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Specialty Chemistry Forums => Chemical Education and Careers => Topic started by: 408 on December 14, 2013, 03:44:16 AM

Title: Chemical drawing and structure search
Post by: 408 on December 14, 2013, 03:44:16 AM
When a program like scifinder uses structure search, how does this work?  Does it like overlay the structures and look for a match while taking into consideration bond rotations, or does it convert a structure to a number and then compare numbers?

I am working on a website that requires a structure search functionality, are there already drawing programs that I can incorporate into it for free without copyright violation, or would I have to hire someone to make my own drawing software?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Chemical drawing and structure search
Post by: discodermolide on December 14, 2013, 05:58:42 AM
I think such programs use connection tables for comparison purposes.
Incorporation of drawing software can be expensive, however there are a few free ones around, for example check out the google results for "chemical drawing software".
The LME editor from Novartis is free, all you have to do is acknowledge them.

Title: Re: Chemical drawing and structure search
Post by: 408 on December 14, 2013, 12:58:32 PM
Thanks for the LME editor, I think this is exactly what I want!  I need it to be searching a user-created database on the website, and I'll run it by one of my programmers to see if it will work for this!
Title: Re: Chemical drawing and structure search
Post by: 408 on December 24, 2013, 12:54:26 AM

Incorporation of drawing software can be expensive,


Aaaand I am outsourcing this to India.  Got quotes from North American companies.   :o :o :o :o

Also, Disco, do you have any other examples of drawing programs that can be incorporated in a site without cost.  (beyond the financial molestation by developers) 
Title: Re: Chemical drawing and structure search
Post by: Borek on December 24, 2013, 03:31:00 AM
Have you checked the literature? I am sure there must be some algorithms described (when it comes to the substructure search). I remember reading some overview of the methods used, but for the life of me, I can't remember any details. Don't even remember if it was a paper, blog post, web page, or just a post from teh mailing list.

Edit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substructure_search
Title: Re: Chemical drawing and structure search
Post by: discodermolide on December 24, 2013, 06:12:30 AM

Incorporation of drawing software can be expensive,


Aaaand I am outsourcing this to India.  Got quotes from North American companies.   :o :o :o :o

Also, Disco, do you have any other examples of drawing programs that can be incorporated in a site without cost.  (beyond the financial molestation by developers)


That is the only one I am aware of. All the freeware costs when you actually want to do something productive with it.
Title: Re: Chemical drawing and structure search
Post by: 408 on December 24, 2013, 11:07:52 AM
Have you checked the literature? I am sure there must be some algorithms described (when it comes to the substructure search). I remember reading some overview of the methods used, but for the life of me, I can't remember any details. Don't even remember if it was a paper, blog post, web page, or just a post from teh mailing list.

Edit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substructure_search

Did not even consider that this sort of meta-chemistry would be in the literature. will check it out.