Section 25.2.7.3.3. Graphics commands

The graphics commands create the graphics objects to be rendered in the final image. The commands need an atom or residue selection (see below) as argument. The visual attributes, and in some cases the dimensions, of the objects are determined by the graphics state parameters.

The graphics objects include the most common ways to represent atoms, such as simple line drawings, ball-and-stick models and CPK (Corey–Pauling–Koltun) spheres approximating the van der Waals radii of the atoms. The graphics objects representing high-level structures are mainly designed for protein structures, and comprise arrows for β-sheet strands, cylinders or helical ribbons for α-helices, and coils for non-repetitive peptide chain structures. The coil object can also be used to represent oligonucleotide backbone structures.