If you are a molecular modeler working with complex structures, efficiently selecting and controlling animations in your models can be challenging. The Animation attribute space in SAMSON’s Node Specification Language (NSL) provides you with an accessible and precise way to handle animations directly. Here’s a breakdown of how Animation attributes can simplify your workflow.
What are Animation Attributes?
The animation attribute space (short name: an) in SAMSON’s NSL is designed to interact specifically with animation nodes. This makes it easier to modify the visibility, selection, and naming of animation nodes, among other things. By utilizing these attributes, you can define clear and efficient expressions to manage your animations within molecular models.
An Overview of Key Animation Attributes
Here is a summary of the key attributes in the animation attribute space:
| Attribute Name | Short Name | Possible Values | Example Expressions |
|---|---|---|---|
| hidden | h |
true, false |
an.h, not an.h |
| name | n |
strings in quotes | an.n "A", an.n "L*" |
| selected | true, false |
an.selected, not an.selected |
|
| selectionFlag | sf |
true, false |
an.sf false, an.sf |
| visibilityFlag | vf |
true, false |
an.vf false, an.vf |
| visible | v |
true, false |
an.v, not an.v |
Practical Benefits for Molecular Modelers
These attributes are not just technical jargon; they directly address common pains of molecular modelers:
- Finding Specific Animation Nodes: Use the
name(n) attribute to pinpoint animations that match a specific pattern. For example, usean.n "L*"to target all animations starting with an “L”. - Improving Focus: Adjust the visibility of animations with
visible(v) orvisibilityFlag(vf) attributes so you can focus only on the nodes necessary for your analysis. - Selectivity: The
selectedandselectionFlagattributes let you customize which animation nodes to work on without unnecessary manual interactions.
Inherited Attributes from Node
All these animation attributes are inherited from the broader Node attributes. This means that the well-structured logic used for nodes can now be easily applied to animations. For instance, hidden minimizes distractions by controlling visibility, while name offers flexible text-based filtering. However, note that some inheritances are slightly modified, like selected, which does not have a short name in animation attributes.
The power of these attributes lies in their simple syntax and focused functionality, allowing users to set up precise workflows for animation control in molecular modeling.
Where to Start
If this aligns with your workflow needs, head over to SAMSON’s documentation on Animation Attributes for a deeper dive into the full list of examples and possibilities.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON at samson-connect.net.