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.

This chapter describes these options.

Obtaining coordinates

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.

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.

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.

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.

Reading coordinates from dssp file (GETDSP)

The command GETDSP will prompt you for a DSSP file. The coordinates (alpha carbons only) will be read from this file as if it was a PDB file holding only alpha carbon coordinates.

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 sequence

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 does not show up in any menu, but it 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. LISTRR is a so-called hidden command (See HIDDEN COMMANDS).

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 to skip output to the terminal in case you accidentally asked for too much output.

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. Not all commands are logged yet. See the chapter in the writeup about logging and history logging.

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. It presently only works for a few menus, but during 1995, it will be extended to most other menus.

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.

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.

The SETPAR menu lets you enter a menu from which many parameter menus can be activated. See PARAMS for a direct way of entering these menus.

(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.

Looking at secondary structure

WHAT IF has the capability to run the program DSSP (written by Kabsch and Sander, see the appendices for a further description and acknowledgments) without you having to do anything than but typing SHOHST. The DSSP determinations of secondary structure are used by WHAT IF. If you do not know the DSSP principles, I suggest you read the article, but in short: No code means random coil; H means normal helix. 3 means 3-10 helix; T means turn, and E mean extended. You can get the secondary structure determination by typing SHOHST.

In case you don't have a DSSP lisence, WHAT IF will determine the secondary structure itself. However, DSSP does this much better...

Since WHAT IF already knew about secondary structure before I knew about DSSP, there is a renaming of secondary structure codes upon reading in.

DSSP-H,I -> WHAT IF-H
DSSP-G   -> WHAT IF-3
DSSP-E   -> WHAT IF-S
DSSP-B,T -> WHAT IF-T
DSSP-S is neglected by WHAT IF. 
Sorry for this....

Determine secondary structure (SHOHST)

This command will list the sequence at the screen in one-letter code. It will also for every amino acid show what its secondary structure is. If the secondary structure has not been calculated yet, it will automatically issue the call to DSSP first. This option evaluates secondary structure, it will NOT predict it!

Re-calculate secondary structure (NEWHST)

If you made some changes in the molecule, WHAT IF can not determine itself if it is time to call DSSP again for a new secondary structure evaluation. The command SHOHST will therefore display the old evaluation results. You can force WHAT IF to call DSSP again with the command NEWHST followed by SHOHST.

Hidden command (ALLHEL)

The hidden command ALLHEL will convert all secondary structure values in H (helix). This option should be used after SHOHST. It only changes what WHAT IF thinks that the structure looks like, and does not change anything in the structure.

Hidden command (EDTHST)

The hidden command EDTHST will cause WHAT IF to prompt you for a residue range. For every residue in this range you will see the local sequence and secondary structure determination. You will residue by residue be prompted for the new secondary structure determination. This option should be used after the SHOHST command.

Modifying the structure

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.

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.

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

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 % can not 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 <.

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.

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.

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.

Activating more options (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.

Other menus

Many WHAT IF commands exist only to bring you in a certain menu. If you use the pull-down menus, you will never need these commands. All these menus have extensive help in them for their commands. Here only the main function of the menus will be listed.

Multiple structural superposition 3SSP

The command 3SSP brings you in the 3SSP menu. This menu holds all the options to run the MOTIFS option (see SUPPOS menu) against the whole database. There are also options to evaluate the results.

Molecular dynamics trajectory analysis ANATRA

The command ANATRA brings you in the menu for molecular dynamics trajectory analysis. At present GROMOS and CHARMM trajectories can be analyzed. Movies can be shown, and WHAT IF scripts can be run over whole trajectories.

Accessibility calculations ACCESS

The command ACCESS brings you in the menu her you can do solvent accessible and Van der Waals surface calculations and evaluations.

Atomic contact analysis ANACON

The command ANACON brings you in the menu from which you can do all kinds of atomic contact related commands.

Ab initio model building BUILD

Ab initio model building is impossible. The command build allows you just to do that: the impossible.

Cell angle operations (CELADM)

The command CELADM will cause WHAT IF to activate the crystallographic cell operation menu. At present this menu only holds one command:

Look at cell dimensions (SHOCEL)

The command SHOCEL will list the crystallographic cell dimensions of the last read PDB file.

Checking PDB files CHECK

The command CHECK will cause WHAT IF to activate the protein structure checking module. In this menu you have a multitude of options that all check certain aspects of the quality of your protein.

