Hello Ted,

We apologize for the confusion. Some explanation of the data from the 
links and Custom tracks in general may help.

The first link you sent lists Custom track submitted and added to the 
UCSC browser by us. This is distinct from a user-loaded Custom track. 
There is no link because you may have Custom tracks loaded in multiple 
assemblies - each would have a unique link based on your user hgsid 
(explained below). A custom track expires quickly (2 days or so), which 
may be why it is is missing when you return.

The next link you sent gives an overview for Custom tracks. If you read 
the document, it defines both UCSC hosted Custom tracks and how to load 
your own custom track. This is the best place to learn about the types 
of Custom tracks.

The final link that you send goes to a specific assembly's Custom track 
loading page, based on your hgsid (again, explained below). This form is 
where a user can enter their own custom track. Each assembly has its own 
Custom track loading page (although you can change assemblies once in 
the form).

The hgsid variable:
The hgsid portion of any url is temporary - it represents your "user 
cart" - and this is a short-lived variable. It is intended to hold user 
preferences and other information. It can be cleared with a 'cart-reset".

To save Custom tracks for a longer period of time (longer than a 
particular hgsid exists), use the Sessions feature:
http://genome.ucsc.edu/goldenPath/help/hgTracksHelp.html#Sessions

Hopefully this helps to clear up the different Custom track types. If 
you have questions after reviewing the documentation in Custom track 
help, please let us know.
http://genome.ucsc.edu/goldenPath/help/hgTracksHelp.html#CustomTracks

Thanks,
Jennifer

---------------------------------
Jennifer Jackson
UCSC Genome Informatics Group
http://genome.ucsc.edu/

On 5/22/10 12:20 PM, [email protected] wrote:
> This page
>
> http://genome.ucsc.edu/goldenPath/customTracks/custTracks.html
>
> contains links to custom annotation tracks, and when I clicked on the link 
> for the track I wanted, it caused the genome browser to display some random 
> gene area with the desired annotation track displayed.  But that does not 
> seem to enable that custom track in general, for use when I return to the 
> browser later.  So, I found this page:
>
> http://genome.ucsc.edu/goldenPath/help/hgTracksHelp.html#CustomTracks
>
> which has a following section describing how to load a custom track into the 
> browser.  That section directs one to this page:
>
> http://genome.ucsc.edu/cgi-bin/hgCustom?hgsid=160341613
>
> which asks for the URL for the custom track data.
>
> There seems to be a disconnect here.  How come the first page mentioned above 
> does not include the URL in its description, so that it can be copied over to 
> the last page mentioned above?  Or better yet, why doesn't the last page 
> mentioned above include a way to browse and select from the custom tracks 
> listed in the first page above?
>
> Hope that makes sense.  Undoubtedly I am misunderstanding something 
> fundamental here, so would appreciate enlightenment!
>
> ted toal
>
> _______________________________________________
> Genome maillist  -  [email protected]
> https://lists.soe.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/genome
_______________________________________________
Genome maillist  -  [email protected]
https://lists.soe.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/genome

Reply via email to