Streamline Your Molecular Modeling with NSL Note Attributes

For molecular modelers, efficiently managing data and visualizing molecular attributes can save precious time, especially when dealing with complex models. SAMSON’s Node Specification Language (NSL) provides a robust way to navigate and control molecular models, and its note attribute space is a game-changer for working with note nodes.

The note attribute space (short name: nt) is specifically designed to help modelers work with note nodes in SAMSON. By mastering these attributes, you’ll be able to control the visibility, selection, and naming of note nodes with ease. Here’s how:

Key Note Attributes in NSL

The following table highlights some of the most useful note attributes in NSL. Learn what each attribute does and see examples to better understand how to use them:

Attribute name	Short name	Possible values	Examples
hidden	`h`	`true`, `false`	`nt.h` `not nt.h`
name	`n`	strings in quotes	`nt.n "A"` `nt.n "L*"`
selected		`true`, `false`	`nt.selected` `not nt.selected`
selectionFlag	`sf`	`true`, `false`	`nt.sf false` `nt.sf`
visibilityFlag	`vf`	`true`, `false`	`nt.vf false` `nt.vf`
visible	`v`	`true`, `false`	`nt.v` `not nt.v`

These attributes allow you to dynamically handle note nodes based on their visibility, selection status, names, and more. For example:

Use nt.h to filter hidden note nodes, and not nt.h to locate visible ones.
Locate notes with specific names using nt.n "MyNote", or use wildcards such as nt.n "Note*".
Control note visibility and selection states using nt.v, nt.selected, and other attributes.

Why These Attributes Are Important

Imagine working on a large molecular model with hundreds of annotations and visual aids. Instead of combing through the entire model, these attributes help molecular modelers efficiently define criteria and focus on specific notes. This not only minimizes errors but also dramatically improves productivity when preparing models for publications, presentations, or simulations.

Plus, the consistency provided by inheriting attributes like node.hidden ensures you don’t need to learn a completely new syntax just for note nodes—everything integrates seamlessly.

To dive deeper into NSL note attributes and learn more about their usage, check out the official documentation: Note Attributes in NSL.

SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Download SAMSON today at https://www.samson-connect.net.