Freemind Portable 0.8.1 Dev Test 6 [testers needed!]

I downloaded both the 0.8 and 0.9 versions and have had absolutely no problems with either. They run great. Why not send this out for release? As for the Java portabilizer, it appears to have been removed from the portableapps site, but the machines I've been using already have a JVM installed.

-- Recommend making the P-Apps FreeMind modules generally available based on the following evaluation results (see TEST NOTZ below). I feel satisfied that the P-Apps 0.9.0b15 module is functional enough to begin using for my purposes to do regular work. Obviously, good back-up should be strongly recommended.
-- Results seem good enough for me to transition to P-Apps v 0.9.x FreeMind from primary dependence on v 0.8.x FreeMind. (Although I'll proceed with caution until I gain trust in the newer version.)
-- Recommend users DO NOT use the node attribute feature of v 0.9.x FreeMind if there is any possibility of needing or desire for backward compatibility with v 0.8.x FreeMind.
-- I have a small MindMap (.mm) file available (ca. 2 Kb) that I can provide that may help as a starter to illustrate use of FreeMind. It's a simple mind map I scratched together with hyperlinks to the FreeMind website and to some helpful material on the web to create an understanding of what mind mapping is and how it can be used (tutorial/informational). Pointer(s) to example(s) in use also included. (This file is a work in progress and subject to change.)

TEST Notz
---------
-- downloaded & validated (Md5 sum) both v 0.8.1 & v 0.9.0b15 as P-Apps modules
-- Uninstalled (deleted folder) of v 0.9.0b6 downloaded, installed, & evaluated earlier
-- installed (as new app) v 0.8.1 and ran to evaluate functionality. Good apparent interoperability with v 0.8.0 installed as regular app (on Win XP machine), i.e. altering tree node structure, folding/unfolding sub-trees, creating clouds, changing cloud background color (using .mm file created & edited originally on regularly installed v 0.8.0 app). Also exported .mm file to OpenOffice.org (OOo) and web (.html) formats. OOo v 2 application complained that the OOo v 1 (.sxw) file was damaged, but successfully repaired it; simple "save as" to create OOo v2 (.odt) version.
-- installed v 0.9.0b15, which automatically deleted & replaced v 0.8.0 P-Apps module.
-- Newly installed v 0.9.0b15 opened initially with saved status left when last closing v 0.8.0 (i.e. last file viewed automatically displays in final display position when last closed/saved).

General FreeMind comment
------------------------
(not P-Apps specific other than to indicate functionality)
-- P-Apps v 0.9.0b15 exports mind maps fine to html & OOo v 2 (.odt) file formats. Version 0.9.0b15 takes its time to "save as" and export to new files but it otherwise pretty snappy in its operation.
-- Interoperability between P-Apps FreeMind v 0.9.0b15 & regular FreeMind v 0.8.0 appears O.K. Was even able to run both apps simultaneously and copy a node from one to the other (from window to window using copy/paste via clip board). ONE KNOWN ISSUE: v 0.8.x has problems reading .mm files modified using v 0.9.x to create/add node attributes. (I did discover that v 0.8.0 can read a .mm file again if an attribute-modified node is deleted; only tested by modifying single node.)

-- Downloaded from new location both v 0.8.1 & v 0.9.0_b15 -- both O.K. & validate O.K. using MD5 hashes given in message at head of this message thread.

-- Installed v 0.8.1 into P-Apps separate directory. Briefly tested to determine that it appears to function O.K.

-- Tried to change the icon back to the old butterfly icon, but unsuccessful. It would be helpful to have different visual clues on the P-Apps menu for the different versions. But I'm not familiar enough with the P-Apps environment to change it without having to spend more time than I should hacking my way to a solution. The icon desired is already in the ...\PortableApps\FreemindPortable\Other\Source\ directory as the "FreeMindWindowIcon.png" file. (Easily enough convertable to an .ico file using IrfanView.)

-- Will begin using the Freemind Portable v 0.8.1 from P-Apps to further wring it out. Have found so far that I prefer using the old, stable version (v 0.8.x) for creating & editing but then using Freemind Portable v 0.9.x to publish the mind maps to web flash player version (embedded as html document) or as OpenOffice.org document as outline to flesh out in OOo Writer.

((re rab040ma's signature block -- the version I've used over the years with my kids & grandkids is: "Wisdom comes from experience, and experience comes from lack of wisdom." I picked that up off of a poster I ran across, probably better than 30 years ago.))

---eom

I think that is part of the note above where it talks about moving settings and default saves. If you are worried about wearing out a flash drive you don't want it re-writing temporary files to the USB drive every minute; on the other hand, if you are worried about privacy you don't want it writing temporary files once a minute to the C drive. But the setting in Tools | Preferences lets you choose, I think -- make it "freemind_home" instead of "default", or something like that. See the FAQ article on the Freemind site for more info; there's a link to it in the topic article above. You might want to confirm that the instructions in the FAQ article work with a Portable install -- drive letter changes, etc. I think I confirmed it when I worked on it, but it would be good to have someone else knowledgeable try it too.

The new Portable Apps Platform will manage the temporary directory as well as the JVM (I'm told) so it shouldn't be a problem once that gets released.

1. He has portabilized Beta 16.
2. Beta 18 is out. The Portable version needs to be updated.