When several structures occupy the same region of a molecular scene, it can be difficult to tell what belongs together—and even harder to explain how the pieces relate. Moving objects by hand may help, but it can also make a presentation harder to manage. The Undock animation offers a simple way to show groups of atoms or meshes moving away from their current, docked positions.
This is especially useful when preparing a visual explanation: the audience can see the original arrangement first, then watch selected structures separate. The animation is a presentation aid; it does not, by itself, establish why the structures are positioned as they are or represent a molecular simulation.
Set up the scene before animating
Start by deciding which part of the scene should stay in place and which parts should move. Select at least two structural nodes or meshes. The first selected node acts as the static receptor; the other selected nodes are the ones that will be animated. This selection order is important, so check it before creating the effect.
If the receptor consists of several nodes, group those receptor nodes in a folder and select that folder first. Then select the nodes or meshes you want to move away. This keeps the intended stationary group clear while allowing the other selected objects to be animated together.
If nothing is selected, SAMSON will try to guess which nodes the animation should apply to. For a presentation where you need predictable results, an explicit selection is usually the clearer option: it makes the receptor and moving parts easier to verify before you begin.
Create the separation
Open the Animation panel in the Animator and double-click the Undock animation effect. The selected nodes will be undocked between the animation’s two keyframes. The movement’s amplitude is computed automatically when the animation is created, so you can quickly see a first version without having to specify a distance in advance.
Play the animation and check whether the movement makes the scene easier to understand. If the objects separate too little or too much, inspect the animation and change its amplitude. You can also move the keyframes to adjust where the undocking starts and ends in your presentation. These are useful controls for pacing: a separation may need more room in the timeline if viewers should have time to follow the change.
A quick review before presenting
- Check the selection: the first node should be the static receptor, and the other selected nodes should be the ones to animate.
- Use a folder for a multi-part receptor: put its nodes in a folder and select that folder first.
- Review the automatically chosen amplitude: inspect the animation and adjust it if the separation does not suit the scene.
- Set the timing: move the keyframes as needed, then replay the animation to check its pacing.
- Consider the transition: the easing curve controls how parameters are interpolated between frames, so you can adjust it when the default progression does not fit your presentation.
Undocking can turn an overlapping or visually busy arrangement into a sequence that is easier to follow, while keeping the original docked arrangement as the starting point. To learn more about the controls and workflow, see the Undock animation documentation.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.