For molecular modelers juggling complex systems and workflows, having a workspace that truly supports your thinking is more than a convenience — it’s a necessity. SAMSON, the integrative molecular design platform, offers a powerful solution: a fully customizable interface that molds itself to your needs, helping you focus on the science, not the clicks.
Whether you’re running simulations, building molecular systems, or presenting animations, customizing your SAMSON interface can reduce friction and save time. In this post, we’ll walk you through the essentials of interface customization in SAMSON, so you can fine-tune your environment for clarity, speed, and comfort.
Rearranging Views with Drag, Drop, and Dock
You can customize your SAMSON workspace by moving interface elements — SAMSON calls these widgets — anywhere on your screen. Want to keep the Document View next to the Inspector? Just drag the title bar of the widget to the desired area and release the mouse to dock it. You can dock widgets side-by-side or stack them into tabs, creating layouts tailored to your workflow.
The following views are especially useful for many modelers:
- Document View: See the structural hierarchy of your model.
- History View: Quickly undo or review steps you’ve taken.
- Inspector: Access detailed parameters of selected atoms, residues, or molecules.
Shortcuts for Fast Toggling
Learn and use keyboard shortcuts to hide or show specific interface sections in SAMSON. For example, on Windows or Linux:
Ctrl + 1: Show/hide the Document ViewCtrl + 2: Toggle the InspectorCtrl + 3: Access your History
On macOS, use Cmd instead of Ctrl. These shortcuts increase focus by letting you clean your workspace on the fly.
Create and Switch Between Workspaces
For users working across multiple projects or tasks — say, one day doing quantum calculations and the next editing presentations — SAMSON allows you to define and switch between workspaces. Each workspace can have a different interface layout, making it easy to transition between tasks without rearranging your views every time.
Add Favorites to Speed Things Up
If you consistently use certain tools, editors, apps, or commands, you can pin them to a dedicated Favorites section in the ribbon menu. Just search for the feature in the Find everything box (shortcut: Shift + E), hover over it, and click the star icon (
). No more digging through menus.
Keep It Always on Top
Some apps and widgets like calculation tools can be pinned to stay always visible using the Pin icon. This is particularly helpful when comparing outputs or entering parameters repeatedly.
Your Layout, Every Time
Once you’ve arranged your interface the way you like it, SAMSON remembers. Your customized interface — including your workspace arrangement and favorites — is saved and automatically restored the next time you launch SAMSON.
To go deeper into SAMSON interface customization, visit the full documentation at https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/first-look/.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.