The Nodespell workspace is the screen you see inside an open Project. It has a top bar with menus and status, a central area of panels such as Graph, Parameters, Assets and Design, and a status bar along the bottom. In Graph mode you can split, dock, float, color and save these panels as layouts.
Most of this page describes Graph mode, which has the full panel system. Create and Immersive use fixed layouts; see Choose a workspace mode.
What is in the top bar?
Section titled “What is in the top bar?”The top bar runs across the top of the window, from left to right:
| Element | What it does |
|---|---|
| Workspace mode selector | Shows the current mode and switches between Create, Graph and Immersive. |
| Menus | File, Edit, View, Layout, Window, Help and Account. The Window menu is hidden in Create. |
| Project name and save status | Shows the Project name and whether your latest changes are Saved, Saving…, Retrying, Not saved or Needs action. Select it for details. |
| Command palette button | Opens the command palette. The tooltip shows the shortcut Cmd/Ctrl+K. |
| Messages | Opens messages from Nodespell, with a count of unread ones. |
| Credits | Shows your remaining credits. Select it for the balance, renewal date and which credits this Project uses (personal or a team’s shared pool). |
Save status and recovery are covered in Saving and recovery. Credits are covered in Plans and credits.
What is in each menu?
Section titled “What is in each menu?”| Menu | Main items |
|---|---|
| File | New Project, Open …, Recent Projects, Save As, Save Version …, Versions, Go To Live Version, Close Project |
| Edit | Undo (Cmd/Ctrl+Z), Redo (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Z), Copy, Paste, Preferences (Cmd/Ctrl+,) |
| View | In Graph: Save Current Layout, Edit Layout, Layouts, Built-in Layouts, Show Version Bar. In all modes: Show Status Bar (not in Immersive), Show Command Palette, Show Quick Node Creation Menu (Tab). In Graph: Toggle Top Dock, Toggle Bottom Dock, Toggle Left Dock, Toggle Right Dock |
| Layout | Tidy up and Flow direction for the current Level and Project defaults. See Organize a graph. |
| Window | New Panel Window, Open Windows, Collect Offscreen Windows, Minimize All Windows, Restore All Windows |
| Help | Documentation, What’s new, tutorials, support and feedback. See Help menu and What’s new. |
| Account | My account, Assets, Cookie settings, Log out |
Save Version … creates a Project Snapshot. See Projects and snapshots.
Panels, panes and tabs
Section titled “Panels, panes and tabs”A panel is one tool, such as Graph or Parameters. A pane is a rectangle of the workspace that holds one or more panels as tabs. Only one tab in a pane is visible at a time; select a tab to show it.
Add a panel to a pane:
- Select + at the end of the pane’s tab bar.
- Choose a panel from the menu. It is grouped into Essential (Graph, Parameters, Assets, Design), Library (Library, My Nodes), Automation (Tasks, Assistant) and Advanced (References, Tree View, Console).
Every panel is described in the panels reference.
Right-click a tab (two-finger click on a trackpad) for its menu:
| Tab menu item | What it does |
|---|---|
| Maximize pane / Restore pane | Gives the pane the whole workspace, or returns it to its place. |
| Tear off | Moves the panel into its own floating window. |
| Send to edge dock | Moves the panel into the Top dock, Bottom dock, Left dock or Right dock. |
| Duplicate | Opens a second copy of the panel. |
| Rename | Changes the tab’s title. |
| Colour | Tints the tab. See Color your panel tabs. |
| Move | Move to first, Move Left, Move Right, Move to last. |
| Help | Opens the documentation for that panel. |
| Close | Closes the panel. |
Double-click a tab, or an empty part of the tab bar, to maximize its pane; double-click again to restore it. The pane’s tab bar menu also has Auto-hide tab bar, which hides the tab bar until you point at it.
Split, move and resize panes
Section titled “Split, move and resize panes”Drag a tab to rearrange the workspace. While you drag, a preview shows where the panel will land and a label names the result.
| Drop the tab on | Result |
|---|---|
| Another tab bar | Place tab here: the panel joins that pane at that position. |
| The middle of another pane | Add to this pane: the panel joins that pane as the last tab. |
| The left, right, top or bottom edge of a pane | Split left, Split right, Split top or Split bottom: the pane divides in two. |
| A dock strip at a window edge | Dock to left edge (or top, bottom, right). |
Anywhere while holding Shift |
Float as a window. |
Drag the divider between two panes to resize them. Select the Delete Pane button in a pane’s corner to remove the pane.
Floating windows
Section titled “Floating windows”A floating window is a panel outside the pane layout, which you can move anywhere over the workspace.
- Create one from Window > New Panel Window, with Tear off on a tab, or by holding
Shiftwhile you drag a tab. - Each window has Minimize, Maximize and Close controls in its title bar, and Return to workspace to dock it again. You can also drag the title bar over a tab bar or a pane edge.
- Window > Open Windows lists every window, including ones moved off screen, with Move Into View. Collect Offscreen Windows brings them all back.
- The Windows button at the left of the status bar offers the same list.
