Why is it that when I add a New Child Node, the Node is placed way done my
page? I am not able to move it up closer to other nodes.
Please provide more details. If you suspect the behavior to be a bug enter a
new request in Mantis.
If you are using Freeplane 1.1 switch to 1.2 beta. It has free node
positioning and more.
I downloaded 1.2 beta but still have the same problem. I am not able to upload
an image as I can't capture the whole chart. Therefore I have created a video:
When I open the file, it does not open in the same manner as it was saved in.
Meaning the nodes are all re-arranged in different spots and everything is
closed. I always have to re-arrange everything to the way it was and open
As you can see, some of the nodes are close to the main point " Help
Organization Run a Successful Fundraiser", while others are far off the
screen. The nodes don't drag independent of each other. When I start dragging
one, other nodes shift. When I tried to drag the Video node closer, it moved
the Coordinator Communication Tools and FR Communication Cycle node further
away off the page. Finally, when I added the Incentive node, it placed it WAY
down the page. I can't even drag it close to the other nodes.
I waste a lot of time fixing everything before I can start adding. Is this how
the program supposed to operate?
I think all you need is to modify one option in the preferences:
Preferences -> Environment -> Save folding
I don't like the default mode (never save folding state) too.
I did change the settings and the map is now unfolded.
Would you address the other issue of the new old being added far away from the
main node (like in the video)?
I can't access your video, but I'll take a stab at what I think you're asking.
What you are experiencing is a design element that, when you think about it,
makes perfect sense. As you add new nodes, the program makes a space for them
and maintains consistent spacing relative to other nodes. Otherwise we would
have piles of nodes on top of each other.
With that said, there IS a special node that when created isn't subject to
these spacing rules. It's called a "Free positioned node" and is toggled for
any node under the Edit menu. These nodes can be moved around without any
changes in the spacing of siblings. These can be nice in special cases,
After working with the program for several years now and across its amazing
and continuing evolution, I find that I actually prefer the native node to
free-positioned. To accommodate the "distance" problem you reference, I tend
toward three practices:
I make liberal use of the folding capabilities in FP, especially the ability to collapse a parent with a single click, while still preserving the folded/unfolded state of all children. In other words FP allows you to close the parent in order to see and interact with the bigger map, but when you re-open the parent, the children are still in the folded/unfolded state you left them before closing the parent. This makes it easy to "hoist" the view to higher concepts and quickly return to embedded detail out in the "twigs" or "fingers" of the map.
I also tend to structure my maps with more horizontal width than vertical depth, meaning that I tend to group concepts together at higher levels so that the map doesn't get too big vertically (e.g., notes taken throughout the year, for example, are moved into nodes that hold each quarter's notes, rather than just a hundred individual meeting notes attached to the root). To see highly vertical maps, you need to move the screen around a lot or zoom out to get it all in (which gets even more tedious when there are lots of descendants open for each), but with deeper horizontal maps, the high-level concepts can be viewed easily by collapsing open nodes (no moving of the screen or fiddling with zoom levels).
I rarely have large portions of the map unfolded at any one time; in fact I can't remember a recent time when I've had all of my map open as once....I tend to only work with individual branches as needed and collapse them back down when finished. The superior search features in FP allows me to quickly find what I need in folded branches without having to open them and visually wander around.
Free-floating nodes, combined with "edge-less" 1st level nodes are a nice way
to capture information that isn't directly related to the root node, such as
legends, references, titles, etc. I don't use them much, simply because I've
become conditioned to other practices, I suppose. Others with undoubtedly have
But, bottom line, both types of nodes have their place and use and by playing
around with the program you'll find the combination of preferences and
practice that best suits the way you like to work.
If I get a little time in the next several days (after paying US taxes!!!),
maybe I can make a little video demonstrating what I'm talking about--pictures
are much easier to communicate than words, eh?
I had a little time today (couldn't stand looking at another tax form!). Maybe
this will help. Or at least get the ball rolling.
