#documentation needed

  my ($self,$range,$cds_begin,$cds_end,$proximity)=@_;
  my @range=@{$range};
  my ($begin,$end,$strand);
  if (ref($range[0]) eq "ARRAY") { # like in CDS, whose range equivals to exons
    ($begin,$end,$strand)=($range[0]->[0],$range[-1]->[1],$range[0]->[2]);
  } else {
    ($begin,$end,$strand)=@range;
  }
  if ($cds_begin > $cds_end) { # i.e. reverse strand CDS
    ($cds_begin,$cds_end)=($cds_end,$cds_begin); # swap boundaries
  }
  if ($strand == -1) { # reverse strand
    ($begin,$end)=($end,$begin); # swap boundaries
  }
  if (($cds_begin-$end)>$proximity) {
    carp "--DEBUG-- feature rejected: begin $begin end $end -------";
    return (0);
  }
  if (($begin-$cds_end)>$proximity) {
    carp "--DEBUG-- feature rejected: begin $begin end $end -------";
    return (0);
  }
  carp "--DEBUG-- feature accepted: begin $begin end $end -------";
  return (1); # otherwise ok, feature considered next to CDS
}


# function that calls the external program "align" (on the fasta2 package)
# to create an alignment between two sequences, returning the aligned
# strings and the codes for the identity (:: ::::)

  my ($species_codon_usage,$ttabid,$aasequence,$gene_name)=@_;
  my @species_codon_usage=@{$species_codon_usage};
  my @codon_usage_label= 
      qw (cga cgc cgg cgt aga agg cta ctc ctg ctt tta ttg tca tcc tcg
      tct agc agt aca acc acg act cca ccc ccg cct gca gcc gcg gct gga
      ggc ggg ggt gta gtc gtg gtt aaa aag aac aat caa cag cac cat gaa
      gag gac gat tac tat tgc tgt ttc ttt ata atc att atg tgg taa tag
      tga);
  my ($i,$j);
  my %codon_usage_value;
  my $aa_codon_total;
  for ($i=0;$i<64;$i++) {
    $codon_usage_value{$codon_usage_label[$i]}=$species_codon_usage[$i];
  }

  my $CodonTable  = Bio::Tools::CodonTable->new ( -id => $ttabid );
  my @aminoacids = split(//,uc($aasequence));
  my @alt_codons; my ($relativeusage,$dnasequence,$chosen_codon,$dice,$partial,$thiscodon);
  for $i (@aminoacids) {
    @alt_codons = $CodonTable->revtranslate($i);
    unless (@alt_codons) {
      carp "No reverse translation possible for aminoacid\' $i\'";
      $dnasequence .= "???";
    } else {
      $aa_codon_total=0;
      for $j (@alt_codons) {
	$aa_codon_total+=$codon_usage_value{$j};
      }
      # print "aminoacid $i, codonchoice: "; # verbose
      #$partial=0;
      #for $j (@alt_codons) {
	#printf "%s %.2f ",$j,$partial+$codon_usage_value{$j}/$aa_codon_total;
	#$partial+=($codon_usage_value{$j}/$aa_codon_total);
      #}
      #print "\n";
      $dice=rand(1);
      #print "roulette: $dice\n"; # verbose
      $partial=0;
      $chosen_codon="";
      CODONCHOICE:
      for $j (0..@alt_codons) { # last one not accounted
	$thiscodon=$alt_codons[$j];
	$relativeusage=($codon_usage_value{$thiscodon}/$aa_codon_total);
	if ($dice < $relativeusage+$partial) {
	  $chosen_codon=$thiscodon;
	  last CODONCHOICE;
	} else {
	  $partial += $relativeusage;
	}
      }
      unless ($chosen_codon) {
	$chosen_codon = $alt_codons[-1]; # the last one
      }
      # print ".....adding $chosen_codon\n"; # verbose
      $dnasequence .= $chosen_codon;
    }
  }

  my $dna = Bio::LiveSeq::DNA->new(-seq => $dnasequence);
  my $min=1;
  my $max=length($dnasequence);
  my $exon = Bio::LiveSeq::Exon->new(-seq => $dna, -start => $min, -end => $max, -strand => 1);
  my @exons=($exon);
  my $transcript = Bio::LiveSeq::Transcript->new(-exons =>\@ exons);
  $transcript->translation_table($ttabid);
  my @transcripts=($transcript);
  my $translation = Bio::LiveSeq::Translation->new(-transcript => $transcript);
  my @translations=($translation);
  my %features=(DNA => $dna, Transcripts =>\@ transcripts, Translations =>\@ translations);
  my $gene = Bio::LiveSeq::Gene->new(-name => $gene_name, -features =>\% features, -upbound => $min, -downbound => $max);

