[topicmaps-comment] Mind Map Display of the Opera Topic Map

["Thomas B. Passin" <tpassin@home.com>]

I wrote


> Otherwise I'm interested in displaying topic maps as mind maps or the
other
> way around, so I keep looking for good mind maps to start from.

Today I have had some interesting results with this that I'd like to share.
Attached are two GIF images.  I apologise for using attachments, which I
otherwise avoid on the list, but you need to see these.

Both images are made from mind maps produced using the MindManager mind
mapping program.  You can paste a hierarchical (that is, indented) list in
text format, and the program will turn the list into a nice mindmap
automatically.  To get the indented list, I wrote an xslt stylesheet that
transforms an xtm document, keeping only the associations.

Both mind maps were made from Steve Pepper's Opera topic map.  Of course,
there are too many topics to show on any one diagram, so I just copied a
small part.  In one, I copied a whole section, in the other I just copied
the part for one opera.  I didn't make any adjustments on the program's
automatic layout.  I did have to manually type in the label on the central
image.

The stylesheet faces a few tricky design issues.  It traverses each topic in
the map and if that topic (called the "active topic") plays a role in any
association, that association is processed.  However, the result would
include the active topic in the display of each of those associations, which
would be very redundant, so there is logic to prevent the active topic from
being displayed over and over in the child branches. Also, a member that
only contains the active topic is not shown since it would not end in any
topic (the active topic having been suppressed).  This means that you can't
see all the roles the active topic plays, but it makes the display much more
readable.

I also experimented with omitting the the name of the association type.
That produces a significantly more compact map.  Usually having no
association label is not problem for the viewer, but once in a while
something useful is missing.

MindManager is an excellent but Windows-only product.  It can be programmed
through Active-X.  You can make any branch a hyperlink to either another map
or to any URL.  It's a bit expensive for an individual but not too bad.  (I
have no connection with the product except as a very satisfied user).  It
can produce GIF images like these or a very decent HTML rendition with
navigation between all the topics.

MindManager can also show crosslinks between branches, but not simply by
pasting text - it takes manual manipulation or programming.

There can also be text notes and floating text attached to branches, so
there might be some way to show literal occurrence data too.  I haven't
experimented with that.

You could also focus on associations, and turn an association onto a mind
map rather than focusing on a topic or the whole map as I have done here.

Very stimulating, eh?

Cheers,

Tom P

Manon Lescaut.gif

Operas_3.gif