The HyperGCG stack is made available here for limited distribution,
testing and comments.  If you have received a mail message from me
please feel free to copy and use within your work group.  Everyone
will benefit if you can return comments and any additions you make
to the stack that may be of general use.  You can return stacks
here via ftp.

The HyperGCG.SIT format is a MacBinary Stuffed archive.  You will
need to use binary ftp, and Macbinary file transfer to your mac.  The
HyperGCG.Hqx is a binhex encoded version of the .SIT file which can
be transferred in text modes.


I have put together the beginnings of a Macintosh Hypercard 
interface to the GCG gene sequence analysis package.  It is based 
around the idea that each function in the GCG suite is presented 
to Bob Biologist as Hyper cards which describe the function and 
present options as buttons and lists.  Bob can type his sequence 
into a card, or select from Mac or VAX data files as needed.  The 
card then builds necessary VAX and GCG commands to perform his 
analysis, sends them to the VAX and returns the text or plot 
results.  All of the archane VMS details are hidden from Bob.

This HyperGCG stack includes a framework for organizing the GCG 
analysis functions, the needed communications links (via 
phone/serial or network/MacTCP connections), a simple sequence 
editor, file handling routines for VAX and Mac, text and plot 
output functions.  At this point, the stack is still an 
unfinished skeleton; I have implemented only a few of the GCG 
functions, and the organization and documentation needs much 
work.  I am not recommending it for Bob or any average user yet.  
I would like to know if any GCG/Vax system managers or support 
people want to get your hands on it to test and provide me with 
feedback, or even add to it.  

I am not volunteering to finish this anytime soon.  I have enough 
other tasks.  If there is enough interest, and if people at GCG 
want to make their package more palatable to VMS-o-phobic 
biologists, then they might want to support something like this 
(changes would be needed with each new software release).  It is 
at the stage where only Hypercard/Hypertalk programming ability, 
and a knowledge of VMS commands, is needed to flesh it out.


                                                           -- Don
Don.Gilbert@IuBio.Bio.Indiana.Edu
biocomputing,  biology dept., indiana univ., bloomington, in 
47405