Imagine this: you’ve just discovered a useful SAMSON Extension on the SAMSON Connect Marketplace, clicked “Add”, reopened SAMSON with anticipation… but the extension is nowhere to be found. It’s a common pain point for molecular modelers using SAMSON for the first time or installing new functionalities.
This blog post is for you if you’ve ever wondered: “Why doesn’t my recently-added SAMSON Extension appear?” Let’s walk through what you should verify step-by-step to troubleshoot this situation without stress.
1. Is It Compatible with Your OS and SAMSON Version?
The first place to check is whether the Extension is compatible with both your Operating System and the version of SAMSON you are using. You can find this information on the Extension’s web page, just below its title:
If the extension is not available for your OS, it simply won’t be installable. In this case, you can reach out to the SAMSON team via the SAMSON Connect Forum or by email to inquire about alternatives or request a port.
2. Did You Restart SAMSON?
SAMSON installs new Extensions during startup. This means that if the platform was already running when you added the Extension, you’ll need to restart SAMSON for the installation to begin. After restart, SAMSON will automatically download and integrate the new Extension into the software.
3. Is It There… But Not Where You Expected?
Not all Extensions come in the form of visible Apps or Editors. Some Extensions provide export/import tools, custom models, rendering presets, or interaction methods. As such, they may not appear directly in the toolbar or main window.
You can explore what’s been added using the “Find everything” bar at the top of the SAMSON interface. You may also want to browse the Home > Apps tab or the left-hand Editors menu to spot new tools.
4. Check the Log
Still can’t find the Extension? Head to Interface > Show log. Here, you can filter the messages by Extension to see what happened during the startup. Lines associated with issues will be shown in red.
If something went wrong during installation, the log can tell you what—and you can even submit the issue directly through SAMSON’s interface via the Submit button for technical support.
Don’t Forget
- Some core Extensions are pre-added depending on your user Plan.
- Extensions only update automatically when you’re running the latest version of SAMSON. If you’re using an older version, your extensions won’t update either. Make sure to keep SAMSON up to date.
Still stuck? Feel free to get in touch or post on the SAMSON Forum.
For more detailed information and additional troubleshooting tips, visit the official documentation at SAMSON FAQ.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at www.samson-connect.net.