If you’re a molecular modeler, you’re probably no stranger to file format frustrations. Whether it’s a legacy format from a colleague, or a PDB file with just enough quirks to make standard tools fail, turning file data into usable molecular models can be surprisingly tedious. Writing custom parsers isn’t why you got into this field—but fortunately, SAMSON has a solution.
SAMSON Extensions offer a modular way to extend the functionality of the SAMSON molecular design platform. Among these extensions, Importers are dedicated to parsing and importing content from various file formats. You don’t have to write a parser from scratch or struggle with conversion workflows anymore.
For example, a PDB importer extension might take a complex structure file and ensure it’s fully parsed and visualized correctly in your SAMSON workspace, ready for simulation or manipulation. Similarly, you can find or create importers for electron density maps and other types of data relevant to your workflows.
What Makes Importers Useful?
- Consistency: They integrate deeply into the SAMSON ecosystem, preserving atom types, bonding, and metadata.
- Simplicity: Using an importer is typically a matter of a few clicks—no command-line juggling.
- Extensibility: Can’t find the importer you need? You can create your own using the SAMSON SDK.
By offloading the task of file parsing to dedicated Importer Extensions, you can save significant time and reduce errors in the data preparation process. If you’re collaborating on multi-step simulations, having reliable importers also ensures compatibility and less friction between team members.
Where to Find Importers
Importers can be added via the SAMSON Connect Marketplace. All you need to do is sign in with your free account and browse available extensions. Once installed, importers can be accessed just like any other tool in your SAMSON environment.
Custom Importers for Unique Needs
If your data format is highly specialized or underrepresented, consider building your own Importer using the SAMSON SDK. The SDK offers templates and tools to quickly scaffold your Importer and deploy it across platforms. This is ideal for research groups adapting niche file types or developing new data standards.
Summary
Importers in SAMSON eliminate the repetitive task of manual parsing, reduce the risk of errors, and accelerate your workflows. Whether you’re dealing with traditional molecular structures or cutting-edge experimental data, using or developing an Importer might finally get that stubborn dataset to play nicely.
To see the full list of Importers and learn how SAMSON Extensions work, visit the official documentation.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. To get started, download SAMSON from https://www.samson-connect.net.