Copyright: Copyright © CoCo Systems Ltd., 1996-1997.
Citation: Copyright © CoCo Systems Ltd., 1996-1997. All rights reserved.


 VisiMap Lite Help Contents

 Introduction
An explanation of what VisiMap Lite is, what it can do, and the basic techniques for working with the product.

 How to ...
A step by step guide to help you complete your tasks.

 Menu Commands
A comprehensive reference to all of VisiMap Lite’s menus and their commands.

 Dialog Boxes
A comprehensive reference to all of VisiMap Lite’s dialog boxes.

 Keyboard & Mouse
A complete reference to using the keyboard and mouse with VisiMap Lite.

 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A set of questions (with answers) that we are frequently asked about VisiMap Lite.

 Error Messages
A listing of all of VisiMap Lite’s error messages: what they mean, how you should respond to them.

 About the Retail Version of VisiMap
Find out about VisiMap Lite’s big brother: VisiMap.

 Product Support
Available support options so you can get the most from your CoCo Systems product.

Copyright © 1996-1997, CoCo Systems Ltd. All rights reserved.


 About the Retail Version of VisiMap

Our retail product, VisiMap, offers all the features of VisiMap Lite together with a number of powerful extensions that enable you to deploy visual maps at the heart of the creative process.

VisiMap is designed primarily for the corporate environment, and for individual power users who want to integrate their visual mapping techniques with their other creative tasks in all areas of idea development and brainstorming, document structuring and preparation, and project management.

The Features of VisiMap

VisiMap offers these main functional extensions and increased capacities:

1.	Increased map capacity: maps can have up to 50 primary branches, each with up to 50 children, and so on, to an arbitrary depth. Together with notes that can be up to 10,000 characters (that’s about five A4-sized or letter-sized pages) per branch, VisiMap can be used to plan, outline and write sizeable, well-structured, documents.

2.	Integrated spelling checker: Improve the professionalism of your maps by subjecting them to VisiMap’s integrated spelling checker and other ‘finishing’ tools. And journalists will love the word count function!

3.	Import and export: VisiMap can import plain text and RTF files from a variety of applications, and automatically detect their outline structure to synthesise visual maps. VisiMap’s extensive, configurable, export facilities (supporting HTML, RTF, TXT, WRI and BMP, GIF, JPEG, PCX, PNG, RLE, TIFF, WMF formats) allow you to transfer the results of your work easily to other applications, such as word processors, presentation programs or project management software.

4.	File linking: Use your maps to collect together and give structure to other documents you have scattered about your system, or network, by using named ‘file links’. File links connect your maps to other documents: you can centrally launch, print, send or view linked files using VisiMap’s link management features.

5.	Net Linking: VisiMap allows you to link your maps to resources on the internet or a company intranet, and easily connect to those resources (via your web browser).

6.	Built-in network support: With suitable licences, VisiMap is ready for use on your network, out of the box. You can install VisiMap for use in a client/server environment, or just take advantage of VisiMap’s ability to send maps (and linked files) or notes via e-mail.

7.	Greater configurability and usability: Extras such as configurable tool bars, an outliner tool bar, map templates (which allow you to define and share ‘boilerplate’ maps), and better features for handling large maps deliver important productivity gains.

VisiMap also comes complete with a comprehensive User Guide, a practical licensing policy, quantity discount purchasing options, and the extra commitment that can be offered and maintained for a flagship commercial product.

If you have a licensed copy of VisiMap Lite, and would like to upgrade to VisiMap, we and many of our distributors offer a painless upgrade path.

For Further Information

For further information about VisiMap, and pricing details, please contact your software supplier, or CoCo Systems by any of the following means:

Via the World Wide Web

Here, at http://www.coco.co.uk, you will find a full set of VisiMap sales, marketing, and technical support resources, together with a free trial version for download and a list of primary sources world-wide where you can purchase VisiMap.

Electronic Mail

Contact our sales department at sales@coco.co.uk.

Fax

Our fax number for sales is:

From the UK:	07000-COCOFN (262636)

From elsewhere:	+44 7000-COCOFN (262636)

Telephone

We can be contacted weekdays during office hours (British Standard Time) by telephone on the following number:

From the UK:	07000-COCOTN (262686)

From elsewhere:	+44 7000-COCOTN (262686)

By Mail

Our address is:

CoCo Systems Ltd.

2 Mortens Wood

Amersham

Bucks. HP7 9EQ

U.K.


 Product Support

CoCo Systems Ltd. provides full technical support, free of charge, for its products for the first 90 days following your purchase. Although we do normally provide support free of charge beyond this period, we do reserve the right to charge a fee for such.

How to Obtain Technical Support

You can contact CoCo Systems by any of the means detailed below. When you contact us, please endeavour to provide as much accurate information as you can about the problem you are encountering. This should if possible contain the following:

•	The name and version number of the product you are using.

•	The type of hardware you are using, and the operating environment in use.

•	A clear description of the problem and the circumstances in which it occurs.

•	The exact and full wording of any error messages that appeared on your screen.

In particular, VisiMap Lite has a built-in facility to collect together detailed information about your system that we have determined proves valuable in analysing and resolving problems. To collect this information, run VisiMap Lite and select the Technical Info command. When the Technical Info dialog box appears, press the Save button to save the information to a file named VMINFO.TXT in your VisiMap Lite directory. You can then close the dialog box and, if you wish, exit from VisiMap Lite. Please have the VMINFO.TXT file available when contacting us: it can be loaded into any text editor or word processor or (ideally) sent to us with your support request via electronic mail. (As VMINFO.TXT is quite large for many systems, you might wish to compress it using PKZip® or another compression product before sending it via e-mail)

The Internet

If you have access to the Internet, then visit the CoCo Systems support site at http://www.coco.co.uk/support. Our web site has a number of technical support resources, including a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), a list of any known problems, product maintenance releases, a discussion forum, and forms for reporting bugs or offering suggestions.

Electronic Mail

Contact our technical support department at tech-support@coco.co.uk.

Fax

Our fax number for sales is:

From the UK:	07000-COCOFN (262636)

From elsewhere:	+44 7000-COCOFN (262636)

Telephone

We can be contacted weekdays during office hours (British Standard Time) by telephone on the following number:

From the UK:	07000-COCOTN (262686)

From elsewhere:	+44 7000-COCOTN (262686)

By Mail

Our address is:

CoCo Systems Ltd.

Attn: Technical Support

2 Mortens Wood

Amersham

Bucks. HP7 9EQ

U.K.


See alsos


 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This section contains answers to common questions handled by our support staff for VisiMap Lite, along with some extra tips and tricks that we have found useful and presented here as questions. If you have a problem or query that other people have already encountered or asked us about, it may be that you will find the answer here. The topics covered are classified thus:

•	Icons, Colour & Styles

•	Importing and Exporting

•	Miscellaneous

•	Printing

•	Viewing


Icons, Colour & Styles

Q:	How do I change the colour of branches?

A:	This is done most easily using the colour palette at the bottom of the VisiMap Lite window. Select the branch you wish to colour and click the left mouse button while the pointer is over the desired colour. You can click the right mouse button to set the shading colour of the branch, too. If you hold down the Ctrl key while performing either of these operations, the colours will also be applied to the whole tree below the selected branch.

You can also control branch colours by using styles.

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 use the Styles|Attach Style Sheet command.

Q:	I like the ability to add icons to branches of a map. However, the selection of icons that comes with VisiMap Lite doesn't contain many of the icons I'd like to use. Where can I find additional icons to use with VisiMap Lite?

A:	First, VisiMap Lite can work with icons from many sources - while over 100 icons are provided with VisiMap Lite 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 sometimes .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. If you have a CompuServe account, you will find many public domain icon libraries there for download. To find icon libraries on the internet, we recommend you submit the search terms ‘icon’ and ‘library’ to one of the many search engines.

The VisiMap Lite 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 installations).

If you have a favourite icon library which you would like VisiMap Lite 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 colours on the colour palette?

A:	Windows recognises two types of colour: solid colours 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 colour, and non-solid dithered colours made by mixing different coloured pixels to create an effect that appears to the human eye at a distance of a few inches or more to be the uniform colour intended. For example, an area filled with alternating blue and yellow dots would appear green.

While an area can be coloured, or shaded, with any colour, solid or dithered, Windows can display text only in solid colours. If Windows is asked to draw text in a dithered colour, it will in fact draw it in the closest matching solid colour available.

VisiMap Lite uses the 'T' symbol in its colour palette to indicate to you which colour samples are solid colours (and can therefore be used as text colours): if you apply one of these colours to a branch (by clicking the left mouse button over the colour sample in the palette), then you know this is the exact colour that will be used to display the branch. If you use a text colour selected from the palette which does not have the 'T' symbol, then the branch will be coloured using only a close match.

Finally, if you use any one of the palette's colours as a background colour for a branch (by clicking the right mouse button over the colour sample) the branch will be shaded with the colour selected, irrespective of whether it is a solid or dithered colour.


Importing & Exporting

Q:	I want to copy a map in textual format to my word processor, but I can't determine how. What is the procedure?

A:	VisiMap Lite does not have the facility to transfer its data to other programs. You can obtain that capability by upgrading to the retail version of VisiMap. To find out more about VisiMap, see About the Retail Version of VisiMap, or visit CoCo Systems' internet web site at http://www.coco.co.uk.


Miscellaneous

Q:	Can I upgrade from VisiMap Lite to VisiMap? What does it cost?

A:	Yes! When you upgrade from VisiMap Lite to VisiMap, you are credited the nett registration fee you paid for VisiMap Lite (or InfoMap Lite) against the nett purchase price of VisiMap. For full details about upgrading and the costs of doing so, please refer to CoCo Systems' internet web site at http://www.coco.co.uk.

Q:	Does VisiMap Lite run on each of Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and Windows NT? Are there both 16-bit and 32-bit versions of VisiMap Lite?

A:	VisiMap Lite is a 16-bit application that runs fine on all of Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and Windows NT. VisiMap Lite takes on the look-and-feel of which ever version of Windows it is running on. A 32-bit version of VisiMap Lite is planned.

Q:	How do I create non-hierarchical links between branches?

A:	This feature is not available in VisiMap Lite.

Q:	The name "VisiMap Lite" seems to suggest there is a 'heavy' version too! Is there? And if so, what extra features does it boast?

A:	Yes, VisiMap Lite is a low-cost, cut-down, version of CoCo Systems' retail product, VisiMap. You can read about VisiMap in About the Retail Version of VisiMap, or at CoCo Systems' internet web site at http://www.coco.co.uk.


Printing

Q:	How do I print the graphical map in landscape, and the text in portrait?

A:	VisiMap Lite 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 Lite will print the graphical map in the best orientation (i.e. if the map is wider than it is tall, VisiMap Lite 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 Lite 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 page 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 page 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 a problem with the printer driver. VisiMap Lite does have a built-in workaround, though: choose the File|Page Setup command, then display the Maps page 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 Lite 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 Lite 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 page 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 Lite'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 inter-linked maps. For more information on these features, see Organising Your Maps into Modular Units and Printing.


Viewing

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 the numeric keypad.

Q:	How do I enlarge the map centre and/or branches so that they accommodate all of the text I have entered?

A:	VisiMap Lite 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 Lite 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 Lite then clips, you can instruct VisiMap Lite 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.


 Introduction

Welcome to CoCo Systems' VisiMap Lite, an easy-to-use creativity-enhancement and productivity-boosting tool for visual organisation, brainstorming, problem-solving, document outlining, planning, personal organisation, and many other day-to-day tasks.

VisiMap Lite allows you to quickly and efficiently enter, visualise, restructure, and print, present, and communicate information using a simple, yet powerful, graphical metaphor that we call a 'visual map'.

Read the following topics to get an introduction to the important basic concepts you need to know to use VisiMap Lite effectively.

•	What VisiMap Lite Can Do For You

•	About Visual Maps

•	How to Work With VisiMap Lite

•	About the VisiMap Viewer

VisiMap Lite is the cut-down, personal, edition of our powerful retail product VisiMap. See here for details.


What VisiMap Lite Can Do For You

VisiMap Lite provides a platform for individuals to become more creative and more productive. Effectively combining the power and simplicity of 'visual maps' (also variously known as Mind Maps®, brain maps or idea maps) with the graphical environment of Microsoft Windows, VisiMap Lite produces visual solutions to all kinds of personal applications. It graphically records, structures and clarifies thoughts in such a way that they can be used, re-used and then effectively communicated.

As a productive extension of the mind, VisiMap Lite allows you to think freely and creatively, without concern for order or structure. VisiMap Lite automatically captures ideas around the central theme, problem, plan, or idea, splitting it into manageable pieces in a tree-like, easy-to-read graphical, hierarchical structure. You can attach short annotations to branches of a map: as you re-order a map, these notes move with their branches.

If maps become large and cumbersome, you can split them into modular, linked maps to form multi-dimensional, yet manageable, structures.

Once your ideas have been generated and fully developed, you can freely prune or add further ideas, or shift them from one branch to another to examine 'what-if' type scenarios or to create logical clusters. Thereafter, VisiMap Lite's power can be applied to put structure to the thinking so that ideas can be presented in a clear order and format.

VisiMap Lite therefore adds incredible power to a host of applications - limited only by your imagination.

Here are some common applications that our customers are using VisiMap Lite for:

•	brain-storming,

•	problem-solving,

•	document planning and outlining,

•	note-taking,

•	studying,

•	personal organisation,

•	general list-structuring.

We even know of users who use VisiMap Lite to save time deciding on and doing their weekly shopping! There are many other uses to which you can apply VisiMap Lite to save you time and effort - if you use VisiMap Lite for unusual or unique purposes, we would love to hear from you!


About Visual Maps

•	The Visual Map

•	The Text Outline View

•	The Visual Map as a Living Structure


The Visual Map

VisiMap Lite works with primarily hierarchical structures which are called 'visual maps'. Visual maps are tree-like graphical structures where the central theme is encapsulated as a 'map centre', with sub-topics of that theme represented by radial 'branches' emanating from the map centre. Each branch can then arbitrarily be subdivided into smaller topics by the attachment of lower level branches.

The tree-like structure is easy to visualise and read: relationships between topics are instantly recognisable. Here is an extract from a visual map created in VisiMap Lite:

(Click on any item in the above graphic to view an explanation of it.)

When VisiMap Lite's built-in features are used to enhance a map visually (by using different fonts, colours, and icons for instance), it becomes a powerful communication and presentation tool. As can also be seen from the diagram above, VisiMap Lite extends the notion of a branch beyond the visual aspects: branches can also be made to link to other maps (so that you can create interlinked networks of related maps).

You can also attach short textual 'notes' to any branch of map, using VisiMap Lite's built-in QuickEditor. Each note can be up to 250 characters each. If you move a branch, its notes follow automatically.


The Text Outline View

Some people find it on occasion convenient to visualise a map in a traditional, one-dimensional, outline representation. VisiMap Lite offers just such a 'text outline view', and allows you to easily switch your view of a map between it and the standard visual map view simply by pressing a tool bar button or selecting a menu command. Here is the equivalent text outline view of the example map shown above:

(Click on any item in the above graphic to view an explanation of it.)

While the text outline view does not show branch icons or allow arbitrary on-screen scaling, it does provide the full range of editing, drag-and-drop, viewing, outlining, and printing facilities available when working with visual maps.


The Visual Map as a Living Structure

VisiMap Lite's visual maps are intended to be used as living, dynamic, structures: VisiMap Lite lets you achieve more by making the map a central working platform, rather than a goal in itself, in a number of ways:

•	VisiMap Lite's powerful map editing and manipulation commands allow you to freely restructure a map on-screen,

•	it's ordered undo/redo facilities let you experiment with 'what-if' type scenarios,

•	it's outlining and viewing features make the visual map an effective communication tool, and

•	the map's modular structure, together with VisiMap Lite's notes facility and powerful and flexible printing capabilities make VisiMap Lite a structured and productive documentation tool.


How to Work With VisiMap Lite

You can work with VisiMap Lite more effectively if you acquaint yourself with a few basic techniques. We assume you are familiar with basic mouse and keyboard techniques for the version of Windows you are using. If not, we recommend you consult the documentation that came with Windows before proceeding further.

In the following topics we will cover the following basic techniques for interacting with VisiMap Lite:

•	Using the Menus

•	Using the Tool Bars

•	Keyboard Shortcuts

•	Using the Mouse

•	Using the Colour Palette

•	Using the Status Bar

•	Using 'Tabbed' Dialog Boxes

•	Configuration Options


Using the Menus

All VisiMap Lite's commands are available via the menu bar at the top of the VisiMap Lite window. The menu changes according to whether you are working in a map window, or in a QuickEditor (see Building and Managing Maps - The Basics for an introduction to these). You can select commands from the menus using mouse or keyboard operations which are standard for all Windows applications.

Tip: Watch the status bar at the bottom of the VisiMap Lite window as you move the menu highlight over a menu item: you will see a description of what the menu item does.

In addition to entering commands by using menu items, you can execute commands by using the tool bar, shortcut 'accelerator' keys and the mouse. These are described in the following topics.


Using the Tool Bar

VisiMap Lite's tool bar provides you with single-click access to many of the most used VisiMap Lite menu commands. Simply click on a button to invoke the related command.

Tip: : If you let the mouse cursor rest over a tool bar button for a short while, a brief ‘tool tip’ will appear to show you the purpose of the button. Also watch the status bar at the bottom of the VisiMap Lite window for a fuller description.


Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are available for many of the frequently used VisiMap Lite menu commands. Where a shortcut is available for a command, you will see a description of it to the right of the command's menu item.

