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Natara Bonsai - still a top notch outliner
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Posted by Dr Andus
Dec 13, 2012 at 11:39 PM
I keep referring to Bonsai as a single-pane outliner, as that’s what I use it for, but I just realised that’s an incorrect classification.
In fact, Bonsai is a three-pane outliner.
Pane 1 is the Outline Manager, which can display Bonsai files in a) a flat view (list of Bonsai files), b) a “desktop folder view” (folders + files; gathering all folders that contain Bonsai files), and c) a Category view (files organised into Category folders). Pane 1 can be toggled in/out of view by ALT+M.
Pane 2 is the main outline window, which can be used as a single-pane outliner when Pane 1 and Pane 3 are hidden.
Pane 3 is the Notes pane, which - when displayed - splits Pane 2 either vertically (creating a classic 3-pane view) or horizontally (appearing below Pane 2 outline).
In addition (as I mentioned before), Bonsai also has an “outliner of outliners” functionality. You can use one outline as the master outline, and use the “linking” functionality to link outline items in Pane 2 to Bonsai files (the ones that can be seen in Pane 3).
Posted by Dr Andus
Dec 13, 2012 at 11:49 PM
Dr Andus wrote:
>In addition (as I mentioned before), Bonsai also has an “outliner of
>outliners” functionality. You can use one outline as the master outline,
>and use the “linking” functionality to link outline items in Pane 2 to
>Bonsai files (the ones that can be seen in Pane 3).
Sorry, meant to say “the ones that can be seen in **Pane 1**”
Posted by Slartibartfarst
Dec 14, 2012 at 12:01 PM
I downloaded the version v5.0.5 (2011-05-24), but installation failed with spurious errors and so I abandoned it as a WOT (Waste-Of-Time). My system is Win7-64 Home Premium.
I updated Natara Bonasai version, date and installation fail notes at:
http://www.editgrid.com/user/pplandry/List_of_Outliners
Posted by Dr Andus
Dec 14, 2012 at 03:17 PM
Slartibartfarst wrote:
I downloaded the version v5.0.5 (2011-05-24), but installation failed
>with spurious errors and so I abandoned it as a WOT (Waste-Of-Time). My
>system is Win7-64 Home Premium.
>I updated Natara Bonasai version, date and installation fail notes at:
>http://www.editgrid.com/user/pplandry/List_of_Outliners
It sounds like you’ve downloaded the Windows Mobile Desktop Edition, which seems to be an abandoned beta (http://www.natara.com/bonsai/WmBeta.cfm). I’ve never used that one.
I’ve been running Bonsai 5 Desktop Edition (v. 5.0.3, 2009-09-23) on Win7-64 Home Premium for two years now (and many years before that on XP) and I have never had any problems whatsoever. That’s the 3rd one on the list on the download page: http://www.natara.com/bonsai/Download.cfm
In fact Bonsai is one of the very few old software I have that I don’t need to run in XP mode or as an administrator, it works with Win7-64 perfectly (v.5.0.3 desktop only version).
Posted by Dr Andus
May 13, 2013 at 09:34 PM
Someone brought it to my attention recently that the Bonsai website is not working:
Does anyone know what is up with them? I do hope the site will come back to life. It’s still one of my favourite outliners…