One of the most significant challenges for molecular modelers is the need to rapidly and precisely edit molecular structures during the design process. SAMSON, the integrative molecular design platform, addresses this challenge through its versatile editors, which enable a wide range of editing functionalities tailored to diverse molecular modeling tasks.
What Are SAMSON Editors?
SAMSON editors are tools that provide interactive editing capabilities by processing user interaction events such as mouse clicks or keyboard inputs. With editors, you can create, manipulate, and refine molecular structures through an intuitive interface. For instance, you can:
- Generate nanotube models in just a few clicks.
- Deform molecular structures while maintaining their local rigidity.
- Select specific areas of a structure with drawing tools like rectangle selection.
- Apply transformations such as rigid-body moves to an entire model.
Where to Find Editors in SAMSON
SAMSON makes its editors straightforward to access. You can find them in the menu on the left-hand side of the viewport. The current active editor is displayed prominently, and quick access commands for it are located in the top-left corner of the viewport. To save time, you can also search for specific editors using the Find everything search box at the top of the platform.
Here’s a visual example of the editor menu:
How to Expand Your Toolkit With More Editors
SAMSON provides a set of default editors to cover essential functionality, but if your projects require more specific tools, SAMSON Connect has you covered. Through SAMSON Connect, you can browse and add a wide array of new editors developed by experts in molecular modeling.
These additional editors can significantly enhance your workflows by introducing unique capabilities, helping you tackle specialized challenges and streamline your molecular modeling process.
Key Note About Usage
It’s important to note that at any given point, only one editor can be active in SAMSON. This ensures clarity and focus as you perform edits on your molecular models. For example, you can switch between a nanotube generator and a deformation tool, depending on what part of your workflow you’re covering.
Below is an example of using a nanotube generator editor:
Want to Develop Your Own Editors?
If you’re interested in creating custom editors tailored for your specific modeling needs, SAMSON provides reference documentation and tools to get started. Detailed guides on generating SAMSON Extensions, along with resources for writing new editors, are available at SAMSON’s Extension Generator documentation. Whether you’re aiming to automate workflows or introduce advanced functionality, SAMSON empowers developers with its extensible framework.
To explore the editors in more detail, visit the official documentation page at https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/editors/.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.