Whether you’re studying molecular dynamics, designing new molecules, or just trying to get your bearings in a powerful modeling environment, the learning curve of a molecular modeling platform can sometimes feel steep.
That’s why SAMSON includes a helpful feature that many users overlook: interactive tutorials built right into the application. These tutorials don’t just explain what a feature does—they walk you through how to use it, step by step, directly in the SAMSON interface. For scientists and students alike, this feature can dramatically reduce the time spent searching for answers or troubleshooting tasks.
Why it matters
If you’re a molecular modeler, you’ve probably faced one of these situations:
- You’re exploring a new extension but aren’t sure how to use it efficiently.
- You want to prepare a simulation setup, but can’t recall the exact steps.
- You’re teaching and need a more guided way to demonstrate features in real time.
SAMSON’s interactive tutorials are built to address that exact pain. Instead of switching back and forth between documentation and your workflow, you get contextual guidance embedded in your workspace. This keeps your focus on the science, not the software.
How to try them
Running an interactive tutorial is simple:
- Open SAMSON.
- Go to
Help > Tutorials. - Select a tutorial from the list and click Start tutorial.
A small tutorial window will appear in your viewport. Follow the instructions as the tutorial guides you through each step. Want to exit? Just close the tutorial window at any time.
Backtrack or restart any time
You can restart an interactive tutorial as many times as needed. Each tutorial is self-contained, so if you’re stuck, a clean slate is one click away. This makes it an ideal feature not only for newcomers but even for experienced users looking to explore new workflows or revisit less frequently used functions.
Helpful tip for extension users
If you’re using or developing SAMSON Extensions, don’t forget to check out the SAMSON Extensions Tutorials too. These tutorials are designed to work hand-in-hand with various extensions available through SAMSON Connect and help flatten the learning curve.
To learn more, visit the official SAMSON documentation page on interactive tutorials.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Download SAMSON and explore more features at www.samson-connect.net.