Full Circle THE INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE FOR THE UBUNTU LINUX COMMUNITY
ISSUE #1 30 - February 201 8
FFRREEEEPPLLAANNEE NEW SERIES ON BUILDING MINDMAPS full circle magazine #1 30 1 Full Ciircle Magaziine iis neiither affiiliiated wiith,, nor endorsed by,, Canoniical Ltd.. contents ^ HowTo Full Circle THE INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE FOR THE UBUNTU LINUX COMMUNITY Sphinx p.20 Linux News p.04
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The articles contained in this magazine are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. This means you can adapt, copy, distribute and transmit the articles but only under the following conditions: you must attribute the work to the original author in some way (at least a name, email or URL) and to this magazine by name ('Full Circle Magazine') and the URL www.fullcirclemagazine.org (but not attribute the article(s) in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work). If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you must distribute the resulting work under the same, similar or a compatible license. Full Circle magazine is entirely independent of Canonical, the sponsor of the Ubuntu projects, and the views and opinions in the magazine should in no way be assumed to have Canonical endorsement. full circle magazine #1 30 2 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Freeplane - Pt1 Written by Elmer Perry Freeplane - Pt1
reeplane is a program for program structure and functions. Freeplane. F creating mind maps. The Other tools don't give me this INSTALLATION program is versatile enough to fit broad overview. Being able to see PROGRAM WORKSPACE anyone's mapping style. You can the entire thought process allows You can download Freeplane make the maps as simple or as me to see connections I would from the Ubuntu Software Center. I'm starting with the latest The program has a standard complex as you need for your otherwise miss. layout with the menus and application. Freeplane is available download version, 1 .6.1 0. While you can follow along with the toolbars at the top, and a in the Ubuntu Software Center or The basic structure of a mind workspace at the bottom. On the online at their web page, map starts with a central topic. version available in the Software Center, I will discuss new features left-hand side, you can pull out an https://www.freeplane.org/wiki/in This is the idea, class, process, or Icons toolbar, and on the right- dex.php/Main_Page. topic you are mapping. From the found in 1 .6. You can download version 1 .6 from the Freeplane hand side, you can pull out the Tool central topic, the map branches Panel. By default, you can pop up into several subtopics related to home page, WHAT IS A MIND MAP? https://www.Freeplane.org/wiki/in the Note panel at the bottom. In the topic. The subtopics can branch the Preferences, you can change out to other child topics, and those dex.php/Main_Page. Freeplane is a A mind map is a visual diagram where the Note panel docks. child topics out to other child Java program. If you are running for organizing ideas and topics. The branches can go as the latest Java runtime, you should information. Use a mind map to The menu bar sits below the deep as needed for the topic. have no problems running brainstorm a new idea, create a process, or organize your thoughts. A mind map can help you keep notes during a lecture and see patterns you might otherwise miss. I've used mind maps through the years to write stories and articles, and create the processes for programs. I also used mind maps to create teaching and training curricula. Yes, I know other tools exist for doing these things, but a mind map gives me something other tools don't. With a mind map, I can see the entire
full circle magazine #1 30 22 contents ^ HOWTO - FREEPLANE title bar. The menus give you making it a handy search tool. The hide by default, but you can Controls menus. You can click and access to the program's F-Bar shows the actions assigned activate them through the menu drag on a blank space in the map commands. to the F-Keys. You can customize View > Controls. area to move the map around. The the actions assigned to the F-Keys. wheel on your mouse will scroll the The program has several The Icon toolbar gives you a set of The workspace in the middle is map up and down. Hold the SHIFT toolbars. The main toolbar shows icons for marking nodes in your where you will build your map. You key and scroll the mouse wheel to by default. The main toolbar gives maps. And the status bar sits at the can have many maps open at one move the map left and right. you access to save options and bottom of the window. The status time, and each one displays a tab common formatting actions. The bar displays information about the at the top of the workspace. YOUR FIRST MIND MAP Filter toolbar allows you to filter current map or selected node. The Scrollbars hide by default, but you what nodes of the map show, Filter, F-Bar, Icon, and status bars can show them using the View > Enough talk! Let's make our first map. If you haven't already done so, install and open Freeplane. Create a new map by selecting File > New Map from the menus. In the template dialog, select the standard template. In the 1 .6 version, the name is standard-1 .6.mm. This creates a new map with a root topic in the center of the screen. Type in a name for your topic like "My First Map." Press the Enter key to save the name.
To create subtopics for your main topic, press the Insert key on the keyboard. Nodes that are one level deeper than the current node are called child nodes of the current node. Type the text for the subtopic, and press the Enter key. Create more subtopics by pressing the Enter key. Nodes on the same level are called siblings in
full circle magazine #1 30 23 contents ^ HOWTO - FREEPLANE Freeplane. Create several subtopics by pressing Enter and typing in some text.
Now, let's create child nodes of a subtopic. Select one of the subtopics and press the Insert key. Type a name for the new node. Press Enter to create siblings of the new node or Insert to create a child of the new node.
