If you’ve ever needed to modify molecular models manually, you know how frustrating it can be to make consistent changes across multiple atoms—especially when you can’t quite remember what you’ve changed or which attributes are editable at all. The Inspector in SAMSON offers a focused and flexible way to view and edit node properties while preserving essential context.
For example, when you select multiple atoms, the Inspector panel intelligently displays the grouped attributes according to their node types. Crucially, it shows the values of the last selected node of that type. This design choice might seem subtle, but it avoids overwhelming you with conflicting values and shows a concrete example of what’s currently selected—making it easier to understand and edit.
Changing Attributes Safely
Let’s say you want to move a set of atoms to reposition a residue. Once you’ve selected the atoms, you can open the Inspector from the toolbar or with a shortcut (Ctrl+2 on Windows/Linux or Cmd+2 on Mac), and modify the atoms’ attributes like position. Here’s the key: any attribute change you make affects all selected nodes of the same type.
This batch editing is powerful and efficient—but potentially risky if not fully understood. That’s where the Relative option comes in. If the Relative checkbox is on (which it is by default), all atoms will move together as a group, keeping their local positions unchanged. Turn it off, and their positions will collapse to the same specified coordinate. Useful? Yes. But easy to misuse if you’re unaware of its impact.
Having a reversible workflow helps. Any changes you make in SAMSON can be quickly undone thanks to its built-in history mechanism. That means you can experiment with values freely—an important feature for modelers exploring different conformations or configurations.
Precision Through Filtering
With many attributes available, it’s often faster to focus on one. The Inspector includes a filter bar at the top—just type in part of the attribute name (say, position) and instantly narrow down the list. Simple but effective visual feedback keeps you grounded as you adjust properties.
Resetting to Defaults
Finally, if you ever worry that an attribute change went too far, just hover over the label. If the cursor changes, it means you can double-click the label to reset the value to its default. This works for many—but not all—attributes. This option makes it easier to explore design ideas without fear of locking yourself into a bad configuration.
For any molecular modeler working with complex systems, controlled batch editing and intelligent attribute management are not just nice-to-haves—they’re essential for working efficiently.
To dive deeper and explore other capabilities of the Inspector, you can visit the official documentation page here: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/inspecting/
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.