  # creation of gene
  unless ($gene) { # if $gene == 0 it means problems in hash2gene
    carp "Error in Gene creation phase";
    return (0);
  }
  return $gene;
}

1;

  my ($self,$entry,$gene_name,$cds_position,$getswissprotinfo)=@_;

  my @entryfeatures=@{$entry->{'Features'}};
  my @exons; my @introns; my @prim_transcripts; my @transcripts;
  my @repeat_units; my @repeat_regions;
  my @repeat_units_family; my @repeat_regions_family; my $rpt_family;
  my $entryfeature; my @genefeatures;
  my $desc; my @exondescs; my @introndescs;

  # for swissprot xreference
  my ($swissacc,$swisshash); my @swisshashes;

  # for translation_tables
  my @ttables;

  # to create labels
  my ($name,$exon);
  my @range; my @cdsexons; my @labels;

  # maybe here also could be added special case when there is no CDS feature
  # in the entry (e.g. tRNA entry -> TOCHECK).
  # let's deal with the special case in which there is just one gene per entry
  # usually without /gene qualifier
  my @cds=@{$entry->{'CDS'}};

  my $skipgenematch=0;
  if (scalar(@cds) == 1) {
    #carp "Note: only one CDS in this entry. Treating all features found in entry as Gene features.";
    $skipgenematch=1;
  }

  my ($cds_begin,$cds_end,$proximity);
  if ($cds_position) { # if a position has been requested
    my @cds_exons=@{$cds[$cds_position-1]->{'range'}};
    ($cds_begin,$cds_end)=($cds_exons[0]->[0],$cds_exons[-1]->[1]); # begin and end of CDS
    $gene_name=$cds[$cds_position-1]->{'qualifiers'}->{'gene'};
    # DEBUG
    unless ($skipgenematch) {
      carp "--DEBUG-- cdsbegin $cds_begin cdsend $cds_end--------";
    }
    $proximity=100; # proximity CONSTANT to decide whether a feature "belongs" to the CDS
  }

  for $entryfeature (@entryfeatures) { # get only features for the desired gene
    if (($skipgenematch)||(($cds_position)&&($self->_checkfeatureproximity($entryfeature->{'range'},$cds_begin,$cds_end,$proximity)))||(!($cds_position)&&($entryfeature->{'qualifiers'}->{'gene'} eq "$gene_name"))) {
      push(@genefeatures,$entryfeature);

      my @range=@{$entryfeature->{'range'}};
      $name=$entryfeature->{'name'};
      my %qualifierhash=%{$entryfeature->{'qualifiers'}};
      if ($name eq "CDS") { # that has range containing array of exons

	# swissprot crossindexing (if without SRS support it will fill array
	# with zeros and do nothing
	if ($getswissprotinfo) {
	  $swissacc=$entryfeature->{'qualifiers'}->{'db_xref'};
	  $swisshash=$self->get_swisshash($swissacc);
	  #$self->printswissprot($swisshash); # DEBUG
	  push (@swisshashes,$swisshash);
	}

	push (@ttables,$entryfeature->{'qualifiers'}->{'transl_table'}); # undef if not specified
	
