diff --git a/packages/components/src/components/DistributionChart.tsx b/packages/components/src/components/DistributionChart.tsx
index 1e1c3822..70ea697d 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/components/DistributionChart.tsx
+++ b/packages/components/src/components/DistributionChart.tsx
@@ -16,27 +16,43 @@ import {
 import { NumberShower } from "./NumberShower";
 import { hasMassBelowZero } from "../lib/distributionUtils";
 
-export type DistributionPlottingSettings = {
+export type PlotSettings = {
   /** Whether to show a summary of means, stdev, percentiles etc */
   showSummary: boolean;
-  actions?: boolean;
+  /** Whether to show vega actions to the user, so they can copy the chart spec */
+  actions: boolean;
 } & DistributionChartSpecOptions;
 
+export const plotSettingsFromPartial = (
+  partial: Partial<PlotSettings>
+): PlotSettings => {
+  return {
+    showSummary: false,
+    logX: false,
+    expY: false,
+    color: "#739ECC",
+    tickFormat: ".9~s",
+    title: "",
+    actions: false,
+    ...partial,
+  };
+};
+
 export type DistributionChartProps = {
   distribution: Distribution;
   width?: number;
   height: number;
-} & DistributionPlottingSettings;
+  settings: PlotSettings;
+};
 
 export const DistributionChart: React.FC<DistributionChartProps> = (props) => {
   const {
     distribution,
     height,
-    showSummary,
     width,
-    logX,
-    actions = false,
+    settings: { showSummary, logX, actions },
   } = props;
+
   const shape = distribution.pointSet();
   const [sized] = useSize((size) => {
     if (shape.tag === "Error") {
@@ -47,7 +63,7 @@ export const DistributionChart: React.FC<DistributionChartProps> = (props) => {
       );
     }
 
-    const spec = buildVegaSpec(props);
+    const spec = buildVegaSpec(props.settings);
 
     let widthProp = width ? width : size.width;
     if (widthProp < 20) {
@@ -131,15 +147,15 @@ const SummaryTable: React.FC<SummaryTableProps> = ({ distribution }) => {
     <table className="border border-collapse border-slate-400">
       <thead className="bg-slate-50">
         <tr>
-          <TableHeadCell>{"Mean"}</TableHeadCell>
-          {hasResult(stdev) && <TableHeadCell>{"Stdev"}</TableHeadCell>}
-          <TableHeadCell>{"5%"}</TableHeadCell>
-          <TableHeadCell>{"10%"}</TableHeadCell>
-          <TableHeadCell>{"25%"}</TableHeadCell>
-          <TableHeadCell>{"50%"}</TableHeadCell>
-          <TableHeadCell>{"75%"}</TableHeadCell>
-          <TableHeadCell>{"90%"}</TableHeadCell>
-          <TableHeadCell>{"95%"}</TableHeadCell>
+          <TableHeadCell>Mean</TableHeadCell>
+          {hasResult(stdev) && <TableHeadCell>Stdev</TableHeadCell>}
+          <TableHeadCell>5%</TableHeadCell>
+          <TableHeadCell>10%</TableHeadCell>
+          <TableHeadCell>25%</TableHeadCell>
+          <TableHeadCell>50%</TableHeadCell>
+          <TableHeadCell>75%</TableHeadCell>
+          <TableHeadCell>90%</TableHeadCell>
+          <TableHeadCell>95%</TableHeadCell>
         </tr>
       </thead>
       <tbody>
diff --git a/packages/components/src/components/FunctionChart.tsx b/packages/components/src/components/FunctionChart.tsx
index 73378cd8..2b4da8ed 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/components/FunctionChart.tsx
+++ b/packages/components/src/components/FunctionChart.tsx
@@ -7,28 +7,42 @@ import {
 } from "@quri/squiggle-lang";
 import { FunctionChart1Dist } from "./FunctionChart1Dist";
 import { FunctionChart1Number } from "./FunctionChart1Number";
-import { DistributionPlottingSettings } from "./DistributionChart";
+import { PlotSettings } from "./DistributionChart";
 import { ErrorAlert, MessageAlert } from "./Alert";
 
-export type FunctionChartSettings = {
+export type FunctionSettings = {
+  /** Where the function domain starts */
   start: number;
+  /** Where the function domain ends */
   stop: number;
+  /** The amount of stops sampled */
   count: number;
 };
 
 interface FunctionChartProps {
   fn: lambdaValue;
-  chartSettings: FunctionChartSettings;
-  distributionPlotSettings: DistributionPlottingSettings;
+  functionSettings: FunctionSettings;
+  plotSettings: PlotSettings;
   environment: environment;
   height: number;
 }
 
