My Automations Tab
Your library of saved automations. Run any automation with one click, browse templates to get started, and manage your automation collection.
The My Automations tab is the landing screen of the Automation panel. It shows all automations that have been saved to the current project — by you, by other team members, or from templates.
New users see a welcome card and the Template Gallery — a categorized collection of ready-made automations covering common design tasks.
The tab is divided into two sections:
- Saved automations — cards for each automation in the project library
- Template Gallery — always accessible by scrolling down, or via the Browse Templates button
Read an automation card
Each saved automation appears as a card showing:
- Automation name (bold, top of card)
- Last run time — relative time since the automation was last run (e.g. "3 days ago", "Never run")
- Run button — runs the automation immediately against the current canvas state
- Edit button — opens the automation in the Editor tab
- Overflow menu (⋯) — additional actions: Rename, Duplicate, Export, Delete
Cards are ordered by last-used time by default. Drag cards to reorder them manually.
Run an automation
Click the Run button on an automation card to run it immediately.
If the automation has input parameters, a Parameters dialog opens first. Fill in the parameter values and click Run to execute.
After running, the automation's Last run timestamp updates. Results appear on the canvas — new entities created by the automation are marked with a blue NEW badge. The automation's output (log messages, return values) is shown in the Output tab in the Editor sidebar.
If an automation produces unexpected results, use Ctrl/Cmd+Z immediately to undo all entity changes made by the run. Automation runs are fully undoable as a single undo step.
Manage automations
Use the overflow menu (⋯) on any automation card to access management actions:
- Rename — change the automation name. The name appears in the card and in the Editor tab title.
- Duplicate — create a copy of the automation with "(Copy)" appended to the name. Useful for creating variations of an existing automation.
- Export — download the automation as a
.gardenly-automationfile. Share with team members on other projects or keep as a backup. - Delete — permanently remove the automation from the library. This cannot be undone.
Drag cards up and down in the My Automations list to reorder them. The reorder is saved automatically.
Automation runs are fully undoable. Press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) immediately after a run to reverse all canvas changes in a single step.
Browse the Template Gallery
Scroll to the bottom of the My Automations tab (or click Browse Templates at the top of the tab) to open the Template Gallery.
Templates are organized into categories:
- Planting — row planting, grid planting, random scatter, hedge alignment
- Layout — copy along path, radial arrangement, grid duplication
- Structures — fence generation, lighting spacing, stepping stone path
- Analysis — plant count report, area summary, layer inventory
- Utilities — rename by category, reset materials, export entity list
Browse by category or use the search field to find a specific template. Click any template card to: 1. See a preview description and screenshot of what the automation does 2. Click Use Template to create a copy in your My Automations library
The template copy is fully editable — modify it to suit your project without affecting the original template.
If you are new to automations, browse the Template Gallery before writing code. There is likely a template close to what you need — customize it rather than starting from scratch.
Reorder your automations
Drag any automation card by the grip handle on its left edge to reorder it within your list. Drop the card above or below other cards to set the position. The new order is saved immediately. Keeping your most-used automations at the top saves time when working on large projects with many scripts.
Rename, duplicate, export, or delete an automation
Open an automation in the Editor tab, then click the ⋯ menu in the editor header to access management actions. Rename lets you edit the automation name inline. Duplicate creates a copy and immediately opens the copy for editing. Export as .lua downloads the script as a plain text file you can share or back up. Delete permanently removes the automation after a confirmation prompt — this action cannot be undone.
Create an automation from a template
Scroll to the Templates section at the bottom of the My Automations tab. Each template card shows an icon indicating whether it is a visual workflow (a workflow icon) or a Lua script (a code-file icon) template, plus its name and a short description. Click any template card to create a personal copy and open it in the Editor tab. The copy is yours to edit freely — changes do not affect the original template.
Before writing a script from scratch, check the template gallery. Many common tasks — such as adding planting labels, populating a plant palette, or numbering entities — already have a working template you can customize in minutes.
Start a blank automation
To start from an empty Lua script, click the + New button next to the "My automations" heading (visible when you already have at least one automation). If the library is empty, a New button is shown prominently in the welcome area. Both options create a blank script and open it in the Editor tab ready for you to write.
The ⚡ auto badge on a card means the automation is wired to a canvas event trigger. It will fire automatically whenever that event occurs — for example, when an entity is added or a property changes. Open the automation in the Editor and review the Trigger selector to see or modify which event activates it.
Deleting an automation is permanent and cannot be undone. If you want to keep a copy before deleting, use Export as .lua from the ⋯ menu first to save the script as a file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are automations shared between projects?
No. Automations are saved per project and are only visible in the project where they were created. To reuse an automation in another project, export it as a .lua file from the ⋯ menu in the Editor tab, then create a blank automation in the target project and paste the script source.
Can all team members see and run automations?
Yes. All automations in the project library are visible and runnable by every team member with access to that project. Reordering cards also affects the view for all team members.
How do I know if an automation changed anything on the canvas?
After a run, the card displays a change count such as "5 changes". If the automation used garden.output.print() statements, the output appears in the Output panel inside the Editor tab. The History tab in the Editor sidebar also logs recent runs with their status, duration, and change count.
What is the difference between a visual workflow template and a Lua script template?
Visual workflow templates (workflow icon) open as a node-based flow diagram in the Visual editor, suitable for those who prefer connecting blocks. Lua script templates (code-file icon) open as text source code in the Code editor, which is available on the Studio tier. Both produce the same kind of automation once saved.
Can I import a .lua file I received from someone else?
There is no direct import button in the My Automations tab. To use an external .lua file, create a blank automation by clicking + New, then open it in the Editor tab and paste the script source into the code editor. Save to store it in the project.