A molecular modeling task can be demanding enough without having to hunt for the right panel. You may be looking at a structure in 3D while wondering where to inspect a selected atom, find a previous action, or open an asset. A quick mental map of the SAMSON interface—and a few shortcuts—can make those small interruptions easier to handle.
The key is to know which area answers which kind of question. The viewport is where you see the document in three dimensions. The Document view shows its structure, while the Inspector gives access to parameters for selected nodes such as atoms, residues, or molecules. The History lists actions you have performed. These panels complement one another: one shows the scene, another its organization, another the properties of what you selected, and another the steps you took.
Other areas support different parts of a modeling session. The Asset Browser provides access to libraries for adding atoms, fragments, and molecules. The Animator is for creating presentations and adding or modifying animation effects. The menu contains commands, workspaces, and opened documents, and the status bar may display messages. Once you can associate a task with a panel, you spend less time searching and more time working on the model.
Open a panel without searching for it
On Windows and Linux, the number shortcuts use Ctrl; on macOS, use Cmd. For example, Ctrl+1 or Cmd+1 opens the Document view, while Ctrl+2 or Cmd+2 opens the Inspector. The same pattern takes you to History with 3, Asset Browser with 4, and Animator with 7. The full set also includes SAMSON AI (0), Periodic table (5), Job manager (6), Python console (8), and Code Editor (9).
Think of these as direct routes to common destinations. If you are checking a selected node, go to the Inspector; if you want to review what happened, go to History. You can also show or hide interface areas using the Interface menu. The shortcuts are a useful alternative when you already know the panel you need.
Find the command, app, or editor you need
When you do not know where a feature lives, use the Find everything box at the top of the ribbon menu. It can search available commands, apps, editors, and documentation. Open it with Shift+E, then search instead of browsing menu categories one by one. The menu’s contents are built from installed SAMSON Extensions, so available functionality can vary with the extensions installed.
If you repeatedly use a command, app, or editor, add it to your favorites from the search results by clicking its star when it appears on hover. Favorites are shown in dedicated sections of the ribbon menu and in the Editors viewport menu. Click the star again to remove an item from favorites.
Make the workspace fit your task
The Document view, History, Inspector, and other widgets can be rearranged by dragging their title bars. Move a widget to where you want it and release the mouse to dock it there; you can also undock widgets. This is useful when a task calls for keeping two panels visible together, or when you want to give the viewport more room. You can switch workspaces to change the menu representation, and the interface layout you customize is saved for the next time you open SAMSON.
Some windows, including some Apps, have a Pin icon that keeps the window on top. If a panel seems to have disappeared, first check the Interface menu or use its shortcut; it may simply be hidden rather than gone.
For the complete panel descriptions and shortcut list, see the SAMSON interface first-look guide. From there, continue to Moving around for viewport navigation, or Loading molecules to open or fetch a structure.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.