Mastering Note Visibility in SAMSON with NSL

When working on complex molecular models, keeping your workflow organized is essential. With SAMSON’s Node Specification Language (NSL), you can fine-tune how note nodes are displayed using attributes like hidden, visible, and their respective flags. These attributes allow you to effortlessly control what’s visible on your molecular workspace.

Why is note visibility important?

Imagine working on a detailed molecular structure with hundreds or even thousands of notes attached to nodes. You might need some information readily visible while hiding irrelevant data. The visible and hidden attributes, along with their flag counterparts, simplify display management and automatically reduce clutter—a game-changer for molecular modellers managing complex systems.

Understanding hidden, visible, and related attributes

Visibility can be controlled through the following attributes, defined in the note (nt) attribute space:

  • hidden (nt.h): Specifies whether the note node is hidden. Possible values are true or false.
  • visible (nt.v): Defines whether the note node is visible. Possible values are also true or false.
  • visibilityFlag (nt.vf): Similar to the visibility attribute but adds additional utility for flagging states.

Examples for practical use

To make certain note nodes visible—or hidden—you can use expressions in SAMSON NSL. Here are some practical examples:

  • Hide a note node: nt.h true ensures the note is hidden from the workspace.
  • Show all visible nodes: Use nt.v to quickly isolate which notes are visible.
  • Check visibility flags: nt.vf false can be used to check and manage custom visibility statuses.

These commands allow you to adapt visibility dynamically, especially in large and sprawling molecular projects where attention to detail is paramount.

Inherited attributes for streamlined usage

The hidden and visible attributes in the note space (nt) are inherited from the node attribute space. This ensures consistency and familiarity in controlling node visibility. The flags (visibilityFlag and others) add flexibility, allowing advanced control beyond the basic true or false settings.

By mastering these tools, you’ll streamline your workflow and keep your molecular design process intuitive and effective.

Learn more

This blog post only scratches the surface of what NSL can do for visibility management. Explore the detailed documentation at https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/nsl/note/ for more insight and examples.

SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Ready to try them out? Download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.

Comments are closed.