Interface and Navigation

Interface and navigation

FigureLoom uses an office-style editor layout. The exact arrangement changes by interface mode, but the project and editing tools stay the same.

Interface modes

Open Settings to choose:

• Automatic, which chooses a mode from the device size and input type
• Desktop, which uses the compact mouse-and-keyboard layout
• Tablet, which keeps the full editor with roomier touch targets
• Phone, which uses the phone dock and sliding panels

Switching modes does not change the project format or project contents.

Top line

The top line contains the project name and the controls that need to stay close at hand.

Common controls include:

• Project name
• Export
• Account or profile access
• Help access

On a phone, Undo and Redo also remain in the compact header. Less common actions move into More.

Selected-object actions

On Desktop and Tablet, Undo and Redo sit directly beside Delete in the selected-object action group.

This is the same order in both modes. Tablet uses touch-friendly sizing without moving the controls to another part of the interface.

Open project tabs

Open cloud projects appear in the project-tab row. Each tab shows its project title and keeps its own × close control directly beside the title and inside the same bordered tab box.

Closing a tab closes that workspace tab. It does not silently delete the project. FigureLoom shows the available save, export, or delete choices when a close action needs confirmation.

Main tabs

The visible tabs organize the normal editing workflow.

Settings

Use Settings for interface behavior, appearance, accessibility, and MCP access.

Important controls include:

• Automatic, Desktop, Tablet, or Phone interface mode
• Light or dark appearance
• Text and control sizing
• Reduced motion
• Stronger focus indicators
• Higher contrast and other readability options
• MCP and AI access for a compatible external assistant

Projects

Projects contains local project management, open projects, save controls, project gallery access, and cloud actions when an account is connected.

Home

Home contains common editing actions and frequently used object tools.

Add

Add opens the full insertion panel. It includes text, shapes, lines, arrows, connectors, images, files, templates, tables, charts, equations, code windows, and other insertable objects.

Illustrations

Illustrations opens the searchable scientific artwork library. Some assets are built into the project and some libraries load on demand.

Other workspaces

Arrange, Style, Charts, Check, Share, and specialist areas may appear directly in the ribbon or inside Pro Tools, depending on the current layout and screen size.

The canvas

The canvas is the page itself. Only content inside the page is included in normal exports.

Around the canvas, FigureLoom provides:

• Zoom controls
• Hand or navigation mode
• Page format controls
• Check tools
• Grid and snapping controls
• A navigator for large pages

The gray area outside the page is workspace, not part of the exported figure.

Left side: pages and layers

On Desktop and Tablet, the left panel usually contains pages and layers.

Use it to:

• Add, duplicate, delete, and reorder pages
• Change the active page
• Select objects by layer
• Rename layers
• Hide or show objects
• Lock or unlock objects
• Reorder objects front to back

On a phone, open the bottom Pages control to show the same information in a sheet.

Right side: inspector

The inspector changes according to the selected object.

Typical controls include:

• Position and size
• Rotation and opacity
• Fill and stroke
• Text formatting
• Image crop and masks
• Chart or table data
• Metadata and accessibility text
• Context-specific editing actions

On a phone, select an object and open Edit.

Bottom canvas toolbar

The canvas toolbar keeps navigation and page controls available without occupying the main ribbon.

Depending on the current mode, it can include:

• Pages
• Hand or navigation mode
• Zoom out
• Current zoom
• Zoom in
• Return to 100 percent
• Format
• Navigator
• Check

On supported Desktop layouts, the complete toolbar can be dragged as one unit. Start the drag from the bar or its grip rather than from a working button. Its existing collapse control remains separate and still collapses the bar.

Pro Tools

Pro Tools groups advanced workspaces so the normal editor does not become a wall of controls.

Workspaces include arranging, data, annotations, components, review, publishing, office import, recovery, advanced science, accounts, collaboration, SVG paths, TeX, and pathway exchange.

See Pro Tools and advanced science.

Share and live collaboration

The Share area includes account invitations and guest links.

• Account invitations are tied to an email account.
• Guest links require only a display name and can use an optional numeric PIN.
• Create link and Revoke links stay in the same horizontal control row.

See Accounts, cloud projects, and collaboration.

MCP and AI access

Open Settings → MCP & AI access to connect the current cloud project to a compatible external assistant.

The connection is project-specific, can be read-only or full access, and uses a separate permission for destructive actions.

See MCP and AI access.

Drawers, sheets, and dialogs

Large libraries and task-focused tools open in drawers, full-screen panels, or bottom sheets.

To leave one of these areas:

• Use its Close or Back button.
• Press Escape on a keyboard when supported.
• On a phone, use the visible close control or swipe down on a bottom sheet when available.

Help and passive guide

Press the Help button on Desktop or Tablet, or open More, then choose Help in Phone mode. This opens the FigureLoom Help menu with links to the manual, Start here, quick task guides, the visual interface guide, and the passive tour.

The passive guide has 13 steps:

1. Projects and open tabs
2. Settings and appearance
3. Main workspaces
4. Tools for the current task
5. The canvas and real page
6. Pages and layers
7. The canvas control bar
8. The inspector
9. Pro Tools
10. Loomy
11. Share and collaboration
12. Help and manuals
13. Export and backup

The guide does not click controls, open panels, move objects, change selections, or scroll the project. Use Next, Back, or Close at the bottom. On a phone, the action row stays above the browser safe area and the FigureLoom dock.

Useful navigation habits

• Name the project before opening several tabs.
• Use Pages to keep complex figures split into manageable parts.
• Use Layers when an object is hidden behind something else.
• Use the inspector for exact measurements instead of repeated small drags.
• Use a project backup before large imports or major rearranging.
• Use Check before export rather than only after a file has already been submitted.