As one can see from the following screenshot, there now exists an inconsistent application of the connecting lines from Subtopic to Subtopic vs. Main Topic to Subtopic in version 14.3.192. Is there any way to make this consistent (e.g. include the leading line connector before the +/- indicator)? I don't like this newly introduced inconsistency - It looks imbalanced to me and more difficult to see the direct linkage of the subtopic. If not, please provide an option in the upcoming version 15. Does anyone else experience this imbalance?
Posted 6 years ago
This feature was introduced in 14.3 and cannot be turned off.
I understand that MindManager 15 will have the ability for the user to choose whether this feature is active or not but guess that 14.3 users will have to live with it.
I agree with you that it throws the visuals of the map out, however you can solve the issue you show in your screen shot to some degree by using the Design->Topic Shape function and selecting any shape type or the line only option. It is only with the No Line option that this looks odd.
This will give you a constant line on the topic as it connects to the child topic but it will not reduce the extra spacing that has been added to accommodate the Quick Add feature.
Regards
Nigel
Olympic Limited
The MindManager Solutions Specialist
Check out our latest MindManager add-ins: Map Tracker - Topic Tracker - WordX
I understand that MindManager 15 will have the ability for the user to choose whether this feature is active or not but guess that 14.3 users will have to live with it.
I agree with you that it throws the visuals of the map out, however you can solve the issue you show in your screen shot to some degree by using the Design->Topic Shape function and selecting any shape type or the line only option. It is only with the No Line option that this looks odd.
This will give you a constant line on the topic as it connects to the child topic but it will not reduce the extra spacing that has been added to accommodate the Quick Add feature.
Regards
Nigel
Olympic Limited
The MindManager Solutions Specialist
Check out our latest MindManager add-ins: Map Tracker - Topic Tracker - WordX
JTB3
I appreciate you illustrating a work around for this (do you mean 'feature' or 'behavior'). Certainly I can understand why they added space to accommodate the 'Quick Add' feature - although It seems to me that the 'quick add' could still be implemented without needing extra space (alleviating the all-or-nothing need to provide an option to turn it off).
I hope someone from MindJet sees this and can report this inconsistency to the engineering team for repair. As you say, it really "throws the visuals of the map out."
Cheers and thanks, -JT
Nigel Goult (Olympic)
I would guess that any themes where topic style has been set to No Line will exhibit this behavior.
You could try to create your own theme (modify an existing one) where these topic styles are not defined and then set that as your default as a starting point.
That would go some way to helping. Alas, the increased spacing I think we will have to live with.
JTB3
Now that I've re-analysed this situation, these perceptual change issues are all due to the increased space added for the 'Quick Add' frame. Too bad they couldn't get the design right without changing the fundamental proportions of the map. I've now noticed multiple posters complaining about this extra spacing in other map conditions as well. A little QA and user feedback integration would really have served MindJet here.
I tried getting the line to show in levels 2+ by modding the template using your info and inserting a custom transparent PNG image (30x90 pix). This kind of worked but there were resulting text alignment issues that then surfaced - so I ended up scrapping it.
Oh well, I'll probably just switch the Quick Add off when v15 arrives since it mucks up the map layout so much (IMHO).
Thanks again for all of your input here :)
-JT
Michael Deutch
JTB3
Hopefully a middle-ground can be reached on this. For larger multi-level graphs, the extra space from the 'Quick Add' definitely throws off the visual map balance that was so carefully architected in prior versions. I'm sure with some extra thought there will be a design for "ALL".
Cheers, -JT
Bmorgui
Michael Deutch
Thanks for your message. An unfortunate reality is that there will always be bugs in every software release by every vendor. I have to make tough calls to determine what to fix, if it needs to be fixed at all, when to fix it, whether or not to hold up a release or ship with issues. My goal is never to throw customers under the bus...EVER. I actually love our customers and want to deliver the best product for them. Unfortunately, I don't have unlimited resources and have constraints that I must plan around. There may be times where you have to upgrade to resolve an issue that is significant to you. Others may not feel this is an issue worth upgrading over. I didn't expect this to be a 'showstopper' (and clearly it wasn't considered one at the time because we shipped with the known issue). So, as I mentioned, we subsequently prioritized the fix in the next release after receiving feedback from our users.
Michael
JTB3
Is this on the v15 roadmap Michael?
Bmorgui
When you add a new feature ("quick-add") that changes the functionality and appearance of the product that the customer originally purchased -- and doesn't immediately provide a mechanism to turn this feature off without requiring the customer to purchase an upgrade -- then, yes, this is the definition of throwing the customer under the bus. You screwed your customer to either accept the new (broken) feature or give you more money. I don't see how it can be viewed in any other way.
Your golden rule should be to do no harm. Don't add anything that breaks what your current users already have. And if you must, then certainly provide the option to turn it off and revert to where they were!
You should issue v.14.4 that allows the consumer to turn this feature off and corrects the error in spacing ASAP.
In the meantime, after obtaining help from your customer support (since there is no link on your website thank you very much) - I'm back to v.14.1 and a bunch of wasted hours.
Thanks,
Bob
PS- If you (likely) choose to ignore the above , then JUST PLEASE provide a link to a "features added, bugs fixed" list in the "MindJet Product Upgrade" page (https://secure.mindjet.com/support/offerings/productUpdate.aspx?lang=en&prodid=03532547-7ABD-46F...) so that customers can decide or not if they want your new features or if you've actually corrected the bugs they're suffering with before they take download and "upgrade" to newer bugs.
This should not take too much of your limited resources.
Michael Deutch
Thanks for your critical feedback. My apologies for any wasted time you occurred. My goal is not to harm. We post the release notes on the product download page on the regular mindjet.com website but you're right, they don't appear on the upgrade page. We should do that as well.I will see about posting the release notes there as well.
Thanks again,
MIchael
Michael Deutch