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This page contains answers to common questions handled by
our support staff for VisiMap, along with some tips and tricks
that we have found useful and presented here as questions. Note:
In our answers we follow a few shorthand conventions for describing user-interface
procedures. Key combinations are presented like this: Ctrl+Shift+F, which means
that you should press and hold down the Control key, the Shift key, and the F key at the
same time. Menu selections are presented like this: File|Open, which means that
you should open the File menu, and then select the Open command.
Editing
Icons, Color & Styles
Importing & Exporting
Printing
Viewing
Miscellaneous
Q: Sometimes the maps I create become very large.
How can I split a large map into several, interlinked, smaller ones to make them more
manageable? If I do this, can I later re-integrate one or more of the divided maps back
again?
A: VisiMap has two compound commands that make these processes
straightforward: the Subtree|Cut to linked map command and the Subtree|Replace
with linked map command.
Cut to linked map takes an existing tree in the 'host' map,
transfers it to a new map (the file name of which you specify) making the root of the tree
into the new map's centre, and replacing the tree in the host map with a named link to the
newly-created map.
The Replace with linked map command implements the converse
operation: it replaces a map link in the 'host' map with the linked map itself.
Q: How do I change the color of branches?
A: This is done most easily using the color palette at the bottom of the
VisiMap window. Select the branch you wish to color and click the left mouse button while
the pointer is over the desired color. You can click the right mouse button to set the
shading color of the branch, too. If you hold down the Ctrl key while performing
either of these operations, the colors will also be applied to the whole tree below the
selected branch.
You can also control branch colors by using styles. Search the on-line
help system for the term "style".
Q: How do I create and use a new style sheet?
A: To create a new style sheet, choose Styles|Modify styles and
then press the Save As button. You will be prompted for a file name. You can then
modify, add and delete styles to this new style sheet as you prefer. To attach the new
style sheet to a map, open the map (if it is not already open) and double-click over the
map centre (or press the Enter key when the map centre is highlighted) to edit it: now press the Change button
and choose the new style sheet you have just created from the file selector.
Q: I like the ability to add icons to branches of a
map. However, the selection of icons that comes with VisiMap doesn't contain many of the
icons I'd like to use. Where can I find additional icons to use with VisiMap?
A: First, VisiMap can work with icons from many sources - while over 100
icons are provided with VisiMap to get you started, you can use other icons, too. Icons
are stored in different types of file: executable files and libraries (.exe and .dll
files), icon files (.ico), icon libraries (often with the extensions .icl or .il, or even
.nil). Most Windows applications installed on your system will have one or more icons
embedded in their executable files. Also, many thousands of icons have been collected
together into icon libraries, and are available from most public domain and shareware
sources, and can be found at various sites on the Internet.
The VisiMap icon selector can view and extract icons for use from any of
these files. Use the icon selector's browser to examine the .exe and .dll files present on
your system - you never know what little goodies you might find! A good starting point
would be to view the moricons.dll library in your c:\windows directory (for
Windows 3.x installations) or the shell32.dll file in your c:\windows\system
folder (Windows 95/98 installations).
If you have a favourite icon library which you would like VisiMap to
load by default when you add a new branch icon, use the Tools|Icons|Default icon file
command to set the default file name.
Q: What is the significance of the 'T' symbol in
some of the colors on the color palette?
A: Windows recognises two types of color: solid colors which
can be rendered exactly on a display or other output device (such as a printer) by a
uniform collection of pixels (dots) of the same color, and non-solid dithered
colors made by mixing different colored pixels to create an effect that appears to the
human eye at a distance of a few inches or more to be the uniform color intended. For
example, an area filled with alternating blue and yellow dots would appear green.
While an area can be colored, or shaded, with any color, solid or
dithered, Windows can display text only in solid colors. If Windows is asked to draw text
in a dithered color, it will in fact draw it in the closest matching solid color
available.
VisiMap uses the 'T' symbol in its color palette to indicate to you
which color samples are solid colors (and can therefore be used as text colors): if you
apply one of these colors to a branch (by clicking the left mouse button over the color
sample in the palette), then you know this is the exact color that will be used to display
the branch. If you use a text color selected from the palette which does not have the 'T'
symbol, then the branch will be colored using only a close match.
Finally, if you use any one of the palette's colors as a background
color for a branch (by clicking the right mouse button over the color sample) the branch
will be shaded with the color selected, irrespective of whether it is a solid or dithered
color.