Branch out as far and using as many nodes as you need. The depth of your map is only limited As I go through this series, I will information. by the needs of your mind and explore the capabilities of topic. Freeplane and the world of mind mapping. I will look at the Next time we will look at some possibilities and benefits of mind of the core elements of Freeplane, mapping. If you've never used and do more with our map. mind maps before, I encourage you to join us for this series. It may change the way you process
Elmer Perry is a technical support rep for an international keyless access company. He enjoys writing, woodworking, and technology. He lives in Leicester, NC with his wife.
full circle magazine #1 30 24 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Freeplane - Pt2 Written by Elmer Perry Freeplane - Pt2
ne of my favorite uses for SCROLLING SELECTING NODES left, and right keys work in the way O mind maps is brainstorming. you would expect them to. Holding The idea behind brainstorming is As your map grows, you will To select a node, hover over it down the SHIFT key allows you to to write my ideas down on paper want to zoom in on different for a few seconds. Once you have select many nodes as you move or screen. I start with the subject sections of your map. Once you the node you want, you can hold around the map. CTRL + A selects as the root topic, create the first zoom in, scrolling the map the SHIFT key to lock the selection. all the nodes in the map. Press the subtopic, and then I'm off. I type in becomes important. Click and drag The selection of the node by ESC key to jump to the root node. the idea and press enter twice to a blank spot in the workspace to hovering requires you to pause create the next. I will create move the map around. If you have over the node. After the selection, MOVING NODES branches off the subtopic, but I a scroll wheel on your mouse, spin you can move across other nodes don't branch often. My goal is to the wheel to move up and down. as long as you don't pause. The Ideas rarely comes in the get all the ideas down, not develop The SHIFT key + the mouse wheel selection only changes when you correct order, and you need to them. Usually, I brainstorm with a moves left and right. If the pause over another node. The move and rearrange the nodes in a stop time in mind. Whether the scrollbars are visible, you can scroll selected node is highlighted in map. Freeplane lets you move time is 5 minutes or 1 5 minutes, with them. From the menu bar, your systems default highlight nodes through the mouse and the the clock forces me to focus on View > Controls > Scrollbars hides color. keyboard. writing my ideas down. I don't have and shows the scrollbars. time for distraction. Once the time You can select many nodes on is up, I can look at the big picture ZOOMING the same level and branch using of ideas. I will see relationships the SHIFT key. Select the first between ideas or notice one idea is To zoom in and out on your node, then, while holding the actually the child of another. An map, hold CTRL + the mouse SHIFT key, select the second node. order or process begins to wheel. From the keyboard, ALT + This selects all the nodes between develop. If I did this on paper, I'd up arrow zooms in, and ALT + down the two nodes. You select non- have to redraw the whole map. arrow zooms out. When you need sequential nodes and nodes in With Freeplane, I'm able to move to view the whole map, you can use different branches using the CTRL the nodes around and reorder the menu bar View > Zoom > Zoom key. Hold the CTRL key while them. This is a great time saver. to fit to page. You can also select clicking the nodes. Today, we'll look at how Freeplane the zoom percentage from the You can move a node by the lets us organize and manipulate drop-down box in the main toolbar. Use the arrow keys to move drag and drop method. When you nodes. around the map without having to drag and drop a node onto another grab the mouse. The up, down, node, you get gray highlights at
full circle magazine #1 31 23 contents ^ HOWTO - FREEPLANE the top or on the child end of the FOLDING/UNFOLDING the children. For more refined The node details is extra node. To insert as a sibling above control, buttons on the toolbar NODES information about the node. The the node, drop the node on the allow you to fold/unfold one level text is placed below the node with top gray highlight. If you drop on or all levels. These options are also a triangle to the left side. Clicking the end gray highlight, Freeplane available in menu Navigate > Fold. on this triangle shows and hides adds the node as the last child of the node details. From the the node. Hold down the CTRL key CORE TEXT AND NODE keyboard, ALT + F2 hide/show the to make a copy of the node instead DETAILS details. Press F3 to edit the node of moving it. You can drag and details. You can change the details drop to the left and right side of text in an editor dialog by pressing the root node. This allows you to CTRL + F3. balance the two sides of the map when needed. Freeplane doesn't expect you to get things perfect the first time. In fact, it allows you to drag the nodes around as needed. Whether When working on sections of you prefer the mouse or the the map, it helps to collapse or The core text of the node is the keyboard, Freeplane allows you to quickly change your map. In my Sometimes, you want to set a fold the children of other nodes. main text you enter when you To fold the children of a node, create the node. To see the area next article, I will present the 7 node off by itself. You can move a guidelines for mind maps from node away from its siblings by hover over the connection point for the core text, select the menu for the nodes. A circle with a minus Format > Node Core > Bubble. This Tony Buzan, and we will explore hovering over the parent the Tool Panel. connector end. An oval will appear. (-) will appear. Click on the circle to places a bubble around the core This oval is the move handle. Click fold (or hide) the nodes. When a text. To edit the core text, press and drag to move the node to a node's children are folded, the F2 key. To replace all the new location. Freeplane marks the node with a content of the node with new small circle on the child side. This information, start typing with the From the keyboard, CTRL + the shows the node has hidden node selected. If you need to break up/down arrows move the nodes children. You can expand or unfold the core text into many lines, you up and down among its siblings. the node by hovering over the can use the SHIFT + ENTER key circle. A larger circle with a plus (+) Elmer Perry is a technical support CTRL + the left/right arrows combination. You can edit the core rep for an international keyless promote and demote the node by will appear. Click this circle to text in an editor dialog using the access company. He enjoys writing, one level. unfold or show the child nodes. ALT + ENTER key combination. We woodworking, and technology. He With a node selected, you can use will discuss the editor in a later lives in Leicester, NC with his wife. the spacebar to fold and unfold article.