	# create labels array
	for $exon (@range) {
	  push(@labels,$exon->[0],$exon->[1]); # start and end of every exon of the CDS
	}
	push (@transcripts,$entryfeature->{'range'});
      } else {
	# "simplifying" the joinedlocation features. I.e. changing them from
	# multijoined ones to simple plain start-end features, taking only
	# the start of the first "exon" and the end of the last "exon" as
	# start and end of the entire feature
	if ($entryfeature->{'locationtype'} && $entryfeature->{'locationtype'} eq "joined") { # joined location
	  @range=($range[0]->[0],$range[-1]->[1]);
	}
	push(@labels,$range[0],$range[1]); # start and end of every feature
	if ($name eq "exon") {
	  $desc=$entryfeature->{'qualifiers'}->{'number'};
	  if ($entryfeature->{'qualifiers'}->{'note'}) {
	    if ($desc) {
	      $desc .= "|" . $entryfeature->{'qualifiers'}->{'note'};
	    } else {
	      $desc = $entryfeature->{'qualifiers'}->{'note'};
	    }
	  }
	  push (@exondescs,$desc || "unknown");
	  push(@exons,\@range);
	}
	if ($name eq "intron") {
 	  $desc=$entryfeature->{'qualifiers'}->{'number'};
	  if ($desc) {
	    $desc .= "|" . $entryfeature->{'qualifiers'}->{'note'};
	  } else {
	    $desc = $entryfeature->{'qualifiers'}->{'note'};
	  }
	  push (@introndescs,$desc || "unknown"); 
	  push(@introns,\@range);
	}
	if (($name eq "prim_transcript")||($name eq "mRNA")) { push(@prim_transcripts,\@range); }
	if ($name eq "repeat_unit") { push(@repeat_units,\@range);
	  $rpt_family=$entryfeature->{'qualifiers'}->{'rpt_family'};
	  push (@repeat_units_family,$rpt_family || "unknown");
	}
	if ($name eq "repeat_region") { push(@repeat_regions,\@range);
	  $rpt_family=$entryfeature->{'qualifiers'}->{'rpt_family'};
	  push (@repeat_regions_family,$rpt_family || "unknown");
	}
      }
    }
  }
  unless ($gene_name) { $gene_name="cds-position:".$cds_position; }
  my %genefeatureshash;
  $genefeatureshash{gene_name}=$gene_name;
  $genefeatureshash{genefeatures}=\@genefeatures;
  $genefeatureshash{labels}=\@labels;
  $genefeatureshash{ttables}=\@ttables;
  $genefeatureshash{swisshashes}=\@swisshashes;
  $genefeatureshash{transcripts}=\@transcripts;
  $genefeatureshash{exons}=\@exons;
  $genefeatureshash{exondescs}=\@exondescs;
  $genefeatureshash{introns}=\@introns;
  $genefeatureshash{introndescs}=\@introndescs;
  $genefeatureshash{prim_transcripts}=\@prim_transcripts;
  $genefeatureshash{repeat_units}=\@repeat_units;
  $genefeatureshash{repeat_regions}=\@repeat_regions;
  $genefeatureshash{repeat_units_family}=\@repeat_units_family;
  $genefeatureshash{repeat_regions_family}=\@repeat_regions_family;
  return (\%genefeatureshash);
}


# used by _findgenefeatures, when a CDS at a certain position is requested,
# to retrieve only features quite close to the wanted CDS.
# Args: range hashref, begin and end positions of the CDS, $proximity
# $proximity holds the maximum distance between the extremes of the CDS
# and of the feature under exam.
# Returns: boolean

  my ($self,$seq1,$seq2)=@_;
  my $fastafile1="/tmp/tmpfastafile1";
  my $fastafile2="/tmp/tmpfastafile2";
  my $grepcut='egrep -v "[[:digit:]]|^ *$|sequences" | cut -c8-'; # grep/cut
  my $alignprogram="/usr/local/etc/bioinfo/fasta2/align -s /usr/local/etc/bioinfo/fasta2/idnaa.mat $fastafile1 $fastafile2 2>/dev/null | $grepcut"; # ALIGN
  open TMPFASTAFILE1,">$fastafile1" || croak "Cannot write into $fastafile1 for aa alignment";
  open TMPFASTAFILE2,">$fastafile2" || croak "Cannot write into $fastafile1 for aa alignment";
  print TMPFASTAFILE1 ">firstseq\n$seq1\n";
  print TMPFASTAFILE2 ">secondseq\n$seq2\n";
  close TMPFASTAFILE1;
  close TMPFASTAFILE2;
  my $alignment=`$alignprogram`;
  my @alignlines=split(/\n/,$alignment);
  my ($linecount,$seq1_aligned,$seq2_aligned,$codes);
  for ($linecount=0; $linecount < @alignlines; $linecount+=3) {  
    $seq1_aligned .= $alignlines[$linecount];
    $codes .= $alignlines[$linecount+1];
    $seq2_aligned .= $alignlines[$linecount+2];
  }
  return ($seq1_aligned,$seq2_aligned,$codes);
}