+export const functionSettingsFromPartial = (
+  partial: Partial<FunctionSettings>
+): FunctionSettings => {
+  return {
+    start: 0,
+    stop: 10,
+    count: 20,
+    ...partial,
+  };
+};
+
 export const FunctionChart: React.FC<FunctionChartProps> = ({
   fn,
-  chartSettings,
+  functionSettings,
   environment,
-  distributionPlotSettings,
+  plotSettings,
   height,
 }) => {
   if (fn.parameters.length > 1) {
@@ -38,8 +52,8 @@ export const FunctionChart: React.FC<FunctionChartProps> = ({
       </MessageAlert>
     );
   }
-  const result1 = runForeign(fn, [chartSettings.start], environment);
-  const result2 = runForeign(fn, [chartSettings.stop], environment);
+  const result1 = runForeign(fn, [functionSettings.start], environment);
+  const result2 = runForeign(fn, [functionSettings.stop], environment);
   const getValidResult = () => {
     if (result1.tag === "Ok") {
       return result1;
@@ -64,17 +78,17 @@ export const FunctionChart: React.FC<FunctionChartProps> = ({
       return (
         <FunctionChart1Dist
           fn={fn}
-          chartSettings={chartSettings}
+          chartSettings={functionSettings}
           environment={environment}
           height={height}
-          distributionPlotSettings={distributionPlotSettings}
+          distributionPlotSettings={plotSettings}
         />
       );
     case "number":
       return (
         <FunctionChart1Number
           fn={fn}
-          chartSettings={chartSettings}
+          chartSettings={functionSettings}
           environment={environment}
           height={height}
         />
diff --git a/packages/components/src/components/FunctionChart1Dist.tsx b/packages/components/src/components/FunctionChart1Dist.tsx
index f8d072d7..e9db4ee8 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/components/FunctionChart1Dist.tsx
+++ b/packages/components/src/components/FunctionChart1Dist.tsx
@@ -13,12 +13,10 @@ import {
 } from "@quri/squiggle-lang";
 import { createClassFromSpec } from "react-vega";
 import * as percentilesSpec from "../vega-specs/spec-percentiles.json";
-import {
-  DistributionChart,
-  DistributionPlottingSettings,
-} from "./DistributionChart";
+import { DistributionChart, PlotSettings } from "./DistributionChart";
 import { NumberShower } from "./NumberShower";
 import { ErrorAlert } from "./Alert";
+import { FunctionSettings } from "./FunctionChart";
 
 let SquigglePercentilesChart = createClassFromSpec({
   spec: percentilesSpec as Spec,
@@ -38,16 +36,11 @@ function unwrap<a, b>(x: result<a, b>): a {
     throw Error("FAILURE TO UNWRAP");
   }
 }
-export type FunctionChartSettings = {
-  start: number;
-  stop: number;
-  count: number;
-};
 
 interface FunctionChart1DistProps {
   fn: lambdaValue;
-  chartSettings: FunctionChartSettings;
-  distributionPlotSettings: DistributionPlottingSettings;
+  chartSettings: FunctionSettings;
+  distributionPlotSettings: PlotSettings;
   environment: environment;
   height: number;
 }
@@ -182,7 +175,7 @@ export const FunctionChart1Dist: React.FC<FunctionChart1DistProps> = ({
         distribution={mouseItem.value.value}
         width={400}
         height={50}
-        {...distributionPlotSettings}
+        settings={distributionPlotSettings}
       />
     ) : null;
 
diff --git a/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleChart.tsx b/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleChart.tsx
index 86b2b078..b69612f0 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleChart.tsx
+++ b/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleChart.tsx
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import {
 } from "@quri/squiggle-lang";
 import { useSquiggle } from "../lib/hooks";
 import { SquiggleViewer } from "./SquiggleViewer";
+import { FunctionSettings, functionSettingsFromPartial } from "./FunctionChart";
+import { PlotSettings, plotSettingsFromPartial } from "./DistributionChart";
 
