Troubleshooting

Answers to the things that trip people up.

My code cell is stuck on "preparing…"#

The chip on a running cell moves through queued, preparing…, then running…. preparing… means the cell has declared packages and they are being fetched — Python runs in your browser, so the runtime and any libraries have to arrive over the network the first time you use them in a session.

• The first run of a session is the slow one. Later runs reuse what is already loaded.
• A large scientific package on a slow connection can take a while. It is downloading, not hung.
• If it never resolves, reload the page and run again; a half-fetched runtime does not repair itself.
• Fewer packages start faster. Declaring what you actually import is worth doing.

My Python cell won't run at all#

Two common reasons:

• Imported and shared decks are held until you trust them. A banner says Python is paused for this external deck — "Imported and shared decks never auto-run. Review their cells and declared packages before trusting them." Read the cells, then press Trust and run. See Python & code.
• Interactive Python may be gated on your account during the beta. If cells stay inert on a deck you built yourself, this is likely why.

When a run fails outright the cell shows Python could not run, a plain-language line about what went wrong, and the traceback underneath.

A figure shows nothing#

A figure fed by a code cell only appears once that cell has run. If Python is paused, still loading, or errored, the figure has no data yet. Charts with their own data table render immediately and do not depend on Python at all.

My import lost things#

Import is deliberate about what it will not fake. If anything did not convert, an Import review appears before the deck opens, with counts of slides, objects, images and notes, and a Not carried across list. The usual entries:

PowerPoint preserves supported native content and uses captures, text or placeholders for scientific and interactive objects. Matter objects currently become placeholders and inline math in text becomes LaTeX source. For live parameter changes and Python, use the editor's presenter view. A share link or embed provides read-only slide navigation without reactive recomputation.

My changes didn't save#

Everything autosaves. The chip in the editor header reads Saved, Saving…, Syncing…, Offline, Conflict, or Error; click it to open the save centre, which spells the state out:

• Saved on this device and in the cloud — done.
• Saved on this device — cloud sync pending — your work is safe locally and on its way up.
• Saved on this device — waiting for a connection — you are offline. Keep working; it syncs when you reconnect.
• Cloud conflict needs your decision — the same deck changed in two places. Quodra will not silently pick a winner.

Save now forces an attempt, and the revision history lets you restore an earlier version. Restoring adds a new revision rather than overwriting, so nothing is lost by trying.

I shared a deck but they can't open it#

• If they aren't in the beta yet, the invite is parked and unlocks when they join — the share dialog says so.
• Only the owner manages sharing. If you're an editor, ask the owner to invite them.
• Check the role you granted. Can edit opens the editor; Can view opens a read-only slide viewer without Python execution or comment controls.

The audience in my call sees my notes#

You're sharing the wrong window. Present mode is a cockpit — it shows your notes. Use Present to Meet / Zoom in the presenter toolbar; a bar confirms "Audience window is live" and tells you what to do next: in Meet or Zoom choose Share › Window › "Quodra — Audience." Not "entire screen." See Present to Meet & Zoom.

If nothing opens at all, your browser blocked the pop-up. Allow pop-ups for the studio and press the button again.

My embed says "refused to connect"#

The page is holding an embed made before 13 August 2026, when the embed moved to its own address. Nothing is wrong with the deck and the share link is still good — the page is just pointing at the old one.

Open Export → Web embed, copy the snippet again, and replace the old one wherever you pasted it. If you'd rather not touch the surrounding markup, the only part that changed is the address: …/#/v/<token> becomes …/e/<token>, with the same token and everything after it unchanged.

The screen looks wrong — a dialog won't close, or a panel is half-drawn#

Almost always a stale build being held by the browser cache after a release. Do a hard reload — ⇧ and the reload button, or ⇧⌘R — which fetches the current version rather than the one in cache. If the layout is still wrong afterwards, send it to us with the screenshot attached; that is a bug, not your setup.

I can't sign in, or the app says my access is paused#

• Your beta access is paused — an admin paused this account. "Your decks and data are untouched — access can be restored at any time."
• Your beta access has ended — the account was removed from the programme. If that looks wrong, reply to your invitation email.
• Email not verified on the account pill — open its menu and choose Verify your email.

Something else#

Use Send feedback — in the dashboard sidebar, and under File and Help in the editor. Choose a category (Something broke, Suggestion, I'm stuck), a severity (blocking, normal, minor), and describe what you did, expected, and got. A screenshot of the current screen is attached unless you switch it off.

The report goes to the team with your written description, account and technical context, including the app version, build and an error correlation id when available. An attached screenshot can include visible deck content. Turn off Attach a screenshot of this screen before sending if you do not want the image included.

Next#

• Account & privacy — data, analytics, and the beta.
• Tips & workflows — work faster.