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3D Scene

The Scene widget provides the three-dimensional visualisation of the loaded molecules.
All activated Representations are shown here.




The Scene has two distinct modes:
  1. Rotate Mode (Hotkey CTRL-R)
  2. Picking Mode (Hotkey CTRL-P)
The user can switch between the two modes, either by selecting the according menu entries in the "Display" menu, or use of the hotkeys.

Rotate Mode

In the Rotate Mode, the user can zoom, rotate or translate the view by pressing the mouse buttons and moving the mouse:

Button Effect
Left Rotate left/right and up/down
Middle Zoom in and out
Right Translate up/down and left/right
Left + Right (first keep pressed one button, than additionaly the other) Rotate (counter) clockwise


For users with less then three mouse buttons exist special combinations, so that BALLView also works well with only one mouse button:
Mouse button + key pressed Effect
Left Rotate left/right and up/down
Left + Shift Zoom in and out
Left + Control Translate up/down and left/right
Left + Shift + Control Rotate (counter) clockwise

Picking Mode (Identifying parts of molecules)

The Picking Mode is designed to identify parts of molecules or to select them for special tasks. Once you entered the picking mode the cursor will change to a cross. Now you are able to select a single items. Multiple items are selected using a selection rectangle(hold left-mouse-button while moving the mouse over the area you want to select). Any selected objects become instantly colored (normally yellow, see image above). In the MolecularControl, the checkboxes for the entries of these items become checked. The user can also deselect picked objects by using the right button (or for users with only one mouse button, by using the left mouse button and the Shift-modifier).

Mouse button + key pressed Effect
Left Select geometric objects, e.g. for atoms
Right (or Left + Shift) Deselect geometric objects

Selection Color

The color for selected objects can be changed in the DisplayProperties dialog.

Background Color

The background color can be changed in the Preferences under the point "3D View"->"Common".

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