General options (GENERAL)

Introduction.

The general menu holds three classes of options:

1) Options to pass control to another menu.

2) Control options like FULLSTOP, percent, exclamation mark, etc.

3) Options that are always useful and/or often used.

Some of these options reside in the main menu that you see in the text window when you just hit RETURN. Several others reside in the menu called GENOPT. These are the less often used options that are potentially useful no matter in which menu you are presently working.

Despite that they reside in another menu, you dont have to go to that menu to run the options. They are always active. You have to go to BIGMEN, however, if you want to get help or short for BIGMEN options, and automatic input command correction will only work when you really are in the BIGMEN menu.

The WHAT IF main menu looks roughly like:

HELP   INFO   SHELL  GENMEN END    $..  %..  !.. SCRIPT 
DOLOG  NOLOG  GO     FULLST LISTA  LISTR  HISTOR GETMOL 
GRAFIC GRATWO GRAEXT COLOUR PLOTIT PORNO  ITMADM LABEL  
SOUP   3SSP   ACCESS ANACON BUILD  CHECK  CHIANG CLUFAM 
DGLOOP DIGIT  DOSELF DRUG   DSSP   ELECTR EXTRA  HBONDS
HSSP   MAP    NEURAL NMR    NOTES  OTHER  QUALTY REFINE 
SCAN3D SCNSTS SEARCH SELECT SEQ3D  SETPAR SETVDW SHAKE 
SHOENT SPCIAL SUPPOS SYMTRY TABLES WALIGN WATER  XRAY  
GROMOS ANATRA ESSDYN TRAMOV CONOLY GRID                
The top two lines holds the help and option control related options
HELP   HELP gives help about option
INFO   HELP gives extensive help about option
SHELL  Opens a system shell
GENMEN Looks at all the other general options
END    Goes back to the previous menu
$..    Execute a shell command directly
%..    Executes commands from a different menu
!..    Repeat a previous command
SCRIPT Executes commands from a script file
DOLOG  Opens the log-file
NOLOG  Closes the log-file
GO     Passes control from the text window to the graphics window
FULLST Ends WHAT If execution the neath way
LISTA  Lists atoms for (a range of) residue(s)
LISTR  Lists the residues in the soup
HISTOR Show the options you recently executed
GETMOL Reads a PDB file

The third line holds the graphics related options:
GRAFIC Brings you to general menu to use the graphics window
GRATWO Brings you to menu to do two dimensional graphics
GRAEXT Brings you to menu for fancy graphics
COLOUR Brings you to menu to colour atoms/residues
PLOTIT Brings you to the menu from which to make plots
PORNO  Brings you to the menu from which to use the sexy graphics options
ITMADM Brings you to the menu for the administration of MOL-objects/items
LABEL  Brings you to the atomic labeling menu

The next all bring you to another menu. Soup is the most important
menu. The rest is given alphabetically:
SOUP   Brings you to soup manipulation menu
3SSP   Brings you to the 'superpose on all' menu
ACCESS Brings you to menu for accessibility calculations
ANACON Brings you in the contact analysis menu
BUILD  Brings you to the residue building menu
CHECK  Brings you to the structure validation menu
CHIANG Brings you to torsion-angle menu
CLUFAM Brings you in the clusters and families menu
DGLOOP Brings you to 3d fragment database menu
DIGIT  Allows you to regenerate coordinates from stereo figures
DOSELF Allows you to do WHAT IF management things (write help, etc)
DRUG   Brings you to the drug-design, docking, FLEXX interface, menu
DSSP   Brings you to the menu to work with DSSP (or its emulator)
ELECTR Brings you to the menu to work with DelPhi (electrostatics)
EXTRA  Brings you to a menu that does some other funny things
HBONDS Brings you in the hydrogen bonds menu
HSSP   Brings you in the menu to work with HSSP files
MAP    Brings you to map handling menu
NEURAL Brings you to the neural network toy menu
NMR    Brings you to the NMR menu
NOTES  Brings you to menu to make notes
OTHER  Brings you to the yet another menu that does funny things
QUALTY Brings you to the quality control menu
REFINE Brings you to amino acid refinement menu
SCAN3D Activates the realtional protein database module
SCNSTS Allows you to do statistics on SCAN3D and DGLOOP groups
SEARCH Brings you to menu to search in the soup 
SELECT Brings you to the menu to select proteins for SCAN3D
SEQ3D  Brings you to the menu to regenerate the internal database
SETPAR Brings you in the menu to change parameters
SETVDW Brings you in the Van der Waals radius menu
SHAKE  Brings you to the menu to build molecules ab-initio
SHOENT Brings you to the menu to look at the internal database
SPCIAL Brings you to the 'special' menu (undocumented options)
SUPPOS Brings you to the superposition menu
SYMTRY Brings you to menu to work with symmetry
TABLES Brings you in the spread sheet menu
WALIGN Brings you to the menu to work with sequences
WATER  Brings you to menu to work with water molecules
XRAY   Brings you to the menu with xray options
GROMOS Brings you to menu to work with the GROMOS EM/MD program
ANATRA Brings you in the trajectory analysis menu
ESSDYN Brings you to the essential dynamics menu
TRAMOV Brings you to the MD trajectory movie menu
CONOLY Brings you to the Connolly software interface menu
GRID   Brings you to menu to work with Goodford's GRID program

