A problem in a molecular modeling session can be frustrating for a specific reason: the same pause might come from very different causes. You may have a question about an account, installation, update, or extension; you may be seeing a symptom that needs troubleshooting; or you may simply need the reference for a feature you already know. Searching in the wrong place can turn a small interruption into a long detour.
A useful first step is not to search for a solution immediately. Instead, name the kind of help you need. That small distinction points you toward the right documentation path and helps you avoid reading a broad reference when you need a quick answer—or browsing FAQs when you already have a specific technical symptom.
Use this three-way check
- Is this a recurring question? If your question concerns accounts, installation, updates, or extensions, begin with the FAQ. It is the starting point for common questions, so you can check for an established answer before exploring more broadly.
- Do you have a problem to diagnose? If something is not behaving as expected and you can describe the issue as a symptom, go to Troubleshooting. This is the practical route when you are looking for a fix path rather than background information about a feature.
- Do you know which feature you need information about? If the question is about a particular SAMSON feature area, use References to find the relevant detailed reference family.
Turn the problem into a useful starting point
Before opening a page, try completing one of these sentences: “I need an answer about…”, “I see this problem…”, or “I need the reference for…”. The first usually points to the FAQ, the second to Troubleshooting, and the third to References. This is not a diagnosis; it is a way to choose where to look first.
For example, if you are unsure about an update, that is a recurring question and the FAQ is the natural first stop. If an issue is already clear and symptom-based, you can skip the FAQ and go straight to Troubleshooting. If you are looking for details about a known feature, you do not need to work through troubleshooting first—go directly to References.
Keep the search focused
When describing an issue to yourself or a colleague, separate what you expected from what you observed. Note the action you were taking and the point where the result differed from your expectation. This makes it easier to decide whether you need a common answer, a symptom-oriented fix path, or feature documentation. It also keeps your search anchored to the problem rather than expanding into unrelated parts of the guide.
There is no need to read every help section in order. Use the FAQ for a quick answer, Troubleshooting for a problem to resolve, and References for detailed feature information. If you are still getting oriented, the Start here guide covers installation and first-use orientation. For collaboration, see Share and collaborate; for scripting and extensions, see Automate and extend.
For the full help overview, visit Reference and help.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.