Understanding Render Preset Attributes in SAMSON’s NSL

For molecular modelers, clarity and precision in molecular visualization are crucial. Whether you’re tweaking the visual representation of a complex molecule or preparing a polished presentation, controlling how nodes are rendered can save time and enhance output. This blog post explores how SAMSON’s Node Specification Language (NSL) handles “Render Preset” attributes, equipping you with the tools to customize visualization with ease.

What Are Render Preset Attributes?

In SAMSON’s NSL, renderPreset attributes (short name: rp) hold the key to configuring how nodes in the render preset space are visualized. Using these attributes effectively means you can quickly and flexibly build expressions to match or exclude specific rendering presets.

Key Attributes at a Glance

The table below summarizes the key attributes under the renderPreset attribute space:

Attribute Name	Short Name	Possible Values	Examples
name	`n`	Strings in quotes	`rp.n "A"` `rp.n "L*"`
selected		`true`, `false`	`rp.selected` `not rp.selected`
selectionFlag	`sf`	`true`, `false`	`rp.sf false` `rp.sf`

Diving Deeper: Core Attributes

Here’s a closer look at the key attributes:

name (n): This attribute lets you filter by name using strings. For instance, rp.n "L*" will match all render presets starting with “L”.
selected: If you’re working on selections, you can use this attribute to filter nodes that are selected (true) or not selected (false). For example, not rp.selected matches all unselected nodes.
selectionFlag (sf): This attribute provides a boolean flag to match nodes based on their selection flag. Use rp.sf false to target nodes without this flag.

Practical Applications

Using these attributes, you can build NSL expressions to fine-tune your workflow. For example:

rp.n "Visualization" and rp.sf true: Matches render presets named “Visualization” with the selection flag enabled.
not rp.selected: Excludes all selected render presets, useful for isolating unselected nodes.

Understanding and combining these expressions allows you to efficiently manage and modify molecular visualizations, saving time and ensuring accuracy.

Learn More

These are just the basics of what the renderPreset attribute space can offer. To dive deeper and explore more advanced use cases, check out the official documentation here: Render Preset Attributes Documentation.

SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON today at samson-connect.net.