A modeling task can stall for a surprisingly ordinary reason: you know what you need to check, but not which part of the documentation contains it. Is the question about a document, a node, an interface panel, a file format, or an extension? Searching broadly can send you in circles—especially when you only need one precise answer before continuing your work.
SAMSON’s References hub is designed for the moment when you already know the feature family and want a direct route to its detailed lookup page. Instead of treating it as a list to read from top to bottom, use it as a small decision tool: identify the object or action in your question, then follow the matching reference family.
Start with the thing you are trying to understand
- Working with saved or organized content? Open Documents for information about documents, folders, files, notes, and paths.
- Trying to identify an item in a molecular scene or document? Check Node types for the main categories of nodes. If your question is about kinds of models, use Models instead.
- Need to find or filter particular nodes? Go to Node Specification Language. The hub identifies NSL expressions as a resource for advanced selections and filters.
- Looking for a control, panel, or shortcut? The SAMSON Interface reference covers menus, panels, workspaces, and shortcuts.
- Checking whether a file type is supported? Start with Supported formats. For extension categories, consult the pages for Apps, Editors, Importers, or Exporters.
- Preparing a presentation or movie? Look up Animations for animation effects, or Visual presets for reusable visualization presets.
Use the distinction that best describes your question
Some questions sound similar but belong in different places. If you are asking what an item is, the node-type reference is a natural starting point. If you are asking what kind of representation or behavior a model provides, start with Models. If you want to express a rule for selecting items, the NSL reference is the relevant destination. Making this distinction before browsing can save time and help you arrive at a more specific answer.
The same approach works for interface and visualization questions. A question about where to find a control belongs with the interface reference; a question about a reusable visual setup belongs with visual presets. For camera-specific questions, use Camera. For sequence-based views, use Sequence view. These narrower routes are useful when a general search returns too many unrelated results.
When you are not sure where to begin
You do not have to guess. If you are still choosing a workflow, the hub recommends starting with Reference and help or a topic hub close to your task. If you need basic orientation before looking up a specific detail, begin with First look: the interface. And if your question is specifically about settings, the Preferences reference is the place to look for user-modifiable SAMSON settings.
A quick rule of thumb: name the object, action, or setting in your question; match it to a reference family; then open that page for the detailed lookup. The hub also includes references for default color palettes, Path Analyzer, and versioning, so less frequent questions have a clear starting point too.
For the complete directory, visit the SAMSON References hub.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.