Obtaining coordinates

The options to read coordinates should actually recide in the SOUP menu, and that is also where they are described. However, these options are so important that we decided to make several of them general options. I.e. you can run them, no matter in which menu you are presently working.

See also the SOUP chapter.

Reading coordinates from a PDB file (GETMOL)

The most important command in WHAT IF is GETMOL. It is used to read PDB files. After GETMOL, you will be prompted fro the file name. You can type the name of any PDB file. Include the path in the name, unless the file resides in the present directory, or in your standard PDB directory (if this latter possibility does not work, ask your WHAT IF manager to check the file CCONFI.FIG in the dbdata directory). You do not have to type the .pdb or .brk extension to the file name.

After the file is found, you are prompted for the set name. Here all is allowed. If you just give return, the set name will be the same as the file name, and that is what you want in most cases.

If you ask for a PDB file by giving its PDB-assigned four letter code, and that file does not exist on your system, WHAT IF will automagically get that file from swift.EMBL-Heidelberg.DE, dump it in your local directory, and read it.

GETMOL actually belongs in the SOUP menu, but it is so important, that we made it a generally accessible option.

Reading a set of PDB files (GETMLS)

The command GETMLS will prompt you for a file name. All PDB files listed in this file will be read using the GETMOL command. See the NMR chapter for more details.

Reading coordinates from a GROMOS file GETGRO

The command GETGRO is similar to GETMOL (see above). With GETGRO however one does not read a PDB file but a file in GROMOS format. see also the SOUP chapter.

Reading a demo file (START)

The command START will read a small molecule (crambin) without the need to know where the PDB files are stored. START obtains this molecule from the WHAT IF internal database.

Demonstration of WHAT IF options (DEMOS)

The command DEMOS starts a 15 minute demo movie. This is not a pre-stored movie, but a series of WHAT IF options calculated in a row.

Listing coordinates or sequences

WHAT IF allows you at all times to inspect the presently available sequence information and coordinates. Both for the molecule(s) you are working on as for all molecules in the database.

We separate three sets of options:

1) Looking in the database.

2) Looking at sequences.

3) Inspecting the molecule(s) you are presently working on.

Looking at sequence in the soup (LISTR)

The command LISTR causes WHAT IF to show you the entire amino acid sequence. Depending on the parameters (see the chapter on parameters) you get the sequence in one- or three- letter code, optionally the amino acid frequency distribution and the amino acid neighbor matrix are shown for proteins. (See the chapter on parameter setting for that, the default is showing only the sequence).

Looking at the sequence in the soup (LISTRR)

The command LISTRR will, when given, prompt you for a residue range, and show for that range the internal residue number, the residue type, and the original name/number as read from the Brookhaven file.

Looking at atomic coordinates (LISTA)

The command LISTA can be used to look at atoms, grouped per residue. WHAT IF will prompt you for a residue range, and will then show for every requested residue both the amino acid information like name, type, etc. and the atomic information like coordinates, B-factor, Van der Waals radius, color (if already set), charges (if already calculated) etc. This option also works on drugs, water, etc.

Remember that you can use control/O (character O) to skip output to the terminal in case you accidentally asked for too much output.

Looking at atomic coordinates (LISTAA)

The command LISTAA functions similar to LISTA, the difference being that LISTA prompts you for one range of residues, waters, drugs, etc. LISTAA will prompt you for multiple ranges (as usual, give 0 (zero) after providing all ranges of interest).

Looking for sequence patterns (SHOPAT)

Sometimes one wants to find the location of a sequence pattern, e.g. Arg-Gly-Asp in a very big structure. The SHOPAT option can aid with this. SHOPAT prompts you for three residue types (you can give multiple types at each position). For every occurence of the pattern the first position will be listed. The sidechains of all observed patterns will be displayed. You always have to give pattersn of length 3. If you want patterns of length 2, use ALL as residue type at position 3 in the pattern. In this case however, an accidental occurence of your dipeptide pattern at the C-terminus will remain undetected.

