Scientific Word Processor Integrates Tricky Symbols

Organic chemists and biochemists are likely to find ChemText, a scientific word processor from Molecular Design Ltd.; a powerful tool for smoothly integrating graphics and text in scientific documents. This versatile software package is equally suitable for both academic and industrial scientists. My experience with ChemText Version 1.1 stems from teaching a traditional two-semester organic chemistry course. However, I recently received the new Version 1.2 and have fiddled with it enough to comment on several of its improved features. ChemText’s hardware appetite is quite hefty. It requires an IBM PC, XT, AT, PS/2, or compatible system with at least 640K RAM and a 20-Mbyte hard-disk drive. A mouse is required, but control-key support is available in Document Editor, the package’s word processing component. ChemText is compatible with most printers. Installation proceeds quickly and efficiently, and the documentation is thorough and well written. But be forewarned: ChemText is not for the casual user—it requires considerable time and dedication to unlock the software’s power and flexibility. Three built-in programs are central to ChemText’s working environment: Main Menu, Molecular Editor, and Document Editor. The Main Menu is entered from DOS and acts as a kind of control center—it provides two-way communication between the Molecular Editor, where most molecular structures are created, and the Document Editor, where text files are written. A typical flow of processing events for the operator in, for example, preparing an examination for students, starts in the Document Editor. Most common word-processing functions are available, including block editing, extensive font selection, macro support, a very efficient print-preview facility, and multiple windows (up to nine), which allow editing of several documents at the same time. Version 1.2 adds to these features a four-language spelling checker and a document note feature that allows the writer to make notes at any point in the text and store them in a separate window offscreen. Switching to the Molecular Editor (via the Main Menu) gives the scientist access to an extensive repertoire of drawing procedures for quickly creating a screen full of molecular structures. Several features of the Molecular Editor merit special mention. While several canned chemistry packages allow a scientist to select quickly any atom from the periodic table, hydrocarbon fragments and functional groups, and all common bond types, ChemText outdoes other scientific word processors by also helping the scientist produce customized files of structures. The software lets a chemist build a personalized mini-database, which is invaluable for rapid processing of commonly used molecular species. The chemist creates the database either by drawing a screen of structures (which is saved as a template file) that can be accessed by the mouse, or by drawing single structures that are saved in a separate directory. After creating chemical structures, the chemist can transfer drawings made in the Molecular Editor to the Main Menu where embellishments are available. It is at this stage that final editing on a display screen is carried out Molecules may be resized, moved, copied, and enclosed in circles, ellipses, or boxes. Text strings may be added, word-wrapping, however, is not available. Using a combination of function keys and mouse commands, the scientist moves the screen of drawings to the appropriate spot in the text file waiting in the Document Editor. Graphics placed in a document remain computable—that is, they can be edited at any future time. The product carries a fairly hefty academic institution cost of $500 ($1,500 for non-academic buyers). But it is worth it because it represents the state-of-the-art in integrated chemistry word processing and is valuable for both teaching and practicing chemists. Leroy C Butler is a professor of chemistry at Norwich University, Northfield, Vt.

Scientific Word Processor Integrates Tricky Symbols

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