Where VisiMap Lite has a command that is commonly found in other applications (such as Print on the File menu), that command will have the same shortcut key (if any) that is also commonly used in other applications. For example, the Print command has the shortcut key Ctrl+P.

See Keyboard and Mouse for a full listing of the shortcuts available.

In addition to the standard shortcut keys available, VisiMap Lite allows you to specify 'hot keys' (consisting of Ctrl key combinations) for styles defined in style sheets. See Enhancing Your Maps for more details.


Using the Mouse

You can use the mouse to execute VisiMap Lite commands by using the right mouse button, and for 'drag-and-drop' operations:

•	Using the Right Mouse Button

•	Drag-and-Drop Techniques

VisiMap also supports the Microsoft IntelliMouse 2.0 (or other wheel-button mouse) for scrolling, zooming and data-zooming (outlining). See Using the IntelliMouse for more details


Using the Right Mouse Button

In addition to the menus and tool bars, VisiMap Lite provides an alternative way of working with objects in the VisiMap Lite window. If you click certain types of object with the right mouse button, VisiMap Lite displays a context-sensitive menu of common operations you can perform on that object.

For instance, if you click the right mouse button on a branch, VisiMap Lite will display a menu of commands that can currently be performed on that branch. Right-button menus are not only available for components of a map: try right-clicking, say, on a QuickEditor.

There are a couple of extensions and exceptions to using the right mouse button:

•	When clicking on a branch in a map, you can also hold down the Ctrl key to display a menu of tree-editing commands commands (for the tree headed by that branch).

•	The right mouse button has a special function when used with the Colour Palette.


Drag-and-Drop Techniques

Drag-and-drop is a combination of techniques that enable you to use your mouse to perform operations that result from selecting an item, dragging it to another location, and dropping it onto another item. Using drag-and-drop you can accomplish a variety of tasks in VisiMap Lite, such as:

•	re-ordering or copying branches of a map, or

•	opening map files by dragging them from File Manager or Explorer and dropping them onto the VisiMap Lite background window.

In all cases the technique is the same:

1.	Select the item you wish to drag.

2.	Press and hold down the left mouse button to drag the item.

3.	Drop the item onto the 'target' item by releasing the left mouse button over the target.

Further details about using drag-and-drop for a particular task are given in the appropriate topics of this on-line help.


Using the IntelliMouse

If you have the Microsoft IntelliMouse 2.0 (or other wheel-button mouse) you can use it with VisiMap for vertical scrolling, zooming and data-zooming (outlining):

•	To scroll an active map window or QuickEditor vertically, rotate the wheel,

•	To zoom a map view in or out, hold down the Ctrl key while rotating the wheel, and

•	To data-zoom (i.e. collapse or expand an outline) point at a branch (or the map centre) and then hold down the Shift key while rotating the wheel.


Using the Colour Palette

VisiMap Lite provides an easy way to apply colours to branches of a map by way of a scrollable Colour Palette near the base of the VisiMap Lite window.

To change the foreground colour (i.e. the colour of the branch text and the branch's arc) of a branch in the map window, select the branch and click the left mouse button with the cursor over the desired colour. To change the background colour of a branch, click the right mouse button instead.

You can extend the colouring to the whole tree below the branch by holding down the keyboard Ctrl key while you press a mouse button.

You can also remove any explicit branch foreground colour or background colour (i.e., return the colour to that of the branch's style) by respectively left-clicking or right-clicking the cross marker at the left edge of the palette.

If less than all the available colours in the palette are visible at one time, you can use the short scroll bar to the left of the Colour Palette to bring further colours into view.

A note about the 'T' symbols in the Colour Palette:

Windows recognises two types of colour: solid colours 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 colour, and non-solid dithered colours made by mixing different coloured pixels to create an effect that appears to the human eye at a distance of a few inches or more to be the uniform colour intended. For example, an area filled with alternating blue and yellow dots would appear green.

While an area can be coloured, or shaded, with any colour, solid or dithered, Windows can display text only in solid colours. If Windows is asked to draw text in a dithered colour, it will in fact draw it in the closest matching solid colour available.

VisiMap Lite uses the 'T' symbol in its colour palette to indicate to you which colour samples are solid colours (and can therefore be used as text colours): if you apply one of these colours to a branch (by clicking the left mouse button over the colour sample in the palette), then you know this is the exact colour that will be used to display the branch. If you use a text colour selected from the palette which does not have the 'T' symbol, then the branch will be coloured using only a close match.


Using the Status Bar

The Status Bar at the base of the VisiMap Lite window is used to provide you with dynamic feedback as you work with VisiMap Lite, and to provide you with a convenient means of reacting to, or changing some of, the information displayed. Its contents depend on whether you are working with a map window or a QuickEditor, as described below:

Status Bar for the Map Window

This Status Bar shows the following information about the current status, from left to right:

•	General feedback. Shows various information, such as descriptions of highlighted menu items or tool bar buttons, or the current selection in the map window.

•	Zoom factor. Shows the current zoom factor in which you are viewing the map window. Double-clicking this field will take you to the 'Set Zoom Factor' dialog so that you can change the zoom factor.

•	Time. Shows the current time in the style you have set up via the Windows Control Panel. Double-clicking this field will launch the Control Panels' Date/Time Properties where you can change the current date and time (and time zone, for Windows 95/NT 4.0 users).

•	Free resources. Shows you what percentage of system resources are currently unused. If this percentage gets extremely low (say, as low as 15% or 20%) then you are advised to close running applications that you do not currently need, so as to free more resources: if you do not do so, you may start encountering operational problems with all applications. VisiMap Lite also has a convenient built-in 'low-resources' warning facility to attract your attention should free resources get dangerously low: to configure the warning threshold, double-click the status bar field and fill in the appropriate values in the dialog box that appears.

Status Bar for the QuickEditor

•	General feedback. The same as for map windows.

•	Caps, Num and Scroll. These indicate whether the corresponding keyboard key is toggled on or off.

•	Time. The same as for map windows.

•	Free resources. The same as for map windows.


Using 'Tabbed' Dialog Boxes

VisiMap Lite now uses a number of 'tabbed' dialog boxes where the number of controls presented is large. These provide an efficient way to organise groups of dialog controls into pages or 'property sheets'. You can select a property sheet in a tabbed dialog simply by clicking on its labelled tab. If you prefer to use the keyboard, you can cycle forwards or backwards through the available property sheets by pressing Ctrl+Tab (forwards) or Ctrl+Shift+Tab (backwards).


Configuration Options

VisiMap Lite is a highly customisable program. You can set and change options that alter VisiMap Lite's behaviour to suit your way of working. Among the many options you can set are the following:

•	map styles, colours, numbering and markers

•	the sizing and colour of map windows

•	printer selection and page layout

•	command confirmations

•	the auto-save frequency

When you first install VisiMap Lite, all of these options are given default settings: you do not need to change them any of them to get the full benefit of VisiMap Lite features. In this on-line help, most of the features are described with reference to the default option settings. Wherever you encounter a phrase like "by default, ...", then there is a program option that can be set to alter the way VisiMap Lite behaves in the situation being described.

A summary of the options that are available, and how to change them, is given in the following:

•	General options

•	Printer Setup options

•	Page layouts

•	Running Headers and footers


About the VisiMap Viewer

If you wish to be able to give your completed maps to your friends or colleagues, and those people have not purchased their own copy of VisiMap Lite, you can provide them the capability to view and print your maps by supplying them with the VisiMap Viewer program.

The VisiMap Viewer offers the facility to view maps exactly as you do in VisiMap Lite, and also to use the full range of VisiMap Lite’s outlining and printing facilities (it does not, however, have the ability to edit maps, nor does it have any of the other VisiMap Lite capabilities).

You can download the VisiMap Viewer distribution file from CoCo Systems’ web site at http://www.coco.co.uk and then redistribute it together with your own maps and style sheets to other people free of royalty payment, provided that you:

•	do not modify the distribution file in any way,

•	do not redistribute the distribution file as part of any other product,

•	do not redistribute any other VisiMap Lite (or VisiMap) program or support file, and

•	do not charge any fee for doing so.

When your friend or colleague receives the distribution file from you, he/she can simply run the file to install the Viewer on his/her computer. The VisiMap Viewer comes complete with its own on-line help system.


Legend: Branch
This is a branch of the map. It carries text that you specify, and can be formatted in many ways to enhance its appearance. For example, you can set the font, size, font style, colour and shading colour for the text, add an icon to the branch or select the width of the lines used to draw the branch.

You do not have to be concerned with the drawing or positioning of branches of a map: VisiMap Lite takes care of these tasks automatically, leaving you to concentrate on the content and structure of your maps.


Legend: Branch Icon
This is a branch icon. Icons are used to add visual impact or emphasis to a branch. When you add a branch to your map, you can also choose an icon from VisiMap Lite’s icon selector to display on the branch. Alternatively, you can also specify an icon in a branch style: when you assign a style to a branch, VisiMap Lite will automatically display the style’s icon on the branch.

You can later change the icon displayed by clicking the right mouse button over the icon and using VisiMap Lite’s icon selector.


Legend: Hidden Marker
This is a ‘hidden branch’ marker. It shows on a branch in the map view whenever you use the VisiMap Lite outlining or hide branch facilities to selectively hide children of the branch from view. Left-clicking on the hidden branch marker will then reveal the hidden branches.

If you prefer, you can set an option to prevent VisiMap Lite from displaying the hidden branch markers.


Legend: Map View
This is the visual map format. Maps are formed with variable length branches which automatically size themselves according to the content and style of the text they carry. Child branches radiate from the end point of their parent.


Legend: Link Marker
This is a ‘link’ marker. It shows to the left of a branch in Text Outline format whenever that branch is links to another map.

If you prefer, you can set an option to prevent VisiMap Lite from displaying the link markers.


Legend: Map Centre
This is the map centre. You use the map centre to name your map, and to control some overall features of the map (such as the branch style scheme to use or the style of the notes text attached to branches of the map).

Like branches of the map, the map centre can be formatted in many ways to enhance its appearance. For example, you can set the font, size, font style, colour and shading colour for the text.

You do not have to be concerned with the drawing or positioning of the map centre: VisiMap Lite takes care of these tasks automatically, leaving you to concentrate on the content and structure of your maps.


Legend: Outline Node Marker
This is an outline ‘node’ marker. It indicates that the branch has child branches that you can collapse or expand, by left-clicking on the marker.


Legend: Map Link
This is a Map Link. It links your map to any other map on your system. VisiMap Lite will automatically determine the descriptive name of the linked map, and make it the text of the branch. VisiMap Lite will also automatically select the map icon and display it in the link.

You can open the linked map simply by double-clicking with the mouse on the link branch.

Like normal branches, map links can be formatted in many ways to enhance their appearance. For example, you can set the font, size, font style, colour and shading colour for the text, change the icon shown on the branch or select the width of the lines used to draw the branch.

You do not have to be concerned with the drawing or positioning of map link branches of a map: VisiMap Lite takes care of these tasks automatically, leaving you to concentrate on the content and structure of your maps.


Legend: Text Marker
This is a ‘notes text’ marker. It shows on a branch whenever the branch has an attached note. Left-licking on the notes text marker will open an editor for those notes.

If you prefer, you can set an option to prevent VisiMap Lite from displaying the notes text markers.


Legend: Text Outline View
This is the Text Outline format. Maps are formed as a traditional one-dimensional ‘outline’ format, using indentation to represent hierarchical levels.


See alsos (Introduction)


See also (The Visual Map)
The Text Outline View


See also (The Text Outline View)
The Visual Map


Building and Managing Maps - The Basics

Whenever you work with VisiMap Lite, you work with visual maps (or, simply, 'maps'). This chapter discusses the basic operations for working with maps. We focus our attention here on working with maps in the standard visual map view. Much of what is described is also applicable to maps in text outline view, too: where differences do exist, they are explained as appropriate.

•	Creating, Opening and Closing Maps

•	Protecting and Saving Your Work

•	Adding and Deleting Branches

•	Editing Branch Properties

•	Attaching and Editing Notes

•	Working With Split-Windows

•	Navigating in Maps


Creating, Opening and Closing Maps

Before working on a map it must either be created anew, or an existing one opened. When creating or opening a map, VisiMap Lite opens a new window in which it displays the contents of the map for viewing and editing.

•	Creating a New Map

•	Opening an Existing Map

•	Closing an Open Map


Creating a New Map

To create a new map from scratch, choose the File|New command. This will create a new map that has only an un-named map centre, to which you can start adding branches immediately.

The map you create is displayed in a new window, with the map centre displayed centrally in the window. The title bar will indicate the map is as yet not saved to disk.


Opening an Existing Map

If you already have a VisiMap Lite visual map on disk, you can open it for viewing and editing by using the File|Open command and selecting the map's file from the displayed dialog box.

Tip: To assist you in selecting the desired map file, the Open dialog box displays the map's title (as extracted from the map centre) of the map file you highlight in the dialog's file list.

Tip: The Open dialog also allows you to select multiple maps for opening at once, and also allows you to have VisiMap Lite automatically open any maps linked to those, too

There are a number of other ways of opening maps in VisiMap Lite:

1.	Re-opening working maps: when you close VisiMap Lite, it remembers the maps you are working on at the time. When you next run VisiMap Lite these maps are normally re-opened automatically.

2.	Opening most recently used maps: VisiMap Lite remembers up to the last 8 maps you have worked on and closed. To quickly open one of these maps, select from the history list at the bottom of VisiMap Lite's File menu.

3.	By drag-and-drop: You can open one or more maps by dragging them from the Windows File Manager or Explorer and dropping them onto the VisiMap Lite's window.

4.	Via the VisiMap Lite command line: You can specify maps to open on the VisiMap Lite command line, either via the Windows Run... command, or via established program group items. (Note: when you launch VisiMap Lite in this way, VisiMap Lite will not automatically re-open the maps you were working on last time).

5.	Going ‘Back’ or ‘Forward’ to a map you accessed recently. You can track backwards and forwards through the maps you have accessed during a VisiMap Lite session by using the [image] and [image] buttons on the main tool bar.

Note: VisiMap Lite lets you maintain any number of open maps at a time, and you can freely switch between all open maps. When you have a map window active, the standard Windows navigation keys Ctrl+Tab and Ctrl+Shift+Tab can be used to cycle through the open windows. Alternatively, you can arrange open windows or activate a given window by using the Window menu.


Closing an Open Map

Once you have finished working on a map, you may wish to close it. You do this by choosing the File|Close command. When you close a map, VisiMap Lite will automatically prompt you to save it to disk if it contains any un-saved modifications.

Tip: You can close all currently open maps by choosing File|Close All.

When you close VisiMap Lite itself (using File|Exit), you implicitly close all open maps. Again, when you close VisiMap Lite you are automatically prompted to save any unsaved changes in your open maps.


Protecting and Saving Your Work

As you work on an open map, any changes you make will be reflected immediately on-screen and will be stored in your computer's memory. You need to save accumulated changes to disk under a named file to make them available for working on later.

•	Saving Maps

•	Using the VisiMap Lite Auto-Save Feature


Saving Maps

To save a map to disk use the File|Save command. If you have not previously saved the map to disk it will as yet have no file name: the File|Save command will then automatically prompt you for a name via the Save As dialog:

Once you have saved a map to disk, you can re-save it under a different file name using File|Save As. This will save another copy, but will preserve the original file which contained the map.

Tip: If you wish to delete an old map you no longer require, use the File|Delete command. Be aware, though, that this command is irreversible (unless you have third party disk recovery tools which may be able to assist you in attempting file recovery), and that it will not allow you delete any map which is currently open.


Using the VisiMap Lite Auto-Save Feature

Your system may occasionally be subject to 'crashes' or other failures which make it unresponsive and unusable. In these cases, you may lose data and will probably need to restart your system to make it useable again. If you have made a large number of changes to open maps in VisiMap Lite over a long period of time, but you have not yet saved them, you may lose these changes and have to re-enter them all again.

VisiMap Lite has a protection feature to protect your work in these circumstances. Using VisiMap Lite's auto-save features, you can configure VisiMap Lite to automatically and regularly secure a disk copy of your open maps (including all the changes you have made since you last saved them). VisiMap Lite does this in the background without interfering with your work, and without requiring input from you. By default, VisiMap Lite will auto-save your open maps every 10 minutes: you can change this frequency to provide greater or lesser protection, or even instruct VisiMap Lite to auto-save your maps every time you make a change! To change the auto-save behaviour, use the Tools|Preferences command, and select the Miscellaneous page on the displayed dialog box:

When VisiMap Lite auto-saves a map, it does not overwrite your open map file: rather, it saves and secures another copy in a uniquely named file in a part your hard disk drive used for temporary files. This way, you still have the opportunity to undo un-saved changes and secure the master copy only when you decide to do so, while VisiMap Lite takes care of securing your data regularly in case of system failure.

Once you explicitly save a map to disk (using the File|Save or File|Save As commands), your map is secure and VisiMap Lite no longer requires the temporary auto-save files. VisiMap Lite automatically deletes them for you. If, however, your system should fail before you save your maps, VisiMap Lite will automatically recover them (to the state they were in at the time they were last auto-saved) next time you run VisiMap Lite. In this case, VisiMap Lite will issue an audible beep to alert you it has done so, and place an indication on its title bar.


Adding and Deleting Branches

The first action you will probably wish to perform after creating a new and empty map is to establish the main topic of the map. You do this by naming the map centre.

To change the map name, press the Enter key (or double-click with the mouse) and type the name into the displayed Map Properties dialog:

You can use any name you wish, up to 100 characters in length. Once you have entered the name, press Enter (or the OK button): your map will be immediately updated to reflect the change.