 export interface SquiggleChartProps {
   /** The input string for squiggle */
@@ -20,12 +22,8 @@ export interface SquiggleChartProps {
   sampleCount?: number;
   /** The amount of points returned to draw the distribution */
   environment?: environment;
-  /** If the result is a function, where the function domain starts */
-  diagramStart?: number;
-  /** If the result is a function, where the function domain ends */
-  diagramStop?: number;
-  /** If the result is a function, the amount of stops sampled */
-  diagramCount?: number;
+  plotSettings?: PlotSettings;
+  functionSettings?: FunctionSettings;
   /** When the squiggle code gets reevaluated */
   onChange?(expr: squiggleExpression | undefined): void;
   /** CSS width of the element */
@@ -35,24 +33,6 @@ export interface SquiggleChartProps {
   bindings?: bindings;
   /** JS imported parameters */
   jsImports?: jsImports;
-  /** Whether to show a summary of the distribution */
-  showSummary?: boolean;
-  /** Set the x scale to be logarithmic by deault */
-  logX?: boolean;
-  /** Set the y scale to be exponential by deault */
-  expY?: boolean;
-  /** How to format numbers on the x axis */
-  tickFormat?: string;
-  /** Title of the graphed distribution */
-  title?: string;
-  /** Color of the graphed distribution */
-  color?: string;
-  /** Specify the lower bound of the x scale */
-  minX?: number;
-  /** Specify the upper bound of the x scale */
-  maxX?: number;
-  /** Whether to show vega actions to the user, so they can copy the chart spec */
-  distributionChartActions?: boolean;
   enableLocalSettings?: boolean;
 }
 
@@ -67,19 +47,9 @@ export const SquiggleChart: React.FC<SquiggleChartProps> = React.memo(
     height = 200,
     bindings = defaultBindings,
     jsImports = defaultImports,
-    showSummary = false,
     width,
-    logX = false,
-    expY = false,
-    diagramStart = 0,
-    diagramStop = 10,
-    diagramCount = 100,
-    tickFormat,
-    minX,
-    maxX,
-    color,
-    title,
-    distributionChartActions,
+    functionSettings,
+    plotSettings,
     enableLocalSettings = false,
   }) => {
     const result = useSquiggle({
@@ -91,31 +61,13 @@ export const SquiggleChart: React.FC<SquiggleChartProps> = React.memo(
       executionId,
     });
 
-    const distributionPlotSettings = {
-      showSummary,
-      logX,
-      expY,
-      format: tickFormat,
-      minX,
-      maxX,
-      color,
-      title,
-      actions: distributionChartActions,
-    };
-
-    const chartSettings = {
-      start: diagramStart,
-      stop: diagramStop,
-      count: diagramCount,
-    };
-
     return (
       <SquiggleViewer
         result={result}
         width={width}
         height={height}
-        distributionPlotSettings={distributionPlotSettings}
-        chartSettings={chartSettings}
+        plotSettings={plotSettingsFromPartial(plotSettings || {})}
+        functionSettings={functionSettingsFromPartial(functionSettings || {})}
         environment={environment ?? defaultEnvironment}
         enableLocalSettings={enableLocalSettings}
       />
diff --git a/packages/components/src/components/SquigglePlayground.tsx b/packages/components/src/components/SquigglePlayground.tsx
index 837c4bed..1412828d 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/components/SquigglePlayground.tsx
+++ b/packages/components/src/components/SquigglePlayground.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import React, {
   useRef,
   useCallback,
 } from "react";
-import { useForm, UseFormRegister, useWatch } from "react-hook-form";
+import { useForm, UseFormRegister } from "react-hook-form";
 import * as yup from "yup";
 import { useMaybeControlledValue, useRunnerState } from "../lib/hooks";
 import { yupResolver } from "@hookform/resolvers/yup";
@@ -36,10 +36,8 @@ import { InputItem } from "./ui/InputItem";
 import { Text } from "./ui/Text";
 import { ViewSettings, viewSettingsSchema } from "./ViewSettings";
 import { HeadedSection } from "./ui/HeadedSection";
-import {
-  defaultColor,
-  defaultTickFormat,
-} from "../lib/distributionSpecBuilder";
+import { plotSettingsFromPartial } from "./DistributionChart";
+import { functionSettingsFromPartial } from "./FunctionChart";
 
 type PlaygroundProps = SquiggleChartProps & {
   /** The initial squiggle string to put in the playground */
@@ -52,24 +50,25 @@ type PlaygroundProps = SquiggleChartProps & {
 };
 
 const schema = yup
-  .object({})
-  .shape({
-    sampleCount: yup
-      .number()
-      .required()
-      .positive()
-      .integer()
-      .default(1000)
-      .min(10)
-      .max(1000000),
-    xyPointLength: yup
-      .number()
-      .required()
-      .positive()
-      .integer()
-      .default(1000)
-      .min(10)
-      .max(10000),
+  .object({
+    sampleSettings: yup.object({
+      sampleCount: yup
+        .number()
+        .required()
+        .positive()
+        .integer()
+        .default(1000)
+        .min(10)
+        .max(1000000),
+      xyPointLength: yup
+        .number()
+        .required()
+        .positive()
+        .integer()
+        .default(1000)
+        .min(10)
+        .max(10000),
+    }),
   })
   .concat(viewSettingsSchema);
 
