[Jmol-users] Jmol.js modification for 'smart' checkboxes

[David L. <jm...@q7...>]

At the end of last summer I posted to the list about my need for a 
modified checkbox which was aware of other checkboxes. I was 
generating a series of checkboxes to highlight motifs in a protein, 
and, because often there were quite a few of them, I had an 'all 
motifs' checkbox as well. The thing I didn't like the individual 
checkboxes did not respond to the 'all motifs' in changing their 
checked state, and, say, if all individuals and the 'all' were 
checked, the 'all' didn't uncheck if one was turned off.

What I wanted was a situation that I prototyped completely in 
javascript on this page: 
<http://www.q7design.demon.co.uk/jmolTests/jsSmartCheckbox.html>. The 
HCI isn't perfect - you could argue that if only some of the 
individual checkboxes are checked there is no perfect state for the 
'all' checkbox to be in. However psychologically I am convinced the 
situation I have created is a great improvement, and the metaphor of 
unchecked not necessarily meaning all are unchecked is easy to 
accustom oneself to.

I therefore modified a copy of Jmol.js to do this and called the 
modified checkbox types jmolCheckboxMaster and jmolCheckboxSlave, and 
have mounted a demo at 
<http://www.q7design.demon.co.uk/jmolTests/jmolJsTestMS.html>.

If this is of any use to others they are certainly welcome to a copy 
(it's easy enough to hack off the site anyway) and if there is enough 
interest Miguel and the other lead developers might considering 
incorporating it into the official version.

David