Loading custom gene annotation fails (Cannot determine file type)

[Jennifer Huellein]

Hi,

By default, IGV is loading the RefSeq Gene track and I can add additional gene tracks through File > Load from Server > Annotations > Genes > Ensembl Genes. However, when I try to load a file that I generated in the same format, I get the error message "Cannot determine file type" and the track is added in columns rather than rows. To investigate the problem, I downloaded the Ensembl gene track from https://s3.amazonaws.com/igv.org.genomes/hg19/ensGene.txt.gz, unzipped the file and made a copy (cp ensGene.txt testGene.txt). I can load the local file that I downloaded, but I still get the same error  for the renamed file. The log file doesn't display an error:

```

INFO [Apr 11,2024 16:27] [Main] Startup  IGV Version 2.12.3 03/04/2022 03:20 PM
INFO [Apr 11,2024 16:27] [Main] Java 11.0.13 (build 11.0.13+8) 2021-10-19
INFO [Apr 11,2024 16:27] [Main] Java Vendor: Eclipse Adoptium https://adoptium.net/
INFO [Apr 11,2024 16:27] [Main] JVM: OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM Temurin-11.0.13+8  
INFO [Apr 11,2024 16:27] [Main] OS: Mac OS X 14.2.1 x86_64
INFO [Apr 11,2024 16:27] [Main] IGV Directory: /Users/huellein/igv
INFO [Apr 11,2024 16:27] [CommandListener] Listening on port 60151
INFO [Apr 11,2024 16:27] [GenomeManager] Loading genome: igv/genomes/hg19.genome
INFO [Apr 11,2024 16:27] [TrackLoader] Loading resource:  Downloads/ensGene.txt
INFO [Apr 11,2024 16:27] [TrackLoader] Loading resource:  Downloads/testGene.txt

```

IGV version 2.12.3, MacOS Sonoma 14.2.1, Apple M1

Any idea why I can't load a file after renaming?

[igv-help]

See https://igv.org/doc/desktop/#FileFormats/DataTracks/#genepred.       Note for these UCSC table dump formats "IGV looks for specific string in the filename  (case insensitive) to identify the file format".

[igv-help]

Note if you get a page not found error when you click on the above link, paste the text into your browser address bar: https://igv.org/doc/desktop/#FileFormats/DataTracks/#genepred