Having established a topic or theme for your map, you will want to explore and sub-divide the topic by adding branches to the map centre, each of which addresses part of the overall topic. You will then probably wish to further sub-divide each topic into smaller ones, and so on, so building up a hierarchical and modular representation of the overall subject.

Adding a new branch is easy: simply start typing the text you wish to appear on the branch, and press the Enter key when you are finished (you can, if you wish, optionally press the Ins key before you start typing the branch title).

You will notice that, as you start typing, the Add Branch dialog will appear, your branch title will be entered into the dialog, the dialog will disappear when you press Enter. (While you can stop to fill in other information about the new branch before pressing Enter, we will not cover this here: these more advanced techniques are covered in later chapters.)

There is one rule that governs the placement of new branches: whenever you add a new branch to a map, that branch becomes a child of the currently selected branch. The currently selected branch is the one surrounded on-screen by a dotted box. So, if you have the map centre selected when you add a new branch, the branch will become a child of the map centre (we often call these radial branches 'primary' branches). If you have another branch selected when you add a new branch, the new branch will become a child of the selected one.

To select a branch, left-click the branch with the mouse (or use the cursor keys as described in Navigating In Maps).

You will also notice that, as you add branches, VisiMap Lite redraws the changed map automatically, making room for each new branch as you enter it. This is a significant feature of VisiMap Lite: you do not need to be concerned in any way about the mechanics of drawing and presenting visual maps. VisiMap Lite draws all maps automatically and rapidly, and arranges them in an orderly and space-efficient manner. This leaves you to focus on the primary concerns of content and structure.

While you are adding branches to a map, you can choose to concern yourself with the map structure at the same time, or leave structuring until a later time. VisiMap Lite allows you to work efficiently either way, but it is perhaps more efficient to concentrate initially on content (i.e. entering branches quickly without too much regard to structure) and then to experiment with and modify the structure later (Note: the restructuring of maps is covered in More Advanced Map Editing).

Tip: If you wish to add a list of branches efficiently to, say, the map centre, simply select the map centre and then type each branch title in succession via the keyboard, pressing the Enter key after each.

As you enter branches into a map, you may find you make a number of spelling or other mistakes, or you may simply change your mind and want to make changes or deletions. Don't worry: you can go back and change the content of a branch at any time (see the next topic, Editing Branch Titles), or delete unwanted branches.

To delete an unwanted branch, select the branch you wish to delete, and press the Del key (or choose the Branch|Delete Branch command).

Caution: When you delete a branch, you delete not only the selected branch, but also all branches connected below it and their children (i.e. the 'tree' headed by the selected branch).

By default, VisiMap Lite will ask you to confirm the deletion of branches. If you delete a branch and then decide you wish to recover it, you can do so by choosing Branch|Undo (or press the Ctrl+Z keys). You can read more about VisiMap Lite's Undo and Redo facilities in More Advanced Map Editing.


Editing Branch Properties

You can edit the title, type and other properties of a branch at any time by selecting the branch and choosing the Branch|Properties command (or by double-clicking with the mouse, or by pressing the Enter key). This will display the Branch Properties dialog.

If instead you wish to change the map name (in the map centre), select the map centre before choosing Branch|Properties. You will then see the Map Properties dialog, where you can similarly change the map name (and other map properties).


Attaching and Editing Notes

VisiMap Lite allows you, via its built-in QuickEditor, to attach short annotations, or ‘notes' to the map centre, or any other branch of a map. These notes can be up to 256 characters for each branch. Branches that have notes attached are marked with a small [image] page symbol.

To add or edit a branch's notes you choose the Branch|Edit Notes command (or press Ctrl+N), or left-click the branch's [image] marker. This will open and activate a QuickEditor below your map window:

When the QuickEditor is active, you can add and edit free-form text to the selected branch. The QuickEditor automatically word-wraps text, and accepts key combinations that you will find familiar from other editors or word processors. Some of the commands you can use (which all appear on the QuickEditor's Edit menu) are:

Command	Keys
Cut	Ctrl+X (or Shift+Del)
Copy	Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Ins)
Paste	Ctrl+V (or Shift+Ins)
Delete	Del
Select All	Ctrl+A
You can also select text with the mouse in the normal way, and you can search for and replace occurrences of text.

Refer to More Advanced Map Editing for instructions on searching for and replacing text.


Working With Split-Windows

When you open a QuickEditor below a map window, the QuickEditor will always show the notes (if any) attached to the branch currently selected in the map window: as you move the selection in the map window, so the contents of the QuickEditor will change.

Tip: If you wish to open two QuickEditors for a single map, each showing the notes attached to different branches, open a second copy of the map (using File|Open), and arrange both windows to be visible side-by-side (using the Window|Tile command).

You can choose to interact at any one time either with the QuickEditor, or the map window. To interact with a window, you must first activate it: the simplest way to activate a QuickEditor or map window is to left-click on it with the mouse. Alternatively, you can press the F8 key to toggle between them.

When you activate a QuickEditor, the VisiMap Lite menu bar and tool bar will change to reflect the commands available to you when working with the QuickEditor. Conversely, when you activate a map window, they will change back to reflect the commands available to you when working with a map window.

You can also alter the proportion of the document window taken up by each of the QuickEditor and map window by using the mouse to drag-and-drop the black divider between them.

Tip: when the mouse is over the divider, the cursor will look like this:

To close (or re-open) a QuickEditor, choose the View|Split window command, or press Ctrl+F8.


Navigating in Maps

As you add branches to a map, or edit, delete or restructure them, your actions modify the map according to where the selection highlight is. For instance, it has already been noted that when you add a new branch it is added as a child of the current selection. It thus becomes important that you learn to efficiently navigate a map, and be able to quickly locate a given branch.

There are a few techniques for navigating, both with the mouse and with the keyboard. These are described in the following sections.

Tip: You can also find a named branch by using VisiMap Lite's Branch|Find/Replace command. See More Advanced Map Editing for details.

Tip: You can fit more of a map on-screen by using VisiMap Lite's on-screen scaling function. See Outlining and Viewing Maps.

•	Navigating With the Mouse

•	Navigating With the Keyboard


Navigating With the Mouse

Navigating maps with the mouse is straightforward:

•	To scroll a non-visible part of a large map into view (without moving the selection), use the scroll bars to the right and bottom of the map window.

•	To select a visible branch, left-click with the mouse.


Navigating With the Keyboard

When using the keyboard to navigate a map, there are some differences depending on whether you are working with a visual map or a text outline. The key combinations for each are presented here.

Keys in the Map View

You can use the following keys to scroll the map window:

Keys	Command
PgUp	Scroll up one page
PgDn	Scroll down one page
Home	Scroll to the left edge
End	Scroll to the right edge
Ctrl+Home	Scroll to the top
Ctrl+End	Scroll to the bottom
Ctrl+Right Arrow	Scroll a small amount to the right
Ctrl+Left Arrow	Scroll a small amount to the left
Note: When scrolling up or down in text outline view, the selection is also moved. The following keys also move the selection:

Key	Command
Up	moves the selection to the current selection's parent (i.e. 'up' towards the map centre)
Down	moves the selection to the current selection's first child (i.e. 'down' away from the map centre)
Left	moves the selection cyclically 'backwards' at the current selection's level (i.e. to the selection's previous sibling)
Right	moves the selection cyclically 'forwards' at the current selection's level (i.e. to the selection's next sibling)
Tip: You will note that, as you move the selection in a map, VisiMap Lite will by default automatically bring the newly selected branch into view (if it is not already visible).

Keys in the Text Outline View

You can use the following keys to scroll the map window (the selection is not moved by any of these keys):

Keys	Command
PgUp	Scroll up one page
PgDn	Scroll down one page
Home	Scroll to the left edge
End	Scroll to the right edge
Ctrl+Home	Scroll to the top
Ctrl+End	Scroll to the bottom
Ctrl+Right Arrow	Scroll a small amount to the right
Ctrl+Left Arrow	Scroll a small amount to the left
The following keys move the selection:

Key	Command
Up	moves the selection to the branch immediately above the current selection
Down	moves the selection to the branch immediately below the current selection
Left	moves the selection cyclically 'forwards' at the current selection's level (i.e. to the selection's next sibling)
Right	moves the selection cyclically 'backwards' at the current selection's level (i.e. to the selection's previous sibling)
Tip: You will note that, as you move the selection in a map, VisiMap Lite will by default automatically bring the newly selected branch into view (if it is not already visible).


See alsos (Building and Managing Maps)


See also (Navigating In Maps)
Keyboard and Mouse (Maps)


See also (Navigating With the Keyboard)
Keyboard and Mouse (maps)

Keyboard and Mouse (QuickEditor)


More Advanced Map Editing

Having presented the basics of working with VisiMap Lite in the previous chapter, this chapter introduces you to more advanced techniques of using VisiMap Lite and manipulating your visual maps.

•	Undoing & Redoing Edits

•	Restructuring Your Maps

•	Organising Your Maps into Modular Units

•	Searching For and Replacing Text


Undoing & Redoing Edits

As you work on a map, VisiMap Lite records all most of the edits you make and allows you to undo each operation in turn (via the Branch|Undo command, or pressing Ctrl+Z), in the reverse order to that in which they were made. Further, any operations you undo are also recorded so that you may (via the Branch|Redo command, or pressing Ctrl+Y) subsequently redo the undone operations.

If you make a destructive edit that you did not intend (for instance, you press the Del key while the map centre is selected, thus deleting all branches from the map) therefore, do not despair: simply use Branch|Undo to restore your map to its previous state (in the example case, this would restore all the deleted branches).

The ordered undo/redo facility also lets you play 'what-if' scenarios with your maps: you can experiment with a series of edits and later undo them in turn if you wish to restore your map to its original state.

Important note: When you explicitly save your map (via the File|Save command) the VisiMap Lite undo/redo history lists are cleared, committing any changes you have made.

While almost all map edits you make are recorded for later undoing, there are a few restrictions:

•	Changes you make to a branch's notes are not protected by the ordered undo/redo feature. When working in a QuickEditor, however, VisiMap Lite will allow you to undo (and then redo) the last edit you made.

•	The undo/redo feature does not allow you to undo corrections you make via the Branch|Find/Replace command (see later in this chapter for a description of the find/replace facilities).

•	You cannot undo the attachment of a different style sheet to a map. To undo this operation, just re-attach the original style sheet.


Restructuring Your Maps

All branches of a visual map are, by default, ordered in a strictly clockwise manner, starting with the primary branch at the top right. The children of any branch are also ordered clockwise under their parent branch.

Optionally, branches may be ordered as in previous versions: here, primary branches are ordered clockwise around the map centre, but lower level branches are displayed top-to-bottom. You can change the display ordering via the Maps page of the Preferences dialog.

The ordering of branches is significant not only in the way you read a visual map, but is important when the map is viewed as a one-dimensional outline, such as when you view the map in text outline view, or print the textual form of the map. You can visualise the order of a map by having VisiMap Lite display automatically-generated numbers on all the branches. To do this, choose the Tools|Preferences command, activate the Maps page and turn the 'Branch Numbers' option on.

•	Re-ordering Branches

•	Using Cut and Paste

•	Promoting Branches


Re-ordering Branches

VisiMap Lite provides a number of ways you can re-order the branches of a map. If you are using a mouse, you can simply drag-and-drop branches to different locations. When you use drag-and-drop to re-order a map, you drag a branch onto a 'target' branch, and tell VisiMap Lite how you wish to relocate the branch relative to this target. You drop the branch in such a position on the target branch so as to indicate whether it should be placed before or after the target, or even as a new child of the target:

To move a branch before or after a target branch, drag the branch over the target and drop it on the top or the bottom half of the target, as appropriate. The cursor will change to one of the following to indicate where, relative to the target, the branch will be placed when dropped:

 or

To move a branch as the child of a target branch, drag the branch over the target and drop it towards the outer end of the target. The cursor will change to one of the following, as appropriate, to indicate the branch will become a child of the target:

 or

The drop zones of the target branch are illustrated in the following diagram:

Tip: You can also copy (i.e. duplicate) branches by drag-and-drop, rather than move them. To copy branches, simply hold down the Ctrl key while you perform the drag-and-drop actions. When you hold down the Ctrl key, VisiMap Lite adds a small + symbol like this to the drag-and-drop cursor:

Tip: Drag-and-drop reordering of branches works between different maps too. To drag-and-drop between two maps, first ensure you have both maps open and then display them side-by-side (by using the Window|Tile command). You can now drag a branch from one map onto the other map: when you drop it in the target map, the branch is not deleted from the source map (i.e. it is copied, rather than moved). If you wish to move a branch from one map to another, hold down the Ctrl key while you perform the drag-and-drop actions.

Tip: If you wish to cancel a drag-and-drop reordering operation, press the Esc key before dropping the branch (i.e. while you still have the left mouse button depressed).

You can also use the keyboard to reorder the child branches of any parent (or the map centre). To do this, select the parent branch (or map centre) and choose the Branch|Reorder command. A dialog like the following is displayed:

You can change the order of any child branch by selecting it from the list shown and using the Up and Down buttons to move it in the list.

Tip: You can also use the mouse to drag-and-drop reorder the branches listed in this dialog.

When you are satisfied with the new order, press OK to return to the map.


Using Cut and Paste

Another way of restructuring a map is to use the Tree menu's Cut, Copy, and Paste commands.

You can move a branch by first cutting it (and all of its children) from the map and placing it in the clipboard, using the Tree|Cut command. Then select a target branch in the map (or in a different map) and use the Tree|Paste command to paste the branch in the clipboard as a new child of the target.

Similarly, you can copy a branch by first copying it (and all of its children) from the map to the clipboard, by using the Tree|Copy command. Then select a target branch in the map (or in a different map) and use the Tree|Paste command to paste the branch in the clipboard as a new child of the target.

If you wish to move or copy a selected set of child branches, select the branches' parent and choose the Tree|Cut children or Tree|Copy children command. This displays a dialog like the following:

Now select the branches you wish to cut or copy, and press the OK button. This places the selected branches into the clipboard, which you can paste at another location in the normal way.

Finally, VisiMap Lite offers one further cut and paste feature: if you use any application to place a body of ASCII text into the clipboard, you can paste this in as a new branch (with attached notes) to your maps. To paste it into a map, activate the map window and select the target branch for the pasting operation. When you choose Tree|Paste, VisiMap Lite will add a new child branch with the first paragraph of the clipboard text as the branch title, and the remaining clipboard text (up to the first 250 characters of it, to be precise) as notes attached to the branch.

Tip: If you wish to promote a branch's note to become a new branch (with the first line of the note to be the new branch's title), activate the QuickEditor and select all of the note's text. Choose Edit|Cut, activate the map window, and choose Tree|Paste to paste in the new branch.


Promoting Branches

VisiMap Lite provides a convenient way to promote a branch's children. You promote child branches by selecting their parent and choosing the Tree|Promote command. When you do this the child branches are (if there is sufficient room at the parent's level of the map) all moved up a level to become siblings of their parent. The branches are promoted and placed after the branches already at that level. This is shown by the following example:


Organising Your Maps into Modular Units

As you work on a map, you may find it becomes a little large to manage effectively, and decide that you would like to sub-divide it into smaller and more manageable inter-linked maps. VisiMap Lite facilitates this through the provision of map links.

While VisiMap Lite will allow you to build and work with very large maps (each map can have up to 12 primary branches, and each branch can have up to 6 child branches, to any nesting level: the size is restricted only by the amount of memory your system is equipped with), you may find it more effective and efficient to work with a set of small or medium -sized maps which you can link together in arbitrary ways. See Adding Map Links.

You can add a link from one map to another by adding a special 'map link' branch. To add a link from a 'host' map to a target map, the target map must already exist as a file on disk (i.e. you have saved the target map as a file using File|Save). Select the place in the host map to which you wish to add the link (it will be added as a child branch of the selection) and choose Branch|Add Branch (or press the Ins key).

In the Add Branch dialog, select the 'Link to another map' option and choose the map file from the file selector. When you choose your file and close the selector, the dialog will confirm the map selected as the link and VisiMap Lite will automatically suggest the default branch icon to use on the link branch:

Press OK to close the dialog box and add the link to your host map.

Once you have established a map link you 'follow' the link (i.e. open the linked map for viewing and editing) simply by double-clicking the link branch, or by selecting it and pressing the Enter key. You can also perform other useful operations on map links: you can, for instance, print linked maps together with the host map (see Printing).

Note: Map links are unidirectional. When you add a link from one map to another, there is no implicit link in the reverse direction. If you wish to link two maps in both directions, you must add a link branch to each map.


Searching For and Replacing Text

When you have a map window active, you can quickly find, scroll to, and select a branch which contains specified text. You can also find and go to subsequent occurrences of the same text, and you can replace occurrences of one text string with another throughout your map, or a part of it.

All of these functions are available via the Find/Replace command on the Branch menu (or by pressing Ctrl+F). When you choose this, the Find/Replace dialog prompts you for the text to find, and, optionally, the text you wish to replace it with. VisiMap Lite will search the map from the current selection until it finds an occurrence of the text (if any), and automatically scroll the found branch and/or notes into view.

The part of the map searched by Find/Replace depends on where the selection is when you choose the command. If you have the map centre selected, the whole map and notes are searched. If you have a branch selected, VisiMap Lite will search the map (and notes) from the selected branch onwards.

When VisiMap Lite presents an occurrence of the text it has found, you can use the dialog box to perform a number of actions:

•	To find the next occurrence of the same text, press the 'Find next' button.

•	To replace the found text with the text in the 'Change to' control (and find the next occurrence of the same text), press the 'Change' button.

•	To replace the found text with the text in the 'Change to' control, and all other following occurrences of the same text, press the 'Change all' button.

