Years ago, I used a large MS-DOS software program called "Framework" with an extraordinary outlining function used in both file management and organization within a file. A line within an outline could hold a hierarchical outline, a word processing document, a spreadsheet, a drawing, or a photo. Expand/Collapse was available at all levels. Unfortunately, Framework never made it out of MS-DOS and into Windows. Still, it is the most elegant program I've ever used.

I've tried to use the outlining feature within Microsoft Word, but it is terribly clumsy.

Is there anything like Framework...for Windows?

If not, I am in need of an outlining program, with expand/collapse, and seamless exchange into/out of Microsoft Word.

Please recommend...Thank you

I am not sure if this is exactly what you are looking for (I'm not familiar with Framework), but there is an application called Correlate that sounds like it might be close. Here is the URL:

http://www.correlate.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=&var=OKM

I don't believe this software has been updated in a while, but I do believe it is free for personal use (at least it used to be).

As for outlining software that seamlessly transfers back and forth from Word, I do not believe that exists, unless Inspiration can do that.

http://www.inspiration.com/Personal-and-Business-Use

Steve Z.

The only outliner (actually mind mapper with outline view) that I know can seamlesly import/export from Word is Matchware's MindView, previously OpenMind:
http://www.matchware.com/en/products/mindview/features.htm#Integration_with_Microsoft

It's not cheap, but it's powerful. Here's the description regarding Word integration:

"First, create a framework for your ideas in one of the Mind Mapping views. Then export to Word using our professional, ready-to-use templates to produce a fully formatted Word document, complete with table of contents, page numbers, headers and footers, and a structure that reflects the precise structure of your Mind Map (main branches become main paragraphs, sub-branches become sub-paragraphs, and so on). Mind Mapping is ideal for creating outlines for proposals, reports, contracts and many other types of documents.

MatchWare MindView also lets you re-import exported documents into MindView while retaining any additional work done in Word, as well as the branch structure and layout of the original Mind Map. You can even import original Word documents into MindView. In that case, the branch structure of the new Mind Map is based on the paragraph structure of your original Word document."

Regarding organising documents and other information on an outline, I'd say that many modern 2-pane outliners do that; i.e. files on the outline 'tree' are either imported or linked to, and when clicking on them you can open them in the associated external application (Word, Excel, etc), or view them in the program itself, if it supports Object Linking and Embedding (OLE). I use UltraRecall ( http://www.kinook.com/ ), but the likes of MyInfo ( http://www.milenix.com/ ) and MyBase ( http://www.wjjsoft.com/ ) should also work fine if this is what you want to do. Another interesting alternative should be Microsoft's Onenote 2007.

I don't know how it compares with Framework, but Whizfolders is an outliner that allows you to link to files on a computer and it is a kind of an outliner in the end. Its files are relatively easy to export as RTF files and open in Word. For a more straightforward outliner with the collapsing function, I'd recommend Natara Bonzai, which can also export to Word.

Grateful for the assistance and recommendations from all. I'll investigate the programs mentioned. Thanks.

I am posting here, mostly for reference, a link to the (brief) original discussion on the Keeping Found Things Found approach.
http://www.outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/874

The Personal Project Planner program mentioned there ( http://kftf.ischool.washington.edu/planner_index.htm ), is a single-pane outliner offering such linking functionality, like Ecco Pro and InfoQube.

But you should know that these are the requirements for Personal Project Planner:

Before you begin the download, please be sure your computer meets the following requirements:

- WindowsXP/Vista
- Office2007
- Microsoft Outlook 2007
- Microsoft Outlook 2007 is your
primary Email account

Manfred

Manfred wrote:

But you should know that these are the requirements for Personal Project Planner:

Before you begin the download, please be sure your computer meets the following requirements:

- WindowsXP/Vista
- Office2007
- Microsoft Outlook 2007
- Microsoft Outlook 2007 is your primary Email account

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Yes, I had "great expectations" until I saw the requirements. I doubt many who don't currently meet these requirements will care to spend the cash or the time to modify their work flow to meet PPP's requirements.