Obtaining PyMOL

Back

The instructions below describe the various routes for getting a copy of PyMOL running on your system. The SourceForge download page can be confusing, so links to the files you need are provided here in red.

If already know what you want, then click here to access the download page immediately.

Microsoft Windows

Standalone PyMOL binaries for Windows provide the easist (one-step) installation.

Download and unzip pymol-0_97-bin-win32.zip (alternate).
Install PyMOL by clicking on "Setup.exe".
PyMOL can now be launched from the Start Menu.

If you already have Python installed and wish to use PyMOL with that external interpreter, then download and install the appropriate python-dependent binary instead:
    pymol-0_97-bin-win32-py21.zip (alternate)
    pymol-0_97-bin-win32-py22.zip (alternate)
    pymol-0_97-bin-win32-py23.zip (alternate)

Macintosh OS X

MacPyMOL Incentive Product

NOTE: MacPyMOL 0.97 has not yet been released -- use the hybrid version instead if you need the latest features...

MacPyMOL is a platform-specific enhancement of PyMOL for Mac OS X that includes extra features such as an Aqua port of the user interface, direct copy-and-paste of images, and automatic QuickTime movie export. It runs on Jaguar (10.2) and Panther (10.3).

Since MacPyMOL is an incentive product, PyMOL sponsorship via a current PyMOL subscription is required for research use of MacPyMOL, but you are welcome to try a free 90-day evaluation. Also note that subscriptions are optional for full-time students, for teaching, or when just viewing public or published data.

Mac OS X/X11 Hybrid Version

This free (sponsorship optional) version of PyMOL provides the cross-platform Tcl/Tk via X11, which means that you need Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther) with X11 installed in order to use it.

Download pymol-0_97-bin-osx-x11-hybrid.dmg.gz (alternate).
Double-click on the downloaded file to extract and open the disk image. If the ".dmg" file does not open after downloading, try restoring the ".gz" extension after the ".dmg" and double-click again.
Copy the PyMOLX11Hybrid application on the disk image to the "Applications" folder on the System Disk.
Double-click /Applications/Utilities/X11 to launch X11 first.
Then double-click /Applications/PyMOLX11Hybrid to launch PyMOL.

Fink Version

The Fink version of PyMOL is another way to get PyMOL running on your Mac.

Linux

Dependency-Free Binary Version

This easiest-to-install and most compatible version of PyMOL for Linux.

Download pymol-0_97-bin-linux-libc6-i386.tgz (alternate)
Extract the archive
```
tar -zxvf pymol-0_93-bin-linux-libc6-i386.tgz
```
to create a "pymol" directory
Run the setup script
```
cd pymol
./setup.sh
```
Launch it
```
./pymol.com
```

RedHat RPM Packages (Requires "root" Access)

Down the version appropriate for your system:
    pymol-0.97-1.rh62.py152.i386.rpm (alternate)
    pymol-0.97-1.rh70.py152.i386.rpm (alternate)
    pymol-0.97-1.rh72.py21.i386.rpm (alternate)
    pymol-0.97-1.rh73.py22.i386.rpm (alternate)
    pymol-0.97-1.rh80.py22.i386.rpm (alternate)
    pymol-0.97-1.rh90.py22.i386.rpm (alternate)
Become root, and then issue
```
rpm -i pymol-0.97-1.rhXX.pyXX.i386.rpm
```
You can then launch PyMOL from /usr/bin/pymol.

IRIX and Solaris

Download the binary for your system:
pymol-0_97-bin-irix65-r10k.tgz (alternate)
pymol-0_97-bin-solaris-sun4u.tgz (alternate)
Extract the archive into a location of your choice
```
gunzip < pymol-0_97-bin-irix65r10k.tgz | tar -xvf - 
```
to create a "pymol" directory
Run the setup script
```
cd pymol
./setup.sh
```
Now try it
```
./pymol.com
```

NOTE: PyMOL on IRIX 6.5.18-6.5.21 requires patch 5316, which can be obtained from SGI.

Other Unix

Download the source: pymol-0_97-src.tgz (alternate).
Either configure PyMOL to use your existing external dependencies, or download and compile from sources:
ext-0_95-src.tgz (alternate) includes:
- Python-2.3.3
- Numeric-22.0
- Pmw-1.2
- glut-3.7.6
- tcl-8.4.6
- tk-8.4.6
- libpng-1.2.5
- zlib-1.2.1
Compile pymol (see INSTALL file for details).