MindMap Diagram Support!

[aadrian]

Hi,

Please add MindMap Diagram Support too :) .

Something compact like FreePlane https://sourceforge.net/projects/freeplane/ is producing: http://freeplane.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/File:FreeplaneWiki.jpg would be very useful.

Thanks in advance.

[ghost]

I second this request. It would be a valuable edition for early inception of customer requirements.

[rezarahimi]

I find this feature very useful and valuable.

[chen56]

plan?

[HabibMAALEM]

+1

[EtienneK]

+1

[balancin]

+1 !

[everdom]

+1

[fcu-d0449763]

+1

[arunkhattri]

+1

[olkobg]

+1

[dinosaurkfb]

+1

[alexjorgef]

+1

[novoid]

Please can we stop adding pointless "+1" comments here that spam all people who are watching this issue?

Add a +1 emoji to the topmost comment instead to express your support. This also prevents "information fragmentation" among comments and emoji reactions.

[arnaudroques]

Ok, since this is very popular, we have created a page here http://wiki.plantuml.net/site/mindmap On this page, we expect people to propose a simple syntax and some images. Once the design will be fixed, we will see how implement it.

[pinage404]

As a first step, i would like to have a very simple syntax (more options could be added later), something like this :

* root node
    * some first level node
        * second level node
        * another second level node
    * another first level node

That would generate something like this :

(Done with MindMup)

[novoid]

As a first step, i would like to have a very simple syntax (more options could be added later), something like this [...]

Thanks for the first syntax proposal.

Instead of introducing a new syntax (at least I do think this is not some common markup language syntax), I'd suggest to use any given syntax. I personally do have preference for Org mode syntax.

With this, your example would look like:

* root node
** some first level node
**** second level node
**** another second level node
** another first level node

The advantage of Org mode would also be that there is the possibility to add links between the nodes and a ton of cool stuff later on, if necessary: https://orgmode.org/worg/dev/org-syntax.html

[pinage404]

My syntax proposition is compatible with Markdown nested lists

I don't know the Org Mode syntax, yet ; but it seems simple too =)

I'm really impatient to have this feature

[arnaudroques]

Ok, thanks for all your suggestions. This is more an alpha version, but with last beta http://beta.plantuml.net/plantuml.jar you can have

@startmindmap
* root node
** some first level node
*** second level node
*** another second level node
** another first level node
@endmindmap

The drawing is far from perfect (no link, only basic layout...) but we are working hard on it. After all this time, we just want to let you know that we have started something !

[swmatisa]

Thanks for this first step. The png is one pixel too narrow and one pixel not high enough.

It is OK with svg

[arnaudroques]

We have added links drawing in last beta http://beta.plantuml.net/plantuml.jar There are still some pixels error, we will fix them in the incoming days. We have updated http://wiki.plantuml.net/site/mindmap page with some other syntaxes that are all working with current beta. The idea is to let people play with different syntaxes to let new ideas emerge... You can post your suggestions either in this post or in the wiki. Thanks for your help!

[pinage404]

