Tired of Hunting for Atom Properties? Use This Quick Filter Trick Instead.

When working on complex molecular structures, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the number of properties associated with each atom. Whether you’re adjusting atom positions during molecular modeling or inspecting attributes to verify structural consistency, sifting through all the information can slow you down. Fortunately, SAMSON’s Inspector panel offers a filtering feature that makes it easy to access exactly the attributes you need — without distractions.

This filtering function is especially helpful when working with large selections or when you’re modifying specific attributes like position, velocity, or charge. Instead of scrolling manually through long lists of atom details, you can simply begin typing a keyword (like position) and watch the irrelevant information disappear.

How to Use the Attribute Filter

Here’s how to try this out:

  1. Select one or more nodes in the workspace — for example, an atom or a group of atoms.
  2. Open the Inspector:
    • Via the menu: Interface > Inspector
    • With the shortcut: Ctrl + 2 (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + 2 (Mac)
    • Or use the context toolbar after making your selection
  3. In the filter box located at the top of the Inspector, start typing the name of the attribute you’re interested in. For example, type position.

Now the Inspector only shows attributes with labels matching “position.” It immediately becomes easier to edit or analyze what matters to your current task.

Filtering attributes

Fine-Tuning Through Direct Editing

Once attributes are filtered, direct interaction becomes much simpler. For example, you can adjust the position of a selected atom and observe its movement right in the viewport:

Changing attributes

This filtering feature is especially powerful for modeling workflows that involve frequent, precise tuning of atomic or molecular parameters. Because only the attributes you requested are displayed, it’s harder to make accidental modifications to unrelated parameters.

Tips for Smarter Filtering

  • Use partial matches: Typing pos is enough to bring up position-related attributes.
  • Combine with multiple selections: When several atoms are selected, modifications apply to all of them, helping you maintain consistency across your system.
  • Use the Relative checkbox wisely: If checked, each selected atom’s attribute is modified relative to its current value; if unchecked, all atoms are set to the same value. This makes it easier to apply symmetrical transformations or localized adjustments.

Why This Matters

The attribute filter in SAMSON’s Inspector may seem like a small feature, but it can significantly improve your modeling efficiency. By reducing the time you spend searching for parameters and preventing accidental changes to unrelated properties, attribute filtering supports more focused, error-resistant workflows.

Learn more about inspecting and editing attributes in SAMSON’s full documentation: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/inspecting/

SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net

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