When working on molecular models, one of the most frequent—and often frustrating—tasks is exporting your work into formats that others can use or software can understand. Whether you’re preparing a structure for simulation, sharing visualizations with collaborators, or archiving for publication, exporting your data should be quick, reliable, and flexible.
SAMSON, the integrative platform for molecular design, aims to simplify this process with its built-in and extendable exporter system.
Why exporting matters
Imagine you’ve spent hours building or modifying a complex molecular structure. Your next step is importing it into another tool for further analysis or simulation—or sharing it with collaborators using a common format like PDB or XYZ. Without reliable export tools, this critical step can become a bottleneck.
What are exporters in SAMSON?
Exporters in SAMSON are dedicated extensions that allow users to write content—structures, visualizations, and more—from their document into widely-used molecular formats. A few examples include:
- PDB Exporter – to export molecular structures to the Protein Data Bank (PDB) format.
- XYZ Exporter – for simple atomic-coordinate formats, often used in quantum chemistry programs.
- Other specialized format exporters that you can add from the SAMSON Connect platform.
How to export your work
By default, SAMSON comes with a set of exporters to let you start saving your work right away. To export:
- Open your document with the molecular structure you want to save.
- Use the File menu or the ribbon to choose “Export”.
- Select the desired format (e.g., .pdb, .xyz).
- Choose a destination folder and click “Save”.
Need more formats?
If the default list of exporters doesn’t include what you need, SAMSON’s modularity comes to the rescue. You can download additional exporters from SAMSON Connect, where developers publish new modules to support emerging or specialized formats.
Still can’t find the format you’re looking for? The SAMSON team encourages users to reach out and let them know. The ecosystem is constantly evolving based on user feedback.
Want to build your own exporter?
If you’re a developer or have specific formatting requirements that aren’t met by existing exporters, SAMSON provides thorough information in the developer documentation. Learn how to generate SAMSON Extensions, including custom exporters. This opens the door to tailor your workflow and automate repetitive export tasks with your own logic and rules.
Check the list of supported formats
Before exporting or developing your own exporter, it can be helpful to glance at the complete list of formats supported by SAMSON.
Conclusion
If exporting molecular structures has ever slowed you down, exploring the exporter capabilities of SAMSON may save you time and frustration. Whether using built-in exporters, installing new ones from SAMSON Connect, or developing your own, it’s a flexible system that adapts to your needs.
To learn more, visit the full documentation page on SAMSON Exporters.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.