diff --git a/src_js/events.js b/src_js/events.js
index 99d19d5..ba805b4 100755
--- a/src_js/events.js
+++ b/src_js/events.js
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ function register_events(){
 
     $('#visualize, #xrpdize').click(function(){
         close_vibox();
-        launch_iframed_app(this.getAttribute('data-rank'));
+        launch_db_iframed(this.getAttribute('data-rank'));
     });
 
     $('#absolidize').click(function(){
@@ -484,6 +484,14 @@ function register_events(){
         $('#inquirybox').hide();
     });
 
+    $('#close_tr_dialogue').click(function(){
+        var value = $("input[name=engines]:checked").val();
+        wmgui.engines = (value == 'a') ? value : 'b';
+        window.localStorage.setItem(wmgui.store_engines_key, wmgui.engines);
+        if (wmgui.visavis_working) start_visavis(wmgui.visavis_curtype);
+        $('#engines_box, #overlay').hide();
+    });
+
     $('#close_ss_dialogue').click(function(){
         var x_sort = $('#ss_x > ul > li.ss_x').attr('rel').split('_')[1],
             y_sort = $('#ss_y > ul > li.ss_y').attr('rel').split('_')[1],
@@ -1290,6 +1298,9 @@ function register_events(){
         }
         that.remove();
     });
+    $('#toggle_engines').click(function(){
+        $('#engines_box, #overlay').show();
+    });
     $('#ss_gear_matrix, #ss_gear_cube').click(function(){
         var domain = $(this).attr('id').substr(8); // ss_gear_
         if (domain == 'matrix'){
diff --git a/src_js/main_logic.js b/src_js/main_logic.js
index 2ef5ed0..3e5777f 100755
--- a/src_js/main_logic.js
+++ b/src_js/main_logic.js
@@ -328,9 +328,9 @@ function request_search(search, caption, without_history){
                 show_examples('#examples', true, true);
             }
 
-            if (search.entry && (search.entry.substr(0, 1) == 'S' || search.entry.substr(0, 1) == 'C') && search.entry.indexOf('-') == -1){
-                // TODO add also 'P' for plottable entries
+            if (search.entry){
                 var that = $('#e__' + search.entry);
+                if (search.entry.indexOf('-') == -1 && !that.length) that = $('#e__' + search.entry + '-1');
                 if (that.length && that.attr('data-rank') != 0){ // NB "!=", not "!=="
                     that.removeClass('busy_entry');
                     open_context(that, true);
@@ -765,7 +765,7 @@ function open_context(el, launch_ext){
 
         $('#ctx_col').show();
         $('#visualize').attr('data-rank', rank);
-        $('#xrpdize').attr('data-rank', 99);
+        $('#xrpdize').attr('data-rank', 99); // FIXME hack
         $('#visualize, #xrpdize, #absolidize, div.spinoff_pane, li.d_icon').hide();
 
         open_sim_col(entry, entype, rank);
@@ -820,7 +820,7 @@ function open_context(el, launch_ext){
 
         (wmgui.mydata_history.indexOf(entry) == -1) ? $('#absolidize').addClass('wmbutton') : $('#absolidize').removeClass('wmbutton');
 
-        if (launch_ext) launch_iframed_app(rank);
+        if (launch_ext) launch_db_iframed(rank);
     }
 }
 
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ function close_vibox(){
     return false;
 }
 
-function launch_iframed_app(rank){
+function launch_db_iframed(rank){
     var that = $('.busy_entry');
     if (!that.length) return;
 
@@ -947,28 +947,34 @@ function launch_iframed_app(rank){
         iframe_height;
 
     if (entype == 'S'){
-        if (rank == 99) {
-            iframe_src = wmgui.v_xrpd_addr + entry, iframe_height = 550;
+        if (rank == 99){
+            iframe_src = wmgui.engines_addrs[wmgui.engines]['visavis'] + wmgui.path_s_xrpd + entry, iframe_height = 550;
 
         } else
-            iframe_src = wmgui.v_player_addr + entry, iframe_height = 650;
+            iframe_src = wmgui.engines_addrs[wmgui.engines]['cifplayer'] + wmgui.path_s_entry + entry, iframe_height = 650;
 
