In molecular modeling, accurate measurements are crucial for analyzing molecular structures, inspecting interactions, and performing structural adjustments efficiently. The Measure editor in SAMSON facilitates quick measurements of bond lengths, distances, angles, and dihedrals, while also allowing these measurements to be saved and customized as labels in your work documents.
Effortlessly Measure and Save Critical Data
The Measure editor can be easily accessed from the left-side menu in the viewport or through the shortcut Ctrl/Cmd + M. To measure:
- Bonds: Click a bond to display its length.
- Two atoms: Click two atoms to measure the distance between them.
- Three atoms: Click three atoms to measure the angle.
- Four atoms: Click four atoms to measure the torsion or dihedral angle.
To make these measurements part of your document (and not just temporary data), simply press Enter. This step automatically saves the measurement as a label, ensuring it remains in place for future reference.
Enhance Your Workflow with Labels
Measurement labels in SAMSON go beyond simple convenience. They integrate seamlessly into your visualization workflow by:
- Staying visible at all zoom levels for clarity.
- Providing associated metadata in the Inspector.
- Being adaptable: You can change font styles, colors, and even reset visual attributes easily.
For example, the Inspector lets you customize label properties like “Line color” for distance lines or “Angle color” for angular measurements to make your visualizations more intuitive and appealing. Here’s an example:
Dynamic Updates for Real-Time Precision
One of the standout features of SAMSON’s measurement labeling is that they are dynamic. When atoms or nodes covered by a saved label are moved, resized, or modified, the label updates automatically. This ensures precision even when modifying complex structures. You don’t need to worry about manually adjusting the labels after structure modifications—it all happens in real time.
Save Project-Wide Preferences
Measuring doesn’t stop at the document level: SAMSON provides project-wide settings for label appearances in Preferences > Rendering > Labels. You can set a default font for all labels and adjust displayed precision by specifying the number of decimal places for distances and angles. These preferences ensure consistency across projects and help you read measurements at a glance.
Why Labels Matter
Labels are more than static elements—they are fully integrated measurement annotations that enable better analysis, documentation, and communication of your molecular designs. By leveraging labels effectively, you can create precise, well-organized representations of molecular models for publication, collaboration, or personal research.
To learn more about measuring in SAMSON, visit the official documentation page: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/measuring/.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.