WYSWIG can only go so far and I usually want to do something with the map outside of MM when I take the time to put a picture into a topic.

Of course, I’d always be happing with having a preference setting (check box ) that would allow me to configure MMPro6 for this in the way I prefer. Maybe the Basic version could come with out the preference settings and default to actual size.

As images go, I’d be a lot more happy, if I could find better ways to get high quality images exported from MMPro 6 so that I could use the images more effectively in my websites and blog articles.

Maven Mapper’s Information

(You can always resize the image in that other program)

You can’t predict what uses the user has for the image outside MM (put it in a powerpoint slide, manipulate it in photoshop, publish to web etc.) so it would be important to retain the original size.

We can’t learn to fly before we can walk and with that in mind if these items will ever be successfully embedded this image size setting becomes relevant for one of the milestones on the journey.

Users need to be able to

1. set the size of the image defined by pixel width

or

2. Know that the pixel width of an image that they insert into a topic will remain constant (during the insertion, if they want to manually resize it that’s a different deal, but even then MindManager should give them some tools for image properties)

Why?

If we could insert an image, knowing the size up front and being able to rely on that size staying the same, we could create maps with ‘filler images’ (a common web design practice). The map could then be exported to a web page where the filler images could be replaced with embedded flash videos of the same size and shape.

Make the options set to a standard setting so the average user doesn’t get confused, and provide an easy access to reset the settings to default, but do provide the means to work with the preferences for the users trying to get value out of MindManager, just like the value that can now be had from customizing a map before exporting it into PowerPoint.

It is totally counter-intuitive to have regular commands do different things based on the current zoom level - it’s only a view, after all. “Copy” should act on the underlying object (the full size image, in this case), independent of the current view of the object.

However…one of my big beefs with MindManager is that there are no options for handling images at all. With all due respect to someone who commented above that users should not be given choices, I think a lack of options here is a major weakness.

For example: I am an MBA student and wanted to use MM for class notes. Since our professors usually provide PowerPoint slides before class, it was my intention to copy and paste images of his slides into Topics and then add my own comments as sub topics. This simple idea turned out to be untenable for two reasons:
1. I have to manually resize every image by dragging selection points with my mouse. With 40-60 slides, that would take about an hour.
2. The pasted images of Powerpoint slides are somehow add much, larger in .mmap files than simply pasting the same images into MS Word (as meta files). One image in MM “costs” about 300K. The same image in MS Word “costs” only 9K.

When my bogged down class notes .mmap file quickly exceeded 40MB, I gave up on what I thought was a great idea for taking notes (in school or in business meetings).

So, to summarize:
1. Keep images at full size as a default.
2. Provide a way to resize images consistently and quickly (i.e. the ability to use the keyboard to access an option to resize by specific percentages — see Powerpoint for inspiration).
3. Figure out why images are so much larger in MM than in MS Office apps. Is it the image format? If so, provide some other image format that takes less space.

Thanks!

C