Collaboration is a central part of the molecular modeling workflow. Whether working across research teams, departments, or institutions, scientists often need to exchange complex molecular data. However, molecular structure files can come with numerous dependencies, metadata, and large associated datasets. Sending these files over email, uploading them to general cloud storage platforms, or trying to explain which plugins or parameters were used is time-consuming—and error-prone.
That’s where shared SAMSON Documents come in. SAMSON Connect allows users to publicly or privately share complete molecular design projects—including all models, settings, scripts, and data—in a single self-contained file. This approach significantly reduces friction in collaborative research and enhances reproducibility.
What Makes a Shared Document in SAMSON Special?
A SAMSON Document is more than just a PDB file or a molecular scene. It can contain everything you used in your model:
- Molecules and assemblies
- Simulators, models, and relationships between entities
- Embedded Python scripts or complete Python apps (e.g., machine learning models)
- Figures, images, references, and any related data files
Once created, the Document can be shared through SAMSON Connect, either publicly or with selected collaborators.
How to Share Your Molecular Document
To publish your Document directly from SAMSON:
- Open your completed SAMSON Document
- Go to Home > Publish from the top menu
- Enter a document name and description in the dialog
- Choose your sharing preferences:
- Public: visible to everyone
- Hidden: available only to those with the link
- Restricted: requires explicit access
- Click Publish document
You’ll get a link to access your document on the SAMSON Connect platform. This link can be included in publications, shared with your team, or even embedded in digital lab notebooks.
Downloading Shared Documents
To use a document that’s been shared with you:
- In SAMSON, go to Home > Download
- Paste the document link or browse shared documents
- Click Download
The document—including all embedded data and settings—will load directly into your workspace, ready to use or modify.
Why It Saves Time
Instead of packaging data, providing instructions on compatible versions or extensions, or debugging why a colleague can’t open a file, everything is available in one go. And whether it’s shared publicly to accelerate a field, or sent privately for a collaboration, researchers can work off the exact same starting point.
To learn more, visit the official documentation.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download the platform at https://www.samson-connect.net.