Export Options

Save and share your data, visualizations, and SQL in multiple formats.

Overview

Shadowfax lets you export almost everything—data tables, visualizations, and SQL code. Whether you need to include a chart in a presentation, share data with teammates, or port SQL to another tool, export options make it easy.

Export options available throughout the interface

Exporting Data

From Views and Sources

Right-click any View or Source node:

• Export to CSV: Download data as a CSV file
• Copy to clipboard: Copy data for pasting into spreadsheets

Or use the bottom panel:

• Click the data preview
• Look for export icon in the toolbar
• Choose format

Export data directly from the preview panel

CSV Format

What you get:

• Column headers as first row
• Data rows with proper escaping
• UTF-8 encoding
• Compatible with Excel, Google Sheets, and other tools

Use cases:

• Share data with non-Shadowfax users
• Import into other analytics tools
• Archive snapshots of analysis results
• Create offline reports

Copy to Clipboard

What you get:

• Tab-delimited text
• Ready to paste into spreadsheets
• Headers included

Use cases:

• Quick paste into Excel or Google Sheets
• Add to documents or presentations
• Fast data sharing in chat or email

How to use:

1. Select the data in the preview panel
2. Click "Copy" button
3. Paste anywhere (Cmd/Ctrl+V)

Copy data to clipboard for quick sharing

Exporting Visualizations

PNG Export (High Resolution)

What you get:

• High-resolution raster image
• Typical size: 1200x800px or larger
• Transparent or colored background (configurable)

Use cases:

• PowerPoint or Keynote presentations
• Reports and documents
• Social media sharing
• Email and chat

How to export:

1. Right-click a chart or visualization
2. Select "Export as PNG"
3. Choose resolution (standard, high, or custom)
4. Save file

High-resolution PNG export for presentations

SVG Export (Vector)

What you get:

• Scalable vector graphics
• Infinitely zoomable without quality loss
• Editable in design tools (Illustrator, Figma, etc.)

Use cases:

• Print publications
• Further editing in design software
• High-quality scaling to any size
• Professional reports

How to export:

1. Right-click a chart
2. Select "Export as SVG"
3. Save file

Advantages:

• No pixelation when enlarged
• Small file sizes
• Editable text and shapes

SVG export retains quality at any size

JSON Export (Vega Specification)

What you get:

• Raw Vega JSON specification
• Complete chart definition
• Data and styling combined

Use cases:

• Developers: Embed in web apps
• Advanced users: Edit Vega spec manually
• Archival: Store exact chart configuration
• Reproduce in other Vega-compatible tools

How to export:

1. Right-click a chart
2. Select "Export as JSON"
3. Save Vega spec file

Audience: Technical users familiar with Vega

Exporting SQL

View SQL Code

Access SQL for any View:

1. Click the View node
2. Toggle to "Code" tab in bottom panel
3. SQL query displayed with syntax highlighting

Copy SQL

How to copy:

1. View the SQL in the Code tab
2. Click "Copy" button
3. Paste into your SQL editor or documentation

What you get:

• Complete SQL query
• Including @mention references (formatted as proper table references)
• Formatted and readable

Copy SQL for use in other tools

Use Cases for SQL Export

Documentation: Share how analysis was performed

Collaboration: Give SQL to technical teammates

Migration: Port queries to other BI tools or databases

Learning: Study the SQL the AI generated

Version control: Save SQL to Git for tracking changes

Validation: Review queries with DBAs or data engineers

Export Workflows

For Presentations

Best approach:

1. Export charts as PNG (high resolution)
2. Insert into PowerPoint/Keynote
3. Add titles and context in presentation software

Pro tip: Export with transparent backgrounds if overlaying on colored slides.

For Reports

Best approach:

1. Export charts as PNG or SVG (depending on medium)
2. Export data tables as CSV
3. Compile in Word, Google Docs, or report software

Pro tip: Use SVG for print reports, PNG for digital-only.

For Sharing Data

Best approach:

1. Export Views as CSV
2. Send file or upload to shared drive
3. Include a README explaining columns and context

Pro tip: Add a description column to the exported CSV explaining what each row represents.

For Developers

Best approach:

1. Export visualizations as JSON (Vega spec)
2. Export data as CSV or via API (if available)
3. Integrate into web applications

For Archival

Best approach:

1. Export all key Views as CSV (data snapshots)
2. Export SQL for all Views (query definitions)
3. Export key visualizations as PNG and SVG
4. Store with timestamps and documentation

Typical export workflow for presentations

Pop-Out Data Grid

For advanced data exploration:

1. Click a View to preview data
2. Look for "Pop out" icon
3. Data grid opens in separate window
4. Larger view for scrolling and reviewing
5. Export options available in pop-out window

Use cases:

• Review large datasets
• Multi-screen setups
• Detailed data inspection before export

Pop-out data grid for detailed inspection

Format Recommendations

Purpose	Recommended Format	Why
Presentations	PNG (high-res)	Widely compatible, embedded easily
Print reports	SVG or high-res PNG	Quality at any size
Data sharing	CSV	Universal compatibility
Web development	JSON (Vega)	Embeddable, interactive
Further chart editing	SVG	Editable in design tools
Documentation	SQL + PNG	Shows logic and result
Spreadsheet analysis	CSV via copy-paste	Fast integration

Tips & Best Practices

Export early and often: Grab snapshots as you go—easy to regenerate if needed.

Name exports clearly: Use descriptive filenames like "Q4_revenue_by_region_2024.png"

Include context: When exporting data, add a README or notes about what it represents.

Choose the right format: PNG for simplicity, SVG for quality, CSV for data.

Check resolution: Preview exports to ensure text is readable at target size.

Maintain consistency: Export all charts for a presentation at the same resolution.

Archive SQL: Keep SQL exports for reproducibility and documentation.

Test compatibility: Ensure exported files open correctly in target tools.

Consider file size: SVG and CSV are usually smaller than high-res PNGs.

Limitations

Full dashboard export: Not all platforms support one-click full dashboard export. Export charts individually and arrange manually.

Interactivity: Exported PNGs and SVGs are static—no hover tooltips or drill-downs.

Live data: Exports are snapshots—they don't update when source data changes.

Custom formats: Export formats are predefined (PNG, SVG, JSON, CSV). Custom formats require post-processing.

Related Features

• Visualizations - Creating charts to export
• Views - Data and SQL to export
• Chart Customization - Styling before export