Have you ever needed to visualize a molecular trajectory in reverse, perhaps to observe how a system returns to its original conformation or to showcase reversible dynamics in a presentation? Rather than exporting or recalculating the trajectory backwards, you can use the Play reverse path animation in SAMSON to reverse paths easily—without touching the underlying data.
This feature is a convenient solution for molecular modelers and researchers who often need to:
- Demonstrate reverse binding or unfolding events from simulations
- Cycle smoothly between conformations during presentations
- Explore alternative interpretations of a simulation
The Play reverse path animation lets you replay any previously created path backwards between two frames. You can select one or multiple paths to reverse—such as those representing molecular trajectories—and animate them in reverse order, saving time compared to recalculating new simulations or editing external files.
Step-by-step: Reversing a Path
1. First, select a path node in your document. In SAMSON, path nodes store trajectory data, such as docking results, morphing transitions, or conformational changes.
2. Open the Animator and look for the Animation panel. Double-click on the Play reverse path effect to add it to your animation timeline.
3. SAMSON will automatically assign the animation between two keyframes and play the selected path backward. The path’s motion is automatically synchronized with the animation frames. If needed, move the keyframes to adjust timing.
Handle Different Frame Counts Easily
Sometimes, the number of frames in your animation doesn’t line up with the number of frames in the path. In these cases, SAMSON applies path smoothing to interpolate and create a seamless animation. This is useful for generating clean, continuous movement without manual tweaking. If you’d rather keep the motion as-is, you can disable smoothing directly in the Inspector.
Customize Motion with Easing Curves
Use easing curves to influence how speed changes occur throughout the motion. For instance, you might want a slow approach and fast retreat—or vice versa. The easing curve interface, also found in the Inspector, gives you control over the interpolation style between frames, adding more expressive power to your visualizations.
Use-Cases That Help You Communicate Better
Whether you’re preparing a presentation or trying to better understand a complex transformation, showing reverse trajectories can highlight different aspects of the system. It can be particularly helpful when:
- Comparing forward and backward paths of a conformational transition
- Demonstrating symmetrical transformations to a broader audience
- Inspecting energy pathways from an alternate timeline perspective
Overall, the Play reverse path animation is a small but effective feature to improve clarity, flexibility, and communication in your molecular modeling workflows.
To learn more, visit the full documentation on the Play reverse path animation.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at www.samson-connect.net.