We have discovered a potential problem when dealing with local copies
of 2D Web gel image files from multiple sources. There is a high
likelihood that several sites might pick exactly the same file name.
In addition, if the source of the data is not encoded in the filename,
its origin may be lost if several files are copied into the same
user's local directory. For example, any number of Web databases may
use the same name (for their plasma gel eg. plasma.gif).
Although making sense when viewed from a specific Web server, generic
names like figure.gif or slide.gif can cause
problems as well. When used within a Web server as part of a data
source for generated images, it is of course not a problem. Therefore
to make all image files unique, we are experimenting with a universal
naming policy. We suggest a possible universal naming convention (and
would like to hear of other suggestions and problems that information
providers may see with this proposed scheme).
In cases where there are variants on the tissue, such as T and B
lymphocytes, it should be denoted with the primary name first
(eg. lymphocyte-T- and lymphocyte-B-, etc). This makes it easier to
alphabetize the file by the primary tissue type.
tissue-name_Species_cell-line_sample-lab-id_Organization.gif
eg.
melanoma_Human_A375_A375Cytokine100_UCSF.gif
or
breast_Human_zr75_Argonne-PMG.gif
or
lymphocyte-T_mouse_PhosTyr_68epy_PPDB.gif
Because of limitations on various computer operating systems, there
are a number of additional restrictions which should be followed to
maximize portability. Only one ``.'' should be used in the file name
and just before the file extension which should be .gif
(preferred), .jpg or .tif. No spaces should be used
in the name. Any number of hyphens or underscores are allowed in the
name. Mixed upper/lower case is allowed. Avoid specifying images by
CGI-BIN mechanisms for this set of published standard images as the
name paths are difficult to handle if the image file is ever copied to
a user's computer using a ``FILE | SAVE AS" in their Web
browser.