A molecular presentation can move too quickly for its audience. A structure changes, an important interaction appears, and the next view arrives before anyone has had time to understand what they are seeing. When you need a presentation to pause at a specific point—without turning that moment into a separate file—the Stop animation can provide a simple place to pause and explain.
Use a stop to create a presentation break
The Stop animation halts playback at a chosen frame. The audience can take in the current molecular view, and you can talk through what matters before continuing. This makes it useful for dividing a presentation into slide-like sections: one part introduces the system, another focuses on a feature, and a later part moves on to the next view.
A stop is especially helpful when a particular frame carries a lot of information. For example, you might want to pause after a transition has brought a structure or interaction into view, giving viewers a chance to orient themselves before the presentation proceeds. The key idea is to place the pause where the explanation needs breathing room.
Place the stop where you need it
- Go to the frame where you want playback to stop.
- In the Animator’s Animation panel, double-click the Stop animation effect.
- The keyframe is placed at the current frame. If the pause should happen earlier or later, move the keyframe to the desired position.
- Play the presentation and check that it stops at the intended moment.
You do not have to get the timing perfect on the first try: the Stop animation’s keyframe can be moved. This makes it practical to adjust the pause after reviewing the flow of the presentation.
Make the pause part of the story
Before adding stops, decide which moments need the audience’s attention. A pause after every small change can interrupt the flow; a pause at a meaningful transition can help viewers follow the explanation. Think of each stop as a cue: “Look here before we continue.” If you are presenting live, it can also give you a natural moment to describe what is visible or invite a question.
When playback reaches the Stop animation, resume the presentation by pressing Space or clicking the Play button in the Animator’s controls. It is worth rehearsing this step so you know how to continue smoothly during a talk.
Stop or pause?
The documentation also points to the Pause animation. If you are deciding which animation to use, consider the moment you want to create: Stop is described as stopping the presentation at a given frame, where playback can be resumed with Space or the Play button. Choose pauses intentionally, and test the presentation from the audience’s perspective: is there enough time to understand the view before it moves on?
A few well-placed stops can make a molecular presentation easier to follow without changing the molecular content itself. They give complex views time to register and help you control the pace of your explanation.
For the exact steps, see the Stop animation documentation.
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