I like the idea of the new feature to hide connector lines. But I expected to so nothing of of the connector. I expected the map to look as if there were no connectors at all.
Instead, there are arrowheads on the ends of connected nodes.
Hiding all connector parts would be easier than hiding the lines and showing the arrows. i intentionally kept the arrows to indicate the fact of connections. Are you sure you want to completely hide connectors? Why?
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Are you sure you want to completely hide connectors? Why?
I'm sure you have gotten the idea that I often use Freeplane as a presentation tool.
Some of my maps have lots of connectors which might confuse or scare some of my audience. So hiding connectors helps. But it is still a bit confusing to see the arrowheads.
I realize my use of Freeplane is not typical. I wouldn't expect a change for my benefit, to meet my unique needs/wants. For the most fundamental, obvious, functional, logical use of Freeplane -- for data management and organization -- the current solution is great. It is just the presentational aspect that might benefit by being able to hide the arrows as well as the lines.
Perhaps if the arrows were less overpowering or obvious? Or, perhaps an option to the presentation settings in Tools > properties > hide connector arrows?
It is not a big deal. I can train my normal audience RE the arrowheads. Sometimes I present to different audiences, but I can still give them a headsup RE arrowheads. (like in Wizard of Oz : "ignore the man behind the curtain".)
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If you need to hide the connectors only for presentation, then you could just do a copy of the map and then replace the connector by nothing using a text editor like notepad++.
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Currently color and transparency of each connector is configured separately. If I could change it and connector color and transparency could be configured for whole map it would not only allow to hide and show all connectors when needed but also to change their color and transparency consistently for whole map.
In order to make this change so that all old maps do not change their look and feel it is possible to keep old indivudual connector colors for cases where map color is not set. But this logic is too complicated. I could just remove individual connector color information. But this would change how maps look like because the connector color would be set to some standard value.
Which solution can you think about?
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I dont use connectors much, but I think individual colors for different
connectors are very good as visual indicator (red connector, blue connector
etc)
It sounds like I'm probably the only one who might benefit.
I also share the need for the functionality requested by Ken.
The usage is for presentation purposes indeed, considering it would allow to easily hide the arrow heads too. If I need to say to an audience to not consider that arrow heads, or even if I don't say anything but someone in the audience asks what that triangles means, it weakens the presentation flow and requests unnecessary explanations.
Actually, I would suggest two functionality for handling connectors visibility (see image attached):
"Hide connector lines only" (already available as "Show connector lines"). This functionality is so handy. I'm using plenty of connectors now, but before I avoided connectors to keep map visual neat and clean. With "Show connector lines" no concerns with that anymore.
"Hide connector lines and heads" (new/complementary suggestion)
The options would complement each other: "Hide connector lines only" (for knowledge manager) and "Hide connector lines and heads" (for presentation). They would be exclusise (you can't select both at same time).
It sounds like I'm probably the only one who might benefit.
I also share the need for the functionality requested by Ken.
The usage is for presentation purposes indeed, considering it would allow to easily hide the arrow heads too. If I need to say to an audience to not consider that arrow heads, or even if I don't say anything but someone in the audience asks what that triangles means, it weakens the presentation flow and requests unnecessary explanations.
Actually, I would suggest two functionality for handling connectors visibility (see image attached):
"Hide connector lines only" (already available as "Show connector lines")
"Hide connector lines and heads (new/complementary suggestion)
The options would be exclusise (you can't select both at same time).
Couldn't this be done with a script? Something that steps though all the nodes
and applies a simple change?
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About scripting... in java is it possible to marshall a connector-object,
into a string? (Base64 if needed) ?
One could try to marshall all connector objects, then delete them from map,
and latter recreate them (unmarshall strings back to connector objects).
Could this theoretically be possible?
I like the idea of the new feature to hide connector lines. But I expected to so nothing of of the connector. I expected the map to look as if there were no connectors at all.
Instead, there are arrowheads on the ends of connected nodes.
Is there a way to hide these arrowheads, too?
Last edit: Ken Hill 2017-05-14
Hiding all connector parts would be easier than hiding the lines and showing the arrows. i intentionally kept the arrows to indicate the fact of connections. Are you sure you want to completely hide connectors? Why?
I'm sure you have gotten the idea that I often use Freeplane as a presentation tool.
Some of my maps have lots of connectors which might confuse or scare some of my audience. So hiding connectors helps. But it is still a bit confusing to see the arrowheads.
I realize my use of Freeplane is not typical. I wouldn't expect a change for my benefit, to meet my unique needs/wants. For the most fundamental, obvious, functional, logical use of Freeplane -- for data management and organization -- the current solution is great. It is just the presentational aspect that might benefit by being able to hide the arrows as well as the lines.
Perhaps if the arrows were less overpowering or obvious? Or, perhaps an option to the presentation settings in Tools > properties > hide connector arrows?
It is not a big deal. I can train my normal audience RE the arrowheads. Sometimes I present to different audiences, but I can still give them a headsup RE arrowheads. (like in Wizard of Oz : "ignore the man behind the curtain".)
If you need to hide the connectors only for presentation, then you could just do a copy of the map and then replace the connector by nothing using a text editor like notepad++.
Thanks. I'll give that a try.
Hi Ken,
You can set the connectors (edges) color to the same as the background.
Format > Edge properties > Edge color
Set it white if your default background is white then you will see something like floating nodes or indented text.
Best regards,
Alexandre
Maybe that could be solved with a script that switches the transparency
(opacity) of all connectors, from 0->100 and viceversa
That would "hide" and "show" the connectors
But then wouldn't the script need to be run manually each time a new node is created?
Currently color and transparency of each connector is configured separately. If I could change it and connector color and transparency could be configured for whole map it would not only allow to hide and show all connectors when needed but also to change their color and transparency consistently for whole map.
In order to make this change so that all old maps do not change their look and feel it is possible to keep old indivudual connector colors for cases where map color is not set. But this logic is too complicated. I could just remove individual connector color information. But this would change how maps look like because the connector color would be set to some standard value.
Which solution can you think about?
I dont use connectors much, but I think individual colors for different
connectors are very good as visual indicator (red connector, blue connector
etc)
It sounds like I'm probably the only one who might benefit. I can perhaps figure out a workaround or just use the current functionality.
Thanks for the discussion, but why don't we just close this as not being worth pursuing.
I also share the need for the functionality requested by Ken.
The usage is for presentation purposes indeed, considering it would allow to easily hide the arrow heads too. If I need to say to an audience to not consider that arrow heads, or even if I don't say anything but someone in the audience asks what that triangles means, it weakens the presentation flow and requests unnecessary explanations.
Actually, I would suggest two functionality for handling connectors visibility (see image attached):
The options would complement each other: "Hide connector lines only" (for knowledge manager) and "Hide connector lines and heads" (for presentation). They would be exclusise (you can't select both at same time).
Cheers!
Last edit: Cadux 2017-05-17
On 17/05/17 10:06 AM, Cadux wrote:
Couldn't this be done with a script? Something that steps though all the nodes
and applies a simple change?
About scripting... in java is it possible to marshall a connector-object,
into a string? (Base64 if needed) ?
One could try to marshall all connector objects, then delete them from map,
and latter recreate them (unmarshall strings back to connector objects).
Could this theoretically be possible?