When you are focused on a molecular modeling task, losing time to the interface is frustrating. You may know what you want to do, but not which panel contains the relevant information—or how to bring a hidden panel back. A useful first step is to treat the workspace as a set of distinct areas, each with a job, rather than as one crowded screen.
In SAMSON, the viewport is where you see the document in three dimensions. The Document view shows its structure, the Inspector provides parameters for selected nodes such as atoms, residues, and molecules, and History lists actions you have performed. The menu provides access to commands and tools, while the Asset Browser gives access to libraries for adding atoms, fragments, and molecules. The Animator is for creating presentations and modifying animation effects.
Start with the task, not the panel
A practical way to orient yourself is to ask what kind of information or action you need:
- Need to inspect the 3D document? Work in the viewport.
- Need to understand its structure? Look in the Document view.
- Need parameters for a selected node? Open the Inspector.
- Need to review what you have done? Check History.
- Need to add a building block? Look in the Asset Browser.
- Need to make or adjust a presentation? Open the Animator.
This simple mapping helps avoid the common detour of searching through unrelated menus when you only need a particular view or kind of information.
Bring panels back with shortcuts
If a panel is hidden, use the Interface menu or its keyboard shortcut. On Windows, the documented shortcuts use Ctrl; on macOS, they use Cmd. For example, Ctrl+1 (Windows) or Cmd+1 (macOS) opens the Document view. The Inspector is Ctrl+2 or Cmd+2, and History is Ctrl+3 or Cmd+3.
The same number-based pattern gives quick access to other areas: Asset Browser with 4, Periodic Table with 5, Job Manager with 6, Animator with 7, Python console with 8, and Code Editor with 9. SAMSON AI is available with 0. These shortcuts can be easier to remember than hunting through menus, especially when you are switching between panels during a task.
Make the workspace fit your work
The Document view, History, and Inspector can be rearranged by dragging their title bars. Widgets can be docked together, or moved to a different position in the interface. If a panel is taking up space you need elsewhere, rearranging the workspace can make the important areas easier to reach. Your interface customization is saved and loaded the next time you open SAMSON.
You can also switch workspaces to change how the menu is represented. The available menu functionality depends on the installed SAMSON Extensions, so different installations may present different commands and tools.
Search instead of browsing
When you know the name—or even just the type—of what you need, use the Find everything search box at the top of the menu. It can search for commands, apps, editors, and documentation. The shortcut is Shift+E. If you find a command, app, or editor you use repeatedly, add it to favorites using its star icon. Favorites appear in dedicated sections at the top of the ribbon menu and in the Editors viewport menu.
A helpful routine is to open the panel that matches your immediate need, search for unfamiliar commands rather than guessing where they are, and favorite tools you return to often. That keeps attention on the molecular task instead of the mechanics of navigating the software.
For the complete panel reference and shortcut list, see SAMSON Interface. For a quick orientation to the interface, visit the original First look documentation.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON at samson-connect.net.