# common part of the function to create a novel liveseq gene structure
# from an amino acid sequence, using codon usage frequencies
# args: codon_usage_array transltableid aasequence gene_name

  my ($self, %args) = @_;
  my ($getswissprotinfo)=($args{-getswissprotinfo});
  if (defined($getswissprotinfo)) {
    if (($getswissprotinfo ne 0)&&($getswissprotinfo ne 1)) {
      carp "-getswissprotinfo argument can take only boolean (1 or 0) values. Setting it to 0, i.e. not trying to retrieve SwissProt information....";
      $getswissprotinfo=0;
    }
  } else {
    $getswissprotinfo=1;
  }
  my $hashref=$self->{'hash'};
  unless ($hashref) { return (0); }
  my @translationobjects=$self->hash2liveseq($hashref,$getswissprotinfo);
  my $test_transl=0;
  if ($test_transl) { $self->test_transl($hashref,\@translationobjects);}
  return @translationobjects;

  my ($self, %args) = @_;
  my ($gene_name,$flanking,$getswissprotinfo,$cds_position)=($args{-gene_name},$args{-flanking},$args{-getswissprotinfo},$args{-position});
  my $input;
  unless (($gene_name)||($cds_position)) {
    carp "Gene_Name or Position not specified for gene2liveseq loading function";
    return (0);
  }
  if (($gene_name)&&($cds_position)) {
    carp "Gene_Name and Position cannot be given together, use one";
    return (0);
  } elsif ($gene_name) {
    $input=$gene_name;
  } else {
    $input="cds-position:".$cds_position;
  }

  if (defined($getswissprotinfo)) {
    if (($getswissprotinfo ne 0)&&($getswissprotinfo ne 1)) {
      carp "-getswissprotinfo argument can take only boolean (1 or 0) values. Setting it to 0, i.e. not trying to retrieve SwissProt information....";
      $getswissprotinfo=0;
    }
  } else {
    $getswissprotinfo=1;
  }

  if (defined($flanking)) {
    unless ($flanking >= 0) {
      carp "No sense in specifying a number < 0 for flanking regions to be created for gene2liveseq loading function";
      return (0);
    }
  } else {
    $flanking=500; # the default flanking length
  }
  my $hashref=$self->{'hash'};
  unless ($hashref) { return (0); }
  my $gene=$self->hash2gene($hashref,$input,$flanking,$getswissprotinfo);
  unless ($gene) { # if $gene == 0 it means problems in hash2gene
    carp "gene2liveseq produced error";
    return (0);
  }
  return $gene;
}

# TODO: update so that it will work even if CDS is not only accepted FEATURE!!
# this method is for now deprecated and not supported

  my ($self,$entry)=@_;
  unless ($entry) {
    $entry=$self->{'hash'};
  }
  my @entryfeatures=@{$entry->{'Features'}};
  my ($genename,$genenames,$entryfeature);
  for $entryfeature (@entryfeatures) {
    $genename=$entryfeature->{'qualifiers'}->{'gene'};
    if ($genename) {
      if (index($genenames,$genename) == -1) { # if name is new
	$genenames .= $genename . " "; # add the name
      }
    }
  }
  return (split(/ /,$genenames)); # assumes no space inbetween each genename
}

# arguments: swisshash, translation objref
# adds information to the Translation, creates AARange objects, sets the
# aa_range attribute on the Translation, pointing to those objects

  return (0);
}

# Args: $entry hashref, gene_name OR cds_position (undef is used to
# choose between the two), getswissprotinfo boolean flag
# Returns: an hash holding various arrayref used in the hash2gene method
# Function: examines the nucleotide entry, identifying features belonging
# to the gene (defined either by its name or by the position of its CDS in
# the entry)

  my ($self,$entry,$input,$flanking,$getswissprotinfo)=@_;
  my $entryfeature;
  my $genefeatureshash;

  my @cds=@{$entry->{'CDS'}};

  # checking if a position has been given instead than a gene_name
  if (index($input,"cds-position:") == 0 ) {
    my $cds_position=substr($input,13); # extracting the cds position
    if (($cds_position >= 1)&&($cds_position <= scalar(@cds))) {
      $genefeatureshash=$self->_findgenefeatures($entry,undef,$cds_position,$getswissprotinfo);
    }
  } else {
    $genefeatureshash=$self->_findgenefeatures($entry,$input,undef,$getswissprotinfo);
  }

  unless (($genefeatureshash)&&(scalar(@{$genefeatureshash->{'genefeatures'}}))) { # array empty, no gene features found
    my @genes=$self->genes($entry);
    my $cds_number=scalar(@cds);
    warn "Warning! Not even one genefeature found for /$input/....
    The genes present in this entry are:\n\t@genes\n
    The number of CDS in this entry is:\n\t$cds_number\n";
    return(0);
  }

  # get max and min, check flankings
  my ($min,$max)=$self->rangeofarray(@{$genefeatureshash->{'labels'}}); # gene "boundaries"
  my $seqlength=$entry->{'SeqLength'};
  my ($mindna,$maxdna); # some flanking region next to the gene "boundaries"
  if ($min-$flanking < 1) {
    $mindna=1;
  } else {
    $mindna=$min-$flanking;
  }
  if ($max+$flanking > $seqlength) {
    $maxdna=$seqlength;
  } else {
    $maxdna=$max+$flanking;
  }
  my $subseq=substr($entry->{'Sequence'},$mindna-1,$maxdna-$mindna+1);

  # create LiveSeq objects

  # create DNA
  my $dna=Bio::LiveSeq::DNA->new(-seq => $subseq, -offset => $mindna);
  $dna->alphabet(lc($entry->{'Molecule'}));
  $dna->source($entry->{'Organism'});
  $dna->display_id($entry->{'ID'});
  $dna->accession_number($entry->{'AccNumber'});
  $dna->desc($entry->{'Description'});

  my @transcripts=@{$genefeatureshash->{'transcripts'}};
  # create Translations, Transcripts, Exons out of the CDS
  unless (@transcripts) {
    cluck "no CDS feature found for /$input/....";
    return(0);
  }
  my @translationobjs=$self->transexonscreation($dna,\@transcripts);
  my @transcriptobjs;

  # get the Transcript obj_refs
  my $translation;
  my $j=0;
  my @ttables=@{$genefeatureshash->{'ttables'}};
  my @swisshashes=@{$genefeatureshash->{'swisshashes'}};
  foreach $translation (@translationobjs) {
    push(@transcriptobjs,$translation->get_Transcript);
    if ($ttables[$j]) { # if not undef
      $translation->get_Transcript->translation_table($ttables[$j]);
    #} else { # DEBUG
    #  print "\n\t\tno translation table information....\n";
    }
    if ($swisshashes[$j]) { # if not 0
      $self->swisshash2liveseq($swisshashes[$j],$translation);
    }
    $j++;
  }

  my %gene; # this is the hash to store created object references
  $gene{DNA}=$dna;
  $gene{Transcripts}=\@transcriptobjs;
  $gene{Translations}=\@translationobjs;

  my @exonobjs; my @intronobjs;
  my @repeatunitobjs; my @repeatregionobjs;
  my @primtranscriptobjs;

  my ($object,$range,$start,$end,$strand);

