When working on molecular modeling projects, the ability to fine-tune visualization and selection settings can make a world of difference. If you’ve used SAMSON for molecular design, you’ve likely encountered light nodes—key elements that determine scene lighting. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at light attributes in SAMSON’s Node Specification Language (NSL). This knowledge will help streamline your workflow and adapt visual elements with precision.
What Are Light Attributes?
Light attributes are a part of the light attribute space (short name: li), targeting only light nodes in your molecular design project. These attributes allow you to control properties like visibility, selection state, and naming for light nodes, ensuring you can manage the lighting environment in your molecular scenes with ease.
Why are Light Attributes Useful?
Effective lighting is crucial to examining molecular structures. You might need to hide certain lights temporarily, focus on specific lights, or apply filtered visibility settings. Whether you’re creating publication-quality visuals or exploring molecular interactions, a clear understanding of how to manipulate these attributes saves time and effort.
An Overview of Key Light Attributes
Here’s a breakdown of some important light attributes that you can use:
| Attribute Name | Short Name | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| hidden | h |
Determines whether the light is hidden. | li.h (hidden)not li.h (not hidden) |
| name | n |
Assigns a name to the light, which is useful for organizing and referencing light nodes. | li.n "A"li.n "L*" (for light nodes starting with “L”) |
| selected | None | Marks whether a light node is selected. | li.selected (selected)not li.selected (not selected) |
| selectionFlag | sf |
Flags a light node for selection. | li.sf false (not flagged)li.sf (flagged) |
| visibilityFlag | vf |
Controls the visibility state of a light. | li.vf false (not visible)li.vf (visible) |
| visible | v |
Determines whether a light is explicitly visible. | li.v (visible)not li.v (not visible) |
Digging Deeper into Attribute Use
Let’s highlight a practical case. Suppose you’re working with a molecular scene containing multiple light nodes, some of which are causing distractions. Using the hidden and visible attributes, you can selectively hide lights (li.h) or make them visible again (li.v). Similarly, the name attribute (li.n) lets you conveniently filter and focus on a group of lights based on naming patterns, e.g., all lights starting with a common label like “L”.
You can also employ selectionFlag (li.sf) and selected states to rapidly identify and modify specific lights’ properties, ensuring an organized and intuitive workflow.
Want the Full Picture?
The light attribute space offers powerful tools for refining lighting in your molecular projects. Whether it’s toggling visibility, grouping lights, or managing selections, these capabilities can significantly enhance your modeling experience.
To find more details and examples, visit the official SAMSON documentation on light attributes at this link.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON today at samson-connect.net!