Menus on the main menu bar
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(Go to:Topicscape Pro User Guide - contents list)
Contents
If you like to keep your hands on the keyboard, the menus have hotkey operation - Alt key + a letter - so that you don't need to reach for the mouse.
File
- New Topicscape
- Open Topicscape
- Delete Topicscape
- A drastic, but convenient function for those who don't like digging around in Windows Explorer, is the function to delete a Topicscape.
- This will delete a selected Topicscape database (3DT file), all the occurrence files in its folder, Description+ files and settings specific to this Topicscape (such as favorite settings).
- You cannot delete a Topicscape when it is open, so you must open another one first.
- This is an irreversible action, and it will warn you of that twice - it is one of the few actions affecting your data that cannot be undone.
- Files that the Topicscape links to but which are stored outside its folder in My Topicscapes, will not be deleted by this action.
- Save As...
- Example: You have a Topicscape called "Reference" open and you select "Save As" and provide a new name of "Reference2". This will make a copy of the database as Reference2.3DT and move it and a copy of all the occurrence files that were in the directory "C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Topicscapes\Reference" to a new directory called "C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Topicscapes\Reference2". If the directory "C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Topicscapes\Reference2" exists already, Topicscape will ask before erasing it and making a new one.
- Properties
- This gives you information about the size of the current Topicscape -- its creation date and location, number of topics, occurrences and associations, and the size of the Topicscape's directory. It also allows you to add or view a description of the Topicscape.
- Import. . .
- This brings up a control panel that provides various import options that are described in detail later. All except "File" allow you to import to this Topicscape as a topic group or to make a new Topicscape.
- Structured Text File
- See Importing from MindManager for format requirements and how to make this from Mind Manager or an existing Word document. This option lets you convert a structured text file to a structure of topics to the present Topicscape, or make a new Topicscape from the text file.
- XML from FreeMind
- See Exporting to FreeMind for information on how to import a .mm file.
- XML from Personal Brain
- See Importing from PersonalBrain for details on how to make the XML file that will allow you to import from The Brain. This will only make a new Topicscape.
- XML with XSLT
- It is possible to use this to import XML files from other outline-type applications, provided you have the technical knowledge required to set up the XSLT.
- OML file
- OML (Outline Markup Language) is an XML format for outlines. The specification is designed to build upon the concepts found in OPML. Some software can write OML and may be able to provide data that Topicscape can use to build a new Topicscape.
- Folder
- New Topicscape
- This uses the folder and sub-folder structure to build a matching Topicscape structure of topics in a new Topicscape. See Drag-and-drop / Import -- to make topics, occurrences and associations.
- Floating topic in this Topicscape
- All the structure in the folder and any sub-folders is carried with the red floating topic and expands when you drop that on another topic.
- File
- This makes one topic containing the file as an occurrence, and the topic will have a name that you provide. It will first make a floating topic and you decide where to drop that.
- Export. . .
- This brings up a control panel that provides various export options that are described in detail later. It also provides a choice of how much detail to include in the exported file: Topics, topic descriptions, occurrences and orphan topics.
- Structured Text (for re-importing into Topicscape)
- Makes a text file where outline paragraph numbers show the Topicscape's structure. Includes hyperlinks that can open occurrence files and various text items that allows re-importing the text file and rebuilding the original Topicscape (round trip).
- Indented Text (intended for reading only)
- Makes a text file where indentation seeks to indicate the Topicscape's structure. Includes text path of occurrence files.
- HTML (single web page)
- Makes a single HTML (text) file where indentation shows the Topicscape's structure. Includes hyperlinks that can open ccurrence files and have jumps to other instances of the same topic.
- XML (FreeMind)
- Makes a FreeMind file that can be opened and viewed as a 2D mindmap. See Exporting to FreeMind
- OPML (Outline Processor Markup Language)
- Makes an OPML (XML) file that can be viewed in a browser and provides collapsible nodes. The file can be edited with an OPML editor.
- Whole Topicscape to folders and Files
- This recreates, within the limitations of Windows' strict hierarchical file system, the structure of the entire Topicscape. It will create shortcuts in place of multiple-parent topics and loose associations.
