From owner-metabolic-reg@net.bio.net Mon Feb 17 22:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!rutgers.rutgers.edu!uwm.edu!newsfeeds.sol.net!europa.clark.net!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!dispatch.news.demon.net!demon!fssc.demon.co.uk!fssc.demon.co.uk!HSauro From: Herbert M Sauro Newsgroups: bionet.metabolic-reg Subject: MCA related Software - vExplorer Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 11:51:18 +0000 Organization: Future Skill Software Distribution: world Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: fssc.demon.co.uk X-NNTP-Posting-Host: fssc.demon.co.uk MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 X-Newsreader: Turnpike Version 1.12 Lines: 86 SOFTWARE ANNOUNCEMENT - 15 February 1997 Future Skill Software (Herbert M Sauro) I’ve just uploaded to the Oxford metabolic software archive a copy of a small Windows (3.1 or 95) utility I’ve written called vExplorer. This program allows users to enter mathematical functions (algebraic or parametric) and interactively explorer their behaviour. Functions are entered using normal mathematical notation. vExplorer always assumes that the symbol ‘x’ is the independent variable in an algebraic equation, and assumes ‘t’ is the parametric independent variable. All other symbols are considered to be parameters, for example, ‘m’, ‘Slope’, ‘Vmax1’, ‘Banana’, etc. are all legal symbols. For example, given the equation, ‘m*x + c’, vExplorer treats ‘x’ as the independent variable (x-axis variable) and the ‘m’ and ‘c’ symbols as parameters. The program will dynamically create two sliders on screen corresponding to ‘m’ and ‘c’ so that the values of ‘m’ and ‘c’ can be easily controlled by the user. The program then graphs the function. The user can now change the sliders and observe the effect on screen. Once you try it out you’ll soon realise what it’s about. Metabolic Application So what use is this program to metabolic people? The main interest here is that vExplorer can also draw the 1 st derivative and/or the elasticity of the given function, so it is now a trivial task to study for example the effect of L, c and n parameters of the MWC model on the substrate elasticity coefficient - and good fun it is too. vExplorer will let you save functions to libraries for later retrieval and I’ve included with the distribution a number of small libraries, there’s a trig library, a polynomial library, power series library and to save you typing (or remembering) the MWC model, a simple enzyme library. There are other tools included with the program to help you manage the graph, all under mouse control, panning, zooming, rectangular sections etc. You will find that all operations occur in real-time so a reasonable machine is recommended, at least a 486 66Mhz. A small help file is included and most controls have hints attached to them so you should find the program pretty easy to use. Where to get it.... There are two ways to get hold of a copy: By ftp from bmsdarwin.brookes.ac.uk/pub/software/ibmpc/explorer/setupve. exe By hyperlink from http://www.fssc.demon.co.uk/other/vexplorer The setupve.exe file is a self-extracting/installing program, just execute it. I’ve noticed one mistake with the uploaded version which is that the hint under the ‘Clear’ button in the function manager says ‘Delete selected function’, this is incorrect, it should read, ‘Clear all entries’! Something not mentioned in the docs: When vExplorer starts up it tries to load a default library, called default.equ. If it can’t find this file it loads an internal default. At the moment the default lib contains some polynomial functions, however if you’d like the enzyme library to load at start up just rename the enzyme lib, enzyme.equ to default.equ. There are certain restrictions on the use of vExplorer. If you wish to play around with the program for a couple of weeks, or you’d like to give a copy to your kid for his/her maths homework or you wish to use it on an amateur basis, then be my guest. However, if you wish to use the software in a professional capacity, i.e. as part of a course at a School, College or University, or as part of your professional research, or in a profit making business then you must obtain my consent. I have no interest in subsidising professional organisations. Under no circumstances may the software be sold separately or as part of a larger package. Have fun Herbert Sauro -- Herbert M Sauro Future Skill Software email: HSauro@fssc.demon.co.uk Telephone: 01974 282428 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "He who cannot draw on 3000 years is living from hand to mouth" Goethe "Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" R Browning. .