Every document in Anara has a built-in AI chat panel. When you're reading a paper and want to ask about a specific claim, figure, or section, this is the fastest way to get a precise, document-grounded answer.
Opening the file chat
Open any document or note from your Library.
In the viewer sidebar on the right, click the Ask tab.
Type your question and press Enter.
If the sidebar isn't visible, click the toggle button on the right edge of the viewer to open it.
Starter prompts
The Ask tab shows up to 6 starter prompts generated from the document's content. They're tailored to the specific paper — expect suggestions like "What are the key findings?" or "Summarize the methodology." Click any prompt to send it, or click More for additional ideas.
Sending a text selection to chat
You can highlight any passage in a PDF and ask the AI about it directly:
Select text in the document with your mouse.
A floating toolbar appears with: Chat, Highlight, and Comment.
Click Chat to add the passage to your chat input.
Add your question and press Enter.
This is particularly useful for questions like "What does this mean?" or "Is this consistent with what other researchers have found?"
Tip: Selecting a specific passage before asking a question is much more effective than asking "what does page 7 say?" — it gives the AI the exact context it needs.
File chat vs folder chat
Use file chat when you want focused, precise answers about a single document. The AI can read more deeply into the content when it isn't searching across a collection.
Use folder chat when your question spans multiple papers — comparing methodologies, finding themes, or synthesizing findings across a collection.
Model selection and source filters
The Ask tab has its own model selector and source filter buttons. Use the toggles below the chat input to disable library search or web search — keeping answers strictly grounded in the current document. You can also switch models mid-conversation using the selector next to the chat input.
If something isn't working
The Ask tab isn't finding content from the document. Check the "Full text" status in the library table. If it says "Abstract only" or "Content unavailable means the full text and abstract could not be retrieved, usually because the paper is behind a paywall.
The sidebar isn't showing up. Click the toggle button on the right edge of the viewer to open the sidebar.