---
name: "DRAWxtl55"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "drawxtl"
version: "5.5-6.1+b1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/drawxtl"
---

# DRAWxtl55(1)

display crystal structures on ordinary computer hardware

Part of [drawxtl(1)](/drawxtl/1.md).

## NAME

drawxtl - display crystal structures on ordinary computer hardware

## SYNOPSIS

**drawxtl** \[*filename*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**drawxtl** reads a basic description of the crystal structure, which includes unit-cell parameters, space group, atomic coordinates, thermal parameters or a Fourier map, and outputs a geometry object that contains polyhedra, planes, lone-pair cones, spheres or ellipsoids, bonds, iso-surface Fourier contours and the unit-cell boundary.

Four forms of graphics are produced:

- •

  an OpenGL window for immediate viewing

- •

  the Persistence of Vision Ray Tracer (POV-RAY) scene language for publication-quality drawings

- •

  the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) for dissemination across the Internet

- •

  Postscript rendering of the OpenGL window for those who want high-quality output but do not have POV-RAY installed

## OPTIONS

There are no command line options to use.

## FILES

- *~/.drawxtlrc*

  Per user configuration file.

A short tutorial about this file and configuring **drawxtl** is available online at *http://home.att.net/~larry.finger/drawxtl/configure.htm*.

## BUGS

When opening a structures (*.str*) file, **drawxtl** needs write permissions in the directory the file is located in. Otherwise it will return an error ("**Cannot open structures files.**").

## SEE ALSO

A FAQ and a manual are available online in PDF and HTML format at the **DRAWxtl** homepage at *http://home.att.net/~larry.finger/drawxtl/*.

## CITATION

Please cite **DRAWxtl** as follows:

-

  Larry W. Finger, Martin Kroeker, and Brian H. Toby, DRAWxtl, an open-source computer program to produce crystal-structure drawings, J. Applied Crystallography V40, pp. 188-192, 2007.

An electronic reprint is available online at *http://home.att.net/~larry.finger/drawxtl/DRAWxtl\_JAC.pdf*.

## AUTHORS

- **Larry Finger** \<larry.finger@lwfinger.net\>

  Author of the program and the former version called “crystal”.

- **Martin Kroeker** \<martin@ruby.chemie.uni-freiburg.de\>

  Author of the original POV and VRML modifications.

- **Brian Toby** \<brian.toby@anl.gov\>

  Author of the Fourier-contour code.

- **Daniel Leidert** \<daniel.leidert@wgdd.de\>

  Manpage author for the Debian system.

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2007-2009 Daniel Leidert

This manual page was written for the Debian system (but may be used by others).

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU General Public License, Version 2 or (at your option) any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.

On Debian systems, the complete text of the GNU General Public License can be found in */usr/share/common-licenses/GPL*.