Canvas Setup Guide

This guide explains how to set up the canvas feature so agents can display images and content in Cove.

Requirements

• OpenClaw gateway (2026.2.0+)
• Cove WebUI

1. Gateway Configuration

The canvas host must be enabled in your gateway config (~/.openclaw/openclaw.json):

{
  "canvasHost": {
    "enabled": true
  }
}

If Cove runs on a different machine or in Docker, set bind to "lan":

{
  "bind": "lan"
}

Restart the gateway after config changes.

2. Enable Canvas in Cove

1. Open Cove in your browser
2. Go to Settings
3. Enable Canvas Node
4. Optionally set a custom display name

Cove will register as a node with the gateway. You may need to approve it on first connection.

3. Place Files for Display

Copy images or HTML files to the gateway's canvas directory:

cp image.png ~/.openclaw/canvas/

4. Display Content

Agents can push content using the /_canvas/ path:

nodes action=invoke node=<nodeId> invokeCommand=canvas.present invokeParamsJson='{"url":"/_canvas/image.png"}'

To find connected nodes:

nodes action=status

Look for nodes with canvas in their capabilities.

Troubleshooting

Node not appearing:

• Check Canvas Node is enabled in Cove settings
• Refresh the browser
• Check gateway logs for connection errors

401 errors on images:

• Ensure gateway bind is set correctly for your network
• Verify the file exists in ~/.openclaw/canvas/

Content not displaying:

• Check browser console for errors
• Try a simple image first before complex HTML