Zengobi Forums

[Lennie]

I just started using Curio and have a few questions.
I am interested in how other users take what they have collected in Curio and export to create a finished product. For example assembling collected research and ideas from Curio into a word document such as a Magazine article, white paper, a project plan, screenplay, or other finished document.

Is it possible to spread files other than PDFs? Can I spread a word doc or other multi page document?

Can I import the contents of a folder other than by selecting the files in the folder?

Thanks

[george]

Currently Curio can only spread PDF files. And the best way to import the contents of a folder is to drag in the files within the folder, that way each file is treated as an individual asset.

[Lennie]

Thanks George

[Lennie]

So how are others creating finished works form what they have captured in Curio?

[beru]

this is THE most important question: how to produce anything meaningful with this hype program.

I guess the answer is for now: jpg and tiff. wow. no text outline, no .rtf, no nothing.

making this fancy mindmaps just a waste of time as long as they cannot be exported as outline with notes, or better as doc with images. I created notes for individual notes and they export as icon, lol!

I am a new user and somehow took this functionality for granted. oh well, seems I wasted my money and time...

which raises the question: why do all reviewers fail to point that out? instead they rave about this creative app...

so when will curio have the ability to export outlines with notes from the mindmaps???? or: how do I get my money back?

[mitchellm]

Beru: While having more export options would be useful, I'm really not understanding why you're complaining so loudly.

If the export functionality is the MOST important thing for you, and if you can use the program free for 60 days (if memory serves me right), then how did you never figure out it did not export to formats you wanted most before buying? Are you expecting Curio to brush your teeth for you also? Making a request makes sense. Whining about buying without even decently testing out any product is pretty silly behavior.

[beru]

time is money.

[quote="mitchellm"]Beru: While having more export options would be useful, I'm really not understanding why you're complaining so loudly.

If the export functionality is the MOST important thing for you, and if you can use the program free for 60 days (if memory serves me right), then how did you never figure out it did not export to formats you wanted most before buying? Are you expecting Curio to brush your teeth for you also? Making a request makes sense. Whining about buying without even decently testing out any product is pretty silly behavior.[/quote]

[george]

If you click on the mind map and choose Edit > Export As you should see a bunch of export options like OPML, text outline, and RTF outline. These are all discussed in further detail in the Curio User Manual (via the Help menu) in the mind mapping section.

If you have ANY other questions please feel free to email me at george at zengobi before getting so frustrated.

By the way, the File > Export As options are for exporting the entire project or specific idea spaces. We currently have the export options for selected figures within the Edit > Export As menu. The Edit > Copy As menu also also some options you may want to check out.

[KK]

I guess you are trying to do this:
Think and create visually and non-linearly by using a mind map, then trying to export your work into a linear document. I believe the issue is with the transition between creating and composing. Curio helps a lot in this process, but I agree that it is not optimized at all and could be improved upon.

I use Curio a lot for things like writing papers or grants (academic) or just brainstorm and have my own workaround to Curio limitations.

I start by creating the "pieces" of the document in a non linear fashion as they come to my mind. Everything that I type is either a Word (.doc) or a Pages document. I move the documents around the map freely or organize them in a mindmap. Once I am done with the non-linear, creative phase I move to the word processor (or Scrivener, as of lately) to compose the work in a linear fashion.

To do this I first put numbers in front (as prefixes) of the name I have given to each document ragment (say 09-Scientific Background, 10-Previous work, etc.). I then go into the Curio file, that is in fact a directrory and make links to the "assets" outside of the Curio file.

I import those files in bulk, taking advantage of the order I gave by numbering them, into the word editor (Word, Pages, Scrivener) and finish my work there. Once I am in the linear pahse of the work, I find myself not going back to Curio very often. Anyways, should I ned to, by using the live link (MS Word only) I can still click a file into Cuiro and edit it from there. The changes will be reflected into the composed document.

I know this is complicated, but it has worked well for me. Again, I agree with you that Curio could be more helpful in the "linearization" step, but trust me, there's nothing better than Curio out there at the moment.

As I said, the problem is in the transition between non-linear creation phase and the (necessary) linear phase that is a standard format for conveying ideas (I hate it, personally, but it is sort of a must). I wish Curios (mindmaps) would become acceptable documents, but until then we have to succumb to the idiocy of linear documents

If we ask loud enough, I think the devs will hear us.

Best,
KK

[leeschneider]

I've checked out the screenplay outline tool in the dossier. But I have a different question. I'm currently writing a script in Curio - it's a two column TV style script but I also do movie-style scripts. I don't mind moving things around in a free form way, but I would really like a way to force a page break. Even better would be a way to have Curio alert me when I've reached the dimensions of an 8.5 x 11 page and break automatically if I wanted it to. I don't want to take away the free form nature of Curio - infinite pages are the best part! But when sharing my work with other non-Curio folk via PDF, they like to see something that resembles a page. Any thoughts? Thanks!

Lee

[george]

You can turn on page breaks with View > Show Page Breaks.

[jjweimer]

[jjweimer]

[mnmcook]

I think if you take a mind map then export it as RTF it makes a linear / hierarchical list. Would that help?