Torsion angles CHIANG

The command CHIANG brings you in the torsion angle determination, evaluation and manipulation menu.

Inspecting H,K,L,F files CHKMDF

The command CHKMDF brings you in the menu that allows for visual inspection and interactive manipulation of H,K,L,F reflection files (provided they are in the Groningen style MDF format).

Clusters and families CLUFAM

The command CLUFAM will bring you in the cluster and family menu. There is a separate chapter in the writeup (and in INFO) for this menu.

Coloring atoms, residues and molecules COLOUR

The command COLOUR brings you in the menu from which to color atoms, residues or molecules. You can color by type, property, parameter correlation row, mutability, spread sheet table, secondary structure, etc.

Interface to Connolly software CONOLY

The command CONOLY brings you in the menu from which you can work with the Connolly software (provided you have this package).

Loop searches DGLOOP

The command DGLOOP (called so in honor to Alwyn Jones who used the same name) brings you in the WHAT IF distance geometry loop searching algorithm. Here you can search for loops, but also construct whole models from just alpha carbon coordinates.

Drug design options DRUG

The menu DRUG will one day contain many drug design options.

Protein folding prediction EXTRA

The menu EXTRA contains some options to aid with the determination of of protein folding initiation sites. One day this menu will be documented.

Essential dynamics ESSDYN

The command ESSDYN brings you in the menu where essential dynamics related options can be executed.

The GROMOS menu GROMOS

The command GROMOS brings you in the menu from which you can interface to GROMOS (Molecular dynamics and energy minimization package). There is a GROMOS pre-compiler that can make GROMOS input files for some of the simpler GROMOS options like energy minimization in vacuum. There is also is generalized small molecule topology maker that can create the largest part of the PROxxx input decks needed to make topology files for molecules for which there are no building blocks in the GROMOS data files. (This topology maker was donated by Bauke van Eijck).

Graphical commands GRAFIC

The command GRAFIC brings you in the main graphics menu. This menu is well documented. (See chapter on GRAFIC).

Extra graphics commands GRAEXT

The command GRAEXT brings you in one of the two menus for fancy graphics options. (The other menu is the PORNO menu). In GRAEXT you will find some small graphics enhancement options like spheres of dots around an atom, arrows in 3D, etc. In PORNO you will find the REAL fancy stuff.

Two dimensional graphics GRATWO

The command GRATWO brings you in the menu from which you can do two dimensional graphics operations like pickable phi-psi plots, etc.

The grin / grid interface GRID

The command GRID brings you in the menu to interface to the GRIN GRID potential energy calculation programs.

Hydrogen bond operations HBONDS

The command HBONDS brings you in the hydrogen bond calculation, display and evaluation menu.

Property moment calculations HYDMOM

The command HYDMOM brings you to the menu from which you can do property moment calculations such as hydrophobic moment calculations. This menu is rather poverly documented, and far from bug free....

The HSSP file menu HSSP

The command HSSP brings you in the menu from which you can manipulate HSSP files.

The item administration menu ITMADM

The command ITMADM brings you in the menu that allows you to manipulate (Toggle on/off, remove, delete, retrieve) MOL-items and MOL-objects.

Labeling atoms LABEL

The command LABEL brings you to the menu where you can label atoms.

The working model MODEL

The old PS300 machines were too slow to continuously update the screen. To at least allow the user to see what a mutated residue looked like, without having to regenerate the entire picture at the screen the working model was introduced. The residues stored in the working model show up in yellow. On newer machines this menu is not needed, although, you should realize that the command NOMODL that sits in the GRAPHIC menu can be used to get rid of residues that show up as the result of mutations, FBRT, etc., options. Over the next year or so, the working MODEL idea will be phased out.

Manipulations on (electron density) maps MAP

The menu MAP holds all kinds of options to manipulate maps. Maps can be crystallographic electron density maps, surface contour maps, or GRID potential energy maps.

Electron density map manipulations MASMAP

The command MASMAP brings you in the menu where you can massage electron density map values (e.g. smoothing, spike removal, scaling, etc.)

Envelope editor MAPEDT

The command MAPEDT activates an electron density envelope editor. Two maps are required: a normal electron density map, and a map consisting of 1s and 0s only.

The neural network menu NEURAL

The command NEURAL brings you in the toy neural network menu of WHAT IF. This menu does not hold a real good, fast neural network, but a small toy network for playing purposes.