Q: Can I import documents from other programs into
VisiMap?
A: Yes, VisiMap can import from both RTF (Rich Text Format), MPX
(Microsoft Project Exchange) and ASCII text files. VisiMap can determine the structure of
the import files in a variety of ways (for instance, by using embedded outline
information, indentation or section numbering) and create a map with this structure. body
text found in the import file is added as notes to the appropriate branches.
You can import a file in a number of ways: use VisiMap's File|Open
command, drag a file from File Manager (Windows 3.1 or Windows NT 3.51) or Explorer
(Windows 95/98 or Windows NT 4.0/2000) and drop it onto the VisiMap background window, or pass the
file name on VisiMap's command line at startup. When you import the file, VisiMap will
detect the file format automatically and present you with an opportunity to configure the
import process.
Q: I want to use a map I have created as an
outline for a presentation, by transferring it in a suitable format to my presentation
program. How do I do this? Can I also export outlines to my word processor or database
program? Can I also transfer the map graphic to other programs?
A: VisiMap's maps export best in textual form to programs which can
understand hierarchical structures, such as presentation programs or word processors. You
can also transfer graphical forms of maps to many programs using either metafiles or
bitmaps (you should use metafiles wherever possible in preference to bitmaps, as they can
be manipulated and resized without loss of definition) Here are some tips for transferring
your maps to some other popular programs:
- PowerPoint® 4.0 (or later): First, using the Tools|Filters command,
configure VisiMap's RTF copy filter to export "Outline only" and enable it. Now
copy the map to the clipboard (e.g., by pressing Ctrl+C), and switch to
PowerPoint. Now enter PowerPoint's outline mode and choose Edit|Paste.
If you wish to place a graphic version of the map onto a PowerPoint slide, first make sure
VisiMap's Metafile copy filter is enabled (using the Tools|Filters command), copy
it to the clipboard in VisiMap (e.g., by pressing Ctrl+C), use PowerPoint's Edit|Paste
Special command to paste the Picture version into a slide, and resize the graphic as
desired.
- Freelance Graphics® for Windows 2.0 (or later): First, using the Tools|Filters
command, configure VisiMap's ASCII Text copy filter to export "Outline only",
with no title numbering, a maximum line length of 0 (to prevent VisiMap word-wrapping the
text), and a title indent of 1. Make sure the ASCII copy filter is enabled. Now copy the
map to the clipboard (e.g., by pressing Ctrl+C), and switch to Freelance
Graphics. Finally, choose View|Outline followed by Edit|Paste.
If you wish to place a graphic version of the map onto a Freelance Graphics slide, first
make sure VisiMap's Metafile copy filter is enabled (using the Tools|Filters
command), copy it to the clipboard in VisiMap (e.g., by pressing Ctrl+C), and
then use Freelance Graphics' Edit|Paste Special command to paste the MetaFile
Picture version into a slide, and resize the graphic as desired.
- Microsoft®
Word 2.0 (or later), WordPad 1.0 (or later), WordPerfect® 5.1 (or later), AMI Pro®
3.1 (or later): First, using the Tools|Filters command, configure
VisiMap's RTF export filter to export "Both outline and notes" and choose the
appropriate Target Style Codes from the list provided. Then save your map in RTF (Rich
Text Format) using File|Save As. Now use the word processor's import facilities
to import the RTF file.
You can achieve much the same effect by copying and pasting an RTF version of your map via
the clipboard, using VisiMap's ASCII Text copy filter and the word processor's Edit|Paste
command.
If you wish to place a graphic version of the map into a word processor document, the
easiest way is to configure VisiMap's RTF export filter to do it for you automatically. To
do so, use the Tools|Filters
command to set the RTF export filter's option "Include metafile image".
Alternatively, to paste a graphical map into an existing word processor document make sure
VisiMap's Metafile copy filter is enabled (using the Tools|Filters command), then
copy it to the clipboard in VisiMap (e.g., by pressing Ctrl+C), and then use the
word processor's Edit|Paste Special command to paste the Picture (or Metafile
Picture) version into the document, and resize the graphic as desired.
- Microsoft Project and other project management products:
Save your maps in MPX format using the File|Save As command, ready for direct
import into these programs. You can configure VisiMap's MPX export filter using the Tools|Filters
command.
- Intranet or Internet sites: You can save your maps in
HTML format, ready for placing on an intranet or internet site. First, using the Tools|Filters
command, configure VisiMap's HTML export filter to your liking, and then save your map in
HTML format using File|Save As.
