You add a SAMSON Extension from the marketplace, open your molecular modeling workspace, and… nothing looks different. It is an easy problem to misread as a failed installation. But an extension does not necessarily add a visible app or editor: it may provide importers, exporters, visual or interaction models, render presets, or commands instead.
Use this sequence to narrow down what happened before reinstalling anything. It separates three common possibilities: the extension is incompatible, it has not been installed yet, or it is installed but its features are somewhere other than where you expected.
1. Check that the extension supports your setup
On the extension’s page, look just below its name for availability information. Confirm that it supports both your operating system and the version of SAMSON you are running. An extension that is unavailable for your platform or SAMSON version may not appear as expected. The documentation also notes that some default extensions can depend on your current plan.
This is a useful first check because it prevents spending time troubleshooting an extension that cannot run in the current environment.
2. Restart SAMSON if it was open when you added the extension
If SAMSON was already running when you added the extension on SAMSON Connect, close and relaunch SAMSON. Newly added extensions are downloaded and installed on the next launch. In other words, adding an extension in the marketplace does not necessarily make it available in an already-open session.
After restarting, give SAMSON a chance to perform its automatic download and installation. The platform also checks for extension updates when it launches. One important detail: extensions are updated only for the latest SAMSON version, so keeping SAMSON current can matter when diagnosing extension availability.
3. Look for the feature the extension actually provides
Do not assume every extension creates an app tile or an editor. Apps are found under Home > Apps, while editors are available from the editors menu on the left side of the viewport—but many extensions provide other kinds of functionality.
Depending on the extension, its contribution may be an importer or exporter, a visual or interaction model, a render preset, or a command. Check the extension’s description to see what it contains. You can also use Find everything at the top of SAMSON to search for apps, editors, and commands.
This distinction often resolves the apparent mystery: an extension can be present and useful without adding a new item to the places you first checked.
4. Use the SAMSON Log if the issue remains
If the extension is compatible, SAMSON has been restarted, and you still cannot locate its functionality, open Interface > Show log. Filter the log for the extension’s name. The log can help you see whether SAMSON added the extension and whether it reported a problem; lines corresponding to an extension with issues are shown in red.
If you find relevant errors, use the log’s Submit button to send the log to the SAMSON team. Include your user email and a clear description of what you expected to happen and what you observed. That context makes the report more actionable.
A quick checklist
- Does the extension support your operating system and SAMSON version?
- Was SAMSON open when you added it? If so, have you restarted?
- Have you checked the extension description for the type of feature it provides?
- Have you searched Home > Apps, the editors menu, and Find everything where relevant?
- Does the SAMSON Log show an installation issue?
For more troubleshooting steps and answers about accounts, installation, updates, and extensions, see the SAMSON FAQ.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.