Editor Sidebar (Compact Mode)
Run and interact with automations from the compact Editor sidebar without leaving the canvas. Set parameters, view output, and navigate to results — all in the side panel.
The Editor tab in the Automation panel provides a compact interface for running and interacting with automations while keeping the canvas visible. This is the compact mode — the full code and visual flow editors are in the IDE Layout (accessible via the expand button).
The compact Editor sidebar is designed for running and fine-tuning existing automations rather than writing new ones from scratch. It shows:
- A Parameters section with form controls for the automation's input parameters
- Run / Preview / Parameters action buttons
- An Output console showing the latest run results
- A Results panel with undo and entity navigation controls
Click Open in Full Editor to expand to the full IDE layout for writing and editing automation code.
Open an automation in the Editor tab
From the My Automations tab, click Edit on any automation card. The Editor tab opens, showing the automation in compact mode.
Alternatively, click the Editor tab in the Automation panel toolbar and select an automation from the dropdown at the top of the tab.
The automation name is shown at the top of the Editor tab. The active automation's trigger mode is shown as a pill next to the name (Manual, On Select, or On Place).
Set parameters in the Parameters section
The Parameters section shows the input parameter form for the automation. Parameters are defined in the automation code using --@param annotations.
Parameter controls appear as:
- Sliders — for numeric ranges (e.g. spacing: 0.5 m to 3.0 m)
- Text inputs — for string values (e.g. plant species name)
- Dropdowns — for enumerated choices (e.g. layer name: select from existing layers)
- Checkboxes — for boolean flags (e.g. include labels: on/off)
- Color pickers — for color values
Adjust the parameter values before running the automation. The last-used values are remembered between runs.
If an automation has no --@param annotations, the Parameters section is empty and the automation uses hardcoded values.
Well-parameterized automations are far more reusable than hardcoded ones. When editing an automation, add --@param annotations for any value that might reasonably vary between uses.
Run, Preview, and action buttons
Three action buttons control how the automation executes:
- Run — executes the automation and applies all entity changes to the canvas. Changes are fully undoable.
- Preview — runs the automation in a non-destructive preview mode. Results appear with blue NEW badges (new entities) and red strikethrough badges (entities that would be deleted). No actual changes are applied until you click Apply in the preview banner. Click Cancel to discard the preview.
- Parameters — scrolls the sidebar to the Parameters section (useful if the section is off-screen after a long output log)
The Run button shows a loading spinner while the automation is running. For long-running automations, a progress indicator appears in the status bar.
Use Preview before Run when testing a new or modified automation — this lets you see exactly what the automation will create or change before committing the result to the canvas.
Read the Output console
The Output tab in the Editor sidebar shows the console output from the most recent automation run.
Output includes:
print()statements from the automation code — shown as plain text lines- Error messages — shown with a red warning icon and the error type and line number
- Return values — the automation's return value (if any) shown at the end of the output
- Run duration — the time taken to execute the automation
Click the History tab (next to Output) to see output from previous runs in the current session. Each previous run shows its timestamp, parameter snapshot, and output.
Click Clear to clear the output log.
Add print() statements to your automation code during development to log intermediate values to the Output console. This is the most effective way to debug unexpected automation behavior.
Navigate results with the Results panel
After a successful run, the Results panel appears below the Output console showing:
- Undo button — undoes the entire automation run in one step (equivalent to Ctrl/Cmd+Z)
- Show me button — if the automation created or modified entities, clicking Show me selects all affected entities and centers the canvas on them
- Entity count — the number of entities created, modified, or deleted by the run
If the automation placed entities across multiple locations, clicking Show me gives you a visual confirmation of the results.
Expand to the full IDE
To write or edit the automation code, click Open in Full Editor at the bottom of the compact Editor sidebar (or click the expand icon in the Editor tab header).
The full IDE Layout opens as a two-pane overlay. The left pane shows the code or flow editor. The right pane shows the parameters form and output console — the same content as the compact sidebar but with more space.
Press Escape or click the collapse icon to return from the full IDE to the compact sidebar.
Expand to the full IDE
Click Edit script at the bottom of the Editor sidebar to open the expanded IDE.
The Automation panel widens to the configured IDE width. The canvas stays visible on the left. The IDE has the full Visual/Code editor tabs, trigger selector, and output panel.
Press Escape once to collapse back to the compact sidebar. Press Escape again to close the Automation panel.
The compact sidebar is ideal for running automations in production. Use the full IDE when writing or debugging new automations.
The History tab captures auto-triggered runs that fired while you were working on other parts of the drawing. Check it to audit what background automations have done since you last looked — this is especially useful if you have automations set to fire on canvas events like entity placement or selection changes.
Well-parameterized automations are far more reusable than hardcoded ones. When you click Edit script to open the IDE, add --@param annotations to any value that might vary between uses. The parameters then appear as controls in the popover every time you run the automation from the compact sidebar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit the automation code from the compact sidebar?
No — the compact Editor sidebar is for running automations, not writing them. Click Edit script at the bottom of the sidebar to open the full IDE where the code editor is available.
What is the difference between Run and Preview?
Run applies all entity changes to the drawing immediately and records them as a single undoable step. Preview applies the changes locally without saving, so you can inspect the result on the canvas and then choose Apply to commit or Cancel to discard. Use Preview when you want to see the outcome before it becomes permanent.
What is the difference between the Output tab and the History tab?
Output shows the console messages (garden.output.print() calls) from the most recent single run. History shows a log of recent runs for this automation, retained on this device across page reloads and including auto-triggered runs that fired in the background. Expand any history row to see the full details of that run.
How do I see or change the trigger configuration from the compact sidebar?
Trigger configuration is available only in the full IDE. Click Edit script to open it — the Trigger selector pill is in the second row of the IDE toolbar, between the automation name and the run controls.
Can I undo a run after I have applied it?
Yes. Every Run is fully undoable. Click the Undo button in the Results panel immediately after the run, or press Cmd/Ctrl+Z to revert all changes made by that run in a single step.