Thinking Space is a Mind Mapping application for Google's Android Platform. It has been designed with portable Mind Mapping in-mind, and is hoped that it will be an essential tool for Mind Mapping enthusiasts and beginners alike!
© 2011 Kinesthetic Ltd
Mind Mapping is the name given to a intuitive and visual technique of organizing ideas. To learn more about Mind Mapping, have a read of the following Wikipedia article:
Before we begin, here's a couple of terms that will appear in the documentation and program:
The term 'Node' is simply the name for a bit of text on the map, like this:
The term 'Dock', represents the control which shows or hides a node's subnodes. It looks like this:
All new mindmaps start with the 'Master' node in the middle. This is the central topic from which your ideas and thoughts will branch out from.
To begin mindmapping, double tap on the Master node, or press the menu button to invoke the menu system.
Once you have opened the Menu System, you can perform all the operations to create your mind map, for example inserting/deleting nodes, changing colors, inserting relations, and much more!
To navigate the menu system, use your finger to swipe the bottom toolbar left or right to change the currently active selection (see above)
To get you started quickly, the two most useful menu items to an immediate beginner are:
![]() |
Edit node text | |
![]() |
Add sub node (adds new node under the currently selected node) | |
![]() |
Remove node (deletes the currently selected node) |
When you're ready, please see the Menu System for a complete description of all menu items.
Thinking Space has a menu system that helps your design and create your mindmaps. This appears when you either:
![]() |
Create menu | |
![]() |
Edit node text | |
![]() |
Edit note | |
![]() |
Add sub node | |
![]() |
Add sibling node | |
![]() |
Remove node | |
![]() |
Gesture Input |
![]() |
Text presentation | |
![]() |
Text color | |
![]() |
Text bigger | |
![]() |
Text smaller | |
![]() |
Bold | |
![]() |
Italic | |
![]() |
Strike |
![]() |
Node presentation | |
![]() |
Node color | |
![]() |
Node graphic | |
![]() |
Icons |
![]() |
Relations | |
![]() |
Add relation | |
![]() |
Remove relation | |
![]() |
Relation style |
![]() |
Tools | |
![]() |
Attach file | |
![]() |
Node Styles | |
![]() |
Export | |
![]() |
Mini-menu, provides a minimalist menu bar to edit the map | |
![]() |
Awesome button, determines the double tap action that occurs when you double tap a node. Press the button to change to next action.
Possible actions are:
|
![]() |
Copy and Arrange | |
![]() |
Cut | |
![]() |
Copy | |
![]() |
Paste | |
![]() |
Move node up | |
![]() |
Move node down |
![]() |
Zoom | |
![]() |
Search | |
![]() |
Zoom in | |
![]() |
Zoom out | |
![]() |
Reset zoom |
You can export your mind maps in a variety of file types, including Image PNG files. This allows you to print the MindMap from a PC, or just have a handy reference.
To export a MindMap, simply open it, and then select 'Export' from the menu.
Thinking Space allows you to join nodes together with node relations (links)
1. To create a relation, select Relation mode from the menu
2. Select the starting node that you want the relation to start from
3. Press the "add relation" button
4. Select the destination node that you want the relation to end on
Before you can select a relation, you must first put the menu into Relation mode
Once relation mode is activated, you can then simply tap select relations to modify them
The Pro version of Thinking Space is able to associate nodes with files on the Android device. This enables you to do the following:
To use the linking feature, simply find the 'Attach' button under the 'Tools' menu.
You will then be presented with a list of programs that are able to 'Pick' files from your Android device.
In order to select files from SDCard, you must have a file manager program such as Astro installed
Simply use the program which is best suited to your needs to select a file from your device
Here are some recommended programs that have have tested as working well with the Thinking Space attach feature:
If you find any neat programs on the market that integrate well here, please let me know at support@thinkingspace.net, thanks!
This is perhaps my favorite use of the Attachment feature: linking to other Mind Maps
You'll notice that Thinking Space comes up in the list of programs that you can use to select a file, if you select Thinking Space, it will open up the title screen, but in a cool green colour, like below:
This means that Thinking Space is in 'Select Mode', which means you can either...
Great tip!:Use the Sound Recorder program to record voice notes, and then associate these with a node for later listening
Another great tip!:Attached files can be easily exported from the phone via the 'Export' and 'File' menu options.
The Tags feature of Thinking Space allows you to organize the mindmaps on your Title screen, and sort them into groups. This is very much like a folder system, but easier to manage and use.
