Have you ever added labels to atoms or molecules in a molecular model and then wondered why they mysteriously disappear when you zoom out? It’s a common experience for many scientists and researchers using visualization platforms. In SAMSON, this behavior isn’t a bug—it’s actually a feature designed to help you better manage visual clutter. Understanding and controlling this feature can enhance your modeling workflow.
By default, SAMSON adjusts the visibility of labels depending on your zoom level. When you’re zoomed in closely, labels for small individual components like atoms or residues appear. As you zoom out, these labels progressively disappear, and higher-level labels, like for entire molecules or assemblies, start showing instead. This approach helps prevent label overlapping and makes it easier to read the visualization.
How to Make Label Visibility Work for You
You can customize this behavior using a couple of adjustable parameters in SAMSON: the minimum and maximum display radii. These control the label’s visibility scope relative to your zoom level.
To access these parameters:
- Select a label in the Viewport or in the Document view.
- Open the Inspector panel.
- Locate the Minimum display radius and Maximum display radius settings.
These radii define the label’s visibility range based on the distance between the camera and the node the label belongs to. For instance, if the distances fall outside the range you specify, the label will disappear or remain hidden.
Practical Use Cases
If you’re presenting a model to a group or creating figures for publication, you might want to control exactly which labels appear in your visualization. For example:
- 🔬 Focused Studies: Set smaller display radii for atomic labels when showcasing the active site of an enzyme.
- 📊 Presentations: Limit labels to higher-level structures when preparing slides, to avoid overwhelming your audience with atom-level detail.
- 🧪 Collaborative Work: Define consistent label visibility so team members see the same annotations regardless of zoom level.
Switching Visibility Manually
You also have the option to manually turn labels on or off in the Document view. Just tick or untick labels as needed. This is especially helpful when working with complex systems where even zoom-based visibility adjustments might not provide enough control.
Putting It All Together
In short, SAMSON gives you fine-grained control over when and how labels appear in your molecular models. By customizing visibility thresholds and managing display radii, you can tailor your visual workspace to suit your focus—whether that’s looking at fine atomic details or understanding system-wide interactions from a distance.
Want to go further? You can learn more about label visibility, fonts, colors, and organization in the full documentation: Labeling in SAMSON.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.