full circle magazine #1 31 24 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Freeplane - Pt3 Written by Elmer Perry Freeplane - Pt3
ony Buzan introduced the term customize the map to meet your branches, each branch uses a T "mind map" during his BBC TV needs. When using other different color of lines. Select for series Use Your Head in the 1 970's. diagramming methods, strict rules levels to make each step away Buzan was a popular psychology confine how you can build your from the root node a different author. Yet, the use of radial map. With mind mapping, you are color. When you select for diagrams to display information free to give your own meaning to columns, you get an effect like for had been around for centuries. symbols, codes, and groups. levels, but the column is the Buzan introduced the world to his position rather than the level. You approach and set rules for the Freeplane takes care of the can grab a node and move it into a creation of mind maps. In his book connections between nodes by new column without affecting its NODE STYLE Mind Map Handbook default. But, let's look at how you level. If you select on branch (https://www.goodreads.com/boo can modify the nodes and lines to creation, each new branch from The node styles allow you to set k/show/31 1 8034-mind-map- make them mean something more the root node gets a new color. the node to a predetermined style. handbook), Tony outlines 7 steps to you. In particular, how you can We will discuss styles in a later to making a mind map: change the colors, shape, and text The Edit edge colors button article. These settings are disabled of the nodes and lines to develop activates when you select an by default. • Start in the center of a blank your coding system. Automatic edge color other than page. Disabled. Clicking the button The first drop-down box applies • Use an image or picture for your opens a dialog window displaying THE TOOL PANEL the level styles. Levels are how far central idea. the different color levels. Click the the node is from the root node. • Use colors throughout. level swatch to open a color The Tool Panel gives you access The ‘for non leaf nodes’ sets the • Connect your main branches to selection dialog. Select a new color to the properties of the individual level style on all nodes that are not your central image, and connect for the level and click the OK nodes. To open the panel, press at the end of a branch. You can your second and third-level button to change the color for the ALT+P on your keyboard, or from think of nodes at the end of a branches to the first and second selected level. Use the up and the menu bar, View > Controls > branch like leaves on a tree. These levels, etc. down arrow buttons to move the Tool Panel. You can also select the are the leaf nodes. The other • Make your branches curved levels up and down in the arrow on the right edge of the choice is for all nodes. This option rather than straight-lined. hierarchy. The X button removes window. The Tool Panel docks to includes the leaf nodes. • Use one key word per line. the right side of the window. The the selected level color, and the + • Use images throughout. button inserts a new level color. Tool Panel divides into sections The Automatic edge color drop- The default number of levels is 1 1 , related to the different properties. down box sets the edge coloring I would add an eighth rule: but I have added 50 without the for the nodes. When you select for
full circle magazine #1 32 22 contents ^ HOWTO - FREEPLANE program complaining. In most The color section gives you two Combined is a special node. When The Uniform checkbox adjusts cases, you will rarely go more than swatches. One for the text and the you expand the children of a the height of the node to match 1 1 levels deep in your mind maps, other for the background. Clicking combined node, the node takes the width of the node. except for the rare case of a very the swatches brings up a color the shape of a fork. When you large map. But, if you are creating dialog where you can select the collapse the children, the node The Min node width and Max a different color for each branch, color you want. These colors affect takes the bubble shape. node width are the minimum and you could soon need more than 1 1 . only the currently selected nodes. maximum widths of the node. The Always make sure you select widths do not include the margins. The Style drop-down box lets contrasting colors. The margins add to these settings. you select a predefined node style The default max width is 1 0 cm. for the node(s). We will talk more NOTE: The Core text section will about predefined styles in a later be an article on its own. The Child gap sets the distance article. For now, know that you can between the parent and its select them here. The conditional NODE SHAPE children. styles are also another topic of another article. The Node shape section is NODE BORDER where you manipulate the COLOR OF WHOLE CORE geometry of the node. Most of the The Horizontal margin and shapes are self-explanatory. The Vertical margin set the distance fork shape is the traditional mind from the core text to the node map underlined node style. Most border. You can select a unit of child nodes in the default template measure of pixels (px), inches (in), are fork nodes by default. millimeters (mm), centimeters (cm), and points (pt). These units When you select the as parent are available for any settings using shape, the node will follow the measurements. shape of its parent node.
