OPML / Indented text data exchange among outliners (with a request to PPL)

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Posted by Alexander Deliyannis
May 15, 2009 at 09:46 AM

Within the course of a recent request to Wouter, the developer of TreeSheets, I quickly scanned this forum for programs that we’ve discussed that can import/export OPML. My own interest was for Notecase Pro, but among others I found:

- PC software: UltraRecall, ConnectedText, tkOutliner, TreePad, ConceptDraw MindMap, Treeline
- Mac: Omnioutliner, Tree, iLiner, Hog Bay NoteBook, Circus Ponies NoteBook, NoteTaker, MyMind
- Linux: NoteCase Pro (crossplatform)
- Webware: checkvist.com
- iPhone: iBlueSky, iThoughts, MindMaker
- Pocket PC / Windows CE: ListPro (also PC), Natara Bonsai (also PC)

The list is impressive and means that OPML, despite its many limitations, has emerged as a de facto standard among outliners. The alternative, tab indented text, seems to be less supported as far as I’ve seen, though it is more popular in the ‘visual outliner’ domain, i.e. mind mapping, supported by the likes of Mind Manager and Freemind.

This post comes with a request to Pierre for adding OPML and tab indented text import/export to InfoQube / SQL notes. I am still learning this powerful outliner but need to start getting more of my data into it; OPML / text are what I can export/import to/from most of my other programs. CSV is unfortunately not an option.

The main reason for posting this request here is to generate interest from other developers as well.

Posted by Lucas
May 15, 2009 at 11:16 AM

Good points. I would agree that OMPL seems to be the way forward.

Bear in mind, by the way, that OmniOutliner can open tab-delimited outlines as well (and this functionality even works in the unlicensed mode).

Posted by Eduardo Mauro
May 15, 2009 at 01:53 PM

Hi Alexander,

Many users ask about importing CSV. It is a simple format and easy to handle but the problem is how to use/format the information contained in a CSV file. For instance, speaking about ConnectedText, the Outline view can import OPML and indented text files. I don’t see how to fit CSV data in an Outline (at least in CT). Other programs have more than one column in the outline so CSV contents fits well. CSV could be imported inside a topic and converted into a table (quite easy), but I don’t see if it is useful or not.

I think that any software that handles data in a tabular way should have no problem in importing CSV file and make good use of the data.

Posted by David Dunham
May 15, 2009 at 02:51 PM

On the Mac, Opal imports and exports OPML as well.

It’s not a perfect format though—it doesn’t really support rich text.

Posted by Pierre Paul Landry
May 15, 2009 at 04:20 PM

Alexander Deliyannis wrote:
>This post comes with a request to Pierre for adding OPML and tab indented text import/export to InfoQube /
>SQL notes. I am still learning this powerful outliner but need to start getting more of my data into it; OPML / text are what I can export/import to/from most of my other programs. CSV is unfortunately not an option.

This task (at least the Import part) is now assigned. See http://mantis.sqlnotes.net/view_all_bug_page.php

Thanks for your interest in InfoQube

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