- Drawing programs: First, using the Tools|Filters
command, make sure VisiMap's Windows Metafile copy filter is enabled. Then copy the map to
the clipboard in VisiMap (e.g., by pressing Ctrl+C), use the drawing program's Edit|Paste
command, and then resize the graphic as required.
- PaintBrush and other paint programs: Save your map in
bitmap or RLE (compressed bitmap) format using File|Save As and open the file in
the paint program.
You can achieve the same effect by copying and pasting a bitmap version of your map via
the clipboard, using VisiMap's Bitmap copy filter and the paint program's Edit|Paste
command.
Q: I have a number of interconnected maps which
form the basis of a web site I am designing. What is the best way of saving these to HTML?
Create a map which links to the top-level maps of your web and save it
using one of VisiMap's multi-save options (via the File|Save as command).
When you use a multi-save option in conjunction with the HTML export
format VisiMap not only saves the map you specify, but it also traverses all the map links
found in the map, and all the map links found in those maps, and so on. VisiMap saves
every map it finds in the same export format (HTML in this case), and automatically
translates and fixes up all the file- and map-links it finds (net-links do not need to be
fixed up).
For more information on the multi-save options available in VisiMap see
the VisiMap User's Guide and the VisiMap on-line help system.
Q: How do I print the graphical map in landscape,
and the text in portrait?
A: VisiMap has an option to do this automatically. Choose the File|Page
Setup command and make sure the 'Auto-orientate map' option is checked. When this
option is checked, VisiMap will print the graphical map in the best orientation (i.e. if
the map is wider than it is tall, VisiMap will print it in landscape, otherwise it will
print the map in portrait). The textual form of a map is always printed in the default
orientation you have set for your printer.
Q: The page running headers and footers I have set
up do not print. What is wrong?
A: VisiMap prints the running headers and footers in the top and bottom
page margins: you have most likely set your print margins too small. To correct this,
first choose the File|Page Setup command and, in the dialog box that appears,
highlight the page layout you wish to change. Now select the Margins property
sheet and make sure the top and bottom margins are large enough. Values of about 1"
(or 2.5 cm) are typical. Finally, set the placement of the running headers and footers
inside these margins by selecting the Headers property sheet and then entering
appropriate values. If you have set your margins to 1", offsets of 0.5" are
sensible.
Q: When I print a map, the branch lines are drawn
over my branch icons, obscuring parts of them. This does not happen when I view the map
on-screen. What is going wrong?
A: This is due to the operation of your printer driver. VisiMap does
have a built-in workaround, though: choose the File|Page Setup command, then
display the Maps property sheet and check the "Do not draw under icons"
option.
Some printer drivers also offer a choice of “raster” and
“vector” graphics rendering modes. If this is the case with your driver, setting
the mode to “raster” will also solve the problem (but it may also significantly
lengthen printing times).
Q: When I try to print a large map, the text
prints too small to read. How can I print a large map at a readable size?
A: By default, VisiMap will reduce a large map in size sufficiently to
fit on one print page. If this results in text which is too small to read, you can choose
to have VisiMap print the map at full size over as many pages as are necessary. To set
this option, first choose the File|Page Setup command and, in the dialog box that
appears, highlight the page layout you wish to change. Now select the Scaling
property sheet and then choose the "Print as mosaic" option. Change this option
back to "Shrink to fit page" when you later wish to revert to the standard
behaviour.
For manageability and readability reasons, you might also like to
consider using VisiMap's map linking and multiple-print features to keep your maps modular
and relatively small. You can link related maps together, and at print time choose to
print the whole set of interlinked maps. For more information on these features, search
the VisiMap on-line help system for the keywords "Map Link" and
"Printing".
Q: After scrolling around a large map, I sometimes
forget which branch I am currently working on and find it difficult to locate it again! Is
there an easy way I can bring the currently selected branch into view?
A: Yes, just press the 5 key on the numeric keypad (if you have
NumLock on, hold down the Shift key while pressing 5).
Q: How do I enlarge the map centre and/or branches
so that they accommodate all of the text I have entered?
A: VisiMap will optimise the size of the map centre and branches of the
map so as to make best use of the display or print space available, word-wrapping titles
onto two lines where necessary. In an effort to preserve an aesthetically-pleasing layout,
however, VisiMap will clip some very long titles on the graphical map display (but not on
the textual display or printout): these are identified by the presence of an ellipsis
(...).