EDIT i tried with the jar downloaded at 20h30 GMT

Great work ! @arnaudroques

Same problème as @swmatisa, the png is a bit cropped

The SVG seems good

I wrote a ~~ugly~~ _simple_ Python 3 script to help me generate some cases

```python=3 #!/usr/bin/env python3 import sys def deep(width, depth, previous_level_star='*', previous_level_label=''): if depth < 0: return for index in range(1, width + 1): level_star = previous_level_star + '*' level_label = previous_level_label + str(index) print('%s %s' % (level_star, level_label)) deep(width, depth - 1, level_star, level_label) def generate_mindmap(width, depth): print('@startmindmap') print('* root') deep(width, depth) print('@endmindmap') try: width = int(sys.argv[1]) depth = int(sys.argv[2]) generate_mindmap(width, depth) except (ValueError, IndexError): print('USAGE: %s WIDTH DEPTH' % sys.argv[0]) ```

---

Here is all my tests, i hope that can help you

---

This one gave me error42 :warning:

./deep.py 2 2 > map.puml

@startmindmap
* root
** 1
*** 11
**** 111
**** 112
*** 12
**** 121
**** 122
** 2
*** 21
**** 211
**** 212
*** 22
**** 221
**** 222
@endmindmap

---

Multiroot displayed the last root with his branch (:warning: i don't know how it should behave)

@startmindmap
* First Root
** With some branch
* Second Root
** With another branch
@endmindmap

---

Option worked :ok_hand:

@startmindmap
scale 2

* Option
@endmindmap

---

Comment worked :ok_hand:

@startmindmap
* Root
' * Comment
@endmindmap

---

Deep map worked :ok_hand:

./deep.py 1 100 > map.puml

---

No root gave me a Syntax Error? :ok_hand:

@startmindmap
@endmindmap

---

Empty node gave me a Syntax Error? :ok_hand:

@startmindmap
* Root
* 
@endmindmap

---

Missing level gave me a Syntax Error? :ok_hand:

@startmindmap
* first
*** third
@endmindmap

---

Two branches with the same name gave me two branches with the same name :ok_hand:

@startmindmap
* root
** two branches with the same name
** two branches with the same name
@endmindmap

[arnaudroques]

Many thanks for your tests : it really helps ! png should be ok with last beta http://beta.plantuml.net/plantuml.jar (beta12) Few other things are working better also, but there are still some work to be done.

[pinage404]

I don't find recent commits related to the MindMap https://github.com/plantuml/plantuml/commits/master

[pinage404]

Tested with beta version download at 22:57:00 GMT

Now, there is links between nodes, it's great \o/

---

No node gave me Empty description :warning: i think this is not the most explicit error

@startmindmap
@endmindmap

---

No node with description generate nothing :warning:

@startmindmap "no empty description"
@endmindmap

---

Missing branch gave me error42 :warning:

@startmindmap
0 root
1> 1
3> 3
@endmindmap

---

Missing branch with other syntax gave me error42 :warning: (same issue as above)

@startmindmap
* root
*> 1
*>>> 3
@endmindmap

---

Previously, this didn't work ; now, it works :ok_hand:

./deep.py 2 2 > map.puml

@startmindmap
* root
** 1
*** 11
**** 111
**** 112
*** 12
**** 121
**** 122
** 2
*** 21
**** 211
**** 212
*** 22
**** 221
**** 222
@endmindmap

---

Multiroot display an appropriate message :ok_hand:

@startmindmap
* First Root
** With some branch
* Second Root
** With another branch
@endmindmap

---

Mixing the syntaxes works :ok_hand:

@startmindmap
0 root
** 1
2> 2
**** 3
*>>>> 4
@endmindmap

[arnaudroques]

With last beta http://beta.plantuml.net/plantuml.jar you can remove the box drawing:

@startmindmap
0 root node
1> some first level node
2>_ second level node
2>_ another second level node
2>_ foo
2>_ bar
2>_ foobar
1> another first level node
@endmindmap

We have also slightly enhanced the link drawing. All these will be integrated in next official release beginning of March.

[pinage404]

Nice !

OrgMode syntax with dash doesn't work Syntax Error? :warning:

@startmindmap
0 root node
**_ bar
1>_ foo
*>_ foobar
@endmindmap

[pinage404]

Empty mindmap generate a file with the given name (not an empty description.png in this case) but with the error Empty description :warning: the help message message is wrong

@startmindmap "not an empty description"
@endmindmap

[pinage404]

header and footer are not generated :warning:

@startmindmap
* root

header
My super header
endheader

center footer My super footer
@endmindmap

---

Same problem for title :warning:

@startmindmap
* root

title My super title
@endmindmap

---