@@ -81,7 +80,7 @@ const SamplingSettings: React.FC<{ register: UseFormRegister<FormFields> }> = ({
   <div className="space-y-6 p-3 max-w-xl">
     <div>
       <InputItem
-        name="sampleCount"
+        name="sampleSettings.sampleCount"
         type="number"
         label="Sample Count"
         register={register}
@@ -95,7 +94,7 @@ const SamplingSettings: React.FC<{ register: UseFormRegister<FormFields> }> = ({
     </div>
     <div>
       <InputItem
-        name="xyPointLength"
+        name="sampleSettings.xyPointLength"
         type="number"
         register={register}
         label="Coordinate Count (For PointSet Shapes)"
@@ -207,15 +206,8 @@ export const PlaygroundContext = React.createContext<PlaygroundContextShape>({
 export const SquigglePlayground: FC<PlaygroundProps> = ({
   defaultCode = "",
   height = 500,
-  showSummary = false,
-  logX = false,
-  expY = false,
-  title,
-  minX,
-  maxX,
-  color = defaultColor,
-  tickFormat = defaultTickFormat,
-  distributionChartActions,
+  plotSettings: initialPlotSettings,
+  functionSettings: initialFunctionSettings,
   code: controlledCode,
   onCodeChange,
   onSettingsChange,
@@ -229,41 +221,40 @@ export const SquigglePlayground: FC<PlaygroundProps> = ({
 
   const [imports, setImports] = useState({});
 
-  const { register, control } = useForm({
-    resolver: yupResolver(schema),
-    defaultValues: {
+  const defaultValues = {
+    chartHeight: 150,
+    showEditor,
+    sampleSettings: {
       sampleCount: 1000,
       xyPointLength: 1000,
-      chartHeight: 150,
-      logX,
-      expY,
-      title,
-      minX,
-      maxX,
-      color,
-      tickFormat,
-      distributionChartActions,
-      showSummary,
-      showEditor,
-      diagramStart: 0,
-      diagramStop: 10,
-      diagramCount: 20,
     },
-  });
-  const vars = useWatch({
-    control,
-  });
+    plotSettings: plotSettingsFromPartial(initialPlotSettings || {}),
+    functionSettings: functionSettingsFromPartial(
+      initialFunctionSettings || {}
+    ),
+  };
 
+  const { register, watch, getValues } = useForm<FormFields>({
+    resolver: yupResolver(schema),
+    defaultValues,
+  });
+  watch();
+
+  const [settings, setSettings] = useState(() => getValues());
   useEffect(() => {
-    onSettingsChange?.(vars);
-  }, [vars, onSettingsChange]);
+    const subscription = watch(() => {
+      setSettings(getValues());
+      onSettingsChange?.(getValues());
+    });
+    return () => subscription.unsubscribe();
+  }, [onSettingsChange, getValues, watch]);
 
   const env: environment = useMemo(
     () => ({
-      sampleCount: Number(vars.sampleCount),
-      xyPointLength: Number(vars.xyPointLength),
+      sampleCount: Number(settings.sampleSettings.sampleCount),
+      xyPointLength: Number(settings.sampleSettings.xyPointLength),
     }),
-    [vars.sampleCount, vars.xyPointLength]
+    [settings.sampleSettings.sampleCount, settings.sampleSettings.xyPointLength]
   );
 
   const {
@@ -285,7 +276,8 @@ export const SquigglePlayground: FC<PlaygroundProps> = ({
           code={renderedCode}
           executionId={executionId}
           environment={env}
-          {...vars}
+          plotSettings={settings.plotSettings}
+          functionSettings={settings.functionSettings}
           bindings={defaultBindings}
           jsImports={imports}
           enableLocalSettings={true}
@@ -293,7 +285,7 @@ export const SquigglePlayground: FC<PlaygroundProps> = ({
       </div>
     );
 
