VMD-L Mailing List

From: Marcos Ackel (mvackel_at_yahoo.com)
Date: Wed Sep 05 2012 - 14:10:09 CDT

Hello, I'm new to VMD and NAMD and trying to make the Grab or (Tug) tool  (from Menu/Graphics/Tools...) to work with a tracker (SpaceNavigator). The SpaceNavigator is correctly installed (same doc bellow) and I can create a  Grab Tool and associate the SpaceBallTracker and SpaceBallButtons to the Positon and Buttons (Tools Devices, in the Tools Controls window). When I use the SpaceNavigator right button, it moves between modes (rotation/translation, animate, tracker, etc), as described in the docs (http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/Research/vmd/minitutorials/spaceball/ - which seems to be not updated, as there is no "normal" and "maxaxis" mode and other differences). When in rotation/translation mode, it does move the molecule, leaving the Grab Tool unmoved. When in "tracker" mode, it does move correctly the tool representation (the golden cone). The problem is that I can't "grab" the molecule. I tried to use  Menu/Mouse/Pick (or the shortcut keyboard "P") to select an atom, but it seems that there is no connection between the tool and the selected atom. Moving the tool does not affect the molecule. (The other - left SpaceNavigator - button is assigned to a view reset). I've tried also various combinations of options in the "Assigned Rep" tab (in the Tools Controls windows), like "Apply force to picked atom" or "Aplly force to molecule rep", but couldn't make the tool connect to the molecule. Tried also to use the "Tug" tool - that's described as a way to interact with a running interactive MD in the VMD user's manual  (this is my main goal) with no success. Obviously I'm not understanding the Tool's usage.... Would anyone help, please! Many thanks, Marcos Ackel