/ 
bioperl-1.4
/ Bio::Tools::GuessSeqFormat

NAME

Bio::Tools::GuessSeqFormat - Module for determining the sequence format of the contents of a file, a string, or through a filehandle.

SYNOPSIS

# To guess the format of a flat file, given a filename:
my $guesser = new Bio::Tools::GuessSeqFormat( -file => $filename );
my $format  = $guesser->guess;

# To guess the format from an already open filehandle:
my $guesser = new Bio::Tools::GuessSeqFormat( -fh => $filehandle );
my $format  = $guesser->guess;
# If the filehandle is seekable (STDIN isn't), it will be
# returned to its original position.

# To guess the format of one or several lines of text (with
# embedded newlines):
my $guesser = new Bio::Tools::GuessSeqFormat( -text => $linesoftext );
my $format = $guesser->guess;

# To create a Bio::Tools::GuessSeqFormat object and set the
# filename, filehandle, or line to parse afterwards:
my $guesser = new Bio::Tools::GuessSeqFormat;
$guesser->file($filename);
$guesser->fh($filehandle);
$guesser->text($linesoftext);

# To guess in one go, given e.g. a filename:
my $format = new Bio::Tools::GuessSeqFormat( -file => $filename )->guess;

DESCRIPTION

Bio::Tools::GuessSeqFormat tries to guess the format ("swiss", "pir", "fasta" etc.) of the sequence or MSA in a file, in a scalar, or through a filehandle.

The guess() method of a Bio::Tools::GuessSeqFormat object will examine the data, line by line, until it finds a line to which only one format can be assigned. If no conclusive guess can be made, undef is returned.

If the Bio::Tools::GuessSeqFormat object is given a filehandle which is seekable, it will be restored to its original position on return from the guess() method.

Formats

Tests are currently implemented for the following formats:

  • ACeDB ("ace")

  • Blast ("blast")

  • ClustalW ("clustalw")

  • Codata ("codata")

  • EMBL ("embl")

  • FastA sequence ("fasta")

  • FastXY/FastA alignment ("fastxy")

  • Game XML ("game")

  • GCG ("gcg")

  • GCG Blast ("gcgblast")

  • GCG FastA ("gcgfasta")

  • GDE ("gde")

  • Genbank ("genbank")

  • Genscan ("genscan")

  • GFF ("gff")

  • HMMER ("hmmer")

  • PAUP/NEXUS ("nexus")

  • Phrap assembly file ("phrap")

  • NBRF/PIR ("pir")

  • Mase ("mase")

  • Mega ("mega")

  • GCG/MSF ("msf")

  • Pfam ("pfam")

  • Phylip ("phylip")

  • Prodom ("prodom")

  • Raw ("raw")

  • RSF ("rsf")

  • Selex ("selex")

  • Stockholm ("stockholm")

  • Swissprot ("swiss")

  • Tab ("tab")

FEEDBACK

Mailing Lists

User feedback is an integral part of the evolution of this and other Bioperl modules. Send your comments and suggestions preferably to one of the Bioperl mailing lists. Your participation is much appreciated.

bioperl-l@bioperl.org              - General discussion
http://bioperl.org/MailList.shtml  - About the mailing lists

Reporting Bugs

Report bugs to the Bioperl bug tracking system to help us keep track the bugs and their resolution. Bug reports can be submitted via email or the web:

bioperl-bugs@bio.perl.org
http://bugzilla.bioperl.org/

AUTHOR

Andreas Kähäri, andreas.kahari@ebi.ac.uk

CONTRIBUTORS

Heikki Lehväslaiho, heikki@ebi.ac.uk

METHODS

Methods available to Bio::Tools::GuessSeqFormat objects are described below. Methods with names beginning with an underscore are considered to be internal.

new

Title      : new
Usage      : $guesser = new Bio::Tools::GuessSeqFormat( ... );
Function   : Creates a new object.
Example    : See SYNOPSIS.
Returns    : A new object.
Arguments  : -file The filename of the file whose format is to
                   be guessed, or
             -fh   An already opened filehandle from which a text
                   stream may be read, or
             -text A scalar containing one or several lines of
                   text with embedded newlines.

   If more than one of the above arguments are given, they
   are tested in the order -text, -file, -fh, and the first
   available argument will be used.

file

Title      : file
Usage      : $guesser->file($filename);
             $filename = $guesser->file;
Function   : Gets or sets the current filename associated with
             an object.
Returns    : The new filename.
Arguments  : The filename of the file whose format is to be
             guessed.

