Hi Matt, Below is example python code to start Chimera and open PDB 1zzz. For it to work you have to set the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable before running python to include the chimera/lib directory. If you start it from your own Python program you can pass Python objects directly to Chimera. This is simplest if your program uses Tkinter, since Chimera needs the Tkinter event loop to run in order to update the graphics and accept user input. Tom # # Need to set LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable to <chimera-home>/lib # before running python2.2. # # On linux your python2.2 must have the dl module. This module is not # standard on linux. It is included in the Python included with Chimera. # chimera_home = '/usr/local/chimera-1700' import sys import os.path sys.path.insert(0, os.path.join(chimera_home, 'share')) sys.path.insert(0, os.path.join(chimera_home, 'lib')) os.environ['CHIMERA'] = chimera_home import chimeraInit chimeraInit.init([], eventloop = False) import chimera chimera.openModels.open('1zzz', 'PDBID') # Will download from web. chimera.tkgui.eventLoop() # Doesn't return until Chimera quits --------------------------

Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 22:12:26 -0500 From: Matthew Dougherty <matthewd@bcm.tmc.edu> To: goddard@cgl.ucsf.edu Subject: chimera

Tom-

I was wondering if I can run chimera using an embedded python. If so can I send python data objects to it through my main program?

Matt

------------------------------------------ Matthew Dougherty/713-747-5433 National Center for Macromolecular Imaging Baylor College of Medicine