To use tags, simply long press a map from the Title screen, and then select "Tags"
You can then create and assign Tags from the following Dialog:
To delete a Tag:Long press the Tag (From the Title screen), select "Delete" from the menu
To rename a Tag:Long press the Tag (From the Title screen), select "Rename" from the menu
Styles allow you to quickly swap the appearance of a node with a saved style in your library
You can find the Styles feature in the tools menu
Once you select styles mode, your saved styles are displayed down the vertical menu
Gestures have been implemented to make life easier for users without Hardware Keyboard shortcuts. Gestures aim to bring useful map commands right to your fingertips.
The Gesture Panel is opened by pressing the Yellow button:
This is where the magic Gesture Spot is:
The Magic Gesture spot allows you to:
To hide the Gesture panel, Tap the panel in the center
When a gesture is performed and Android is not sure it is correct, the Gesture Panel will ask you to confirm the gesture is correct
Press the green text to confirm, or ignore the text and do the gesture again if the green text is not what you intended to do
To quickly repeat the last gesture, tap the white text
Gesture symbols will almost certainly be revised as I spend the next couple of months playing with this! If you have any suggestions, please email me.
Gesture | Action | Direction (default is Left to Right) | Mnemonic |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | Add Node | Node line | |
![]() | Add Sibling Node | Right to Left | |
![]() | Remove Node | Stylised 'X' for delete | |
![]() | Edit Node Text | A line of text | |
![]() | Text Bigger | Two bumps getting bigger | |
![]() | Text Smaller | Two bumps getting smaller | |
![]() | Text Bold | 'B' for bold (as the number 3) | |
![]() | Text Italic | No idea for this one.. hopefully temporary until inspiration arrives | |
![]() | Text Strike | Tick symbol, for its 'done' | |
![]() | Node Notes | N for notes | |
![]() | Text Colour | Rainbow | |
![]() | Node Colour | Double Rainbow | |
![]() | Node Icons | Start at bottom | Iconic heart symbol |
![]() | Node Graphic | AntiClockwise, Start at top | Node shape, triangle shape.. |
![]() | Shift Node Up | Bottom to Top | Strike upwards |
![]() | Shift Node Down | Top to Bottom | Strike downwards |
![]() | Cut | Open Scissors | |
![]() | Copy | Ouroboros=Repeat=Copy... (this ones a bit tenuous :)) | |
![]() | Paste | Pasting wallpaper with paintbrush 'Z' movement | |
![]() | Undo | U-Turn |
Thinking Space provides basic compatibility with the popular FreeMind, Mindjet MindManager and XMind file formats.
For best result with Freemind Compatibility, please use the Freemind 0.9+ series
The default file format for Thinking Space is Freemind .mm files. If you wish to use maps produced in Thinking Space in either MindManager or XMind, you will have to change your default file format via the Thinking Space settings
After changing your default file format, any *new* maps you create will now be in your default format. Existing maps will remain in whatever format they were created in.
You can convert mindmaps to your default format by long pressing on the Map Name from the Title screen, and then selecting 'Copy' from the menu. A copy of your selected map will then be produced in your selected default file format
ThinkingSpace MindMaps are stored on your SDCard in the mindmaps folder
Freemind can be downloaded from here http://freemind.sourceforge.net
At the time of writing, the following Freemind features are not supported:
Map Attributes, Node-Clouds, Text Strike-Thru (this is a shame, Freemind doesnt appear to support this at all!) + other advanced features.
If you open a FreeMind map with any unsupported feature in it, that feature will be lost when Thinking Space saves your map. This issue may be addressed in later releases..
If you are importing maps into Thinking Space, please note the 'AutoStyle' feature, that aims to make imported maps much more readable
Thinking Space now supports DropBox
Using dropbox is a great way to syncronize mindmaps from your phone to your PC. You can then use a Desktop Mind Mapping program to edit the MindMap, and have the changes syncronized back to your phone.
Getting started with DropBox:
Thinking Space offers a 'Cloud' functionality. For the uninitiated, 'Cloud' is a buzzword for storing data on the Internet (put simply!). Thinking Space has a Cloud server that is able to synchronise your mind maps so that they exist on both your SD-Card and on the Internet. Here are the benefits to using the cloud functionality:
Long-press the map name from the Title screen, and then select 'Cloudify' from the pop-up menu, and then select 'Thinking Space Cloud' from the menu that follows
Please note
To enable Cloud support in Thinking Space, please sign in via the settings menu. Please note, cloud syncronisations occur when the Title screen is showing, if you have just received a map via a share, or have used the Web Portal to upload a map to your phone, please leave the title screen active until your map appears.
Availability of the Cloud feature: The cloud feature is free as Google offers free hosting for undemanding Google App Engine apps. If the traffic or load on the Cloud Server increase to levels whereby I have to pay to continue to offer the feature, I will need help from people to keep it going. Currently, the load is minimal, so it shouldn't be a problem keeping this going :)
Cloud Privacy Statement
Please see privacy statement available via the Menu key from the Title screen of Thinking Space
The main screen of the Cloud Portal allows you to 'Add' and 'Remove' maps.