     } else if (entype == 'P'){
-        if (rank == 10)
+        if (rank == 4 || rank == 9)
+            iframe_src = wmgui.engines_addrs[wmgui.engines]['visavis'] + wmgui.path_sd_plot + entry, iframe_height = 550;
+
+        else if (rank == 10)
             iframe_src = wmgui.v_ab_vis_addr + entry, iframe_height = 600;
-        else
-            iframe_src = wmgui.v_sd_addr + entry, iframe_height = 550;
+
+        else return;
 
     } else {
         if (rank == 12){
             var triple = wmgui.thumbed_display ? $('div.busy_entry > div.gallery_img > p').text() : $('tr.busy_entry > td.c1').text().split(' ')[0];
             iframe_src = wmgui.v_pd_3d_addr + triple, iframe_height = 550;
 
-        } else
-            iframe_src = (wmgui.sid ? wmgui.v_pd_addr : wmgui.v_pd_addr_anon) + entry, iframe_height = 600;
+        } else if (rank == 6)
+            iframe_src = (wmgui.sid ? wmgui.v_pd_user_addr : wmgui.engines_addrs[wmgui.engines]['visavis'] + wmgui.path_c_entry) + entry, iframe_height = 600;
+
+        else return;
 
         if (entry.startswith('C3') || entry.startswith('C4'))
             wmgui.notify('This entry is now in preparation');
+
         else if (wmgui.entries_messages[entry])
             wmgui.notify(wmgui.entries_messages[entry]);
     }
@@ -1008,7 +1014,6 @@ function start_visavis(plot_type){
 
     wmgui.search_type = 0;
     wmgui.visavis_working = true;
-    wmgui.visavis_starting = false;
 
     var cur_obj = {total_count: 1};
     $.extend(cur_obj, wmgui.search);
@@ -1106,11 +1111,11 @@ function stop_visavis(){
 
 function get_visavis_url(request, type, height){
     if (wmgui.visavis_curtype == 'pie' && !type)
-        return wmgui.v_vis_addr + '#' + wmgui.rfn_endpoint + '?q=' + escape(JSON.stringify(request));
+        return wmgui.engines_addrs[wmgui.engines]['visavis'] + '#' + wmgui.rfn_endpoint + '?q=' + escape(JSON.stringify(request));
 
     var height_str = height ? ('&visavis_height=' + height) : '';
 
-    return wmgui.v_vis_addr + '#' + wmgui.vis_endpoint + '/' + (type || wmgui.visavis_curtype) + '?q=' + escape(JSON.stringify(request)) + height_str;
+    return wmgui.engines_addrs[wmgui.engines]['visavis'] + '#' + wmgui.vis_endpoint + '/' + (type || wmgui.visavis_curtype) + '?q=' + escape(JSON.stringify(request)) + height_str;
 }
 
 function describe_perms(perms){
@@ -1445,10 +1450,10 @@ function update_dc(){
 
     var count = 0,
         cur_str = JSON.stringify(orepr),
-        cmp_html = '<option value="X" selected>Last search...</option>';
+        cmp_html = '<option value="X" selected>To last searches...</option>';
 
     $.each(JSON.parse(window.localStorage.getItem(wmgui.store_history_key) || '[]'), function(n, past){
-        if (count > 5) return false;
+        if (count > 6) return false;
 
         var title = [],
             past_str = JSON.stringify(past);
@@ -1459,7 +1464,8 @@ function update_dc(){
         cmp_html += '<option value="' + escape(past_str) + '">' + title + '</option>';
         count++;
     });
-    cmp_html += '<option value="Y">No comparison</option><option value="Z">Multiple comparison</option>';
+    cmp_html += '<option value="Y">No comparison</option>';
+    if (wmgui.engines == 'a') cmp_html += '<option value="Z">Multiple comparison</option>';
     $('#select_cmp_trigger').empty().append(cmp_html);
 }
 
@@ -1519,7 +1525,7 @@ function show_dunit_info(phid, bid, entry){
 
             var html = '<h4>' + data.out.formula_html.split(' ')[0] + ' ' + (data.out.spg || '?') + ' ' + (data.out.pearson || '&mdash;') + '</h4><p>This phase was reported in ' + data.out.articles_count + ' article' + (data.out.articles_count > 1 ? 's' : '')  + '.';
             if (data.out.sim_count > 1) html += ' There are <a href="#interlinkage/' + phid + '">' + data.out.sim_count + ' structurally similar phases</a> from other articles.';
-            html += '</p>'
+            html += '</p>';
             $('#phase_info').html(html);
 
