When working with complex molecular systems, the tools we use to interact with our models can greatly influence our productivity. A common frustration among molecular modelers is wasted time navigating through cluttered interfaces or endlessly rearranging windows after each session. If you’ve ever wished your molecular modeling toolkit could adapt to your own habits and preferences, then this post is for you.
In SAMSON, the integrative platform for molecular design, the interface is completely customizable — and those customizations are saved between sessions. This means you can set things up exactly the way you want, and focus more on your modeling and less on your tools.
Drag, Drop, Dock: Your Workspace, Your Way
SAMSON’s interface is built from several key components: the Document view, History, Inspector, Animator, Asset browser, and more. These interface parts are organized as widgets which you can freely rearrange.
Want to keep the Inspector next to the Animator? Prefer your Document view docked to the right instead of the left? Simply click and drag on the title bars of these widgets and drop them where it feels intuitive to you. Widgets can be docked together, creating a layout tailored to your workflow.
Pin Down What Matters
Some applications in SAMSON feature a small “Pin” icon. Clicking this icon ensures that the selected window will remain on top. This is incredibly handy when you want persistent access to an app without having it get buried underneath other windows — especially during intense modeling or analysis sessions.
Instant Access via Shortcuts
If you enjoy using keyboard shortcuts, SAMSON provides a full suite for quickly showing or hiding interface elements. For instance:
- Ctrl (or Cmd) + 0: Toggle SAMSON AI
- Ctrl (or Cmd) + 1: Toggle Document view
- Ctrl (or Cmd) + 3: Toggle History
- Ctrl (or Cmd) + 8: Toggle Python Console
This is especially useful when switching between different modeling modes without reaching for the mouse.
Favorites You Can Actually Use
Another feature you might appreciate: you can pin your most-used commands, applications, and editors to the favorites section. Once pinned, they show up automatically in a dedicated toolbar section — quick access, no hunting required.
Add to favorites by searching for tools in the Find everything box at the top of the ribbon menu. When hovering over a result, just click the ⭐ icon to pin it. Later, you can unpin by clicking the same icon again.
It Stays Just the Way You Like It
Perhaps the best part of all: your customized SAMSON interface is saved. The next time you launch SAMSON, the interface will be rendered exactly how you left it. That means no reconfiguring after every reboot — just dive back into your molecular design project.
With just a few minutes of rearrangement and a couple of pinned favorites, you can transform SAMSON into a tool that feels like it was built just for you.
For additional details and tips, visit the official documentation: SAMSON Interface: First Look.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.