In Immersive, floating windows work the same way but cannot be docked.
Edge docks
Section titled “Edge docks”An edge dock is a panel area that slides in from one edge of the window: top, bottom, left or right. Edge docks are available in Graph mode.
| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Show or hide a dock | View > Toggle Top Dock (and Bottom, Left, Right), or Cmd/Ctrl+1, Cmd/Ctrl+2, Cmd/Ctrl+3, Cmd/Ctrl+4 for top, bottom, left and right |
| Put a panel in a dock | Right-click its tab and choose Send to edge dock, or drag the tab onto a dock strip |
| Add a new panel to a dock | Select + in the dock |
| Change a dock’s size | Dock size: Compact (25%), Half (50%), Large (75%) or Full (95%) |
| Return a panel to the panes | Return to workspace |
An empty dock says No panels in this dock.
Color your panel tabs
Section titled “Color your panel tabs”Give a tab its own color so you can tell similar panels apart, such as two Graph panels showing different Levels.
- Right-click the tab.
- Choose Colour.
- Choose one of 16 swatches (from Red to Pink), Custom colour for any color, or No colour to return to the default.
Tab colors are saved with the layout.
Save and restore layouts
Section titled “Save and restore layouts”A layout is the arrangement of panes, tabs, docks and tab colors. Layouts are available in Graph mode.
| Action | Menu path |
|---|---|
| Save the current arrangement | View > Save Current Layout, enter a Name, select Save |
| Switch to a saved layout | View > Layouts > the layout name |
| Use a built-in layout | View > Built-in Layouts > AI - Essential or Power User |
| Rename or delete layouts | View > Edit Layout |
The command palette also lists each layout as Restore Layout: followed by its name.
The status bar
Section titled “The status bar”The status bar runs along the bottom of the workspace. Hide or show it with View > Hide Status Bar or Show Status Bar.
| Area | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Windows | A menu of floating windows. Not shown in Create. |
| Hints | Shortcuts for what you are doing now, such as the pan and zoom gestures for your detected input device (Mouse, Touchpad and others). |
| Console summary | The latest log message and counts of new errors and warnings. Select it to open a Console window. Not shown in Immersive. |
Use the command palette
Section titled “Use the command palette”The command palette is a searchable list of commands, settings, nodes and tools.
- Press
Cmd/Ctrl+K, select the command button in the top bar, or choose View > Show Command Palette. - Type part of a command name. The field reads “Type a command or search…”.
- Select a result, or use the arrow keys and press
Enter.
Commands are grouped, for example File, Panels, Node Actions, Selection, Navigation & View, Tasks, User Preferences and Help. Many show their keyboard shortcut. Examples: Run Selected Tasks, Tidy up, Toggle Minimap, Toggle Theme, Open New Panel and Add Parameters Panel. Panel commands are not offered in Create. All shortcuts are listed in Shortcuts.
Help menu and What’s new
Section titled “Help menu and What’s new”The Help menu collects documentation, updates and support:
| Item | What it does |
|---|---|
| Help | Opens this documentation site. |
| What’s new | Opens the release notes. A New label and a dot on Help mean there are updates you have not seen. |
| Getting started tutorials | Opens Learn the essentials, nine short lessons on core actions. |
| Show first-run guide | Reopens the first-image guide in Create. Shown when Create is available. |
| Show suggestions | Turns contextual tips on or off. |
| Copies the support email address. | |
| Report a problem… | Opens a message to support with technical details filled in. |
| Discord / YouTube channel | Opens the Nodespell community and video channel. |
| Submit feedback | Sends a Feature Request, Bug Report, General Feedback or Question. |
| About | Opens Help and about, with links, legal documents and Copy details for support requests. |
When a release ships, a What’s new card can appear with See what’s new and Dismiss. You can always find it again under Help > What’s new, or under More > What’s new on the dashboard. Every release is also listed on What’s new. For contacting support, see Support.
Frequently asked questions
Section titled “Frequently asked questions”How do I get a closed panel back?
Section titled “How do I get a closed panel back?”Select + on any tab bar and choose the panel again, or press Cmd/Ctrl+K and search for Add followed by the panel name, such as Add Parameters Panel.
A floating window disappeared off the screen. How do I get it back?
Section titled “A floating window disappeared off the screen. How do I get it back?”Choose Window > Collect Offscreen Windows, or open Window > Open Windows, find the window marked (out), and choose Move Into View.
Why can’t I find layouts or docks?
Section titled “Why can’t I find layouts or docks?”Layouts and edge docks are part of Graph mode. In Create and Immersive the View menu does not show them. Switch the Workspace mode selector to Graph.
Are layouts saved per Project?
Section titled “Are layouts saved per Project?”Saved layouts belong to your account and appear under View > Layouts in any Project. Use View > Edit Layout to rename or delete them.
Related
Section titled “Related”- Choose a workspace mode — Create, Graph and Immersive.
- Panels reference — what every panel does.
- Shortcuts — all keyboard shortcuts.
- Account settings — Preferences, theme and language.
- Saving and recovery — save status and Needs attention.