  my @exons=@{$genefeatureshash->{'exons'}};
  my @exondescs=@{$genefeatureshash->{'exondescs'}};
  if (@exons) {
    my $exoncount = 0;
    foreach $range (@exons) {
      ($start,$end,$strand)=@{$range};
      $object = Bio::LiveSeq::Exon->new(-seq=>$dna,-start=>$start,-end=>$end,-strand=>$strand);
      if ($object != -1) {
	$object->desc($exondescs[$exoncount]) if defined $exondescs[$exoncount];
	$exoncount++;
	push (@exonobjs,$object);
      } else {
	$exoncount++;
      }
    }
    $gene{Exons}=\@exonobjs;
  }
  my @introns=@{$genefeatureshash->{'introns'}};
  my @introndescs=@{$genefeatureshash->{'introndescs'}};
  if (@introns) {
    my $introncount = 0;
    foreach $range (@introns) {
      ($start,$end,$strand)=@{$range};
      $object=Bio::LiveSeq::Intron->new(-seq=>$dna,-start=>$start,-end=>$end,-strand=>$strand);
      if ($object != -1) {
	$object->desc($introndescs[$introncount]);
	$introncount++;
	push (@intronobjs,$object);
      } else {
	$introncount++;
      }
    }
    $gene{Introns}=\@intronobjs;
  }
  my @prim_transcripts=@{$genefeatureshash->{'prim_transcripts'}};
  if (@prim_transcripts) {
    foreach $range (@prim_transcripts) {
      ($start,$end,$strand)=@{$range};
      $object=Bio::LiveSeq::Prim_Transcript->new(-seq=>$dna,-start=>$start,-end=>$end,-strand=>$strand);
      if ($object != -1) { push (@primtranscriptobjs,$object); }
    }
    $gene{Prim_Transcripts}=\@primtranscriptobjs;
  }
  my @repeat_regions=@{$genefeatureshash->{'repeat_regions'}};
  my @repeat_regions_family=@{$genefeatureshash->{'repeat_regions_family'}};
  if (@repeat_regions) {
    my $k=0;
    foreach $range (@repeat_regions) {
      ($start,$end,$strand)=@{$range};
      $object=Bio::LiveSeq::Repeat_Region->new(-seq=>$dna,-start=>$start,-end=>$end,-strand=>$strand);
      if ($object != -1) {
	$object->desc($repeat_regions_family[$k]);
	$k++;
	push (@repeatregionobjs,$object);
      } else {
	$k++;
      }
    }
    $gene{Repeat_Regions}=\@repeatregionobjs;
  }
  my @repeat_units=@{$genefeatureshash->{'repeat_units'}};
  my @repeat_units_family=@{$genefeatureshash->{'repeat_units_family'}};
  if (@repeat_units) {
    my $k=0;
    foreach $range (@repeat_units) {
      ($start,$end,$strand)=@{$range};
      $object=Bio::LiveSeq::Repeat_Unit->new(-seq=>$dna,-start=>$start,-end=>$end,-strand=>$strand);
      if ($object != -1) {
	$object->desc($repeat_units_family[$k]);
	$k++;
	push (@repeatunitobjs,$object);
      } else {
	$k++;
      }
    }
    $gene{Repeat_Units}=\@repeatunitobjs;
  }

  # create the Gene
  my $gene_name=$genefeatureshash->{'gene_name'}; # either a name or a cdspos
  return (Bio::LiveSeq::Gene->new(-name=>$gene_name,-features=>\%gene,
                                  -upbound=>$min,-downbound=>$max));
}

# maybe this function will be moved to general utility package
# argument: array of numbers
# returns: (min,max) numbers in the array

  my ($self,$entry,$getswissprotinfo)=@_;
  my $i;
  my @transcripts;
  my $dna=Bio::LiveSeq::DNA->new(-seq => $entry->{'Sequence'} );
  $dna->alphabet(lc($entry->{'Molecule'}));
  $dna->display_id($entry->{'ID'});
  $dna->accession_number($entry->{'AccNumber'});
  $dna->desc($entry->{'Description'});
  my @cds=@{$entry->{'CDS'}};
  my ($swissacc,$swisshash); my @swisshashes;
  for $i (0..$#cds) {
    #my @transcript=@{$cds[$i]->{'range'}};
    #$transcript=\@transcript;
    #push (@transcripts,$transcript);
    push (@transcripts,$cds[$i]->{'range'});
    if ($getswissprotinfo) {
      $swissacc=$cds[$i]->{'qualifiers'}->{'db_xref'};
      $swisshash=$self->get_swisshash($swissacc);
      #$self->printswissprot($swisshash); # DEBUG
      push (@swisshashes,$swisshash);
    }
  }
  my @translations=($self->transexonscreation($dna,\@transcripts));
  my $translation; my $j=0;
  foreach $translation (@translations) {
    if ($swisshashes[$j]) { # if not 0
      $self->swisshash2liveseq($swisshashes[$j],$translation);
    }
    $j++;
  }
  return (@translations);
}

# only features pertaining to a specified gene are created
# only the sequence of the gene and appropriate context flanking regions
# are created as chain
# arguments: hashref, gene_name (OR: cds_position), length_of_flanking_sequences, getswissprotinfo boolean flag
# returns: reference to Gene object
#
# Note: if entry contains just one CDS, all the features get added
#       this is useful because often the features in these entries do not
#       carry the /gene qualifier
#
# errorcode: 0