By default, VisiMap Lite will search both branch titles and attached notes for occurrences of the search text, and it will match with any occurrences found irrespective of capitalisation. You can change these defaults by setting or clearing the 'Search notes too' and 'Case sensitive' options as appropriate.

Tip: If you wish to restrict your search-and-replace operations to a single branch's notes only, activate the QuickEditor window and make use of the commands on the Search menu.


Enhancing Your Maps

VisiMap Lite has a number of facilities to help you enhance your maps, using colour, icons, fonts, and variable branch widths, for instance. This chapter shows you how to use each of these, and how to create your own groups of map styles which you can save and re-use in all of your maps.

•	Adding Colour

•	Branch Icons

•	Styles and Style Sheets


Adding Colour

The use of colour can be a very effective way to emphasise parts of a map or provide immediate status feedback. If you have a map, for instance, that represents a project's work breakdown structure, colouring branches green, say, for tasks that have been completed or red on a yellow background, say, for tasks that require urgent attention can give an at-a-glance overview of the current status and emphasise tasks that need dealing with.

Alternatively, you may simply wish to use different colours for each tree of a map, or each level of branches in a map, to provide visual distinction between them.

You can accomplish all of these easily with VisiMap Lite.

VisiMap Lite allows you to specify, either via the use of styles, or directly for each branch or tree, both the foreground (i.e. text) colour and background (i.e. shading) colour of branches. You can use any arbitrary foreground and background colour combinations from an available palette of 48 colours.

If you wish to apply colours to a single branch or tree, use the colour palette at the base of the VisiMap Lite window. Detailed instructions on how to use the colour palette are given in Using the Colour Palette.

If you wish VisiMap Lite to automatically select a different colour for each tree of a map as you build it, select the map centre and choose the Branch|Auto colour command. Note that VisiMap Lite will not change the colours assigned to branches already in the map. Similarly, you can turn auto-colouring on or off arbitrarily for each branch in your maps. To toggle the auto-colouring status of a branch, select the branch and choose Branch|Auto colour.

Tip: You can change the default colours and colour-sequence VisiMap Lite uses to auto-colour maps, via the Tools|Auto-colouring command.

Tip: If you prefer to use auto-colouring as the default for all new maps you create, you can do so via the Tools|Preferences command. In the Preferences dialog, go to the Maps page and set the Colour Scheme option to 'Auto'.

Finally, you can control the use of colour in your maps in a consistent fashion by defining appropriate styles and attaching them consistently to branches. In particular, you can assign different colours to each of the 'outline styles': branches in your map will then automatically take on the colour of the appropriate style according to what level in the map they are at. As you move branches around changing their levels, their colours will automatically adjust accordingly. See Styles and Style Sheets.

Note: If you apply the same colour to both the foreground and background of a branch, VisiMap Lite will automatically display the foreground in a contrasting colour to ensure the branch remains visible.

Note: If your printer does not support colour, VisiMap Lite will convert colours in your maps to grey-scales or monochrome for printing (depending on whether the Windows driver for your printer reports the printer as being monochrome). When printing to a colour printer, VisiMap Lite also gives you the option of printing in monochrome.


Branch Icons

You can give your maps added visual impact by displaying icons on the branches of the map. The icon you use could, for instance, visually portray the purpose of a branch (for example, a light-bulb graphic could be used to signify a useful hint) or indicate a status (e.g., a tick mark could indicate a completed action, or a cross could indicate a cancelled action).

VisiMap Lite comes complete a with a library of 100+ icons to get you started. You can, however, use icons that reside elsewhere on your computer system or network. VisiMap Lite's in-built icon-selector can read icons from various sources, such as individual icon files, other icon libraries, or icons embedded in executable program files.

Icons can be added individually to branches of a map, or they can be specified in style definitions: when you apply a style to a branch the style's icon is then automatically displayed on the branch. See Styles and Style Sheets for information about styles.

•	Adding, Changing and Removing Branch Icons

•	Other Sources of Icons

•	About Icon Editors


Adding, Changing and Removing Branch Icons

You can add an icon to a branch at the time you add the branch itself, or add or change the branch icon at a later time.

To add an icon to a branch at the time of adding the branch, choose the 'Use own icon' option in the Add Branch dialog. This will display the VisiMap Lite icon selector, with a selection of icons for you to choose from:

You can choose an icon from those offered, or browse for another icon elsewhere on your system (by pressing the Browse button). See below for further information on how to find other icons.

Once you have selected an icon, press OK to close the dialog box and return to the map. The icon will then display on the new branch.

You can also add an icon to an existing branch (or the map centre), or change the icon already displayed on the branch. To do so, select the branch and choose the Styles|Change icon command. If the branch does not yet have an icon, choose the 'Use own icon' option and proceed as above. If the branch already has an icon, this option will already be active: just press the Icon button to display the icon selector.

You can remove a branch icon by choosing the 'No icon' option in the Change Icon dialog.

Tip: If you wish to change a branch's icon and other properties of a branch at the same time, use the Branch|Properties command instead.

Tip: If a branch already has an icon, you can change the icon simply by right-clicking on the icon.

When you add an icon to a map, VisiMap Lite stores a copy of the icon in the map file on disk. If you transfer your map to another computer system, the map will still then display the branch icons, even though the original icons you extracted from files on your own system are not present on the new system.


Other Sources of Icons

Apart from VisiMap Lite's default icon library, there are many other icons on your system. Most application programs, for instance, will have at least one icon of their own, and there may be other icon files and icon library files that you have collected over time. You can use the icon selector (and its browser) to extract these icons and display them on branches of your maps.

Here are some good places to look for icons on your system:

•	In executable files and libraries (.exe and .dll files),

•	In icon files (.ico),

•	In icon libraries (often with the extensions .icl or .il, or even .nil).

If you have Windows 3.1, a good starting point would be to view the moricons.dll library in your c:\windows directory. Windows 95 users might like to view the shell32.dll file in the c:\windows\system folder.

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. If you have a CompuServe account, you will find many public domain icon libraries there for download. To find icon libraries on the internet, we recommend you submit the search terms ‘icon’ and ‘library’ to one of the many search engines.

Tip: If you have a favourite icon library which you would like VisiMap Lite to load by default (instead of its own default library) when you add a new branch icon, use the Tools|Icons|Default icon file command to change the default file.


About Icon Editors

If you cannot find the icon you want to add to a map, you could always create your own! For this, you will need a special icon editor program. While VisiMap Lite does not have its own icon editor, there are a large number available from various commercial, shareware and freeware sources.

If you do have an icon editor, you can instruct VisiMap Lite to launch it with an icon (or icon library) already loaded for editing (by choosing the Editor button in the icon selector). Note that any edits you make to icons in the icon editor cannot be saved directly back into your maps (as the editor program will not understand VisiMap Lite's map file format). If you wish to display the edited icon in your map, first save it (via your icon editor) to a disk file, and then attach it to the branch via VisiMap Lite's Styles|Change icon command.


Styles and Style Sheets

Formatting a map in VisiMap Lite is made easy and efficient through the use of styles, and style sheets. A style defines a set of formatting properties which can be applied in a single operation to a branch, a tree, or even a whole map. Each style defines all of the following formatting:

•	Typeface (e.g., Arial, Times Roman, etc.),

•	Font size (in points),

•	Font style (e.g. bold, italic, etc.),

•	Branch colours (foreground and background),

•	Branch icons,

•	Branch thickness (i.e. the width of the lines used to draw the branch), and

•	An optional 'hot key' you can define to apply the style quickly.

When you apply a style to a branch, all of the style's formatting is applied in one operation. Styles thus greatly simplify the task of applying formatting, and make it possible for you to apply formatting consistently in the same or even multiple maps, making your maps more readable and more professional.

VisiMap Lite also makes it possible for you to define a collection of related styles, and store them together for easy application via style sheets. You can then reformat a map simply by attaching a different style sheet to the map.

When you first install and run VisiMap Lite, VisiMap Lite will create a default style sheet and attach it to any new maps you create. You can change or add to the styles in the default style sheet, and you can create and manage your own additional sheets.

•	The Two Style Schemes

•	Applying Styles

•	Changing the Style of Notes

•	Modifying and Creating Styles

•	Attaching a Style Sheet to a Map

•	Managing Your Style Sheets


The Two Style Schemes

As you build a map, VisiMap Lite applies a default style (from the attached style sheet) to each branch you add. The styles chosen are not random, but follow one of two 'style schemes'. There are two style schemes recognised by VisiMap Lite:

1. Standard scheme.

In the standard style scheme, VisiMap Lite attaches one style - the 'Default Branch Style' - to each normal branch that you add to a map. If you add a map link branch, VisiMap Lite will apply the 'Default Link Style'. All notes attached to branches are displayed according to the 'Default Editor Style' style.

Note: Each of these styles are created automatically by VisiMap Lite, and will appear in all style sheets. Although VisiMap Lite sets up default properties for each style when it creates them, you can change the style definitions if you wish.

2. Outline scheme.

In the outline scheme, a set of auto-levelling 'outline' styles are defined, one for each of the first 9 levels of branches in a map. These styles are named 'Header level 1',  'Header level 2', and so on. When you add a branch to a map using the outline style scheme, VisiMap Lite automatically selects the style appropriate to the level of the branch (note: if you add branches to a tenth level or greater, VisiMap Lite will apply the 'Header Level 9' style to them). As with the standard scheme, each of the outline styles are created automatically by VisiMap Lite, and will appear in all style sheets.

If you subsequently restructure your map such that some branches change level, then they will automatically take on the style of their new level.

As with the standard scheme, when the outline scheme is operative VisiMap Lite will apply the 'Default Link Style' and 'Default Editor Style' to link branches and notes respectively.

When VisiMap Lite is first installed, it will invoke the outline scheme by default. Thus, all new maps you create will use the outline scheme. You can change this default to the standard style scheme if you wish, and you can change the scheme in use for a given map at any time. To change the default to be the standard scheme, choose the Tools|Preferences command and set the option in the Maps page. To change the scheme in use for a map, select the map centre and choose Branch|Properties: now change the option offered on the Map Styles page.

Note: Irrespective of which style scheme is active for map, you can apply any style (from the attached style sheet) that you wish. You can, for instance, apply any of the outline styles to a map which is using the standard scheme. The scheme in use affects only VisiMap Lite's automatic application of styles to new branches.


Applying Styles

You can change the style attached to a branch by selecting the branch and choosing the Styles|Apply style command (or by pressing Ctrl+T). Choose the style from the list provided and close the dialog box. If you wish to apply the style to the whole tree headed by the branch, check the 'Apply to whole tree' option in the dialog before closing it.

Tip: If you have defined a hot key for the style you wish to apply (see the next section), you can simply hold down the Ctrl key while pressing the defined hot key. If you wish to apply the style to a whole tree, hold down the Shift key also. For example, if you have defined the 1 key as a hot key for the 'Heading level 1' style, pressing Ctrl+1 will apply the style to the selected branch, while pressing Ctrl+Shift+1 will apply the style to the whole tree headed by the branch.

You can also change the style attached to a branch at the same time as changing other branch properties via the Branch|Properties command. If you wish to change the default-allocated style at the time of creating a branch, you can also do so via the Add Branch dialog.

Note: When you apply a style to a branch (or tree) in your map, you can still override the branch's colours and icon as described in the preceding sections.


Changing the Style of Notes

In addition to changing the style of branches of a map, you can also change the style of the branch notes. One style is used to format all of the notes attached to map. By default, VisiMap Lite will use the 'Default Editor Style'. You can both redefine this style (see below), or instruct VisiMap Lite to use a different style. To use a different style for the notes of a map, select and edit the map centre (using Branch|Properties) and select a different style from the list in the dialog's Map Styles page.


Modifying and Creating Styles

You can change the formatting properties of any of the default styles, and you can define your own additional styles if you wish. To modify the styles in a style sheet attached to the active map, choose the Styles|Modify styles command. This will display a dialog like the following:

You can perform the following operations:

1. Modify an existing style.

To modify an existing style, select the style name from the list and change any of the displayed shading (background colour), icon, or line thickness properties. To change the style's typeface, font size, font style, or foreground colour, press the Font button. Any changes you make are immediately reflected in the style sample box in the dialog.

If you wish to define or change the hot key assigned to the style, type the key in the box provided (you can use any of the letter, number or function keys). To remove a hot key, delete the key shown in the hot key box.

2. Adding a new style.

To add a new style, press the New button and enter the new style's name into the box displayed. The new style will be added to the style sheet  and selected in the dialog's style list. Now change any of the formatting properties as desired.

3. Renaming or deleting a style.

You can rename or delete any of the styles you have added. To do so, select a style in the list and press the Rename or Delete button, as appropriate. You cannot rename or delete any of the default standard or outline styles.

When you have made all of the changes you wish to the style sheet, you should save it before closing the styles dialog. Do this by pressing the Save button. When you close the dialog, any styles you have changed will immediately apply to all maps that use the style sheet (and any such open maps will be redrawn automatically), and any new styles you defined will be available for use.


Attaching a Style Sheet to a Map

A map has a style sheet attached at all times. When you create a new map, VisiMap Lite will attach the default style sheet (called VISIMAP.STY, in your VisiMap Lite \DATA directory).

You can attach a different style sheet to a map by choosing the Styles|Attach style sheet command. When you attach a different style sheet, the map will automatically redraw using the styles from the new style sheet. If you use styles in the map which are not also present in the new style sheet, VisiMap Lite will display the affected branches in an alternative style that is present.


Managing Your Style Sheets

To create new style sheets of your own, you modify an existing style sheet and save it under a different file name. When you choose the Styles|Modify styles command, VisiMap Lite presents for editing the style sheet attached to the active map. To create a new style sheet, press the Styles dialog's Save As button and enter the new file name into the file selector. Any changes you make in the dialog now affect the new style sheet (as indicated by the file name VisiMap Lite displays near the top of the dialog).

If you wish to delete a previously created style sheet, choose the File|Delete command, select the “Style sheets (*.sty)" file type from the 'List files of type' control in the file selector, and choose the correct file name. You can also, if you prefer, delete style sheet files directly in the Windows 3.1/NT 3.51 File Manager or Windows 95/NT 4.0 Explorer.

VisiMap Lite also has a convenient styles organiser, where you can manage the styles in multiple style sheets. To access the styles organiser, choose the Styles|Organiser command to display the Styles Organiser dialog:

Here, you can open pairs of style sheets and copy styles between them, or rename or delete collections of styles.


Outlining and Viewing Maps

This chapter describes the viewing and outlining features available in VisiMap Lite, and how you can use them to present the content of your maps in different ways.

•	Outlining Features

•	Hiding and Showing Selective Branches

•	Scaling Map Views

•	Other Viewing Options


Outlining Features

Using VisiMap Lite outlining features, you can focus your attention on specific parts of a map by:

•	collapsing trees of a map, to hide detail in areas of the map you are not currently working on,

•	expanding trees of a map, to expose detail in areas of the map you are currently interested in, or

•	showing a fixed number of levels of map, to hide excessive detail and concentrate only on the highest levels.

To collapse the branches of a map below your current selection, choose the View|Decrement levels command (or press the - key, on either the main keyboard or on the grey key pad). The branches are not deleted by this, they are simply hidden from view temporarily: this is, by default, indicated on the map by the presence of a [image] marker on the parent branch.

To expand a single level of detail below a branch which has been collapsed, select the branch and either choose the View|Increment levels command (or press the + key, on either the main keyboard or on the grey key pad) or left-click on the branch's [image] marker.

Tip: When you are working in the text outline view, you can use the [image] and [image] symbols to expand and collapse the outline.

To expand all detail below a branch which has been collapsed, select the branch and choose the View|All levels command (or press the * key, on either the main keyboard or on the grey key pad).

Tip: If you have a Microsoft IntelliMouse 2.0 (or other wheel-button mouse) you can use it to make outlining even easier. See Using the IntelliMouse for details.


Hiding and Showing Selective Branches

To complement the collapse/expand outlining features, VisiMap Lite also offers the ability to selectively hide or show arbitrary branches of a map. When used together, you can choose to view and print exactly those parts of a map you wish.

You can hide a single branch (and the tree below it) by selecting the branch and choosing the Branch|Hide branch command.

To hide a selection of branches with the same parent branch, select the parent and choose the Tree|Hide/Show children command. This displays the Hide/Show Children dialog:

To mark branches for hiding, select the branches from the list and press the Hide button (the branch titles will then be greyed to indicate they will be hidden). To mark branches hidden branches for showing, select the branches from the list and press the Show button. Two other convenient buttons are provided in the dialog to make managing selections easier: Swap reverses all the selections you have made, while Clear removes any selections present. When you have completed the hiding/showing operations, press OK to put them into effect.

When you wish to re-show a hidden branch (or branches), either select its parent and use the Tree|Hide/Show children command, or left-click on the [image] marker symbol on the parent branch.

Tip: When you are working in the text outline view, you can also use the [image] symbol to show a branch’s hidden child branches.

Note: Unlike collapsing branches, when you hide branches of a map the layout of the map is not affected.


Scaling Map Views

The dimensions of a map on-screen are controlled by a number of factors. These include the number of branches you add to a map, the length of the branches, the map topology, the fonts used, and the resolution of your screen display. When a map becomes larger than the window it is displayed in, horizontal and vertical scroll bars appear in the window to allow you to navigate.

To quickly zoom in your view of a map, use the View|Zoom In command, and to quickly zoom out use the View|Zoom Out command. You can also invoke these commands via the tool bar, or by using the keyboard shortcuts Alt+Up and Alt+Down respectively.

VisiMap Lite allows you more granular zooming control to with the View|Set Zoom Factor command. You can use it to scale the on-screen map anywhere from 25% to 400% of its natural size in 1% increments:

Some combinations of fonts and screen resolutions work better than others. You might like to experiment to see which scaling factors work well for your system. If you find that a given scaling factor suits you best for most maps, you can check the Set as default option before closing the dialog to set the chosen scaling factor as a default to use when creating new maps.

