A molecular file that refuses to open can interrupt an otherwise straightforward modeling task. The first useful question is not simply “Is this file supported?” It is also “What kind of object does this file contain, and which importer is expected to read it?” SAMSON uses importer extensions to parse files and load structures, maps, meshes, and other objects into a document.
Start with the file’s purpose
Before changing files or searching for a new tool, identify what you expect to load. Is it a molecular structure, an electron-density map, a mesh, or another type of object? Different kinds of data may rely on different supported formats and importers. A file can be valid for its intended purpose without being a molecular structure file.
This simple distinction helps narrow the problem. If you are trying to load a structure, check the structure-related formats. If you are working with a map or mesh, look for formats suited to that data instead. SAMSON’s supported-formats reference is the place to check which formats it can import and export.
Check format support before troubleshooting further
When a file does not load as expected, verify its format against the supported-formats list. This is a better first step than assuming the file itself is damaged or that the application is malfunctioning. The file extension can be a useful clue, but the important question is whether SAMSON has an importer for the format and the kind of content you want to bring into the document.
If your format appears on the list, use the task-focused Loading molecules guide for the workflow of opening files and understanding documents. The importer reference is a lookup page about the extension family; it is not a step-by-step guide to every file-opening task.
If the format is missing
SAMSON includes default importers, and additional importers can be added from SAMSON Connect. So if you cannot find the format you need among the available options, check whether an importer extension is available there.
If you still cannot find a suitable importer, the documentation suggests contacting the SAMSON team. When you do, it helps to describe the format, what type of data the file contains, and what you hoped to load. These details make the request more specific than “this file won’t open” and help clarify whether the need is for a structure, a map, a mesh, or something else.
For developers: importers are an extension family
If you are building support for a format yourself, importers belong to SAMSON’s extension ecosystem. The documentation points developers to the guide on generating SAMSON Extensions as a starting point. This is distinct from the user workflow for opening a file: one explains where importer extensions fit, while the other helps you work with files in SAMSON.
A quick decision path
- Know what you are loading: structure, map, mesh, or another object.
- Check the format: consult the supported-formats reference.
- Look for an importer: SAMSON has default importers, and more may be available through SAMSON Connect.
- Use the right guide: follow Loading molecules for the file-opening workflow, or the extension-development resources if you are creating an importer.
- Ask for help when needed: contact the team if your required importer is missing.
Thinking in terms of data type, format, and importer turns a vague file-opening problem into a set of checks you can resolve one by one. For more about the importer extension family, see the SAMSON Importers documentation.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.