You have a molecular model ready to share, analyze elsewhere, or include in a larger workflow. Then comes a deceptively difficult question: which file should I send? A recipient may need a particular format, and a file that opens in one application may not be suitable for another. Choosing the right exporter is part of making your work usable beyond the document where you created it.
Start with the recipient’s needs
Before exporting, find out what the next person or tool expects. Is a particular file format required? Are they asking for a structure, or for a visualization? Those questions matter because exporters write document content to files, and different exporters can support different formats. SAMSON provides default exporters for common structures and visualizations, while additional exporters can be added from SAMSON Connect.
When the required format is not clear, avoid guessing. Check the supported formats reference to see which formats SAMSON can import and export. It is a useful first check before planning a handoff or setting up a repeatable workflow.
Exporter or importer? The direction matters
The names are easy to mix up, especially when you are troubleshooting a file-format problem. An exporter writes content from a SAMSON document to a file. An importer reads files into SAMSON. If your goal is to send a document’s content out, look for an exporter; if your goal is to bring an existing file in, consult the importer reference.
This distinction can help narrow down the issue. If a format appears in a list of supported formats, check whether it is supported for the direction you need. “Supported” does not necessarily mean that the same tool handles both reading and writing.
A small checklist for a cleaner handoff
- Confirm the destination. Ask the recipient or check the next application’s requirements for the format it accepts.
- Check the format list. Use SAMSON’s supported-formats page to confirm whether the format is available for export.
- Locate the exporter. SAMSON includes default exporters, and other exporters may be available through SAMSON Connect.
- Verify the result in context. When the file is important to a project, check that the receiving workflow can read it and that it contains the content you intended to share.
- Keep your working document. Treat an exported file as a handoff or interchange copy, not as a substitute for preserving the source of your work.
The last two points are general workflow advice: the documentation identifies what exporters do, but the best way to validate a handoff depends on the format and the software receiving it. A quick check can prevent avoidable back-and-forth later.
When the exporter you need is missing
If the format you need is not covered by an available exporter, first confirm the format list and available extensions. SAMSON’s documentation invites users to contact the SAMSON team when an exporter is missing. If you want to build exporter functionality yourself, the documentation points to Extending SAMSON and the developer guide for generating SAMSON Extensions.
For the exporter reference and links to related resources, visit SAMSON Exporters.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.