         }).fail(function(xhr, textStatus, errorThrown){
diff --git a/src_js/markup.js b/src_js/markup.js
index d86099c..eab8974 100755
--- a/src_js/markup.js
+++ b/src_js/markup.js
@@ -293,10 +293,10 @@ function register_html(){
 <div id="ptable_dtypes_box">
     <span><span>&#9432;</span> Show chemical elements as: </span>
     <div>
-        <input type="radio" name="ptable_dtypes" id="ptable_dtypes_1" value="1" checked><label for="ptable_dtypes_1"> phase diagrams</label><br />
-        <input type="radio" name="ptable_dtypes" id="ptable_dtypes_2" value="2"><label for="ptable_dtypes_2"> crystal structure counts</label><br />
-        <input type="radio" name="ptable_dtypes" id="ptable_dtypes_3" value="3"><label for="ptable_dtypes_3"> physical property counts</label><br />
-        <input type="radio" name="ptable_dtypes" id="ptable_dtypes_0" value="0"><label for="ptable_dtypes_0"> empty table</label>
+        <input type="radio" name="ptable_dtypes" id="ptable_dtypes_1" value="1" checked /><label for="ptable_dtypes_1"> phase diagrams</label><br />
+        <input type="radio" name="ptable_dtypes" id="ptable_dtypes_2" value="2" /><label for="ptable_dtypes_2"> crystal structure counts</label><br />
+        <input type="radio" name="ptable_dtypes" id="ptable_dtypes_3" value="3" /><label for="ptable_dtypes_3"> physical property counts</label><br />
+        <input type="radio" name="ptable_dtypes" id="ptable_dtypes_0" value="0" /><label for="ptable_dtypes_0"> empty table</label>
     </div>
 </div>
 
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ function register_html(){
 
 <!-- RIGHT MAIN COLUMN -->
 <div id="right_col" class="side_cols">
-    <div class="col_title">View</div>
+    <div class="col_title">View <div id="toggle_engines" class="gear"></div></div>
 
     <div class="controlswitch">
         <div id="control_a">entries</div><div id="control_b">phases</div><div id="control_f">articles</div>
@@ -780,7 +780,7 @@ function register_html(){
 </div>
 
 <!-- PLOTS EMBED -->
-<div id="visavis"><iframe id="visavis_iframe" frameborder=0 scrolling="no" width="100%" height="100%" src="/visavis/"></iframe></div><!-- NB relative URL -->
+<div id="visavis"><iframe id="visavis_iframe" frameborder=0 scrolling="no" width="100%" height="100%"></iframe></div>
 
 <!-- DISCOVERY SETTINGS MODAL -->
 <div id="discovery_custom_box" class="modal user_dialogue">
@@ -814,6 +814,15 @@ function register_html(){
     <div id="sops_z" class="sops_col"><ul><li>none</li><li>sum</li><li>diff</li><li>product</li><li>ratio</li><li>max</li><li>min</li></ul></div>
 </div>
 
+<!-- RENDERING SETTINGS MODAL -->
+<div id="engines_box" class="modal user_dialogue">
+    <div id="close_tr_dialogue" class="cross"></div>
+    <div style="clear:both;width:100%;"></div>
+    <h3>Plotting and visualization engines</h3>
+    <input type="radio" name="engines" id="engines_a" value="a" style="height:16px;width:16px;" checked /><label for="engines_a"> use old</label>&nbsp;
+    <input type="radio" name="engines" id="engines_b" value="b" style="height:16px;width:16px;" /><label for="engines_b"> use new experimental</label>
+</div>
+
 <!-- HELP BOXES -->
 <div id="tooltip" class="modal"><div></div></div>
 
diff --git a/src_js/ptable.js b/src_js/ptable.js
index 940c82f..f911b8e 100644
--- a/src_js/ptable.js
+++ b/src_js/ptable.js
@@ -130,11 +130,11 @@ function refresh_ptable_results(elA, elB, elC){
         if (els.length == 1){
 
             if (wmgui.ptable.dtypes == 2){
-                iframe_addr = wmgui.v_player_addr_tpl;
+                iframe_addr = wmgui.engines_addrs[wmgui.engines]['cifplayer'];
                 wmgui.ptable.vis_fixed = true;
 