If you routinely use long branch and map centre titles, which VisiMap
then clips, you can instruct VisiMap to allow longer branches by setting an option. To do
so, choose the Tools|Preferences command and increase the "Maximum branch
length" setting on the Maps page.
Q: I want to view a linked file, but the File
Viewer command is unavailable.
A: VisiMap integrates with third party viewer technology to provide the
file viewing facility. Whenever VisiMap starts, and it is not already configured for a
third-party file viewer, it attempts to determine if there is a standard Quick View™ (on Windows 95/98 or Windows NT 4.0) or
Quick View Plus™ (on Windows
3.1, Windows 95/98 or Windows NT 4.0) installation on your computer system. If it finds one
of these, it automatically configures itself to use the viewer found and enables the Branch|View
File command for file link branches. If VisiMap does not find Quick View or Quick
View Plus, it disables the Branch|View File command.
If you have a file viewer other than Quick View/Quick View Plus, you can
still instruct VisiMap to make use of it: choose the Tools|File Viewer command
and select the viewer's executable file.
Q: VisiMap appears to use a proprietary file
format which is not supported by my third-party file viewer. Apart from giving away a
printed map, is there any way my friends and colleagues can view my maps?
Yes, VisiMap comes as standard with the VisiMap Viewer program, which
you are free to re-distribute to your friends and colleagues. Refer to the VisiMap User's
Guide "An Overview of VisiMap" (or to VisiMap on-line help) for details on how
to redistribute the Viewer.
Q: Does VisiMap run on each of Windows 3.1, Windows
95/98 and Windows NT/2000? Are there both 16-bit and 32-bit versions of VisiMap?
A: VisiMap is a 16-bit application that runs fine on each of Windows
3.1, Windows 95/98 and Windows NT 3.51 or 4.0 or Windows 2000. VisiMap takes on the look-and-feel of which
ever version of Windows it is running on. A 32-bit version of VisiMap is planned.
Q: How do I create non-hierarchical links between
branches?
A: This feature is not currently available in VisiMap
(but we are planning to implement it in a future version).
Q:
Although I set VisiMap’s Local Data Directory to a different
location, VisiMap insists on suggesting the \Data directory when I save a
map for the first time. Is this a bug?
A: No. VisiMap’s Local Data Directory is the
location where VisiMap keeps map templates and configuration data.
While you can change it (via the Tools|File
Locations command), it
does not control the location where new maps you create are stored.
When you ask VisiMap to save a newly-created map
for the first time, VisiMap opens the Save As dialog in the
currently logged directory for your computer. If you want to set the
current directory to a fixed location every time you start VisiMap,
the easiest way is to modify the program icon you use to start VisiMap.
To do this, right-click the icon on your desktop (Windows 95/98/NT4/2000)
or in your program folder (Windows 3.1), and choose Properties from the
popup menu. Then set the “Start-in” directory as desired.
Q: Sometimes it can take a very long time to copy
a map to the clipboard: the hour-glass cursor stays on-screen for many seconds and I am
unable to interact with the program. Why is this? Is there anything I can do to improve
the performance?
A: When you have a large map, the ASCII Text clipboard copy filter can
take a long time to complete its word-wrapping operations. You can significantly improve
the performance of the copy operation by either disabling the ASCII filter's word-wrap
feature or by disabling the filter itself.
If you rarely copy ASCII text versions of your maps to other programs,
you could disable the ASCII copy filter (using the Tools|Filters command), and
only re-enable it for use as and when needed. If you do use the ASCII text filter
relatively often, then you might like to experiment with your target program(s) to see if
they can accept the text without line-breaks (i.e. they do their own word-wrapping). If
this is the case, then use the Tools|Filters command to disable the VisiMap ASCII
copy filter's word-wrap feature (you do this by setting the filter's "maximum line
length" option to zero): this is almost as efficient as disabling the filter itself.
Q: When I run the spelling checker, sometimes only
a part of my map appears to be checked. Why is this?
A: The spell-checking process is designed flexibly, to allow you to
check the spelling of all or just a part of your map. You probably have a branch other
than the map centre selected at the time you start the spell check: this will cause the
spell checker to verify only the selected branch and any tree below it (plus any notes in
the tree). If you wish to verify the spelling of the whole map, make sure you select the
map centre before starting the spelling check.
Conversely, if you wish only to check a given tree in the map, select
the branch at the head of that tree before initiating the spelling check. If you wish to
verify the spelling of a single note only, make the QuickEditor window active first.
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