Pathmind Courses

Pathmind is a mindmap-focused learning platform for students and teams. The app is very advanced and frankly…has a steep learning curve. This guide will be split into multiple parts so that we can make sure all topics are covered and you can easily traverse it to find any data you need.

1. Map toolpack & usage

Everything you can do in the app comes down to a single concept of “thoughts” which are nodes with special properties, each one being unique.

Types:

• Text – regular thoughts, mostly used on mind maps, can contain text (everything customizable) or directive content. To add a text thought you can select it from the add thought dropdown menu, no primary setup needed.
• Note – transparent, allows you to add comments to map content by connecting the note with other thoughts.
• Attachment – any file content, can be image, video (will display on map), dqs (can apply to map) or any other file format which will just be added as a downloadable static file on the map, useful for storing important content.
• Table – a set of data with columns and rows, can reference map variables to switch up values. Can be light or dark.
• Page – a long text document which can contain styled text, lists and even images.
• Form – question and answers, each answer can trigger a custom action like hiding / showing a thought / branch.
• Mind map – nested mind map in the current location, allows for nesting content / grouping maps into sets.

Edit mode:

This feature allows users to connect two thoughts together with a connection by first clicking thought one and then the target thought. In it most actions like deleting, copying are disabled.

Signing:

Available only for generic mind maps (not courses) by clicking the sign button in the toolbar.

• Map signing – protect your map by setting the author, password, a message to show on map load, enabling / disabling read-only mode and creating a signature.
• Thought signing – set properties to thoughts like static (disallow dragging object), hide (hide object), lock (disallow object editing).

Styling:

Styling every thought separately can be draining that’s why in v6.5 we’ve introduced the style menu which allows you to set styles for every next thought added, to open it just click the style icon in the toolbar. You can pick a style from thought by using the “Pick from thought” feature but you need to make sure you aren’t in edit mode.

Exporting:

The app offers many mind map export options and the currently available are:

• .pathmind – encrypted format, most secure for offline / off-app file transfer and sharing.
• .dqs – DO Query String, map creation and modification scripting language, can be applied onto maps automatically, doesn’t support all the thought types.
• .mm – widely adopted, XML mind map format, needs map conversion before export.
• .png – screenshot of the map in the current view, can have a transparent background set.

2. Directives

Pathmind is not only a course platform and a mind map platform, you can also build fully functional flows with the available set of directives, theese are:

• Executables – can execute certain actions.
• Conditionals – return true or false based on condition.
• Formulas – instant calculation and data extraction.

All three play along together to build functional flows inside the workspace. Executables can either be started manually or when a conditional is connected they will run once the condition changes to TRUE, that’s called a recall. Here’s every directive explained:

Executables:

>start(sign.map)

(depracated since v6)

>start(sign.thought)

(depracated since v6)

>start(remove.meta) 

(depracated since v6)

>notify("Message") 

Show a notification popup with any content.

>delay(seconds) 

Stop a flow for n time.

>dqs(dqs) 

Auto-process DO Query.

>set(varname,value) 

Set a local variable’s value.

>get(varname) 

Get a local variable’s value.

Conditionals:

True:

?true
?truthy
?1 (any value)
?varName (once variable is updated, can be any local variable's name)
?1 = 1 (any true equality)
?1 < 2 (any true comparison)
?click (true on click on connected thought)
?thought.text (is connected text thought)
?thought.note (is connected note thought)
?thought.function (is connected attachment)

False:

?false
?falsy
?0
?null
?undefined
?varName (local variable doesn't exist)
?1 = 2 (any false equality)
?1 > 2 (any false comparison)
?thought.text (is not connected text thought)
?thought.note (is not connected note thought)
?thought.function (is not connected attachment)

Formulas:

=sum
=sum(A) (can be any column name of connected table, reads from values of that column)

Sum up values on path

=avg
=avg(A) (can be any column name of connected table, reads from values of that column)

Get the average of values on path

=math(1+1) (can be any expression without spaces)

special usage:
=math(1+1+`prefix) (adds a prefix to result using concatenation)

=math(1+1+suffix`) (adds a suffix to result using concatenation)

Calculate the given expression.

=date

Outputs the current date in DD/MM/YYYY format.

=time

Outputs the current time in HH:MM format.

=session

Outputs the elapsed session time in (n)XX:SS format.

=onmap

Outputs the number of thoughts on the map.

=random (random from 1-100)

=random(1-n) (random from 1-n)

Outputs a random number from range.

=first

=first(A) (can be any column name of connected table, reads from values of that column)

Outputs the last value from path.

=trend

=trend(A) (can be any column name of connected table, reads from values of that column)

Outputs a trend of path values (e.g. increasing, stable, decreasing).

=wait

Pauses dynamic formula updates.

=output

=output(trend.graph) (output a trend graph of connected trend formula)

Creates a visual box with the output of a formula.

3. Creating & publishing courses

Pathmind Courses introduced the concept of mind map courses. This opens a whole new space for online learning in a digital private workspace. Everyone can publish and everyone can view, the platform is made for the community of eager learners.

There are 3 steps to packaging a high-quality lesson pack:

1. Creating the mind map

You need to first get a hang of the Pathmind editor before you move onto publishing. We suggest making a few practice mind maps and sharing them to our subreddit, you will get feedback and tips on how to improve.

2. Sharing

To share it, you need to go to the Pathmind Gallery, make sure you have a Courses account. Click on the plus button on the toolbar and choose your preferred post type (mind map is generic with no interaction from users and course is collaborative, with live messages and reactions). Once you do that you can import your mind map or start creating one from scratch.

3. Leading

You need to join the map on the time you chose your course to start, otherwise your users will have no tutor for the lesson. Make sure to share important details about the content of the course using the message system, go through each node with users and make sure everyone keeps up and understands what’s happening.

Support

If you have any questions as to the user guide we highly suggest you reach out to us on the mail address:

support@pathmind.app