Get started with Pen Mode

MindManager has a special Pen Mode for running on the Tablet PC . In the Pen Mode you can use pen gestures to create and edit your maps. When you are finished, you may choose to switch back to Mouse Mode and convert the ink text in your maps into regular text.

In this topic

Pen Mode commands
Pen Mode gestures

Pen Mode commands

The MindManager Pen Mode provides special commands for working with a pen.

Sketch, Ink Color, Ink Highlight, Ink Thickness, Ink Eraser, and Ink Selection commands in the Insert tab, Ink group.
Ink to Text and Tablet Help commands on the Extras tab.
Pen Mode and Mouse Mode commands on the Status Bar at lower left.

Limitations

In Pen Mode some modes and actions are disabled:

Outline View
Linked Maps View
Walk Through view
Brainstorming
Modify Style view
Resizing topics

Toggle between Pen Mode and Mouse Mode

On the Status Bar at lower left, click Pen Mode or tap Mouse Mode .

You can configure MindManager to automatically start in pen mode by enabling the MindManager Tablet PC option - Use pen mode on startup.

Get Help using MindManager in Pen mode

Tap the Tablet Help command on the Extras tab, Tablet group, to see the Tablet Help pane with a quick reference for gestures, and links to tablet-specific help.

Tablet-specific options

There are a variety of options that control the behavior of MindManager in Pen Mode. To see these options click the File tab , click Options, and then click Tablet PC.

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Pen Mode gestures

You can execute commands to create or edit topics and sketches on your map by drawing the following gestures.

Hints

You should first select the objects (if any) that you want the gesture to act on.

Gestures can be drawn anywhere on the map.

Gestures must start in white space (not touching an object) but can be drawn over objects.

Draw them at least one inch big to ensure proper recognition.

The MindManager Pen mode interface is "gesture ready". You do not need to push the pen button to signal that you are drawing a gesture.

Many of these are standard gestures defined by Microsoft and used by other tablet applications, while a few are specific to MindManager.

	Insert sketch	Draw the triangle in a single stroke, without lifting the pen. Make sure that the top of the triangle points upward.
	Delete/Erase	Make the strokes as horizontal as possible, and draw at least three strokes. If the height of the gesture increases, the number of back and forth strokes also needs to increase.
	Focus on topic (left) Focus on topic (right)	Draw both sides of the chevron with equal length. Make sure the angle is sharp and that the point is not rounded to a curve. Make the chevron big, approx. 3/4 inch. Right-handed people can use the chevron-right and vice versa.
	Center map	Draw the circle in a single stroke, without lifting the pen. Start from the topmost point and end at the same spot
	Cut	Draw the curlicue at an angle, from lower left to upper right.
	Cut	Draw this gesture in a single stroke starting with the left stroke. Draw the two strokes as close as possible, almost as one line.
	Copy	Draw the double-curlicue at an angle, from the lower left to the upper right.
	Copy	Draw this gesture in a single stroke starting with the right stroke. Draw the two strokes as close as possible, almost as one line.
	Paste	Draw both sides of the caret with equal length. Make sure the angle is sharp and that the point is not rounded to a curve.
	Paste	Draw the circles in a single stroke, without lifting the pen. Start drawing the circle from the topmost point
	Insert topic (right) Insert topic (left)	This gesture is a single, fast flick to the right. This gesture is a single, fast flick to the left.
	Insert subtopic (right) Insert subtopic (left)	Draw this gesture as a single stroke, starting downward and then right. Draw this gesture as a single stroke, starting downward and then left.
	Undo	Make sure to draw the semicircle from the right to the left. The two ends of the arc should be on the same horizontal line.
	Redo	Make sure to draw the semicircle from the left to the right. The two ends of the arc should be on the same horizontal line.
	Zoom in	This gesture is a single, fast flick upward.
	Zoom out	This gesture is a single, fast flick downward.