As discussed in my SLiThEr presentation, numerous changes have been introduced to the Symmetry@Otterbein site recently. While these features have been available at the beta site for a while, they have now been introduced to the main site. I plan to write separate posts describing each new feature in more depth soon, but for now, here is a quick list.
Major new features
- WebGL-based visualizations using NGL: NGL is a web viewer and library for visualizations of molecular systems. It provides much higher quality animations and better performance for complex displays.
- Full symmetry analysis (SYVA) output: There is now a Show SYVA Output button on the Symmetry Info tab for the Gallery molecules. This will show the complete output including reducible and irreducible representations, vibrational analysis and optimized coordinates.
- URL generation for specific views: The Copy View to Clipboard button in the Gallery will create a URL containing all the currently displayed elements, current orientation and color options. So I can create a link showing the [Re2Cl8]2- ion with a view similar to the one that I use in the logo for this blog.
- Creation of custom molecule lists: This feature was specifically requested during the SLiThEr talk. If you pick Instructor Tools from the main menu, you will see instructions on how to create a list of molecules and you can then either open that list or copy the appropriate link to the clipboard. Here is a short list for the Gallery and the same list in the Challenge.
- Pick a molecule for me: The Challenge now will pick a molecule at random (another requested feature). In addition, after answering all the questions, you will be given the option to either try again (if you got it incorrect) or try another (if you got the correct point group).
Enjoy!