  my ($self,$entry)=@_;
  unless ($entry) {
    $entry=$self->{'hash'};
  }
  my ($i,$featurename);
  printf "ID: %s\n",
      $entry->{'ID'};
  printf "ACC: %s\n",
      $entry->{'AccNumber'};
  printf "MOL: %s\n",
      $entry->{'Molecule'};
  printf "DIV: %s\n",
      $entry->{'Division'};
  printf "DES: %s\n",
      $entry->{'Description'};
  printf "ORG: %s\n",
      $entry->{'Organism'};
  printf "SEQLN: %s\n",
      $entry->{'SeqLength'};
  printf "SEQ: %s\n",
      substr($entry->{'Sequence'},0,64);
  my @features=@{$entry->{'Features'}};
  my @cds=@{$entry->{'CDS'}};
  print "\nFEATURES\nNumber of CDS: ",scalar(@cds)," (out of ",$entry->{'FeaturesNumber'}, " total features)\n";
  my ($exonref,$transcript);
  my ($qualifiernumber,$qualifiers,$key);
  my ($start,$end,$strand);
  my $j=0;
  for $i (0..$#features) {
    $featurename=$features[$i]->{'name'};
    if ($featurename eq "CDS") {
      print "|CDS| number $j at feature position: $i\n";
      #print $features[$i]->{'location'},"\n";
      $transcript=$features[$i]->{'range'};
      foreach $exonref (@{$transcript}) {
	($start,$end,$strand)=@{$exonref};
	print "\tExon: start $start end $end strand $strand\n";
      }
      $j++;
    } else {
      print "|$featurename| at feature position: $i\n";
      print "\trange: ";
      print join("\t",@{$features[$i]->{'range'}}),"\n";
      #print $features[$i]->{'location'},"\n";
    }
    $qualifiernumber=$features[$i]->{'qual_number'};
    $qualifiers=$features[$i]->{'qualifiers'}; # hash
    foreach $key (keys (%{$qualifiers})) {
    print "\t\t",$key,": ";
      print $qualifiers->{$key},"\n";
    }
  }

  my ($self,$entry)=@_;
  unless ($entry) {
    return;
  }
  printf "ID: %s\n",
      $entry->{'ID'};
  printf "ACC: %s\n",
      $entry->{'AccNumber'};
  printf "GENE: %s\n",
      $entry->{'Gene'};
  printf "DES: %s\n",
      $entry->{'Description'};
  printf "ORG: %s\n",
      $entry->{'Organism'};
  printf "SEQLN: %s\n",
      $entry->{'SeqLength'};
  printf "SEQ: %s\n",
      substr($entry->{'Sequence'},0,64);
  if ($entry->{'Features'}) {
    my @features=@{$entry->{'Features'}};
    my $i;
    for $i (0..$#features) {
      print "|",$features[$i]->{'name'},"|";
      print " at ",$features[$i]->{'location'},": ";
      print "",$features[$i]->{'desc'},"\n";
    }
  }

  my $self=shift;
  my @array=@_;
  #print "\n-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=array: @array\n";
  my ($max,$min,$element);
  $min=$max=shift(@array);
  foreach $element (@array) {
      $element = 0 unless defined $element;
    if ($element < $min) {
      $min=$element;
    }
    if ($element > $max) {
      $max=$element;
    }
  }
  #print "\n-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=min: $min\tmax: $max\n";
  return ($min,$max);
}


# argument: reference to DNA object, reference to array of transcripts
# returns: an array of Translation object references

  my ($self,$entry,$translation)=@_;
  my $translength=$translation->length;
  $translation->desc($translation->desc . $entry->{'Description'});
  $translation->display_id("SWISSPROT:" . $entry->{'ID'});
  $translation->accession_number("SWISSPROT:" . $entry->{'AccNumber'});
  $translation->name($entry->{'Gene'});
  $translation->source($entry->{'Organism'});
  my @aarangeobjects;
  my ($start,$end,$aarangeobj,$feature);
  my @features; my @newfeatures;
  if ($entry->{'Features'}) {
    @features=@{$entry->{'Features'}};
  }
  my $cleavedmet=0;
  # check for cleaved Met
  foreach $feature (@features) {
    if (($feature->{'name'} eq "INIT_MET")&&($feature->{'location'} eq "0 0")) {
      $cleavedmet=1;
      $translation->{'offset'}="1"; # from swissprot to liveseq protein sequence
    } else {
      push(@newfeatures,$feature);
    }
  }

  my $swissseq=$entry->{'Sequence'};
  my $liveseqtransl=$translation->seq;
  chop $liveseqtransl; # to take away the trailing STOP "*"
  my $translated=substr($liveseqtransl,$cleavedmet);

  my ($liveseq_aa,$swiss_aa,$codes_aa)=$self->_get_alignment($translated,$swissseq); # alignment after cleavage of possible initial met

  if ((index($liveseq_aa,"-") != -1)||(index($swiss_aa,"-") != -1)) { # there are gaps, how to proceed?
    print "LIVE-SEQ=\'$liveseq_aa\'\nIDENTITY=\'$codes_aa\'\nSWS-PROT=\'$swiss_aa\'\n";
    carp "Nucleotides translation and SwissProt translation are different in size, cannot attach the SwissSequence to the EMBL one, cannot add any AminoAcidRange object/Domain information!";
    return;
  }