Information and help related options

Documentation in hypertext format (APROPO)

The command APROPO can only be used if Mosaic exists on your system, and is callable with the command `Mosaic`. It will bring the WHAT IF documentation in hypertext format in a Mosaic window. This is always the latest version of the writeup (which resides on my machine) and not necessarily the writeup that corresponds to your version on your machine.

Starting a command script creation AUTOON

The command AUTOON will cause WHAT IF to create a (new) file SCRIPT.FIL. All commands you give to WHAT IF are written in this file. After some minimal editing this file can be used as a script file for the SCRIPT option. (See also the AUTOOF and SCRIPT options).

Terminating automatic script file creation AUTOOF

The command AUTOON will cause WHAT IF to log your commands in SCRIPT.FIL. (See AUTOON). The command AUTOOF will close this file. Thereafter you should edit this file as at present it will not (yet) automatically become a valid script file (See command SCRIPT in the writeup).

Starting a log file DOLOG

The command DOLOG will cause WHAT IF to prompt you for the name of a log-file, and for a comment to be written in this file. Thereafter all relevant information that is written to the terminal/text-window will also be written in this file. (See also NOLOG). (See also the chapter on logging in the writeup).

Terminating a log file NOLOG

The command DOLOG will cause WHAT IF to prompt you for the name of a log-file. (See DOLOG). The command NOLOG will close this file. Thereafter you can for example print the file with any valid print command preceded with a dollar. (See also the chapter on logging in the writeup).

History logging HISTOR

The command HISTOR will show most of the main commands you recently executed. Often also the main results or the parameters you gave the option are listed. Not all commands are logged yet. (See also the chapter on logging in the writeup).

Spawning a DOS/UNIX sub process (SHELL)

The command SHELL will create a subprocess (on DOS as well as on UNIX machines!). In this subprocess you can do every normal thing you would otherwise be able to do. However, due to memory requirements you can not run big jobs. Also you can not run WHAT IF itself from such a subprocess. You return from a subprocess into WHAT IF by typing exit. You then get back into WHAT IF exactly at the location where you left it, and not a single parameter has changed.

Very extensive help (INFO)

The command INFO can be used to read the part of the writeup that deals with a certain command. Just type:
INFO XXX
in which XXX stands for any option in the present menu, and you will get the introduction paragraph of the chapter that holds the command XXX, and the paragraph that deals with the command XXX itself at the terminal.

Normal help (HELP)

The command HELP can be used to get a limited amount of help for a certain command. Just type:
HELP XXX
in which XXX stands for any option in the present menu, and you will get some help for the command XXX at the terminal.

Short help (SHORT)

The command SHORT will cause WHAT IF to show you a list of all the commands available in the menu you are in at that moment, followed by a description in a few words of what that option can do for you. SHORT is now implemented in almost all menus.

Short help (MAN-K)

The command MAN-K (UNIX users can also type man -k) can be used to search for all SHORT help lines with a certain keyword in it. Just type:
MAN-K XXX
in which XXX stands for any text string, and you will get a list of all lines in all SHORT listings with XXX in it. The menu in which the command for which the SHORT line sits given for each entry.

Finding options (FIND)

The command FIND can be used to get help for an option that is not in the present menu. Just type:
FIND XXX
in which XXX stands for any option, and you will get some help for the command XXX at the terminal.

Short help for main menu options (SHORTT)

The command SHORTT (with two Ts) gives short help about general options.

Automatic help for every option (NOVICE)

The option NOVICE toggles on the mode in which you automatically get the HELP presented for every option that you use. As the name suggests, this option is meant for novice users.

Direct execution of DOS/UNIX commands (DOLLAR)

If you want to execute a DOS/UNIX command, you can first give the SHELL command in WHAT IF, and then do what you want to do in the spawned sub-process. If you only want to execute one single command, it might be easier to just type this command preceded by a dollar sign. WHAT IF will strip the leading dollar character from the command line, and pass the rest on to the operating system. If you are executing such a process, you can terminate it with control-C (or whatever control sequence you normally use to break a process). This will terminate the execution of the command, and bring you back in WHAT IF.

Executing commands in other menus (%)

If you know that a command exists, but forgot in which menu it sits, or do not want to go to that menu first, you can execute it anyway by prefixing it with a procent sign. E.g. %SHOSOU when given in the GRAFIC menu will list the present contents of the soup.

Changing what if version level (NEWMOD)

The command NEWMOD will activate all options that are added in WHAT IF for the next major release, but that are not yet fully tested and documented.

Changing what if version level (OLDMOD)

The command OLDMOD will de-activate all options that you activated with the NEWMOD command.

