> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pensiv.so/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# 3.4.1 What can you do on the canvas?

> Dot-grid free placement, file cards, note cards, connection lines

The canvas is not for writing text.\
It’s a **free-placement workspace** on a dot grid.

Instead of scrolling down a document,\
you put elements on the surface and **move and connect them** to see structure.

***

## What is the canvas?

When you open the canvas,\
the center panel shows a large grid.

In this space you can:

* Add files as cards and place them
* Create note cards on the spot
* Draw lines between cards to show relationships

It’s for **position and connection**, not sentences.

***

## When to use it

The canvas helps when:

* Character or event relationships are still fuzzy
* The story feels tangled
* You want to see structure before writing
* You want to check emotion or influence visually

If the document is "narrative,"\
the canvas is "place and connect."

***

## What you can do on the canvas

### 1. Place file cards

You can put existing project files\
on the workspace as cards.

Examples:

* Documents
* Sheets
* Plotboards

You gather files on one screen\
and adjust how they sit relative to each other.

***

### 2. Create note cards

You can add\
on-the-spot ideas as note cards (not full files).

You put unformed thoughts\
on the structure and judge from there.

***

### 3. Connect cards

You draw lines between cards\
to show relationship and flow.

Examples:

* Conflict between characters
* Cause and effect of events
* Emotional flow

Lines are not decoration;\
they **show structure**.

***

### 4. Move and rearrange

Cards can be moved freely.

Changing position\
changes what feels central and what feels secondary.\
You’re not editing sentences;\
you’re **adjusting thought by rearranging structure**.

***

## Basic flow

1. Create a canvas from the sidebar.
2. Add file cards or note cards.
3. Move them and draw connections.

What matters more than perfect layout\
is **moving things and judging as you go**.

***

## View controls

On the right of the canvas you have:

* Zoom in / out
* Pan
* Undo

You can move around the space\
and see the whole structure.

***

## Tip

When writing in a document gets stuck,\
before adding more sentences,\
move elements onto the canvas.

Separate and place and connect;\
relationships become visible.

When structure starts to show,\
go back to the document and continue.

The canvas doesn’t replace the document.\
It **prepares** it.