Tip: On-screen scaling works well if you exclusively use scaleable fonts (such as TrueType fonts). VisiMap Lite's default style sheets all use scaleable fonts (if VisiMap Lite finds suitable ones on your system). To change the fonts used in a map, you change the styles defined in the style sheet attached to the map. See Enhancing Your Maps for a discussion of styles and style sheets.

Tip: The on-screen scaling of maps does not affect the scaling of maps you print on a printer. See Printing for further details.

Tip: If you have a Microsoft IntelliMouse 2.0 (or other wheel-button mouse) you can use it to make scaling even easier. See Using the IntelliMouse for details.


Other Viewing Options

VisiMap Lite offers a number of other options to control the viewing of your maps. These are mostly available via the Maps page and Windows page of the Preferences dialog (accessed via the Tools|Preferences command). Among the options available to you are:

•	the map window background colour,

•	whether or not to show the branch marker symbols (e.g., the notes and hidden marker icons), and

•	the maximum length a branch can be displayed in.


Finishing Off Your Maps

VisiMap Lite has a couple of tools to help you improve the finished professionalism of your maps: these are described in this chapter.

•	Capitalisation of Text

•	Adding or Removing Branch Numbers


Capitalisation of Text

If you wish to change the capitalisation of a branch title, select the branch in the map window and choose the Styles|Change case command (or press the Shift+F3 keys).

Each time you choose this command, VisiMap Lite will change the capitalisation of the branch title in a cyclic manner in the following order:

1.	All upper-case: THIS IS ALL UPPER CASE.

2.	Initial capital letters: This Is Initial Capital Letters.

3.	'Sentence' case: This is sentence case (only the first letter is capitalised).

4.	All lower-case: this is all lower case.

Tip: You will want to use this command, for instance, if you entered a branch title in mixed case without noticing you had the Caps lock key on.


Adding or Removing Branch Numbers

By default, VisiMap Lite will automatically number branch titles hierarchically when printing maps in textual form. You can also instruct VisiMap Lite to display branch numbers on-screen (and in print) in the graphical map. This might be particularly helpful, for instance, if you are using VisiMap Lite to present a document on a projector screen in a meeting: the branch numbers on-screen could then provide an instant cross-reference to sections of the full printed document you have copied for all the meeting delegates. You can also display numbers simply to remind yourself of the ordering of branches in the map.

To show (or hide) branch numbers in a map, choose the Tools|Preferences command, and go to the Maps page. Set the Branch Numbers option as desired.


Printing

This section guides you in utilising VisiMap Lite's extensive and flexible printing facilities.

•	An Overview of VisiMap's Printing Facilities

•	Printing a Map and Its Links


An Overview of VisiMap's Printing Facilities

VisiMap Lite implements a highly flexible printing system for your maps. It supports all of the printing devices for which there are Windows drivers available (including printing in colour to those devices which support colour) and gives you complete control over the printing process, including:

•	selecting which device to print to,

•	what to print (VisiMap Lite can print maps, linked maps, and linked files),

•	the page layout to use,

•	page running headers or footers,

•	orientation and scaling of maps, and

•	much more!


Printing a Map and Its Linked Maps

When you are ready to print a map, choose the File|Print command to display the Print Map dialog:

If you wish just to print the map (in both graphical and textual versions) to your current default printer, simply press the OK button. Alternatively, you can first choose from among a number of different options before proceeding with the print operation. The following options are available:

•	Printer. Select a printer other than the system default by pressing the Setup button.

•	Print range. You can choose whether to print the whole map, the current selection (i.e. the tree headed by the currently selected branch), or a range of pages.

•	Linked maps. You can elect also to print all maps linked to the map (in which case you also print all the maps linked to those maps, too!).

•	Graphical and/or text versions. You can choose to print only the graphical form of the map, the textual form of the map (with or without the notes), or both.

•	The page layout to use when printing the map (see Appendix B for a description of how to change or define new page layouts).

•	Miscellaneous other options. These include selection of print quality, whether to print to a file rather than the printer, the number of copies to print, whether to collate multiple copies, and whether to print in colour or monochrome.

Here are some other tips on printing:

Tip: By default, VisiMap Lite will print a graphical map on a single page, scaling down large maps as necessary to fit the page. If you have a very large map, you might like to have it print full-size on as many pages as are necessary, and then paste those pages together by hand. We call this 'mosaic' printing: to print a map mosaic fashion, you need to change the page layout (or define a new one) by choosing the File|Page Setup command and selecting the appropriate option from the displayed dialog's Scaling page.

Tip: VisiMap Lite will automatically orientate a map for best fit on the printed page, according to the map's shape. This may override the page orientation currently set for your printer (but the textual outline and notes are always printed in the page orientation selected for the printer), but is the desired operation in most cases. If you would like to disable the auto-orientation feature, you need to change the page layout (or define a new one) by choosing the File|Page Setup command and de-selecting the option from the dialog's Maps page.

Tip: VisiMap Lite prints running headers and footers in the top and bottom margins of each printed page. The contents of the running headers and footers are defined separately for each map. To change the default ones defined by VisiMap Lite for your map, edit the map centre (via the Branch|Properties command) and go to the Headers page. You can define the text to be printed in each of the left-hand, centre, and right-hand portions of the page headers and footers. You can use a mixture of fixed text and print-time 'substitution variables' such as the map name, page numbers, the current date and time, or user data.

Tip: You can also print a map by dragging the map file from the Windows Explorer or File Manager and dropping it onto printer icon on your desktop (or in Program Manager). If VisiMap Lite is not running at the time, it will load automatically and present you with the Print Map dialog. When you press OK in the dialog your map will be printed and VisiMap Lite will close. If VisiMap Lite is running when you drop the file on the printer icon, it will instead open a new window for the map to be printed: when you now press OK in the Print Map dialog the window will close and you will be returned to the map you were working on.


 Dialog Boxes

Choose a group:


Dialogs Index (A..C)

•	Add Branch dialog

•	Apply Style dialog

•	Attach Style Sheet dialog

•	Auto-Colouring Control dialog

•	Branch Properties dialog

•	Change Icon dialog

•	Choose Colour dialog

•	Choose Directory dialog


Dialogs Index (D..F)

•	Delete dialog

•	File Locations dialog

•	Find/Replace dialog

•	Find Text dialog

•	Font dialog


Dialogs Index (G..O)

•	Hide/Show Children dialog

•	Link Map dialog

•	Map Properties dialog

•	Map Properties dialog: Headers page

•	Map Properties dialog: Map Centre page

•	Map Properties dialog: Map Styles page

•	Open Style Sheet dialog

•	Order Branches dialog


Dialogs Index (P..R)

•	Page Setup dialog

•	Page Setup dialog: Headers page

•	Page Setup dialog: Layouts page

•	Page Setup dialog: Maps page

•	Page Setup dialog: Margins page

•	Page Setup dialog: Scaling page

•	Preferences dialog

•	Preferences dialog: General page

•	Preferences dialog: Maps page

•	Preferences dialog: Windows page

•	Preferences dialog: Miscellaneous page

•	Print Map dialog

•	Print Setup dialog

•	Replace Text dialog


Dialogs Index (S..Z)

•	Save As dialog

•	Save Style Sheet As dialog

•	Select Children dialog

•	Select Default Icon File dialog

•	Select Icon dialog

•	Select Icon Editor dialog

•	Select Icon File dialog

•	Set Zoom Factor dialog

•	Styles dialog

•	Styles Organiser dialog

•	Technical Information dialog


Add Branch dialog

Title/Map

For a normal branch enter the text you wish to appear on the branch, or paste it in from the clipboard.

If you are adding a map link, you should leave this field blank (in this case, the Map box will show the descriptive name of the linked map, and the full path name to the linked map will be shown directly beneath).

Style

Choose the style that you wish to use for the branch title. Style tags can be defined through the Modify Styles Command.

Link target …

If the branch is a map link, press this button to change the target of the link.

Type of Branch:

Choose the type of branch you wish to add to the map:

Standard

Adds a standard branch for which you can enter a title via the Title box.

Link to another map

Adds a link to another map. Choose the file name of the map you wish to link to via the Link Map dialog that appears when you choose this option.

 Having selected a map link branch type, you can change the target of the link simply by clicking on the Link to another map option again.

Icon:

Choose the type of icon you wish to display on the branch:

No icon

The branch should display no icon.

Use own icon

Display a particular icon on this branch. When you choose this option, VisiMap Lite will display the icon selector for you to choose an icon.

Use style’s icon

Display the icon defined (if any) for the branch’s style.

Icon …

Press this button if you wish to display a different icon on the branch. It is enabled only when the Use own icon option is chosen.


Apply Style dialog

Style

Choose the style that you wish to use for the branch. Style tags are defined through the Modify Styles command.

Apply to whole tree

Check this option if you wish also to apply the style to all branches in the tree below the selected branch.


Attach Style Sheet dialog

File name

Type or select the file name of the style sheet you wish to attach. The box lists files with the extension you select in the List Files Of Type box.

To see a list of files with a particular extension, type an asterisk (*), a period and the three character extension.

List files of type

Select the type of file you want to attach from the list provided.

Directories

Select the directory in which the style sheet resides.

Drives

Select the drive on which the style sheet resides.


Auto-Colouring Control dialog

Colours

Select the colours and colour-sequence you wish VisiMap Lite to use when auto-colouring maps. VisiMap Lite uses up to 8 different colours in the sequence shown, reading left-to-right then top-to-bottom.


Branch Properties dialog

Title

Either edit the existing branch title, type in a new title, or paste it in from the clipboard (Ctrl+V or Shift+Ins).

Style

Choose the style that you wish to use for the branch title. Style tags can be defined through the Modify Styles Command.

Link target …

If the branch is a map link, press this button to change the target of the link.

Type of Branch:

Choose the type of branch you wish to add to the map:

Standard

Adds a standard branch for which you can enter a title via the Title box.

Link to another map

Adds a link to another map. Choose the file name of the map you wish to link to via the Link Map dialog that appears when you choose this option.

 Having selected a map link branch type, you can change the target of the link simply by clicking on the Link to another map option again.

Icon:

Choose the type of icon you wish to display on the branch:

No icon

The branch should display no icon.

Use own icon

Display a particular icon on this branch. When you choose this option, VisiMap Lite will display the icon selector for you to choose an icon.

Use style’s icon

Display the icon defined (if any) for the branch’s style.

Icon …

Press this button if you wish to display a different icon on the branch. It is enabled only when the Use own icon option is chosen.


Change Icon dialog

Icon:

Choose the type of icon you wish to display on the branch:

No icon

The branch should display no icon.

Use own icon

Display a particular icon on this branch. When you choose this option, VisiMap Lite will display the icon selector for you to choose an icon.

Use style’s icon

Display the icon defined (if any) for the branch’s style.

Icon …

Press this button if you wish to display a different icon on the branch. It is enabled only when the Use own icon option is chosen.


Choose Colour dialog

Basic colours:

Choose the desired colour from the samples provided.


Choose Directory dialog

Directories

Select the directory.

Drives

Select the drive.

Files

This box is for information only. It displays a (possibly selective) list of the files in the chosen directory.


Delete dialog

File name

Type or select the file name you want to delete. The box lists files with the extension you select in the List Files Of Type box (map files and style sheet files).

To see a list of files with a particular extension, type an asterisk (*), a period and the three character extension.

 When you select or enter an existing map file, the name of the map is shown directly beneath this control to aid you in identification.

List files of type

Select the type of file you want to delete from the list provided.

Directories

Select the directory in which the files resides.

Drives

Select the drive on which the file resides.


File Locations dialog

This dialog shows a list of the configurable directory and file locations supported by VisiMap Lite. To change one of the settings, either double-click the entry in the list or select it and press the Modify button. This will display the Choose Directory or file selector dialog appropriate to the entry to be modified.

If you change the location of the Local data directory you should also ensure you close VisiMap Lite and then move the contents of the old directories to the new locations. This will ensure VisiMap Lite can continue to access its’ style sheets and other data files.


Find/Replace dialog

Search for

Enter the string you wish to search for.

Change to

Enter the text you wish to replace the search text with.

Search notes too

Check this box if you wish to search attached notes as well as the map. Leave it unchecked if you wish only to search the map.

Case sensitive

Check this box if you wish the search to be case-sensitive, Leave it unchecked if you wish the search to be insensitive to case.


Find Text dialog

Search for

Type the text you wish to search for.

Case sensitive

Check this option if you wish the search to be case-sensitive. Leave this option unchecked if you wish to the search to be case insensitive.

Scope:

Global

Choose this option to search for the text anywhere in the note.

From cursor

Choose this option to search for the text anywhere after the current cursor position.


Font dialog

Font

Type or select from the list the name of the font you want. If the font is not available when displaying on the screen or printing to the printer, VisiMap Lite uses the closest matching available font.

Font style

Select the formatting option that you want from the list provided.

Size

Type or select the point size. If the size is not available when displaying on the screen or printing to the printer, VisiMap Lite uses the nearest available size.

Effects

Select the font effects (Strikeout and/or Underline) you require.

Colour

Select the colour you wish the text to be displayed in.

Script (not present for Windows 3.1)

Lists the available language scripts for the specified font. Pick the one appropriate for the language your computer is set up for.


Hide/Show Children dialog

Child branches

Lists the child branches connected to the highlighted parent branch. Select all the branches you wish to hide or show.

Hide

Press this to hide the branches selected.

Show

Press this to show the branches selected.

Swap

Press this to invert all your branch selections.

Clear

Press this to clear all branch selections.


Link Map dialog

File name

Type or select the map file name to which you want to link. The box lists files with the extension you select in the List Files Of Type box.

To see a list of files with a particular extension, type an asterisk (*), a period and the three character extension.

 When you select or enter an existing map file, the name of the map is shown directly beneath this control to aid you in identification.

List files of type

Select the type of file you want to link from the list provided.

Directories

Select the directory in which the target map resides.

Drives

Select the drive on which the target map resides.


Map Properties dialog

This dialog box lets you change properties of the map centre and the map as a whole. The dialog has three tabbed pages:

•	Map Centre page	- for the properties of the map centre

•	Map Styles page	- to set the style scheme for the map

•	Headers page	- for page running headers and footers


Map Properties dialog: Headers page

Top/Bottom Left/Centre/Right

Enter the text you wish to appear in the running headers and footers. In addition to normal text, the special substitution codes listed below can also be used. VisiMap Lite will substitute the codes with their actual values automatically at the time of printing.

Code	Substituted by
$f	Map file name
$n	Map name
$l	Date (long format)
$s	Date (short format)
$t	Time
$p	Page number
$$	Dollar sign


Map Properties dialog: Map Centre page

Map Centre:

Map name

Edit or enter the map name, or paste it in from the clipboard (Ctrl+V or Shift+Ins).

Style

Choose the style that you wish to use for the map name. Styles can be defined through the Modify Styles Command.

Icon:

Choose the type of icon you wish to display in the map centre:

No icon

The map centre should display no icon.

Use own icon

Display a particular icon in map centre. When you choose this option, VisiMap Lite will display the icon selector for you to choose an icon.

Use style’s icon

Display the icon defined (if any) for the map centre’s style.

Icon …

Press this button if you wish to display a different icon in map centre. It is enabled only when the Use own icon option is chosen.


Map Properties dialog: Map Styles page

Map Style Scheme

Choose the map style scheme - standard or outline - you would like to use for this map.

Editor Style

Choose the style tag defining the style that you wish to use for the text of notes attached to the map. Style tags can be defined through the Modify Styles Command.


Open dialog

File name

Type or select the file name(s) of the maps you want to open. If you enter multiple file names, separate them using spaces.

The selection list shows only those files with the extension you select in the List Files Of Type box.

To see a list of files with a particular extension, type an asterisk (*), a period and the three character extension.

 When you select or enter an existing map file, the name of the map is shown directly beneath this control to aid you in identification.

List files of type

Select the type of file you want to open from the list provided.

Open linked maps too

Select this option if you also wish to open those maps linked to the selected map(s).

Directories

Select the directory in which the file to open resides.

Drives

Select the drive on which the file to open resides.

Read-Only

Check this box if you wish to open the map for viewing only (any changes you subsequently make may then only be saved to a file of a different name).


Open Style Sheet dialog

File name

Type or select the style sheet file you want to open. The box lists files with the extension you select in the List Files Of Type box.

To see a list of files with a particular extension, type an asterisk (*), a period and the three character extension.

List files of type

Select the type of file you want to open from the list provided.

Directories

Select the directory which contains the style sheet that you want to open.

Drives

Select the drive which contains the style sheet that you want to open.


Order Branches dialog

Branches

This list box lists the select parent branch’s children for ordering.

If you are using a mouse, you can reorder the list by drag-and-drop.

Up

Press this button to move the selected branch up one place in the Branches list.

Down

Press this button to move the selected branch down one place in the Branches list.


Page Setup dialog

This dialog box lets you modify or delete page layouts, or create new ones. The dialog has five tabbed pages:

•	Layouts page	- to create, modify or delete layouts.

•	Margins page	- to set the page margins.

•	Headers page	- to define the positioning and style of page headers and footers.

•	Scaling page	- to control how printed maps are scaled.

•	Maps page	- to control how visual maps are printed.


Page Setup dialog: Headers page

Header posn, from top

Type in the distance from the top of the page that you wish the running headers to appear. VisiMap Lite prints running headers in the top margin, so it is advisable that you ensure the top margin is large enough to accommodate it. If there is insufficient room in the top margin for VisiMap Lite to print the running header, it will print only that part of it that fits.

