Rapid Introduction to VMD

For those of you who don't like reading manuals, here is a quick introduction to VMD. The molecules and data files used in this tutorial can be downloaded from the VMD home page from the documentation area associated with this version and is clearly labeled as User's Guide tutorial data. The rest of this tutorial assumes that you have downloaded and unpacked this data set.

To start VMD type vmd on the command line of your shell (Unix), or start it by clicking the VMD icon in your desktop or Start menu (Apple MacOS X and Microsoft Windows). VMD should start up with a window titled vmd console, a display window entitled VMD OpenGL Display, and a main menu entitled VMD. Text commands are typed in the console window, molecules are displayed and manipulated in the graphics window, and other interfaces and extensions are available from the menu interface. All of the forms can be closed or minimized, using your computer's standard windowing controls or the menu command in text console. Most functions can be performed with both the menu interface and the text console, though some of the more sophisticated scripting features are only available as text commands.