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HELP:

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HELP

Ctrl-F9 shows help topics

The MM/LX command "Reopen map" (Ctrl-F9) always shows
a menu of map sections. In the HELP.MM file, each section
is dedicated to a help topic.

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File

F9: Open/create map

This command opens a mind map file.
If you give a new file name (non-existent file), MM/LX will
create a new file andask you if the new map should be empty or
loaded from a template.
The file name extension .MM will automatically appended if no
extension is given.

F8: Create new map within same file

A file can contain several maps.
F8 lets you create another map within the same file.

The command offers to use a template for the new map.

It also offers to create a link from the selected item to the new map
(if you choose that, the central item will bear the name of the
selected item).

If such a multi-map file is opened, MM/LX displays "MULTI" in the
topline.
A map in a multimap file can be chosen via a manu, which is
displayed, if the map is opened and no meta file exists. If a
meta file exists, the previous displayed map is opened and you
can choose another map by pressing CTRL-F9 (reopen).

Ctrl-F9: Reopen same map

Useful if current file has more than one map in it. You can then choose
which map to open.
The meta file (where the current view setup is stored) will be
deleted.

Shift-F9: Insert template

F10: Save map / meta file

Actions:
If "**" is displayed in top line (=map modified), F10 saves the
map under the current file name and the display setup under
the current file name with extension MM~.

If "*" is displayed in the top line (=only display setup
modified), only the meta file is saved.

If neiher "*" nor "**" is displayed in the top line, F10
doesn't have any effect.

If a partial map is selected using ALT-T, MM/LX asks if only that
partial map or if the complete map should be saved. If saving
only the displayed submap, it is recommended to save under a
new file name using Shift-F10.

ShiftF10: Save map under new name

Asks for a new file name for the current map and saves the map
and the meta file.

If a partial map is selected using ALT-T, MM/LX asks if only that
partial map should be exported or if the complete map should be saved.

Ctrl-E: Run External Program

Programs are defined in the [External] section of MM.CFG

Ctrl-M: Edit link to map

An item can be linked to another mind map. Such a link is displayed as
an underline. ENTER opens the map. If a file contains multiple maps,
the file name may be followed by '#' followed by the title of the map,
e.g.:

test.mm#test2


Ctrl-F: Edit link to file

An item can be linked to a file. Such a link is displayed as
an underline. ENTER opens the file in a text editor unless PNS=
is specified. (see MM.CFG).

ESC: Close map

ALT-Q: Terminate program

Ctrl-A: Abort program w/o saving

Ctrl-P: Export as HTML outline

If necessary, MM/LX will ask some questions:
- File Name of HTM file (default is map file name with ext. HTM)
- HTML style design to use (0 for no / external style sheet,
1..9 for internal style sheet with design from MM.CFG's
[HTML1] .. [HTML9] sections.
- Multimap: Export entire multimap or only displayed map

A Mindmap can be converted directly to HTML on the command
line with
MM /h [/sX] MAPNAME.mm
X is the number of the style design to be used. 1 is the default,
if that option is omitted.
If /h is used for HTML export, no questions are asked, but defaults
are used (for fast batch processing without interaction).

The supplied HTMs HELP.HTM and HISTORY.HTM have been generated
by simply entering on the command line:
mm -h -s2 help
mm -h -s2 history

For paramters to change the design of the HTML file,
see section MM.CFG.


Meta files

Meta files have the file name extension .MM~
MM/LX saves the display setup in such files, so that if you
open a map, the display setup can be restored from the meta
file.

The meta file does not contain any data of the map itself, so
it can be deleted safely. It is automatically deleted by MM/LX
to avoid problems, if it does not fit to the map file, e.g. if
the map file has been modified outside MM/LX or if the meta
file has been edited.
If a map is opened and an invalid meta file exists for that
map, MM/LX closes the map again, deletes the meta file and asks
the user to re-open the map. A default view of the map
will then be created.
Meta file can be deleted from within MM/LX with hotkey Alt-V.

Following actions cause the internal meta info to be modified,
so that the "*" indicator in the top line appears and you can
save the meta file by pressing F10:

- moving the cursor to another item
- Panning the map with Shift-Cursor key
- Zooming the map (Fn-Space)
- Hiding / unhiding a subtree (Alt-H / F6)
- Modifying the "Branches to the right" setting (Alt-R)
- L/R/Center map (Alt-Z)
- Collapse at level X (Alt-C)
- Submap view (Alt-T)
- Return from Submap View (HOME)

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Editing

F5: Edit item text

F2 or +: Add child

If a child is added to an item with a collapsed subtree, the
subtree is expanded first automatically.

