When working with complex molecular models, it’s easy to get pulled in many directions—building structures, editing geometries, running analyses, visualizing data. With so many tools available in SAMSON, some users wonder why the platform restricts them to using only one editor at a time. Wouldn’t multitasking with multiple editors speed things up?
In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at how editor activation in SAMSON is designed to streamline workflows, prevent conflicts, and help you stay focused. We’ll also share where editors can be found in the interface, and how to switch between them efficiently.
What Are Editors in SAMSON?
Editors in SAMSON are interactive tools that respond to user inputs like mouse clicks, key presses, or gestures to modify your molecular model. They can help you:
- Draw or modify specific molecular structures (e.g. nanotubes)
- Apply transformations (e.g. rotate, translate a molecule)
- Select parts of your model using various selection tools
- Deform molecular shapes while preserving certain properties
Each of these tasks requires specific interaction modes and UI behavior. That’s where the idea of an active editor becomes key.
One Editor, One Purpose
The reason behind allowing only one active editor at a time is to prevent conflicting interactions. If two editors were active simultaneously—for example, one for selecting atoms and another for transforming them—your mouse or keyboard inputs might produce unexpected effects. SAMSON avoids this by ensuring that your input is interpreted in a clear and controlled context by the active editor only.
Note
One and only one editor is active at any time.
Think of the editor as the “mode” SAMSON is in. When you’re using the nanotube generator, SAMSON is in a building mode. When you’re selecting atoms, SAMSON enters a selection mode. These modes are mutually exclusive for clarity and control.
Where to Find Editors
You can access available editors from the left menu in the viewport. Above this menu, you’ll find quick access controls tailored to the currently active editor.
Alternatively, you can search for editors using the “Find everything” search box at the top of the interface—very handy when working with many extensions!
Switching Editors
Switching editors is simple and quick. Just select a new one from the menu or search. Once selected, the new editor becomes active and the previous one is deactivated automatically. This ensures that your actions are always clear and intentional—no accidental edits or unwanted selections.
Want More Editors?
SAMSON comes with a set of built-in editors, but you’re not limited to those. You can download more from SAMSON Connect. There are editors that help with everything from structure generation to analysis and visualization.
If you’re interested in creating your own custom editors, the documentation also provides guides for building your own SAMSON Extensions. You’ll find more info in the Extension Generator section.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.