Instructions for Viewing Rasmol Lectures

Downloading -- Installing -- Configuring Your Browswer -- Manipulating 3D Structures

Downloading RasMol 2.6

Go to the Brookhaven National Lab's FTP site and get the software and help files.

Installing RasMol

  1. Uncompress the files into a directory/folder of your choice.
  2. In Windows you will need to make icons for the executable and the help files.
For further information see the "Official" Installation instructions.

Configuring Your Browser for RasMol Scripts

There are two ways to use Rasmol. It can read plain, unscripted Protein Data Bank files in the PDB format, or it can read "RasMol Scripted" PDB files. You must configure your browser correctly to read both types. The MIME type for PDB files is chemical/x-pdb and the MIME type for RasMol Scripts is application/x-rasmol.

The descriptions below discuss how to configure your browser to view these files. Just substitute the chemical/x-pdb MIME type for where appropriate (and follow additional instructions) to and an additional configuration to view the PDB type with RasMol

NOTE: RasMol Lecture use only the application/x-rasmol type. If you download the Chemscape Chime Plugin, you will NOT need the chemical/x-pdb configuration.


Using RasMol to View Molecules

Comprehensive RasMol instructions can be found at: http://www.umass.edu/microbio/rasmol/distrib/rasman.htm

As you go through these tutorials, you will look at a number of views of this molecule designed to highlight certain features. Feel free to experiment with the various menu options at any time.

As described in the table below, you can also use the mouse to translate, rotate, and zoom in and out on the molecule.



Action Macintosh PC
To rotate about the x-axis:Use the right scroll bar. Same
To rotate about the y-axis:Use the bottom scroll bar. Same
To rotate about the z-axis:While simultaneously holding down the command and shift keys, click and drag the mouse in the direction of the desired rotation. Hold down shift key, click and drag the right mouse in the direction of the desired rotation.
To translate:While holding down the option key, click and drag the mouse in the direction of the desired translation. Click and drag right mouse buttion in the direction of the desired rotation.
To zoom in and out:While holding down the shift key, click and drag the mouse up (to zoom out) or down (to zoom in). Same

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voh@chem.ucla.edu // Last revision: October 24, 1996