Experiencing Richer Interactions with Interactive Widgets

A Mate does not only answer with plain text. It can present its answer as a document, a chart, a carousel of cards, a web page (HTML) or a diagram (SVG). It also writes code blocks and mathematical formulas that display properly. These formats are called widgets. This article shows each widget, the actions it offers, and how to turn widgets on or off for a Mate.

How a Mate chooses a widget

The Mate picks a widget when it fits the answer. You can also ask for one, for example:

• "Summarize this report as a document."
• "Show the monthly sales as a bar chart."
• "Give me the top 5 products as a carousel with links."
• "Build a one-page HTML overview of this project."
• "Draw the approval flow as an SVG diagram."

A Mate uses only the widgets that are on in its settings. See "Turn widgets on or off for a Mate" below.

Documents

A document widget holds a long, structured answer: headings, lists, tables, links and code blocks, in a card.

The top of the card has three buttons:

• Copy: copies the document with its formatting. Paste it into an email or a text editor.
• Export document: saves the document as a file. Choose Docx, PDF or Text (markdown). The file name is the main title of the document, or "Document export" when the document has no main title.
• Open fullscreen: opens the document in a large window for easier reading. Copy and Export document are also available there.

While the Mate is still writing, Export document is disabled and shows "Export is available after the Mate finishes replying.".

To export the whole conversation instead of one document, see "Exporting a conversation".

Charts

A chart widget shows data as a bar, line, pie or other chart. Hover over the chart to see the values. When you export the conversation to Docx or PDF, each chart is included as an image.

Carousels

A carousel is a row of cards that you scroll sideways. Each card can hold an image, a title, a short text and a link. Use it to browse products, articles or resources.

HTML pages

An HTML widget is a complete web page inside the answer: layout in columns, styled text, colors, tables. Use it for a structured overview, a one-page report or a mock-up.

The card shows an icon and the page title. Its buttons are:

• Copy HTML source: copies the HTML code.
• Download as .html: saves the page as an .html file. Open it in any browser.
• Open fullscreen: opens the page in a large window.

Links open in a new browser tab. The page does not react to clicks beyond its links.

SVG diagrams

An SVG widget is a vector drawing: a diagram, a schema or a technical figure. It stays sharp at any zoom level, and its source stays editable.

The card shows an icon and the diagram title. Its buttons are:

• Copy SVG source: copies the SVG code. Paste it into a design tool or a web page.
• Download as .svg: saves the drawing as an .svg file.
• Open fullscreen: opens the drawing in a large window.

What you see on HTML and SVG widgets

• While the Mate writes the widget, a placeholder shows. The download button is disabled with "Export is available after the Mate finishes replying.".
• The download is always an .html or .svg file, named after the widget title. There is no PDF export for these widgets.
• On a phone, the widget shows a preview. Tap it to open it in fullscreen.
• A very large widget shows as a card with its title. Click Open to see it in fullscreen.
• If an HTML widget is empty, the card shows "Could not render this document". If an SVG widget contains no drawing, the card shows "Could not render this diagram". Click View raw source to see the code the Mate wrote.

Code blocks

A code block shows code with syntax highlighting and a copy button. Mates use it for scripts, SQL queries, configuration files and API examples.

Mathematical formulas

Mates write formulas in standard math notation, and the conversation displays them as formulas: fractions, integrals, matrices, Greek letters.

• Inline formulas sit inside a sentence, for example the area of a circle, πr², written between single dollar signs: $\pi r^2$.
• Display formulas sit on their own line, centered, written between double dollar signs: $$\int_0^1 x^2 \, dx$$.

Ask the Mate to "show the formula" or to "write the equation", and it uses this notation. If a formula contains an error, its source shows in red instead of breaking the message.

Turn widgets on or off for a Mate

Each widget type has its own switch. All of them are on by default.

1. Open Mates & tools, then open the Mate.
2. Open the Parameters tab.
3. Open Advanced settings, then the Widgets section.
4. Turn each type on or off: HTML, SVG, Charts, Carousel, Documents.

The change saves on its own. When a type is off, the Mate answers with another format, for example plain text instead of an HTML page. Only people who can configure the Mate change these switches.

Code blocks, tables and formulas have no switch. They are always available.

Good to know

• Widgets appear in the conversation for every participant, and on public shared pages.
• The interactive table widget has its own article: "Using the Interactive Table Widget for Data Display".

Related articles

• Exporting a conversation
• Using the Interactive Table Widget for Data Display
• Configuring Mate Capabilities
• Sharing a conversation with a public link