#627 Cannot end capturing when using "spin" command

[Justin Blanton]

I'm using Jmol 16.1.9 to create animated GIF's using the capture command. For example: capture "structure.gif" SPIN Y

However, using the command "capture" or "capture end" while it's capturing/spinning is not cancelling the process. Is there something I'm not considering?

Thanks!

[Bob Hanson]

That is not a bug. The CAPTURE SPIN option does a 360-frame capture of a full spin. If you want to cut a spin short, instead initiate the spin, then issue CAPTURE "xxx.gif" to start capturing frames. Then, when satisfied, issue CAPTURE END

[Justin Blanton]

Thanks for the reply and your suggestion does work. The problem I'm facing is that the "capture spin" command is the only way I can export one perfect revolution to an animated gif. I tried using the spin and capture commands together. Using a SwingWorker, I can constantly check if the structure is still spinning and then end the capture once it's detected the spinning has stopped. This works but when I replay the animated gif there is a very slight studder in the animation as the structure begins its next revolution/loop. When I use the "capture spin" command itself, I don't see this studder and the animated gif exhibits a perfectly rotating structure when it loops.

[Bob Hanson]

Not sure what the problem is that you are facing (still, currently, apparently). State your issue again. Is there some reason you don't want to use the CAPTURE SPIN command? That should produce a perfect spin animation. No need for CAPTURE END. Or is there some particular reason you want to start the spin and then start capture and then stop it yourself?

[Justin Blanton]

We have users who want to export an infinitely rotating structure to an animated gif. This works perfectly using the "capture spin" command. However, sometimes it will take over a minute for the structure to completely rotate when capture/exporting. Because of this, I would like to give the user the option to cancel the capture/export process. But it seems you cannot cancel the "capture spin" command, you have to wait until the spinning has completed.

[Bob Hanson]

!quit

will stop the spinning; then you can issue

capture end