# GSD/HOOMD file reader

User interface of the GSD file reader, which appears as part of a pipeline’s file source.

Binary file format written by the HOOMD-blue molecular dynamic simulation code. For a specification of the file format, see the GSD (General Simulation Data) website.

The file reader supports loading particle shape definitions from a GSD file and will automatically generate corresponding polygons (2d) or meshes (3d) based on these definitions to render particles with user-defined shapes.

## Python parameters

The file reader accepts the following optional keyword parameters in a call to the `import_file()` or `load()` Python functions.

import_file(location, resolution=4)
  Parameters:

    resolution (int) – Controls the resolution of shape meshes generated by the file reader if the GSD file contains particle shape definitions of type `Polygon` or `ConvexPolyhedron` with a non-zero rounding radius. The resolution value must be in the range 1 to 6 – with higher values yielding smoother corners but also resulting in a more detailed mesh, which will lead to longer rendering times.