Continue in Dutch (DUTCH)

The command DUTCH will force WHAT IF to talk Dutch with you. As not always all messages got translated, WHAT IF will sometimes talk one or two sentences English, but almost all will be Dutch.

WHAT IF's Dutch is sometimes a bit funny. That is because a large fraction of the program messages got translated by WHAT IF itself...

Continue in English (ENGLIS)

The command ENGLISH will force WHAT IF to talk English with you. This option, of course, only is useful if you changed the default language earlier in the session. English is always the default language that WHAT IF starts the session with.

Continue in French (FRENCH)

The command FRENCH will one day force WHAT IF to talk French with you. For now, only the prompt becomes French.

Continue in French (SPANIS)

The command SPANIS will one day force WHAT IF to talk Spanish with you. For now, only the prompt becomes Spanish.

Program parameters

(Re)-setting program parameters (SETPAR)

At many places in WHAT IF parameters like line-thickness, number of dots per sphere, radius of water, cutoff radius for distance calculations, etc. seem somewhat arbitrary. I spend a lot of time thinking about good default values, but if you nevertheless disagree with my choices, you can go into the parameter setting menu with the SETPAR command. The parameter menu has many parameter menus in it.

Many menus know the PARAMS command which brings you into the menu to modify the parameters specific for that menu. A few parameters function all over WHAT IF, and thus are hard to place in any particular PARAMS menu. Those parameters are stored in the general parameter menu that you enter with the command SETPAR. The following commands are found in the menu:

(LINCOL)

Colour of lines made with screen option .LINE

(LINMOD)

Line type for the lines made with screen option .LINE

(AA1OR3)

Amino acid output in 1 or 3 letter code flag (about 50% of the options in WHAT IF that produce sequence output listen to this flag, the other options do just what they like).

(INSFLG)

Amount of sequence output flag in SCNSDB menu (a rather useless parameter).

(VDWOVR)

Bump/contact distance between Van der Waals radii

(DFBFAC)

Default B-factor. This is used if upon reading there is no B-factor given in the coordinate file, and upon 'dreaming up' new atoms.

(CYSCYS)

Do/don't use inter chain cys-cys bridges.

(NEICON)

Use covalent neighbours in BUMP/CONTAC like options or not.

(Re)-setting program parameters (PARAMS)

At many places in WHAT IF parameters like line-thickness, number of dots per sphere, radius of water, cutoff radius for distance calculations, etc. seem somewhat arbitrary. I spend a lot of time thinking about good default values. If you nevertheless disagree with my choices, you can from many menus directly go into the corresponding parameter setting menu with the PARAMS command.

See SETPAR to get an overview of most of the available parameter menus.

(Re)-setting program parameters (SETWIF)

Most of WHAT IF's internal parameters are stored in one big array. These parameters are thus numbered. The file PARAMS.FIG (in the dbdata directory) holds the initial values for these parameters. You can poke new parameter values directly into these parameters with the SETWIF command. It is highly recommended that you do not use this option unless you get desperate. SETWIF does not do any checking on your parameters. Setting incorrect values with SETWIF can lead to a program crash.

Displaying internal program parameters (SHOWIF)

The command SHOWIF will prompt you for the number of a parameter (see SETWIF). It will then show the documentation for this program parameter.

Modifying proteins (or nucleic acids)

Mutating a residue (MUTATE)

The command MUTATE allows you to mutate residues. You will be prompted for the number of the residue(s) to be changed, and subsequently for the new residue type (give ala, cys, asp, etc). The new residue will be placed in the molecule with plausible torsion angles, but without considering bumps with other atoms. You are suggested to also look at the DGMUT, DGROTA and the DEBUMP option. You are asked if you want to use "the experimental version". Answer YES if you want the best new coordinates that WAHT IF can think of. Answer NO if you intend to do the final touches by hand anyway. (answering YES will cost you some time).

Mutating a range of residues (MUTZON)

The command MUTZON causes WHAT IF to prompt you for a residue range and a new residue type, just like MUTATE does. However, MUTZON will mutate all residues in that range to one and the same residue type, rather than prompting you for the new type at each residue. This option is meant for making poly-alanine, or poly-glycine etc chains.

Mutating residues back to themself (MUTSLF)

Normally WHAT IF will refuse to mutate residues to the same type that they already are. If you want to see what WHAT IF thinks about a tryptophan at position 17, but there already sits a tryptophan at that position, you can of course first mutate it into an alanine, and thereafter ask WHAT IF to make it a tryptophan again for you. For this special case you can use the MUTSLF option as a shortcut. MUTSLF will do just the above described mutation scenario (of mutating to and back from alanine) for you.

