Working with 3D molecular structures for extended periods can be highly engaging but also visually straining. If you’re modeling late into the evening or spending hours adjusting rendering parameters, chances are you’ve experienced some degree of eye fatigue. For users of SAMSON, customizing the visual environment to be easier on the eyes is straightforward—thanks to Dark Mode.
Dark mode reduces the overall brightness of the user interface, replacing bright backgrounds with darker tones. This change can make a real difference, especially during long modeling sessions or in low-light settings. Luckily, SAMSON lets you toggle dark mode easily from the Preferences panel.
Where to Find It
To activate dark mode:
- Open the Preferences panel (Interface > Preferences or press Ctrl + K on Windows/Linux or Cmd + , on Mac).
- In the left panel, navigate to Interface > Dark mode.
- Toggle the option to switch between Light and Dark modes.
Changes apply immediately if the “Automatically test” option is checked at the bottom of the Preferences panel. This means you don’t need to restart SAMSON or interrupt your current modeling session.
Why Use Dark Mode in Molecular Modeling?
For molecular modelers, the benefits of dark mode go beyond comfort. Here are a few specific reasons why it’s particularly useful in scientific visualization:
- Better contrast with molecular structures: Dark backgrounds help atoms, bonds, and ribbons stand out more clearly, especially with bright color schemes used in rendering.
- Improved screenshot quality: When combined with transparent backgrounds, dark mode is great for generating clean visual materials for presentations or publications.
- Longer modeling without fatigue: Dark mode places less strain on the eyes, especially useful during deep work sessions navigating complex molecular systems.
Combine with Other Rendering Preferences
Dark mode is even more effective when combined with other rendering preferences in SAMSON. For instance, enabling anti-aliasing or adjusting lighting can further enhance the clarity of visual outputs. Since all these options are centralized in the Preferences panel, it’s easy to tailor SAMSON’s appearance to your workflow.
Whether you’re analyzing protein-ligand interactions or creating presentation-ready molecular scenes, small tweaks like enabling dark mode can make your everyday experience smoother.
To explore all available customization options, visit the full documentation: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/preferences/
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.