CoMa - User Guide

1. CoMa
2. Running the Applet
3. Functions
   1. Creating a concept
   2. Creating a connection
   3. Selecting elements
   4. Naming the element
   5. Removing an element
   6. Commenting elements
   7. Modifying the appearance of concepts
   8. Modifying the appearance of connections
   9. Undo, Redo
   10. Setting the element appearance as a default
   11. Naming order of concepts and connections
   12. Modifying the Visibility of element icons
   13. Saving the concept map
   14. Saving the concept map as an image
   15. Printing the concept map
   16. Opening a concept map
   17. Creation of new concept map

1. CoMa

2. Running the Applet

Run the applet by loading the website:
http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/group/mindmap/coma/

Please reply "Yes" to the appearing Security pop up. CoMa will not harm your computer in any way. It only needs the permission to access your hard drive when saving a concept map file.

3. Functions

Creating a concept

Double-click the canvas or hit Enter, when no element is selected. You can also drag the connection icon of an element to a desired position on the canvas. This operation creates a new connected concept.

Creating a connection

Drag the connection icon of an element onto a concept or a connection. Note: A connection cannot be created between two connections.

Selecting elements

One or more elements close to each other can be selected with the mouse by drawing a square around the desired elements. Elements situated in different parts of the canvas can be selected by holding down the CTRL key while choosing the elements with the left mouse button.

Naming the element

Create or select an element. Type the name by using the keyboard.

Removing an element

Select the element/elements you wish to remove from the canvas and press the Del key or the Remove icon on the toolbar.

Commenting elements

Pick an element. Click the Comment icon on the toolbar. You can type or paste a comment or an URL address into the comment window.

Modifying the appearance of concepts

Pick a concept. You can modify the font size by dragging the size icon. The concept's shape, background color and name font can all be modified with the respectful menus on the toolbar.

Modifying the appearance of connections

Pick a connection. The width and type of the line can be modified with the respectful menus on the toolbar.

Undo, Redo

Setting the element appearance as a default

Pick an element. Set its appearance as a default for new elements by clicking the Set as default icon on the toolbar.

Naming order of concepts and connections

Open the Preferences menu. Check the order in which you wish to name the concept and connection when creating a connected concept.

• Concept first
• Connection first
• Name only the concept when creating a connected concept

Modifying the Visibility of element icons

Open the Preferences menu. Select the option Hide element icons to make the icons visible only when moving the mouse cursor near an element.

Saving the concept map

Press the Save icon on the toolbar. Enter a name for the concept map file and select the folder into which you wish to save it. Click "OK".

Saving the concept map as an image

Select the option. Save as image from the File menu. Enter a name for the concept map and select the folder into which you wish to save the image. Click "OK".

Printing the concept map

Select the Print function from the toolbar or from the File menu.

Opening a concept map

Select the Open function from the toolbar or from the File menu.

Creation of new concept map

Select the concept map creation function from the toolbar or from the File menu.