Suggesting mutations (SUGMUT)

The option SUGMUT will cause WHAT IF to prompt you for residue ranges. For every residue in this range it will try all 20 amino acids and give them a score. The highest score is printed. I have no idea how to interpret the score, but it looks as if a clearly positive score means that the protein will still fold whit that mutation in it. Please carefully inspect things afterwards yourself. This option does not take into account: symmetry contacts, crystal waters, the active site and ligands.

This option is a bit time consuming.

Protein re-packing (TRYMUT)

The option TRYMUT does virtually the same as SUGMUT. However, rather than leaving the molecule unaltered and merely telling you what it thinks would be smart mutations to make, this option actually makes what it thinks are smart mutations. You will be prompted for a 'number of cycles'. That is because once a mutation is made, other residues will see another environment, and might need another residue type at to be optimal.

This option is a bit time consuming.

Removing bumps (DEBUMP)

If you have made a mutation, or for any other reason a residue is placed such that its side chain atoms have too close contacts with other residues, you can use the DEBUMP option. DEBUMP will prompt you for the number of steps. This number of steps is divided on 360 degrees, and the outcome is the step size in degrees by which every free rotatable side chain chi angle will be rotated in order to find a conformation with less overlap with neighboring residues. If you do not want to change the degree of staggered-ness or eclipsed-ness, you should of course give 3 for the number of steps, because then every combination of the rotation of every chi-angle with 120 degrees will be tried.

Please remember that some residues have 4 freely rotatable torsion angles in their side chain. Debumping these with 10 steps per torsion angle will cost 10000 bump analysis, and that can be more CPU time than you intended....

Removing bumps (DEBHBO)

If you have made a mutation near the protein surface, just debumping is often not enough because there is infinite space where the side chain can sit without bumps. In such a case you would actually like to do a single residue energy minimization. It is our experience that a DEBUMP run with parallel search for hydrogen bonds works normally equally well. The option DEBHBO does the same as DEBUMP, but additionally scores for hydrogen bonds.

Removing bumps (DEBALL)

The hidden command DEBALL can be used to run one round of debumping over a range of amino acids in the SOUP. (See DEBUMP for information). You can either give a range of residues to be DEBUMP-ed or you can give a file with the original residue names (those listed by WHAT IF between brackets). If a file DEBUMP.LIST is present, that file will automatically be used. The file format is
 - one line with the number of residues to be debumped
 - per residue one line with its original name. 
The first residue found in the file will be debumped first etc.

Removing bumps (DEBTRS)

The hidden command DEBTRS can be used to run one round of translational debumping over a range of amino acids in the SOUP. All residues will be translated by +/- 0.1 Angstrom in the X, Y and Z direction. The situation with the fewest bumps will be kept. It is highly recommended to use the REFI option in the REFINE menu afterwards.

Program flow

Automatic regular SOUP backups (IUKKEL)

The command IUKKEL will cause WHAT IF to automatically activate the option SAVSOU (see the SOUP chapter) every 10 options that you execute.

Renaming commands. (<)

WHAT IF allows you to rename commands. Start a command with the > sign, followed by a real command. Continue on the same line with a > sign again followed by the new name for this command. This way you renamed one command. If you want to use this new command name, start the command with the < sign and follow it by the new command name.
  Example:
  >LISTA >TYPE ATOMS     to rename the LISTA command
  <TYPE ATOMS            to use the new command
The new command can only be used in the menu where the original command resided. You can only rename 100 commands. Since renamed commands will not be remembered by WHAT IF from the one to the other session, it is advised to make a SCRIPT file for them.

You can use the command >> (or <<) to get a listing of all renamed commands.

The commands <, >, ., !, dollar, and % cannot be renamed.

If you like to rename commands, I strongly suggest that you write a script file to do the renaming...

Repeating commands (!)

If you type an exclamation mark (!) followed by one or more characters, the last issued command that started with this character(s) will be repeated. You can use the hidden command .P (period,P) to get a list of the last one hundred commands. Instead of an exclamation mark you can also use a period (.).

Repeating commands (.)

If you type a period (.) followed by one or more characters, the last issued command that started with this character(s) will be repeated. You can use the hidden command .P (period,P) to get a list of the last one hundred commands. Instead of a period you can also use an exclamation mark (!).

Renaming commands. (>)

For the command > see under the command <.

Getting some modelling files for the tutorial (MAKSCR)

The command MAKSCR normally is rather useless, but it is needed for running the tutorial (see the tutorial chapter).

Script files SCRIPT

The SCRIPT option can be used to play a script of pre-typed commands. This option is extensively described in a separate chapter called SCRIPT FILES. You are urged to read this chapter first, because SCRIPT files are a bit tricky.

