A molecular file that will not open can interrupt an otherwise straightforward modeling task. The first useful question is not necessarily “What went wrong with my structure?” but “Does SAMSON have an importer for this file format?” Importers are the extensions that read files and bring their contents into a SAMSON document. They can handle structures, maps, meshes, and other objects.
That distinction helps narrow down the problem. A file may contain data you need, but SAMSON still needs a compatible importer to interpret its format. SAMSON includes default importers, and additional importers can be added from SAMSON Connect.
A practical way to investigate
- Identify what you are trying to load. Is it a molecular structure, an electron-density map, a mesh, or another kind of object? Importers can be intended for different kinds of data, so identifying the object is a useful first step.
- Check the supported-formats list. Compare your file’s format with the formats supported by SAMSON. This helps establish whether the format is supported before you spend time investigating the contents of the file.
- Use the file-opening workflow for the task itself. If you need instructions for opening local files or fetching structures, see Loading molecules. That page covers the user workflow; the importer reference explains the extension family that makes file reading possible.
- Look for an additional importer if needed. SAMSON’s default importers are not the only option: you can add more through SAMSON Connect. If the format you need is not available, the documentation suggests contacting the SAMSON team.
Keep importing and exporting separate
Importing means reading a file into SAMSON; exporting means writing a file out. The two capabilities are related, but they are not interchangeable. If your task is to save a document in another format, consult the exporters reference rather than assuming that an importer handles that operation too. The supported-formats page can also help you check which formats SAMSON can import and export.
When you need a capability that is not listed
If you cannot find an importer for a format, you have two useful next steps. For an existing capability, explore SAMSON Connect to see whether an extension is available. If you are looking to create an importer yourself, start with the documentation on generating SAMSON Extensions and the Documentation center. The broader Extending SAMSON page provides context on extension-based capabilities.
This approach turns a vague loading problem into a more manageable sequence: identify the kind of data, verify its format, follow the file-opening instructions, and then check whether an importer is available or needs to be added. To learn more about the importer extension family, see the SAMSON Importers reference.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.