# Auto-rotate tool

**URL:** <https://discuss.avogadro.cc/t/auto-rotate-tool/7340>\
**Category:** Development\
**Created:** [March 6, 2026, 2:07pm UTC](https://discuss.avogadro.cc/t/auto-rotate-tool/7340 "2026-03-06T14:07:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 4

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ghutchis](https://discuss.avogadro.cc/user_avatar/discuss.avogadro.cc/ghutchis/32/456_2.png) [@ghutchis](https://discuss.avogadro.cc/u/ghutchis)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 8:40pm UTC](https://discuss.avogadro.cc/t/auto-rotate-tool/7340/4 "2026-03-06T20:40:19Z")

</div>

> [@brockdyer03](#):
>
> I’m not sure how one would automate taking screenshots, or if that is even possible, but if it is I’d be happy to include it.

There’s a JSON protocol for telling the Avogadro app to open files, take screenshots, etc. I’ll need to add an option for “tell this plugin to do X” although some of the things you might want already exist through the “runCommand” syntax

- rotate camera in X, Y, Z
- zoom (unzoom)

I don’t remember if I included commands for changing bond length, angles, torsions / dihedrals or not.

I had a previous thread asking for [Tasks for Automation](https://discuss.avogadro.cc/t/tasks-for-automation/3951) - I’ll probably post another one after 2.0 is released.

---

_[View the full topic](https://discuss.avogadro.cc/t/auto-rotate-tool/7340)._