Named Styles in CmapTools v5.03

[nickpomponio]

Hello,

I defined a group of named styles and saved them to a file. This was done under CmapTools v4.12 (I believe). Now that I am using CmapTools v5.03, I cannot restore these styles. I've tried opening them, but the dialog does not present the .cmsg style files as options to be selected.

I then defined a single named style in v5.03 and saved it. I could not open that style either. (The style names do show up in the main Views list.)

How do I go about reusing the named styles that I have created?

BTW, CmapTools is a terrific application!

Thanks.

[rcarvajal]

Hi Nickpomponio,

You said:

I defined a group of named styles and saved them to a file..... The style names do show up in the main Views list

Do you mean you can see them on the Views window? (See the image below)

IHMC CmapTools - Browsing the Styles in the Views window.

I've tried opening them, but the dialog does not present the .cmsg style files as options to be selected.

How are trying to open the styles? Are you double-clicking the style files from the Views window?

In order to reuse a style you will need to:
1. Open a concept map, then
2. Show the "Styles Palette" (ctrl-T or "Window --> Show Style Palette)
3. Click on the arrow that opens the style (left bottom corner), a "Default" style should be present. (See image below)

IHMC CmapTools - Styles section in the Style Palette

4. then, Drag & Drop a Style from the main Views to the style window.

Then you can apply the style to all or sections of the Cmap.

If it doesn't work, then please copy the style(s) and concept map to a folder in one of our IHMC Public CmapServers.

[nickpomponio]

The named styles show up as an icon in the Views window. If I double-click one, I get a pop-up warning window with the title "External Viewer" and the text "Allow CmapTools to request the operating system to open the file Logic Trees.cmsg? It is recommended that only files from trusted sources be opened this way." Selecting "Yes" produces further warnings about not being able to find the program. Running the command "assoc .cmsg" from the cmd shell confirms that there is no association for this file type.

I've also tried dragging and dropping from the viewer to the named styles dialog and to an empty Cmap.

FWIW, the two that I am interested in are actually lists of styles, created by saving the parent style name from a tree of associated styles within the named styles dialog. Nevertheless, I have also tried it with individual saved style names without success.

Thanks for your help,
-Nick

[rcarvajal]

I've also tried dragging and dropping from the viewer to the named styles dialog and to an empty Cmap.

Do you get an error message or simply nothing happens?

I would like to have access to the sytle(s) and concept map you are having problems with, so please create a folder in one of the IHMC Public Servers, and copy the style(s) and concept map.

[nickpomponio]

Do you get an error message or simply nothing happens?

Nothing happens.

I would like to have access to the sytle(s) and concept map you are having problems with, so please create a folder in one of the IHMC Public Servers, and copy the style(s) and concept map.

I will need to figure out how to do that. (I use CmapTools only in local, stand-alone mode.)

Thanks!

[nickpomponio]

I am currently employing a work-around: if I use the original Cmap in which the styles were first defined as a template (copy it and delete the contents), I have access to the styles.

[saskiax]

Sorry to gatecrash this thread, but I have a couple of similar problems.

4. then, Drag & Drop a Style from the main Views to the style window.

I don't seem to be able to drag & drop styles (or style groups) from the views window to the style window; the mouse pointer changes to the circle with a line through it indicating that the action is not allowed, and nothing happens if I just go ahead and try to drag and drop anyway. If I try to drag a style to the main Cmap window, however, the mouse pointer changes to an arrow, suggesting that I should be able to drag the style there, but nothing happens when I release the mouse. I would have expected the mouse pointer behaviour to be the opposite way around if dragging & dropping styles is supposed to be possible.

Also, I am not able to re-use style groups that I've created in other Cmaps (same version of the software, 5.03), despite the fact that I can save them and they appear in the view window, although individual styles open as expected. If I click "open" in the style window I am only given the individual styles that I've saved; the style group that is in the same folder is not even listed. And I can't drag & drop anything, as I stated above. Am I supposed to be able to reuse a style group, or is this not allowed? The fact that I am able to save the style group suggests that this should be possible, otherwise what is the point of saving them?

There doesn't seem to be anything about style groups in the documentation, or have I missed something? THB, I find the documentation a bit lacking in general; it seems very basic and doesn't even mention a few of the features! CmapTools seems to be a very useful app (I've only been using it a couple of weeks, but have been using it quite heavily and I like most of what I see!) but without adequate documentation it's hard to get the most from it.

I am running version 5.03, on windows XP, with 2GB RAM.

[rcarvajal]

@saskiax:

The behavior you had described occurs when you haven't opened a concept map (step 1.) before the drag and drop operation. I just tested again the procedure and it works fine. I also tested the Style Group and it works fine as well when I drag & drop them from the Views to the Style palette window. The

In order to reuse a style you had previously created and "visible" in the Views windows, you need to:
1. Open a concept map or create a new one, then
2. Show the "Styles Palette" (ctrl-T or "Window --> Show Style Palette)
3. Click on the arrow that opens the style (left bottom corner), a "Default" style should be present.
4. then, Drag & Drop a Style or Style Group from the main Views to the style window.

[saskiax]

I definately had a cmap open when I tried to drag & drop the styles, and I was doing all of the other things you listed, but I still couldn't drag & drop. However, I have discovered I can copy & paste styles between the palettes of different cmaps, so I'm less bothered about being able to drag & drop from the Views window than I was (although copying and pasting between cmaps is still a less than ideal workaround, particularly as the number of cmaps I have increases). I think I might have to create a few "template" cmaps specifically for the purpose of copying & pasting styles if I can't get the drag & drop function to work.

[ngcks]

I definitely vouch that like Saskiax, I'm experiencing the same problems. I can't drag/drop from the View palette styles or style groups that I have saved. Note, that I'm not a newbie to CmapTools - I have used it for 2 years now.

This one shows that drag and drop is disabled. I can definitely do this in the previous version!

The other frustrating thing is that you cannot load up style/style groups by clicking on "Open" in the Styles palette. The previous styles or style groups that I have saved just doesn't show up in the file chooser!

This one shows that the file chooser can't "see" the style / style groups that I have saved to the root or to ANY folder!

PS Am using CmapTools v5.03 on Windows Vista Business SP1 with 4GB RAM

I really like CmapTools but this latest version sort of breaks it....