Computer software for controlling research and development equipment in the field of combinatorial materials science, for compiling and cataloging research and development experiment design, data files and results, for exporting data files to other software programs, for assembling data and/or a collection of materials and formulations for use in scientific and engineering research, for managing data files and results, for viewing data files and results, for generating data files describing and defining collections of materials and the preparation of materials for use in scientific and engineering research, all in the field of combinatorial materials science