Repeat script files over multiple molecules LSCRIP

The LSCRIP option can be used to run a script of pre-typed commands over a set of PDB files. This option is extensively described in a separate chapter called SCRIPT FILES. You are urged to read this chapter first, because LSCRIP is a bit tricky.

Running teaching scripts with TEACH

The command TEACH is the obligatory first command in any teaching script. (See the chapter on teaching scripts; and see http://swift.embl-heidelberg.de/workshop/ for more info).

Go back to previous menu (END)

After you used one of the menu commands you go one menu down in the menu tree. You can go back to the menu you came from with the END command.

There are several obvious synonyms for this command....

Go back to previous menu (QUIT)

After you used several of the menu commands you go one menu down in the menu tree. You can go back to the menu you came from with the END command, but you can go back all the way down till the first menu with the QUIT command.

Terminating what if (FULLST)

The command FULLSTOP (only FULLST needs to be typed) is the preferred way to terminate a WHAT IF session. It will stop WHAT IF, and bring the graphics device back to a normal state, so that it is useful for the next user.

Especially at Evans and Sutherland equipment it is important to use this option instead of control-Y or control-Z or any other harsh command.

Using your own menu (MYMENU)

WHAT IF has an empty menu build in. You cam use this menu to write your own options, without having to worry about the menu level administration, or the creation of pull-down menus. The command MYMENU brings you in this menu. See the EXTRA menu.

Activating more commands (MORE)

The command MORE shows up in some 10 menus. If MORE is typed the number of available commands in that menu will increase. MORE can be reversed with LESS. The main aim of the MORE command is to let the user concentrate on the most important options.

Deactivating commands (LESS)

The command LESS reverses the action by MORE. (See the MORE command above).

Pass control to the graphics (GO)

There are two ways to communicate with WHAT IF. You can type commands in a text window, or you can work interactively in the graphics window. Wit GO you pass control from the text window to the graphics window. In the graphics window you pick CHAT to get back in the text window again.

Editing files (EDT)

The command EDT will prompt you for a file name, and it will get this file in the editor. The editor that is chosen is determined by the editor record in the CCONFI.FIG file. You decided what your favourite editor is upon WHAT IF installation, remember?

Restarting WHAT IF (INIALL)

Sometimes one would like to start a completely new session (simply because that would be faster than cleaning up the soup, the graphics, etc. INIALL does just that. Running INIALL is equivalent to getting out of WHAT IF with control-C or FULLST and starting again.

Other options

Inter atomic angle (ANGLE3)

The command ANGLE3 will three times prompt you for a residue and an atom in this residue. First you will be prompted for the middle residue/atom, thereafter for the residue/atom 1 and 2. It will calculate the angle from atom 1 over the middle atom to atom 2.

Inter atomic distance (DIST)

The command DIST will twice prompt you for a residue and an atom in this residue. It will calculate the distance between these two atoms.

Direct action mode DIRECT

Normally WHAT IF does its graphics via MOL-objects and MOL-items. After the command DIRECT however, molecules, residues and atoms are always updated directly if modified. Other graphics like e.g. H-bonds are still put into MOL-items. This option resides in the GRAFIC menu, but can be activated from every menu.

See the GRAFIC menu.

Inter atomic distance (DSTOFF)

When you interactively inspect interatomic distances WHAT IF will draw a line between the two atoms, and write the interatomic distance at the midpoint of this line. This line, and the distances will be updated continuously. The option DSTOFF will selectively remove all lines and distances from the screen, and will terminate their continuous update. Clicking NOID in the graphics window once, will do the same, but will additionally remove several other interactive graphics items from the screen (i.e. NAYB, simple interatomic lines, etc).

Determining extremes of a molecule (MINMAX)

The command MINMAX will cause WHAT IF to prompt you for a residue range. It will then determine the extreme values for the coordinates in this range. It will also determine the center of gravity of this range. You will then be asked if you want to center the SOUP. If you answer YES, the whole SOUP will get new coordinates, such that the center of gravity of the given range will become 0, 0, 0.

Listing cell dimensions (SHOCEL)

The command SHOCEL will cause WHAT IF to list all kinds of cell-dimension information. The cell as read from the PDB file is listed together with the cell that can be reconstructed from the PDB SCALE records. Additionally, WHAT IF uses artificial cell dimensions from GRID maps, DelPhi maps, surface maps, etc. SHOCEL will also summarise the cell artificial dimensions that come with those maps.

Hidden commands

The main menu has several so-called hidden commands.

Centering the graphics (CENXYZ)

The command CENXYZ will cause WHAT IF to prompt you for the coordinates of a point in space. This point will be the new center of the graphics screen. Nothing happens if you do not yet have an active graphics window.

