If you have ever paused in the middle of a molecular modeling task because you could not find the right panel, you are not alone. A viewport, structure tree, settings panel, action history, and animation controls can all compete for screen space. Knowing what each area is for—and how to bring it back quickly—makes it easier to stay focused on the structure you are working with.
This quick map is for the moment when you think, “Where did that tool go?” It also helps when a tutorial refers to the Inspector or Document view and you are not yet sure which part of the interface it means.
Start with the areas you use most
- Viewport: the three-dimensional view of your document. This is where you inspect the molecular structure visually.
- Document view: a structural representation of the document, useful for locating and selecting its contents.
- Inspector: access to parameters for selected nodes, such as atoms, residues, and molecules.
- History: a list of actions you have performed. When you need to review what has happened during a session, this is the panel to look for.
- Menu: access to commands, workspaces, and open documents. Its available functionality is populated by installed SAMSON Extensions.
- Asset Browser: access to asset libraries where you can add atoms, fragments, and molecules while constructing systems.
- Animator: tools for creating a presentation and adding or modifying animation effects.
- Status bar: a place where messages may appear.
This map is useful because the panels answer different questions. The viewport shows what the document looks like in 3D; the Document view shows its organization; and the Inspector provides parameters for whichever nodes you have chosen. If you are unsure which one a set of instructions means, match the task to the question it answers.
Bring a panel back without searching through menus
Use the keyboard shortcut for a panel when you need to open it quickly. On Windows, the documented shortcuts include Ctrl+1 for Document view, Ctrl+2 for Inspector, Ctrl+3 for History, Ctrl+4 for Asset Browser, and Ctrl+7 for Animator. On macOS, use Cmd with the same number. For example, Cmd+2 opens the Inspector on macOS.
The same shortcut list includes Ctrl/Cmd+0 for SAMSON AI, 5 for the Periodic table, 6 for Job manager, 8 for Python console, and 9 for Code Editor. These shortcuts can save time when a panel is hidden or when you want to switch context without interrupting your work.
Make the workspace fit the task
You do not have to keep every panel in its default position. Drag a widget by its title bar to rearrange it; release it where you want to place or dock it. The Document view, History, Inspector, and many widgets from SAMSON Extensions can be docked together. Some windows, including some Apps, also have a pin icon that keeps the window on top.
You can show or hide parts of the interface using the Interface menu or the shortcuts above. The interface layout you customize is saved and loaded the next time you open SAMSON. That means you can arrange panels around the work you do most often instead of rebuilding your layout every session. Workspaces are another way to change the menu representation; the workspace control is in the top-left corner of the menu.
Find the command, app, or editor by name
When you know what you want to do but not where the corresponding tool lives, use Find everything at the top of the menu. It searches available commands, apps, editors, and documentation. You can also add commands, apps, and editors to favorites by clicking the star that appears when you hover over them. Favorites appear in dedicated sections at the top of the ribbon menu and in the Editors viewport menu. Click the corresponding star again to remove an item from favorites.
A simple routine can prevent a lot of interface friction: use Find everything when you know the tool’s name, use a shortcut when you know the panel, and rearrange or favorite frequently used items when you want them close at hand. For camera control and viewport navigation, continue with Moving around. To open or fetch a structure, see Loading molecules.
For the full interface reference, visit SAMSON Interface. Learn more in the First look documentation.
Get SAMSON. SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use.