Outliner with flexible, sortable columns

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Posted by richardp
Jan 11, 2007 at 06:22 AM

I’m looking for a Windows-based outliner program that allows multiple columns, each of which can be sorted alphanumerically, by date, etc.

Back when I used a Mac for my business (alas, my current employer is a PC shop), I used Attain’s In Control, which I know is long since kaput. What I really liked about In Control was that it had an outline view and a table view (and a calendar view). You could structure your information in the outline view (and, as I recall, promote/demote items, collapse/expand the levels, etc.) and then sort user-specified columns—useful for, for instance, arranging to-do items by date. The sort would take you into the table view, with those items with dates at the top of the table, and sorted. A single button click would take you back to outline view, with all your data still properly structured.

I’ve tried a variety of Windows-based outliners and have never found that can do all that (which doesn’t seem like much to me, and to me is such obvious, basic functionality that I’ve got to think it’s out there). Some I’ve tried allow you to structure your data in outline form, but as soon as you sort a column, the structure is gone and you can’t go back. Come on! How un-useful is that. Surely this ability to sort while being able to go back to an outline structure is out there!

Please, anyone, suggestions for programs to check out?

Thanks!

Posted by Stephen Zeoli
Jan 11, 2007 at 02:17 PM

richardp wrote:
>I’m looking for a Windows-based outliner program that allows multiple columns, each
>of which can be sorted alphanumerically, by date, etc.

Richard,

I fear you are destined to be disappointed by the offerings in the PC world. What you describe sounds like the late great GrandView, an old DOS outliner, which, in my opinion, is the best PC software ever.

The problem is that all the programs in the Windows world that offer columns are not strictly speaking outliners, but are better classified as hierarchical freeform databases (also known as two-pane outliners). The difference being that with a single-pane outliner all content is stored and viewed in the outline; whereas, with a two-pane outliner the content is stored and viewed separate from the outline—really, the outline is just a categorization scheme. None of the single-pane outliners (NoteMap or Inspiration) has column capability. And not all the two-pane outliners offer columns, either. One suggestion for one that does and works pretty well is MyInfo (http://www.milenix.com). Another possibility, one that I’m not very familiar with, is Ariadne (I don’t know the URL)... perhaps someone else can weigh in on this.

Steve Z.

Posted by Ken Ashworth
Jan 11, 2007 at 02:42 PM

RichardP,

Not sure what you’ve tried so far, but some of what you’re asking for may be supplied by ListPro:

http://www.iliumsoft.com/site/lp/listpro.htm

although it claims to support notes for an item, I’m not sure how extensive this feature is (I have not had a chance to play with the program).

Later,
KenA

Posted by Daly de Gagne
Jan 11, 2007 at 04:49 PM

Steve, I agree with you about MyInfo.

Ariadne does not have columns

ADM has probably the most advanced system of columns, but I would recommend waiting until version 4 is released. That may happen soon. A Chinese version, with Chinese characters, has been released.

ADM is the ideal—no program matches its feature set. However, until the new version comes out and has proven itself, I think MyInfo is the way to go.

Daly

Stephen Zeoli wrote:
>richardp wrote:
>>I’m looking for a Windows-based outliner program that allows
>multiple columns, each
>>of which can be sorted alphanumerically, by date,
>etc.
> >Richard,
> >I fear you are destined to be disappointed by the offerings in the PC
>world. What you describe sounds like the late great GrandView, an old DOS outliner,
>which, in my opinion, is the best PC software ever.
> >The problem is that all the
>programs in the Windows world that offer columns are not strictly speaking
>outliners, but are better classified as hierarchical freeform databases (also
>known as two-pane outliners). The difference being that with a single-pane outliner
>all content is stored and viewed in the outline; whereas, with a two-pane outliner the
>content is stored and viewed separate from the outline—really, the outline is just a
>categorization scheme. None of the single-pane outliners (NoteMap or Inspiration)
>has column capability. And not all the two-pane outliners offer columns, either. One
>suggestion for one that does and works pretty well is MyInfo (http://www.milenix.com).
>Another possibility, one that I’m not very familiar with, is Ariadne (I don’t know the
>URL)... perhaps someone else can weigh in on this.
> >Steve Z.

Posted by Hugh Pile
Jan 11, 2007 at 05:10 PM

Ecoo Pro (http://supportweb.netmanage.com/ts_viewnow/downloads/patchesUnsupported/ecco.asp).

I believe it fits your criteria.

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