When working as a molecular modeler, efficient visualization of molecular changes over time can be vital. Whether you are illustrating complex mechanisms, presenting scientific findings, or fine-tuning molecular animations for presentations, you might encounter a common issue: how to highlight specific molecular components (nodes) over time without merely adjusting transparency. The Shown animation in SAMSON provides a straightforward and effective way to solve this problem.
What Does the Shown Animation Do?
The Shown animation allows you to make specific nodes visible between keyframes by controlling their visibility, not their transparency. This is particularly useful when you want to clearly feature or emphasize certain molecular elements during an animation sequence without interference from semi-transparent visuals.
Additionally, the Shown animation complements other SAMSON animation effects, such as Hidden, Appear, and others. Together, these tools allow you to build comprehensive and meaningful molecular animations tailored to your project.
How to Use the Shown Animation
Integrating the Shown animation into your workflow is simple:
- Select the target nodes: Begin by choosing the nodes you wish to make visible during the animation. These could be specific molecules, bonds, or atomic-level structures relevant to your research or presentation.
- Add the animation: Navigate to the Animation panel within the Animator. Double-click the Shown animation effect. This action automatically sets the starting keyframe at the current frame.
- Adjust keyframes: Move the keyframes to fit your specific timeline. This step lets you precisely control when the nodes appear during your animation sequence.
Tips for Customization
If you want to adjust how the animation behaves between keyframes, consider modifying the Easing curve. The Easing curve affects how parameters are interpolated over time, giving you greater creative control over the visual smoothness and dynamics of your animation.
Important Notes
While SAMSON’s tools evolve over time, keep in mind that the Animation menu previously used in older versions is now replaced by the Animation panel. This panel consolidates all animation features, including the Shown effect, into an easy-to-access location within the Animator.
See It in Action
The following GIF illustrates how the Shown animation toggles visibility between nodes:
Conclusion
By using the Shown animation, SAMSON equips molecular modelers with a simple yet powerful way to emphasize specific molecular structures in animated sequences. It’s a valuable feature for creating visually precise and engaging presentations of molecular designs or simulations.
To explore more about the Shown animation and find related tools, visit the original documentation page: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/animations/shown/.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. To get SAMSON, visit https://www.samson-connect.net.