last update:  29mar01

    Dear Ribbons License Holder,



    4)  *******      See if it works.   ********

	All ribbons users must:
	1)	set the environment variable: RIBBONS_HOME
	2)	set the environment variable: RIBBONS_HELP
	3)	set the path to include:  $RIBBONS_HOME/bin

	To set the environment variable interactively,
	go to your directory "ribbons", 
	type:
		setenv RIBBONS_HOME `pwd`

	The 'RIBBONS_HELP' variable is the local command you run to
	surf the internet and view HTML documents,
	eg:
		setenv RIBBONS_HELP netscape
	
	To add to your command path interactively, (after doing the "setenv"),
	type:
		set path = ( $path $RIBBONS_HOME/bin )
		rehash

	Suggest you put all of this in your .login or .cshrc file
	per local convention so it all works automatically on logging in.
	This is from my .login file:

		setenv RIBBONS_HOME /wmc/ribbons
		setenv RIBBONS_HELP netscape
		set path = ( $path $RIBBONS_HOME/bin )



        Issue the following commands:

	1)	Run the interactive demo:

                	ribbons-demo -n his

           Notes:
		A window is opened after initialization,
		with a small ball&stick model.
		LeftMouse controls scaling, MiddleMouse XY rotations,
		RightMouse XY translations.
		The workings are supposed to be intuitive.
		"Help" selected from the MenuBar brings up HTML screens.


	2)	Run with your data:

		Ribbons requires PDB (Protein Data Bank) files for input.
		Ribbons works by making a database of lots of little
		ascii files for display.  It requires each macromolecular 
		chain for a ribbon drawing to be in a separate file
		for best results.  Lots of utilities exist to massage the data,
		and these may be driven by the GUI interface 'ribbons-data'.
		For illustrations of your favorite molecule, mol.pdb,
                suggest your create a new directory, go there, 
		copy (or link) your coordinates, then:
	
			ribbons-data mol

           Notes:
		The workings are again supposed to be intuitive.
		Suggestion:  Click "Create Default Drawing"
		(if it beeps at the keyboard, just accept defaults for now)
		Then click:  "Execute Command" to invoke 'ribbons'
		The various help buttons should offer you guidance.


	3)	Read the overview of the program and look at some
		sample images and the steps required to create them.

			ribbons-tutorial
			ribbons-image
			ribbons-gallery

		Above all available from:
	
			ribbons-help



    5)  **********  Let me know !!!  *****************

        E-mail after you get & test it,
	especially if you had an problems.	-mike (carson@uab.edu)