full circle magazine #1 32 23 contents ^ HOWTO - FREEPLANE The Node border section allows text. To change the details text, list, or type in a nonstandard size. node. We will cover hyperlinks in a you to change the width, style, and you edit it in the editor dialog. later article. color of the border around the Check the boxes for Bold or core text. Italic to apply those styles to the ICONS text. You can define a width using In the Icons section, you can the Line width spinner control and The Text alignment drop-down change the size of the icons in the the drop-down list to select the list sets the alignment for the text. node. Use the spinner box to set measurement type. If you want the By default, the nodes are the the numeric size, and the drop- border the same as the edge width of the text they contain, down list to select the coming from its parent node, hiding the alignments’ effect. The measurement type. Icons add check the box Use edge width. alignments appear when you have visual clues to the nodes. From the Font family drop- a fixed-width node, or the node Increasing or decreasing the size Select the Use edge line type to down list, you can select the font contains multiple lines of text. To can influence the prominence of make the border line the same family you want. The list shows the create a fixed-width node, set the the clue. Often the icon itself is type as the line leading up to the fonts installed on your computer. minimum and maximum width to more important than the size. Yet, node. The Border line type drop- the same value. if you want to use an icon as the down list lets you select a Select the size of the font from image for your central node, different line style. Your choices the Font size drop-down list. The The Hyperlink checkbox increasing the size is a must. are solid, short dash, long dash, size list box is a combination underlines the node text like a dots, and dot-dash. list/text box. You can select the hyperlink. This works only when size from the default sizes in the you have a hyperlink set to the For the border color, you can check Use edge color. Otherwise, you can click on the Color swatch and select a color from the color EDGES dialog. Edges are the lines connecting child nodes to their parent. You FONT OF WHOLE CORE can change the width, line type, style, and color of a node's edge. The Font of whole core section By modifying the edges, you can allows you to change the family, create a visual clue to the level, size, and styling of the core text meaning, or branch of a node. In font. Remember this affects only the default template, each branch the core text and not the details has a different color edge. As you
full circle magazine #1 32 24 contents ^ HOWTO - FREEPLANE read earlier, you can change this to relationships between the node parent and child node. For a own unique style of mind mapping. give a different color for each and its parent. For example, use a unique touch, use the Sharply For me, mind mapping is not about level, branch, or column. You can dashed line to show a hidden or curved (bezier) or Sharp linear following guidelines but finding also disable automatic colors. temporary relationship. The choice styles. The Sharply curved (bezier) what works for you. Tony's is yours. is like the smoothly curved except guidelines are a starting point. the curves are tighter. If you Mind maps allow you to create The Edge style controls the way increase the width, the edge associations between objects and the line is created. There are 6 becomes tapered from parent to ideas. As we continue learning different edge styles. The default child. For the Sharp linear style, about Freeplane, we'll discover style is the Smoothly curved you need a width greater than 0. more ways to create associations. (bezier). This best fits the The style creates a straight line The Edge width is set using the suggestion of a curved rather than tapered at the parent end and spinner box. The number here is a a straight line, but you can make a comes to a point at the child end. scale rather than a measurement case for straight lines too. If a amount. straight line makes sense to you, Clicking the swatch for Edge then the Linear style gives you a color displays a color dialog. Select To change the type of line used, straight line from the parent to the the new color for the node's edge select from the Edge line type node. Another form of a straight and click OK. The new color will drop-down list. The types are a line is the Horizontal style. This override automatic color settings. solid, short dash, long dash, dot, or style creates edges with sharp 90 dot-dash line. You can use the line degree angles. Hide edge does not CLOUDS types as a code for different display an edge between the I will cover clouds and what they are in an article on grouping. For now, know you can change the Cloud color and Cloud shape here. The four shapes are Arc, Star, Rectangle, and Rounded Rectangle.
Tony Buzan gave us 7 guidelines Elmer Perry is a technical support for creating mind maps. Freeplane rep for an international keyless allows you to apply these access company. He enjoys writing, woodworking, and technology. He guidelines as well as break them. lives in Leicester, NC with his wife. The flexibility lets you create your
full circle magazine #1 32 25 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Freeplane - Pt4 Written by Elmer Perry Freeplane - Pt4
hen you learn or create, the Tool Panel. From the menu, W associations speed up the you select Format > Cloud shape. process. By associating something known with something new, you fix Color is another way to code the idea in your mind. You can take your maps, and Freeplane lets you the new idea and associate it with change the color of the clouds. The another idea, creating a chain of cloud color changes the ideas. Many of the great thinkers background and outline color of of history used association in their the cloud. As you have seen in work. One most people are previous articles, you select colors familiar with is Leonardo da Vinci. from a color dialog. To open the In his work, he created pictures, cloud color dialog, you can click on Add/Remove Cloud. The menu codes, and lines. These "doodles" Clouds group a node and its the color swatch in the Cloud item is also available in the right- created associations between children, grandchildren, etc. You section of the Tool Panel. You can click context menu. The main ideas. can use the cloud to emphasize a access the cloud color through the certain section of a branch by toolbar has a Cloud button, too. menus, too, at Format > Cloud Repeating the action on the node Mind maps let you develop creating a border around the shape > Cloud color. Finally, the will remove the cloud. If you select associations through their nodes. The cloud surrounds the main toolbar has an icon for the a node inside a cloud, you can connections between nodes. But node and those attached to it cloud color. From the color picker create a cloud inside a cloud. connections are not always direct. down the branch until it reaches dialog, you select the color you An idea in one branch could the leaves. The cloud will enclose want for your cloud background. By default the shape of the associate with an idea in another any nodes added to the cloud's You click the OK button to accept cloud is the Arc style, creating the branch. Or a portion of a branch is nodes. the color. classical idea of a cloud. You have more important than the rest. You other options for the cloud shape. could find a group of sibling ideas To create a cloud, you select the You can select from Arc, Star, CONNECTORS that lead to another idea by their node where you want the cloud to Rectangle, and Rounded rectangle. association. In Freeplane, you can begin. On the keyboard, you use In your code, the different shapes Connectors associate nodes create these connections through the keyboard combination CTRL + can have different meanings. Star with relationships other than clouds, connectors, and summary SHIFT + B. The cloud will surround for something exciting, or parent-child. Connectors are good nodes. all the nodes connected to the rectangle for something serious. for connections between siblings selected node. You can add a cloud or nodes in different branches. As through the menus using Edit > To change the shape, use the drop- CLOUDS down list in the Cloud section of an example, a group of siblings
