I mentioned the problem of the manual being meaningless to us mere mortals to the ThinkComposer developer. He responded:

"The product manual: It is mainly focused in explain the structure and relation between the base documents (Compositions and Domains) in order to model a user domain and reuse the semantics and graphics of that domain. From your comment, it’s clear that a How-To or Quick Guide is a pending documentation improvement."

Graham

... and you smacked your forehead and said, "Why didn't I think of that?"

Alexander Deliyannis wrote:

- If printing is important, most mind mapping software will fare better.
However, since your diagrams will probably be more complex, Inspiration
http://www.inspiration.com/visual-learning/concept-mapping might be the
better suited.

Alexander, you and I think alike. I was just about to suggest Inspiration as an option myself, and then saw your post.

Steve Z.

JerryNotts wrote:

I tried to formulate my needs in one sentence and came up with

Flowchart capable of linking to specific text.

Do I need a graphical version of CT?

If you want to keep both the learning curve and the cost down, then I'd recommend CmapTools or VUE if you need a concept map, or Freeplane, if a mind map suffices.

Here is an example of CmapTool's output, with links and published to the net (incidentally explaining how to share it online).
http://cmapskm.ihmc.us/rid=1064009710027_1644256618_27087/CmapTools%20-%20HTML%20Generation.cmap

And with VUE, it's possible to save a concept map as an interactive web graphic - HTML (though I've never tried it), obviously with links to resources:
http://vue.tufts.edu/index.cfm

Dr Andus,

I had already followed your own CT blog and tried every piece of software you had mentioned, without success, except for CT.

Like many potential users of CT I had skirmished with it over some time without fully realising its potential. Your posts showed me the way into it, for which many thanks.

I had used CMap some time ago, I thought I had found the answer until I could not 'attach' sufficient text at some points. So my search for an alternative began. I tried Outline 4D following your mention and illustration. I tried that over May and into the first half of this month but found it too textual.

ThinkComposer looks very capable but I am somewhat put off by the creators use of jargon. I am just a simple chemist turned to legal adviser who finds it a problem to remember what the reaction between hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide yields, so the meaning of his terms is forgotten before I come to use the related functions.

Hey ho, I shall just have to persevere. Incidentally cost is not an issue. I have a nasty feeling that I might need to use Visio, but I shall have the learning curve with that.

But thank you.

Jerry

Especially for Dr Andus

I persevered with my problem and eventually realised Cmap ought to be able to cope with my problem.

I re-read the help several time and found the video 'Three Concept Map Tools_ CmapTools, VUE, and Mindmeister.mp4' on YouTube.

It's a pity that I cannot find away to show the satisfactory result.

But thanks to everyone whose remarks have kept me at this.

Jerry

Hello Graham and other users.

ThinkComposer direction has been guided mostly by user's direct messages and questions (such as the current file generation capabilities which allows to export in your desired text format).

If you want your voice listened, please answer this poll about next steps:
http://conceptmodeler.wordpress.com/2013/07/05/help-to-decide-thinkcomposer-next-features/

Any feedback is always welcomed. Thanks!

tyto: web-based variation on the corkboard and post-it concept. It's an early-stage product (more like an alpha), so I wouldn't put anything precious in it, but maybe it's something to watch:

http://jh3y.github.io/tyto/

Another whiteboard-type software that seems to be a project management solution (though it could probably be adopted for writing tasks as well, although the export options are limited):

StoriesOnBoard (beta)

http://storiesonboard.com/

There have been several more recent discussions related to whiteboard (or 'corkboard') software, but this is the first dedicated thread I found searching so I thought the following article might be worth mentioning here:
https://shawnblanc.net/2019/01/infinite-canvas-whiteboard-apps/

(the software mentioned is iPad specific, but the article makes some points of more general intrerest)

If you're all in on the iPad then those apps mentioned are excellent choices. For a non-iOS or cross-platform solution I think the best options are sites like RealtimeBoard, ConceptBoard, Mural, Zeplin, IdeaFlip, etc...

