Running Multiple Instances of VMD

[Centripidity]

I have often found myself wanting to have more than one copy of VMD running at once, usually to remember how I did something in a previous module, as my memory isn't what it used to be, but also sometimes when I'm working on an update to a module it's handy to have the old version also available to run.

I don't know if this is also a Windows issue but, on the Mac, if you try to open an application that is already open you don't get a new instance but focus is just passed to the already running instance. After a bit of experimenting I managed to find a way to get multiple instances running on a Mac so I post it here just in case anyone else is interested.

The procedure is relatively simple:

• Open the application Script Editor.app

• In the editor enter the following text: do shell script "open -n '/Applications/Voltage Module Designer.app'"
  • Note that this command uses both single and double quotes.

• Save the script somewhere convenient choosing the File Format "Application"

Now, if you open that application it will open a new instance of VMD, even if VMD is already open.

[UrbanCyborg]

I'm fairly sure I've managed to accidentally get two instances of VM running at once, although they do take some time to start. However, one other way you can run multiple instances is to use the Host module to run it inside itself.

Reid