Architect FAQ 

Do I need to install anything to use Architect?

No. Architect runs entirely in your web browser. Open architect.networkcanvas.com and start building. There is nothing to download or install.

If you'd like quick access and offline use, Architect is a Progressive Web App (PWA), so you can optionally install it to your device. In a supported browser, use the Install option (often an install icon in the address bar, or "Add to Home Screen") — Architect then opens in its own window and appears alongside your other apps. This is optional; the browser version has the same features.

Can I use Architect offline?

Yes. Once loaded, Architect runs in your browser without an internet connection, and your protocols stay in the browser library on your device. Installing it as a Progressive Web App (see above) makes offline use more convenient. You only need a connection to first open the site, and to reach any online links or resources.

Where is my work saved? Is it on a server?

Your protocols are saved in a library inside your web browser, on the device you are using. They are never uploaded to a server. See Saving and backing up for what this means for backing up and moving protocols.

Do I have to save my work manually?

No. Architect saves automatically as you edit. There is no Save button. Your changes are written continuously to the browser's library.

Will I lose my protocols if I clear my browser data?

Yes. Because your protocols are stored in the browser, clearing your browsing data for the site will permanently remove them, as will using Clear all protocols on the home screen. To keep a copy you won't lose, Download your protocol as a .netcanvas file. See What removes your protocols.

Can I open my protocol on a different computer or in a different browser?

Not directly — the library is tied to the specific browser and device where you created the protocol. To move your work, Download the protocol as a .netcanvas file and open that file from the home screen on the other browser or device.

Is there a limit to how much I can store?

Browsers limit how much data a site may store, and large protocols — especially those with many or large media assets — use more of that allowance. Browsers may also evict this kind of local data under storage pressure. For anything you cannot afford to lose, keep a downloaded .netcanvas copy. See Storage limits.

Can I undo a change I didn't mean to make?

Yes. Use Undo and Redo in the editor toolbar to step backward and forward through your recent edits within the current session.

Which browsers does Architect support?

Architect works in any modern, up-to-date web browser, such as recent versions of Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. For the best experience, keep your browser updated.

Should I use Architect or Architect Classic?

They are not interchangeable, and they do not produce identical protocols. Architect builds protocols on the latest protocol schema (version 8); Architect Classic builds on schema 7 and earlier. Which you should use depends on where you intend to run your interviews:

• Choose Architect for new studies — it's the default and needs no setup. Its schema 8 protocols run in Fresco and in the new Interviewer (beta) app.
• Choose Architect Classic only if you need to keep using Interviewer Classic, the older desktop and tablet app. It builds schema 7 protocols and cannot open protocols built in Architect.

Architect can open a schema 7 protocol made in Architect Classic and upgrade it to schema 8, but this is one-way — a schema 8 protocol cannot be converted back or opened in Architect Classic. See Protocol Schema Information for full details.

Can I run a protocol I built in Architect in Fresco or Interviewer?

Yes. Protocols built in Architect use schema 8, which runs in Fresco and in Interviewer (beta). To use one, Download your protocol as a .netcanvas file and upload it to Fresco or import it into Interviewer. They cannot be run in Interviewer Classic, the older desktop and tablet app, which does not support schema 8 — to collect data in Interviewer Classic, build your protocol in Architect Classic instead. See App compatibility by schema version for which apps run which schema versions.

Can I open protocols created in Architect Classic in Architect?

Yes. Architect can open a protocol made in Architect Classic (schema 7 or earlier) and automatically upgrades it to the latest schema (version 8). The upgrade is one-way, though: once upgraded, the schema 8 protocol cannot be opened again in Architect Classic, nor run in Interviewer Classic. If you still need the original in Architect Classic or Interviewer Classic, keep a copy of your schema 7 file before upgrading. See App compatibility by schema version and Protocol Schema Information.