diff --git a/examples/SPIN/prepare_vmd.sh b/examples/SPIN/prepare_vmd.sh
index 331f2741e4..59a4c407fb 100755
--- a/examples/SPIN/prepare_vmd.sh
+++ b/examples/SPIN/prepare_vmd.sh
@@ -13,67 +13,67 @@ FILE=view_${TS}.vmd
 
 cat >${FILE} <<EOF
 proc vmd_draw_arrow {mol start end} {
-     set middle [vecadd $start [vecscale 0.9 [vecsub $end $start]]]
-     graphics $mol cylinder $start $middle radius 0.05
-     graphics $mol cone $middle $end radius 0.01 color 3
+     set middle [vecadd \$start [vecscale 0.9 [vecsub \$end \$start]]]
+     graphics \$mol cylinder \$start $middle radius 0.05
+     graphics \$mol cone \$middle \$end radius 0.01 color 3
 }
 
 proc vmd_draw_vector {args} {
     set usage {"draw vector {x1 y1 z1} {x2 y2 z2} [scale <s>] [resolution <res>] [radius <r>] [filled <yes/no>]"}
     # defaults
-    set scale 3.0
-    set res 5
+    set scale 2.0
+    set res 50
     set radius 0.1
     set filled yes
 
-    if {[llength $args] < 3} {
-        error "wrong # args: should be $usage"
+    if {[llength \$args] < 3} {
+        error "wrong # args: should be \$usage"
     }
-    set mol    [lindex $args 0]
-    set center [lindex $args 1]
-    set vector [lindex $args 2]
-    if {[llength $center] != 3 || [llength $vector] != 3} {
-        error "wrong type of args: should be $usage"
+    set mol    [lindex \$args 0]
+    set center [lindex \$args 1]
+    set vector [lindex \$args 2]
+    if {[llength \$center] != 3 || [llength \$vector] != 3} {
+        error "wrong type of args: should be \$usage"
     }
 
-    foreach {flag value} [lrange $args 3 end] {
-        switch -glob $flag {
-            scale  {set scale  $value}
-            res*   {set res    $value}
-            rad*   {set radius $value}
-            fill*  {set filled $value}
-            default {error "unknown option '$flag': should be $usage" }
+    foreach {flag value} [lrange \$args 3 end] {
+        switch -glob \$flag {
+            scale  {set scale  \$value}
+            res*   {set res    \$value}
+            rad*   {set radius \$value}
+            fill*  {set filled \$value}
+            default {error "unknown option '\$flag': should be \$usage" }
         }
     }
 
-    set vechalf [vecscale [expr $scale * 0.5] $vector]
-    return [list \
-        [graphics $mol color yellow]\
-        [graphics $mol cylinder [vecsub $center $vechalf]\
-            [vecadd $center [vecscale 0.7 $vechalf]] \
-              radius $radius resolution $res filled $filled] \
-        [graphics $mol color orange]\
-        [graphics $mol cone [vecadd $center [vecscale 0.6 $vechalf]] \
-   	    [vecadd $center $vechalf] radius [expr $radius * 2.5] \
-              resolution $res]]
+    set vechalf [vecscale [expr \$scale * 0.5] \$vector]
+    return [list \\
+        [graphics \$mol color yellow]\\
+        [graphics \$mol cylinder [vecsub \$center \$vechalf]\\
+            [vecadd \$center [vecscale 0.7 \$vechalf]] \\
+              radius \$radius resolution \$res filled \$filled] \\
+        [graphics \$mol color orange]\\
+        [graphics \$mol cone [vecadd \$center [vecscale 0.6 \$vechalf]] \\
+   	    [vecadd \$center \$vechalf] radius [expr \$radius * 2.5] \\
+              resolution \$res]]
 }
 
 proc vmd_draw_spin {args} {
      global molid
-     graphics $molid delete all
-     set frame [molinfo $molid get frame]
-     set natoms [molinfo $molid get numatoms]
-     for {set i 0} {$i < $natoms} {incr i} {
-        set sel [atomselect top "index $i"]
-        set coords [lindex [$sel get {x y z}] $molid]
-        set velocities [lindex [$sel get {vx vy vz}] $molid]
-        draw vector $coords $velocities
-        set uvx [lindex [$sel get {vx}] $molid]
-       set uvy [lindex [$sel get {vy}] $molid]
-       set uvz [lindex [$sel get {vz}] $molid]
-       $sel set user [vecadd [vecadd [vecscale $uvy  $uvy] [vecscale $uvz  $uvz] ] [vecscale $uvx  $uvx]]
-       $sel set user $uvy
-       #draw vector $coords {0.0 uvy 0.0}
+     graphics \$molid delete all
+     set frame [molinfo \$molid get frame]
+     set natoms [molinfo \$molid get numatoms]
+     for {set i 0} {\$i < \$natoms} {incr i} {
+        set sel [atomselect top "index \$i"]
+        set coords [lindex [\$sel get {x y z}] \$molid]
+        set velocities [lindex [\$sel get {vx vy vz}] \$molid]
+        draw vector \$coords \$velocities
+        set uvx [lindex [\$sel get {vx}] \$molid]
+       set uvy [lindex [\$sel get {vy}] \$molid]
+       set uvz [lindex [\$sel get {vz}] \$molid]
+       \$sel set user [vecadd [vecadd [vecscale \$uvy  \$uvy] [vecscale \$uvz  \$uvz] ] [vecscale \$uvx  \$uvx]]
+       \$sel set user \$uvy
+       #draw vector \$coords {0.0 uvy 0.0}
        }
  #pbc box -color 3
 }