sample_names(x) <- value

## S4 replacement method for signature 'ANY,ANY'
sample_names(x) <- value

## S4 replacement method for signature 'ANY,character'
sample_names(x) <- value

## S4 replacement method for signature 'otu_table,character'
sample_names(x) <- value

## S4 replacement method for signature 'sample_data,character'
sample_names(x) <- value

## S4 replacement method for signature 'phyloseq,character'
sample_names(x) <- value

data("esophagus")
sample_names(esophagus)
# plot_tree(esophagus, color="sample_names", ladderize="left")
sample_names(esophagus) <- paste("Sa-", sample_names(esophagus), sep="")
sample_names(esophagus)
# plot_tree(esophagus, color="sample_names", ladderize="left") 
## non-characters are first coerced to characters.
sample_names(esophagus) <- 1:nsamples(esophagus)
sample_names(esophagus)
# plot_tree(esophagus, color="sample_names", ladderize="left") 
## Cannot assign non-unique or differently-lengthed name vectors. Error.
# sample_names(esophagus) <- sample(c(TRUE, FALSE), nsamples(esophagus), TRUE)
# sample_names(esophagus) <- sample(sample_names(esophagus), nsamples(esophagus)-1, FALSE)