Skip to content

Configuration and Session

WireFrame saves workspace preferences and enough session information to reopen recent projects and documents. Use the application settings for normal changes; manual file editing is a recovery procedure.

What WireFrame remembers

Depending on the feature used, the local configuration can include:

  • Open projects, open documents, and standalone files.
  • Recent open, save, import, export, and project folders.
  • Window position, size, docking slots, and multi-monitor behavior.
  • Units, grid and snap settings, rotation step, and default trace width.
  • Autosave preferences.
  • Simulation defaults.
  • Layer visibility and lock state.
  • Custom keyboard shortcuts.
  • Sign-in/device session data and AI provider settings.

Contains private data

The configuration can contain an authentication token and an AI API key. Never attach the complete file to an issue report or place it in source control.

Change preferences safely

Open Preferences and use the relevant category:

Category Typical settings
Appearance Theme, units, autosave
Panels or workspace Docking, panel behavior, multi-monitor options
Grid and editing Grid visibility, snapping, rotation, PCB defaults
Simulation Engine executables, analysis, transient defaults
AI OpenRouter key and model
Version and account Tier, version, and update information

Close Preferences after confirming the new value. For an important project, restart WireFrame once and verify that the setting persists.

Session restoration

WireFrame records the currently open project and document paths during normal use and shutdown. At the next launch it attempts to restore files that are still available.

If an item is not restored:

  1. Confirm that the file or drive still exists at the saved location.
  2. Open the project manually from File → Open Project (.prjxml) or Open File.
  3. Close WireFrame normally so the refreshed session is saved.

Unsaved design edits are not a substitute for autosave or a deliberate Save operation. Save before simulation, export, or application update.

Local configuration location

Current builds use user_config.json in the WireFrame configuration directory:

Platform Current location
Windows %APPDATA%\WireFrame\user_config.json
Linux ~/.config/wireframe/user_config.json
macOS ~/.config/wireframe/user_config.json

The file is created automatically. Its internal fields are implementation details and may change between releases, so examples of the raw JSON are intentionally omitted from this guideline.

Reset WireFrame preferences

Use this only when startup or workspace state remains broken after a normal restart.

  1. Close WireFrame.
  2. Make a private backup copy of user_config.json.
  3. Rename the original file, for example to user_config.backup.json.
  4. Start WireFrame and verify the clean defaults.
  5. Re-enter preferences manually. Do not copy authentication or AI-key fields into a support ticket.

Renaming is preferable to immediate deletion because the previous settings remain recoverable. The reset clears saved session, layout-related preferences, custom shortcuts, sign-in state, and AI settings; it does not delete project files.

Image — Preferences categories

Image needed

Capture the complete Preferences window in v1.5.47 with the category list visible. Use a test account, hide all credentials, and show no local user path.

Short video — Recover a damaged workspace configuration

Video needed

Record a 20–30 second clip: close WireFrame, rename the config file, relaunch, and show the restored default workspace. Blur the operating-system username and all private paths.