             } else if (wmgui.ptable.dtypes == 3){
-                iframe_addr = wmgui.v_vis_addr;
+                iframe_addr = wmgui.engines_addrs[wmgui.engines]['visavis'];
                 wmgui.ptable.vis_fixed = true;
 
             } else
@@ -148,11 +148,11 @@ function refresh_ptable_results(elA, elB, elC){
                 ajax_download(null, wmgui.search_endpoint + '?q=' + JSON.stringify(query_pds), render_right);
 
             } else if (wmgui.ptable.dtypes == 2){
-                iframe_addr = wmgui.v_player_addr_tpl;
+                iframe_addr = wmgui.engines_addrs[wmgui.engines]['cifplayer'];
                 wmgui.ptable.vis_fixed = true;
 
             } else if (wmgui.ptable.dtypes == 3){
-                iframe_addr = wmgui.v_vis_addr;
+                iframe_addr = wmgui.engines_addrs[wmgui.engines]['visavis'];
                 wmgui.ptable.vis_fixed = true;
 
             } else
@@ -167,10 +167,10 @@ function refresh_ptable_results(elA, elB, elC){
                 iframe_addr = wmgui.v_pd_3d_addr + els.join('-');
 
             } else if (wmgui.ptable.dtypes == 2){
-                iframe_addr = wmgui.v_player_addr_tpl;
+                iframe_addr = wmgui.engines_addrs[wmgui.engines]['cifplayer'];
 
             } else if (wmgui.ptable.dtypes == 3){
-                iframe_addr = wmgui.v_vis_addr;
+                iframe_addr = wmgui.engines_addrs[wmgui.engines]['visavis'];
 
             } else
                 document.getElementById('ptable_vis').innerHTML = '';
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ function render_left(data){
     if (data.out.length < 10) wmgui.ptable.vis_fixed = false; // prevent screen jumping
 
     if (wmgui.ptable.dtypes == 2){
-        const els = document.querySelectorAll('#ptable_results div.gallery_img');
+        const els = document.querySelectorAll('#ptable_results div.gallery_img.renderable');
         if (els.length){
             const rnd_i = Math.floor(Math.random() * els.length);
             els[rnd_i].parentNode.classList.add('active');
@@ -225,12 +225,12 @@ function render_left(data){
                 target_addr = '#' + wmgui.phase_endpoint + '?phid=' + phid + '&struct=1';
 
             if (target) target.contentWindow.location.hash = target_addr;
-            else document.getElementById('ptable_vis').innerHTML = '<iframe frameborder=0 scrolling="no" width="100%" height="850" src="' + wmgui.v_player_addr_tpl + target_addr + '"></iframe>';
+            else document.getElementById('ptable_vis').innerHTML = '<iframe frameborder=0 scrolling="no" width="100%" height="850" src="' + wmgui.engines_addrs[wmgui.engines]['cifplayer'] + target_addr + '"></iframe>';
 
         } else document.getElementById('ptable_vis').innerHTML = '';
 
     } else if (wmgui.ptable.dtypes == 3){
-        const els = document.querySelectorAll('#ptable_results div.gallery_img');
+        const els = document.querySelectorAll('#ptable_results div.gallery_img.renderable');
         if (els.length){
             const rnd_i = Math.floor(Math.random() * els.length);
             els[rnd_i].parentNode.classList.add('active');
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ function build_thumbs_ph(json){ // FIXME duplicates another function *build_thum
 
