If database support is enabled, a VMD file may have a default database defined for it. This default database, if it exists, depends on the context in which the script is executed:

• When the Python code is executed from the Chameleon Interface, the default database is the one specified in the DB tab of the Options window.
• When the Python code is executed outside of the Chameleon Interface, the default database will depend on your program's context.
• If you are using Iguana, the default database is specified in your Iguana configuration.

	For information on how to access a database other than the default one, see Working With Any Database.

To connect to the default database, use the get_default_database() function. This function returns a database object representing the default database. If you use this function from within Iguana, the connection is inside a transaction envelope: any database actions performed by your Python scripts can be safely rolled back.

	Before you can use get_default_database(), you must first enable database support for Python. To do this, select Options from the Chameleon toolbar, click the DB tab, and complete the fields displayed. For more information on the DB tab, see the description of the DB tab.

For examples that use this function, see Using the Database Object Methods and Getting and Setting Database Information.