The notebook menu NOTES

The command NOTES brings you in a notebook menu that allows you to make general as well as residue specific notes.

The plot file generation menu PLOTIT

The command PLOTIT brings you in the plot menu.

Real fancy graphics PORNO

The option PORNO will bring you to the menu where the real fancy graphics are done (molecular pornography menu). This menu holds an interface to Mike Carson s RIBBONS program.

The NMR menu NMR

The command NMR brings you in the NMR menu of WHAT IF. This menu has several NMR specific options in it, as well as many options that work on many proteins at the same time.

Sequence menus PIRPSQ

The command PIRPSQ brings you to the old sequence manipulation menu. From this menu you can do the model building by homology. WALIGN brings you in the new, but not yet ready, sequence manipulation menu.

Protein packing quality control QUALTY

The command QUALTY brings you in the menu from which you can do protein structure quality control based on packing contact normality.

Regularisation REFINE

The command REFINE brings you in the regularisation menu. Here you will find the options to patch up your molecule after you did some manual modeling.

Superposition of proteins SUPPOS

The command SUPPOS brings you in the menu to superpose proteins or co-factors. This menu also holds the famous MOTIFS option. MOTIFS will fully automatically superpose two proteins without any human intervention.

Van der Waals radius menu SETVDW

The command SETVDW brings you in the menu her you can modify the Van der Waals radii of atoms. (useful option to calibrate programs...).

The relational database menu SCAN3D

The command SCAN3D brings you to the menu from which you can access the WHAT IF relational database module.

Parameter correlation searches SEARCH

The command SEARCH brings you in the parameter correlation menu. In this menu you can do searches like: "Where are the buried hydrogen bond donors that are not involved in a hydrogen bond." etc.

Selecting proteins to use in SCAN3D SELECT

The command SELECT brings you in the menu from which you can select the proteins to be used by the SCAN3D options.

Creation of the database SEQ3D

The command SEQ3D brings you in the menu from which you can create a WHAT IF SCAN3D relational database. You better do not use this menu unless you REALLY know what you are doing.

Manipulations of the soup SOUP

The SOUP command brings you in the SOUP menu. Here you can do soup administration operations like reading in or deleting molecules, residues etc.

The special menu SPCIAL

The command SPCIAL or SPECIAL will bring you in the special menu. This menu holds some hundred options that were quick hacks to solve some problem for a friend one day. These options are not documented, mostly bugged, and they got cryptic names.

Symmetry operations SYMTRY

The command SYMTRY brings you in the symmetry operations menu.

Spread sheet TABLES

The command TABLES brings you in a very primitive molecular spread sheet menu. You can make tables with residue names, accessibilities, packing qualities, etc. There are also some simple table comparison and math operations.

Sequence operations WALIGN

The command WALIGN brings you in a menu where you can work with sequences (alignment, reading, writing, database searches, etc). This menu has menu sub-menus in it.

Manipulating water atoms WATER

The command water brings you in the menu to manipulate bound water atoms.

The X-ray menu XRAY

The command XRAY brings you in a menu with Xray crystallographic options. Most of these options also occur somewhere else in the program, but here they are nicely concentrated to save the crystallographer a lot of menu navigation.

Other options

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.

Charges for protein atoms (CHARGE).

The command CHARGE will set then charges for all atoms in all amino acids. These charges are taken from a lookup table which can be found in the database directory under the name CHARGES.PROT.

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 transformation matrices etc (TRNSFM)

The command TRNSFM brings you in a menu where you can check/modify WHAT IF's internal transformation matrices. This menu is not yet ready. It will be useful mainly for crystallographers.

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.

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.

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.

Set graphics mode on X11 systems (MODES)

See MODEF above.

Set graphics mode on X11 systems (MODEC)

See MODEF above.

Set graphics mode on X11 systems (MODEP)

See MODEF above.

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.

Changing internal program parameters (SETWIF)

The command SETWIF prompts you for the number of a parameter, and a new value for this parameter. You better know what you are doing if you use this option.

Changing configuration file parameters (SETICO)

Upon installation WHAT IF creates a couple configuration files. These are called *CONFI.FIG where * is a character. These files hold parameters like the colour of the text in menus etc. You can modify the file ICONFI.FIG to change colours, etc. You can also change these parameters on the fly with the SETICO command.

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 or off.

Show type ahead buffer (STYPEA)

Debug options which you should not use.

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.