A summary of improvements and additions from the forum:

New features since 1.2.3 :

Ability to rearrange custom filters in the filter composer
Add Format=Unparsed LaTeX and \unparsedlatex node prefix to allow LaTeX content that is solely used for export
Add-on jar libraries
Allow program arguments like file.mm#ID_123456 to choose the first selected node
Allow to enter external http and https urls in add / change external image dialog
Bigger filter composer window depending on screen resolution
Cloud support in the scripting API
Command line option -U
Compile scripts on class path on startup
Editor for Latex with Syntax Highlighting
Export improvements
Install url handler for protocol "freeplane" for windows and mac
Internal frames
Latex rendered inline with automatic line breaks
Menu and preferences structure can be edited by users
Named filter conditions are part of the main menu
Open Street Maps as node extensions
Option to set image resolution for PNG/JPG image export
Performance: cache compiled scripts
Remove ".mm" from tab titles
Scripting API for node encryption, exports and map specific storage
Scripting API: node.style.numberingEnabled, node shifts, node.minimalDistanceBetweenChildren
Several scripting API extensions
Textbox in preferences for common/global LaTeX macros (plugins->LaTeX)
Undockable maps
Update groovy to 2.1.9
Use signed applet and jnlp descriptors so that local applets can run with the latest java
Use signed jar so that local jar files work with the latest java versions

Jon Polish wrote:

A summary of improvements and additions from the forum:
New features since 1.2.3 :

Thanks, Jon. The improvements seem to be fairly technical, focusing on sophisticated power users. But before new users might be put off by this, let me say that it's perfectly possible to use Freeplane as a very simple outliner, without the need to get involved with any of the advanced features. Freeplane these days is my main outliner, and I never bothered with those advanced features.

Out of all the improvements listed, this one sounds the most interesting to me, as a non-sophisticated but daily user:

Install url handler for protocol "freeplane" for windows and mac

If I understand this correctly, this should allow one to link from a document within another software (such as Scrivener or ConnectedText) directly to a specific node in Freeplane. So far I've been using such links in the opposite direction (linking from a Freeplane node to a ConnectedText topic or a Surfulater item), which is also very useful. But being able to link to specific Freeplane nodes opens up new possibilities.

I'm a little confused by release numbers. I have Freeplane 1.2.23 installed (OS X). "Check updates" tells me that version 1.3.11 is now available. I'll go to that.

May I ask why you've decided to go with Freeplane as your outliner of choice?

I used to use it a lot, then kind of drifted away from it. I'd missed the whole "outliner" mode, which looks pretty good (although on my Ubuntu box a collapsed node didn't show up in the parent, making it hard to know what was IN the outline).

But it does seem a remarkably flexible tool, bridging the gap between dashboard, file manager, link manager, mind map, and outliner. Is that your point?

Dr Andus wrote:

> Install url handler for protocol "freeplane" for windows and mac

I've been experimenting with this feature, trying to find a use for it. To use it with ConnectedText, the following steps need to be followed:

1) Add the word "freeplane" to the list of protocols in My Documents > ConnectedText > protocols.txt and restart CT.

2) Go to Freeplane > Tools > Preferences > Environment and tick the two boxes for "Single program instance." (If you don't do this, a new Freeplane application instance will launch every time you click on the link.)

3) Then navigate to any node in a Freeplane map to which you want to link to, right click on it, and select "Copy node URI."

4) Go to a CT topic, type [[$URL: then paste the Freeplane link in and type |whatevernameyoulike]] and that's it. A link to the Freeplane node will be created.

5) Click on the link in CT, and Freeplane will display the linked node. I like to have "View > Center selected node" on, so the node will always be displayed in the centre.

I imagine a similar process would need to be followed with Scrivener or any other software that allows you to add a new protocol.

This feature could be used as a form of bookmarking Freeplane nodes externally. Let's say you're working through a big Freeplane mind map, and you don't want to forget the last node you were working on (or maybe a whole range of nodes in different parts of the map). Then you can just create a series of links to each node in CT, and call up and navigate through the nodes that way.

jaslar wrote:

May I ask why you've decided to go with Freeplane as your outliner of
choice?

I do use other outliners for various purposes, but Freeplane is currently my outliner of choice when it comes to actually writing up a typically 10,000-word document.

I use it in mind map mode (not outline mode) with nodes going from left to right, which effectively is a horizontal outliner. I like the horizontal layout because more can be seen of the outline in a landscape mode monitor. I look at it in a second monitor on my right, as I'm writing it up in WriteMonkey in my main monitor.

