The future CMAPTOOLS vs VUE and others

Have new ideas for the next release of IHMC CmapTools and IHMC CmapServer?
We welcome your suggestions and we will carefully consider whether to incorporate them into the software.
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kewapo
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 1:29 am

The future CMAPTOOLS vs VUE and others

Post by kewapo »

Maybe it is important for you to improve the features of your mind mapping tool. I write this post to send you my experience.

I usually use concept maps for all projects I begin. My two favorite programs are CmapTools and Visual Understanding Environment.
The two features I most like of VUE are:
  • With it you can construct a map as fast as you think: you only have to press CTRL+N and type the concept, or ALT + mouse to connect two concepts. In two minutes you have a draft of your thinking. Later in a most peaceful process, you can order this thinking.
  • It is a .jar file you can save in your USB unit. It is important to have a portable version of the application because I usually make presentations, and the guest computers don't have the program installed, and I can't install it via internet because of security reasons.
I like to show the people my tinkling, so the presentations features are important:
  • Full screen
  • As many ways as you can think to construct slides
  • A way to navigate through this slides.
  • A easy way to have zoom in the presentations
I consider concept maps as a document type like text or spreadsheets, so I save them in the project directory.
It's a good think to have as many format features as you can add: this facilitates learning.
Other question I miss in CmapTools is a way to have a exported html we can expand and collapse (for nested nodes).

I am waiting a portable-USB lite application we can use to share our "way of understand".


Thanks for share this app with us.
cmapadmin
Site Admin
Posts: 797
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 2:22 pm

Re: The future CMAPTOOLS vs VUE and others

Post by cmapadmin »

Thanks for the suggestions.

Adding control characters is on our to-do list, and getting fast to the top. Any suggestions on what the shortcuts should be are welcome
Having CmapTools be a single .jar file is complicated ... can't see that happenings.
CmapTools' presentation mode is not a showcase of presentation features, but works great to have linked presentations and linked .pps (or equivalent) files... its quite popular.
chudodey
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2015 4:22 am

Re: The future CMAPTOOLS vs VUE and others

Post by chudodey »

I'm using a Mindmanager for everyday thinking. But!

1. It have an argly useless app for ipad.
2. Mindmap should have only one main topic, bat I'm my associative stream of thought uses a large number of "crystallization centers". Therefore, I prefer the concept maps than mental.

However, when using the cmaptools, I feel the ergonomic difficulties.

1. I can't zoom in/out map with mouse wheel, why?
2. I can't use only keyboard for nodes fast creating, as it is done in mindmanager.Yes, I understand that cmap don't have strong hierarchical structure, so it's hard to navigate cross nodes only with arrow keys. But I have ideas, see below.
3. I can't pan the screen with mouse.

Do you know a yEd Graph Editor? I think it is best app for fast shemes and graph creating.
One left mouse click - create node
Press left mouse buttom and pull - create edge
Press right mouse buttom - pan the screen
Roll mouse wheel - zoom the screen

And they have a lot of autolayout methods.
But they don't have cloud and ipad version and social network and collaborations services. :(

Than do you know the WorkFlowy.com?- it's a cool outline editor.

So I think the best way of thinking is a mix of mindmapping + conceptmaping + outline coding with diffent way of input and visualisation of information. Below I attach my vision of thinking process.

Thanks.
Attachments
Step 6 - What if cmaptools could everything
Step 6 - What if cmaptools could everything
Step 5 - Reorganising directed graphs
Step 5 - Reorganising directed graphs
Step 3 - Transfrom hierarchical view to directed graphs
Step 3 - Transfrom hierarchical view to directed graphs
Step 2 - Other way of hierarchical view
Step 2 - Other way of hierarchical view
Step 1 - Outline input
Step 1 - Outline input
cmapadmin
Site Admin
Posts: 797
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 2:22 pm

Re: The future CMAPTOOLS vs VUE and others

Post by cmapadmin »

Thanks for all the suggestions. We go slowly with improvements, basically depending on the level of external funding (research funds, donations, etc.) we get for development.
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