Importing Images from other programs?????

An easier way to group several objects it to select the first object (left click) click the andquot;group objectsandquot; button (vertical row of icons on right – 8th up – looks like 2 squares, one over the other and 4 dots) and then click the next object (these are now both selected) then click andquot;object groupandquot; icon, left click next object, etc,…..

to make sure you have them all right click the group and then select visible – all the group should now be invisible – any bits left over are not in the group (left click the visible icon at the top of the screen to show all – this is the one with the drop down arrow to select smooth,wireframe,etc)

you don’t have to group them together – you could combine,merge etc – these are the icons below the andquot;group objects iconandquot; – but I would stick to group for now…..

You will still have to do this for each object (40 X) – but it is a bit quicker then using the Hierarchy Panel (I think)

Maybe to improve the frame rate after all the andquot;parts are oneandquot; – don’t use solid outline or flat wirefram – thes do slow 3dc dow (I think it has to draw each frame twice..?)

So I’m using a molecular modelling program called HyperChem. andnbsp;I want to take individual conformations and import them into 3DC and animate a presentation about the important points of the molecule (blah blah blah).. it says it can save the molecule in these file formats:

HyperChem (*.HIN)
Brookenhaven PDB (*.ENT)
ISIS Sketch (*.SKC)
Cartesian (*.XYZ)
HCData (*HDF)
MDL MOL (*.MOL)
MOPAC Z-Matrix (*.ZMT)
Tripos MOL2 (*.ML2)
ChemDraw CHM (*.CHM)
HTML (*.HTM)

perhaps I can copy to another program that can save it as an object? andnbsp;Any ideas folks?

RawlinsCross,
None of 3DC’ import file types match anything in your list so, your best bet might be to try and locate a conversion tool/program that would convert one of your programs file types over to one of the file types that 3DC can import.
The only other way I know is to create the model of what you want right in 3DC, from scratch.

Les

the only one I’ve seen before is html – I guess if you output to this you get pictures ? (ok – I know nothing about chemistry – vague memories of singed hair and funny smells from many, many years ago (and andnbsp;as I now don’t have much hair and I certainly don’t need a chemistry set for the smells…. :-[ ))

Could you post a picture or the type of model you are trying to produce ? (if that is your intention?)

So you really got my attention on this. Just last week I created a bunch of 3d animations of molecular models to teach my daughter how electrons, protons and neutrons work. I was looking into what HyperChem is, and I found a utility called CineChem that will convert your HyperChem (.hin) files into 3ds files.
Take a look at this URL, and scroll down to CineChem:

[img:1ojoexm7]http://www.hyper.com/support/software/Other/other_index.html[/img:1ojoexm7]
<!– m –><a class="postlink" href="http://www.hyper.com/support/software/Other/other_index.html">http://www.hyper.com/support/software/O … index.html</a><!– m –>

If you do manage to convert to 3ds, would you mind sharing a converted 3ds file?, I don’t really care of what. Just something that would look neat to a 10 year old.

Good luck with it.

I am on the same boat as the other guys (actually mine is worst, I am new to to 3dc). I would explore your ‘cartesian’ choice. If it is a text file with cartesian coordinates of where the spheres are located, then you may be able to turn it into something else with not taht much work.
If it is a binary file then, it would be probably much harder.
What you are trying to do sounds really cool though.

Pretty cool results! I can see a couple of space stations coming out of this.
andnbsp;I don’t believe a picture will show up in the preview, it never has for me anyway. Something to do with YaBB maybe?

here’s what the molecule LOOKS like freshing imported into 3DC

RawlinsCross

Hi edgari… well, I tried your CINECHEM program to export out to CD 3DC… I played around with the flags (-S to render balls and cylinders, -R9 for the resolution to the highest value).. anyhow, at the end of it there’s a *3ds file that you can import into 3D-3DC. andnbsp;When you import it, the molecule parts (atoms, bonds) are NOT grouped together so I had to but all the objects (atoms, bonds) in the same group. andnbsp;They are ALL touching each other.. IS THERE A WAY TO JOIN ALL THE PARTS IN TO A SINGLE OBJECT??? andnbsp;

Anyhow, i was able to move all the parts as one by grouping all the objects under one group (thanks heirarchy tutorial)… and the spheres were rough (jagged outsides), so I smoothed them down twice and smoothed the bonds down once. andnbsp;EVERYTHING starts on jet black so I recoloured everything… and came up with this small molecule

RawlinsCross

P.s. andnbsp;having trouble previewing the pictures *jpg… is there something I’m missing?

So we’ve managed to figure out how to take HyperChem files (*.HIN) and convert them to object files which can be imported into 3DC. andnbsp;One problem… EVERY single part of the molecule comes into 3dc as a separate object.. so the molecule posted earlier (dichloromethane) has 9 objects (5 for the atoms, 4 for the bonds). andnbsp;I tried making a slightly more complicated molecule and it worked but I had like 40 objects in the hierarchy and trying to move the molecule was like moving the molecule in strobe. andnbsp;I’m assuming the choppiness is because of the HIGH number of objects. andnbsp;When you import the molecule all the 40 objects are touching each other.. QUESTION: andnbsp;Is there a command that will transform all the 40 separate objects into one whole object.

If there is it’ll save me a lot of time since 1. andnbsp;I have to drag EVERY single object into the same group in order to move the molecule as a single unit and 2. andnbsp;the choppiness in moviing the molecule might be relieved.

RawlinsCross