One of the recurring challenges when working with complex molecular systems is the precise editing of atomic or structural properties without disrupting the relationships between nodes. For example, what happens if you want to change the position of a group of atoms while keeping their relative structure intact? Or how can you make bulk modifications while still preserving essential attributes derived from chemical rules?
In SAMSON, the Inspector provides a unified interface to view and edit properties of selected nodes like atoms, residues, bonds, or entire molecular chains. Understanding how it works can save a lot of trial-and-error and help you avoid the common pitfalls of manual editing.
Understanding Attribute Groups
When you select any node in SAMSON—be it an atom, a bond, or a group of residues—the Inspector groups its properties into clear attribute categories. These might include geometric data like position, chemical characteristics, or metadata such as labels.
The visual logic of the Inspector lets you quickly differentiate between attributes that can be edited and those that cannot. For instance, the atomic weight and element symbol are immutable as they derive from the atom type. However, change the atom type, and those dependent attributes update accordingly.
Bulk Edits Without Losing Structure
If you’ve ever selected multiple atoms to move them and found them stacking up into a single point, you’re not alone. By default, the Inspector modifies the attribute for all selected nodes. Fortunately, SAMSON includes a Relative option that preserves internal geometry within your selection.
With Relative ON, all selected atoms shift by the same vector—preserving internal distances. With it OFF, they all jump to the same position. This small toggle helps you avoid frustration during structural corrections or model refinements.
Restoring Defaults
Not every edit needs to be permanent. SAMSON lets you reset certain attributes back to their default state. Simply hover over the name of an editable attribute—if the cursor changes, double-click the label to revert it. This feature is particularly useful during exploratory edits when you want to see the effect of a tweak.
Filtering Attributes in Complex Models
When editing large molecules, it can be hard to find the right attribute in long lists. Fortunately, the Inspector includes a filter. Start typing, for example, position, and only matching attributes will be displayed. This speeds up navigation and helps you stay focused.
Takeaways
– Use the Inspector to access and edit node properties quickly.
– Understand which properties are modifiable and resettable.
– Use the Relative toggle to control how group edits behave.
– Leverage the filter to stay efficient in complex projects.
These small but crucial features of the Inspector can make a big difference in how confidently and efficiently you work inside SAMSON. To learn more, visit the full documentation page.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at www.samson-connect.net.