In complex molecular modeling projects, notes are more than just annotations — they often become essential for organizing structural insights, tracking analysis stages, or marking regions of interest. But when your project scales up, managing a growing number of note nodes can quickly get overwhelming.
If you’ve ever struggled to hide, find, or filter notes efficiently while navigating through your SAMSON document, understanding the Note attributes in the Node Specification Language (NSL) might be the solution you’ve been looking for.
Why ‘Note’ Attributes Matter
Note nodes in SAMSON are designed to be lightweight containers for textual information. However, what makes them powerful is their interoperability with the NSL — allowing you to search, select, and filter them with precision.
These attributes exist in the note attribute space (short name: nt) and provide crucial control over aspects like visibility, selection state, and naming. This can save time and reduce errors in workflows, especially for users dealing with large and collaborative models.
Key Attributes at a Glance
| Attribute | Short Name | Usage Example |
|---|---|---|
| hidden | h |
nt.h, not nt.h |
| name | n |
nt.n "ImportantNote", nt.n "Label*" |
| selected | – | nt.selected, not nt.selected |
| selectionFlag | sf |
nt.sf, nt.sf false |
| visibilityFlag | vf |
nt.vf, nt.vf false |
| visible | v |
nt.v, not nt.v |
Practical Use Cases
- Quick filtering: Need to isolate only the visible notes in your project? Use
nt.vto filter them immediately. - Batch hiding: Want to hide all notes starting with “Temp”?
nt.n "Temp*" and nt.vhelps locate them and then you can quickly toggle their visibility flag. - Error prevention: Avoid accidentally editing hidden or inactive notes by filtering out
not nt.vornot nt.selected.
Tips for Working with Notes in SAMSON
Here are a few general tips that can make working with notes more efficient:
- Use consistent naming conventions for your notes. This makes string-based filters like
nt.n "SimRun*"very effective. - Consider using your note nodes as structural bookmarks. Combined with the visibility and selection flags, this turns them into clickable guides during presentations or reviews.
- Always check both
nt.vandnt.vfif nodes seem invisible. A node can have its visibility flag set but still be hidden depending on other parent settings.
Want to Learn More?
This is just the beginning. NSL can be a powerful ally when working with molecular models in SAMSON. Learn more by visiting the full Note Attributes documentation: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/nsl/note/.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.