Software for visualizing molecular force vectors I would like to visualize molecular normal modes as vectors sitting on each atom, and not as actual vibrations. I am able to do this, in part, with Molden by copying in the vector into a file readable by Molden (extension is .geo.molden, and is generated from a Molcas calculation). The vector is represented as red lines, but they do not look very nice (see image). Also the background is black, and Molden has a limited number of ways to visualize the molecule.

Is there some other software (free) that can do this? Perhaps Avogadro, VMD, or something along these lines? Specifically I would like to be able to change to different molecular visualizations, and show the vectors as arrows with a easily distinguished color.


Figure 1. This is what Molden can do... not very pretty!

Or possibly, after changing the background color to white with GIMP:


Figure 2. Not really better, since the Hydrogen atoms are represented with white by Molden, as is the label text.
As long as the output from your harmonic frequency calculation can be read directly using Avogadro, it will do exactly what you want.



Notice that:


The normal mode of interest is selected on the right-hand side.
"Force" is selected on the left-hand side; this box is present when "Display Settings..." is highlighted in the top toolbar.