   A call to this method will clear the current filehandle and
   the current lines of text associated with the object.

fh

Title      : fh
Usage      : $guesser->fh($filehandle);
             $filehandle = $guesser->fh;
Function   : Gets or sets the current filehandle associated with
             an object.
Returns    : The new filehandle.
Arguments  : An already opened filehandle from which a text
             stream may be read.

   A call to this method will clear the current filename and
   the current lines of text associated with the object.

text

Title      : text
Usage      : $guesser->text($linesoftext);
             $linesofext = $guesser->text;
Function   : Gets or sets the current text associated with an
             object.
Returns    : The new lines of texts.
Arguments  : A scalar containing one or several lines of text,
             including embedded newlines.

   A call to this method will clear the current filename and
   the current filehandle associated with the object.

guess

Title      : guess
Usage      : $format = $guesser->guess;
             @format = $guesser->guess; # if given a line of text
Function   : Guesses the format of the data accociated with the
             object.
Returns    : A format string such as "swiss" or "pir".  If a
             format can not be found, undef is returned.
Arguments  : None.

   If the object is associated with a filehandle and if that
   filehandle is searchable, the position of the filehandle
   will be returned to its original position before the method
   returns.

HELPER SUBROUTINES

All helper subroutines will, given a line of text and the line number of the same line, return 1 if the line possibly is from a file of the type that they perform a test of.

A zero return value does not mean that the line is not part of a certain type of file, just that the test didn't find any characteristics of that type of file in the line.

_possibly_ace

From bioperl test data, and from "http://www.isrec.isb-sib.ch/DEA/module8/B_Stevenson/Practicals/transcriptome_recon/transcriptome_recon.html".

_possibly_blast

From various blast results.

_possibly_clustalw

From "http://www.ebi.ac.uk/help/formats.html".

_possibly_codata

From "http://www.ebi.ac.uk/help/formats.html".

_possibly_embl

From "http://www.ebi.ac.uk/embl/Documentation/User_manual/usrman.html#3.3".

_possibly_fasta

From "http://www.ebi.ac.uk/help/formats.html".

_possibly_fastxy

From bioperl test data.

_possibly_game

From bioperl testdata.

_possibly_gcg

From bioperl, Bio::SeqIO::gcg. Example at "http://bioweb.cgb.indiana.edu/seqanal/formats/examples.html#gcg".

_possibly_gcgblast

From bioperl testdata.

_possibly_gcgfasta

From bioperl testdata.

_possibly_gde

From "http://www.ebi.ac.uk/help/formats.html".

_possibly_genbank

From "http://www.ebi.ac.uk/help/formats.html". Format of [apparantly optional] file header from "http://www.umdnj.edu/rcompweb/PA/Notes/GenbankFF.htm".

_possibly_genscan

From bioperl test data.

_possibly_gff

From bioperl test data.

_possibly_hmmer

From bioperl test data.

_possibly_nexus

From "http://paup.csit.fsu.edu/nfiles.html".

_possibly_mase

From bioperl test data. More detail from "http://www.umdnj.edu/rcompweb/PA/Notes/GenbankFF.htm".

_possibly_mega

From the ensembl broswer (AlignView data export).

_possibly_msf

From "http://www.ebi.ac.uk/help/formats.html".

Contradiction at "http://bioweb.cgb.indiana.edu/seqanal/formats/examples.html#msf".

_possibly_phrap

From "http://www.ccgb.umn.edu/biodata/docs/contigimage.html". From "http://genetics.gene.cwru.edu/gene508/Lec6.htm". From bioperl test data ("*.ace.1" files).

_possibly_pir

From "http://www.ebi.ac.uk/help/formats.html". The ".,()" spotted in bioperl test data.

_possibly_pfam

From bioperl test data.

_possibly_phylip

From "http://www.ebi.ac.uk/help/formats.html". Initial space allowed on first line (spotted in ensembl AlignView exported data).

_possibly_prodom

From "http://prodes.toulouse.inra.fr/prodom/2002.1/documentation/data.php".

_possibly_raw

From "http://www.ebi.ac.uk/help/formats.html".

_possibly_rsf

From "http://www.ebi.ac.uk/help/formats.html".

_possibly_selex

From "http://www-ccmr-nmr.bioc.cam.ac.uk/private/arcr1/hmmer-html/node35.html" and "http://www.ebc.ee/WWW/hmmer2-html/node27.html".

Assuming precense of Selex file header. Data exported by Bioperl on Pfam and Selex formats are identical, but Pfam file only holds one alignment.

_possibly_stockholm

From bioperl test data.

_possibly_swiss

From "http://ca.expasy.org/sprot/userman.html#entrystruc".

_possibly_tab

Contributed by Heikki.

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