As a molecular modeler, tailoring your working environment to your needs can make a world of difference to your productivity and focus. The SAMSON platform, known for its integrative molecular design capabilities, offers robust interface customization options that let you adapt the workspace to your specific workflows and preferences. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to customize the SAMSON interface, so it works better for you.
Why Customize the Interface?
Every molecular modeling project has unique requirements. Whether you’re simulating molecular dynamics, designing a protein-ligand complex, or visualizing macromolecules, the tools you frequently use should be easily accessible. SAMSON’s drag-and-drop customization lets you configure your workspace, reducing time spent searching for features and increasing efficiency.
Moreover, customizing the interface allows you to organize the tools and panels in a way that minimizes distractions. For instance, you could group panels you use together, such as the Document View, History, and Inspector, so everything you need for managing and exploring molecular systems is in one place.
How to Customize Your Workspace?
Here are the key steps to rearrange SAMSON’s interface:
- Reorganizing widgets: Many panels, like the Document View, History, and Inspector, can be moved via drag-and-drop. Simply click and hold the title bar of the widget you want to move, drag it to a new location, and release the mouse button to dock it.
- Docking and undocking: Panels can be docked together or kept as floating windows for quick access. To undock a widget, click its title bar and drag it out of its current location. By rearranging widgets, you can create a layout that best suits your needs.
- Favorites: Add frequently used commands, apps, or editors to your favorites. They’ll appear in special favorites sections in the ribbon menu and in the Editors viewport menu. You can remove them from the favorites section by clicking on their corresponding star icon.
- Pinning windows: Some windows, like those in certain Apps, feature a “Pin” icon. Clicking this icon keeps the window on top of other panels, ensuring they’re never hidden while working.
Adapting Workspaces
SAMSON allows users to switch between different workspaces, making it easy to customize the menu representation for various projects or specific tasks. This feature can be accessed from the top-left corner of the menu.
You can also show or hide parts of the interface using the Interface menu or shortcuts. For instance:
- Ctrl + 1 (or Cmd + 1 on Mac): Document View
- Ctrl + 2 (or Cmd + 2 on Mac): Inspector
- Ctrl + 3 (or Cmd + 3 on Mac): History
These shortcuts make switching interfaces or focusing on specific tasks a breeze.
Ensuring a Productive Workspace
The changes you make to the SAMSON interface are saved within the platform, allowing you to pick up where you left off whenever you return. Whether you are multitasking across multiple panels or temporarily simplifying your workspace to focus on analyzing a system, the customization options ensure that SAMSON adapts to your needs, not the other way around.
Here’s an example of a fully customized interface with docked panels for streamlined modeling:
To learn more about interface customization and related features, visit the official SAMSON documentation page.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON now at https://www.samson-connect.net.