Builder

Builder lets you create or revise a complete Darty-Ai sheet without leaving the extension. It keeps method columns together, provides the same method-specific controls used elsewhere in the Tools tab, and presents the result as an editable spreadsheet-style grid.

Builder prepares the table that drives a Darty workflow. It does not directly run every row against Illustrator. When the table is ready, use Load Into Data to send it to Darty's Data tab, where it can be used for preview and export workflows.

When to Use Builder

Use Builder when you want to:

Start a Darty sheet from an empty table.
Inspect or revise an existing spreadsheet inside the extension.
Add methods without manually typing property names.
Configure method properties, defaults, and labels.
Add or edit the data records shared by multiple method blocks.
Save the finished table or load it into the Data tab.

If you only need to configure or apply one method, open that method directly from the Tools Methods group instead.

Builder Workspace

Builder is organized into three main areas.

Current Source

The heading identifies Builder as Create / Edit Darty-Ai Sheet and shows the current source below it. A new table is labeled as unsaved. After a table is imported, the source display identifies the local workbook, Google Sheet, recent file, or Data-tab table being edited.

The toolbar contains table-level actions and grid controls.

Control	Purpose
Load	Choose a local file, Google Sheet, recent file, or the table currently loaded in Data.
Add Method Block	Choose and configure a method, then append its property columns to the table.
Add Row	Add a new data record at the bottom of the table.
Reset Table	Restore the table to the snapshot taken from its current source.
Clear Table	Remove all rows, columns, and source information and return to a new blank table. This cannot be undone.
Undo / Redo	Move backward or forward through Builder edits. Keyboard shortcuts are shown in the button tooltips.
Load Into Data	Replace the table currently loaded in the Data tab with the edited Builder table.
Save Table	Save the current table or confirm before overwriting its existing file.
Jump to Cell	Focus a cell by spreadsheet reference, such as `A1`, `C4`, or a header cell.
Grid Size	Switch between the available row and text-density sizes.
Auto Fit Table Columns	Resize columns to fit their displayed values.
Search Sheet Cells	Open the find controls and move between matching cells.

Table Grid

The grid contains the method blocks, four Darty header rows, and data records. Builder pins the Darty header rows above the records so the method structure remains visible while you scroll.

Read Builder Table Anatomy before creating a complex table. It explains which rows are saved, how method blocks span property columns, and how defaults and labels work.

Basic Builder Workflow

1. Start Blank or Load a Table

Builder opens with a valid blank structure: four Darty header rows and one empty data row. You can begin adding methods immediately or select Load to edit an existing source.

The Load dialog offers:

Import from File
Import Google Sheet
Import From Recent
Edit Loaded Table, when the Data tab already contains a table

Source-specific behavior is covered in Builder Data Sources and Files.

2. Add a Method Block

Select Add Method Block, choose a method, and configure its available fields. Applying the method editor updates the Builder table only; it does not run the method against Illustrator or add a row to another Tools Method table.

Each configured method becomes a contiguous block of one or more property columns. See Builder Method Blocks.

3. Set Defaults and Labels

A property can have an optional default value in its header. The default is used when a data-record cell in that property column is empty. Labels are optional notes for people reading the sheet and do not control method execution.

Builder uses property-aware editors for supported values such as booleans, colors, units, and selectable options.

4. Add and Edit Data Rows

Each body row is one complete data record across every method block. Add rows from the toolbar, then enter the record-specific values under each property.

Select a row to expose row actions for inserting, duplicating, or deleting records. Detailed cell and row behavior is covered in Builder Rows, Cells, and Navigation.

5. Review the Table

Use Undo and Redo while editing. Jump to a spreadsheet cell, search for values, change grid density, or auto-fit columns when the table becomes large.

Warnings in the header can identify invalid tag searches, missing required properties, or unsupported method structures. Hover warning and information icons for details.

6. Save or Load Into Data

Use Save Table to write the edited table to a file. When overwriting a worksheet, Builder warns that the edited sheet is rewritten as raw table data and formulas in that sheet are lost. Other workbook sheets are preserved when possible.

Use Load Into Data to replace the current Data-tab table with Builder's edited table. An internally loaded Builder table remains unsaved until you save it to a file.

Reset, Clear, and Undo Are Different

Action	Result
Undo	Reverses a recent Builder edit and keeps it available for Redo.
Reset Table	Returns to the snapshot captured when the current source was loaded or established.
Clear Table	Removes the entire table and its source, then creates a new blank table. Clear cannot be undone.