F4 or *: Add sibling

Ctrl-DEL: Delete and promote

The current item is deleted and all its children are promoted.

INS: Insert item

The position of the marked item is replaced with the new item.
The marked item and all its children are demoted.

CUT or Ctrl-X or DEL: Cut to clipboard

Moves the selected item plus all its children to the clipboard
and deletes that subtree.

COPY or Ctrl-C: Copy to clipboard

Copies the selected item plus all its children to the clipboard.

PASTE or Ctrl-V: Add clipboard as child

Inserts the clipboard contents as child to the current item.

Ctrl-UP, Ctrl-U: Move item upwards

Ctrl-DOWN, Ctrl-D: Move item downwards

F3 or Ctrl-N: Edit note

Try to keep notes short and simple.
Do not use indentation inside notes (for structured lists or
so), because indentation is lost on saving and indentation can
make MM/LX misinterpret the indented note lines as map items
(which will break the entire map!).

For note viewing, it is recommended to install the program LIST
or LIST PLUS by Vernon Buerg (www.buerg.com).
It is a very fast and convenient file viewer.
Use Notes=c:\bin\list.com in MM.CFG to let MM/LX involke LIST
for note viewing.
If no external program is used at all (given by Notes= entry
in MM.CFG), MM/LX's internal viewer is used, but it is very
simple and only allows forward scrolling page by page.

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Navigation

Cursor keys move highlight

ENTER: Link / show note / edit note

If there is a note, ENTER shows the note. If there is no note, ENTER
follows a link. If there is a note AND a link, Ctrl-ENTER follows the link.
If there is neither, ENTER opens the edit dialog for the item.
A link to a mind map or a text file is shown as underline.
A note is announced as a small square to the right of an item.

'&' in item name -> hot key

Example: "Item +Green" makes 'G' a hot key to quickly move to that
item. If the item is linked to another map or a file, the link is
immediately followed.

Other key: search

If any key is pressed that is not assigned to a function ,a macro or a
hot key, MM/LX searches for an item that begins with the character
corresponding with that key and marks it. Pressing that key
repeatedly, jumps to other matching items.

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Display

Ctrl-R: Refresh screen

ALT-T: Set marked item as top item

i.e. display a so-caled SUBMAP.
Indicator "SUB" is displayed in the top line.
Return to the entire map with HOME (Fn-CurLeft).

HOME: Set real top item as top

Shift-Cursor: Panning

ALT-H or F6: Hide/unhide subtree of current item

ALT-C: Hide all items starting at given level

ZOOM: Toggle tiny font

Ctrl-Z: Center marked item on screen

ALT-R: Set # of branches to the right

By default, the main branches are placed around the center so that the
display area is used optimally. However, this has the effect that the
map gets rearranged when items are added or deleted, making it more
difficult to keep orientation. By using ALT-R and setting a number of
items that are placed to the right of the center, this rearrangement
does no longer take place (however, the map may become unbalanced.
The default value can be set in MM.CFG.

ALT-Z: Left/Right/Center map

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Miscellaneous

F1: Display help

Shift-F1: Display "about"

F7 or SPACE: Toggle 'done'

A "done" item is displayed with a pattern overlaying the item.

Ctrl-T: Special template

Ctrl-T creates a new mindmap within the same file (Multi-Map)
and copies the central item as well as its first level children
of the last mindmap in the file into the new mindmap.
It also adds the current date to the central item.

This is convenient for protocols of recurrent meetings: just press
Ctrl-T and a new "form" for today's meeting is ready.

Command Line: MM [/h [/sX]] MAPFILE.MM

Options:
/h: Automatically convert mindmap to HTML and quit MM/LX

/h behaves a little differently than pressing Ctrl-P in MM/LX:
No questions are asked. File name is autmatically set to
[mapname].HTM.
If a multimap file is exported, the entire file is exported
automatically. The HTML title is set to the text of the first
item of the map.

Option /sX is the HTML style design to be used (section [HTMLX] from
MM.CFG). X being a number from 1 to 9. Default is 1.

The supplied HTMs HELP.HTM and HISTORY.HTM have been generated
by simply entering on the command line:
mm -h -s2 help
mm -h -s2 history

The mindmap file name can be given with or without file name extension.
If no extension is given, .MM is appended automatically.

Ctrl-S, Alt-S: Search

Ctrl-S searches for a string in the map which is currently
displayed.

