You add a SAMSON Extension through SAMSON Connect, open your molecular design workspace, and… nothing seems to have changed. It is a frustrating moment, especially when you are ready to use a particular tool. But an extension may be installed without appearing as a new app or editor. A few checks can help you work out what is happening before you spend time reinstalling anything.
Work through these checks in order. They follow the most useful clues: compatibility, launch timing, where the feature appears, and SAMSON’s log.
1. Check that the extension matches your setup
On the extension’s page, look just below its name for the operating systems and SAMSON versions it supports. An extension that is not available for your operating system or the version you are running may not show up as expected. If the listing does not support your operating system, contact the SAMSON team or ask in the SAMSON Connect Forum.
Also keep in mind that some default extensions can depend on your current Plan. So, if an extension was not explicitly added by you, its availability may be tied to that plan.
2. Restart SAMSON if it was already open
Newly added extensions are downloaded and installed when SAMSON launches. If you added an extension while SAMSON was running, close and restart the application to give it the next launch cycle to install the extension. This is an easy step to overlook when you are switching between SAMSON Connect and your modeling session.
3. Look beyond Apps and Editors
Not every extension adds a visible app or editor. Some provide importers, exporters, visual or interaction models, render presets, commands, or other capabilities. So, not seeing a new item under Home > Apps does not by itself mean the extension failed to install. Editors are available from the editors menu beside the viewport, while apps are listed under Home > Apps.
If you are unsure where a feature lives, use Find everything at the top of SAMSON to search for available apps, editors, and commands. For other extension-provided tools, check the extension’s description and documentation.
4. Use the SAMSON Log to check what happened
If the extension still seems absent, open Interface > Show log. Filter the log for the extension’s name. The entries can help you see whether SAMSON detected it and whether an issue occurred; lines corresponding to an extension problem are colored red. If you find a relevant error, use the log’s Submit button to send it to the team, including your user email and a description of what you were trying to do.
That context makes a support request more useful: mention the extension, your operating system and SAMSON version, whether you restarted after adding it, and what you expected to find. The availability listing and log together can help narrow down whether the issue is compatibility, visibility, or installation.
For more answers about SAMSON accounts, installation, updates, and extensions, see the SAMSON FAQ.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.