-  const firstTab = vars.showEditor ? (
+  const firstTab = settings.showEditor ? (
     <div className="border border-slate-200">
       <CodeEditor
         value={code}
@@ -363,8 +355,8 @@ export const SquigglePlayground: FC<PlaygroundProps> = ({
             <div className="flex justify-between items-center">
               <StyledTab.List>
                 <StyledTab
-                  name={vars.showEditor ? "Code" : "Display"}
-                  icon={vars.showEditor ? CodeIcon : EyeIcon}
+                  name={settings.showEditor ? "Code" : "Display"}
+                  icon={settings.showEditor ? CodeIcon : EyeIcon}
                 />
                 <StyledTab name="Sampling Settings" icon={CogIcon} />
                 <StyledTab name="View Settings" icon={ChartSquareBarIcon} />
@@ -378,7 +370,7 @@ export const SquigglePlayground: FC<PlaygroundProps> = ({
                 onAutorunModeChange={setAutorunMode}
               />
             </div>
-            {vars.showEditor ? withEditor : withoutEditor}
+            {settings.showEditor ? withEditor : withoutEditor}
           </div>
         </StyledTab.Group>
       </PlaygroundContext.Provider>
diff --git a/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/ExpressionViewer.tsx b/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/ExpressionViewer.tsx
index 1417fb28..ce5a1124 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/ExpressionViewer.tsx
+++ b/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/ExpressionViewer.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import React from "react";
 import { squiggleExpression, declaration } from "@quri/squiggle-lang";
 import { NumberShower } from "../NumberShower";
 import { DistributionChart } from "../DistributionChart";
-import { FunctionChart, FunctionChartSettings } from "../FunctionChart";
+import { FunctionChart, FunctionSettings } from "../FunctionChart";
 import clsx from "clsx";
 import { VariableBox } from "./VariableBox";
 import { ItemSettingsMenu } from "./ItemSettingsMenu";
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function getRange<a>(x: declaration<a>) {
   }
 }
 
-function getChartSettings<a>(x: declaration<a>): FunctionChartSettings {
+function getFunctionSettings<a>(x: declaration<a>): FunctionSettings {
   const range = getRange(x);
   const min = range.floats ? range.floats.min : 0;
   const max = range.floats ? range.floats.max : 10;
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ export const ExpressionViewer: React.FC<Props> = ({
             return (
               <DistributionChart
                 distribution={expression.value}
-                {...settings.distributionPlotSettings}
+                settings={settings.plotSettings}
                 height={settings.height}
                 width={width}
               />
@@ -189,8 +189,8 @@ export const ExpressionViewer: React.FC<Props> = ({
               )})`}</div>
               <FunctionChart
                 fn={expression.value}
-                chartSettings={settings.chartSettings}
-                distributionPlotSettings={settings.distributionPlotSettings}
+                functionSettings={settings.functionSettings}
+                plotSettings={settings.plotSettings}
                 height={settings.height}
                 environment={{
                   sampleCount: settings.environment.sampleCount / 10,
@@ -219,8 +219,8 @@ export const ExpressionViewer: React.FC<Props> = ({
           {(settings) => (
             <FunctionChart
               fn={expression.value.fn}
-              chartSettings={getChartSettings(expression.value)}
-              distributionPlotSettings={settings.distributionPlotSettings}
+              functionSettings={getFunctionSettings(expression.value)}
+              plotSettings={settings.plotSettings}
               height={settings.height}
               environment={{
                 sampleCount: settings.environment.sampleCount / 10,
diff --git a/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/ItemSettingsMenu.tsx b/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/ItemSettingsMenu.tsx
index 2c26b9aa..b8a9beec 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/ItemSettingsMenu.tsx
+++ b/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/ItemSettingsMenu.tsx
@@ -3,13 +3,13 @@ import React, { useContext, useRef, useState, useEffect } from "react";
 import { useForm } from "react-hook-form";
 import { yupResolver } from "@hookform/resolvers/yup";
 import { Modal } from "../ui/Modal";
-import { ViewSettings, viewSettingsSchema } from "../ViewSettings";
+import {
+  ViewSettings,
+  ViewSettingsFormFields,
+  viewSettingsSchema,
+} from "../ViewSettings";
 import { Path, pathAsString } from "./utils";
 import { ViewerContext } from "./ViewerContext";
-import {
-  defaultColor,
-  defaultTickFormat,
-} from "../../lib/distributionSpecBuilder";
 import { PlaygroundContext } from "../SquigglePlayground";
 
 type Props = {
@@ -34,48 +34,25 @@ const ItemSettingsModal: React.FC<
 
   const mergedSettings = getMergedSettings(path);
 