I like it that you can display the notes under each node, which turns it into a single-pane outliner with inline notes (a rare breed). I've also assigned some icons to some keyboard shortcuts, so it's very easy to number, check off, or highlight as important an individual node. I check nodes off with a big red X icon as I write them up, and it's satisfying to see the progress.

But it does seem a remarkably flexible tool, bridging the gap between
dashboard, file manager, link manager, mind map, and outliner. Is that
your point?

Yes, it can be used as a very minimalistic mind mapper/outliner (I've found almost every other mind mapper too garish visually), while at the same time it gives you huge flexibility in customising it. But I basically strip it down to look as minimalistic as possible. And yes, it's so easy to drag and drop files into it, link from it to external applications, and now even link back into it.

I'm only just scratching the surface...

Jon Polish wrote:

Export improvements

I see they've added OPML now as an export option. That's good news too. Hopefully that means that inline notes also get included in the OPML file. But it doesn't seem to be possible to import an OPML file, as far as I can see it.

Dr Andus wrote:

I see they've added OPML now as an export option. That's good news too.
Hopefully that means that inline notes also get included in the OPML
file.

I just tried this. It doesn't look like the inline notes get exported with the OPML file. That's too bad.

I've also just tried importing a .mm file into Bonsai, and the only thing that gets imported as a note are links. I thought this worked in the past. I wonder if something has changed in the file format now, so that links get converted into notes during export.

Dr Andus wrote:

I use it in mind map mode (not outline mode) with nodes going from left
to right, which effectively is a horizontal outliner. I like the
horizontal layout because more can be seen of the outline in a landscape
mode monitor.

How do you do that?

Franz Grieser wrote:

How do you do that?

Sorry, what do you mean? I'm just using the default setup I think, except that I only allow nodes to go towards the right from the first main node, as opposed to going in all directions, as mind maps tend to do.

Dr Andus wrote:

Sorry, what do you mean? I'm just using the default setup I think,
except that I only allow nodes to go towards the right from the first
main node, as opposed to going in all directions, as mind maps tend to
do.

In my setup the nodes are going in all directions and I couldn't find a command to keep them from doing that. Neither could I find a way to position the nodes free-style (as e.g. in Xmind when holding the ALT key while dragging a node).

Franz Grieser wrote:

In my setup the nodes are going in all directions and I couldn't find a
command to keep them from doing that.

For me the left-to-right direction is now default behaviour when I start a new map, and I can't remember if I had to save it as a special style. I think I just manually dragged any branches that went from right-to-left back to left-to-right, and it just stayed that way. I just tried dragging them now back manually to right-to-left, and it works, so give it a try. BTW, I only create new nodes either by using a hotkey (CTRL=) or by selecting an existing node and hitting Enter, which for me always adds new nodes left-to-right.

Neither could I find a way to position the nodes free-style

Sorry, I don't use that at all, so I don't know. I tried it in the past but didn't like it. I prefer to use VUE if I need free-style concept mapping.

Strange. Doesn't work in the German edition. At least I found a way to add a free-form node (but no keyboard shortcut). But I'll uninstall Freeplane as I find it more cumbersome to use than Xmind 2013 (which is faster and consumes less resources than vs 2012).

Franz Grieser wrote:

Dr Andus wrote:

>I use it in mind map mode (not outline mode) with nodes going from left
>to right, which effectively is a horizontal outliner. I like the
>horizontal layout because more can be seen of the outline in a
landscape
>mode monitor.

How do you do that?

Instead of pressing Enter, try Insert. You want to create subtopics which will be arranged horizontally as Dr. Andus described.

With regard to creating a free positioned node, that is easy. CTRL + Double Click on an empty area of the map will accomplish that. Both have their advantages but overall I find Freeplane much more powerful.

Jon

Jon Polish wrote:

Instead of pressing Enter, try Insert. You want to create subtopics
which will be arranged horizontally as Dr. Andus described.

Strange. I do that and end up with nodes arranged vertically on the left and right of the central node.

With regard to creating a free positioned node, that is easy. CTRL +
Double Click on an empty area of the map will accomplish that.

Nice to know.

Both have
their advantages but overall I find Freeplane much more powerful.

Maybe. But I find it visually the least appealing mind mapper. And for me mind mapping has a lot to do with visuals. So: Back to Xmind. Escpecially after I found out that exporting a mindmap to Word gave me a Word/LibreOffice DOC file with the correct heading styles.

Nevertheless: Thanks for the hints.