Re: [Soaplab-users] Dependent parameters & parameter value variable in ACD

[Mahmut U. <ul...@eb...>]

Hi Sebastian,

> I have two questions about parameter value variable in ACD syntax.
> 
> First, may I use something like
> 	string: seq [
>          	standard: "Y" #Mandatory parameter
>          	knowntype: "string"
> 		minlength: ${min}
> 	...]
> where min is
> 	integer: min [
>          	minimum: 14
>          	maximum: 26
>          	default: 17
> 	...]
> ?

Although EMBOSS supports the minlength option for the string objects
current Soaplab doesn't support it. If your command line applications
are implemented using EMBOSS framework then EMBOSS checks on run-time
whether the input string lengths have the minimum length specified by
the minlength option.

You can have something similar to the above example using EMBOSS but you
should make sure that in the ACD file you define the referenced options
before the option that refers them. Also instead of curly brackets
EMBOSS use parenthesis when referring to a variable value.

In summary, current Soaplab doesn't have minlength and maxlength
validation for String objects but you can do this validation in your
executable. I don't know whether your Soaplab services are for existing
applications or you are implementing new applications but if you are
writing new bioinformatics applications using C/C++ then you may use
EMBOSS framework to implement them, then you would have this type of
validation at no extra cost.

Regards,
Mahmut