Canvas basics

Learn to build powerful AI conversations using the canvas builder in NLX's Dialog Studio

What's the canvas builder?

The canvas is a visual and interactive design tool for mapping your conversation flows. Each intent's conversation workflow has its own canvas to build all steps and possible paths to execute an intent. Every canvas begins with a non-editable Start node from which your conversation will flow.

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Access

To access your canvas, select an intent flow card. The canvas automatically opens into Build mode.

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Canvas controls

• Zoom in/out: Press Control key while scrolling mouse wheel or moving two fingers up/down on a trackpad

• Move: Pan the canvas by sliding two fingers along the trackpad or press + hold Spacebar while using your mouse to click and drag

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Toolbar

Along the top, the canvas toolbar provides several options:

• Add node: Select a node to add to the canvas

• New page: Add pages to contain branches of your flow

• Bookmark: Right-click on a node to add a highlight and keep it bookmarked or use the Analyze option in the canvas shortcut menu to bookmark isolated or infinite loop nodes

• Hand tool: Click and pan around the canvas

• Magic wand: Adjust flow into an even display

• Undo/redo: Undo or redo the last action

• Search: Scan content, trigger quick commands, and deliver GenAI prompts

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Shortcut menus

Right-click the canvas or a node to activate the shortcut menu for additional options:

Canvas shortcut menu

• Paste, Undo/Redo

• New node: Select a node to add to the canvas

• Zoom controls

• Analyze: Easily identify cycles (great for detecting if any unintentional infinite loops exist) or disconnected nodes

• Search: Trigger search bar

Node shortcut menu

• Copy, Cut, Duplicate, Delete

• Change color: Recolor node header for visual labeling

• Zoom selection: Magnifies on selected node

• Highlight selected: Add to bookmark in canvas toolbar

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Search bar commands

Scan content

Enter desired keyword(s) to quickly query all node elements and messaging across your flow:

Quick commands

Enter a forward slash (/) to invoke a menu of commands without needing to exit the canvas:

Generative AI

Enter a single space to call up GenAI. Type a prompt and press Enter to populate the result onto your canvas:

Need more context? See Build with GenAI

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View/restore intent flow

You may easily restore or view past versions of a conversation workflow:

• Select clock icon in upper right of the canvas

• Choose a version to preview

• Select Restore version