-  const { register, watch } = useForm({
+  const { register, watch } = useForm<ViewSettingsFormFields>({
     resolver: yupResolver(viewSettingsSchema),
     defaultValues: {
-      // this is a mess and should be fixed
       showEditor: true, // doesn't matter
       chartHeight: mergedSettings.height,
-      showSummary: mergedSettings.distributionPlotSettings.showSummary,
-      logX: mergedSettings.distributionPlotSettings.logX,
-      expY: mergedSettings.distributionPlotSettings.expY,
-      tickFormat:
-        mergedSettings.distributionPlotSettings.format || defaultTickFormat,
-      title: mergedSettings.distributionPlotSettings.title,
-      color: mergedSettings.distributionPlotSettings.color || defaultColor,
-      minX: mergedSettings.distributionPlotSettings.minX,
-      maxX: mergedSettings.distributionPlotSettings.maxX,
-      distributionChartActions: mergedSettings.distributionPlotSettings.actions,
-      diagramStart: mergedSettings.chartSettings.start,
-      diagramStop: mergedSettings.chartSettings.stop,
-      diagramCount: mergedSettings.chartSettings.count,
+      plotSettings: mergedSettings.plotSettings,
+      functionSettings: mergedSettings.functionSettings,
     },
   });
+
   useEffect(() => {
     const subscription = watch((vars) => {
       const settings = getSettings(path); // get the latest version
       setSettings(path, {
         ...settings,
-        distributionPlotSettings: {
-          showSummary: vars.showSummary,
-          logX: vars.logX,
-          expY: vars.expY,
-          format: vars.tickFormat,
-          title: vars.title,
-          color: vars.color,
-          minX: vars.minX,
-          maxX: vars.maxX,
-          actions: vars.distributionChartActions,
-        },
-        chartSettings: {
-          start: vars.diagramStart,
-          stop: vars.diagramStop,
-          count: vars.diagramCount,
-        },
+        // vars should be defined and react-hook-form is too conservative with its types so these `?.` are ok... hopefully.
+        // This might cause a bug in the future. I don't really understand why react-hook-form needs to return partials here.
+        plotSettings: vars?.plotSettings,
+        functionSettings: vars?.functionSettings,
       });
       onChange();
     });
@@ -141,13 +118,13 @@ export const ItemSettingsMenu: React.FC<Props> = (props) => {
         className="h-5 w-5 cursor-pointer text-slate-400 hover:text-slate-500"
         onClick={() => setIsOpen(!isOpen)}
       />
-      {settings.distributionPlotSettings || settings.chartSettings ? (
+      {settings.plotSettings || settings.functionSettings ? (
         <button
           onClick={() => {
             setSettings(props.path, {
               ...settings,
-              distributionPlotSettings: undefined,
-              chartSettings: undefined,
+              plotSettings: undefined,
+              functionSettings: undefined,
             });
             props.onChange();
           }}
diff --git a/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/ViewerContext.ts b/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/ViewerContext.ts
index 0769f3b1..89a26c07 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/ViewerContext.ts
+++ b/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/ViewerContext.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { defaultEnvironment } from "@quri/squiggle-lang";
 import React from "react";
+import { plotSettingsFromPartial } from "../DistributionChart";
+import { functionSettingsFromPartial } from "../FunctionChart";
 import { LocalItemSettings, MergedItemSettings, Path } from "./utils";
 
 type ViewerContextShape = {
@@ -17,16 +19,8 @@ export const ViewerContext = React.createContext<ViewerContextShape>({
   getMergedSettings: () => ({
     collapsed: false,
     // copy-pasted from SquiggleChart
-    chartSettings: {
-      start: 0,
-      stop: 10,
-      count: 100,
-    },
-    distributionPlotSettings: {
-      showSummary: false,
-      logX: false,
-      expY: false,
-    },
+    plotSettings: plotSettingsFromPartial({}),
+    functionSettings: functionSettingsFromPartial({}),
     environment: defaultEnvironment,
     height: 150,
   }),
diff --git a/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/index.tsx b/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/index.tsx
index 6feb3cad..7e26933e 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/index.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import React, { useCallback, useRef } from "react";
 import { environment } from "@quri/squiggle-lang";
-import { DistributionPlottingSettings } from "../DistributionChart";
-import { FunctionChartSettings } from "../FunctionChart";
+import { PlotSettings } from "../DistributionChart";
+import { FunctionSettings } from "../FunctionChart";
 import { ExpressionViewer } from "./ExpressionViewer";
 import { ViewerContext } from "./ViewerContext";
 import {
@@ -18,9 +18,8 @@ type Props = {
   result: ReturnType<typeof useSquiggle>;
   width?: number;
   height: number;
-  distributionPlotSettings: DistributionPlottingSettings;
-  /** Settings for displaying functions */
-  chartSettings: FunctionChartSettings;
+  plotSettings: PlotSettings;
+  functionSettings: FunctionSettings;
   /** Environment for further function executions */
   environment: environment;
   enableLocalSettings?: boolean;
@@ -36,8 +35,8 @@ export const SquiggleViewer: React.FC<Props> = ({
   result,
   width,
   height,
-  distributionPlotSettings,
-  chartSettings,
+  plotSettings,
+  functionSettings,
   environment,
   enableLocalSettings = false,
 }) => {
@@ -62,13 +61,13 @@ export const SquiggleViewer: React.FC<Props> = ({
     (path: Path) => {
       const localSettings = getSettings(path);
       const result: MergedItemSettings = {
-        distributionPlotSettings: {
-          ...distributionPlotSettings,
-          ...(localSettings.distributionPlotSettings || {}),
+        plotSettings: {
+          ...plotSettings,
+          ...(localSettings.plotSettings || {}),
         },
-        chartSettings: {
-          ...chartSettings,
-          ...(localSettings.chartSettings || {}),
+        functionSettings: {
+          ...functionSettings,
+          ...(localSettings.functionSettings || {}),
         },
         environment: {
           ...environment,
@@ -78,7 +77,7 @@ export const SquiggleViewer: React.FC<Props> = ({
       };
       return result;
     },
-    [distributionPlotSettings, chartSettings, environment, height, getSettings]
+    [plotSettings, functionSettings, environment, height, getSettings]
   );
 
