Athanor by arbastro
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How to send a file to someone using ChemDraw

Open Export (Ctrl+Shift+E) and pick ChemDraw (.cdxml) or CDX (.cdx), or use Edit › Copy as › Copy as CDXML and paste into ChemDraw.

On a Mac, Ctrl is Cmd.

Export a file

  1. Select what to send, or nothing to send the whole page.

  2. Press Ctrl+Shift+E to open Export.

  3. Choose ChemDraw (.cdxml) under Suggested, or CDX (.cdx) under ChemDraw for the older binary format. The panel says what the format keeps (atoms, bonds, wedges, coordinates, arrows and text, editable in ChemDraw) and what it loses (what only Athanor has, such as films and comments).

    Export with ChemDraw CDXML selected, the file's start in the preview, and what the format keeps and loses.Export with ChemDraw CDXML selected, the file's start in the preview, and what the format keeps and loses.

  4. Press Export ChemDraw. Send the file as you would any other.

Copy and paste instead

Choose Edit › Copy as › Copy as CDXML in the Main menu, then paste into ChemDraw.

The Edit menu's Copy as submenu, ending with Copy as CDXML.The Edit menu's Copy as submenu, ending with Copy as CDXML.

Tip

Sending to someone who uses Athanor? File › Download as .athanor keeps everything, films and comments included.

Switching from ChemDrawHow to open CDX and CDXML filesPress Ctrl+O (Open a file) and choose the .cdx or .cdxml file, or drag it onto the Athanor window. Structures stay structures, so you can keep editing them.Files and formatsHow to export a figure or structure filePress Ctrl+Shift+E, pick a format (Ctrl-click to pick several), read what it keeps and loses, then press Export or Copy. Export again (Ctrl+Alt+E) repeats the last choice.

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Last updated Nov 12, 2026