[Chimera-users] Chimera export to VRML?

[Thomas Goddard]

Hi Morgan,

  We hope to have a snapshot Chimera release later this week.  I'll try
to get VRML output of multi-scale and msms surfaces in that release.
Snapshot releases aren't as well tested as production releases, but are
intended for trying out new features like this.

	 Tom

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> From: Morgan Ryan <mryan1 at nc.rr.com>
> Subject: Re: [Chimera-users] Chimera export to VRML?
> Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 14:35:27 -0500
> 
> Thanks, Thomas. (Am I broadcasting to the list? I'm not sure if I'm 
> talking to a list or just you and Eric Petterson...)
> 
> >  For a large structure like a
> > ribosome the VRML file ...might have a million triangles, and the file 
> > will
> > at least be 30 megabytes.
> 
> The 3D programs I use have fairly refined mesh management tools for 
> reducing complexity selectively, although being able to choose the mesh 
> density directly through MSMS would be pleasing.
> 
> > You can choose the resolution of the multi-scale surfaces.  We don't
> > currently have VRML output for the multi-scale surfaces but that
> > could be added fairly easily.  I could look into that.
> 
> The advantage of VRML output (or 3dmf, or dxf, or some other 
> interchange format) is that you could open the model in Maya, Studio 
> Max, Strata, Cinema 4D, any of the 3D animation programs, and make 
> startling movies wiith Hollywood special effects--light sabers! 
> Atomic-resolution recreations of enzyme reaction mechanisms! (The 
> latter is what I'm working on...)
> 
> It would be a wonderful extension of Chimera if VRML output were added. 
> Morgan