It searches the text of all items, links and notes.
It also searches in hidden items.
If the given string is found, the item which belongs to the
occurrence is marked. If the item is hidden, the hidden subtree
is expanded.
If the string is found in the link or in the note (i.e. not
instantly visible), a message is displayed which gives a hint
where to find the string.

To continue the search with the same search string to find the
next occurrence, press Alt-S.

A search is always only performed in the displayed (sub)map.
To search in a multimap, load the map file in an editor (e.g.
PE) and use the editor's search feature.

Alt-D: Export item as Todo for PIM/PE

When taking meeting notes, usually one branch of the map is called "Todos".
Now it is possible to export these items as Todos into a PIM/PE file.
Mark such an item and press Alt-D. A calendar is shown where a
"due date" (date until which the todo has to be done) can be chosen.
As the start date, the current date is used. Press ESC to export the
Todo withouth a due date. In the calendar, cursor keys move through
days/weeks, PgDn/PgUp move through months. Enter selects date.
If you use priorities in PIM/PE, append them to the map item as you
would append them in PIM to the +t line. They are exported with
the Todo item. After successful export, the map item is marked as done,
so the user knows it has already been exported.

Related Menu items: Menu "Extra" "Export Todo" (=ALT-D).

Related new MM.CFG entries: See Section [Extra]

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Screen layout

Top line


Map


Items

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MM.CFG

[System] section


[Display] section


[Fonts] section


[External] section

Each line consists of a menu text, a '=' and a command to execute.
The command may contain special tokens which are replaced before
execution:

$f replaced by name of current file
$i replaced by description of selected item
$n replaced by file name that holds note for selected item
$l replaced by link of selected item
$k wait for key press before return
$r reload mind map upon return
$$ replaced by '$'

For examples see the default MM.CFG

[Macro] section

Allows to assign macros to keys. Each entry is a key scan code (prefixed
with '#') followed by an equal sign and the key scan codes (prefixed
with '#') of the keys to press when the key before the equal sign is
detected. That format is identical with the macro definitions in PE and
POST/LX.

[HTML] section


[HTMLx] sections (HTML design variants)


[Extra] section

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Tips and Tricks

How to organize all maps

Create a map named MAIN.MM, in which you add an item for each map you
use, add a link to the maps using Ctrl-M. Add Start=MAIN.MM to the
.CFG. Now, if you start MM/LX using "MM", it starts with an overview of
all maps. Using a hot key for each map speeds up selecting them.


MM/LX and PE

MM/LX uses the exact same format to save a mind map that PE uses for
outlines. Thus, you can freely exchange documents between PE and MM/LX.

Meeting Notes

You can easily take meeting notes using MM/LX using one and the same
file. At a meeting, simply add a new map ("New Map in Same File") provide a
name for the main item (meeting name) and append the date. When you
open the map again, the date will be in the top line.

You can also use a template for the meeting (Shift-F9 imports it).

Ctrl-T uses the previous map (central item plus its children) as
template and adds the current date.

Images etc.

By adding

PNS=pns200

to the [System] section of MM.CFG (and provided PNS200 is installed on
your palmtop), a link to a file (Ctrl-F) is opened using PNS200, i.e.
you can add links to pictures, spreadsheets etc. and open them by
pressing ENTER on the selected item.

Using Icons

A textual item can be replaced by an icon (*.ICN file) by using its
file name as item text, e.g. "C:\ICONS\MM.ICN".

Launching programs

MM/LX can be used as a program launcher, which is especially nice
together with the possibility to use icons for items. In order to
launch programs from MM/LX, enter the program name as a file like
(Ctrl-F, then enter program name, e.g. C:\BIN\CHESS.EXE) and make sure
you have PNS200 installed (available from www.dasoft.com) and a line
such as

PNS=pns200

in the [System] section of MM.CFG. Also make sure that PNS200.INI
contains .EXE in the [Match] section and

b=d:\dos\command.com /c %s

in the [Action] section (where "b" should be replaced by the key you
want to use for launching EXEs.

Using a data directory

MM/LX starts up using the current directory as its "main" directory.
Thus, if you start MM/LX with a relative path (e.g. MM.EXE MAIN.MM),
the map is searched in the current directory. If you want MM/LX to
always use the same directory as the start directory, launch it from a
batch file, e.g.:

CD C:/MM_DATA
MM.EXE %1

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Limitations

Maximum nesting level: 10

Nesting level is shown in top line.

Map size: Free internal memory

MM/LX has about 40k available that it can use to manage all the maps in
memory. Larger maps of course use more memory than smaller ones. Also
using non-built-in fonts needs memory. Shift-F1 displays the amount of
free memory.


Created with MindMap/LX