When you click Add, you then have to provide a file to be syncronised to your phone. Please select a .mm file (Freemind Mindmap)
By selecting an existing map from the Map List on the left, you can download any of its previous revisions, or upload a new revision from your PC.
To upload a new revision, simply use the Revision upload box on the far right
Cloud synchronisations require the main application to run, and therefore it is not recommended to make desktop shortcuts to cloud enabled maps as these will not synchronise until the main app is opened.
To share a map between two users of Thinking Space, both users need to sign into the Cloud using their Google username and password. Next, one user should open the desired map to be shared, and press the Menu key followed by the 'Export' menu item. Then select 'Cloud' from the share menu, this will 'cloudify' the current map, and then create an invitation inviting the other user to have access to the map.
The invitation is sent in the form of an email, so once it pops on screen, type in your friends email address, and send the invitation. Once your friend receives the invitation, they must click on the link contained within. This will direct them to the Thinking Space cloud server page where they will be asked to log on. Here the user must log-in using the same username and password that they have signed into Cloud in Thinking Space, as the server connects the user to the phone by the username entered here. The user should see a simple 'Done!' message once they have successfully activated the share link, and from then on the shared map will be available to all users.
The Thinking Space cloud server runs on Google App Engine, and uses your Google Account as means of authentication. When the Cloud setting is set to 'enabled', Thinking Space tries to log into Google App Engine via the permission of the account your phone is set to. If this fails, or you are using a non 'Google Experience' handset, you will have to use the 'Enabled with specified login' option to use the Cloud functionality.
With the 'Enabled with specified login option, you are required to enter your Google username and password. These are securely used at the time of input to generate a cookie file for the Thinking Space cloud server at http://thinking-space.appspot.com. It is this cookie file, which is unique to the Thinking Space cloud server, is then saved for future use.
Thinking Space supports the MindMeister web API for modifying web based MindMeister mindmaps.
Please note, MindMeister support was implemented into Thinking Space at the request of MeisterLabs. MeisterLabs allow Thinking Space free access to the MindMeister API, which is used to upload/download MindMeister maps. If the terms of this access were to be changed in the future, then this feature may be dropped.
*** Please note, MindMeister integration is only available for Premium MindMeister accounts ***
MindMeister is a commercial service which offers web based Mind Mapping. With Thinking Space supporting the MindMeister API, it is possible to edit your web based Mind Maps via Thinking Space, and syncronise your changes back to MindMeister
MindMeister support can be enabled via the Settings menu. Once in settings, find the MindMeister options, and then enable this.
The next time you go to the Title Screen of Thinking Space, a browser window will be opened, asking you to log in to your MindMeister account. Please log in, and you will then be returned back to the Thinking Space title screen
Your mindmaps on the MindMeister service will then begin to download to your phone
To edit a MindMeister map, simply open it from within Thinking Space, make your changes, and then exit back to the title menu. Your changes will then be uploaded to the MindMeister web site
Uploading changes may take some time, depending on how productive you have been. It is safe to exit Thinking Space while it is uploading changes, as these will continue on in the background until completed
To import an existing map into MindMeister, simply long press on the map name from the Title Screen. Then select 'Cloudify' from the menu that pops up, and select 'MindMeister' from the subsequent menu. The map will then be uploaded to the MindMeister service. A copy of your map will then be downloaded, and the original file will be moved to the bottom of your maps list
Feature | Supported | Notes |
---|---|---|
Adding ideas | Yes | |
Removing ideas | Yes | |
Moving ideas | Yes | |
Connections | Yes | |
Notes | Yes | Plain text notes only, formatting will be removed |
Icons | No | |
Idea Styles/Shapes | No | |
Sharing with other users | No | |
Deleting maps | No | |
Map information, list of authors, etc | No | |
Hyperlinks to files | No |
Keyboard shortcuts are for users who have a physical QWERTY keyboard on their phone
Here you can use Google Translate to translate his Help file
This requires an Internet Connection
Please dont forget to change the language from 'Japanese' to your language, at the top of the next page
Click here to Google Translate this page to your language
This application contains modified LGPL and Creative Commons icons, which are used in the menu system, obtained from:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Nuvola_SVG_iconsIcons used are credited to the following authors:
Inline with the LGPL License requirements, you can obtain Thinking Space's modifications to these icons from:
http://www.thinkingspace.net/icons.zipThis program uses the Apache Commons Codec library and the Commons IO library, provided by Apache under the Apache License 2.0