Footer posn, from bottom

Type in the distance from the bottom of the page that you wish the running footers to appear. VisiMap Lite prints running footers in the bottom margin, so it is advisable that you ensure the bottom margin is large enough to accommodate it. If there is insufficient room in the bottom margin for VisiMap Lite to print the running footer, it will print only that part of it that fits.

Style

Choose the style defining the style that you wish the running headers and footers to be printed in. Styles are defined through the Modify Styles Command.


Page Setup dialog: Layouts page

Layouts

Lists the currently defined page layouts. Select a page layout here to view and/or modify its properties in the other dialog pages.

New

Press this to create a new page layout. The new layout will initially be given the properties of the Default layout.

Delete

Press this to delete the selected page layout. You cannot delete the Default layout.

Rename

Press this to rename the selected page layout. You cannot rename the Default layout.


Page Setup dialog: Maps page

Text Maps:

These options control the formatting of the textual form of printed maps:

Auto-number titles

This option controls whether VisiMap Lite should automatically number branch titles printed in the textual form of maps. If this option is turned on, VisiMap Lite will number the titles hierarchically in standard legal format, thus:

1.

1.1

1.2

1.2.1

   ...

2.

   ...

If you turn this option off, VisiMap Lite will place a '-' bullet before each branch title to distinguish them from any notes that may be attached.

Title indent

Type in the amount by which VisiMap Lite should indent each level of branch title (the measurement units you use are selected in the Margins page).

Notes indent

VisiMap Lite prints attached notes directly below the title of the branch to which they are attached. Set this measurement to specify how far beyond the branch title VisiMap Lite should indent the notes (the measurement units you use are selected in the Margins page).

Graphical Maps:

These options control the placement of the graphical form of printed maps:

Keep on separate page

This option controls whether VisiMap Lite should insert a page break immediately after the graphical map when printing both the graphical and textual forms.

Auto-orientate map

This option controls whether VisiMap Lite should automatically choose the best paper orientation (portrait or landscape) for the page containing the map. When this option is selected, VisiMap Lite will print tall maps in portrait orientation, and print wide maps in landscape orientation.

The textual version of maps is always printed in the default orientation for the currently selected printer (see the Print Setup dialog).

Print frame around map

This option controls whether VisiMap Lite prints a boxed frame around the graphical map.

Suppress icons

Select this option if you wish VisiMap Lite to omit branch icons when printing.

 VisiMap Lite will automatically omit branch icons when printing to non-raster devices (such as plotters).

Do not draw under icons

This is a troubleshooting option which works around a fault in some Windows printer drivers which causes the branch line to be printed over the branch icon. If your printer exhibits this behaviour, set this option to cause VisiMap Lite to use a workaround fix.

 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).

Use default icon printing/Force standard icon printing/Force alternate icon printing

This group of options is provided for troubleshooting purposes, to work around a fault in some Windows printer drivers which causes icons to be printed as black squares. Normally, you should leave this set as Use default icon printing.

If, however, your printer prints icons as black squares, choose the Force alternate icon printing option.


Page Setup dialog: Margins page

Measurement units

Select the measurement units you wish to use from the list provided.

Margins:

Top/Left/Right/Bottom

Enter the margins sizes to use. All margins are measured from the edge of the page.

Set to minimums

Press this button to set the margins to the minimum values supported by your printer and printer driver. VisiMap Lite will set the margins to coincide with the printer’s non-printable regions.

 You set the margins to their minimum values to maximise the printing area for your maps: as a side effect, this will eliminate space for the running headers and footers, which will therefore not print.


Page Setup dialog: Scaling page

Small Maps:

Expand to fit page

Select this option to cause maps smaller than the printed page to be scaled up to fit the page.

Keep to natural size

Select this option to prevent maps smaller than the printed page being scaled up.

Large Maps:

Shrink to fit page

Select this option to cause maps larger than the printed page to be scaled down to fit the page.

 When VisiMap Lite shrinks a map to fit the page, it will maintain the aspect ratio of the map, to prevent the map from appearing unnaturally elongated in one dimension.

Print as mosaic (no overlap)

Select this option to print maps larger than a single page to be printed at their natural size onto as many pages as are needed, in 'mosaic' fashion. If you find your printer clips text at the edge of the pages, choose the following option instead …

Print as mosaic (with overlap)

Select this option to print maps larger than a single page to be printed at their natural size onto as many pages as are needed, in 'mosaic' fashion, overlapping pages on all sides by a small amount to ensure no text is lost through clipping by your printer.


Preferences dialog

This dialog box lets you configure options that affect the overall behaviour of VisiMap Lite. The dialog has four tabbed pages:

•	General

•	Maps

•	Windows

•	Miscellaneous


Preferences dialog: General page

Input:

Move to new branch after add

Check this option if, when you add a new branch, you wish VisiMap Lite to move the selection highlight to the new branch. Clear the option if you wish the highlight to remain on the new branch’s parent.

Enable speed entry

Check this option to enable VisiMap Lite’s ‘speed entry’ feature. When speed entry is active, you need only to start typing to add a new branch. Turn this option off if you prefer to press the Ins key prior to entering a new branch.

Track selection

Select this option to have VisiMap Lite automatically scroll the map window whenever you move the selection highlight, such that the current selection is always visible.

This option is particularly useful in conjunction with the keyboard scrolling keys (refer to the topic Scrolling Maps (keyboard)).

Note: You can also centre the current selection in the window by pressing the 5 key (on either the numeric keypad or the main keyboard). See the topic Navigating Maps (keyboard).

Miscellaneous:

Use branch fonts in dialogs

When VisiMap Lite displays a dialog box via which you can edit a branch (or map centre) title, it normally displays the title’s text in the same font as is used on the branch (as defined by the branch’s style tag). This ensures the text’s characters display as expected, and is especially important for systems using Kanji or other multi-byte character sets.

If you prefer to display branch titles in dialog boxes using the default dialog font, you may clear this option. Note, however, that the character set used by your system’s default dialog font may not match that of the branch’s font, in which case some characters may not display as expected in the dialog boxes.

Save settings on exit

Choose this command to select whether VisiMap Lite saves certain settings on exit, for restoration next time it is started.

If selected, this command causes VisiMap Lite to save and restore the following settings between sessions:

•	the position and size of the VisiMap Lite main window,

•	the maps which are open, and

•	the zoom factor and split position of each open map window.

System Resources:

Monitor system resources

Check this box if you wish VisiMap Lite to monitor the free Windows system resources on your system.

Warning threshold (%)

Enter the resource warning threshold level (as a percentage). When the amount of free system resources become particularly low, there is a danger that running applications may start to experience problems: if the system resources  become fully (or nearly fully) used, your system is liable to ‘hang’. Setting this warning threshold at about 15-20% will enable VisiMap Lite to warn you of impending problems.


Preferences dialog: Maps page

Map link prefix

Enter the text here that you want VisiMap Lite to show as a prefix to the map name on map link branches. Clear this box if you do not wish VisiMap Lite to use a prefix.

Maximum branch length

Set this value to control how long branches may grow. When a branch reaches its maximum length, VisiMap Lite will automatically word-wrap the branch title to two lines straddling the branch. If a branch title is still too long to fit on the branch, even when it is word-wrapped, VisiMap Lite will display as much of the title it can and mark it with an ellipsis, thus: …

 Altering this value will also alter the maximum size the map centre may grow to.

Setting this value to a high number may cause your maps to look unnaturally elongated horizontally. You should increase this value beyond, say, 40, only if you routinely use very long branch titles.

Branch markers

Show text markers

Check this option if you want VisiMap Lite to display the [image] marker on branches that have attached notes. Clear the option if you do not wish to display the markers.

Show hidden markers

Check this option if you wish VisiMap Lite to display the [image] marker on branches that have one or more hidden children. Clear the option if you do not wish to display the markers.

Show link markers

Check this option if you wish VisiMap Lite to display the [image] marker on map link branches when viewed in the text outline view. Clear the option if you do not wish to display the markers.

Save/restore view changes

Check this option if you wish VisiMap Lite to save your current view (i.e. collapsed/expanded outline state, and hidden branches) of a map, when saving the map. When VisiMap Lite next opens the map, it will restore the view to the same state.

When you check this option, VisiMap Lite will also, when closing a map, prompt you to save any unsaved view changes (even if you have not changed the map itself).

Map Layout

Use this group to control the VisiMap Lite display-ordering of branches in the map view.

Strictly rotational

This option causes VisiMap Lite to display all branches in a strictly clockwise manner around the map centre, with the first primary branch at the top right.

Lower levels top-to-bottom

This option causes VisiMap Lite to display primary branches in a clockwise manner around the map centre, but lower level branches from top to bottom.

Style scheme

Select the style scheme you would like VisiMap Lite to apply to new maps you create. See The Two Style Schemes for a description of the standard and outline schemes.

Colour scheme

Select the colour scheme you would like to use for new maps you create. By styles will cause VisiMap Lite to use the colours defined for the styles attached to each branch. Auto will cause VisiMap Lite to auto-colour adjacent trees in different colours, overriding the style definitions.

Branch numbers

Select whether you wish VisiMap Lite to display auto-generated branch numbers on all branches.


Preferences dialog: Windows page

Open all windows maximised

Check this option if you wish VisiMap Lite to open all map windows in a maximised state. Clear the option if you wish to open them in the standard size (in which case you can specify the Map window size as a percentage of the VisiMap Lite background window).

Map background colour:

Use windows default

Check this option to display the background colour of map windows in the Windows default colour (as specified via the Windows Control Panel). If you wish to display map windows in a different colour (say, to add contrast), clear this option.

Choose

Press this to choose the background colour of map windows (not available if you are using the Windows default).


Preferences dialog: Miscellaneous page

Re-open maps after saving

Check this box for normal operation of VisiMap Lite. You should clear this option only if you are using VisiMap Lite on a network, and you regularly get ‘Failed to re-open after saving: map will be closed!’ errors.

Auto-save

None

Select this option if you wish to turn the auto-save feature off.

On every edit

Select this option if you wish VisiMap Lite to auto-save a map every time you modify it.

Periodically

Select this option if you wish VisiMap Lite to auto-save changed maps periodically. When you select this option, you need also use the box provided to specify the frequency of auto-save.

Confirmations

Check the boxes provided if you wish to be prompted for confirmation before performing destructive edits.


Print Map dialog

Printer

This is for information only, and displays the name of the printer currently selected for use. To change to a different printer press the Setup … button.

Print Range:

Select the range to be printed:

All

Choosing this option will print the whole of the currently active map.

Selection

Choosing this option will print only the tree headed by the currently selected branch.

Pages

Choosing this option will print the page range you specify in the From and To boxes.

Print Quality

Use this to choose the print quality, from the choices available for the currently selected printer.

Print To File

Prints the map to a new file on the drive you specify instead of routing it directly to a printer. You print a map to a file so that, for instance, you can print from a computer that does not have VisiMap Lite installed.

When you choose the OK button, VisiMap Lite will prompt you for a file name.

Copies

Specify here the number of copies you wish to print.

Collate Copies

Check this option if you wish multiple print copies to be collated. Clear the option if you wish to print all page 1’s, followed by all page 2’s, and so on. This option may not be available for some printers

Links:

Print linked maps

Check this option if you wish also to print all maps linked to your map. This will print not only those maps linked directly to your map, but also indirectly (via map links contained within the linked maps, etc.).

Types:

Choose any combination of the following options:

Graphical map

Choose this option to print the map in graphical form (according to the view you have active in the map window).

Text outline

Choose this option to print the map outline in textual form.

Text notes

Choose this option to print the map in textual form, including any attached notes.

Page layout

Choose the page layout to use from the list provided.

Print in monochrome

Check this box if you wish VisiMap Lite to print in monochrome, even when printing to a colour printer.

Setup ...

Press this button to select a different printer, or change the settings for the currently selected printer.


Print Setup dialog

Printer:

Default Printer

Select this option if you wish VisiMap Lite to print to the default printer for your Windows setup.

Specific Printer

Select this option if you wish VisiMap Lite to print to a printer and/or other than the default one. You can choose from the list provided any of the printer configurations installed on your system.

Orientation

Select the page orientation (Portrait or Landscape) you wish VisiMap Lite to use for printing.

 This option may not be available for some printers.

Paper

This group of options allows you to choose the paper size and paper source from among those supported by the selected printer.

 these options may not be available for some printers.

Options

Press this button if you want to select advanced options specific to the chosen printer.


Replace Text dialog

Search for

Enter the text you wish to be replaced.

Replace with

Enter the text you wish the Search for text to be replaced with.

Options

Case sensitive

Check this option if you wish the search to be case sensitive to the string entered in the Search for box. Leave this option unchecked if you wish to the search to be case insensitive.

All occurrences

Check this option if you wish all occurrences of the Search for text to be replaced by the Replace with text. If you leave this option unchecked, only the first occurrence found will be replaced.

Prompt on replace

Check this option if you wish VisiMap Lite to prompt you before replacing each occurrence of the text.

Scope:

Global

Choose this option to search and replace the text anywhere in the note.

From cursor

Choose this option to search and replace the text anywhere after the current cursor position.


Save As dialog

File name

Select or enter a new file name for the map.

 When you select or enter an existing map file, the name of the map is shown directly beneath this control to aid you in identification.

Save file as type

Select the type of file you want to save (or export) to from the list provided.

Directories

Select the directory in which you want to save the map.

Drives

Select the drive on which you want to save the map.


Save Style Sheet As dialog

File name

Select or enter the file name for the style sheet.

Save file as type

Select the type of file you want to save from the list provided.

Directories

Select the directory in which you want to save the style sheet.

Drives

Select the drive on which you want to save the style sheet.


Select Children dialog

Child branches

Lists the child branches connected to the highlighted parent branch. Select all the branches you wish to cut or copy.

Swap

Press this to invert all your branch selections.

Clear

Press this to clear all branch selections.


Select Default Icon File dialog

File name

Select or enter a file name for the default icon file.

List files of type

Select the type of file you want to select from the list provided.

Directories

Select the directory in which you want to locate the default icon file.

Drives

Select the drive on which you want to locate the default icon file.


Select Icon dialog

Icons

This list displays all the icons available in the indicated file.

Browse

Press this to browse your system for another file containing icons.

Editor

Press this to launch your icon editor (defined via the Icon Editor command), and load the indicated file into it.


Select Icon Editor dialog

File name

Type or select the name of the icon editor’s program file. The box lists files with the extension you select in the List Files Of Type box.

To see a list of files with a particular extension, type an asterisk (*), a period and the three character extension.

List files of type

Select the type of file you want to link from the list provided.

Directories

Select the directory in which to look for the icon editor.

Drives

Select the drive in which to look for the icon editor.


Select Icon File dialog

File name

Select or enter a file name for the icon file.

List files of type

Select the type of file you want to select from the list provided.

Directories

Select the directory in which you want to locate the icon file.

Drives

Select the drive on which you want to locate the icon file.


Set Zoom Factor dialog

Factor

Slide the 'thumb' on the scroll bar to select the desired zoom factor (any factor between 25% and 400% of normal size). As you move the thumb, the selected zoom factor is displayed immediately above the scroller.

Reset

Press this button to reset the zoom factor to the standard setting of 100%.

Set as default

Check this box to make the chosen zoom factor the default for all maps you open.


Styles dialog

Style

Select from the list the name of the style you wish to view or modify.

New

Press this button if you wish to add a new style. You will be prompted for the new style name.

Rename

Press this to rename the selected style. You cannot rename any of the standard styles.

Delete

Press this to delete the selected style. You cannot delete any of the standard styles.

Font …

Pressing this button will display the Font dialog, where you can choose the style’s font, font size, font style and colour.

Hot key

Enter the key you wish to assign as a ‘hot key’ for the style. See Applying Styles for information on using style hot keys.

Line thickness

Enter or select the line thickness you wish to use for the style.

Shading:

Choose a background colour for the style:

No shading

Select this option if the style is to have no background colour.

Use shading

Select this option to define a background colour for the style. When you choose this option, VisiMap Lite will display the Choose Colour dialog.

Colour …

Press this button if you wish to select a different background colour. It is enabled only when the Use shading option is chosen.

Icon:

Choose the type of icon you wish to define for the style:

No icon

Select this option if the style is to have no associated icon.

Use icon

Display an icon on all branches using this style. When you choose this option, VisiMap Lite will display the icon selector for you to choose an icon.

Icon …

Press this button if you wish to select a different icon for the style. It is enabled only when the Use icon option is chosen.

Load

Press this to load a different style sheet for editing. It displays the Attach Style Sheet dialog.

Save

Press this button to save the modifications you have made to the style sheet.

Save As ...

Press this button to save the modifications you have made to the style sheet to a different disk file. It displays the Save Style Sheet As dialog.


Styles Organiser dialog

Styles …

These two lists list the styles available in each of two style sheets. Select the style(s), from either list, that you wish to operate on.

Open file…/Close file

These two buttons allow you to close the style sheet in the two lists, or open different style sheets.

Copy

Press this to copy the selected style(s) between the open style sheets in the direction indicated. This is available only if you have two style sheets open, and at least one style is selected.

Delete

Press this to delete the selected style(s). You cannot delete any of the standard styles.

Rename

Press this to rename a single selected style. You cannot rename any of the standard styles.


Technical Information dialog

This dialog displays various technical details about your system and your VisiMap Lite configuration to aid in technical support issues.

You can either view this information on-screen, or press the Save button to save it to a text file (named VMINFO.TXT in the VisiMap Lite program directory) for later examination and/or sending to our technical support department.

If you should contact technical support, you may be requested to provide some or all of this information.