full circle magazine #1 33 22 contents ^ HOWTO - FREEPLANE
You can connect many nodes at to increase the visibility. By once. Select the nodes you want to default, the slider is 75% to the connect. The last node selected right. becomes the focus node. All the other nodes will point to the focus The Connector arrow drop- node. With the nodes selected, you down list lets you select the right-click and select Connect from arrows on the connector. You the menu. You can use the CTRL + select None to create a L combination, too. All the relationship without direction. selected nodes will connect to the Draw arrow forward points the defining a repeatable process. A the nodes. focus node (last selected). arrow at the endpoint. To point the connector would allow you to loop arrow at the start point, you select the last process back to the first You can edit a connector by Draw arrow back. You show a back one. The connector can contain right-clicking it. A Connector dialog and forth relationship by selecting text to explain the relationship. will open. The dialog lets you Draw arrow forward and back. One Arrows can show the direction of change the style, color, shape, of the ways I have used the arrows the connection. You can edit the thickness, and opacity of the is when creating a repeating line style, color, and thickness to connector. You can add text to the process. The process is outlined as match your coding system. connect to define the reason for a series of sibling nodes, then the the connection. last sibling points back to the first The easiest way to create a sibling. Using this method, I create node is to right-click on the start The two Goto buttons let you a looping or repeating process. node and drag to the end node. By select which node is active. You default, an arrow points toward can switch between the two nodes By default, the connector is the end node. You can change this, at the connectors endpoints. drawn as a looping curve. The but it's worth thinking about Connector shape drop-down list before you create the connector. The Remove Connector button changes the shape. You select line You can also select the start node removes the connector and closes to create a straight point-to-point and hold down SHIFT + CTRL while the connector dialog. line. Linear path draws a line with you drag with the left mouse sharp corners. Finally, you can button to the end node. Finally, Use the Opacity slider to Simulate edge. This choice will you can select the start and end increase or decrease the visibility create a line that simulates the nodes, right-click, and select of the connector. Move the slider edge of the endpoint. Connect from the menu. With two to the left to decrease the nodes selected, you can use the visibility, and move it to the right The Connector line drop-down CTRL + L combination to connect list sets the type of line. As always,
full circle magazine #1 33 23 contents ^ HOWTO - FREEPLANE you have a choice between solid, Click on the Appearance tab. In the child node for each of the nodes There are a couple of alternate long dash, short dash, dot, and dot- Connectors section, you uncheck stating its food category. But this methods for creating summary dash. The line types can become a the box for Paint connectors seems redundant and time- nodes. After selecting the node part of your code. A dotted line behind nodes. consuming. series, you can right-click and can show two nodes that are choose New summary node. From similar but have no direct Click the OK button to close the Enter the summary node. A the menus, Edit > New Node > New relationship. But a solid line can Connector dialog. summary node groups together a summary node creates a summary show a direct relationship, such as series of sibling nodes using a curly node of the selected sibling nodes. a node that is a child of two When you left-click the bracket. The summary node allows different nodes. The Width spinner connector, you see two adjustment you to group your fruits and When you create and learn, box sets the width of the line. The handles. You drag the handles to vegetables using one node for associations allow you to build on width is a scale value rather than a adjust the shape and location of each group. previous knowledge. While the unit measurement. the connector. Moving the handles parent-child relationship handles moves the location of the arrows To create a summary node, most associations, sometimes you The font setting controls the and labels. This is another method select the series of sibling nodes. need to create others. Freeplane font and size of the text used on to prevent the label and node’s With the nodes selected, press the gives you the tools you need to the connector. The Font drop- core from blocking each other. keyboard combination SHIFT + ALT create those associations. With the down list selects the font from the + INSERT. The summary node cloud, you can encompass a group fonts installed on your PC. The SUMMARY NODES created looks like any node except of nodes, creating a section set off Font size spinner box sets the size its edge is a curly bracket. Enter from the others. You can use in points. What do you do when you need the text of the node and press connectors to associate two nodes a node that pertains to several ENTER. You can press ENTER again that are not parent-child. Finally, With the font set, the sibling nodes? For example, say to create a sibling of the node, or summary nodes allow you to group connector has three label you have a list of fruits and you can press INSERT to create a sibling nodes together. positions. The top text box is for vegetables as siblings to a node. child node. From the summary the Source label. The source label You would like to label which ones node, your map can continue as is the start node of the connector. are fruits and which ones are you would with any other node. The Middle label places text in the vegetables. You could create a middle of the connector. To place a label at the endpoint node, enter your text in the Target label text Elmer Perry is a technical support box. If you use the source and rep for an international keyless target label, you need to set the access company. He enjoys writing, connector to show in front of the woodworking, and technology. He nodes. The setting is in the lives in Leicester, NC with his wife. preferences, Tools > Preferences.