A chess program (CHESS)

The command CHESS will start a 1100 ELO rating chess program. (At least, if you activated it upon WHAT IF installation).

Selecting a range for multiple options (CHOOSE)

The command CHOOSE will prompt you for ranges. Every next command that normally prompts you for multiple ranges will now no longer ask for ranges, but use those you gave after the CHOOSE command.

Use the command CHOOSE again to select new ranges.

Use NEWRNG to de-activate the ranges set with CHOOSE. After NEWRNG WHAT IF will prompt you again every time ranges are requested.

Options that only require one residue or one single range of residues as input are not affected by the CHOOSE and NEWRNG commands.

Time and date (FOOOOD)

The command FOOOOD will cause WHAT IF to tell you time and date. This information can be combined with the sounds from your stomage to determine if it is getting time to eat some food.

Time and date (TIME)

The more serious equivalent of FOOOOD is TIME. This option can even be used from the graphics window.

(Re-)set default editor (SETEDT)

Several WHAT IF options will get files in the editor. Which editor that is, is determined by your choice upon WHAT IF installation. The default editor is indicated in the file CCONFI.FIG. The command SETEDT allows you to get another default editor for the duration of this WHAT IF run. Please make sure you only use editors that stop the WHAT IF execution while the editor is active (or give the editor some flags to create this behaviour). If you dont do this, there is no sense in getting input parameters for a program in the editor for inspection and correction, because that program would already be running with the default parameters by the time you close the edit session.

Set graphics mode on X11 systems (MODEF)

On X11 systems only you can (at the cost of rotation speed) increase the level of sophistication of the graphics options. The MODEF command switches on the fastest, but most primitive fastest and simplest graphics mode. MODES, MODEC, MODEP make the graphics options progressively more sophisticated:

   MODEF   X11 only: switch on fast graphics mode
   MODES   X11 only: switch on slabbing
   MODEC   X11 only: switch on depth cueing
   MODEP   X11 only: switch on perspective view

These options all include the options above them in the list. So, MODEP also activates depth cueing and slabbing. The default mode is MODEC. See also the GRAFIC chapter.

Set graphics MODES on X11 systems (MODES)

See under MODEF above. See also the GRAFIC chapter.

Set graphics MODEC on X11 systems (MODEC)

See under MODEF above. See also the GRAFIC chapter.

Set graphics MODEP on X11 systems (MODEP)

See under MODEF above. See also the GRAFIC chapter.

De-activating pre-selected residue ranges (NEWRNG)

The command NEWRNG will de-activate the automatic ranges set with the CHOOSE command.

Renumbering residues (RENUMB)

The command RENUMB will cause WHAT IF to prompt you for a residue range. It will thereafter prompt you for the number to be given to the first residue in this range. It will then renumber the original residue names of the given range, starting from the first one, and using an increment of one.

Automatic setting of MOL-object and item names SIMPLE

Often one wants to use WHAT IF for quickly looking at a structure. In those cases it is not nice that one needs to type the complete MOL-object number and MOL-item name every time. The command SIMPLE will cause WHAT IF to decide itself what the MOL-object number and the MOL-item name will be for every MOL-item you generate.

The first item will be called A and put in MOL-object 1. The second one will be called B and put in MOL-object 2, etc. After 8 items were made this way, WHAT IF starts again to prompt you for object numbers and item names.

Use SIMPLE to toggle this option on/off, or SMPLON to toggle it on, and SMPLOF to toggle it off.

Manual transformations (TRAROT)

The command TRAROT will cause WHAT IF to prompt you for a translation vector, a rotation axis and a rotation angle. It will then show you the transformation to be applied. It will ask you for a residue range, and apply the transformation to that range. If you only want a translation, you can give zero for the rotation angle.

Status of the screen buttons (SHOBUT)

The debug option SHOBUT will show the status of the 36 pickable boxes, or so-called buttons, at the bottom of the graphical window. T means active, or yellow; F means inactive or white.

Status ob the screen buttons (SHOIRF)

The debug option SHOIRF will show the status of the so-called graphics flags. These are the flags that get their initial value from the last line of the file WHATIF.FIG. (See also the installation notes).

Toggling the graphics flags (TOGGLI)

The command TOGGLI will prompt you for the number of a graphics flag. It will change that flag from FALSE to TRUE or vice versa. Be aware that if you dont know what you are doing, you should not do it with the TOGGLI options. The TOGGLI options can easily hang up your system.

Show type ahead buffer (STYPEA)

Debug options which you should not use.

List open FORTRAN units (LSTOPN)

This debug option lists which FORTRAN units are presently open, and which files are attached to those units.

