# Cast list text format

> The plain-text format RelationMap's paste box reads. One character per line, with descriptions, relationships, groups, tags, notes and a title.

The paste box turns plain text into a chart: one character per line, plus a few marks for relationships, groups and notes. Open it at [/edit/?paste=1](https://relationmap.io/edit/?paste=1), or with **Edit as text** in the editor's menu. On an empty map it is called "Paste or type names"; when a map is already open it shows that map as text, ready to edit.

Nothing changes on the map until you tap **Apply**. The line under the box says what Apply will do, such as "Add 5 characters · Add 4 relationships".

## Example

```text
# Ship of Fools
subtitle: Crew of the salvage ship Meridian
> A salvage crew far from home.

## Crew
- Kai | Captain #pov
  > Grew up on Mars.
- Mira | Pilot
- Élise - Engineer

## Ghosts
- Rook | The old captain #deceased

## Relationships
- Kai -> Mira : mentor
- Kai <-> Rook : brothers
- Mira <-> Élise : girlfriend
- Jun -> Kai : owes a debt to
```

This gives 5 characters, 4 relationships, 2 groups and 2 tags. Jun only appears in a relationship line, and that is enough to add him.

## Lines

| You write | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| `Kai` | A character. One per line; a plain list of names is enough. A leading `-`, `*`, `•` or `1.` is fine. |
| `Kai \| Captain` | Text after `\|` is a short description. `Kai - Captain`, `Kai — Captain` and `Kai: Captain` work too, with a space after the dash or colon. |
| `Kai -> Mira : mentor` | A relationship, read as "Kai is Mira's mentor". The label after `:` is optional. |
| `Kai <-> Mira : siblings` | A relationship that goes both ways. `Kai <- Mira` points the other way. The arrows phones type, `→`, `↔` and `←`, work too. |
| `## Crew` | A group. Everyone listed under it, up to the next `##`, is in it. To put someone in a second group, write just their name again under that group. |
| `## Relationships` | Not a group, just a heading that keeps relationship lines together. `## Characters` and `## Cast` are plain headings too. Write `## Group: Relationships` for a group with that name. |
| `Kai \| Captain #pov #best friend` | Words after `#` at the end of a line are tags. A tag can have spaces; the next ` #` starts a new one. |
| `> Grew up on Mars.` | A note for the nearest character or group above it. Notes right under the title are the map's lore, the same lore as in **World & lore**. |
| `# Ship of Fools` | The first line, with one `#` and a space, is the map's title. |
| `subtitle: Crew of the Meridian` | Right under the title: the map's subtitle. |

More details:

- A name with `|`, `:`, `#` or an arrow in it goes in backticks: `` `Kai | Jr.` | Captain ``.
- Names that only appear in relationship lines are added as characters.
- A line longer than 80 characters is not read as a name. Start it with `>` to keep it as a note.
- Lines the box can't read are listed under it with a **Show in the text** button, and skipped on Apply after asking.
- Relationship labels pick the line color the same way as in JSON; see [relationship colors](https://relationmap.io/docs/data-format/#relationship-colors).

## Editing a map as text

On a map that already has characters, the box holds the whole map in this format. Edit a name in its own line to rename someone; their relationship lines can keep the old name. Delete a character's line to remove them; you are asked about their relationship lines first. All of one Apply can be undone in one step.

## Pasting JSON instead

If you paste RelationMap JSON (an object with a `nodes` list) into the box, it is not read as a cast list. The line under the box says "Chart data: …", and **Apply** opens it as a chart, replacing the current one after asking. This is how charts drafted by ChatGPT or Claude get in; see [Make a chart with an AI](https://relationmap.io/docs/ai/).

## Dragging text onto the canvas

You can also select some lines of text anywhere, in a web page or a document, and drag them onto the editor's canvas. Each line becomes a character where you drop it. This reads names only: no descriptions, groups or relationships, and names longer than 60 characters are cut short.

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Web page: https://relationmap.io/docs/cast-list/ · Updated 2026-11-15 · All docs: https://relationmap.io/llms.txt