Not forgetting the cheap-and-cheerful macOS and iOS option, Numbers ;-)

(Actually, I'm not sure if it's an infinite whiteboard, but it's enormous, and you can import most things. It also has its own diagramming/graphic tools)

Sorry, I don't mean to bang on about Numbers all the time, but it's awfully easy to overlook something quite capable just because it's free.

Cheers!
Bill

With very few exceptions, most programmes mentioned in the older posts of this thread seem to be defunct. Exceptions include OneNote, Cmap Tools and Open Board ( a fork of Open-Sankoré which itself is defunct). VUE and Compendium are apparently still available but no longer updated.

I found the relatively recent post below listing some relevant online applications which may be of interest:
https://zapier.com/blog/best-online-whiteboard/

Interestingly, there is now a Whiteboard application by Microsoft available for free on the Windows Store. I expect this to be last for some time, as its collaborative version is part of Teams.

I'd cast my vote for Realtimeboard (now called Miro).

I've tried all the whiteboard apps out there. This one's the best.

*"...in my opinion," I should say.

You can use Hyper Plan as a whiteboard. It is desktop software for Windows and Mac, but you can share your board via DropBox or similar and it will detect updates from other devices. It is also highly configurable.

--

Andy Brice
https://www.hyperplan.com

To be honest, a true whiteboard is one that lets the user to rearrange elements in a free-floating manner.

Which is why for that purpose, I use TreeSheets.

http://strlen.com/treesheets/

Here’s another plug for Numbers – but also for Corkulous, the latest version of which is very powerful, having been bought up by a new developer. Runs on macOS and iOS.

The one to go for is Corkulous Professional. Check it out in the Mac App Store and App Store, or visit the website (which isn’t hugely detailed) at https://www.corkulous.com

Cheers,
Bill

Corkulous is cute, but the default ugly skeuomorphic cork board metaphor is so so '80s.

Wouldn't think of HyperPlan for white boarding -- and it as no web or iOS/iPadOS presence anyway.

Numbers is good for blank-sheet white boarding -- Keynote is really good for that purpose too.

Paying $15/year for Corkulous to do what Keynote does for free -- why, that's almost four cups of coffee :-)

Wouldn't think of HyperPlan for white boarding

The OP said he wanted to show notes with text attached. Hyper Plan can certainly do that. But it doesn't attempt to do all the things that some other whiteboard software does. Also cards are positioned by properties or connections, there is no free layout (yet).

-- and it as no web or

iOS/iPadOS presence anyway.

It doesn't. But that wasn't mentioned in the original post (over 7 years ago!).

Andy Brice
http://www.hyperplan.com

I get the passion. It's your invention.

It's nice software. My comment is my personal assessment. Wouldn't think of HyperPlan for white boarding.

Andy Brice wrote:

Wouldn't think of HyperPlan for white boarding

The OP said he wanted to show notes with text attached. Hyper Plan can
certainly do that. But it doesn't attempt to do all the things that some
other whiteboard software does. Also cards are positioned by properties
or connections, there is no free layout (yet).

-- and it as no web or
>iOS/iPadOS presence anyway.

It doesn't. But that wasn't mentioned in the original post (over 7 years
ago!).

Andy Brice
http://www.hyperplan.com

I found out about HyperPlan by reading this thread and I have to say I find a lot of promise in content with structured, custom metadata that can be dynamically visualized.

If all I need is a whiteboard/canvas to draw and sketch I personally prefer to use an actual whiteboard. The OP mentioned he finds them inconvenient, and while it's true that they are not a mobile solution, I find the dimensions of a large whiteboard (80-120 inches) unbeatable for sense-making. A digital screen equivalent would be much more expensive and generally less responsive. Being able to walk around the whiteboard and engage the body to navigate it spatially adds a lot of cognitive anchors that help me make sense of what I'm whiteboarding. Rocketbook Beacons digitize analogue whiteboard content if I need to archive it and I could even do good handwriting ocr with pen to print.

