7. Converter modules

New in version 2.0.0.

The MDAnalysis.converters module contains the Converter classes that MDAnalysis uses to convert MDAnalysis structures to and from other Python packages.

If you are converting to MDAnalysis, you can use the normal syntax for creating a Universe from files. Typically MDAnalysis will recognise which library it is dealing with, so you will not need to pass in a format keyword.

For example:

import MDAnalysis as mda
from MDAnalysis import GRO
import parmed as pmd

pgro = pmd.load_file(GRO)  # creates parmed structure
ugro = mda.Universe(pgro)  # you can just pass it in

If you are converting from MDAnalysis, use the convert_to() method. With this, you will have to specify a package name (case-insensitive).

pgro2 = ugro.atoms.convert_to('PARMED')  # converts back to parmed structure

Another syntax is also available for tab-completion support:

pgro2 = ugro.atoms.convert_to.parmed()

Available converters

Converter functionalities

Developers may find the MDAnaylsis.converters.base module helpful for creating new converter classes.