Verifying the soup (MOL200)

If you are afraid that some funny complicated option has corrupted the soup, you can try the MOL200 option. This option does not take any measurable time, and when it gives no output, WHAT IF thinks that its soup is still OK. If it gives ANY output, you are most likely in trouble. In that case your best bet is to use the MAKMOL command (see the SOUP menu) terminate WHAT IF (with FULLST), check the PDB file that you made with MAKMOL, optionally correct this PDB file and restart WHAT IF.

The SPCIAL menu

The SPCIAL menu holds very meny options that are not documented. Most of these options were written for a friend, and sometimes you can guess from the name of the option who that friend is.

In due time, we might write here a one or two line explanation for each of these options. For now:

(ANNEU)

Still to be documented.

(CACADI)

Still to be documented.

(HNDTST)

Still to be documented.

(VICTOR)

Still to be documented.

(VICTR2)

Still to be documented.

(DHELS)

Still to be documented.

(ATMAT2)

Still to be documented.

(FLIPER)

Flip sidechains of all Asn, Gln and His is soup. With this option you can check the quality of the HB2NET routine in the HBONDS menu.

(SWODAK)

Still to be documented.

(CONECT)

Still to be documented.

(CUTRES)

Still to be documented.

(HELNOE)

Still to be documented.

(ROBALI)

Still to be documented.

(KLEBE)

Still to be documented.

(TSTAOK)

Still to be documented.

(GRAPH)

Still to be documented.

(AVEQUA)

Still to be documented.

(HSTCON)

Still to be documented.

(HSTCN2)

Still to be documented.

(OPTALL)

Still to be documented.

(TRIAAC)

Still to be documented.

(PIETER)

Still to be documented.

(TRILST)

Still to be documented.

(EWBANK)

Still to be documented.

(ALFONS)

Still to be documented.

(ALFON2)

Still to be documented.

(TOCACB)

Still to be documented.

(DAVID1)

Still to be documented.

(SPHMAX)

Still to be documented.

(MAK5DM)

Still to be documented.

(GRA5DM)

Still to be documented.

(GRTKON)

Still to be documented.

(GRTKOF)

Still to be documented.

(ROST)

Still to be documented.

(ROTNOR)

Still to be documented.

(SPHCPK)

Still to be documented.

(3DPLOT)

Still to be documented.

(VINCEN)

Still to be documented.

(ANNALI)

Still to be documented.

(DGEOM3)

Still to be documented.

(DGEOM2)

Still to be documented.

(ALFON3)

Still to be documented.

(ALFON4)

Still to be documented.

(ALFON5)

Still to be documented.

(DGRQUA)

Still to be documented.

(SYMCNT)

Still to be documented.

(ALIOUT)

Still to be documented.

(DGEOM)

Still to be documented.

(NARDY)

Still to be documented.

(CRONET)

Still to be documented.

(RBUILD)

Still to be documented.

(DISIJA)

Still to be documented.

(DBDIS2)

Still to be documented.

(DBDIS3)

Still to be documented.

(TRSFRC)

Still to be documented.

(VOLUME)

Still to be documented.

(VOLUM2)

Still to be documented.

(DBVOL1)

Still to be documented.

(VOLUM3)

Still to be documented.

(HELHEL)

Still to be documented.

(READIN)

Still to be documented.

(NOBBBB)

Still to be documented.

(NOBBSC)

Still to be documented.

(NOSCSC)

Still to be documented.

Alternative names for often mistyped options

When you are working in a menu, WHAT IF can correct the options in that menu. To do so, it tries several heuristics:

1) The three letter code most used in this menu (e.g. TAB for the TABLES menu, GRA for the GRAFIC menu, etc.) will be added to the head or the tail of this option.

2) The first three characters and the last three characters of the name are swapped. In case of five character commands, both possible swap combinations are tried.

3) All character O are replaced by digits zero or vice versa.

4) All characters I are replaced by digits 1 or vice versa.

5) All single character deletions, insertions and typos are tried and each time the results are compared with all options in this menu. If one single solution pops up, this one is used. Sometimes double insertions, deletions or typos can be corrected too.

6) All pairs of characters in the input option are swapped. If there is exactly one swap that leads to exactly one valid options, this swap is applied.

However, the above option correction only works for options that are found in a menu. General options cannot be corrected. As it is about as likely that a typo is made in a general option as it is that a typo is made in an option in a menu, we wanted to do something about the most likely typos in general options. The list of options below are valid typos:

(SPECIA)

This option does the same as SPCIAL.

(RESET)

This option does the same as GRPINI in the DGLOOP menu which in turn does the same as INIGRP in the SCAN3D menu.

(QUALIT)

This option does the same as QUALTY.

(GRFAIC)

Alternative spelling for GRAFIC and GRAPHIC.