File formats/Compressed

Jmol can read and write (export) a number of compressed file (collection) formats. Two of these are particularly useful.

JMOL

JMOL files, typically with a .jmol extension, are a compressed Zip format containing the structure data file, script file containing the state together with any other necessary files.

They can be be saved from Jmol using:

write ZIPALL "fileName"

or

write JMOL "fileName"

PNGJ

PNGJ files, typically with a .png extension, are a ZIP extension of the PNG image format containing, in addition to a snapshot image, the structure data file, script file containing the state together with any other necessary files. Similar to JMOL format but also including a snapshot image.

The PNGJ format is particularly convenient in that most operating system and web application file systems will display the png snapshot image as, for example, a thumbnail as an email or forum attachment. Jmol itself can use the PNGJ format to load a cover image prior to loading the interactive structure.

The PNGJ format can be exported from Jmol by:

write IMAGE width height PNGJ n "fileName"

width and height are optional and default to the current frame size

Contributors

Rowland.geoff