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Lite |
Getting Started with ChemSymphony Lite
- Installation
- Writing Applets
- Parameters
- Additional Parameters
- The Control Applet
- Using compressed java to speed download
- New Developments and the discussion group
Installing ChemSymphony
Installation requires nothing more than copying the ChemSymphony files (the java classes) to a folder which can be accessed by your web server.You may also use the software on your own PC if you have a web browser installed. On a stand-alone machine HTML, documents are opened using a File|Open or File|Open Page option in the File menu of the browser.
Java Classes and Image Files
ChemSymphony Lite is supplied as a number of java classes (with file extension '.class') and a number of gif images. These image files are essential for the display of the applets and should be kept in the same folder as your java classes.
Writing ChemSymphony applets
Full details of using ChemSymphony are given in the ChemSymphony web site which includes an on-line manual. This Quick-Start guide will show you how to begin using ChemSymphony.An applet used in an HTML document simply makes a call to one of the Java classes in your ChemSymphony Lite folder.This controls the display in your browser. Browsers recognize the <applet></applet> tag as an instruction to make this call. In ChemSymphony this must include the path of the ChemSymphony folder and the path to the chemical structure file which is to be displayed. To display the sample structure supplied with ChemSymphony Lite copy the following code in the body of your HTML document:
<applet code=RenderBasic.class width=300 height=300 name=mod1>
<param name=model value=models/spiro.mol>
</applet>
and save the HTML document in your ChemSymphony folder.
The opening < APPLET> tag MUST include the arguments
code = AppletName.class, width = 300 and name=mod1
- code tells the browser the location of the java class - i.e., it is a path and may take the form 'code=folder\RenderBasic.class. In this example the class is RenderBasic.class and is in the same directory as the HTML document.
- width and height define the size of the applet in pixels. If you use only width then you get a square applet.
- name creates an identifier for the applet. This is used in inter-applet communication.
Parameters
The line enclosed by the applet tag is a declaration of a parameter. It is given a name ('name=.....') and a value ('value = ....'). The name specifies which parameter is being used and the value refers to the way the parameter operates. The value may be a boolean variable (on-off etc), a number coded for a specific purpose or, as in this case, a path to a file.The parameter name is the only mandatory parameter and its value specifies the path of the structure file to be displayed.
Additional Parameters
A number of additional parameters may be used to define the appearance of the applet. Some of these are:| Parameter name | Values | Comment |
| DisplayType | 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6 | type of rendering used - balls, wireframe, ball and stick, backbone, ribbons, strands and cartoons respectively. |
| AtomType | 0, 1, 2 | labeling of atoms: name, number or both. |
| Hydrogen | on, off (boolean) | hide, show hydrogen atoms. |
| Bonds | 0.1, 0.2,..., 1 | thickness of bonds (Angstroms). |
| AtomsRadius | 0.1, 0.2,.... 3.9, 4.0 | radius of atom relative to standard covalent radius |
| BgColor | standard colors,.("red", "blue"), standard hex RGB code (#c0c0ff) or triplet decimal value ("222 0 255") | sets background color of applet. |
| LogoBgColor | as for BgColor parameter | color of ChemSymphony Lite logo ribbon. |
| Framed | on, off (boolean) | when set to "yes" sets applet in an independent frame in web page. |
| Menu | on, off (boolean) | when Framed parameter used this is used to allow drop down menus in the frames - replaces RenderControl applet. |
Parameter names are cAsE inSenSitive.
The full list of parameters and their values is included in the on-line manual on the ChemSymphony home page.
The Control or Display Applet
In addition to RenderBasic you can use RenderControl to make your web page more interactive. RenderControl is an applet used in conjunction with RenderBasic and in using it you allow a user browsing your page to change rendering options and color schemes. You can also use it as a link to a document used as a help page. To add RenderControl copy the following applet text to your HTML document.
<applet code=RenderControl.class width=320 height=400 name=panel>
</applet>
Additional parameters may also be used for this applet. The most common are:
| Parameter name | Values | Comment |
| bgColor | As for RenderBasic applet | Sets the background color. Set this to the same color as your page to make the tabbed panels stand out. |
| ImportMessages From | e.g., value="example1" | Identifies applet from which RenderControl will receive messages or data. In this example example1 is the argument name in the Renderbasic applet (above). |
| ExportMessagesTo | e.g., value="example1" | identifies the applet which will receive messages or data from RenderControl). |
Using compressed java files to speed download
Included in this folder is an additional .zip file and a .cab (cabinet) file. You should leave these in compressed form in the same folder as your chemsymphony java classes. To allow (enabled) browsers to use compressed java you need to add the following to each applet:
.zip file
Add the argument archive=chemsymphony.lite.zip to the applet tag. e.g.<applet code=Renderbasic.class archive=chemsymphony.lite.zip width=300 name="model1>
.cab file
To use this add an extra parameter to the applet, e.g.<param name=cabbase value=chemsymphony.lite.cab>
New developments and the ChemSymphony user group
Please consult the ChemSymphony web site for details of new releases, upgrades and examples
Subscribe to the ChemSymphony user group mailing list by mailing
with the message
To purchase ChemSymphony Beans, the Java Bean version of ChemSymphony then please contact us.