A molecular model can be ready to review, but getting it to the right people is a separate task. Sending a file without explaining who can use it—or how they can find it—can add friction to a collaboration. SAMSON Connect lets you publish documents from SAMSON and choose their visibility, so you can make the access level part of your handoff.
The key decision is not simply whether to share a document. It is how broadly it should be discoverable and who should be able to use it. Before publishing, consider who needs the document and what access they need. The three visibility options cover different situations:
- Public: everyone can use the document, while editing requires access rights. Choose this when broad access is appropriate.
- Hidden: anyone with the link can use the document, while editing requires access rights. This is useful when you want to share a direct link rather than make the document public.
- Restricted: using or editing the document requires access rights. Choose this when access itself should be limited.
These options distinguish access to use a document from permission to edit it. In particular, Public does not mean that everyone can edit, and Hidden does not mean that the link is access-controlled: anyone who has the link can use the document. Restricted is the option where using the document, as well as editing it, requires access rights.
Publish from SAMSON
In SAMSON, use Home > Publish to open the publishing dialog. Enter a name and description, then select the visibility that fits the intended audience. A clear name and a useful description help recipients identify the right document, especially when they are handling several shared models. When you are ready, click Publish document. The document is shared in SAMSON Connect – Documents, and the dialog provides its link.
A practical handoff can be as simple as matching the visibility to the audience: use Public when broad use is intended, Hidden when sharing by link suits the situation, and Restricted when access rights should be required to use the document. If you are unsure, consider who might receive or forward the link, and whether those people should be able to use the document.
Find and download shared documents
When you need a document someone else has shared, open SAMSON and choose Home > Download. This provides a route to download documents shared in SAMSON Connect – Documents. It can be a useful step to mention in a handoff, so collaborators know where to start when they receive a shared model.
You can access and manage documents you have shared, as well as documents shared with you, from your SAMSON Connect account. For work involving groups, access rights, or shared-document management, continue with the Collaboration documentation.
For the full instructions, see Share documents in SAMSON.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.