User`s guide

ACD/ChemSketch User's Guide 34

6. Advanced Drawing: Templates

6.1 Objectives

This chapter will bring you one step closer to an advanced drawing expert once you have

mastered the powerful Template feature. You will learn:

• some ways template usage can help you;

• how to apply the Instant Template tool for drawing structures containing repetitive

fragments;

• more ways of using the Table of Radicals;

• how to use the Template Window for drawing DNA molecules and complex biomolecules;

• how to create your own templates; and

• what templates are available from our Web site.

6.2 Overview

ACD/ChemSketch includes the following 3 sources of structure templates:

• Table of Radicals

;

• Template Window

;

• Instant Template tool

While the binding point of any template in the Table of Radicals is fixed (invariable), the

Template Window and the Instant Template tool allow you to specify any atom or bond to be the

binding point simply by clicking directly on it. However, no matter what the source of template is,

the principles of joining are the same. There are several ways of joining the template to a drawn

structure:

By fusing the bonds of the structure and template: point the mouse pointer over the bond so

that the corresponding bonds of the structure and the template shadow are fused and then

click.

By attaching the template to the structure: point the mouse pointer on the corresponding

atom on the structure so that the connecting bond appears and click

By drawing a spiro connection between the template and the structure: point the mouse

pointer on the atom you want to be the binding point and click holding down the SHIFT key.

Note You can flip the template shadow before fixing it by pressing the TAB key

Template Window Organizer is a very convenient way for managing template files: both those

included with the software package, and those which you decide to create. It will just take you a

minute to save your document as a template and then quickly find it. Note that the only difference

between the template file and a usual file is the fact that you can find the template file in the