How to Use Canvas for Agent and Pipeline Editing from Conversation¶

Introduction¶

Canvas for Agent and Pipeline Editing is a powerful feature that allows you to modify agents and pipelines directly from within your conversations in ELITEA Chat. This eliminates the need to navigate away from your active conversation to make configuration changes, streamlining your workflow and maintaining conversation context.

Whether you're a developer fine-tuning agent instructions, a business analyst adjusting pipeline workflows, or a team lead managing toolkits, this feature provides seamless editing capabilities right where you need them most.

In this guide, you will learn:¶

How to access and activate Agent and Pipeline editing through Canvas
Step-by-step instructions for editing agent and pipeline configurations from conversations
How to manage toolkits, versions, and variables from the conversation
Available editing sections for both agents and pipelines
Best practices for collaborative development
Troubleshooting common editing scenarios

What is Canvas Agent and Pipeline Editing?¶

Canvas Agent and Pipeline Editing extends the existing Canvas functionality to include live editing of agents and pipelines directly from conversations. This feature allows you to:

Edit any selected version of an agent or pipeline without leaving the chat
Add toolkits, agents, or pipelines to the selected agent/pipeline from Canvas
Update agent/pipeline configurations including prompts, instructions, settings, and parameters
Manage toolkit integrations and dependencies seamlessly
Modify instructions and YAML: Edit agent prompts or pipeline YAML workflows directly in the Instructions section

Key Benefits:¶

Context Preservation: Keep your conversation flow while making edits
Real-time Testing: Test changes immediately within the same conversation
Collaborative Development: Multiple team members can review and suggest edits
Version Management: Edit specific versions while maintaining conversation history

Important Notes

Published versions of agents and pipelines are read-only and cannot be edited
You must have applications.update permission to edit agents and pipelines
Canvas and Agent/Pipeline editors are mutually exclusive - opening one closes the other

Step-by-Step Guide: Editing Agents and Pipelines from Conversation¶

Step 1: Start a Conversation with an Agent or Pipeline¶

Open ELITEA Chat and start a new conversation
Add an agent or pipeline as a participant using one of these methods:
- Click the participant selector and choose your agent/pipeline
- Type # followed by the first letters of the entity name for quick search
- Use the "Frequently Used" section for commonly accessed entities
Verify the participant is active and responding in your conversation

Step 2: Access the Agent/Pipeline Editor¶

Locate the Agent Editor Panel in the conversation interface
- Look for the participant's name and icon in the chat section
- You'll see a button group with the participant name, version selector, and settings icon
Check editing permissions:
- Settings icon (⚙️): Available for editing if not disabled
- "Editing..." text: Displayed when edit mode is active
- Disabled state: Grayed out if you lack permissions or version is published
Click the settings icon (⚙️) to activate the editor
- For agents: Opens the Agent configuration editor
- For pipelines: Opens the Pipeline configuration editor with the same sections

Agent Editor Access

Step 3: Edit Configuration¶

When editing an agent or pipeline, you can modify various configuration aspects:

3.1 Configuration Options (Available for both Agents and Pipelines)¶

Model Selection: Choose from available LLM models in your project
LLM Settings: Configure model parameters (Temperature, Top-p, Max Completion tokens)
Instructions:
For Agents: Edit the core instructions and prompts that define the agent's behavior
For Pipelines: Edit the YAML configuration that defines the pipeline workflow, nodes, transitions, and logic
Welcome message: Set the message that appears when users first interact with the entity

3.2 Toolkits¶

View Current Toolkits: See all currently attached toolkits and their configurations
Add New Toolkits:
- Click "+Toolkit" to select from available toolkits or create new ones
- Click "+Agent" to add other agents as toolkit components
- Click "+Pipeline" to add pipelines as toolkit components
Configure Toolkit Settings: Open toolkit detailed page to adjust toolkit-specific parameters and credentials
Remove Toolkits: Detach toolkits that are no longer needed

Toolkit Management

Step 4: Version and Variable Management¶

4.1 Version Selection¶

View Available Versions: Use the version selector dropdown
Switch Between Versions: Select different versions to edit
Version Status: Understand published vs. draft status

Version Management

4.2 Variable Configuration¶

Access Variables: Click the "Variables" button in the editor panel
Set Variable Values: Configure dynamic variables for the current session
Variable Scope: Understand how variables affect conversation context
Testing Variables: Use variables to test different configuration scenarios

