Trying to insert arrows inbetween verticle rectangles - floating topics

[Dianne Lofts-Taylor]

 

I am trying to build columns of vertical rectangles as a mind map, very simple and have had to use floating topics. I would now like to insert arrows to show the flow.

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imagine that each coloured text is inside a rectangle. I want to insert arrows linking these Vertically listed rectangles.  I cannot get NovaMind5 to vertically list rectangles automatically. So I have created the map using all floating topics and now I want to insert arrows to show the flow.


please help

[WindyCity]

Hi, Dianne.

I hate to say this, because I'm a long-time user of NovaMind mind mapping software. I love the program and find it endlessly useful and entertaining. However…

The diagram you're describing sounds like a flow chart. NovaMind is not the ideal software to use for creating that type of graph. You'd be better off with something like OmniGraffle. While the latter can be used for mind mapping, also, NovaMind beats it a thousand ways to Sunday in that department. Where OmniGraffle is superior is in creating flow charts, organizational diagrams, genealogical charts, etc.

Let me show you the difference.

The closest I could come to building what you want with NovaMind:



Creating this sort of image took a little fiddling around. The diagram you see next, using OmniGraffle, took only seconds.



You might consider using OmniGraffle or another graphics program to build the kind of geometrical, hierarchical, linked diagram you described.

Good luck!

[Patrick]

In NovaMind 5 you can either just connect floating topics with link lines directly or you can also connect attached shapes with link lines.

To make the lines between floating topics straight you can select it and then delete the control point from the link line.

[Learning K]

I feel silly to have made it so complicated.  I hadn't tried the direct approach.  It works fine, connecting the floating topics in the middle.  It looks the same, only takes a third of the time.

Forget the workaround.  I just removed map and post.

Thanks, Patrick.

[WindyCity]

LearningK and Patrick:

Yes, it's possible to make rigid-looking hierarchical diagrams in NovaMind 5.X, but it's fussy and takes time. For instance, I created the following in NM5, but it took a few minutes:

This sort of graphic does not play to a mind mapping software's strength. Just as it's possible to create mind maps with OmniGraffle, for instance, that program isn't designed for the fluid, illustrative, organic nature of mind maps. It's just right, though, for circuit diagrams, flow charts, genealogical charts, evolutionary trees, etc. If a user wants to create hierarchical linked diagrams, I wouldn't recommend NM5 to her. However, when it comes to mind mapping, NM5 can't be beat. It's brilliant for what it's designed for.