Is it possible to put your content into layers in MindManager for Windows (v17)?
Beyond the base layer, I would like to be able to at a single click turn on and off an entire 'layer' of content from appearing. I looked into the MindManager filters a few months ago and found them rather weak.
With thanks
J
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Posted 3 years ago
Nick Duffill, Champion
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Nick gives some examples of possible interpretations of your question, but maybe you need something completely different.
Since MindManager is a visual tool, the best way is to include images.
Alex Gooding, Champion
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If you want to turn groups of topics on and off selectively however then you might have to look at alternatives such as attaching these groups to invisible floating topics; you can use the expand/collapse button on the floating topic to make these groups appear and disappear. I've described the process here: https://sociamind.com/2015/03/02/crea...
Another option has emerged with MindManager 17.1 (and later) - the ability to use topic roll ups in dashboard maps to show selected branches and topics in one or more parent maps. This means for example that if you have a map where each branch represents activities in different stores in a chain of stores, you can use a dashboard map to show selectively just the sales figures for a specific item across all stores. This post provides an example: https://sociamind.com/2017/01/17/mind...
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I might have have a subject area hierarchy in the base layer, and then turn on and off projects (and actions) that were of specific statuses. A simple one might be to hide all my "Someday-Maybe" tasks and later to show just all Someday-Maybe tasks. But there would be a number of other statuses.
And it would be nice to have any new stuff to default into the current layer. And maybe even have stuff that is on a specific layer default to showing up in a user-defined colour?
Likewise one might turn on/off each of my "do asap" Actions that I had categorised by Context, in turn, so I could just see all my Errands on one screen... but also to have them show up in the correct 2D location with respect to the subject area layer of the map.
Moreover I might have a number of non-standard-GTD statuses, such as "Complete_Soon (but not yet)" or "Don't look at this for at least 1 year"
OR maybe I would have a different view (i.e. layer) for each of:
- standalone actions
- normal projects & their actions
- larger projects & their actions
OR maybe I might slap the Urgent and Important onto different layers (but this raises the problem of what to do about something that is both! i.e. Can an item be on 2 layers at once?!)
In truth I haven't given a vast amount of thought into how I would use it exactly. I just remember apply filters seems quite fiddly and involving a lot of clicks.
But either way it sounds like there is no built-in way to do layers, yes?
J
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Nick Duffill, Champion
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1. Choose the map structure carefully as you only have one structure to work with and it will be a pain to change later. I would avoid choosing a status-based structure such as days of the week, percent complete, or priority. Design it either around strategic outcomes or projects.
2. Define the GTD-like actions you want to be able to do, such as completing next actions, reviewing someday/maybe stuff and so on.
3. Identify what lists you need to see to be able to do the steps in 2.
4. Design map markers to generate these lists and apply them to the map. Try to avoid cases where you need to use specific combinations of markers if you can. These lists will always be there without any filtering or clicking.
5. Look at the function for showing or hiding completed tasks in the marker index. This is very useful for working with actions.
6. If your design does rely on combinations of markers, try to arrange it so that you can filter on one marker (which is easy from the marker index), leaving the list you want visible under another marker. This is easier than setting up advanced filters.
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J
Alex Gooding, Champion
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For the sorts of things you are trying to do I agree with the approach suggested by Nick.
Sometimes however you do end up having to use power filters, but you can save and manage these queries and even apply them cumulatively (though be very careful if you do this to ensure that you are getting the results you want).
Also have a look at the commands under Filter on the View tab on the ribbon. These make it very easy to show and in particular hide topics based on either the standard task filters or saved power filters; in fact they are the easiest way to hide matching topics based on a saved power filter with just one click.
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I am re-visiting this.
BACKGROUND RE-CAP
I have a large mind-map hierarchy organized by subject area, and scattered within the hierarchical tree I have individual stuff (projects/actions) having one of about 8 'statuses' of execution (e.g. SomedayMaybe, Live, Today, Do_Soon, Defer, Done etc)
I have tried using Flag Markers to define the Status of each item. It that what you mean, Nick?
If so, I have tried creating a Power Filter for each Status.
PROBLEM
It's quite a lot of clicks to change which Status is currently being shown.
Is there any way to put individual Power Filters onto the Quick Access Toolbar or Ribbon? ... So that they can be executed at a single click Because I change Statuses views very frequently. [I think someone said not.
Failing that is there any way to create a user-defined hotkey for each? Presumably not...
Thanks
J
Nick Duffill, Champion
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Alex Gooding, Champion
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For something I'll be doing a LOT, if I understand you correction, it's still quite a lot of clicks.
Nick - no, I am just using individual Markers.
e.g. Click on: 1. [Tag name] ==> 2. Click on Quick Filter ==> 3. Show
==> So that is 3 clicks minimum. And that's assuming that the tag name is currently visible...
Alex - Yes slightly better, particularly as I can add the Filter Show command to the Quick Access Toolbar.
e.g. Click on: 1. Filter Show ==> 2. [Query name]
==> So that is 2 clicks minimum
...} PLUS I may need to click Remove filter first (or Control+Shift+Alt+A)
So to change from filtering so as to show just one Tag (or other Marker) to another Tag, that is a minimum of 3 or else 4 clicks.
I was ideally hoping for a single click to change 'layer'.
I was also hoping that any new stuff that one adds when one is working in any given layer would default to into being tagged as being that layer.
Conclusion
Hmm... I suppose can I probably work with the above, but it does feels quite clunky for the use that I have in mind.
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