ForumsQuestionsMind Mapping with iPhone and ToodleDo


Mind Mapping with iPhone and ToodleDo
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michael.emery

Posted: Oct 10, 2008
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There is a brilliant iPhone Mindmapping app called iBlueSky that exports to the Opensource FreeMind format (http://freemind.sourceforge.net/). Unfortunately it suffers from an inability to synchronise over the air as there are currently no online or "cloud" services that support mindmapping. Given that this application is based on opensource formats, and the fact that ToodleDo is such a popular online organisation tool, do you think your team might consider adding this functionality to ToodleDo? I'm sure the developers at iBlueSky would be more than happy to add sync funcionality with ToodleDo.

If you could do this, ToodleDo would be the ultimate power in the universe!
whitten

Posted: Oct 10, 2008
Score: 0 Reference
What kind of interface do you want ToodleDo to provide?

While the name of these products include the word "Mind", there
is no obvious way to map a mind-map to a to-do list.

It is always easier to create something if you know what you need to make.
michael.emery

Posted: Oct 14, 2008
Score: 0 Reference
Well, it's definately clear that we all approach problems differently.

Mindmaps are just boxes connected by branches, all of which link back to a central concept. I don't understand how a box containing the text of an idea is anymore difficult to link to a task than a Note file which ToodleDo already does.

Yes, centainly the interface is going to be a lot different if you want it to look like a mindmap. But I never suggested it had to look like a mindmap on ToodleDo, just have the structure of a mind map, and that's easy to achieve without having to think too far out of the square.

ANYWAY, my post was more of a Christams wish to Santa (the poor kid down the street who wants an Xbox 360 Elite). I love ToodleDo, I love the fact that half my life can be managed online thanks to ToodleDo, I love mindmaps, and I hope one day the two will come together.
jebanks

Posted: Oct 14, 2008
Score: 0 Reference
Posted by whitten:

While the name of these products include the word "Mind", there
is no obvious way to map a mind-map to a to-do list.


Not necessarily true. For example, OmniGroup's Mac app OmniGraffle, which is a diagramming/charting app, has a built-in outline view. And outlines can be moved back and forth between OmniGraffle and their outlining program, OmniOutliner, which has a lot of built-in task functionality.
whitten

Posted: Oct 14, 2008
Score: 0 Reference
I stand by my statement that it isn't obvious how to map a mind-map to a to-do list. Yes, a mind-map can be converted relatively easily to an outline. But Toodledo doesn't let you manipulate outlines, it lets you manipulate to-do lists.

For example, if I had a mind-map/outline such as:

Visit Santa Claus
* Wake up kids
* Get kids ready
* * change out of pajamas
* * feed them breakfast
* * get kids in car
* Go to Santa's Workshop
* Stand in line
* Let each kid See Santa

It is pretty obvious how create a mind-map out of this.

But should this be one to-do list item with the details in a note?
Should this be one to-do list with subtasks?
How do you handle the sub-sub-items, (since Toodledo doesn't support sub-sub-tasks) ?
Maybe a folder named "Visit Santa Claus" should be created? with tasks for each item and sub-tasks under each item?


What priority, start-time, etc, should be attached to each task that you make? What about folders and contexts?

I think the idea of creating a mapping from mind-maps to toodledo items is a great idea, it just needs to have more details before it can be done.

Dave
saskia.x

Posted: Oct 16, 2008
Score: 0 Reference
This is quite a good idea, but I agree with Dave that you'd need to be more specific before any import/export tool could be made.

Personally, I'd envisage the mapping of mindmap to Toodledo to be something like:
Folder = central idea of mind map
Tasks = first level of mind map
Subtasks = second level of mind map
Notes = any further levels, formatted with indenting to indicate any further heirarchy

Things like context, due date, priority etc would probably have to be added manually, although it might be possible to use a syntax (like the one used to email things to Toodledo) in the mindmap to parse these details into Toodledo.

Mindmaps are great for brainstorming, and "big picture" planning, and it would be fabulous to have a way to get the results of this kind of planning directly into Toodledo. If it was possible I'd definately make more use of mindmaps than I do at present.

I don't know enough about these things or have enough time to do it myself, but looking at the FreeMind documentation, it seems that they already have XML export and many different ways to export mindmap data to many different programs, so it probably wouldn't be that hard for someone who knows what they're doing to create a simple export (& import?) tool.
michael.emery

Posted: Oct 17, 2008
Score: 0 Reference
My idea was more of a loose coupling. It would involve a seperate mindmapping interface such as the open source stuff at http://freemind.sourceforge.net/ - but the branches (regardless of level) could be OPTIONALLY associated with a particular To Do Task or Notepad Note. The mind maps could also be organised into the same folders.

The great thing about it is the code would be largely open source (free), you can keep your tasks, notes, and now thoughts all in one place online, and they are integrated. I'd just have to hope the guys who made the iBlueSky App will enable there app to synchronise with ToodleDo... shouldn't be hard, they can already email iMindMaps in an open source format. Or maybe Appigo could come to the party!!
foxter26

Posted: Oct 19, 2008
Score: 0 Reference
Anyway, this freemind mindmapping application is what i've been looking for, thanks
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