Edit the diagram's text

Every Line9 diagram is Mermaid text. Where to see it, how to change it, and what Line9 writes into it for you.

Every diagram is Mermaid text

A Line9 diagram is written as Mermaid text, with a line for each node and each edge. This text:

---
title: Approval
---
flowchart LR
  limit{"Over £500?"}
  manager["Line manager approves"]
  director["Departmental executive approves"]
  limit -->|"No"| manager
  limit -->|"Yes"| director

draws this diagram:

A small flowchart titled Approval: the Over £500? decision leads to Line manager approves when No, and to Departmental executive approves when Yes.

The text is the diagram: a shared link, an exported .mmd file and a published diagram all carry it.

Open the source panel

Click the mode button, VIEW, at the bottom of the diagram page and choose SOURCE, or press ⌘U (Mac) or Ctrl+U (Windows). The text opens on the left. Choose VIEW again, or click ×, to close it.

The mode menu: View, Source and Edit. Edit needs Line9 Pro.

Copy source, at the bottom of the panel, copies the whole text.

Change the text

Type in the source panel. Line9 redraws the diagram as you type. Some common changes:

ToWrite
Rename a nodeChange the text in quotes
Add a nodeaudit["Spot-check by Audit"]
Connect two nodesmanager --> audit
Change a node shapeChange the brackets: {"…"} draws a decision

Nodes, edges and groups lists every shape and line style.

What Line9 writes into the text

When you change the theme or another style setting, Line9 writes it at the top of the text:

---
title: Expense approval
line9:
  theme: linen
---

The settings travel with the text, so the diagram looks the same wherever it is opened. Changing the orientation changes the flowchart line instead: flowchart LR runs left to right, flowchart TD top to bottom.

When the text has a mistake

Line9 keeps showing the last version it could draw. A message appears at the top, and the line with the mistake is highlighted in the source panel.

A message reading Parse error, with a Show source button, above the source panel. The line for the Over £500? decision is highlighted because its closing bracket is missing.

Click Show source to go to the line. When you correct it, the diagram updates.

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