1ab91a0f05415ebbd3811e9723c13536bd9627bb mspeir Sat Jul 18 09:12:39 2026 -0700 changes to autoSql page based on Automated CR, refs #37852 diff --git docs/file-formats/autoSql.md docs/file-formats/autoSql.md index 041fbd5b05d..f0dc32c97fd 100644 --- docs/file-formats/autoSql.md +++ docs/file-formats/autoSql.md @@ -1,29 +1,28 @@ --- title: "AutoSql Format Specification" --- AutoSql is a small specification language used throughout the UCSC Genome Browser to describe the columns of a table or the fields of an annotation file. A single AutoSql file (conventionally given the `.as` extension) defines the name, type, and a human-readable description of each -field. In particular, they are used to add extra fields to a +field. In particular, these files are used to add extra fields to a [bigBed](/goldenPath/help/bigBed.html) or [bigGenePred](/goldenPath/help/bigGenePred.html) track: `bedToBigBed` reads the `.as` file (via its `-as=` option) to learn the names and types of the fields beyond the standard BED columns, and the Genome Browser uses those descriptions to label -values on item detail pages and in filter menus. This page is aimed at track creators and -hub developers make use of autoSql's more advanced features. - +values on item detail pages and in filter menus. This page aims to help track creators and +hub developers make use of AutoSql's more advanced features. ## A simple example Let's start with a basic [BED format](/FAQ/FAQformat.html#format1) example. A 6-column BED record stores a position (chromosome, start, end), a name, a score, and a strand. Its AutoSql specification looks like this: ``` table bed6 "Browser Extensible Data, 6-column variant" ( string chrom; "Reference sequence chromosome or scaffold" uint chromStart; "Start position in chromosome" uint chromEnd; "End position in chromosome" string name; "Name of item"