   return (
diff --git a/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/utils.ts b/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/utils.ts
index 3053966b..0501c3da 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/components/src/components/SquiggleViewer/utils.ts
@@ -1,18 +1,18 @@
-import { DistributionPlottingSettings } from "../DistributionChart";
-import { FunctionChartSettings } from "../FunctionChart";
+import { PlotSettings } from "../DistributionChart";
+import { FunctionSettings } from "../FunctionChart";
 import { environment } from "@quri/squiggle-lang";
 
 export type LocalItemSettings = {
   collapsed: boolean;
-  distributionPlotSettings?: Partial<DistributionPlottingSettings>;
-  chartSettings?: Partial<FunctionChartSettings>;
+  plotSettings?: Partial<PlotSettings>;
+  functionSettings?: Partial<FunctionSettings>;
   height?: number;
   environment?: Partial<environment>;
 };
 
 export type MergedItemSettings = {
-  distributionPlotSettings: DistributionPlottingSettings;
-  chartSettings: FunctionChartSettings;
+  plotSettings: PlotSettings;
+  functionSettings: FunctionSettings;
   height: number;
   environment: environment;
 };
diff --git a/packages/components/src/components/ViewSettings.tsx b/packages/components/src/components/ViewSettings.tsx
index 9a2ce562..b46845c4 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/components/ViewSettings.tsx
+++ b/packages/components/src/components/ViewSettings.tsx
@@ -5,36 +5,36 @@ import { InputItem } from "./ui/InputItem";
 import { Checkbox } from "./ui/Checkbox";
 import { HeadedSection } from "./ui/HeadedSection";
 import { Text } from "./ui/Text";
-import {
-  defaultColor,
-  defaultTickFormat,
-} from "../lib/distributionSpecBuilder";
 
 export const viewSettingsSchema = yup.object({}).shape({
   chartHeight: yup.number().required().positive().integer().default(350),
-  showSummary: yup.boolean().required(),
   showEditor: yup.boolean().required(),
-  logX: yup.boolean().required(),
-  expY: yup.boolean().required(),
-  tickFormat: yup.string().default(defaultTickFormat),
-  title: yup.string(),
-  color: yup.string().default(defaultColor).required(),
-  minX: yup.number(),
-  maxX: yup.number(),
-  distributionChartActions: yup.boolean(),
-  diagramStart: yup.number().required().positive().integer().default(0).min(0),
-  diagramStop: yup.number().required().positive().integer().default(10).min(0),
-  diagramCount: yup.number().required().positive().integer().default(20).min(2),
+  plotSettings: yup.object({
+    showSummary: yup.boolean().required(),
+    logX: yup.boolean().required(),
+    expY: yup.boolean().required(),
+    tickFormat: yup.string().required(),
+    title: yup.string().default(""),
+    color: yup.string().required(),
+    minX: yup.number(),
+    maxX: yup.number(),
+    actions: yup.boolean().required(),
+  }),
+  functionSettings: yup.object({
+    start: yup.number().required().positive().integer().default(0).min(0),
+    stop: yup.number().required().positive().integer().default(10).min(0),
+    count: yup.number().required().positive().integer().default(20).min(2),
+  }),
 });
 
-type FormFields = yup.InferType<typeof viewSettingsSchema>;
+export type ViewSettingsFormFields = yup.InferType<typeof viewSettingsSchema>;
 