- (List of recently-opened Topicscapes)
- Exit
Edit
- Undo (Ctrl+Z works for undo, as well
- Re-do (Ctrl+Y works for re-do, as well
- Create
- Topic
- Sub-topic
- This item is only active in a Topic Center when at least one occurrence is selected.
- Cut
- Only active if something capable of being cut is selected.
- Copy
- Only active if something capable of being copied is selected.
- Delete
- Only active if one topic or at least one occurrence is selected.
- Paste
- Only active if there is something on the clipboard.
- Paste Special
- Only active if there is an OLE object on the clipboard -- e.g. a selection from a Word or Excel file.
- Search ::Advanced Search ::Local Search or Topic Center Search, depending on the contents of the window.
View
- Map Environment
- 2D Map
- 3D Landscape
- Level of detail
- Show all topics
- Hide lowest level topics
- Show main topics only
- For the above three, see More detail, or less ... as you wish -- "Level of detail" controls
- Show all topic names
- Hide lowest level topic names
- Show main topic names only These three options are similar to the previous three, except that only the names are suppressed -- the structure remains visible.
- Sorting in Map [or 'Scape]
- Provides ways of organizing the topics in the Map or 'Scape (the descendents of the Current Topic only) in different sequences.
- When sorting alphabetically, the A's appear at the back left and the Z's at the front right. Any numbers will appear before the A's.
- When sorting by date, the most recent appear at the back left and the oldest at the front right. There is an option for the reverse sequence to that, as well.
- When sorting by number of occurrences, the topic with the most occurrences will appear at the back left and the one with the least at the front right.
- When sorting by topic flag, any flagged topics will be shown at the back left and then the unflagged ones will appear. Each group will be sorted alphabetically by name separately.
- Return to main Map [or 'Scape]
- Go to Topic Center of selected topic
- Go to Topicscape Orphans (Ctrl+R)
- (May not be visible, if switched off in the Options panel)
- Go to Orphans Topic Center
- (May not be visible, if switched off in the Options panel)
- Go to Topicscape Islands (Ctrl+I)
- Home view (Home)
- Full view (Shift+Home)
- Hit list view (End)
- Top view (Shift+End)
- Tag pool view (Ctrl+3)
- Redraw (F5)
- Redraws the current Map or 'Scape
- Skins
- Shows the list of currently-installed skins. In Topicscape Pro there will be at least five (plus a duplicate called User's, for experimenting). Download and install the Skins Installer to add more.
- Modify Skins
- Opens the Options panel at the Skin tab, from where you can change many aspects of each skin including textures, shapes, transparencies of several object types, colors, schemes for coloring topics, and method of flagging topics.
- Show color picker
- Provides options to choose the color For topics or For the field
- Check for more skins to download (opens browser)
- Opens your web browser at our download page where you can check the date of the skins installer to see if it has been updated since your last download.
Favorites
- Topics
- - Home: + the name of the first topic made when creating this Topicscape
- The above fixed entry is followed by any other entries that you have added, up to a limit of 20. Right-click on the topic, and select "Add topic to Favorites list" from the pop-up menu. If you are using the Halo menu, you can also select a topic and click on the Star icon.
- Occurrences
- Entries that you have added, up to a limit of 20. To add entries, right-click on the occurrence, and select "Add occurrence to Favorites list" from the pop-up menu.
- Recent
- Topics made current
- This shows the 20 most recent Current Topics. (Topics made to be the central topic by right-clicking on them twice, by selecting "Make topic current" from the pop-up topic menu or by selecting them from this menu.) Select an item from this menu and it will be made current again, and you will see the Map or 'Scape.
- Occurrences opened
- This shows the 20 most recently-opened occurrences. (Opened by clicking on them twice, or by selecting "Open" from the pop-up occurrence menu.). When you select an item in this menu, you will be taken to the Topic Center containing the occurrence and it will be highlighted.
