Changing Size, Rotating, and Moving Objects

You can "zoom" the view in the workspaces to make objects larger or smaller. You can move them about in the workspace by "panning," and you can rotate objects in two dimensions or three dimensions. For more information select from:

To Change the Size of Objects

You can change the size (magnification) of all objects in a 2D or 3D workspace in the following ways:

Make everything in the display fit in the workspace (fit objects)
Spread out multiple objects so you can see each one individually (tile objects)
Zoom in or out to whatever object size you like.

To Fit to the Workspace

To Make All Displayed Objects Fit In the Workspace

Select either the 2D or 3D button in the Toolbox, depending on which workspace you want to fit objects in.
Select the Fit to Window button in the Toolbox.

: The 2D or 3D view zooms in or out as necessary so that all objects just fit in the workspace.

To Spread Objects Evenly in the Workspace ("Tile Objects")

Select either the 2D or 3D button in the Toolbox, depending on which workspace you want to tile objects in.
Select the Tile Objects button in the Toolbox.

: The objects in the selected workspace are spread out evenly to fill the workspace, so that each one can be seen individually.

To Zoom All Objects to Any Size

To change the size of the objects in the 2D or 3D workspaces, use the Zoom buttons located in the corners of the workspaces.

The shape of the arrows indicate the direction to move the cursor to make the image grow smaller or larger, but all buttons work the same:

Place the mouse cursor over one of the zoom buttons.
Press the left or middle mouse button down. The zoom button is highlighted (solid blue).
Keeping the mouse button pressed, move the mouse in the proper direction to get the size change you want. For example, moving the cursor up starting within either Zoom button makes the image larger, and moving the cursor down starting within either Zoom button makes the image smaller.
When the image is at the required size, release the button. Wait for the image to settle before using the mouse again.

An Example of Zooming In

To Rotate Objects in the

Workspace

You can rotate a selected molecule or hypothesis in a workspace in the following ways:

Rotate the object in the plane of the screen in a 2D or 3D workspace.
Rotate the object in three dimensions in a 3D workspace.
You can also rotate part of a molecule around a bond in the View Compound workbench using dynamic modeling, as discussed in How to Rotate about a Bond.

To Rotate in 3D Space

Select the object and place the cursor near it in the 3D workspace.
Press the right mouse button. A double blue 3D rotation ring appears around the selected object in the workspace. This double blue ring marks the circumference of an imaginary globe around the object.
Keeping the right mouse button pressed, move the mouse. The object rotates as if it is fixed inside the globe, and you have grabbed a point on the surface of the globe and are moving it.
To move the object a different way, grab it in a different place and move it.
Release the button when the object is in the desired position.

To Rotate an Object in One Plane

Select the object and place the cursor away from it in the 2D or 3D workspace.
Press the right mouse button. A solid blue ring appears around the object. (If the cursor is too near the object in the 3D workspace, a double blue rotation ring appears around the object. Move the cursor farther away and try again.)
Keeping the right mouse button pressed, move the cursor. The object rotates in the plane of the circle.
Release the mouse button when the object is in the desired position.

To Move Objects in Workspaces

The 2D and 3D workspaces in the workbenches provide two ways to move molecules and hypotheses:

You can scroll (move) all objects in a workspace in any direction.
You can move selected object in any direction (see next section).

To Move Selected Objects in Any Direction

Move the cursor over any atom or bond in a molecule, or any atom, bond or constraint in a hypothesis, and press the left mouse button. (Do not select on a knurl in a molecule, or you will rotate the knurl, rather than move the molecule.)
Keeping the button pressed down, move the cursor in the desired direction. The cursor turns into a hand. As you move the cursor, the object moves the same way.
Note that if other objects also are selected when you grab one object, they will move along with it.
When you have moved the object(s) to the desired location, release the button.

To Scroll All Objects in a Workspace

You can scroll all objects in the workspace simultaneously in any direction by using the Scroll buttons on the workspace. The Scroll buttons appear as follows:

To move all the objects in a workspace:

Move the mouse cursor over any Scroll button, and press down the left or middle mouse button. The Scroll button becomes highlighted (solid blue).
Keeping the button pressed down, move the cursor in the direction that you want to move the objects.
As you move the cursor, the objects in the workspace follow the movement of the cursor.
Release the mouse when you have scrolled the objects to the desired place.

Last updated April 17, 1996 at 10:38am PDT.

Copyright © 1999, Molecular Simulations Inc. All rights reserved.