> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.zerotwo.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Canvas Issues

> Troubleshoot canvas not opening, wrong editor type, editing problems, and export failures in ZeroTwo.

ZeroTwo's Canvas Mode embeds a rich document editor directly in your chat. It supports 7 editor types: rich text, code, Mermaid diagrams, spreadsheets, and more. This guide covers common issues with opening, editing, and exporting canvases.

***

## Canvas Troubleshooting

<Accordion title="Canvas panel not opening">
  If you've sent a message but the canvas panel didn't open on the right side of the screen:

  1. **Check that the Canvas pill is toggled ON.** Before sending your message, look at the tool pills in the prompt bar. The Canvas pill should be highlighted (active/blue). If it's not, click it to activate it and resend your message.
  2. **Use an explicit canvas prompt.** ZeroTwo may not always infer that you want a canvas. Be direct: "Open a canvas and write...", "Create a canvas document for...", "Write this as a canvas:"
  3. **Refresh the page.** If the canvas pill is active but the panel still doesn't open, try a hard refresh (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+R) and resend.
  4. **Check screen width.** The canvas panel requires sufficient horizontal space. On a narrow browser window, the panel may be collapsed. Try widening your browser window or using a larger display.

  <Tip>
    If you're frequently using canvas, pin it as your default by activating the Canvas pill before starting a new chat. It will stay active for the session.
  </Tip>
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="AI writing in chat instead of canvas">
  Canvas is a suggestion, not a guarantee — the AI may choose to respond directly in the chat for short or simple answers, even when the Canvas pill is active.

  **To reliably get canvas output, use explicit prompts:**

  * "Create a canvas document with..."
  * "Write this in the canvas:"
  * "Open a new canvas and draft..."
  * "Make a canvas version of..."

  **The AI is more likely to use canvas for:**

  * Long-form writing (articles, reports, essays)
  * Code files and scripts
  * Structured documents (tables, outlines)
  * Diagrams and visual content

  **The AI is less likely to use canvas for:**

  * Short factual answers
  * Conversational replies
  * Simple calculations or lookups
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Wrong editor type opened (e.g., text instead of code)">
  ZeroTwo has 7 canvas editor types. If the wrong one opened, the AI inferred the wrong type from your prompt.

  **Specify the editor type explicitly:**

  * For code: "Create a Python canvas", "Write this as a JavaScript code canvas", "Open a code canvas for..."
  * For diagrams: "Make a Mermaid diagram canvas", "Create a flowchart canvas using Mermaid"
  * For spreadsheets: "Open a spreadsheet canvas", "Create a table canvas"
  * For rich text: "Write a rich text canvas document"

  **Available canvas editor types:**

  1. Rich text (default for prose)
  2. Code (syntax-highlighted, language-specific)
  3. Mermaid (diagrams: flowcharts, sequence, ER, etc.)
  4. Spreadsheet
  5. HTML preview
  6. Markdown
  7. Math (LaTeX)
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Can't edit the canvas (read-only)">
  The canvas editor should be fully editable. If it seems locked or read-only:

  1. **Click inside the canvas panel** to focus it. The editor requires focus before it accepts input. Click directly on the text content area.
  2. **Look for the editing cursor.** After clicking in the canvas, you should see a blinking text cursor.
  3. **Try refreshing and reopening.** If the canvas still won't accept input after clicking, do a hard refresh (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+R) and reopen the chat.
  4. **Check if the canvas is loading.** If the AI is still generating content, the canvas may be in a read-only streaming state. Wait for generation to complete, then try editing.

