[Chimera-users] Normal recalculation

[Greg Couch]

On Thu, 2 Jul 2009, Damien Larivière wrote:

> Dear Chimera team,
>
> I have open in Chimera a VRML file containing multiple copies of the FtsZ 
> protein.
>
> The VRML file does not contain the smooth groups so that, at display, 
> triangles appear at the surface of the proteins as shown in the attached 
> image.
>
> I would like to get the surface smooth but not by increasing the number of 
> triangles.
>
> Is there a way in Chimera to recalculate the normals as it can be done in 
> 3DSMax for instance?
>
> My best regards,
>
> Damien

Chimera does not have a way to override the normal information given in a 
VRML file.  But if you edit the VRML file and remove the surface normals, 
then when chimera reads in the VRML file, it will calculate the normals to 
give a smooth appearance (depending on the crease angle -- see 
<http://www.web3d.org/x3d/specifications/vrml/ISO-IEC-14772-VRML97/> 
section 4.6.3.5).

 	Good luck,

 	Greg