ABO Builder

ABO Builder is a Python package for generating .abo files used by Managlyph to create stereoscopic 3D visualizations, especially red/cyan anaglyph renderings of molecular and structural models.

Purpose

The package simplifies the process of converting scientific data from electronic structure or molecular calculations into fully defined 3D scene descriptions. These scenes include both geometry and visual styling, allowing users to produce ready-to-view stereoscopic renderings without manually constructing scene files.

Core Capabilities

• Build .abo scene packages from computational chemistry or physics data

• Include atomic positions, element information, and orbital data

• Define visual properties such as color, transparency, and styling

• Export structured files that can be opened directly in Managlyph

Conceptually, ABO Builder acts as a scene construction tool that transforms scientific results into visually rich, depth-enabled 3D environments.

Contents:

• Using ABO Builder
  • Prerequisites
  • Builder configuration
  • Canonical orbitals workflow
  • Localized orbitals (Foster–Boys)
  • Tips
• ABO file format
  • Overview
  • ABOF v1 header
  • Compression
  • Payload structure (v0 and v1)
  • Normals and octahedral encoding