Rapid Access

Rapid Access icon: when shown when hidden

The Rapid Access interface allows quick access to frequently used items, including data and tools. It is shown automatically at Chimera startup instead of the standard graphics window, but it can be hidden/shown at any time by clicking the lightning-bolt icon near the bottom right of the window, or hidden automatically by opening 3D data, whether via the File menu, the command open, the system command line at Chimera startup, or Rapid Access itself. Closing a session (with the File menu or the command close session) will also show the interface.

• On the right are recently used data sources (click to open), and at bottom right, buttons to Browse for local files and to Fetch data from the Web. The recent data list is stored in a user's preferences file. The Edit option shows “x” buttons for deleting individual entries from the list.
  
  
• On the left (by default) is a toolbar for icons of frequently used tools, where clicking an icon starts the corresponding tool. Clicking Add Tool Icon brings up the Tools preferences for specifying which icons to show and where to put the toolbar. (Remember to Save any preference changes to apply them to future uses of Chimera.) Also on the left are buttons to raise any currently active Chimera dialogs, and to show/hide help text within the interface. An active dialog is one that has been shown and then neither hidden nor quit from, although it may have become obscured by other windows.
  
  
• The middle section can have up to three parts: saved scenes at the top, named selections at the bottom, and any saved positions in between.
  
  
  • A scene can be saved using the Animation tool or the scene command. Clicking a scene thumbnail restores that scene in Chimera, and clicking Save scene brings up Animation to allow saving the current scene. Scenes can also be restored using Animation or the scene command.
    
    
  • A position can be saved using the command savepos. Clicking the name of a previously saved position restores it. Positions can also be restored with the command reset.
    
    
  • A selection can be saved using the command namesel or by clicking the Name current selection button. Clicking the name of a previously saved selection restores it. Selections can also be saved and restored using the Select menu, and their names can be used for command-line atom specification.

Clicking most items in Rapid Access will hide the interface, revealing the Chimera graphics window. To open recent data without dismissing Rapid Access, press the Shift key while clicking the data-source button.