Making Images

Images can be saved using File... Save in the menu, the save command, or the “camera” Toolbar icon:

Below are some of the commands likely to be used for creating images. For example images and scripts, see the ChimeraX feature highlights and example images.

See also: making movies, color specification, color schemes, palettes, Presets menu, Toolbar

• 2dlabels – add text, symbols, and straight arrows to the display for presentation images and movies
• align – superimpose sets of atoms
• camera – set mono or stereo viewing and related parameters
• cartoon or ribbon – create cartoons, adjust parameters and styles
• clip – control clipping planes
• color, rainbow – color atoms/bonds, cartoons, molecular surfaces
• coulombic – calculate Coulombic electrostatic potential (ESP), color surfaces
• distance – monitor atom-atom distances
• graphics – set background color, triangulation fineness, frame rate, outline appearance, etc.
• hbonds – identify hydrogen bonds
• Color Key tool, key command – draw a color key
• label – label atoms, residues, bonds, pseudobonds
• lighting – report or adjust lights and shadows
• matchmaker or mmaker – superimpose proteins or nucleic acids, guided by sequence alignment
• material – report or adjust material properties for light reflection and shadowing
• mlp – calculate molecular lipophilicity potential (MLP) for proteins, color surfaces
• move – translate models
• nucleotides – show special representations of nucleic acids
• preset – apply a predefined combination of display settings
• save – save image, session, map, or coordinates to a file
• Scale Bar tool, scalebar command – draw a scale bar
• set – set background color, subdivision level
• show, hide – show/hide atoms, bonds, cartoons, models
• size – set atom radii and stick thickness
• style – set display style of atoms, bonds, and pseudobonds
• surface – create and show/hide molecular surfaces
• Surface Color – color surfaces by map value or distance (e.g., radial coloring)
• transparency – adjust transparency of atoms/bonds, cartoons, molecular surfaces
• view – adjust the view to specified items; save/restore named views
• volume – display and processing of volume data (density maps, etc.)
• windowsize – set pixel width and height of the graphics window
• zoom – change the apparent size of the view