A familiar frustration in molecular modeling is reaching for a tool and finding that the viewport responds in an unexpected way. You may be trying to select a region, move a structure, or generate a nanotube—but the active tool is meant for a different kind of interaction. In SAMSON, the key is to know which editor is active and where to find the one suited to your task.
Editors are SAMSON tools that respond to user interactions, including mouse and keyboard events. Examples include a nanotube generator, a tool for deforming molecular structures while preserving local rigidity, a rectangle selection tool, and a rigid-body transform tool. Because these tools serve different purposes, choosing the appropriate editor is a useful first check whenever an interaction does not match your intention.
A quick way to orient yourself
Start with the editor menu on the left side of the viewport. It is the main place to find editors. Once you have chosen one, look to the top-left corner of the viewport for quick access commands associated with the active editor. If you already know what you need, the Find everything search box at the top of SAMSON is another way to locate editors.
Keep one detail in mind: only one editor is active at a time. So when you move from selecting to transforming, for example, you need to switch to the editor for the new task. This simple habit—check the active editor before interpreting a surprising mouse or keyboard response—can help you distinguish a tool-selection issue from a problem with the molecular structure itself.
Choose by task, not by guesswork
If your goal is to navigate the view, consult the Moving around guidance for viewport navigation editors. If you want to transform objects, the Moving objects page covers move editors for transforms, alignment, and distribution. This distinction matters: navigation changes how you view the scene, while a transform editor is intended for working with objects in it.
For a more specialized task, consider the editor by its purpose. A nanotube generator is an example of an editor for creating a particular structure; a rectangle selection tool is for selecting; and a rigid-body transform tool is for transforming. These examples are not a complete list, but they illustrate why it helps to identify the kind of interaction you want before searching for a tool.
When you can’t find the editor you need
SAMSON includes editors by default, and additional editors are available through SAMSON Connect. SAMSON Extensions are the broader category of additions to the platform; editors are one extension family. If you are looking for an editor and do not see it among the available options, searching for it in Find everything is a useful first step, followed by checking SAMSON Connect.
In short: identify the task, locate the matching editor, confirm that it is the active one, and use its quick access commands when needed. That small routine makes it easier to understand what SAMSON will do with your next interaction—and helps keep navigation, selection, generation, and transformation tasks distinct.
For a fuller reference, see the SAMSON Editors documentation.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON at www.samson-connect.net.