The rules are simple MindManager icon files .ico have three image sizes, 16×16, 32×32, and 128×128, in 256 colors.
You can take any image and convert it into an icon with IconFX (it’s donation ware). For instance I took my profile image and turned it into icon. AndrewWilcox.ico.
If you would like more detail on how to do this and add it to the MindManager icon library, please subscribe to the newsletter.
If you run MindManager > Repair in the Control Panel to fix a problem, the Quick Access Toolbar will be returned to its default install state with 8 tools. I have just had to Repair the Outlook MindManager button which adds mail, contacts, calendar and tasks to your current topic. I lost the 18 tools I had added to the Quick Access Toolbar.
BUT prior to running the repair I exported this key using Regedit from the Registry to my Desktop as QAT.reg:
After the repair I ran the QAT.reg file and the MindManager – Quick Access Toolbar was restored to its pre-repair state.
You could use this process to create different Quick Access Toolbar sets for different applications of MindManager. I have 5 Ink tools which allow me to map in Ink without having to open the Insert ribbon.
In the MindManager Library there is a section called Shapes. It contains three folders: Ovals, Rectangles and Rounded Rectangles. Any of these shapes can be applied to a topic by dragging and dropping or selecting a topic and then clicking the required shape. This can be used to give another level of emphasis to your maps. If you need to change the colour of a shape or remove / add a dot, duplicate and then open in your image editor.
What about adding your own shapes to the library? Very easy add a new folder (right click the shapes folder) and then follow the instructions on my Creating New Topics Shapes in MindManager map.
I created a new shape from my logo by editing it and adding a boundary in Paint.net. I also gave a it a transparent background. Then I added it to Shape Library and used it for the central topic of the map. You can see in the map some of my choices may not be that clever. If the shape had been applied to the main or subtopics the background would not be an issue.
This morning I was creating a new shape from a sandcastle image during an online client training session. It soon be came apparent that the aspect ratio of the shape image is dependent on the text string height and width. You need to choose shapes that look good when crushed, stretched or otherwise distorted!
There are a few ways to mitigate the distortion:
1. Control the text width in Format Topic or by dragging the left and right text boundaries
2. Font size and type
3. Edit Content Margins in the Library Shape or Format Topic > Size and Margins. See the map.
Does anyone have some great examples of custom shapes in their MindManager maps?