Same for caption :warning:

@startmindmap
* root

caption figure 1
@endmindmap

---

Idem for legend :warning:

@startmindmap
* root

legend top left
  Short
  legend
endlegend

legend right
  Short
  legend
endlegend
@endmindmap

---

Skin Param seems to doesn't work too :warning:

@startmindmap
skinparam monochrome true

* root
** first
** second
@endmindmap

@startmindmap
skinparam monochrome reverse

* root
** first
** second
@endmindmap

@startmindmap
skinparam backgroundColor #EEEBDC
skinparam handwritten true

* root
** first
** second
@endmindmap

---

Links work :ok_hand:

@startmindmap
* root
** first
** [[http://plantuml.com PlantUML is cool]]
@endmindmap

[pinage404]

Opinion :

I don't like number syntax because it's more difficult to understand / visualize by simply reading the text file

@startmindmap "number syntax"
0 Linux
1> NixOS
1> Debian
2> Ubuntu
3> Linux Mint
3> Kubuntu
3> Lubuntu
3> KDE Neon
2> LMDE
2> SolydXK
2> SteamOS
2> Raspbian
3> <s>Raspmbc</s> => OSMC
3> <s>Raspyfi</s> => Volumio
@endmindmap

I prefer the OrgMode syntax, it's more verbose but easier to see the levels

@startmindmap "OrgMode"
* Linux
** NixOS
** Debian
*** Ubuntu
**** Linux Mint
**** Kubuntu
**** Lubuntu
**** KDE Neon
*** LMDE
*** SolydXK
*** SteamOS
*** Raspbian
**** <s>Raspmbc</s> => OSMC
**** <s>Raspyfi</s> => Volumio
@endmindmap

Or better yet, the Markdown syntax (which is not implemented yet) which is really easy to read and understand the levels

@startmindmap "Markdown"
* Linux
    * NixOS
    * Debian
        * Ubuntu
            * Linux Mint
            * Kubuntu
            * Lubuntu
            * KDE Neon
        * LMDE
        * SolydXK
        * SteamOS
        * Raspbian
            * <s>Raspmbc</s> => OSMC
            * <s>Raspyfi</s> => Volumio
@endmindmap

[arnaudroques]

With last beta http://beta.plantuml.net/plantuml.jar you can now have:

@startmindmap
caption figure 1
title My super title

* count
*< 100
*<< 101
*<< 102
*< 200
*> A
*>> AA
*>> AB
*> B

header
My super header
endheader

center footer My super footer
@endmindmap

and

@startmindmap
* root node
    * some first level node
        * second level node
        * another second level node
    * another first level node
@endmindmap

and

@startmindmap
skinparam backgroundColor #EEEBDC
skinparam handwritten true
skinparam monochrome true

* root
** first
** second
@endmindmap

Still interested in feedback :-)

[swmatisa]

Thanks for the news. I do some tests:

• Mindmap on both side of root is very nice
• Sprite and http link in nodes: OK
• newpage: not implemented but would be nice

Different syntaxes:

• *<: nice, but only the first level need the direction. If we change the first level all (error42L if not coherent).
• OrgMode: very simple and can be extended
• Markdown: simple and can be extended

Proposal: Add [] or{} to OrgMode and markdown syntax to:

• Add direction like *< syntax
• Add the possibility to put a text on the link
• Add the possibility to give an arrow
• Add the possibility to give an alias to a node (for future use like a "free" link between nodes)
• Add other params Ex : ** [Direction="left", Arrow=".>", Alias="theAlias", FontSize="33"] node text

Conclusion:

• Syntax OrgMode(or Markdown) with param[] or {} prefered to *<
• Thanks for your last beta features

[arnaudroques]

We've just published the first official release with mindmap support. The doc is really minimal http://plantuml.com/en/mindmap-diagram You can contribute here http://wiki.plantuml.net/site/mindmap-diagram

The syntax is not stable yet, we are going to work on @swmatisa suggestion. We are also going to implement Work Breakdown Structure diagram (see http://forum.plantuml.net/9060/wbs-diagrams ) Somehow, there are connection between Mindmap diagram and WBS diagram...

[pinage404]

Awesome !!!

---

I have this mindmap with buble that overlap other bubble :warning:

@startmindmap "weird"
* root
    * Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
        * Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
        * Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
        * Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
        * Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
    * Lorem ipsu dolor sit amet
        * ---
            * ---
@endmindmap

[pinage404]

*<: nice, but only the first level need the direction. If we change the first level all (error42L if not coherent).