Tools
- Options
- The Options panel provides some flexibility in how Topicscape works for you. Below we deal with adjusting flight controls to meet your preferences and match your computer's performance. Please see Appendix A: Customization - the Options panels for details of all the other choices that you can make.
- You can adjust flying and zooming rates for the cursor keys and movements of the mouse separately to suit your computer's speed and your personal preferences on the Flight Control tab, Speed secondary tab -- be sure to select the set of controls --Keyboard or Mouse -- depending on which type of flying control you wish to adjust.
Change the numbers for each kind of movement: higher than one to increase the movement, lower to decrease it. Our own preference is to have maximum zoom speed (2.0) and a lower 'nod' speed (0.25) but the right values for you will be influenced by personal taste and the speed of your computer. - You can choose how the viewing angle changes with the Alt+key.
Pilot mode works like a flight simulator: Alt+↑ tilt down, Alt+↓ tilt up; while nod mode may be more natural for those without flying experience: Alt+↑ tilt up, Alt+↓ tilt down. - Another flight control secondary tab, Customize, lets you tailor some other flight behaviors.
- There are many other options that let you customize how Topicscape works. They are all described in Appendix A: Customization - the Options panels.
- You can adjust flying and zooming rates for the cursor keys and movements of the mouse separately to suit your computer's speed and your personal preferences on the Flight Control tab, Speed secondary tab -- be sure to select the set of controls --Keyboard or Mouse -- depending on which type of flying control you wish to adjust.
- The Options panel provides some flexibility in how Topicscape works for you. Below we deal with adjusting flight controls to meet your preferences and match your computer's performance. Please see Appendix A: Customization - the Options panels for details of all the other choices that you can make.
- Topicscape Box
- This opens the Topicscape Box (see Topicscape Box).
- Data checks
- Data Repair Wizard
- This starts the data inspection and (if necessary) repair process. A full backup of the database file is made, a report of any data inconsistencies is given. and no changes to correct the inconsistencies are made without your approval (see Appendix D: Data checks and repair -- The Data Repair Wizard).
- Check for stray files
- This will list files that are in this Topicscape's folder but are not linked to any occurrence. Stray files will be left after you delete occurrences and before you use this function or Data Repair to clear them up.
- List all missing files
- This will list files that should be linked to an occurrence but cannot be found in their expected location. It will also show any missing Description Plus files.
- Noiseword maintenance
- This allows you to change the list of noisewords (also known as 'stop' words) that helps to make searching more efficient. See Noisewords.
- Enable Outlook 2007 drag and drop
- When Microsoft released Office 2007, they dropped support for external applications wanting, as Livelink does, to use the Outlook protocol. If you install Outlook 2007 after Topicscape, this menu item should fix the problem.
Help
- Topicscape help
- Opens a window showing the help system.
- Flight controls help
- Shows a picture to remind you of the control keys for flying, and their equivalent mouse movements.
- Shortcuts help
- Shows a picture summarizing shortcut keys, excluding those covered in the flight controls help mentioned above.
- Demonstrations
- Pick whether you want to see 3D flying, a demo of operations, or an explanation of how Topicscape makes a cloned topic - in other words, how multi-parent topics are handled.
- Give us your suggestions...
- Opens a web form for you to send us any suggestion that you may have about how Topicscape may be improved, such as requests for new features. Please do not report errors on the suggestion form (see next item). The information that you supply here will be used only to communicate with you about the suggestion made, and only if necessary.
- Recommend to a friend...
- Send error report...
- Opens a web form for you to send us details of any problem that you feel is an error in Topicscape's operation. This will also send any log of the problem produced by Topicscape. You will be given an opportunity to open the log file to examine it first. The information that you supply here will be used only to communicate with you about the error reported, and only if necessary.
- Request notification...
- Opens a browser window at the Topicscape website where you can add your name to the list of people informed about the availability of new versions of Topicscape including Beta versions, Skins, etc..
- Check for Updates...
- Checks whether the version of Topicscape you are running now has been replaced by a later one.
- Topicscape on the web
- About Topicscape
- Identifies the exact version you are running and information about the Topicscape environment.
Next: Function keys
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