# 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:** 6

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**Author:** ![Thomas](https://discuss.avogadro.cc/user_avatar/discuss.avogadro.cc/thomas/32/3403_2.png) [@Thomas](https://discuss.avogadro.cc/u/Thomas)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 11:47pm UTC](https://discuss.avogadro.cc/t/auto-rotate-tool/7340/6 "2026-03-06T23:47:52Z")

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> [@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.

Avogadro allows to export the scene to povray. Similar to CCDC’s Mercury (there: file → PovRay image), one could imagine a small dialogue in Avogadro for an elementary fly around the x, y, or z axis with an adjustable increment.

As illustration, Mercury’s dialogue:

 ![example_Hg](https://discuss.avogadro.cc/uploads/default/original/2X/f/fa09888dc62ca7777d672a4d98c5a90cc1427b17.png)

which yields a .pov and an .ini which PovRay then can process (example files attached). Stitched together as .gif and downscaled for portability (e.g., [easygif](https://ezgif.com/)):

![ezgif.com-resize](https://discuss.avogadro.cc/uploads/default/original/2X/4/4df688d1ca81214eac4986ce2cabd0478144b6ff.gif)

Else, there equally is Avogadro’s export to pdb and vrml suitable for raytracers like [Blender](https://www.blender.org/) (e.g., [Atomic Blender](https://extensions.blender.org/add-ons/atomic-blender-pdb-xyz/)) mentioned earlier in an earlier post [here](https://discuss.avogadro.cc/t/saving-animation-of-molecular-rotation/3711/2); likely with much more flexibility to script the animation.

[Mercury\_PovRay.tar.gz](https://discuss.avogadro.cc/uploads/short-url/8et0Co7P3BfBPFo2Reyfu9y0Jqx.gz) (9.4 KB)

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