I usually write in plaintext files (.md, .txt) through WriteMonkey3, Obsidian, Typora, FocusWriter etc.
However, for organisation, planning and creativity I like to play around in Timeline, Plottr, Mindomo, Excel etc. Which leaves me with a workflow problem. I’ve looked up export and import formats as follows:
Import | Export | Sync | |
---|---|---|---|
Mindomo | .txt, .md, OPML, Excel, Mindomo file (.mom, .pmom) MindManager file (.mmap) Freemind file (.mm) Mindmeister file (.mind) XMind file (.xmind) Bubbl.us file (.xml) SimpleMind file (.smmx) iThoughts file (.itmz) | .txt, .md, OPML, Excel, Mindomo file (.mom, .pmom) MindManager file (.mmap) Freemind file (.mm) | |
Plottr | Word, Scrivener on roadmap | Word, Scrivener | |
Timeline | .csv | .csv | Scrivener, Ulysses |
Excel | .csv | .csv | |
Scrivener | .txt, OPML, Word, | .md, Word, OPML |
If I put in a lot of detail, I want to be able to push it into markdown files for use when writing. Mindomo will do that directly, otherwise it looks as if I will need to use Scrivener as a converter.
Plottr doesn’t import from anything yet. It exports to Scrivener, which can sync with Timeline.
Timeline can import and export from/to Excel via .csv (and thence Mindomo).
There are other conversion methods, but it’s a pity that workflows will have to be so convoluted. It looks as if I can start anywhere I want, but will then have to think things out. Will become simpler when Plottr can import.
I’m also not sure how much it will matter. So far I’ve only used any of these tools for a single purpose. But what I will want to avoid fleshing things out in any program that doesn’t give me an easy route to putting the info into my .md files.