Okay, this time I really tried and look through the user’s manual, and I can’t find anything about the possibility of changing connection line color.
I used this method to assign different types of relationships between characters in a story, such as using red for animosity, pink for romance, black for regret, etc. While I can add a note between characters to assign relationship identifier, it’s much more logical to simply change the color of the connection line.
Also, I’m a XMind user, and it’s served me pretty well and has all the features I need, while being free. It can do pretty much everything Scapple can do and a whole lot more, but I think Scapple’s workflow is a bit more streamlined. I don’t know if you guys reference other similar software out there and try to assimilate their best features, but definitely take a look at XMind if you haven’t yet. I don’t mind paying for Scapple if you guys can really set it apart from other similar software and make it really easy, flexible, and powerful.
Yes, that’s exactly the point. There are plenty of tools out there than can do more, but it was the designers idea that most of these tools which have been made to help thinking, don’t do such a good job because they either have too many tools that get in the way of thought, or subscribe to some ideology like all ideas should form from a central thought. Thus, wilfully adding this stuff back into the design, that has been intentionally left stripped down to the basics, seems to me to go against the whole idea.
I once used XMind as well. I am familiar with it at a basic level. Some of the above are reasons behind why I stopped using it. I just never felt as if I could establish an agile relationship with it. Scapple is completely transparent to me. I don’t think about the software or the diagram, just my own thoughts.
We already have the suggestion for coloured (as well as labelled) lines, on the table for consideration. I can’t say whether it will happen or not, but we are thinking about it.
At this point, the only thing holding me back from buying Scapple is the colored lines, because it is crucial to my brainstorming for character/plot relationships, and the workaround I mentioned previously is not good enough. When/if colored lines are added, is the day Scapple officially joins Scrivener as part of my writing tool set.
And if one day L&L decides to do one more piece of software in the form of the feature I begged for over and over but was refused–the coveted multiple storyline arrangement tool as seen in Writer’s Cafe’s “StoryLines” feature–I would buy that in a heartbeat. But it has to interface with Scrivener, or else I could just continue to use Writer’s Cafe for that and suffer the fact that whatever I do in it won’t be reflected in Scrivener.
I agree, not being able to change the connection line colors makes it a bit more complicated to create a “character map” for my writing project. Currently, I insert symbols - which is ok, but not what I am used to have as a workflow (it means lots of copy’n paste instead of heading to creating/working on the project itself in general).
If this could be added to Scapple, I’d be very happy! Right now, it somehow makes me hesitate buying the full version when my trial expired
PS: If the makers think, things like that might make Scapple too complicated, why not add such features as add-ons that are free to choose?
Please see this thread. As mentioned there, and here just a few posts above, this idea has already been requested and is on the table for consideration.
Please buy Scapple for what it is, not what you want it to be. As noted on our About Us, Keith designs software for his own personal use and vision. Fortunately a lot other people share that (a lot of people don’t want Scapple to have any new features, believe it or not). If you don’t like that approach, or you don’t like Scapple as it is right now, you might be better off with something more complex or flexible. I’m not saying it will never evolve, that has been the mission statement since Scrivener 1.0, and anyone can take a two second look at that and see that the current iteration of Scrivener has radically evolved over the years, in many ways thanks to valuable feedback. All we are saying is don’t expect it. Don’t bank on it.
New Scapple user here, downloaded it yesterday and I’m really enjoying it so far, and I’m replying even though this thread is over a year old to toss in my voice to the ‘please hear us’ request for an option to change the color (or other features) of connections.
I get what Amber is saying and I am likely to buy Scapple to offer my support, but the color line feature might be a make or break for me since my maps tend to get rather large and line colors help keep this easy for me to quickly follow.
I haven’t used Xmind yet, but I will be checking it and other out to compare with Scapple and find which one meets my needs.
Exactly - I really don’t understand this `Scapple or XMind (or whatever mind mapper software)’ comparison at all. If I need that kind of thing I use iThoughtsX, but I’d never do Scapple type things with it nor try to gerrymander a vice versa. To Scapple is a verb apart.
I just wanted to jump in here and say that I too would like a bit more ability to change the connecting lines. I make connections all over the place, but I would like something to represent “maybe this could be related back to this thing WAY OVER THERE, but I’m really not sure.” A line with some question marks in it would be perfect for that.
The ability to attach a note to a line (like a T-junction), which, to me, would represent a note on the thought between the two notes would be great too.
Just adding a vote for colored lines. It’s about the only thing I can think of that I’d love for Scapple to add. I love the flexibility, and the simplicity. But some maps can get a bit complicated and being able to categorize by line color would help keep things visually simple. An extension of note color ability, in my mind.