full circle magazine #1 33 24 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Freeplane - Pt5 Written by Elmer Perry Freeplane - Pt5
s the saying goes, a picture ICONS The quickest access to the icons three icons. In the menus, they are A paints a thousand words. is through the icon side panel. Click the last menu in Edit > Icons. Icons and images in your mind map on the expand arrow on the left- create a link between the visual hand side of the The menus under Edit > Icons and the language centers of your Freeplane window to gives you the most options and brain. This promotes learning and expand the icon sidebar. control of your icons. imagination. When you see the From the sidebar, you can word fruit, you don't see the select any icon to add it Icons from table gives you the letters in your mind, but you see to the currently selected same table the CTRL + F2 keyboard images of what fruit are. By using node(s). Using the shortcut does. icons and images in your mind keyboard, CTRL + F2 map, you link to your mind's displays a table of all the Icons by category breaks the natural tendency. standard icons. icons into predefined categories. Keep in mind these categories are Freeplane includes a set of In the only suggestions. You can let the useful icons. Although the icons sidebar, table, icons mean anything you want as have recommended meanings, you and menus, long as it makes sense to you. The can use them in a way that makes Freeplane provides over 90 there are three special icons, the categories follow the same order sense to you. Is an exclamation icons in 1 3 categories and some remove icons. The first icon is the as the icons in the sidebar and point a warning or emphasis? It's specialized progress icons. You remove first icon, the second is the table. up to you and what it triggers in should think about the power of remove last icon, and the third is your mind. As with most things in using icons in your maps. We use the remove all icons. In the sidebar The Progress icon (%) menu mind mapping, the choice is yours. emojis, a special type of icon, every and the table, they are the first contains a special group of icons. day to convey emotion in our Freeplane provides a way to messages. Icons can do the same insert your own images into your thing in your maps. Use them as maps. To have the images display keys to trigger your mind to know in the map, freeplane requires you at a glance what the node is about. save the image to the local hard You can display the icon in several drive. The recommended practice ways, but the most complete is to have them in the same folder options are through the menu. as your map.
full circle magazine #1 34 20 contents ^ HOWTO - FREEPLANE the node.
The Show intersection of child icons is like Show icon hierarchy with a twist. The setting only applies to children of the node. If all the children have a certain icon, a smaller version of the icon will show in the node. This would allow you to see whether a folded node's children all contain a certain icon.
While you will find progress donuts the node. The Extended progress what icons are being used on the The remove icons menu gives in the icon table, the menu gives comes in two types, 1 0% and 25%. branch. Should you be looking for you the Remove first icon, Remove you the ability to automate your The 1 0 % allows for a 1 0 step a certain icon based on your code, last icon, and Remove all icons progress. These icons are great for process while the 25% only 4. you can know you need to unfold options. tasks lists. I use them when Selecting the 1 0% or 25% option outlining and writing. adds the process donut below the node. Once created, you increase The Progress up and Progress the value by double-clicking the down change the progress icon in large progress donut. To decrease the node. When either is first the value CTRL + double-click. The selected, the empty donut is green checkmark icon will show in added. If you select Progress up, the node when the progress donut the donut increases by 25% until reaches 1 00%. The node will also the progress donut is full. If you show a small progress icon in the select Progress down, the donut node. decreases by 25% until the progress donut is empty. Once the The Show icon hierarchy shows progress donut is full, a green what icons are attached to any checkmark icon is added to the nodes below it. If the nodes node. underneath the node have icons, the node will display a smaller The Extended progress options version of each of the icons. With a add a larger progress donut below folded node, you can still know
full circle magazine #1 34 21 contents ^ HOWTO - FREEPLANE IMAGES the language centers of your brain. Using icons and images in your Freeplane lets you insert your mind maps creates association and own icons and images, too. You can clues about the content of a node. insert the images as internal or You can use the existing icon set to external to the node. In order for create your own coding system as the images to show in the map, well as adding other images as you must save the images to the visual clues. local disk. The accepted formats are GIF, JPEG/JPG, PNG, and SVG. Click Open to create the image as sibling. But, if you drop the image In most cases, you will want to edit the node core. with the end highlighted, the your image in an editor and scale it image becomes an external image down to a useful size in your map. EXTERNAL IMAGE of a new child node.
When you use the copy and INTERNAL IMAGE You can add images to the node details by drag and drop, copy and paste method, the image becomes an external image to a new child When you insert an internal paste, and through the menus. In node. image, the image becomes the most cases, your need determines node core. The image within the your method. To add an image as an external node core is not scalable, so if you image of the currently selected want a smaller size, you will need When you add an external node use the menus Edit > Node to edit it in advance. To create an image by drag and drop, the extensions > Add image. Browse to internal image follow the menus release point determines where the image you want to add, select Edit > Node core > Image by choice the image is added. Release the the image, and click Open. or link. Use the folders to browse image at the top of the node core, to the image location and select it. and the image becomes an external, scalable image in a new To scale the external images hover over the edges of the image. A box will surround the image. Click and drag to scale the image to size. You can only scale the Elmer Perry is a technical support external images. Internal images rep for an international keyless are not scalable. access company. He enjoys writing, woodworking, and technology. He Icons and images create a lives in Leicester, NC with his wife. connection between the visual and
full circle magazine #1 34 22 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Freeplane - Pt6 Written by Elmer Perry Freeplane - Pt6