See alsos (for dialogs)


See also (Add Branch dialog)
Add Branch command

Adding and Deleting Branches


See also (Apply Style dialog)
Styles and Style Sheets


See also (Attach Style Sheet dialog)
Properties command

Edit Map dialog

Styles and Style Sheets


See also (Auto-Colouring Control dialog)
Auto Colour command

Auto-Colouring command

Adding colour


See also (Branch Properties dialog)
Apply Style dialog

Change Icon dialog

Properties command

Branch Icons

Editing Branch Titles

Styles and Style Sheets


See also (Change Icon dialog)
Add Branch dialog

Change Style Tag command

Branch Properties dialog

Edit Map dialog, Map Centre page

Branch Icons


See also (Choose Color dialog)
Styles dialog

Modify Styles command


See also (Choose Directory dialog)
File locations dialog


See also (Delete dialog)
Delete command

Adding and Deleting Branches


See also (File Locations dialog)
File locations command

Choose Directory dialog

Select Default Icon File dialog

Select Icon Editor dialog

Other Source of Icons


See also (Find/Replace dialog)
Find/Replace command

Searching For and Replacing Text


See also (Find Text dialog)
Find command

Searching For and Replacing Text


See also (Font dialog)
Modify Styles command

Styles dialog

Styles and Style Sheets


See also (Hide/Show dialog)
Hide/Show Children command

Hiding and Showing Selective Branches


See also (Link Map dialog)
Add Branch command

Add Branch dialog

Organising Your Maps into Modular Units


See also (Map Properties dialog)
Apply Style dialog

Change icon dialog

Properties command

Adding and Deleting Branches

Branch Icons

Styles and Style Sheets


See also (Map Properties dialog, Headers page)
Properties command

Map Properties dialog

Map Properties dialog: Map Centre page

Map Properties dialog: Map Styles page

Printing


See also (Map Properties dialog, Map Centre page)
Change icon dialog

Properties command

Map Properties dialog

Map Properties dialog: Headers page

Map Properties dialog: Map Styles page

Branch Icons


See also (Map Properties dialog, Map Styles page)
Apply Style dialog

Properties command

Map Properties dialog

Map Properties dialog: Headers page

Map Properties dialog: Map Centre page

Styles and Style Sheets


See also (Open dialog)
Open command


See also (Open Style Sheet dialog)
Styles Organiser dialog

Styles and Style Sheets


See also (Order Branches dialog)
Reorder command

Restructuring Your Maps


See also (Page Setup dialog)
Page Setup command

Printing


See also (Page Setup dialog, Headers page)
Page Setup command

Page Setup dialog

Page Setup dialog: Layouts page

Page Setup dialog: Maps page

Page Setup dialog: Margins page

Page Setup dialog: Scaling page

Printing


See also (Page Setup dialog, Layouts page)
Page Setup command

Page Setup dialog

Page Setup dialog: Headers page

Page Setup dialog: Maps page

Page Setup dialog: Margins page

Page Setup dialog: Scaling page

Printing


See also (Page Setup dialog, Maps page)
Page Setup command

Page Setup dialog

Page Setup dialog: Headers page

Page Setup dialog: Layouts page

Page Setup dialog: Margins page

Page Setup dialog: Scaling page

Printing


See also (Page Setup dialog, Margins page)
Page Setup command

Page Setup dialog

Page Setup dialog: Headers page

Page Setup dialog: Layouts page

Page Setup dialog: Maps page

Page Setup dialog: Scaling page

Printing


See also (Page Setup dialog, Scaling page)
Page Setup command

Page Setup dialog

Page Setup dialog: Headers page

Page Setup dialog: Layouts page

Page Setup dialog: Maps page

Page Setup dialog: Margins page

Printing


See also (Preferences dialog)
Preferences command


See also (Preferences dialog, General page)
Preferences command

Preferences dialog

Preferences dialog: Maps page

Preferences dialog: Windows page

Preferences dialog: Miscellaneous page


See also (Preferences dialog, Maps page)
Preferences command

Preferences dialog

Preferences dialog: General page

Preferences dialog: Windows page

Preferences dialog: Miscellaneous page


See also (Preferences dialog, Windows page)
Preferences command

Preferences dialog

Preferences dialog: General page

Preferences dialog: Maps page

Preferences dialog: Miscellaneous page


See also (Preferences dialog, Miscellaneous page)
Preferences command

Preferences dialog

Preferences dialog: General page

Preferences dialog: Maps page

Preferences dialog: Windows page


See also (Print Map dialog)
Print command

Printing


See also (Print Setup dialog)
Print Map dialog

Printer Setup command

Printing


See also (Replace Text dialog)
Replace command

Searching For and Replacing Text


See also (Save As dialog)
Save command

Save As command


See also (Save Style Sheet As dialog)
Modify Styles command

Styles dialog

Styles and Style Sheets


See also (Select Children dialog)
Copy Children Command

Cut Children Command

Organising Your Maps into Modular Units


See also (Select Default Icon File dialog)
Default Icon File Command

File locations dialog

Other Sources of Icons


See also (Select Icon dialog)
Add Branch dialog

Change Icon command

Change Icon dialog

Branch Properties dialog

Map Properties dialog

Adding, Changing and Removing Branch Icons


See also (Select Icon Editor dialog)
File locations dialog

Select Icon dialog

Branch Icons


See also (Select Icon File dialog)
Default Icon File Command

Select Icon dialog

Other Sources of Icons


See also (Set Zoom Factor dialog)
Set Zoom Factor command

Scaling Map Views


See also (Styles dialog)
Choose Colour dialog

Modify Styles command

Styles and Style Sheets


See also (Styles Organiser dialog)
Open Style Sheet dialog

Styles Organiser command

Styles and Style Sheets


See also (Technical Information dialog)
Technical Info command

Product Support


What's New

Version 2.5:

•	Multi-Open. VisiMap Lite's Open dialog now lets you select multiple maps to open (or multiple files to import) in one operation, and also provides an option to automatically open all maps linked to those you specify.

•	Branch Type Editing. Once you have established the branch type (i.e. standard or map link) at branch creation time, you can now change the type when editing the branch via the extended Branch Properties dialog (which replaces the old Edit Branch dialog). See also Editing Branch Properties.

•	Configurable Directory Locations. You can now change the location of the VisiMap Lite local data directory, both during installation and later while running VisiMap Lite. Additionally, you can now specify a directory to be used as default when saving new maps for the first time (the 'Default Save As directory'). See the File Locations command on the Tools menu.

•	IntelliMouse 2.0 Support. VisiMap Lite now supports the Microsoft IntelliMouse 2.0 wheel-button mouse to make the vertical scrolling, zooming and data-zooming (outlining) even easier. See the topic Using the IntelliMouse.

•	Improved Tool Bars. VisiMap Lite’s tool bars now sport Office 97-like active buttons, and tool tips.

•	'Back' and 'Forward' Buttons. The VisiMap Lite main tool bar now sports internet browser-like Back and Forward buttons to allow you to easily track backwards and forwards through the maps you have accessed.

•	Easier zooming. New Zoom In and Zoom Out commands on the View menu (with corresponding tool bar buttons and the Alt+Up and Alt+Down accelerator keys) allow you to zoom maps quicker. See also Scaling Map Views.

•	Configurable auto-colouring. The colours and colour-sequence used by VisiMap Lite for auto-colouring maps is now configurable, via the Auto-colouring command on the Tools menu.

•	New Window menu commands. VisiMap Lite’s Window menu now has new Maximize all, Minimize all, Restore all and Tile and fit-to-window commands to make window management easier.

•	New Viewer Program. CoCo Systems have now made available a royalty-free, redistributable, VisiMap Viewer program so that people who do not have a copy of VisiMap Lite can now view, outline and print maps you create. See About the VisiMap Viewer.

Version 2.0f:

•	An option has been added to the General page of the Preferences dialog to control the use of branch fonts in dialog boxes.

Version 2.0c:

•	The rotational display of branches in the map view is now subject to a user-defined option. See Restructuring Your Maps and the Maps page of the Preferences dialog.

•	If you have the Save/restore view changes option selected (via the Maps page of the Preferences dialog), VisiMap Lite will now also save and restore the view format and zoom factor when you save and re-open a map.

Version 2.0b:

•	In the map view, VisiMap Lite now displays all branches in a strictly clockwise manner. See also Restructuring Your Maps.

•	Traditional outline symbols are now displayed in the text outline view, to ease collapsing/expanding of branches. See also The Text Outline View and Outlining and Viewing Maps.

Version 2.0:

If you have upgraded from InfoMap Lite to VisiMap Lite 2.0, you will find the following major improvements:

•	Branch icons: place graphical icons on branches of a map to give your maps added visual impact.

•	Text outline view: you can now work in a 2-dimensional text outline view, and switch easily between this and the graphical map view.

•	Auto-levelling outline styles: a new outline style scheme allows you to define branch formats for each level in a map, and have VisiMap Lite apply them automatically.

•	Full drag-and-drop reordering: you can now fully restructure your maps using drag-and-drop techniques.

•	Split-screen editing: VisiMap Lite's new QuickEditor lets you edit the notes attached to a branch directly in the viewer pane.

There are also various usability enhancements: Speed-entry, colour palette, tree editing, auto-colouring, multiple page layouts, global find/replace, ... and much more!


 Error Messages

Error messages occur whenever VisiMap Lite fails to complete an operation successfully. Most errors are non-fatal: in each case, VisiMap Lite abandons the operation which failed and attempts to continue normally. The error messages indicate which operation failed, and the reason for failure.

•	Fatal Errors

•	Non-fatal errors


Fatal Errors

•	Window creation failure


Error: Window creation failure

VisiMap Lite failed to create one or more of its windows. This is usually due to insufficient memory being available. Free up more memory by closing one or more other applications and then re-start VisiMap Lite.


Non-Fatal Errors

Choose a group:


Errors Index A..E

•	Access denied

•	Branch capacity reached

•	Could not open clipboard

•	Disk is full


Errors Index: F..H

•	Failed to re-open after saving: map will be closed!

•	File already open in another window

•	File corrupted or of wrong type

•	File is currently open for use

•	File is not a map file

•	File not found

•	File was written by a later version of VisiMap Lite


Errors Index: I..N

•	Insufficient memory

•	Invalid clipboard data

•	Invalid environment

•	I/O error while reading

•	I/O error while writing

•	Map file does not exist

•	Maximum text size reached


Errors Index: O..Z

•	Path not found

•	Too many branches to paste at selection

•	Unable to initialise printer driver

•	Un-named map no longer accessible


Error: Access denied

You are trying to save to or open a map or style sheet, but it is in use by another application (possibly another copy of VisiMap Lite). Wait until the file becomes free and then try the operation again.


Error: Branch capacity reached

You are attempting to add a branch at a point in the map which does not have sufficient room. A maximum of 12 primary branches can be added to the map centre, and up to 6 branches can be added as children to any other branch.


Error: Could not open clipboard

VisiMap Lite could not open the clipboard for a cut, copy or paste operation. This is usually due to another application having left the clipboard open. Try the operation again, and if it persists in failing you may need to restart Windows to clear the error.


Error: Disk is full

The disk to which you are attempting to write has insufficient room to accommodate the file. Either save the file to another disk or first make room on the disk by deleting unwanted files and trying again.


Error: Failed to re-open after saving: map will be closed!

This error should rarely occur. If it does, the following circumstances have arisen:

1.	You have saved a file.

2.	On saving the file, VisiMap Lite has closed it and immediately attempted to re-open it, but …

3.	… before VisiMap Lite has been able to re-open the file, another user has opened the file.

VisiMap Lite has no choice now but to close the map window you have open. Once the other user has closed the map file, you will be able to re-open it for editing.

If you encounter this error often, you should go to the Preferences dialog, Miscellaneous property sheet, and un-check the Re-open maps after saving option.


Error: File already open in another window

You are attempting (via the Save As command) to save a map to a file containing a different map, and which is already open in another window. Save the map to a different file name.


Error: File corrupted or of wrong type

You are attempting to open a map or style sheet, and the file has somehow become damaged. Ensure you have specified the name of a proper map or style sheet file. If you are certain this is the case, and the error persists, then the file has been damaged and needs to be restored (for example, from a backup copy).


Error: File is currently open for use

You are attempting (via the Styles dialog) to save a style sheet to a file containing a different style sheet, and which is already being used by a map in another window. Save the style sheet to a different file name.


Error: File is not a map file

You are attempting to follow a map link to a target file which is not a VisiMap Lite map file.  You should edit the map link (via the Edit link command) to correct the error.


Error: File not found

A file name you have specified (for example via the Open dialog box) does not exist. Ensure you have specified the name correctly.


Error: File was written by a later version of VisiMap Lite

The map file you attempted to open was written by a later version of VisiMap Lite, and that version uses a file format which was introduced after the version you are currently using.

To use the file, you will need to upgrade to the later version of VisiMap Lite.


Error: Insufficient memory

There was insufficient memory to continue with the operation. It is possible that other operations may fail for the same reason. If you receive this message try saving all modifications you have made to open maps (this frees up the memory containing the Undo/Redo histories), and try the operation again. If you encounter the same problem, then try closing one or more other applications before attempting the operation again.


Error: Invalid clipboard data

The VisiMap Lite data in the clipboard has in some way become damaged. This error should rarely occur, but if it does so you can use the Undo command to trace back to the stage just prior to when you cut or copied data to the clipboard, and then repeat the same operations by using the Redo command.


Error: Invalid environment

During a file I/O operation VisiMap Lite has detected that a needed part of the DOS environment has somehow been damaged. This error should rarely occur, but if it does it may be advisable to reboot your system.


Error: I/O error while reading

This indicates that VisiMap Lite encountered an error while reading from a map or style sheet file. It is probable that the file’s contents have become corrupted, and that you should restore the file from a recent backup before opening it again.


Error: I/O error while writing

This indicates that VisiMap Lite encountered an error while writing to a map or style sheet file. It is possible that your disk has been damaged. Try saving to a different disk.


Error: Map file does not exist

This error occurs when VisiMap Lite attempts to resolve a map link but finds the linked map file no longer exists. Either remove the now redundant map link, or recreate the linked file.

The error also occurs if you close and delete a map, and then attempt to return to the map using the Back or Forward buttons.


Error: Maximum text size reached

The notes in the active editor window have reached the maximum note size (256 characters). You cannot create notes on any one branch (or the map centre) larger than this size.


Error: Path not found

The directory path you specified for a map or style sheet does not exist. Ensure you have specified the path correctly.


Error: Too many branches to paste at selection

You are attempting to paste a number of branches at a point in the map which does not have sufficient room. A maximum of 12 primary branches can be added to the map centre, and up to 6 branches can be added as children to any other branch.


Error: Unable to initialise printer driver

VisiMap Lite has encountered an error attempting to communicate with an installed printer driver. It is advisable to check the installed driver via the Windows Control Panel before attempting the operation again.


Error: Un-named map no longer accessible

This is a warning that occurs if you close an un-saved map (without saving it), and then attempt to return to the map using the Back or Forward buttons.


 Keyboard and Mouse

•	Keyboard and Mouse (maps)

•	Keyboard and Mouse (QuickEditor)


Keyboard and Mouse (maps)

 Using the keyboard:

•	Command accelerator keys

•	Navigating maps

•	Scrolling maps

 Using the mouse:

•	Navigating maps

•	Scrolling maps

•	Using drag & drop

•	Using the right-hand mouse button


Command Accelerator Keys (maps)

 Keyboard:

The table below shows the shortcut keys that can be used to invoke commands when a map window is active.

When QuickEditor is active, there is both a different menu and a different set of shortcut keys. Refer to the topic Command accelerator keys (QuickEditor) for a description of the shortcut keys available for QuickEditors.

Command	Keys
Add Branch	Ins
Apply Style	Ctrl+T
Auto Colour	Ctrl+A
Balloon Help	Shift+F1
Cascade	Shift+F5
Centre on Branch	5 (on numeric keypad) (or Shift-5 if Num Lock is on)
Change Case	Shift+F3
Change Icon	Ctrl+H
Close window	Ctrl+F4
Copy	Ctrl+C  or  Ctrl+Ins
Cut	Ctrl+X  or  Shift+Del
Decrement levels	- (on main or numeric keypad)
Delete Branch	Del
Edit Notes	Ctrl+N
Exit	Alt+F4
Help Contents	F1
Increment levels	+ (on main or numeric keypad)
Modify Styles	Ctrl+M
Open	Ctrl+O
Paste	Ctrl+V  or  Shift+Ins
Print	Ctrl+P
Properties	Enter
Save	Ctrl+S
Save As	F12
Find/Replace	Ctrl+F
Redo	Ctrl+Y
Save As	F12
Split window	Ctrl+F8
Switch panes	F8
Tile	Shift+F4
Undo	Ctrl+Z or Alt+BkSp
View all levels	* (on main or numeric keypad)
View 1 level	Alt+1
View 2 levels	Alt+2
View 3 levels	Alt+3
View 4 levels	Alt+4
View 5 levels	Alt+5
View 6 levels	Alt+6
View 7 levels	Alt+7
View 8 levels	Alt+8
View 9 levels	Alt+9
Zoom In	Alt+Up
Zoom Out	Alt+Down


Navigating Maps (keyboard)

With the keyboard:

 To select a map component (map centre, branch or map link):

Use the following cursor key combinations to move the selection highlight:

Keys	In Map Windows	In Text Outline View
Up	Move the highlight up a level (i.e. towards the map centre)	Move the highlight up (i.e. to the branch immediately above the selection).
Down	Move the highlight down a level (i.e. away the map centre)	Move the highlight down (i.e. to the branch immediately below the selection).
Left	Cycle the highlight 'backwards' (i.e. to the selection’s preceding sibling)	Cycle the highlight 'backwards' (i.e. to the selection’s preceding sibling)
Right	Cycle the highlight 'forwards' (i.e. to the selection’s next sibling)	Cycle the highlight 'forwards' (i.e. to the selection’s next sibling)
 To keep the selection highlight in view:

Turn on selection tracking via the Preferences command.

