically be licensed.

  • The current release build is v11.0.1
  • See KinTek Explorer Versions below for information on differences among releases.
  • Read Troubleshooting if you encounter difficulties during or after installation.
  • Note: If you are on MacOS and downloaded the version with Python bundle, see this guide for how to launch the app after installation.

By downloading you agree to the license agreement.

KinTek Explorer Documentation

KinTek Explorer Papers

KinTek Explorer Version History

KinTek Explorer may be downloaded with or without a bundled Python distribution, which is only required for exporting publication-quality figures. If you don't need this functionality, we recommend downloading the standard (no Python) package - it is significantly smaller. You can always download the larger package later if you discover you need it.

All new users should download the latest version of the software. Version 6 is included in the download section only to support existing customers with USB-key licenses. We release new versions often, and each release includes bug-fixes in addition to new features listed below.

  • v11.0.1 released 2022-04-14

    • Fix Python figure export using bundled python on MacOS

  • v11.0.0 released 2022-04-11

    • Various bugfixes to improve the stability of the software in new MacOS Big Sur / Monterey.
    • Switch to GSL library for fitting instead of LevMar to improve stability
    • Fix Python figure export using bundled python on MacOS

  • v10.2.3 released 2022-03-06

    • Various bugfixes to improve the stability of the software in new MacOS Big Sur / Monterey.
    • Initial concentration bugfix
    • Various cosmetic fixes on Windows
    • Change "drag to zoom" on plots to Alt + Drag to zoom to avoid accidentally zooming into figures
    • Improve Python bundled version to work with security rules on MacOS Catalina or newer

  • v10.2.0 released 2021-12-30

    • Various bugfixes to improve the stability of the software in new MacOS Big Sur / Monterey.
    • Add ability to suspend/resume simulation to speed up editing of large simulation systems
    • Add ability to batch edit reaction kinetics constants by importing the data directly form a tab-delimited file (can be exported via Excel)
    • Enhanced multi-monitor support

  • v10.1.8-beta released 2021-05-30

    • Fix application crash when performing analytic fit on certain datasets
    • Fix application mouse pointer reference shift when on certain dual-screen retina MacOS systems
    • Add "Double click" zoom out feature to graphs to reset the graph zoom / translation to the original settings

  • v10.1.6-beta released 2021-04-10

    • Fix polynomial degree parameter in analytical fit window appearing at wrong position on Retina screens

  • v10.1.5-beta released 2021-03-28

    • Add option to selectively disabled closed loop finding on large systems
    • Bugfix certain analytic fit error not returning the software to the initial state

  • v10.1.4-beta released 2021-02-18

    • Fix Big Sur application crash when maximized
    • Fix Big Sur M1 Apple Silicon chip application crash

  • v10.1.3-beta released 2021-01-30

    • Fix application crash when deleting a spectra dataset

  • v10.1.2-beta released 2021-01-13

    • Preliminary beta support for Big Sur operating system, known issues - full-screen does not work - python needs to be installed separately)
    • Cosmetic fixes on various named parameters inconsistencies
    • Various bugfixes to improve stability and performance
    • For windows users - this should be functionally equivalent but with the latest bugfix

  • v10 released 2020-05-10

    • Add support MacOS Catalina and Retina Displays, improved MacOS distribution with notarized apps, and various stability improvements
    • Switch to Python37 for figure export
    • fix issues with bad fitting files causing crashes

  • v9 released 2019-01-02

    • Resolved issues with installation and licensing of software caused by operating system changes in both Windows 10 and Mac OS 10.14. Mac OS 10.15 continues to cause unexpected problems that will be resolved in the near future.
    • Improved handling of graphical outputs.
    • Improved ability to define enzyme concentrations as unknown variables in fitting multiple experiments.

