A file that will not load can interrupt a modeling session before the scientific work even begins. The first useful question is not simply “What went wrong?” but “Which part of the import path should I check?” In SAMSON, importers are the extensions that parse files and load their contents into a document. They can handle structures, maps, meshes, and other objects, and different importers may support different formats.
This gives you a practical way to narrow down the problem without guessing. Start with the format, then the loading workflow, and finally the importer that provides support.
1. Confirm that the format is supported
Begin by checking the list of formats supported by SAMSON. This is the quickest way to determine whether the file format is covered. It also helps distinguish two very different situations: a file-opening problem in a supported format, and a format for which you may need an additional importer.
Keep the file’s contents in mind as you check. Importers are not limited to molecular structures: SAMSON can load objects such as maps and meshes as well. Identifying what the file represents can help you look for the relevant format support rather than treating every file as a molecule.
2. Check the loading workflow
If the format is listed, consult Loading molecules for the task-specific workflow for opening files and understanding documents. The importers reference is a lookup page about the extension family; it is not a step-by-step guide to every file-loading task.
Keeping those two questions separate saves time: “Does SAMSON support this format?” belongs to the supported-formats reference, while “How do I open a file or work with the resulting document?” belongs to the loading guide.
3. Look for an additional importer
SAMSON includes default importers, and additional importers can be added from SAMSON Connect. If you cannot find support for the format you need, check whether an importer extension is available there. In other words, the absence of a format from your current setup does not by itself tell you whether the format is unsupported altogether or whether you need another importer.
This distinction is useful when collaborating. Before asking a colleague to convert a file or repeating an export from another program, establish whether the required importer is already available as an extension. That keeps the investigation focused on compatibility rather than changing the scientific data unnecessarily.
4. Know when to ask for help or build support
If you still cannot find an importer, the documentation invites users to contact the SAMSON team. If you are a developer and want to create an importer for a format that matters to your work, the relevant starting points are the guide to generating SAMSON Extensions and the Documentation center.
It is also helpful to distinguish importing from exporting. Importers read files into SAMSON; exporters are the matching extension family for writing files. If your actual goal is to save or share a result in a particular format, the Exporters reference is the more relevant place to look.
A quick decision path
- Not sure the format is supported? Check the supported-formats list.
- Need instructions for opening a file? Use the loading guide.
- The format is not available in your setup? Check SAMSON Connect for an importer extension.
- Still missing support? Contact the SAMSON team, or explore extension development if you want to build an importer.
- Trying to write a file rather than read one? Check the exporters reference.
This simple separation can turn a vague “the file won’t open” problem into a more specific next step: verify the format, follow the loading workflow, find the right importer, or request support. For the complete importer reference, learn more about SAMSON importers.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.