Guidelines for support¶
In order to provide a fast and efficient service, we provide a few suggestions on how to frame your support request.
Try to reproduce the problem¶
It's normal to have problems that are caused by inadvertence. Before submitting a support request, try to reproduce the issue at least a couple of times. Write down the exact procedure that you followed and raised the error you are facing.
Note down in which of the steps the error occurred. If there are any log or debug files that you can collect, save them somewhere. They often can provide the most useful information to investigate the issue.
Define the problem: context, subject, and description¶
The first information that should be clear from your e-mail is the context of your problem. A few questions that might help you:
- Are you trying to compile some code on an machine you never used?
- Is your problem related to the execution of an application?
Secondly, a clear subject line of your e-mail allows immediately to identify the kind of problem.
When it comes to the description, the principle is the same: the more precise you can be, the easier will be to find a solution to help you.
Debug and log files are generally very useful, so consider attaching them to your email. In case you have several files, take some time to make a selection and highlight which part of them indicates the error you are trying to solve.
Lastly, if you add a link to the source code of the software you are trying to use, be specific with its version.
Prioritize the problem¶
For the support it is important to know how much the problem is impacting on your work. Upon submitting your support request, think whether you can give us an indication of how urgent your issue is.
For example, if you realize that you must find a solution (or discuss it) in maximum one day, then it might be better to book a one-to-one discussion or quickly contact the support by phone.