A molecular modeling workflow can stall for a surprisingly ordinary reason: the tool you need is not part of your current setup. Maybe an extension is included with your plan, maybe it is available to add for free, or maybe it requires a subscription. Knowing which situation you are in—and what to do next—can save time before you start a modeling task.
SAMSON Extensions are modules that add capabilities to SAMSON. The SAMSON Connect Marketplace is where you can browse them and inspect the details. Here is a practical way to choose, add, and later remove an extension without losing track of its status.
Start with the extension’s details
Before adding an extension, open its Marketplace page. The page includes a description, author information, supported operating systems, extension versions, and the SAMSON versions for which it is available. Checking compatibility first helps you avoid selecting an extension that does not match your operating system or SAMSON installation.
Think of the Marketplace listing as a quick preflight check: confirm that the extension addresses your task, then verify its platform and version information. The available extensions and access options may depend on your SAMSON plan, so check the listing and your plan before planning a workflow around a particular tool.
Understand the three access paths
- Included with your plan: Some extensions are available depending on the plan you have.
- Free to add: Signed-in users can select Add for a freely available extension.
- Subscription-based: You can request a trial or subscribe. The documentation notes that requesting a trial does not require credit card information. Monthly and yearly subscriptions are available, and an academic plan may be available if you have academic status.
This distinction is useful when planning a project: seeing an extension in the Marketplace does not necessarily mean it is already active in your installation. Check its status and access option rather than assuming that browsing the listing has added it.
Add, then allow SAMSON to install it
For a free extension, sign in to SAMSON Connect and click Add on its page. The listing then shows the status Added. Restart SAMSON; it downloads and installs the extension automatically. In other words, adding it on the website and having it available in the application are separate steps. If you have just added an extension, a restart is the documented next step.
For a subscription-based extension, choose Request trial to try it, or select Subscribe and the plan that suits you. The Marketplace shows a Trying status during a trial and a Subscribed status for an extension you have subscribed to. These labels make it easier to distinguish an extension you are testing from one you have subscribed to.
Keep your extension list manageable
When you no longer need a free extension, sign in and open its Marketplace page. Hover over the Added button; it changes to Remove. Click Remove, then restart SAMSON for the extension to be removed from the installation. The extension remains visible under Account > Settings > View my extensions, so you can find and add it again later.
Subscriptions are managed separately. Go to Account > Settings > View my subscriptions to review and manage them. Keeping these two actions distinct—removing an added free extension versus managing a subscription—makes it easier to understand what you are changing.
A useful routine is to review compatibility before adding an extension, check its status afterward, restart SAMSON when the documentation calls for it, and use the account settings to revisit extensions or subscriptions. This small checklist can prevent a last-minute detour when you are preparing a modeling session.
For more details about the Marketplace, account settings, downloads, and other SAMSON Connect sections, see the SAMSON Connect documentation.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.