  <Note>
    Shared canvas links (shared with others via a public URL) are read-only for viewers. Only the owner can edit. If you're viewing a shared canvas, you'll need your own copy to edit.
  </Note>
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Inline edit toolbar not appearing">
  The inline edit toolbar (with formatting options like bold, italic, headings, etc.) appears when you select text in the rich text canvas:

  1. **Select text by clicking and dragging** across the text you want to format
  2. The toolbar should appear above or near your selection
  3. **If it doesn't appear:** click somewhere else to deselect, wait a moment, then try selecting again
  4. **Ensure you're in the right editor type.** The inline toolbar appears in the rich text and Markdown editors. Code canvases use a different formatting system. If you need a rich text toolbar, switch to the rich text editor.
  5. **Try a slow, deliberate selection.** Rapid mouse movements sometimes don't register a proper text selection.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Mermaid diagram showing syntax error">
  Mermaid diagrams require valid Mermaid syntax. If your diagram shows a red syntax error:

  **The easiest fix:**
  Ask ZeroTwo directly in the chat: "Fix the Mermaid syntax error in this diagram" — ZeroTwo will review the code and correct the syntax.

  **Manual debugging:**

  1. In the canvas, switch to the code view (the left or source pane) to see the raw Mermaid code
  2. Check against the [Mermaid documentation](https://mermaid.js.org/intro/) for valid syntax
  3. Common issues: missing semicolons, invalid arrow syntax, unsupported diagram type names, unclosed brackets

  **Common Mermaid syntax patterns:**

  ```
  flowchart TD
    A[Start] --> B{Decision}
    B -->|Yes| C[Do this]
    B -->|No| D[Do that]
  ```

  **Tip:** Ask ZeroTwo to regenerate the diagram with a more specific prompt: "Regenerate this Mermaid flowchart with correct syntax showing..."
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Export not working / download not starting">
  If clicking the export button doesn't start a download:

  1. **Allow downloads and pop-ups for zerotwo.ai.** Some browsers block automatic file downloads. In Chrome: click the lock icon in the address bar → Site settings → ensure Downloads is "Allow" (not "Block").
  2. **Try a different export format.** If PDF fails, try DOCX. If DOCX fails, try Markdown or plain text.
  3. **Wait longer for PDF generation.** Large documents take more time to render as PDF. After clicking export, wait 10–15 seconds before assuming it failed. The download may start after a brief delay.
  4. **Refresh and try again.** Do a hard refresh (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+R), reopen the chat, and attempt the export again.
  5. **Check your Downloads folder.** The file may have downloaded but to an unexpected location. Search your file system for the document name.

  <Warning>
    PDF generation for very large canvas documents (50+ pages) may time out. If PDF consistently fails for large documents, try exporting as DOCX and converting locally.
  </Warning>
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Shared canvas link shows 'not found'">
  If you or someone you shared a canvas link with sees a "not found" error:

  **Possible causes:**

  1. **The canvas or its chat was deleted.** Canvas documents are tied to their parent chat. If the chat is deleted, the canvas and its share link are also gone.
  2. **The share link was revoked.** Shared links can be disabled from **Settings → Data Controls → Shared Links**. If the link was toggled off, it will show "not found."
  3. **The link is expired or malformed.** Ensure you're sharing the full URL without truncation.

  **To check and manage your shared links:**

  1. Go to **Settings → Data Controls → Shared Links**
  2. You can see all active shared links and toggle them on or off
  3. Re-enable a disabled link by toggling it back on

  <Note>
    Shared canvas links are view-only for recipients. They cannot edit your canvas via the shared link.
  </Note>
</Accordion>

***

## Canvas Quick Reference

| Issue                       | Solution                                                            |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Canvas panel not opening    | Activate Canvas pill; use explicit canvas prompts                   |
| AI writes in chat instead   | Use explicit prompts: "Create a canvas document with..."            |
| Wrong editor type           | Specify editor type in prompt (Python canvas, Mermaid canvas, etc.) |
| Can't edit canvas           | Click inside the canvas panel to focus it                           |
| Inline toolbar missing      | Select text by clicking and dragging                                |
| Mermaid syntax error        | Ask ZeroTwo to fix it, or check Mermaid docs manually               |
| Export not working          | Allow downloads in browser; try different format                    |
| Shared link shows not found | Check Settings → Data Controls → Shared Links                       |

***

## Need More Help?

Contact [reed@zerotwo.ai](mailto:reed@zerotwo.ai) with a description of your canvas issue, the editor type, and your browser.