 // This component is used in two places: for global settings in SquigglePlayground, and for item-specific settings in modal dialogs.
 export const ViewSettings: React.FC<{
   withShowEditorSetting?: boolean;
   withFunctionSettings?: boolean;
   disableLogXSetting?: boolean;
-  register: UseFormRegister<FormFields>;
+  register: UseFormRegister<ViewSettingsFormFields>;
 }> = ({
   withShowEditorSetting = true,
   withFunctionSettings = true,
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ export const ViewSettings: React.FC<{
           <div className="space-y-2">
             <Checkbox
               register={register}
-              name="logX"
+              name="plotSettings.logX"
               label="Show x scale logarithmically"
               disabled={disableLogXSetting}
               tooltip={
@@ -77,45 +77,45 @@ export const ViewSettings: React.FC<{
             />
             <Checkbox
               register={register}
-              name="expY"
+              name="plotSettings.expY"
               label="Show y scale exponentially"
             />
             <Checkbox
               register={register}
-              name="distributionChartActions"
+              name="plotSettings.actions"
               label="Show vega chart controls"
             />
             <Checkbox
               register={register}
-              name="showSummary"
+              name="plotSettings.showSummary"
               label="Show summary statistics"
             />
             <InputItem
-              name="minX"
+              name="plotSettings.minX"
               type="number"
               register={register}
               label="Min X Value"
             />
             <InputItem
-              name="maxX"
+              name="plotSettings.maxX"
               type="number"
               register={register}
               label="Max X Value"
             />
             <InputItem
-              name="title"
+              name="plotSettings.title"
               type="text"
               register={register}
               label="Title"
             />
             <InputItem
-              name="tickFormat"
+              name="plotSettings.tickFormat"
               type="text"
               register={register}
               label="Tick Format"
             />
             <InputItem
-              name="color"
+              name="plotSettings.color"
               type="color"
               register={register}
               label="Color"
@@ -137,19 +137,19 @@ export const ViewSettings: React.FC<{
               <div className="space-y-4">
                 <InputItem
                   type="number"
-                  name="diagramStart"
+                  name="functionSettings.start"
                   register={register}
                   label="Min X Value"
                 />
                 <InputItem
                   type="number"
-                  name="diagramStop"
+                  name="functionSettings.stop"
                   register={register}
                   label="Max X Value"
                 />
                 <InputItem
                   type="number"
-                  name="diagramCount"
+                  name="functionSettings.count"
                   register={register}
                   label="Points between X min and X max to sample"
                 />
diff --git a/packages/components/src/lib/distributionSpecBuilder.ts b/packages/components/src/lib/distributionSpecBuilder.ts
index 4dc87baa..ac3e0b90 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/lib/distributionSpecBuilder.ts
+++ b/packages/components/src/lib/distributionSpecBuilder.ts
@@ -2,20 +2,20 @@ import { VisualizationSpec } from "react-vega";
 import type { LogScale, LinearScale, PowScale } from "vega";
 
 export type DistributionChartSpecOptions = {
-  /** Set the x scale to be logarithmic by deault */
+  /** Set the x scale to be logarithmic by default */
   logX: boolean;
-  /** Set the y scale to be exponential by deault */
+  /** Set the y scale to be exponential by default */
   expY: boolean;
   /** The minimum x coordinate shown on the chart */
   minX?: number;
   /** The maximum x coordinate shown on the chart */
   maxX?: number;
   /** The color of the chart */
-  color?: string;
+  color: string;
   /** The title of the chart */
-  title?: string;
-  /** The formatting of the ticks */
-  format?: string;
+  title: string;
+  /** How to format numbers on the x axis */
+  tickFormat: string;
 };
 
 export let linearXScale: LinearScale = {
@@ -100,21 +100,10 @@ export let expYScale: PowScale = {
   },
 };
 
-export const defaultTickFormat = ".9~s";
-export const defaultColor = "#739ECC";
-
 export function buildVegaSpec(
   specOptions: DistributionChartSpecOptions
 ): VisualizationSpec {
-  let {
-    format = defaultTickFormat,
-    color = defaultColor,
-    title,
-    minX,
-    maxX,
-    logX,
-    expY,
-  } = specOptions;
+  let { tickFormat, color, title, minX, maxX, logX, expY } = specOptions;
 
   let xScale = logX ? logXScale : linearXScale;
   if (minX !== undefined && Number.isFinite(minX)) {
@@ -150,7 +139,7 @@ export function buildVegaSpec(
         tickOpacity: 0.0,
         domainColor: "#fff",
         domainOpacity: 0.0,
-        format: format,
+        format: tickFormat,
         tickCount: 10,
       },
     ],