Understanding Mesh Attributes in SAMSON’s Node Specification Language

For molecular modelers working extensively with SAMSON, understanding the mesh attribute space in the Node Specification Language (NSL) can significantly streamline workflows that involve mesh nodes. This post provides an overview of the most relevant mesh-specific attributes, helping you harness their power for efficient molecular modeling.

Why focus on mesh attributes?

Mesh nodes in your molecular design work represent 3D geometries, making their attributes critical for controlling visibility, selection, and other properties. By mastering these, you can easily refine the visualization or configuration of specific structures, saving time and effort in molecular modeling tasks.

A closer look at key attributes

The mesh attributes belong to the me attribute space, which is exclusively associated with mesh nodes. Here’s a breakdown of commonly used attributes, their roles, and examples of how to use them effectively:

Attribute name	Short name	Possible values	Examples
hasMaterial	`hm`	`true`, `false`	`me.hm` `not me.hm`
hidden	`h`	`true`, `false`	`me.h` `not me.h`
name	`n`	strings in quotes	`me.n "A"` `me.n "L*"`
ownsMaterial	`om`	`true`, `false`	`me.om`
selected	(no short name)	`true`, `false`	`me.selected` `not me.selected`
selectionFlag	`sf`	`true`, `false`	`me.sf false` `me.sf`
visibilityFlag	`vf`	`true`, `false`	`me.vf false` `me.vf`
visible	`v`	`true`, `false`	`me.v` `not me.v`

Useful applications in molecular modeling

Knowing how to manipulate these attributes allows you to:

Control visibility: Use me.h or me.v to show or hide specific mesh nodes in your molecular structures.
Refine selection: Selectively work on portions with me.selected or toggle selection states with me.sf.
Organize data: Identify mesh nodes by their names through me.n, with support for string searches like “L*”.
Edit materials: Check and manage material ownership via the me.hm and me.om attributes.

Start exploring these attributes

This knowledge of mesh attributes is a stepping stone to more efficient molecular modeling workflows in SAMSON. By combining these capabilities with your molecular designs, you’ll be able to better manage your simulation and visualization tasks.

For a comprehensive explanation of the mesh attributes and their full potential, explore the full documentation at https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/nsl/mesh/.

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