     json.forEach(function(row){
         result_html += '<div class="gallery_item">';
-        result_html += '  <div class="gallery_img" rel="' + row[0] + '" style="background-image:url(https://mpds.io/phid_thumbs/' + row[0] + '.png);"><span><p>' + row[1] + '<br />space group ' + row[2] + '</p></span></div>';
+        result_html += '  <div class="gallery_img' + (row[2] !== '&mdash;' ? ' renderable' : '') + '" rel="' + row[0] + '" style="background-image:url(https://mpds.io/phid_thumbs/' + row[0] + '.png);"><span><p>' + row[1] + '<br />space group ' + row[2] + '</p></span></div>';
         result_html += '  <div class="gallery_label"><a class="launch_id" href="#phase_id/' + row[0] + '">Show ' + row[3] + (row[3] == 1 ? ' entry' : ' entries') + '</a><br />Publications: ' + row[4] + '</div>';
         result_html += '</div>';
     });
diff --git a/src_js/router.js b/src_js/router.js
index 15e77e5..5178e8e 100755
--- a/src_js/router.js
+++ b/src_js/router.js
@@ -106,11 +106,9 @@ function url__plot(arg){
     //if (wmgui.view_mode == 1)
     switch_view_mode(2);
 
-    if (wmgui.visavis_ready)
+    setTimeout(function(){
         start_visavis(plot_type);
-
-    else
-        wmgui.visavis_starting = true;
+    }, 0);
 
     if (wmgui.tooltip_counter < 2 && (plot_type == 'matrix' || plot_type == 'cube')){
         setTimeout(function(){ show_tooltip(wmgui.tooltips['ss_axes'], true) }, 4000);
diff --git a/src_js/startup.js b/src_js/startup.js
index 54943a8..74073e7 100755
--- a/src_js/startup.js
+++ b/src_js/startup.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ function satisfy_requirements(){
     $.each(JSON.parse(window.localStorage.getItem(wmgui.store_history_key) || '[]'), function(n, past){
         wmgui.tooltip_counter++;
 
-        if (n > 7)
+        if (n > 5)
             return false;
 
         var title = [],
@@ -378,6 +378,10 @@ function satisfy_requirements(){
         wmgui._selectize_display(wmgui.multiselects['main'], facet, term);
     }
 
+    wmgui.engines = window.localStorage.getItem(wmgui.store_engines_key) || 'a';
+    $('#engines_a').prop('checked', wmgui.engines == 'a');
+    $('#engines_b').prop('checked', wmgui.engines == 'b');
+
     //create_floating_slider('density', 42, 'Mg/m<sup>3</sup>', 10, 900, 10);
     // EOF satisfy_requirements
 }
diff --git a/src_js/wmsettings.js b/src_js/wmsettings.js
index 28c8bca..64ad168 100755
--- a/src_js/wmsettings.js
+++ b/src_js/wmsettings.js
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ wmgui.visavis_curtype = 'pie'; // pie, graph, discovery, matrix, cube, qproj, li
 wmgui.visavis_ready = false;
 wmgui.visavis_working = false;
 wmgui.visavis_terminating = false;
-wmgui.visavis_starting = false;
+wmgui.visavis_starting = false; // only used by an old engine, to delete TODO
 
 wmgui.numerics = {
     // first 8 are *pseudo_numerics*, client_prop_id > 5000
@@ -140,16 +140,26 @@ wmgui.mydata_endpoint =   wmgui.api_host + '/extension/mydata';
 wmgui.dd_addr_tpl =       wmgui.api_host + '/download';
 wmgui.mydata_addr =       wmgui.prod ? 'https://absolidix.com' : 'http://localhost:5000';
 
