Elaine, I picked up this thread off the web archives. I've just implemented reading SMILES into Jmol ( http://chemapps.stolaf.edu/jmol/docs/examples-11/new.htm), but I'm pretty dissatisfied with that IU service. Do you know what they are really doing for that? For example, in that one you have there, *C\C=C/C=C/CCCCCCCCCO I note that **C\C=C/C=C\CCCCCCCCCO * gives the same result. Far as I can tell they require C\C=C//C=C\CCCCCCCCCO which as far as I can tell is invalid SMILES. At least, Daylight's DEPICT thinks it is invalid. It has also made several mistakes with relatively simple stereochemistry that I have tried. Is this your experience as well? Bob Hanson principal developer, Jmol -- Robert M. Hanson Professor of Chemistry St. Olaf College 1520 St. Olaf Ave. Northfield, MN 55057 http://www.stolaf.edu/people/hansonr phone: 507-786-3107 If nature does not answer first what we want, it is better to take what answer we get. -- Josiah Willard Gibbs, Lecture XXX, Monday, February 5, 1900