A problem in a molecular modeling session can be surprisingly hard to search for. Is it a common account or installation question? A platform issue that needs troubleshooting? Or do you simply need the authoritative details for a particular feature? Choosing the wrong starting point can mean spending time browsing material that does not address the problem.
A useful first step is to classify what you need before searching. This small pause can help you get to the relevant guidance faster—and make it easier to explain the issue if you need to ask someone else for help.
Start with the kind of question you have
Choose the FAQ when you have a recurring question. If your question concerns an account, installation, updates, or extensions, begin with the FAQ. It is intended for common questions, so it is a sensible first stop when you are looking for a quick answer rather than a detailed description of a feature.
Choose troubleshooting when you have a symptom. If something is not behaving as expected and you need a practical path for diagnosing it, go to Troubleshooting. You do not need to read the FAQ first when the issue is already clearly a problem to diagnose.
Choose references when you know the feature area. If your question is about how a particular SAMSON feature is described or organized, use References. This is the better destination when you need detailed feature information, rather than a fix for a symptom.
A quick triage routine
- Write the question in one sentence. For example: “I need an answer about an extension,” “I am seeing a problem,” or “I need details about a specific feature.” This helps separate the subject of the question from the kind of help you need.
- Identify what you already know. If you know the feature family, head to References. If you know the symptom but not its cause, start with Troubleshooting. If it sounds like a recurring account, installation, update, or extension question, start with the FAQ.
- Open the closest match first. You do not need to read every help section in order. The goal is to use the page that matches your question, then move elsewhere only if it points you there or your question changes.
- Keep useful context together. When describing a problem, note what you were trying to do and what happened instead. This is a general way to make your own troubleshooting more focused; it does not replace the steps in the documentation.
Why the distinction matters
“I need to understand this feature” and “this feature is not working as expected” may sound similar, but they call for different kinds of information. A reference page helps you understand a feature area. A troubleshooting path helps you investigate an issue. And a frequently asked question may resolve a familiar setup or account concern without requiring a deeper investigation.
There is no need to follow a single rigid sequence. The recommended reading order is FAQ, then Troubleshooting, then References, but the most useful starting point depends on your situation. Begin with the FAQ for recurring questions; jump directly to Troubleshooting when you have a clear symptom; and go to References when you already know which feature you need to look up.
If your question turns out to be about getting started, collaboration, or extending SAMSON, the documentation also points to Start here, Share and collaborate, and Automate and extend.
For the full help-routing guide, learn more in Reference and help.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.