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UI Tour

This guide will walk you through the Cerulion Graph Editor interface, showing you where everything is located and how to use the main features. By the end, you’ll be comfortable navigating the editor and know where to find the tools you need.

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Overview

The Graph Editor interface consists of several main areas:

• Top Toolbar - Main actions and tools
• Canvas - Where you design your graphs
• Left Sidebar - Project files, schemas, and nodes
• Right Sidebar - Properties and configuration panels
• Bottom Panel - Console output and logs

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Top Toolbar

The toolbar at the top contains the primary actions and tools:

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File Menu

• New Project - Create a new project
• Open Project - Open an existing project
• Save - Save current project
• Save As - Save with a new name
• Export - Export graph as image or code
• Preferences - Configure editor settings

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Edit Menu

• Undo - Undo last action (Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z)
• Redo - Redo last undone action (Ctrl+Y / Cmd+Y)
• Cut - Cut selected nodes (Ctrl+X / Cmd+X)
• Copy - Copy selected nodes (Ctrl+C / Cmd+C)
• Paste - Paste copied nodes (Ctrl+V / Cmd+V)
• Delete - Delete selected nodes (Delete key)
• Select All - Select all nodes (Ctrl+A / Cmd+A)

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View Menu

• Zoom In - Zoom into canvas (Ctrl++ / Cmd++)
• Zoom Out - Zoom out from canvas (Ctrl+- / Cmd+-)
• Reset Zoom - Reset to default zoom (Ctrl+0 / Cmd+0)
• Fit to Screen - Fit entire graph on screen (Ctrl+F / Cmd+F)
• Toggle Sidebars - Show/hide sidebars (Ctrl+B / Cmd+B)

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Tools Menu

• Add Node - Create a new node (N key)
• Add Schema - Create a new schema (S key)
• Add Topic - Create a new topic (T key)
• Connect - Enter connection mode (C key)

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Run Menu

• Generate - Generate framework code (Ctrl+G / Cmd+G)
• Run - Run the current graph (Ctrl+R / Cmd+R)
• Stop - Stop running graph (Ctrl+Shift+R / Cmd+Shift+R)
• Debug - Run with debugging enabled

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Canvas

The canvas is the main workspace where you design your graphs. It’s a large, zoomable area where you place nodes and draw connections.

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Canvas Features

• Pan - Click and drag empty space to pan around
• Zoom - Use mouse wheel or pinch gesture to zoom
• Select - Click nodes to select them, drag to select multiple
• Move Nodes - Click and drag nodes to reposition them
• Connect - Click and drag from output port to input port

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Canvas Context Menu

Right-click on the canvas to see context menu options:

• Add Node - Quick access to add node dialog
• Add Schema - Quick access to add schema dialog
• Paste - Paste copied nodes at cursor location
• Fit to Screen - Zoom to show entire graph

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Left Sidebar

The left sidebar shows your project structure and available resources.

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Project Files Tab

Shows the file structure of your current project:

• Schemas - All schema definitions (.yaml files)
• Nodes - Node implementation files (.rs, .py, .cpp)
• Graphs - Graph definition files (.graph files)
• Config - Configuration files

Click files to open them in the editor. Right-click for options like rename, delete, or open in external editor.

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Schemas Panel

Lists all schemas in your project:

• Click a schema to see its structure
• Right-click to edit, duplicate, or delete
• Drag schemas onto nodes to set port types

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Nodes Panel

Shows all node types you can add:

• Built-in Nodes - Standard nodes provided by Cerulion
• Custom Nodes - Nodes you’ve created
• Drag nodes from here onto the canvas to add them

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Right Sidebar

The right sidebar contains properties and configuration panels that change based on what you have selected.

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Properties Panel

When a node is selected, shows:

• Node Name - Edit the node’s display name
• Language - Programming language (Rust/Python/C++)
• Input Ports - List of input ports with types
• Output Ports - List of output ports with types
• Triggers - Configure which inputs trigger execution
• Code - Button to open code editor

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Schema Editor

When a schema is selected, shows:

• Schema Name - Edit schema name
• Fields - List of fields with types
• Add Field - Button to add new fields
• Field Properties - Type, default value, validation

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Topic Properties

When a connection/topic is selected, shows:

• Topic Name - Edit topic name
• Type - Data type (from schema)
• Transport - Local or network transport
• QoS Settings - Quality of service configuration

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Graph Properties

When nothing is selected, shows project-level settings:

• Project Name - Current project name
• Default Language - Default for new nodes
• Build Configuration - Build settings
• Run Configuration - Runtime settings

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Bottom Panel

The bottom panel shows console output, logs, and build results.

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Console Tab

Shows output from running graphs:

• Node Output - Print statements from nodes
• Errors - Error messages and stack traces
• Warnings - Warning messages
• Info - Informational messages

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Build Tab

Shows code generation and build output:

• Generation Status - Progress of code generation
• Build Logs - Compilation output
• Errors - Build errors with file locations

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Logs Tab

Shows detailed system logs:

• Framework Logs - Low-level framework messages
• Transport Logs - Communication layer messages
• Performance Metrics - Timing and performance data

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Keyboard Shortcuts

Here are the most useful keyboard shortcuts:

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Navigation

• Space + Drag - Pan canvas
• Mouse Wheel - Zoom in/out
• Ctrl+F / Cmd+F - Fit graph to screen
• Ctrl+0 / Cmd+0 - Reset zoom

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Editing

• N - Add new node
• S - Add new schema
• T - Add new topic
• C - Enter connection mode
• Delete - Delete selected nodes
• Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z - Undo
• Ctrl+Y / Cmd+Y - Redo

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Running

• Ctrl+G / Cmd+G - Generate code
• Ctrl+R / Cmd+R - Run graph
• Ctrl+Shift+R / Cmd+Shift+R - Stop graph

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Selection

• Ctrl+A / Cmd+A - Select all
• Click - Select single node
• Drag - Select multiple nodes
• Shift+Click - Add to selection

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Tips for Efficient Navigation

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Next Steps

Now that you’re familiar with the interface, you’re ready to start building: