Toggle the branch text between right, left and center alignment.Toggle it between a regular and a box branch.The branch target now contains a gray segment that, when you click it, causes a dialog box like the one at right to pop up over the currently-selected topic. This makes it possible to add topics quickly, with a single click.Įditing the properties of a branch has been made easier in iMindMap 7. You can also single click on the red circle in the center of the target. As always, you can position your mouse in the center of the target and drag the cursor outward, which “grows” a branch that follows the path of the cursor. You can add branches to your central topic in several ways. But I’m not sure that extending it to the central topic was a good decision. In previous versions of iMindMap, this branch target has made it easy to quickly add different types of content to your mind maps. This makes it hard to read the wording of it. But when you select the central topic, iMindMap’s branch target circle appears over the top of it. Next, you need to give the central topic a name. So far, this is very similar to previous versions. When you first open iMindMap 7, this mind mapping program asks you to select an image that will be the background for your central topic. The tabbed toolbar also contains buttons that enable you to undock this panel or switch it to the right side of the screen. The left side of the workspace now contains a tabbed set of panels that give you access to images, icons, notes, links, DropTask tasks, audio, snippets and project data. It contains many of the most frequently-used buttons for creating and editing your mind maps, and is well organized and easy to use. It now contains numerous colorful buttons, making it look much more like other mind mapping programs. In previous versions of iMindMap, developer ThinkBuzan took a minimalist approach to the program’s main toolbar. I then realized I had to click on the tab of the open mind map next to the ribbon tabs in order to return to where I was before. Instead, I was taken to the iMindMap start page to create a new mind map – not what I expected. At least that’s what I assumed would happen, based on other programs I often use – such as the entire Microsoft Office Suite and other mind mapping software. After I explored each of these tabs, I clicked on “home” to return to the main section of the ribbon toolbar. Next to them are tabs for your open mind maps. It now contains five tabs: Home, maps, contacts, settings and notifications. The ribbon toolbar has been relocated above the drop-down menus. The biggest change in iMindMap 7 is the user interface. But in its drive to create a more flexible and intuitive workspace, developer ThinkBuzan may have diminished its usability somewhat, in my opinion. These expanded capabilities give users of iMindMap 7 more freedom than ever to express their ideas in the form of an organic-looking mind map. ThinkBuzan launched a new version of its flagship mind mapping program, iMindMap 7, earlier this week, with a new user interface, unique branch art designs, new editing and layout features, task integration with DropTask and a host of other improvements.