Obsidian Canvas

Obsidian Canvas

This skill handles the creation and manipulation of .canvas files (JSON Canvas).

Core Workflow

1. Library: Utilization of the provided scripts/​canvas_lib.py is MANDATORY. Do not write raw JSON.
2. Execution: Construct a JSON payload and pipe it to the library script via stdin (CLI mode). Do not create temporary Python scripts.
3. Layout: Focus on logical coordinates (x,y). The library handles ID generation, node height, and edge routing automatically.

Resources

• Library: scripts/​canvas_lib.py (Core logic for nodes, groups, and smart edges).
• CLI Spec: references/​library_spec.md - Read strictly for JSON format.
• Specification: See references/​spec.md for the detailed JSON schema.
• Example: See assets/​flowchart.canvas.

Layout & Aesthetics (Senior Designer Standards)

• Whitespace: Use generous vertical gaps (120px-180px) between related nodes to provide "shelf space" for edge labels.
• Z-Indexing: The library handles z-indexing (groups render behind nodes). Always use groups to bound track-specific content.
• Hierarchy: Use H1 (#) for canvas titles, H2 (##) for major sections, and H3 (###) for individual node titles.
• Colors:
  • 1 (Red): Friction, Error, Filing.
  • 2 (Orange): Interaction, Support, Outreach.
  • 3 (Yellow): Evidence, Documentation, Data.
  • 4 (Green): Success, Resolution, Start.
  • 5 (Blue/​Cyan): Neutral, Operations.
  • 6 (Purple): Titles, Meta-info, Outcome.
• Edges: Keep labels short. If multiple edges cross the same path, the library tries to route them, but manual x adjustments help.

Output

To create a new canvas, construct a JSON payload and pipe it to the library script:

cat <<EOF | python3 /​path/​to/​skills/​obsidian-canvas/​scripts/​canvas_lib.py
{
  "output": "Project_Flow.canvas",
  "nodes": [
    {"node_id": "start", "text": "Start", "x": 0, "y": 0, "color": "6"},
    {"node_id": "end", "text": "End", "x": 0, "y": 200, "color": "1"}
  ],
  "edges": [
    {"from_node": "start", "to_node": "end"}
  ],
  "groups": [
    {"label": "Phase 1", "nodes_in_group": ["start", "end"], "color": "5"}
  ]
}
EOF