-// below are resources used in the *iframe*
-wmgui.v_player_addr_tpl = '/crystvis/player.html';
-wmgui.v_player_addr =     wmgui.v_player_addr_tpl + '#' +              wmgui.api_host + '/download/s?fmt=cif&q=';
-wmgui.v_pd_addr =         wmgui.static_host + '/pd_stub.html#' +       wmgui.api_host + '/download/c?fmt=png&q=';
-wmgui.v_pd_addr_anon =    wmgui.static_host + '/visavis/?290623#' +    wmgui.api_host + '/download/c?fmt=json&q=';
-wmgui.v_sd_addr =         wmgui.static_host + '/visavis/?290623#' +    wmgui.api_host + '/download/p?fmt=json&q=';
-wmgui.v_xrpd_addr =       wmgui.static_host + '/visavis/?290623#' +    wmgui.api_host + '/download/s?fmt=xrpd&q=';
-wmgui.v_vis_addr =        wmgui.static_host + '/visavis/?nobanner&290623';
+wmgui.path_c_entry = '#' + wmgui.api_host + '/download/c?fmt=json&q='
+wmgui.path_s_entry = '#' + wmgui.api_host + '/download/s?fmt=cif&q=';
+wmgui.path_s_xrpd = '#' + wmgui.api_host + '/download/s?fmt=xrpd&q=';
+wmgui.path_sd_plot = '#' + wmgui.api_host + '/download/p?fmt=json&q=';
+
+wmgui.engines = 'a'; // a or b
+wmgui.engines_addrs = {
+    'a': {
+        'cifplayer': '/crystvis/player.html',
+        'visavis': '/visavis/?nobanner'
+    },
+    'b': {
+        'cifplayer': 'webassets/iframe_cifplayer.html',
+        'visavis': 'webassets/iframe_visavis.html'
+    }
+}
+
+wmgui.v_pd_user_addr =    wmgui.static_host + '/pd_stub.html#' + wmgui.api_host + '/download/c?fmt=png&q=';
 wmgui.v_ab_vis_addr =     wmgui.static_host + '/labs/view-phonons/#' + wmgui.api_host + '/download/p?fmt=json&q=';
-wmgui.v_pd_3d_addr =      wmgui.gui_host + '/labs/pd3d/?'; // FIXME will not work for pure Ermac
+wmgui.v_pd_3d_addr =      'labs/pd3d/?';
 
 // below are remote files commonly used
 wmgui.client_data_addr =  wmgui.static_host + '/wmdata.json?220923';
@@ -374,6 +384,7 @@ wmgui.store_mydata_key = 'absolidix_v1';
 wmgui.store_oauth_email_key = 'wm_u_email';
 wmgui.store_comm_exec_key = 'wm_reload_v1';
 wmgui.store_redir_key = 'wm_redir_v1';
+wmgui.store_engines_key = 'wm_engines_v0';
 
 wmgui.tooltips = {
     //'advsearch': {el: 'advsearch_init_trigger', oleft: -90, otop: 60, view_mode: 1, text: 'Use the &#9776; button for the detailed search by 15+ categories.<br /><span rel="userbox">Next</span>'},
diff --git a/webassets/ermac.css b/webassets/ermac.css
index 577a3b3..3b1cb32 100755
--- a/webassets/ermac.css
+++ b/webassets/ermac.css
@@ -414,12 +414,14 @@ label{font-size:0.95em;line-height:30px;cursor:pointer;}
 
 #ss_custom_box{display:none;z-index:198;top:4%;margin-left:-305px;width:560px;height:auto;padding:25px;text-align:center;background:#fff;overflow:visible;}
 div.ss_col, div.sops_col{float:left;}
+div.ss_col > ul, div.sops_col > ul{margin:0;padding:0;}
 div.ss_col > ul > li, div.sops_col > ul > li{display:block;list-style:none;user-select:none;text-align:center;color:#fff;background:#bfbfbf;line-height:27px;border-radius:4px;cursor:pointer;margin:8px 4px;}
 div.ss_col > ul > li.ss_x, div.sops_col > ul > li.sops_x, #ss_x > ul > li:hover, #sops_x > ul > li:hover{background:#FE9A2E;}
 div.ss_col > ul > li.ss_y, div.sops_col > ul > li.sops_y, #ss_y > ul > li:hover, #sops_y > ul > li:hover{background:#E36868;}
 div.ss_col > ul > li.ss_z, div.sops_col > ul > li.sops_z, #ss_z > ul > li:hover, #sops_z > ul > li:hover{background:#3e3f95;}
 div.sops_col{letter-spacing:1px;}
 #all_polyhedra_box{display:none;position:absolute !important;z-index:103;top:4%;margin-left:-49%;margin-bottom:100px;width:98%;height:auto;background:#fff url(wm_logo_opt.png) 28% 3em no-repeat;background-size:3%;}
+#engines_box{display:none;z-index:198;top:30%;margin-left:-250px;width:450px;height:auto;padding:25px;text-align:center;background:#fff;padding-bottom:3em;}
 
 #tooltip{display:none;position:fixed;z-index:202;width:200px;height:auto;text-align:center;background:#ebffd6;padding:15px 10px;border-right:1px solid #ddd;border-bottom:1px solid #ddd;}
 #tooltip > div{position:relative;width:100%;height:100%;font-size:1em;line-height:2em;}