Goal Deep Linking
Connect goals to specific entities or viewports in the design. Clicking a goal flies the canvas to that part of the design — making goal-driven presentations effortless.
Goal Deep Linking adds navigation hotspots to goals. When a goal is linked to a canvas entity or a saved viewport, clicking the goal in the Goals panel navigates the canvas directly to that element.
This is especially valuable in client presentations — a client can click a goal in the shared view and immediately see the part of the design that addresses it. The navigation is smooth and animated, creating a guided walkthrough of how the design fulfills each objective.
Open a goal and add a link
To link a goal to a canvas entity or viewport:
1. Open the goal by clicking it in the Goals panel (or click the Edit icon on the goal card) 2. Scroll to the Links section in the goal edit dialog 3. Click + Add Link 4. Choose the link type: - Entity — link to one or more specific entities on the canvas - Viewport — link to a saved viewport (camera position and zoom level)
Link to a canvas entity
After clicking + Add Link > Entity, the goal dialog minimizes and the canvas becomes interactive.
Click one or more entities on the canvas to link them to this goal. The entities are highlighted as you click them. Click Done (or press Escape) when you have selected all the entities to link.
Back in the goal dialog, the linked entities appear as a list under the Links section. Each shows the entity name and a small thumbnail.
When a client or team member clicks the goal in the Goals panel, the canvas animates to center on the linked entities and highlights them briefly.
Link a goal to the cluster of entities that most directly addresses it. For example, link a "Year-round seasonal interest" goal to the mixed planting border entities along the main boundary.
Link to a saved viewport
After clicking + Add Link > Viewport, a dropdown shows the list of saved viewports for the project.
Select a viewport to link. Saved viewports are created from the Views panel (Viewports tab) — they capture a specific camera position, angle, and zoom level in either 2D or 3D view.
When the goal is clicked, the canvas animates to that viewport — preserving the intended camera angle and composition. Viewport links are ideal for 3D presentation goals where the perspective matters (e.g. a goal linked to a 3D view from the garden entrance).
If no viewports have been saved yet, click Manage Viewports to create one before linking.
Pair each major design objective with a dedicated saved viewport. This lets you structure a presentation as a series of goal-driven camera moves — each goal click tells part of the design story.
Use deep links in a client presentation
In a client meeting, open the project and share your screen (or hand over the laptop). Open the Goals panel.
Click each goal in order. The canvas animates to the linked entity or viewport, with the linked entities highlighted. This creates a guided walkthrough of the design:
1. "Our first goal was to create a low-maintenance garden..." (click goal → canvas flies to the planted areas) 2. "We also wanted to maximize the sense of space..." (click goal → canvas transitions to the 3D view from the terrace) 3. "And the budget goal..." (click goal → canvas highlights the cost-efficient paving choice)
Clients following along via the share link can click goals themselves, giving them an interactive way to explore the design.
Practice the goal-click sequence before a client meeting to make sure all links navigate to the intended location and the 3D viewports are framed correctly.
Remove a deep link
To remove a link from a goal:
1. Open the goal in the edit dialog 2. In the Links section, click the × next to the entity or viewport you want to unlink
The link is removed. The goal continues to exist with its title, description, and status unchanged. The canvas entity or viewport is unaffected.
Orphan chips are a useful signal during a design review — they hint that an earlier decision (the linked entity) was undone and the goal may need re-examination.
Remove a linked entity
Click the × icon on any chip to remove that link. The goal and the drawing entity are both unaffected — only the connection between them is deleted. Removing a link cannot be undone from within the goal dialog, so use the × intentionally.
Handle orphaned links
If a linked entity is deleted from the design, its chip remains in the Linked Drawing Objects section but is marked (no longer exists). Clicking an orphaned chip has no navigation effect. The chip is kept as a historical record of what the goal originally referred to — remove it with × when you no longer need that record.
Goals with no linked entities are fully functional — they still appear in the Goals list with their title, theme, importance, and review status. Deep linking is an optional enhancement that adds navigation, not a requirement for goals to work.
An orphaned chip (marked "no longer exists") is a useful signal during design reviews: it indicates an earlier design decision was undone and the goal may need re-evaluating. Clear orphaned chips only after consciously reviewing whether the goal still holds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kinds of objects can a goal link to?
Any drawing object in the project — plants, hardscape shapes, structures, water features, lights, and more. The entity picker lists every object in the project so you can attach whichever ones best represent the goal.
What happens to a link when the linked entity is deleted?
The chip stays in the Linked Drawing Objects section but is labelled "(no longer exists)". The link is not removed automatically — this preserves a record of the original intent. Clear it with the × on the chip when you no longer need that record.
Can a single entity be linked to more than one goal?
Yes. The same drawing entity can be linked to as many goals as needed. This is common for a key feature — such as a signature tree or a main entertaining area — that simultaneously addresses multiple client objectives.
Can I link a goal to a saved view or camera position rather than a specific entity?
Not directly — deep linking targets drawing entities only. As a workaround, save the camera position as a Saved View, and link the goal to the entity that the view focuses on. Opening the view and clicking the chip together gives the full spatial context.
Is there a limit to how many entities I can link to a single goal?
No. You can link as many entities as the goal requires. For clarity during reviews, focus on the two or three objects that most directly address the goal rather than linking every related element.