Quinbus, nice video!
And there is a feature you did not know about. Look here:
nodes/ I created
this temporary screen shot in a hope that you can use its information in your
And please make them in higher resolution.
Can you try accessing this video: [FreePlaneChart.swf]](http://www.filefreak.c
You're right! I didn't know about the ability to drag and drop floating nodes
to make them "normal" or "native." Sweet! Very nice.
And therein is the trouble with developing videos as an individual: The
interfaces of FP are soooo rich and varied, any one person's experience is
naturally limited to only what he/she has discovered for themselves. To
develop an authoritative presentation really needs a script that has been
vetted by many qualified eyes, practices and experience, similar to the
approach Jokro/Jodi is taking in the development of "official" FP video
presentations. Unfortunately it's difficult to attractively edit video once
it's laid down without some sophisticated editing tools, so it's important to
get it right during actual production (post production doesn't work very well
with simplistic tools).
As to higher resolution, I'm working on an ancient Dell desktop that is easily
overwhelmed with high processor demands--it takes forever to render a HD video
within the limitations that I have to work with currently. But I agree that if
and when a video was up to "prime time" quality, it would definitely be worth
the time to make it the highest possible resolution. As it is, anything I've
done on my own has been merely intended as low-level support for a specific
Hmmmm. I see the problem, but I don't know why it's happening that way. I can
tell you that is not normal behavior.
What happens when you double click on the little blue oval for a specific
cluster? Double clicking on the oval should re-align the targeted node with
it's other siblings. When you do that, does the node (and its descendants)
snap back down with it's other brothers?
Even though you did it so quickly you produced a very nice clear and helpful
video. And your video pushed me to show you how to convert the floating nodes
to the usual one in a hope that our dialog gives you the pieces of the missing
knowledge and you find ways to give it further. Basically a development of
everything is an iterative process as long as you keep doing, and I hope you
Another tip: actually I consider the find dialog you showed in you video to be
obsolete. You can search, filter and select matching nodes right from the
filter tool bar which now contains all necessary elements.
I do not know how you produced this map geometry. I would like to learn it.
But I do know what you an do to improve the map. Just unfold all nodes, select
all and apply the action resetting all node positions. If you use the last
preview version 1.2.14_03 this action is available as Edit->reset start
Personally I do not like this action name and I think it should be changed to
something more appropriate in the coming versions.
I also think "reset start position" is not an appropriate name. Some
return to initial/original position
restore initial/original position
revert to initial/original position
move node to initial/original position
relocate node to initial/original position
reoccupy initial/original position
I tried double clicking on the oval and using the "reset position" but all
that did was push 3 of the nodes all the way down the page: http://www.filefr
To answer Dimitry, I really didn't so anything special in creating my map. I
started using the enter key when I wanted to add a node to the core. The
system started adding nodes, in random areas around the core. Meaning that it
was never clockwise or counter-clockwise.
As the nodes were added in random locations, I had to start moving the nodes
around so I can lump similar items together. My map focuses on developing a
business channel, I would like to keep similar items together, which means
that I don't want to stack things vertically. IE. HR, IT, etc...
This question is probably novice, but why is it that when I move the Phone Add
node, to the left so it goes between the Resources and Website Node, the FR
Communication Cycle, Coordinator Communication Tools and Videos get pushed
further up and to the right?
Is it possible to post the actual map somewhere so that we can interact with
Please select all nodes using CTRL + A first and apply "reset start position"
if all nodes are selected. Dimitry
I would like to upload it to filefreak.com but the .mm extension is not an
approved file type. Do you have an FTP site that I can upload the file to?
I've also run into a new problem when I upgraded to 1.2. The images did not
upload into the map and now I have a "FileNotFoundException" error. How do I
'relink' the image to the map?
Please report all bugs to our bug tracker https://sourceforge.net/apps/mantis
bt/freeplane in separate bug
reports. There you can upload any file and even mark the issue as private.