  #my $i=0; # debug
  @features=@newfeatures;
  foreach $feature (@features) {
    #print "Processing SwissProtFeature: $i\n"; # debug
    ($start,$end)=split(/ /,$feature->{'location'});
    # Note: cleavedmet is taken in account for updating numbering
    $aarangeobj=Bio::LiveSeq::AARange->new(-start => $start+$cleavedmet, -end => $end+$cleavedmet, -name => $feature->{'name'}, -desc => $feature->{'desc'}, -translation => $translation, -translength => $translength);
    if ($aarangeobj != -1) {
      push(@aarangeobjects,$aarangeobj);
    }
    # $i++; # debug
  }
  $translation->{'aa_ranges'}=\@aarangeobjects;
}

# if there is no SRS support, the default will be to return 0
# i.e. this function is overridden in SRS package

  my ($self,$entry)=@_;
  my @features=@{$entry->{'Features'}};
  my @translationobjects=@{$_[1]};
  my ($i,$translation);
  my ($obj_transl,$hash_transl);
  my @cds=@{$entry->{'CDS'}};
  foreach $translation (@translationobjects) {
    $obj_transl=$translation->seq;
    $hash_transl=$cds[$i]->{'qualifiers'}->{'translation'};
    #before seq was changed in Translation 1.4# chop $obj_transl; # to remove trailing "*"
    unless ($obj_transl eq $hash_transl) {
      cluck "Serious error: Translation from the Entry does not match Translation from object's seq for CDS at position $i";
      carp "\nEntry's transl: ",$hash_transl,"\n";
      carp "\nObject's transl: ",$obj_transl,"\n";
      exit;
    }
    $i++;
  }
}

# argument: hashref containing the EMBL entry datas,
#           getswissprotinfo boolean flag
# creates the liveseq objects
# returns: an array of Translation object references

  my $self=shift;
  my $dna=$_[0];
  my @transcripts=@{$_[1]};

  my (@transexons,$start,$end,$strand,$exonref,$exonobj,$transcript,$transcriptobj);
  my $translationobj;
  my @translationobjects;
  foreach $transcript (@transcripts) {
    foreach $exonref (@{$transcript}) {
      ($start,$end,$strand)=@{$exonref};
      #print "Creating Exon: start $start end $end strand $strand\n";
      $exonobj=Bio::LiveSeq::Exon->new(-seq=>$dna,-start=>$start,-end=>$end,-strand=>$strand);
      #push (@exonobjects,$exonobj);
      push (@transexons,$exonobj);
    }
    $transcriptobj=Bio::LiveSeq::Transcript->new(-exons =>\@ transexons );
    if ($transcriptobj != -1) {
      $translationobj=Bio::LiveSeq::Translation->new(-transcript=>$transcriptobj);
      @transexons=(); # cleans it
      #push (@transcriptobjects,$transcriptobj);
      push (@translationobjects,$translationobj);
    }
  }
  return (@translationobjects);
}

#sub printgene {
# deleted. Some functionality placed in Gene->printfeaturesnum

     EMBL Outstation, European Bioinformatics Institute
     Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton
     Cambs. CB10 1SD, United Kingdom

  Title   : novelaasequence2gene
  Usage   : $gene=$loader->novelaasequence2gene(-aasequence => "MGLAAPTRS*");
          : $gene=$loader->novelaasequence2gene(-aasequence => "MGLAAPTRS*");
                                             -taxon => 9606,
                                             -gene_name => "tyr-kinase");

  Function: creates LiveSeq objects from a novel amino acid sequence,
            using codon usage database to choose codons according to
            relative frequencies.
            If a taxon ID is not specified, the default is to use the human
            one (taxonomy ID 9606).
  Returns : reference to a Gene object containing references to LiveSeq objects
  Errorcode 0
  Args    : string containing an amino acid sequence
            integer (optional) with a taxonomy ID
            string specifying a gene name