For molecular modelers, keeping data structured and easily accessible is an ongoing challenge. Large projects often involve numerous molecular structures, scripts, and additional files, which can quickly become unwieldy to manage. This is where folders in SAMSON come to the rescue.
In SAMSON, folders act as organizational tools, allowing users to group diverse sets of nodes—such as molecules, atoms, and annotations—into easy-to-manage collections. With folders, you can simplify your daily workflow by applying operations to entire groups of nodes at once, for example, toggling visibility or copying structures between projects.
How to Create Folders in SAMSON
Setting up folders in SAMSON is as simple as a few clicks:
- Go to the menu and click on Edit > Folder.
Once created, you can drag and drop nodes into folders, creating a hierarchy that mirrors your project’s organization. This allows you to filter data by type and efficiently manage large-scale models. Whether you are working on biological molecules, materials, or a mix of both, folders streamline complex designs.
Why Use Folders?
Folders bring several practical benefits for molecular modelers:
- Clarity: Projects with numerous nodes become easier to navigate.
- Efficient Actions: Batch operations, such as showing, hiding, or applying filters, can be conducted on large groups of nodes in one go.
- Collaboration: Folders help communicate project organization when sharing files—others can immediately understand the structure without additional explanation.
- Portability: Since folders and their files are stored within the document, SAMSON projects are self-contained and easy to transfer between computers or collaborators.
Embedding Files within Folders
Folders in SAMSON don’t just organize nodes; they also support file embedding. This means you can store supplementary files—such as PDFs, images, Python scripts, or data files—directly in your document. By embedding files, you can ensure all necessary components for a project remain self-contained, eliminating the risk of losing associated resources when sharing or moving your work.
For example, if you are modeling a protein structure and need to reference a detailed article or experimental dataset, simply embed the file within your folder. This feature makes SAMSON an excellent tool for research documentation, aiding collaboration and reproducibility.
Practical Example: Batch Operations
Consider working on a project with ten different molecular models. Without folders, hiding or showing specific types of molecules could require individual actions. By grouping your models into folders, you can toggle visibility for entire groups of molecules at once, saving valuable time and ensuring fewer mistakes.
Conclusion
Folders are a versatile and indispensable feature in SAMSON. They allow you to stay organized, apply changes efficiently, and ensure the portability of your molecular projects. To learn more about document organization, visit SAMSON’s official documentation page.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Don’t hesitate to download it to streamline your molecular modeling today.