Supported Formats and Limitations

Supported formats and limitations

This page separates normal supported workflows from areas that still require another tool or careful validation.

Project files

Supported

• Complete editable .figureloom backup download
• Import of current .figureloom projects
• Import of older FigureLoom project backups
• Local autosave
• Recovery snapshots
• Named checkpoints

Important limitation

A visual export such as SVG is not a replacement for the editable project backup.

Image import

Supported

• PNG
• JPEG and JPG
• WebP
• SVG

Limitations

Complex SVG filters, masks, external styles, linked images, scripts, or unusual font handling can change during sanitization and import.

FigureLoom is not a full raster-image editor. Perform scientific image processing and analysis elsewhere.

SVG editing

Supported

• Normal object transforms
• Whole-object recoloring where possible
• Path command inspection and editing
• Anchor selection
• Breaking compound SVG artwork into independent SVG objects

Limitations

• Not a complete Illustrator-style Bezier-handle system
• Advanced arbitrary Boolean operations may require a dedicated vector editor
• Complex imported SVG behavior can vary

Font import

Supported

• WOFF
• WOFF2
• TTF
• OTF

Limitations

Imported fonts are local to the browser or device unless the deployment and project workflow explicitly preserves them. Test projects after moving them.

Spreadsheet import

Supported

• XLSX
• XLS
• XLSM workbook reading
• ODS
• CSV
• TSV
• Pasted comma-separated or tab-separated data

Limitations

• Macros are not executed
• FigureLoom is not a spreadsheet calculation engine
• Cached formula results can be stale
• Complex formatting and merged cells can change
• Very large workbooks can make projects slow

PowerPoint import

Supported

Many common slide elements, including:

• Text
• Basic shapes
• Images
• Tables
• Groups
• Basic charts

Limitations

Complex slide masters, SmartArt, WordArt, animations, transitions, embedded media, theme behavior, nested transformations, and advanced chart features may not convert exactly.

PowerPoint import is supported separately from export. The current export panel does not create a .pptx file.

Chart and table objects

Supported

Editable tables and many plot starters, including:

• Bar
• Line
• Scatter
• Box
• Violin
• Volcano
• Heatmap
• PCA-style
• Kaplan-Meier
• Forest
• Radar
• Bubble
• Gantt
• Timeline
• Flow-cytometry-style

Limitations

FigureLoom is not statistical-analysis software. Calculate and validate statistics in an appropriate analysis environment.

Specialist plot starters may require prepared values rather than raw data.

Equations

Supported

• Quick scientific notation helpers
• Greek symbols
• Superscript and subscript
• Practical lightweight equation commands
• MathJax TeX rendering to retained-source SVG

Limitations

• Quick notation is not full TeX
• TeX rendering loads on demand
• Very advanced packages or custom macros may not work
• Accessibility descriptions still need manual review

Maps

Supported

• World and country maps
• Study-site locators
• Natural Earth boundary workflows
• GeoJSON import

Limitations

FigureLoom is not a GIS. It does not replace spatial analysis, projection management, geoprocessing, or survey-grade measurement.

Scientific illustrations

Supported

• Built-in editable artwork
• On-demand compatible outside libraries
• Search and aliases
• Source and attribution metadata where available
• Automatic reference collection where metadata exists

Limitations

• Search results require scientific review
• Outside assets keep their own licenses
• Metadata can be incomplete
• Not every asset can be recolored in the same way

Export

Supported

• Export all pages as SVG, producing one editable SVG for every page
• Editable SVG (per page) for the active page
• Optional physical print dimensions in SVG output
• Optional exported editor grid
• Complete editable .figureloom project backup
• Reference and attribution output where available
• Publication readiness report
• Presentation mode
• Starter SBGN-ML, BioPAX, and SBML pathway exchange

Limitations

• The current export panel does not directly create PNG, PDF, TIFF, or PowerPoint files
• Those formats require conversion in another application when needed
• Fonts and complex SVG behavior can change in another application
• Pathway exchange requires specialist validation
• Journal acceptance is never guaranteed

Collaboration

Supported

• Local projects without an account
• Email and password accounts
• Encrypted cloud gallery
• Owner, editor, reviewer, and viewer roles
• Pending email invitations
• Expiring guest links
• Guest joining with a display name and no email account
• Optional 4 to 12 digit guest-link PIN
• Authenticated or temporary guest presence and remote cursors
• Encrypted edit broadcasts
• Persistent review comments
• Conflict controls

Limitations

• The owner must sign in and save the project to the cloud before creating a guest link
• Guest access depends on anonymous authentication being enabled for the deployment
• Application-layer encryption is not zero knowledge
• Project titles and permission metadata remain visible
• Offline users cannot synchronize
• Removing access cannot delete files already downloaded by another person

MCP and AI access

Supported

• Project-specific hosted MCP connection links
• Read-only or full editor access
• Separate permission for destructive actions
• Current command discovery
• Normal history and save paths for successful write commands
• Immediate revocation of a connection link

Limitations

• A FigureLoom account and cloud-backed project are required for the hosted connection
• The matching project must remain open while commands are being processed
• Client support for remote MCP servers varies
• A copied connection link contains authorization and must be treated as private
• Switching projects revokes the old project authorization

Offline use

Supported

• Versioned offline application shell
• Local editing after required files are cached
• Local autosave and backups

Limitations

• Cloud, authentication, collaboration, hosted MCP, outside libraries, MathJax, and optional providers may need network access
• Browser storage can be removed by cleanup or eviction

Interface modes

Supported

• Automatic mode
• Desktop mode
• Tablet mode
• Phone mode
• Touch-friendly panels and safe areas
• Bottom dock in Phone mode
• Canvas zoom and pan
• Object movement
• Full-screen Add and Export surfaces on phones
• Accessible passive guide controls

Limitations

A phone screen is still small. Large poster work, dense layer management, and detailed path editing are easier on a tablet or desktop.

Browser support

Use a current browser with support for modern JavaScript, SVG, IndexedDB, service workers, and browser downloads.

Browser-specific behavior can affect file downloads, font loading, clipboard access, and installed web-app caching.

Publication limits

FigureLoom can check common problems and provide generic physical presets.

It cannot guarantee:

• Journal compliance
• Printer acceptance
• Statistical correctness
• Image-integrity compliance
• Accessibility compliance in every final format
• Correct licensing for every user-supplied asset

The user must verify the final output and current submission requirements.