I agree with @swmatisa

Currently we can write this :

@startmindmap "tmp/current"
* middle
    *< middle left
        *<< left
    *> middle right
        *>> right
@endmindmap

Which looks like this :

I would like to have something like this (not sure how it could evolve) :

@startmindmap "tmp/wanted"
* middle
    *< middle left
        * left
    *> middle right
        * right
@endmindmap

currently, that give an error42L

[arnaudroques]

@pinage404 Thanks for your last "bubble" report. It's fixed in last beta http://beta.plantuml.net/plantuml.jar

[arnaudroques]

In last beta http://beta.plantuml.net/plantuml.jar we have removed support for "number" and bracket "<" ">". It was indeed too cryptic. Do you agree ? The trade-off between compacity and readability is not easy to find.

To choose between left and right you can now have:

@startmindmap
* count
** 100
*** 101
*** 102
** 200

left side

** A
*** AA
*** AB
** B
@endmindmap

Note that you can also use right side to update the right side. Actually any sentence containing left/right will do the job. In the final version, we'd like to have a unique sentence. But we are out of inspiration here so your ideas are welcome :-)

[mlopezgva]

You can "borrow" the activity syntax here, just to make it feel like part of the PlantUML syntax family. :smile:

@startmindmap

* count
** Init
*** More
*** even more

split left
** Another
*** Branch
*** Here

split right[ again]
** Second thoughts
*** Keep dreaming

split left[again]
**** Time to end daydreaming
**** And start minding

@endmindmap

Comments: using split doesn't mean sub-levels are granted, it would be mostly used to set up branch (or box) direction.

[pinage404]

The trade-off between compacity and readability is not easy to find.

I will always prefer readability to compacity.

Currently, octets are cheaper than my salary, so the time I spend reading and understanding the code is more expensive than the cost of using more octets.

So I prefer, by far, the readability

[TarasMazepa]

Any chance to get ability to mark some mind map items with colors? So result will look like this?

[arnaudroques]

The most difficult part is to find a nice syntax. Any suggestion ? Thanks!

[1kakarot]

How about org-mode syntax but using a positioning (left or right) indicator at the end of line?

@startmindmap "OrgMode"
* Linux
** NixOS -R
** Debian -L
*** Ubuntu
@endmindmap

Perhaps one could use a level indicator 1, 2, ..., n that would declare the order like this:

@startmindmap "OrgMode"
* Linux
** NixOS -R
** Debian -2L
** Ubuntu -1L
@endmindmap

in order to make "Ubuntu" show above "Debian" without manual rearrangement of the text.

[TarasMazepa]

@startmindmap

BackgroundColor<< RedType >> Red

* Pill
**[#blue] Blue part
**<< RedType >> Red part

@endmindmap

Either [#blue] or BackgroundColor<< RedType >> Red with << RedType >> will work for me. But I haven't done much plantuml stuff, so do not know if there is better options available in other diagrams. [#blue] will work on the spot and will do the trick but it would not be best choice as it will only apply to the background, but some people can think it could be applied to other parts (text color or link color or border color. BackgroundColor<< RedType >> Red with << RedType >> will allow to add support of styling other parts in the future, so this could be the ultimate option.

So from my POV having support for skinparam in mindmaps will be the best thing to do, as people more or less already familiar with it. And it provides quite flexible way of styling mindmaps

[arnaudroques]

Ok, so with last beta http://beta.plantuml.net/plantuml.jar you can now have :

@startmindmap

skinparam backgroundColor #EEEBDC
skinparam monochrome true
skinparam handwritten true
skinparam shadowing false
skinparam dpi 300

* root
** first
**[#AAA] second

@endmindmap

The support for skinparam is partial : there are no specific setting for MindMap for color, fonts... The idea of using << stereotype >> is good : we'll keep it for latter when skinparam will be fully supported.

Right now, we are out-of-inspiration for naming mindmap setting for skinparam, so your ideas are welcome :-)

[cenggel]

@arnaudroques

Ok, so with last beta http://beta.plantuml.net/plantuml.jar you can now have :

@startmindmap

skinparam backgroundColor #EEEBDC
skinparam monochrome true
skinparam handwritten true
skinparam shadowing false
