Styles pallet UI is very confusing

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pinkasey
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 5:44 am

Styles pallet UI is very confusing

Post by pinkasey »

I am a new user of CmapTools - I am using version 5.04,
and i've just spent 2 days (no exaggeration!) trying to figure how to use previously saved styles ("Named Styles").
My problem was that I couldn't seem to save a style and then apply it to another node.
I was completely convinced that this feature is broken, and was about to post a question in the troubleshoot forum, when I accidentally found how it works.

here is what I figure the workflow is:
1. on an open Cmap document, choose an element
2. Ctrl+T
3. edit the element's properties in the Styles Pallet.
4. press "Create Style"
5. give the style a name and save it.
6. from now on, the style CAN NOT BE CHANGED. if you want to apply it, you simply open the Style pallet and choose the style, or drag-n-drop it on an element.

This is very counter-intuitive!!!
moreover - I have yet to figure what the misleading "save" button does. you would expect it to save changes to the style-file, but it doesn't - whenever you change the style, the 'edited' style is un-chosen. when you then try to 'save' - you are told that you must choose a style first. when you choose the 'edited' style - your change is discarded! how frustrating!

this is how I figure the workflow should be, according to industry standard:
1. on an open Cmap document, choose an element
2. Ctrl+T
3. make your changes
4. press "save" to save changes to current style applied to the node (e.g "default" in a new Cmap); or
5. press "save as" to save changes as a new style, and apply that style to chosen element
6. applying a saved style should stay the same.

details of my machine
======
CmapTools version: v5.04
OS: Win7 Ultimate 64bits
Ram: 4 GB

BTW, nevertheless, I would like to express my highest appreciation to this project and the people working on it - I went through a lot of mind-mapping and concept-mapping tools until I decided that CmapTools is the best to fit my needs.
acanas
Posts: 753
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2009 5:52 pm

Re: Styles pallet UI is very confusing

Post by acanas »

Hi,
Yes, the saved styles feature is someone confusing. The "Save" allows you to save the style as a resource in the Views so you can afterwards apply it to another Cmap. But once a Style is saved it cannot be edited. You can save "over it" but not edit a Style. And, you have to go and apply the style again to all Cmaps. Definitely needs improvement.
dgroos
Posts: 128
Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 9:12 pm
Location: Minnesota USA

Re: Styles pallet UI is very confusing

Post by dgroos »

I second that... (or third that)
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