External library descriptions

There are several libraries used by VMD for the different optional components. These libraries are either located in the lib subdirectory of the VMD working directory, or are located in standard system directories. This section describes the purpose, usage, and location of these libraries. Note that in the following, the list item headers contain the library name and associated header files in parentheses; also, the word ARCH refers to the name of the Unix version for which VMD is to be compiled (i.e., IRIX5 or HPUX9). For almost all cases, the listed libraries are used when a specific configuration option is used to add an optional component into VMD (e.g. the FORMS or the TCL options).

• libgl_s (gl/gl.h, gl/device.h, gl/sphere.h)
  Configuration option: OpenGL.
  Expected library location: system directory, typically /usr/lib.
  Expected header file location: system directory, typically /usr/include.
  Purpose: this is the graphics library developed by Silicon Graphics. It is used when VMD is being compiled for a workstation with hardware accelerated graphics. This library is needed by all the FormsObj base- and sub-classes, as well as all classes which begin with the word OpenGL or Cave (i.e., OpenGLRenderer, CaveDisplayDevice).

• libforms (forms.h)
  Configuration option: FORMS.
  Expected library location: lib/forms/lib_ARCH.
  Expected header file location: lib/forms/include.
  Purpose: this is the FORMS library from Mark Overmars; it provides an easy to use set of buttons, sliders, dials, etc. for use as components of a graphical user interface.

• libtcl (tcl.h)
  Configuration option: TCL.
  Expected library location: must be already installed on your system.
  Expected header file locaton: must be already installed as well.
  Purpose: This library is used to parse and interpret text command scripts, including the capability to have variable substitution, control loops, procedure and function definitions, etc. This library is used by the UIText object.

• libcave (cave.h)
  Configuration option: CAVE.
  Expected library location: lib/cave/lib_ARCH.
  Expected header file location: lib/cave/include.
  Purpose: this is the CAVE library, used to display images in the CAVE virtual environment. It is used by all objects and files with the word Cave in their names, i.e., CaveDisplayDevice.

• libtracker, libquat (tracker.h)
  Configuration option: UNC.
  Expected library location: lib/unc/lib_ARCH.
  Expected header file location: lib/unc/include.
  Purpose: used by the UNCTracker object to access an external spatial tracking device connected to the graphics workstation running VMD. It uses a configuration file .tracker to simplify configuation of these spatial trackers, and allows VMD to use a variety of different devices without recompilation. It has been developed at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.