skinparam dpi 300

* root
** first
**[#AAA] second

@endmindmap

The support for skinparam is partial : there are no specific setting for MindMap for color, fonts... The idea of using << stereotype >> is good : we'll keep it for latter when skinparam will be fully supported.

Right now, we are out-of-inspiration for naming mindmap setting for skinparam, so your ideas are welcome :-)

How to change the text color ?

[pinage404]

Hi =)

sometimes i have node in wich i want to write a long text this results in really huge diagram

of course, i can explicit split with a \n new line

but it could be cool if PlantUML was able to split long lines, maybe with an option who specify the maximum width of a node

@startmindmap "long lines"
* Hi =)
    * sometimes i have node in wich i want to write a long text
        * this results in really huge diagram
            * of course, i can explicit split with a\nnew line
            * but it could be cool if PlantUML was able to split long lines, maybe with an option who specify the maximum width of a node
@endmindmap

[arnaudroques]

Good idea ! Independently of your request, there is an ongoing process to enhance PlantUML thought styles (see http://wiki.plantuml.net/site/style-evolution ) MindMap diagram have been selected as testing area for this new style evolution, so we have integrated your request there. So with last beta http://beta.plantuml.net/plantuml.jar you can have for example :

@startmindmap

style mindmapDiagram && node {
    Padding 12
    Margin 3
    HorizontalAlignment center
    LineColor blue
    LineThickness 3.0
    BackgroundColor gold
    RoundCorner 40
    WrapWidth 100
}

style mindmapDiagram && firstNode {
    LineStyle 8.0;3.0
    LineColor red
    BackgroundColor white
    LineThickness 1.0
    RoundCorner 0
    Shadowing 0.0
}

style mindmapDiagram && leafNode {
    LineColor gold
    RoundCorner 0
    Padding 3
}

style mindmapDiagram && arrow {
    LineStyle 4
    LineThickness 0.5
    LineColor green
}

* Hi =)
    * sometimes i have node in wich i want to write a long text
        * this results in really huge diagram
            * of course, i can explicit split with a\nnew line
            * but it could be cool if PlantUML was able to split long lines, maybe with an option who specify the maximum width of a node

@endmindmap

Is this what you were looking for ? You can also join the discussion here

[pinage404]

style mindmapDiagram && node {
    WrapWidth 100
}

this is what was looking for ! =)

---

With this version, the link are default in red instead of blue in the previous version

[lindoman]

I know this might be diverting from the essence of mind mapping, but is there any way a "merge" might be able to be modelled? Here is a mockup of what I mean

Guessing the syntax might be acheved something like this, seeing you removed the support for ">" brackets, which look more like merges to me... ;)

@startmindmap
* 1
** 2.1
** 2.2
>* 3
@endmindmap

[pinage404]

It could be interesting (but not a real mindmap anymore)

What should be the behavior / render for this :

Multiple merged "leaves"

@startmindmap
* 1
** 2.1
** 2.2
** 2.3
** 2.4
>* 3
@endmindmap

Leaf in another level of the merge

@startmindmap
* 1
** 2.1
** 2.2
*** 2.2.1
>* 3
@endmindmap

Branches merge ?

@startmindmap
* 1
** 2.1
*** 2.1.1
** 2.2
*** 2.2.1
>* 3
@endmindmap

Leaves merge ? (there is two * in the last line)

@startmindmap
* 1
** 2.1
*** 2.1.1
** 2.2
*** 2.2.1
>** 3
@endmindmap

[lindoman]

@startmindmap
* 1
** 2.1
** 2.2
** 2.3
** 2.4
>* 3
@endmindmap

Your first example above is the only one that I think would work...

Otherwise, the merges become impossible to render.

I am suggesting that the same "rules" already in position for travelling "outward" to form new branches simply work in reverse - so the only way I can see it working is if a merge flows back to only one "node" (if that is the correct term), and that it is to the level immediately "below" the current level.

Therefore, all the other examples you gave would break this "tree in reverse" rule. The breaking of the "tree in reverse" rule would render the same problem as this, which you already account for:

@startmindmap
* 1
** 2.1
** 2.2
**** 4
@endmindmap

which yields the error

As an alternative to your second example, a similar rendition, which does not break the rules, would be like this:

@startmindmap
* 1
** 2.1
** 2.2
>*3
** 2.2.1
@endmindmap