When a molecular modeling task stalls, the problem is not always the structure. Sometimes the wrong tool is active—or it is unclear where to find the tool you need. SAMSON editors are the interaction tools that respond to mouse and keyboard events, so knowing how to locate and think about them can make a session feel much more predictable.
Start with the task, not the menu
Before searching, describe the action you want to perform. Are you navigating the viewport, selecting objects, transforming a structure, or creating something such as a nanotube? That simple distinction helps narrow down which editor family to look for. SAMSON has editors for different kinds of interaction: examples include a rectangle selection tool, a rigid-body transform tool, a tool for deforming structures while preserving local rigidity, and a nanotube generator.
This matters because “editor” is a broad category, not a synonym for one particular kind of modeling operation. If your goal is viewport navigation, the Moving around reference focuses on view and selection editors. If you want to reposition or arrange objects, Moving objects covers move editors for transforms, alignment, and distribution.
Check which editor is active
There is one especially useful fact to remember: only one editor is active at a time. If the viewport is not responding as you expect, first check which editor is currently active. You may be using a valid tool, but one intended for a different kind of interaction. Treat the active editor as the current interaction mode: before trying a gesture, make sure the selected mode matches the task.
Quick access commands for the active editor appear in the top-left corner of the viewport. This gives you a convenient place to look for commands associated with the tool you are currently using, without losing sight of the viewport.
Three ways to find an editor
- Look in the left-side editor menu. This is the main place to browse available editors. It is useful when you know the general kind of operation but want to inspect the available choices.
- Use Find everything. The search box at the top of SAMSON can help when you know the editor’s name—or have a good idea of what you want to do—but do not remember where it is listed.
- Check SAMSON Connect. SAMSON includes editors by default, and additional editors can be added from SAMSON Connect. If you cannot find a suitable editor among the built-in choices, this is the documented place to look for more.
A small troubleshooting routine
When an interaction does not produce the result you expected, try this sequence: name the task, identify whether it is navigation, selection, transformation, or creation, check the active editor, and then search the menu or Find everything for an appropriate tool. If the task is about moving objects or navigating the viewport, consult the relevant focused reference rather than assuming every editor works the same way.
For example, a nanotube generator is an editor for creating a structure, while a rectangle selection tool is for selecting objects. Both belong to the editor family, but they address different intentions. Keeping that distinction in mind helps prevent a common source of frustration: expecting a tool to respond to an action it was not designed to handle.
When you need more than built-in tools
Editors are one family of SAMSON Extensions. You can install additional editor extensions through SAMSON Connect, or use the developer documentation to start creating your own. For a practical overview of editors and their locations in the interface, see the SAMSON Editors reference.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.