Linking annotations to concepts and inserting resources

[philipjones]

Currently when you create an annotation it isn't linked to a concept like other resources. Yes, it is of course possible to 'add info' so that extra information comes up when you hover over the concept, but can't be formatted and is only intended to provide a brief description. However, it would be useful to be able to create text resources 'on the fly', rather than having to create them separately using word / notepad or similar and then adding them.

An 'annotate concept' option which opened up notepad to enable you to quickly produce a text resource would therefore be helpful. The possibility of annotating linking phrases might also be worth considering.

Also, the ability to either drag and drop or copy and paste a url of a resource directly onto a concept would be a neat feature, rather than the fairly cumbersome add web address / add or edit links to resources .

Keep up the great work,

Phil

[rcarvajal]

@philipjones:

Currently when you create an annotation it isn't linked to a concept like other resources.

The annotations can be linked to a node (concept or linking phrase) or a group of nodes. Please refer to What are Annotations in CmapTools?

Also, the ability to either drag and drop or copy and paste a url of a resource directly onto a concept would be a neat feature, rather than the fairly cumbersome add web address / add or edit links to resources .

It's already implemented as you had suggested. Please refer to this video IHMC CmapTools - Working with Resources

[tifialf]

dear Rodrigo
I appreciated your answer about annotations that can be associated with a specific part of the cmap (possibly to a linking phrase too).
I didn't know this feature before, because it is not stated in the help and I never tried it before.
Anyway I agree with the need to make annotations more editable: firstly for color. Different colours could be freely assigned to different users in a shared cmap, as an example. Secondly for status: if I put an annotation I want to know if somebody else have read it or edited.
Finally I think it can be useful if creating annotation you get by default time and date indications besides name and email address.

thanks

Alfredo

[philipjones]

Rodrigo,

thanks for the information ... however when I move a concept the annotation does not move with it. Is it possible to create an annotation that acts like any other concept resource?

Many thanks,

Phil

[tifialf]

Hi Phil
I have remediated this tricky solution for adding text to image nodes, as in mobile phone in this cmap:
http://cmapspublic2.ihmc.us/rid=1206181 ... jects.cmap
You can do it by adding web resource to any node (concept or linking phrase). But you have to pay attention not to click the link because the url doesn't exist at all!

Alf

[rcarvajal]

Rodrigo,

thanks for the information ... however when I move a concept the annotation does not move with it. Is it possible to create an annotation that acts like any other concept resource?

The annotation does not move along with the concept (or concepts and linking phrases), they are separate entities. In order to create an annotation that acts like any other concept resource, you could link a "text" (.txt) file, but I know It will not be the same as an annotation.

[rcarvajal]

dear Rodrigo
I appreciated your answer about annotations that can be associated with a specific part of the cmap (possibly to a linking phrase too).
I didn't know this feature before, because it is not stated in the help and I never tried it before.

@tifialf:

I really like your ideas to include the date and time , and to provide colors to the Annotations.

The Annotations, and many other CmapTools' features, are explained in the CmapTools Documentation. The documentation is organized as a Knowledge Model composed of concept maps and associated resources, constructed with CmapTools itself, its available at http://cmap.ihmc.us/Documentation/

[philipjones]

Rodrigo,

I would therefore like to re-word my suggestion to say that I would like the ability to create a text file (from within CMaps) which I can attach as a resource for a node through an option that can be chosen by right-hand clicking on a node (for example, it would automatically open up notepad, or a similar appliocation).

Cheers,

Phil

[rcarvajal]

@philipjones:

If you create a TXT file and add it as a resource, then it will be opened with Notepad or your default application. It is not the same as an annotation or your right-click suggestion, but you obtain similar results.