Step 5: Save and Test Changes¶

5.1 Saving Your Edits¶

Save Frequently: Use the save functionality to preserve changes
Review Changes: Verify all modifications are correct
Validate Configuration: Check for any configuration errors
Version Management: Decide whether to update current version or create new one

5.2 Testing in Conversation¶

Immediate Testing: Test changes within the same conversation
Conversation Flow: Observe how changes affect ongoing conversation
Error Handling: Monitor for any execution errors or issues
Iterative Improvement: Make additional edits based on testing results

Best Practices and Tips¶

Configuration Management¶

Start Small: Make incremental changes rather than major overhauls
Test Thoroughly: Always test changes within the conversation
Document Changes: Use conversation history to track what changes were made and why

Collaboration¶

Share Conversations: Use conversation sharing to get team input on changes
Clear Communication: Document the purpose of changes in conversation messages

Error Prevention¶

YAML Validation: Use the YAML Indentation Corrector for pipeline syntax issues
Toolkit Dependencies: Ensure all required toolkits are properly configured and accessible
Permission Checks: Verify you have necessary permissions before making changes

Performance Optimization¶

Monitor Execution: Use Thinking Steps to understand performance implications of changes
Optimize Toolkits: Remove unused toolkits to improve agent/pipeline performance
Efficient Workflows: Design pipeline flows to minimize unnecessary steps
Resource Management: Consider resource implications of complex configurations

Troubleshooting Common Issues¶

Issue 1: Settings Icon is Disabled¶

Problem: The settings icon (⚙️) appears grayed out and cannot be clicked.

Possible Causes & Solutions:

Published Version: You're trying to edit a published version
- Solution: Switch to a draft version or create a new version for editing
Insufficient Permissions: You lack applications.update permission
- Solution: The system shows "Don't have permission to edit" - contact your administrator to request proper permissions

Issue 2: Changes Not Saving Properly¶

Problem: Edits appear to save but aren't reflected in agent/pipeline behavior.

Troubleshooting Steps:

Refresh Conversation: Start a new conversation to test changes
Version Check: Verify you're editing the correct version
Toolkit Sync: Ensure all toolkit dependencies are properly synchronized
Cache Clear: Clear browser cache and reload the conversation
Error Logs: Check conversation for any error messages

Issue 3: YAML Syntax Errors in Pipeline Editor¶

Problem: Pipeline fails to save due to YAML formatting issues.

Solutions:

Use YAML Indentation Corrector: Use the YAML Indentation Corrector prompt in ELITEA
Validate Structure: Check that all required fields are present
Indentation Check: Ensure consistent spacing and indentation
Reference Examples: Compare with working pipeline examples in the documentation

Issue 4: Toolkit Configuration Problems¶

Problem: Added toolkits not functioning properly in the edited agent/pipeline.

Diagnostic Steps:

Credential Verification: Check that all required credentials are configured
Toolkit Version: Ensure you're using compatible toolkit versions
Permission Scope: Verify toolkit permissions match agent/pipeline requirements
Integration Testing: Test toolkit functionality in isolation
Documentation Review: Consult toolkit-specific integration guides

Advanced Features¶

Real-time Collaboration¶

Shared Editing Sessions: Multiple team members can review and suggest changes
Comment Integration: Use conversation messages to discuss specific changes
Version Branching: Create different versions for different team testing scenarios
URL State Management: The browser URL tracks which agent/pipeline is being edited, allowing for bookmarking and sharing of editing sessions

Integration with Development Workflows¶

CI/CD Pipeline Integration: Use edited pipelines in automated deployment workflows
Version Control: Track agent/pipeline changes through conversation history
Testing Automation: Use conversation-based testing for agent/pipeline validation

Performance Monitoring¶

Execution Tracking: Monitor agent/pipeline performance through Thinking Steps
Resource Usage: Track toolkit and resource utilization
Error Analytics: Analyze error patterns through conversation logs

Conclusion¶

Canvas for Agent and Pipeline Editing revolutionizes how you develop and refine AI assistants in ELITEA. By enabling direct editing from conversations, you can maintain context, collaborate effectively, and iterate quickly on your agent and pipeline configurations.

This feature is particularly powerful for agile development environments where rapid prototyping, testing, and refinement are essential. Whether you're fine-tuning a single agent prompt or rebuilding complex pipeline workflows, Canvas provides the tools you need without disrupting your conversation flow.

Remember to follow best practices, test thoroughly, and leverage the collaborative aspects of conversation-based editing to create robust, effective AI solutions for your team and organization.

For additional support or advanced use cases, consult the linked resources or reach out to the ELITEA support team.