  • v8 released 2019-01-02

    • Compatibility with Mac OS 10.14 (Mojave). Upgrade to the new Mac operating system has caused significant problems for many programs. KinTek Explorer is now fully compatible with Mac OS 10.14.
    • SVD Analysis and fitting of multiple experiments. We have made major improvements in the fitting of multiple experiments when using time-resolved spectra (or titrations). We can now fit multiple time-resolved spectra collected at different concentrations of reactants. In addition we can include spectra for known species. A video tutorial will be released soon showing how to take advantage of these advanced features.
    • Enhanced Analytic Fit Capabilities. We have added a feature to show the equation being fit and now allow starting estimates to be scrolled while watching the changes in the shape of the curves. This will be an excellent tool for teaching, but also for finding better starting estimates for data that are difficult to fit using equations. As part of this we have redefined the exponential functions so the amplitude terms are more intuitive. See Section 5.13.a
    • Improved Detection of Closed Thermodynamic Loops. We have improved the methods used to detect and enforce closed thermodynamic loops, especially when there are multiple reactants where conventional methods fail to detect a closed loop.
    • Added Transmission Coefficient for Free Energy Profiles. We have added a transmission coefficient in computing the free energy profile. See Section 4.5. Using a transmission coefficient less than 1 may be more realistic and it also better illustrates the differences between energy barriers because each one is smaller.
    • Enhanced Output. Numerous changes were made to improve the output of publication-quality figures, especially the Free Energy Profilesand Confidence Contours. In addition, we offer control over whether to display standard deviation bars for each data point.
    • Enhanced Performance. Several changes were made to enhance the speed of execution and eliminate errors.

  • v7.6 released 2018-06-16

    • greatly improved plotting, labelling, and export of free-energy graphs
    • new rules for series experiments allow multiple parameters to vary in a series
    • new rules for equilibrium-titrations allow mixing steps after the titration

  • v7.5 released 2018-05-14

    • synthetic data generation at variable step-size as defined by simulated observables
    • export analytic fits to simulated observables
    • exported plots adhere to bounds of simulation/data as displayed onscreen in the software

  • v7.4 released 2018-04-23

    • python distribution (optionally) included with KinTek software such that no additional install/config required
    • optional reaction number display in model visualization
    • improvements to error reporting in fit results
    • reagent flux integrals - a new observable syntax allows relative reaction-path contributions to be analyzed

  • v7.3 released 2018-03-02

    • improved OS-native file dialogs on retina devices
    • make data-import more robust to NaN entries
    • improved detection of thermodynamic cycles for fitting constraints
    • user-selection of thermodynamic cycles and preferred direction for visualization
    • improved free-energy plot exports
    • optional inclusion of error bars in exported plots of all kinds
    • larger color-space for exported fitspace contour plots
    • reaction numbers in reaction UI, and hilight of visual graph paths when reaction UI rate is dragged

  • v7.2 released 2018-01-30

    • improve export graphs of repository fits, allow configuration of axis labels
    • improved rate and amplitude vs concentration plotting
    • support export of customized observable colors for simulation export
    • greatly improved experiment and data plot legends, including user-specified titles, series information
    • improved experiment/data navigation via clicking on plots
    • reorganized data repository with hierarchical display, improved textual information, bulk deletes
    • improved management of time-evolved spectra results, grouping related items logically
    • clearer association of data with experiments that use the data
    • improved semilog-scale plotting

  • v7.0 / 7.1 released 2017-12-01

    • software license replaces USB dongle
    • SpectraFit functionality always included
    • error bars for rate vs conc data copied to repository
    • stderr reporting for data fits standarized on 1 deviation
    • OS-native keystrokes for copy-paste, save
    • Data Repository display-filtering

Troubleshooting

See the KinTek Explorer Installation document above for general instructions. If your problem is not addressed there or below, please contact us.

v10 with Python bundled in MacOS Catalina: "KinTek_Explorer cannot be verified because the developer cannot be verified"

In some old versions of KinTek Explorer, you might see MacOS's security system flag the KinTek Explorer app as "untrusted". Due to bundling Python. To work around this problem, go to "System Preferences" -> "Security and Privacy" -> Go to tab "General" -> You should see a message about "KinTek Explorer", click "Open Anyway".

OSX: can't install from DMG - "no mountable filesystems"

This is a permissions issue sometimes encountered on OSX 10.11 (El Capitan). If you have this issue, try downloading the alternative version for 10.11 users. Double click the downloaded .tgz file to unzip it, and move the resulting application folder wherever you like. This is a zipped package, and as such is not "code-signed" by Apple, so you will be warned that it comes from an unknown developer. This is expected. A better solution, if possible, is to upgrade your operating system.

Menubar offset, mouse-clicks don't work unless you click under/above a button.

This is an OpenGL driver issue on your computer. We have seen this in particular on Windows laptops with Intel HD Graphics using drivers ending in .4664. The drivers found by Windows Update are not the most recent, and you must get the lateset drivers directly from Intel or the appropriate company. For Intel HD graphics, see this page.

Problems exporting publication-quality figures and graphs

This feature relies on Python and associated libraries. Download the version above that includes bundled python.