've mentioned in past articles Once you make the styles, you can also use the keyboard shortcut The user defined styles are I about developing a coding select them from a dropdown list CTRL + F1 1 . where you would add your own system for your mind maps. to apply them to the nodes. styles. You can add and remove Implementing a coding system can DEFAULT STYLES styles from this list. The default seem like an arduous effort. But THE STYLE EDITOR template has a few styles defined Freeplane allows you to create The default template comes for you. You can change these or styles in your maps. Using styles, The style editor is where you with a set of default styles in 3 remove them. The trick is to add you create the style once and use create the styles. It looks like a categories. new ones that work in your coding it as often as needed. You can take scaled-down version of the main system. a few minutes to think about and window. To open the editor PREDEFINED STYLES create the styles you need for your through the menus, select Format coding system of colors and icons. APPLY LEVEL STYLES > Manage styles > Edit styles. You The predefined styles are the system styles. You can't add to or The level styles are a special delete any of the styles in this list. group. You can automate the level You can change the appearance of styles by selecting one of the the styles: automatic layouts. The first level • Default is the style assigned to style is Root. You can change the new nodes when not using an Root style, but you cannot remove automatic layout. it. The Root is the center node of • Details is the styling for the node all maps. By default, you have 1 1 details. levels. You can add and remove • Attributes are user-defined tags. levels as fits your needs. You can I'll explain attributes in a future change the nodes to fit your article. coding system. • Note is the style for the note pop- up that shows when you hover over MODIFYING STYLES a node with notes. • Floating node is the style for any To change a style, select the floating nodes. style and use the tool panel on the right-hand side of the window. This USER DEFINED STYLES panel is the same as the panel in
full circle magazine #1 35 1 9 contents ^ HOWTO - FREEPLANE the main program. You can set the prompts you for a name for the Freeplane removes the highest conditional styles in my next colors, edge style, and even create new style. Enter the name and click numbered level. As with the user article. a style with a cloud. The default the OK button. The new style will defined styles, any nodes the style floating node has a rectangular display in the User defined styles is applied to will have the style Using level styles works a little cloud around it. You can add icons group. formatting removed. To remove a differently. Level styles are applied to the styles as well. Open the icon level style, use the menus Format > by the node's position on the toolbar by clicking on the sidebar The level styles work a little Manage styles > Remove level branch. To apply level styles, use arrow on the left side of the differently. When you add a level, style. Or you can right-click any the menu Format > Automatic window. Or you can open it it adds to the end of the levels list. style and select Remove level layout. You can apply the levels to through the menus View > To add a new level, right-click any style. all nodes by selecting for all nodes. Controls > Icon toolbar. Click an style and select Add level style. Apply the levels to all nodes but icon to add it to the selected style. You can add levels through the Once you have finished the ones at the end by selecting menus at Format > Manage styles changing the styles, click on the for all non-leaf nodes. By default, The display of the styles is a > Add level style. When you add a checkmark button to save your disabled is selected. Disabled map itself, but you can't create any level by right-clicking, the format settings. If you want to exit the removes all level style formatting. children. You can add and remove of the right-clicked style is not edit without saving your changes, siblings to the user styles and the copied to the new level. New levels click the X button. OTHER STYLE OPTIONS level styles. The siblings are not get the formatting of the default added in the same way as in the style. APPLYING STYLES TO Sometimes, you will change a main window – as detailed below. NODES node that has a style applied to it, REMOVE STYLES and you want to apply those ADDING STYLES The easiest way to apply a style changes to the style. Use the You can remove a user defined is using the drop-down list on the menus Format > Manage styles > When adding a new user style that is no longer needed. Any main toolbar. The styles display in Redefine style. This adds the defined style, the style starts as a nodes the style is applied to will the same order as in the style changes to the style and updates copy of an existing style. You can have the formatting of the style editor. You can get the same list all nodes with the style. You can create a new user defined style removed. To remove a user defined using the menus Format > Apply also use the keyboard shortcut ALT from any of the styles, including style, right-click the style and styles. After selecting the style, + R. the predefined and the levels. select Remove user defined style. Freeplane applies the style to all After selecting the style you want You can also remove a style by selected nodes. If you select At other times, you change a as your start point, use the menus selecting it and using the menus another style, you remove the node and decide you want to Format > Manage styles > New Format > Manage styles > Remove current style and apply the revert back to the formatting of style from selection. You can also user defined style. selected style. It is possible to the style. Use the menus Format > right-click the style and select New apply more than one style through Manage styles > Remove format to style from selection. A dialog When you remove a level style, conditional styles. I will cover remove the changes.
full circle magazine #1 35 20 contents ^ HOWTO - FREEPLANE
Did you create the best set of system. Next time, I will show you your styles, so you can use them styles ever and want to use it in a how to create conditional styles over and over again. new map? In the new map, use that allow you to apply more than Format > Manage styles > Copy one style to a node. I will also show map style from... to import the you how to save a template with all style from another map. You can do this with the keyboard shortcut CTRL + SHIFT + O as well.
STYLE EXAMPLE
When I create a map for brainstorming a writing project, I end up with list or outline. Sometimes, I get started but can't get back to it for days or weeks. To keep track of where I'm at in the project, I create a TODO and Done style.
The TODO style has a light red background and an empty checkbox icon. I apply this style to any sections that are not done. For the Done style, I apply a light green background and a checked checkbox icon. When a section is complete, I switch the style from TODO to Done.
