A molecular model can be ready to review long before everyone who needs it can open it. Sending a file as an attachment may create multiple copies, while sharing it without checking access settings can leave collaborators unable to use it—or make it available more broadly than intended. SAMSON Connect provides a way to publish documents and choose who can use them.
The key decision is not simply whether to share a document, but what level of access fits the collaboration. SAMSON offers three visibility options when publishing: Public, Hidden, and Restricted. Understanding the difference can help prevent avoidable access problems.
Choose visibility based on who should use the document
- Public: Everyone can use the document, but editing requires access rights. Choose this when you want the document to be broadly available while keeping editing controlled.
- Hidden: Anyone with the link can use the document, but editing requires access rights. This can suit sharing with specific people by sending them the link, without making the document openly discoverable.
- Restricted: Using or editing the document requires access rights. Choose this when access should be limited to people who have been granted permission.
A useful check before publishing is to ask two separate questions: Who should be able to use this document? and Who should be able to edit it? The visibility setting addresses access to use the document, while editing still requires access rights for Public and Hidden documents. If a collaborator needs to make changes, confirm that they have the appropriate rights rather than assuming that being able to open a document also allows editing.
Publish from SAMSON
In SAMSON, select Home > Publish to open the publishing dialog. Enter a document name and description, then choose its visibility. A clear name and a concise description can help collaborators identify the intended document when they encounter it in SAMSON Connect.
Review the visibility choice before selecting Publish document. Once published, the document is shared in SAMSON Connect – Documents, and the dialog provides a link to it. For Hidden documents, remember that anyone with the link can use the document; treat the link accordingly. For Restricted documents, make sure the intended users have access rights.
Download a shared document
When someone shares a document with you, you can download documents from SAMSON Connect by choosing Home > Download in SAMSON. This gives you a straightforward route from a shared document to working with it in the application. If you cannot access a document, check with the person who shared it: the document may be Restricted, or your account may not have the necessary access rights.
Publishing is only one part of collaboration. You can access and manage documents you have shared, as well as documents shared with you, through your SAMSON Connect account. Before sharing a model with a team, it is worth checking that the document details are recognizable, the visibility matches the intended audience, and any collaborators who need to edit have the required rights.
For the complete instructions, see Share documents in the SAMSON documentation. For access rights, groups, and shared-document management, continue to the Collaboration documentation.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.