Reference & Troubleshooting¶
VS Code Commands¶
Command Palette commands¶
These commands are available via the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P):
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
ArchTect: New Project |
Scaffold a new workspace in a chosen folder |
ArchTect: Open Generation Center |
Open the documentation generation center |
ArchTect: Open User Guide |
Open this documentation |
ArchTect: Show Copilot Diagnostics |
Show Copilot diagnostic info |
Entry points¶
| Action | How |
|---|---|
Open a .dsl file visually |
Open the file in VS Code → click the ArchTect icon in the editor title bar |
| Open via context menu | Right-click a .dsl file in Explorer → ArchTect: Open with ArchTect |
Menu commands (available when editor is open)¶
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| Export PNG / SVG | Export the active view |
| Generate Documentation | Generate arc42 documentation from the model |
| AI Assistant | Open the in-app AI assistant |
File Types¶
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
workspace.dsl |
Main model file (Structurizr DSL) |
.dsl |
Any DSL file openable directly in ArchTect |
.nbc4 |
ArchTect diagram file format |
Keyboard Shortcuts¶
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y |
Undo / Redo |
Ctrl+0 |
Fit to view |
Ctrl+A |
Select all |
Esc |
Deselect all |
Delete / Backspace |
Delete selected |
Shift+click |
Multi-select |
Space + drag |
Pan canvas |
| Arrow keys | Nudge selected elements |
Shift + arrow keys |
Large nudge |
Ctrl+G |
Group selected elements |
Ctrl+Shift+G |
Ungroup |
Ctrl+D |
Duplicate selected |
Ctrl+] / Ctrl+[ |
Bring forward / send backward |
DSL Grammar¶
For what ArchTect specifically supports, see DSL Support Matrix.
Troubleshooting¶
Validation errors¶
If the DSL parser reports errors: 1. Open the DSL editor and check for errors. 2. Fix the reported line and try again. 3. For syntax rules, check the DSL Support Matrix or the Structurizr DSL reference.
View not appearing¶
If a view doesn't show up in the Views panel:
- Confirm the view exists in the views { } block of your DSL.
- Check that the view key is unique across all views.
- For filtered views: a base view can be hidden once a filtered view is defined for it. This is expected Structurizr-compatible behavior.
Missing icons in the Palette¶
If you expect to see cloud service icons (Azure, AWS, etc.) but the Palette only shows elements and shapes:
- Click the Themes button at the bottom of the Palette.
- Enable the relevant icon theme (e.g., "Azure (remote)", "AWS Icons").
- Or add a remote theme URL in your DSL styles block.