Styles allow you to design your Elmer Perry is a technical support rep for an international keyless coding system by creating a style access company. He enjoys writing, once and using it many times. woodworking, and technology. He Through the use of styles, you can lives in Leicester, NC with his wife. develop and change your coding
full circle magazine #1 35 21 contents ^ HHOOWW--TTOO Freeplane - Pt7 Written by Elmer Perry Freeplane - Pt7
hen creating mind maps, conditional style, all the styles are right-hand side, two at the bottom, The Up and Down buttons allow W you don't want to spend all available to you. For example, you and four columns. you to reorder the conditional your time formatting individual could create a style that bolds the styles in the order you want them nodes. As I showed in part 6, styles text and makes the font bigger The New button creates a new to trigger. The order can change let you format once and use many than the default. conditional style. It has a filter of the effect the conditional style has times. Sometimes, it's handy to always and the default style. You on the node(s). apply more than one style to a There are conditional styles for can double-click the style to select node. Or you want to apply a style individual nodes and the entire another style. The always condition Each conditional style has f, according to the content, date map. The dialogs work and display is unnecessary in the map without deleting it, uncheck the created, or the icon applied. Rather the same for both. To open the conditional styles. But the always box. The Condition is the filter than applying styles manually, ‘Manage conditional styles’ dialog, condition allows you to apply many selected from the Filter Composer. conditional styles apply styles use the menus Format > Manage styles to an individual node or To change the filter, click the Edit under predefined conditions. styles > Manage conditional styles selected nodes. button to open the Filter Conditional style can apply to an for map (or for node). When you Composer. The Style is the style to individual node or to an entire select ‘Manage conditional styles The Edit button opens the Filter apply when the condition is met. map. for node’, the rules apply to the Composer dialog. The Filter You can change the style by selected nodes. ‘Manage Composer allows you to edit the double-clicking the style for a Once you have all you styles conditional styles for map’ applies currently selected condition’s dropdown list of all the styles. The created, you can save them in a to all nodes in the map. filter. I'll cover the Filter Composer last column is the Stop checkbox. If template to use again. While there below. you check the box, the program is no Save as Template option, it is The dialog shows any defined will not apply the conditions after possible to save a map in a conditional styles. If you have not Clicking the Delete button will it in the list. This is one more way template folder. defined any styles, the list is blank. remove the selected conditional to hold on to a conditional style There are five buttons down the style. without deleting it. CREATING CONDITIONAL At the bottom of the dialog are STYLES the OK and Cancel buttons. Click the OK button to accept the The first step is to create a style changes and close the dialog. The for the condition to apply. Part 6 of Cancel button discards any this series discusses creating changes and closes the dialog. styles. When creating the
full circle magazine #1 36 25 contents ^ HOWTO - FREEPLANE THE FILTER COMPOSER This is the text or object, like an into an OR command. In this case, enter a name for the file and click icon, to match. Together the three the condition will activate when Save. The Open button lets you Open the Filter Composer by button create a complete filter. either filter is true. The fifth open a previously saved filter file. clicking on the Edit button. You There are two checkboxes under button, split, breaks filters Browse to the location where the build your conditions (or filters) in the boxes. Checking Match Case combined with AND or OR into file was saved, select the file, and the composer. The filters become forces the filter to match the case individual filters. The sixth button click Open. the criteria for the conditional of the text in the qualifier box. deletes the selected filters. You style. The options for creating Checking Approximate matches use the seventh button to name a EXAMPLES these filters are many, and I will text that is close to the entered filter. The last two buttons are not attempt to cover them all. I will text, e.g. "files" will match with used to move the selected filter up give examples to show how the "flies". and down in the list. EXAMPLE 1 composer works. The buttons down the right side There are four command At the top of the dialog, you perform actions on the filters buttons across the bottom. The OK The simplest conditional style is have three dropdown boxes. These created. The first button is the add button makes the selected filter setting a node to have more than boxes build a single filter. I like to button. It adds the filter created by the condition of the edited one style. In our example, we will think of it as building a sentence. the boxes to the list. The second conditional style. To ignore your assign the Topic and Important The first box is the subject of the button will negate the selected changes click the Cancel button. styles to a node. Select a node to filter. From this dropdown, you can filter. The next two buttons are You can write the list of filters to a apply the styles to. From the style select the different elements of a activated by selecting more than file using the Save button. After dropdown in the main toolbar node, i.e. core text, details text, one filter. The third button will clicking Save, browse to the select the Topic style. Follow the notes. The middle dropdown is the combine the selected filters with location where you want to save menus Format > Manage Styles > action of the filter, i.e. equal to, an AND command. An AND will the file. In the File name text box Manage conditional styles for contains, greater than, less than. activate the condition only when The last dropdown is the qualifier. both filters are true. The fourth button combines the two filters
full circle magazine #1 36 26 contents ^ HOWTO - FREEPLANE node. Click the New button. This been applied to the nodes with creates the default Always Two in the core text. condition. Double-click the Default style and select the Important TEMPLATES style. Click on OK, and you will see Once you have created your both styles have been applied to styles and conditional styles, you the node. will want to save them in a template. Freeplane doesn't have a EXAMPLE 2 menu option for saving a map as a templates let you create maps template so you will have to using your coding system. They The real power of the manually save them. speed up the process of creating conditional styles is applying a new maps. You may want to create style under defined conditions. First, you need to know where different templates for different Create four nodes named One, the user directory is for your copy map types. Two, Three, and Two More. Follow of Freeplane. Use the menus Tools the menus Format > Manage Styles > Open user directory. Make a note > Manage conditional styles for of the location of the directory. map. Click on New. With the new When you are ready to save your condition selected, click Edit. In the map as a template, save it in the first box select Core Text, leave Template folder under the user the second at Contains, and type directory. "Two" into the third. Click the add button. With the newly created The next time you create a new filter selected click on the OK map, your new template will show button. From the style dropdown in the dropdown list of the on the new conditional style, templates. select the Topic style. Click OK. You will see the Topic style has Styles, conditional styles, and
Elmer Perry is a technical support rep for an international keyless access company. He enjoys writing, woodworking, and technology. He lives in Leicester, NC with his wife.
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