Export Options

Complinist offers multiple export formats for your diagrams, inventory, and documentation. This guide covers all available export options.

Overview

You can export:

• Topology diagrams - As images or data files
• Device inventory - As spreadsheets
• SSP documents - As PDF
• Project data - For backup or sharing

Accessing Export Options

1. Click Export in the top navigation
2. Choose the export type
3. Configure options
4. Download or save

Topology Exports

PNG Image

Export your diagram as a high-resolution image.

1. Click Export > Topology as PNG
2. Choose resolution (1x, 2x, 4x)
3. Select transparent or white background
4. Click Export
5. Choose save location

Use cases:

• Include in presentations
• Add to documentation
• Share with stakeholders
• Print physical copies

SVG Vector

Export as scalable vector graphics.

1. Click Export > Topology as SVG
2. Click Export
3. Choose save location

Use cases:

• Scale to any size without quality loss
• Edit in vector software (Illustrator, Inkscape)
• Embed in web pages

JSON Topology

Export the complete topology data structure.

1. Click Export > Topology as JSON
2. Click Export
3. Choose save location

Use cases:

• Backup topology data
• Import into other tools
• Version control
• Programmatic analysis

{
  "nodes": [
    {
      "id": "node-1",
      "type": "device",
      "data": {
        "name": "Web Server",
        "deviceType": "virtual-machine",
        "ipAddress": "10.0.1.100"
      },
      "position": { "x": 100, "y": 200 }
    }
  ],
  "edges": [
    {
      "id": "edge-1",
      "source": "node-1",
      "target": "node-2"
    }
  ],
  "boundaries": [...]
}

Inventory Exports

CSV Spreadsheet

Export device inventory as CSV for spreadsheet applications.

1. Click Export > Inventory as CSV
2. Select fields to include
3. Choose separator (comma, semicolon, tab)
4. Click Export

Fields available:

• Device name
• Device type
• IP address
• MAC address
• Hostname
• Manufacturer
• Model
• Serial number
• Status
• Tags
• Custom properties

Name,Type,IP Address,Status,Manufacturer
Web Server 01,virtual-machine,10.0.1.100,Active,AWS
Database Server,sql-database,10.0.2.50,Active,AWS
Firewall,firewall,10.0.0.1,Active,Palo Alto

Software Inventory CSV

Export software inventory separately with fields for device name, software name, version, vendor, license, and install date.

SSP Export

PDF Document

Generate a complete System Security Plan.

1. Click SSP in navigation
2. Complete the SSP wizard
3. Click Generate PDF
4. Choose save location

PDF includes:

• Cover page
• Table of contents
• System information
• Authorization boundary
• Network diagram
• Hardware inventory
• Software inventory
• All control narratives
• Appendices

See SSP Generation for detailed guide.

Project Export

Full Project Backup

Export your entire project for backup or transfer.

1. Click Projects > Export Project
2. Choose location
3. Save as .complinist file

Includes:

• All topology data
• All control narratives
• SSP metadata
• Device properties
• Software inventory
• Project settings

Import Project

To import a backed-up project:

1. Click Projects > Import Project
2. Select .complinist file
3. Choose as new project or replace existing

Export Formats Summary

Export Settings

Image Quality

For PNG exports:

• 1x - Screen resolution (72-96 DPI)
• 2x - Print quality (150-200 DPI)
• 4x - High-resolution print (300+ DPI)

CSV Encoding

Choose encoding for special characters:

• UTF-8 - Universal (recommended)
• UTF-16 - Windows compatibility
• ASCII - Basic characters only

PDF Settings

Configure SSP PDF:

• Page size (Letter, A4)
• Include/exclude sections
• Diagram resolution

Batch Export

Export multiple items at once:

1. Click Export > Batch Export
2. Select items to export (Topology PNG, Topology JSON, Hardware inventory, Software inventory)
3. Choose destination folder
4. Click Export All

Automated Exports

Command Line

For CI/CD integration, use command-line export:

complinist export --project "My Project" --format png --output ./diagrams/
complinist export --project "My Project" --format csv --output ./inventory/

Scheduled Backups

Set up automatic backups:

1. Go to Settings > Backup
2. Enable scheduled backups
3. Set frequency (daily, weekly)
4. Choose backup location

Best Practices

For Documentation

• Export PNG at 2x or higher for print
• Use SVG for documents that may be resized
• Include timestamp in filenames

For Backup

• Export full project regularly
• Store backups in secure location
• Test restore process periodically

For Sharing

• Use PNG/PDF for non-Complinist users
• Use JSON for technical integrations
• Use CSV for spreadsheet analysis

For ATO Packages

• Generate final PDF with all sections
• Export diagram separately at high resolution
• Export inventory CSV for spreadsheet analysis or assessor handoff

Troubleshooting

Export Fails

Possible causes:

• Insufficient disk space
• Permission issues on save location
• Very large diagram (try lower resolution)

Solutions:

• Check available disk space
• Choose a different save location
• Reduce diagram complexity

Poor Image Quality

• Use higher resolution (2x or 4x)
• Export as SVG for vector quality
• Ensure zoom level is 100% before export

CSV Encoding Issues

If special characters appear wrong:

• Try UTF-8 encoding
• Open in Excel with import wizard
• Specify encoding when opening

Large File Sizes

To reduce file size:

• Use PNG instead of SVG for complex diagrams
• Lower resolution if print quality not needed
• Compress PDF if sharing via email