# Explore the editor

The canvas is a view of the Network. The outline and Inspector are equally important ways to work with its records. Use them when a label overlaps, a record is hidden or a pointer interaction is inconvenient.

## Inspect and find a record

Select an entity or relationship in the canvas or record outline. The Inspector shows the complete record, including fields, confidence and citations. Search is available through **Search records and actions** and Cmd/Ctrl-K. Search includes labels, aliases, localized kinds, registered fields and imported custom attributes; it is not an internet search.

Selecting a hidden search or outline result opens its Inspector without clearing the view settings. Choose **Reveal in graph** when you deliberately want to clear the state hiding that record and bring it into view. Inspect the changed filter/Focus state afterward.

## Use filters and Focus

**Prerequisite:** an open Network with records.

1. Choose **Filters** and select relevant entity/relationship types, relationship groups, confidence, flags or citation state.
2. Read the active chips and visible/hidden counts. Use **Clear filters** when you want to remove the filters.
3. Select one entity and use **Focus** with **1 hop** or **2 hops** to inspect its neighborhood.
4. Use **Clear Focus** to remove Focus while retaining the other applicable view settings.

**Expected result:** a smaller view of the same records. Neither operation deletes entities, changes a relationship's confidence nor establishes that an omitted record is irrelevant.

## Find one bounded connection

Select exactly two entities, choose **Find Connection**, set **Maximum hops**, then choose **Find connection**. Read the ordered path summary and inspect the relationship records on that path. Use **Clear path** to remove the highlight.

The current algorithm returns one shortest path within the chosen hop bound. It may traverse a relationship in either direction to find connectivity, while preserving its stored direction in the result. A traversal from company to person does not reverse a `director-of` claim. A path is not proof of influence, causation or wrongdoing. No result within the bound does not prove there is no longer path.

## Know which actions change data

| Operation                                                | Effect                                                         |
| -------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Select, search, filter, Focus or Find Connection         | Temporary view/inspection state; does not change graph meaning |
| Reveal in graph                                          | Clears relevant hiding state and selects/pans to the record    |
| Move an entity or change the saved viewport              | Layout/view position; does not change the relationship claim   |
| Create, edit, connect, apply CSV/AI, duplicate or delete | Changes durable records and enters the save/history flow       |
| Export Network JSON                                      | Produces a portable file; does not establish a backup service  |

If a result seems missing, inspect active filters, Focus and the outline before recreating it. Repeatedly creating a hidden entity can leave distinct duplicate records.