Inserting branches

All mind maps contain a root representing the central idea or theme of the mind map. You develop your mind map by inserting branches and sub-branches.

A branch is a branch inserted at the same level in the mind map as the currently selected branch. Branches connected directly to the root are called main branches.

A sub-branch is a branch inserted at the level below the currently selected branch in the mind map.

In the default mind map layout, new branches are inserted around the root. If you use a different layout, new branches are inserted to fit the selected layout. For example, if you have selected a top-down layout in which the root is at the top of the mind map, all new branches are inserted below the root. For more information on selecting a map layout, see "Designing a mind map".

MindView Online automatically arranges the branches as you insert them to prevent any overlap. As soon as you add a branch or sub-branch, the new branch appears with the default label "Idea". The procedure for replacing the default label is described below.

Inserting a main branch

Select the root.

Do one of the following:

Press Enter or Insert.

Double-click the root.

Right-click the root and choose Insert | Branch .

Choose Home | Branch .

Choose Insert | Branch .

Inserting a branch at the same level

Select an existing branch at the level where you want to insert a new branch.

Do one of the following:

Press Enter.

Right-click the branch and choose Insert | Branch .

Choose Home | Branch .

Choose Insert | Branch .

Inserting a sub-branch

Select an existing branch to which you want to add a sub-branch.

Do one of the following:

Press Insert.

Double-click the branch.

Right-click the branch and choose Insert | Sub-Branch .

Choose Home | Sub-Branch .

Choose Insert | Sub-Branch .

When you have inserted one or more levels of sub-branches, you can collapse or expand them as needed. For more information, see "Viewing a mind map".

Entering a root or branch label

To enter or edit a label, do the following:

Select the root or the branch whose label you want to edit.

Start typing to enter the label.

You can also press F2 to edit the branch label.

You can use the Predictive suggestions feature to get suggestions as you type the label. For more information, see "Using predictive suggestions".

Formatting a branch

As soon as you insert a branch in the map, a Format tab appears at the right of the ribbon. This tab lets you perform different operations on the branch, such as choosing a different fill color or selecting different text attributes. See "Formatting a branch" for more information.

To apply the same formatting attributes to all branches, it is easier to use the Design tab whose predefined styles and design options apply to the entire map. See "Designing a mind map" for more information.

Deleting a branch

To delete a branch, do one of the following:

Select the branch you want to delete and press Delete.

Select the branch and choose Home | Delete .

Right-click the branch and choose Delete .

The root cannot be deleted.

If you delete a branch by accident, you can always cancel the deletion by choosing Home | Undo or pressing Ctrl + Z.