BALLView 1.3 Documentation

BALLView is a free molecular modeling and molecular graphics tool. It provides fast OpenGL-based visualization of molecular structures, molecular mechanics methods (minimization, MD simulation using the AMBER, CHARMM, and MMFF94 force fields), molecular editing, as well as calculation and visualization of electrostatic properties (FDPB).

• 3D view
• Structures
• Representations
• Logs
• Datasets
• Python interpreter
• Model properties

• obtain help in BALLView
• cite BALL and BALLView


• identify a specific part of a molecule in the 3D view
• find an atom in the 3D view
• select atoms through expressions
• create a Representation for selected items
• identify the type and order of a bond
• measure distances and angles between atoms
• count atoms and bonds in molecules, chains, residues, ...
• merge systems, e.g. from two distinct PDB files
• remove unwanted parts of molecules
• move atoms
• create and edit molecules
• use molecular mechanics features
• handle force field problems


• change the background color of the 3D view
• setup light sources
• use clipping planes
• color surfaces
• calculate potential fields
• visualize data grids e.g. for potenial fields
• create isocontour surfaces
• use distance grids
• visualize trajectories
• visualize hydrogen bonds


• write Python scripts for BALLView
• use completion and context sensitive help in Python
• setup a Python startup script
• run user-defined scripts through hotkeys


• use the POVRAY export
• Data provision for 3D printing
• VRML exports
• stl exports
• create animations
• create movies from pictures
• view molecules in stereo

• General tips
• Hotkeys
• Changes from previous versions