Besides portability, what good old whiteboards lack are infinite space and dynamic function. For (virtually) infinite space, Concepts is my favourite cross-platform infinite canvas app. It has a beautiful design and a solid performance. It also has layers, infinite undo, and other nice dynamic functions. Zoomnotes is a close second (mac and iOS only), which combines whiteboards with notebook paradigms, and I love that you can embedd and nest whiteboards and notebooks.

But what I've been missing from whiteboarding apps is the ability to add metadata to content to create a variety of structured views that can be dynamically updated. Tinderbox and Curio offer some filtering options, but I hadn't seen anything like HyperPlan before. I see how its current features really fill a gap in existing software. Thought it would certainly be fantastic if it also allowed freely positioning content on a canvas! I'm downloading the trial version and will be exploring it this week.


Andy Brice wrote:

cards are positioned by properties
or connections, there is no free layout (yet).

I don't use subscription based apps, for a variety of reasons. TreeSheets I linked on the last page is free-floating. It's free but unfortunately he's stopped his donation link after raising $2000 over a decade though you can email him to donate if you insist. He's a nice guy, doing it for the love of it as a hobby. It has free floating, but a grid based system, which means limitations OR advantages. Depends on purpose at hand. It has a somewhat small learning curve, though not really. It's power is in creating templates that can look like anything you can imagine, quite wonderful and unlimited potential. He's still developing and updating it when he finds time.

If you like something which gives you free floating (layout) power like TreeSheets but goes beyond a grid system, you're looking at mindmaps (mm) really. I've used the big few commercial ones which are not cheap. I've tried the few famous free open source ones. The best mm for me is SimpleMind.

# easy user interface to begin with basics mm features
# can learn more advanced features (like Photoshop) if needed
# regularly updated, not virtual abandonware, by the small Dutch team
# Outliner layout panel view available, yes it's an Outliner too
# Outliner import: opml, also other import types, and export too
etc etc

Basically it's the most friendly yet simple-to-whatever-advanced level you want mm I've used and I used and/or dozens. The interface is the best on any mm.

The above alone should mean one has to buy it now. However it gets better, it is also on Windows, Mac+iOS & Android. It works wonderfully well with Android be it a phone or chromebook. Though the features are not as huge on Mobile platforms Android/ios as the desktop versions Windows & Mac, which have many more features. But the Android pro version is dirt cheap, also a free Android version.

The files can be opened on any OSb version of their software. Or exported to other apps. It also has multi mm types and ready to go templates. Complete template control for colors, etc. I use black background with florescent colors for cells and links etc, dazzling yet let's one work for hours with no strain on the eyes or on laptop battery.

I think everyone who uses mm on Windows, Mac, Android/iOS, is missing out if they don't use it. They have free versions too. Plus trial versions of Pro. I would buy the pro version if it was ten times the current price! It is very cheap for what it does. In any case it's cheap. It has other advantages too beyond a forum post or my time now.

And also the cheap price you pay for the Pro version: is not for upgrades for a year or current X.yyy version for a few years as with many software. It's for free lifetime upgrades. And they update a lot regularly. And not just bug fixes, they keep adding features, small and big features. If you're an Outliner fan, it means you're creative in some way shape or form.

I've no affiliation with them, don't even know the names of the few Dutch people behind it. They have a YouTube channel to for tuts. Beyond mindmaps or whiteboard use, this is the best brainstorming software I've used or tested and I've tested well over a thousand productivity software over a few decades.

https://simplemind.eu

@Paul Korm

It's nice software. My comment is my personal assessment. Wouldn't
think of HyperPlan for white boarding.

That's fine. Its not entirely clear to me exactly where the boundary is for what most people consider whiteboarding software.

@Edu Nv

Thought it would certainly be fantastic if it also allowed freely positioning content on a canvas!

It is high on the wishlist for Hyper Plan v3.

--
Andy Brice
http://www.hyperplan.com