 To centre the current selection in the window:

Press the 5 key (on either the numeric keypad or the main keyboard).


Scrolling Maps (keyboard)

With the keyboard:

 To scroll the window with the keyboard, use the following key combinations:

Keys	In Map Windows	In Text Outline View
PgUp	Scroll up one page	Scroll up one page
PgDn	Scroll down one page	Scroll down one page
Home	Scroll to the left edge	Scroll to the left edge
End	Scroll to the right edge	Scroll to the right edge
Ctrl+Home	Scroll to the top	Scroll to the top
Ctrl+End	Scroll to the bottom	Scroll to the bottom
Ctrl+Right	Scroll a small amount to the right	Scroll a small amount to the right
Ctrl+Left	Scroll a small amount to the left	Scroll a small amount to the left


Navigating Maps (mouse)

With the mouse:

 To select a map component (map centre, branch or map link):

If necessary, use the scroll bars (see the topic Scrolling Maps) to bring the desired item into view, and then left-click it.


Scrolling Maps (mouse)

With the mouse:

 To scroll with the mouse, use the scroll bars as follows:

Vertical Scrolling:

To …	Do this …
To scroll up a small amount	Left-click the up arrow at the top of the vertical scroll bar.
To scroll down a small amount	Left-click the down arrow at the bottom of the vertical scroll bar.
To scroll up one page	Left-click near the top of the vertical scroll bar.
To scroll down one page	Left-click near the bottom of the vertical scroll bar.
To scroll to the top	Drag the vertical scroll bar 'thumb' to the top of the scroll bar.
To scroll to the bottom	Drag the vertical scroll bar 'thumb' to the bottom of the scroll bar.
To scroll up or down with the IntelliMouse	Rotate the mouse wheel.
Horizontal Scrolling:

To …	Do this …
To scroll left a small amount	Left-click the left arrow at the left hand end of the horizontal scroll bar.
To scroll right a small amount	Left-click the right arrow at the right hand end of the horizontal scroll bar.
To scroll left one page	Left-click near the left hand end of the horizontal scroll bar.
To scroll right one page	Left-click near the right hand end of the horizontal scroll bar.
To scroll to the left end	Drag the horizontal scroll bar 'thumb' to the left hand end of the scroll bar.
To scroll to the right end	Drag the horizontal scroll bar 'thumb' to the right hand end of the scroll bar.


Using Drag-and-Drop

 VisiMap Lite utilises mouse drag & drop techniques to support a number of operations:

•	restructuring maps,

•	opening of map files,

•	moving the window divider in split windows.

The basic technique is to pick up an item by pressing the left mouse button over it, holding the button down while dragging to the new location, and then dropping it by releasing the mouse button. In some cases, VisiMap Lite uses the Ctrl key to 'modify' the basic drag & drop behaviour (see below). To modify a drag & drop operation, you hold down the Ctrl key while you drag the item(s), ensuring you release the key only after you complete the drop by releasing the mouse button.

 Restructuring a map: you can move or copy branches of a map using drag-and-drop. See Re-ordering Branches for a full description of the techniques.

 Opening map files: to open one or more map files, you can drag them from the Windows 3.1/NT 3.51 File Manager or Windows 95/NT 4.0 Explorer and drop them over the background of the VisiMap Lite main window (do not drop them on an open map window, as this will link the files to the map - see next).

 Moving the window divider: you can change the point at which a split window is divided by dragging the divider to its new position (the divider is the solid bar that separates the map window from the QuickEditor).


Using the Right-Hand Mouse Button

 Pressing the right hand mouse button over most items in the VisiMap Lite window will result in a local, context-sensitive, pop-up menu containing selected commands that can be performed on that item. Pressing the right button over any of the following items will pop up a local menu:

•	All components of a map,

•	QuickEditor windows,

•	The VisiMap Lite main window background, and

•	All map window, QuickEditor and main window 'non-client' areas (the caption areas, window borders, etc.).


Keyboard and Mouse (QuickEditor)

 Using the keyboard:

•	Command accelerator keys (QuickEditor)

•	Scrolling the QuickEditor (keyboard)

 Using the mouse:

•	Scrolling the QuickEditor (mouse)


Command Accelerator Keys (QuickEditor)

 Keyboard:

The table below shows the shortcut keys that can be used to invoke commands when an editor is active.

When a map window is active, there is both a different menu and a different set of shortcut keys. Refer to the topic Command accelerator keys (maps) for a description of the shortcut keys available for mind map windows.

Command	Keys
Balloon help	Shift+F1
Cascade	Shift+F5
Close	Ctrl+F4
Copy	Ctrl+C  or  Ctrl+Ins
Cut	Ctrl+X  or  Shift+Del
Delete	Del
Exit	Alt+F4
Find	Ctrl+F
Find/Replace next	F3
Help	F1
Open	Ctrl+O
Paste	Ctrl+V  or  Shift+Ins
Print	Ctrl+P
Save	Ctrl+S
Save As	F12
Select All	Ctrl+A
(Un-)Split window	Ctrl+F8
Switch panes	F8
Tile	Shift+F4
Undo/Redo	Ctrl+Z or Alt+BkSp


Scrolling the QuickEditor (keyboard)

With the keyboard:

 To navigate in a QuickEditor with the keyboard, use the following keys:

Keys	In the QuickEditor
Up	Move up one line (and scroll if necessary)
Down	Move down one line (and scroll if necessary)
PgUp	Scroll up one page
PgDn	Scroll down one page
Ctrl+Home	Scroll to the top
Ctrl+End	Scroll to the bottom


Scrolling the QuickEditor (mouse)

With the mouse:

 To scroll the QuickEditor window with the mouse, use the scroll bars as follows:

Vertical Scrolling:

To …	Do this …
To scroll up one line	Left-click the up arrow at the top of the vertical scroll bar.
To scroll down one line	Left-click the down arrow at the bottom of the vertical scroll bar.
To scroll up one page	Left-click near the top of the vertical scroll bar.
To scroll down one page	Left-click near the bottom of the vertical scroll bar.
To scroll to the top	Drag the vertical scroll bar 'thumb' to the top of the scroll bar.
To scroll to the bottom	Drag the vertical scroll bar 'thumb' to the bottom of the scroll bar.
To scroll up or down with the IntelliMouse	Rotate the mouse wheel.
Horizontal Scrolling:

QuickEditor windows do not have horizontal scroll bars. The text within a QuickEditor always word-wraps to fit the current size of the window.


See alsos (Keyboard and Mouse)


See also (Navigating Maps (keyboard))
Navigating Maps (mouse)

Find/Replace command

Outlining and Viewing Maps


See also (Scrolling Maps (keyboard))
Scrolling Maps (mouse)

Outlining and Viewing Maps


See also (Navigating Maps (mouse))
Navigating Maps

Outlining and Viewing Maps


See also (Scrolling Maps (mouse))
Scrolling Maps (keyboard)

Outlining and Viewing Maps


See also (Using Drag-and-Drop)
Opening an Existing Map

Re-ordering Branches

Working With Split Windows


See also (Scrolling the QuickEditor (keyboard))
Scrolling the QuickEditor (mouse)


See also (Scrolling the QuickEditor (mouse))
Scrolling the QuickEditor (keyboard)


 Menu Commands

•	File menu

•	Branch Menu (Map windows only)

•	Tree menu (Map windows only)

•	Edit menu (QuickEditor only)

•	Search menu (QuickEditor only)

•	View menu

•	Styles menu

•	Tools menu

•	Window menu

•	Help menu


File menu

The File menu provides file and printer management commands, e-mail commands, and the standard Exit command:

Command	Menu Keys	Shortcut	Purpose
New	Alt+F,N		Create a new map.
Open	Alt+F,O	Ctrl+O	Open one or more existing maps.
Save	Alt+F,S	Ctrl+S	Save the active map.
Save As	Alt+F,A	F12	Save the active map to a new file.
Save All	Alt+F,L		Save all the open maps.
Delete	Alt+F,D		Delete a map or style sheet file from disk.
Print	Alt+F,P	Ctrl+P	Print the active map.
Page Setup	Alt+F,G		Configure page layouts.
Printer Setup	Alt+F,U		Select and setup a printer.
Close	Alt+F,L	Ctrl+F4	Close the active window.
Close All	Alt+F,A		Close all open windows.
Exit	Alt+F,X	Alt+F4	Exit VisiMap Lite.
Additionally, a list of your most recently opened maps are appended to this menu: simply select one of these entries to open the indicated map.


Branch Menu (Map windows only)

This menu provides map editing commands which operate on single branches.

Command	Menu Keys	Shortcut	Purpose
Find/Replace	Alt+B,F	Ctrl+F	Search for and, optionally, replace occurrences of specified text.
Undo	Alt+B,U	Ctrl+Z	Undo the previous edit operation.
Redo	Alt+B,R	Ctrl+Y	Redo the last undone operation.
Add Branch	Alt+B,A	Ins	Add a new branch to the map.
Delete Branch	Alt+B,D	Del	Delete the selected branch.
Properties	Alt+B,P	Enter	Modify the title and other properties of the selected branch.
Open Link	Alt+B,L		Open the map referenced by the link.
Hide Branch	Alt+E,H		Hide the selected branch from view.
Reorder	Alt+B,O		Reorder the selected branch's children.
Auto Colour	Alt+B,U	Ctrl+A	Automatically assign colours when adding child branches.
Edit Notes	Alt+B,N	Ctrl+N	Edit the selected branch's notes.
Delete Notes	Alt+B,L		Delete any attached notes.


Tree menu (Map windows only)

This menu provides map editing commands which operate on whole trees or multiple branches.

Command	Menu Keys	Shortcut	Purpose
Cut	Alt+T,T	Ctrl+X	Cut the branch's children to the clipboard.
Copy	Alt+T,C	Ctrl+C	Copy the branch's children to the clipboard.
Paste	Alt+T,P	Ctrl+V	Paste in the clipboard contents.
Cut Children	Alt+T,U		Cut selected children to the clipboard.
Copy Children	Alt+T,Y		Copy selected children to the clipboard.
Hide/Show children	Alt+T,H		Hide or show selected children.
Promote	Alt+T,O		Promote the branch's children up one level.


Edit menu (QuickEditor only)

The QuickEditor Edit menu provides commands to perform the following edit operations:

Command	Menu Keys	Shortcut	Purpose
Undo	Alt+E,U	Ctrl+Z	Undo the last edit operation.
Cut	Alt+E,C	Ctrl+X	Delete the selected text from the notes and copy it to the clipboard.
Copy	Alt+E,O	Ctrl+C	Copy the selection to the clipboard.
Paste	Alt+E,P	Ctrl+V	Paste text from the clipboard at the current position.
Delete	Alt+E,E	Del	Delete the selected text from the notes.
Select All	Alt+E,A	Ctrl+A	Select all of the notes.


Search menu (QuickEditor only)

The QuickEditor Search menu provides commands to find and replace text:

Command	Menu Keys	Shortcut	Purpose
Find	Alt+S,F	Ctrl+F	Find specified text within the notes
Replace	Alt+S,R		Find and replace specified text within the notes
Find/Replace Next	Alt+S,N	F3	Repeat the last notes find or replace operation.


View menu

This menu provides commands to control the your map view.

Command	Menu Keys	Shortcut	Purpose
Zoom In	Alt+V,I	Alt+Up	Zoom in.
Zoom Out	Alt+V,O	Alt+Down	Zoom out.
Set Zoom Factor	Alt+V,Z		Set the magnification level.
Fit Map to Window	Alt+V,W		Stretch the map to fit the window.
All Levels	Alt+V,A	*	View all levels of the map below the selected branch.
Increment Levels	Alt+V,N	+	View one extra level of the map below the selected branch.
Decrement Levels	Alt+V,D	-	View one less level of the map below the selected branch.
Split Window	Alt+V,S	Ctrl+F8	Toggle notes viewer on or off.
Move split position	Alt+V,V		Move the window split position.
Map view	Alt+V,M		View maps in visual map format.
Text Outline view	Alt+V,T		View maps in text outline format.
 Only the Split window command and Move split window command appear on the QuickEditor’s menu.


Styles menu

This menu provides commands to manage and attach styles and style sheets.

Command	Menu Keys	Shortcut	Purpose
Attach Style Sheet	Alt+S,A		Attach a new style sheet.
Modify Styles	Alt+S,Y	Ctrl+M	Edit or create display styles.
Organiser	Alt+S,O		Organise styles in style sheets.
Apply style	Alt+S,S	Ctrl+T	Apply a style to a branch or a tree.
Change Icon	Alt+S,I	Ctrl+H	Change the branch icon.
Change Case	Alt+S,C	Shift+F3	Change the capitalisation of the branch title.


Tools menu

This menu provides commands to configure tools used by VisiMap Lite and set overall program options.

Command	Menu Keys	Shortcut	Purpose
Preferences	Alt+O,P		Specify overall VisiMap Lite options.
File Locations	Alt+O,L		Choose working directories, and locate other programs used by VisiMap Lite.
Auto-colouring	Alt+O,A		Choose colours to use when auto-colouring maps.


Window menu

This menu provides commands to control the display of map windows.

Command	Menu Keys	Shortcut	Purpose
Cascade	Alt+W,C	Shift+F5	Cascade open windows.
Tile	Alt+W,T	Shift+F4	Tile open windows.
Tile and auto-fit	Alt+W,F		Tile open map windows and fit-to-window all maps
Maximize all	Alt+W,X		Maximize all open map windows
Restore all	Alt+W,R		Minimize all open map windows
Minimize all	Alt+W,N		Restore all open map windows
Arrange Icons	Alt+W,I		Arrange and straighten-up all minimised icon windows.
Additionally, a list of the open map windows is appended to this menu: select one of these entries to activate the indicated window.


Help menu

Commands in this menu provide help for using VisiMap Lite.

Command	Menu Keys	Shortcut	Purpose
Help Contents	Alt+H,C	F1	Display the index of VisiMap Lite on-line help topics.
Introduction	Alt+H,I		Display an on-line introduction to VisiMap Lite.
How to ...	Alt+H,H		Display help on how to perform different tasks.
Keyboard and Mouse	Alt+H,K		Display on-line help about using the keyboard and mouse.
Search	Alt+H,S		Search the VisiMap Lite online help system for a specific topic.
Using Help	Alt+H,U		Display on-line help about the Windows help system.
Balloon help	Alt+H,B	Shift+F1	Display brief help about objects in the VisiMap Lite window.
Technical Info	Alt+H,T		View technical information about your system.
About	Alt+H,A		Display VisiMap Lite version and copyright information.


See alsos (Menu Commands)


See also (File menu)
Configuration Options

Creating, Opening and Closing Maps

Printing

Protecting and Saving Your Work


See also (Branch menu)
Adding Colour

Adding and Deleting Branches

Applying Styles

Attaching and Editing Notes

Branch Icons

Editing Branch Titles

Hiding and Showing Selective Branches

Organising Your Maps into Modular Units

Re-ordering Branches

Searching For and Replacing Text

Undoing & Redoing Edits


See also (Tree menu)
Hiding and Showing Selective Branches

Promoting Branches

Re-ordering Branches

Using Cut and Paste


See also (Edit menu)
Attaching and Editing Notes

Undoing & Redoing Edits

Using Cut and Paste


See also (Search menu)
Searching For and Replacing Text


See also (View menu)
Outlining and Viewing Maps

The Text Outline View

The Visual Map

Working With Split-Windows


See also (Styles menu)
Adding Colour

Branch Icons

Capitalisation of Text

Styles and Style Sheets


See also (Tools menu)
Adding Colour

Adding or Removing Branch Numbers

Configuration Options


See also (Window menu)
Re-ordering Branches


See also (Help menu)
Product Support


How to ...
 How to …

We assume that you know how to use a mouse, open a menu and choose menu and dialog options. If you need to review these techniques, please consult the documentation for Windows.

This section of the on-line help system contains material to help you use VisiMap Lite effectively and to its full potential. It is divided into the following main topic areas:

•	Building and Managing Maps - The Basics

•	More Advanced Map Editing

•	Enhancing Your Maps

•	Outlining and Viewing Maps

•	Finishing Off Your Maps

•	Printing


Glossary
Glossary [image] Glossary

•	Branch

•	Map Centre

•	Map Link

•	Style Sheet

•	Style

•	Visual Map


Branch

A component of a visual map which carries information. Branches have an attached title (of up to 100 characters), a display style and (optionally) attached notes of up to 256 characters each. Branches are used to visually organise information in a hierarchical manner. See also map link and map centre.


Map Centre

The central component of a visual map via which the map is named, and other map properties are established. See also branch and map link.


Map Link

A branch of a visual map which links to another map. Map links are used to establish a unidirectional relationship between two maps. See also branch and map centre.


Style

A user-defined and named set of formatting properties that can be applied in one step to components of a visual map. Each style defines a font, font size and style, foreground and background colours, an icon and a ‘hot key’. Related styles are collected together into style sheets.


Style Sheet

A collection of user-defined styles. Style sheets can be attached to one or more visual maps to give those maps a consistent appearance.


Visual Map

A tree-like graphical structure encapsulating a central theme in a  map centre, with constituent topics of that theme represented by radial branches emanating from the map centre.

Branches are arbitrarily subdivided into smaller topics by attaching to them other lower level branches.

Non-hierarchical relationships between maps are supported in VisiMap Lite by map links.