‘Workflow’ + ‘Node development’ to import Docear/Freeplane mindmap (.mm) into Knime

Node Development
1

Hi,

 

I am trying to find a way to import a Docear/Freeplane mindmap into Knime. I would appreciate help to deal with this issue in two ways: (a) creating a workflow based on the XML file exported from Docear/Freeplane; (b) idea about how to start a node development in order to import native .mm files.

 

The development of a node that can read the native .mm file directly from Docear/Freeplane into Knime would be handy and functional, bringing benefits to three communities: Docear, Freeplane and Knime. The workflow would be a provisory ‘workaround’!

 

I’ve been using Knime in my PhD research and this tool is simple AMAZING, as well as Docear. I am schematizing/commenting/gathering ideas of my full dissertation (including literature and data from my empirical cases) in Docear and the gains are impressive! Docear incorporated the Freeplane mindmap software + JabRef reference manager in an innovative academic literature suite (it is also compatible with Zotero, Mendeley and other reference managers). Since Docear is based on Freeplane, the ‘.mm Knime node’ would fit this later as well.

 

a) ‘Workflow’

I’ve attached a .zip with some files:

- Docear_map_structure.png, which provides a view of the mindmap structure (this is a very simple map).

- Docear_map_XML_raw.xlm, which was exported from Docear and it would be the file to work with in Knime (I tried Knime’s node ‘XML reader’, but I couldn’t obtain a properly output by myself).

- Desirable_Knime_Output.xls, which gives an idea of what could be a possible Knime’s table output. It is just a desirable structure, but to achieve any type of output would be very welcomed.

 

b) ‘.mm Knime's node development’

It’s attached the file ‘Docear_map_original_MM_file.mm’, which can be opened through both Docear (www.docear.org) and Freeplane (www.freeplane.sourceforge.net).

 

I don’t know how to begin a node development, which tools and knowledge would be necessary. Any information to get started in Knime’s node development will be very welcomed.

 

Many thanks in advance,

Cadu

2

Did you have a look at the Developer Documentation?

3

Hi Thor.

 

Thanks for point to 'developer documentation'. I've started the learning about creating a node.

 

=> About the Knime's workflow based on the XML file (Docear_map_XML_raw.xlm), could anyone provide an idea how to transform the XML in a table? I tried Knime’s node ‘XML reader’, but I couldn’t extract/transform the content to columns. Maybe I am missing some setting. I am not sure if I should remove some information from the original  'Docear_map_XML_raw.xlm' file, since the content I need is between lines 68-117.

 

The workflow I've started (just with the 'XML reader' node) is attached, as well as an image of the real map structure and the desirable Knime Output (it is just a desirable table structure, but to achieve any table structure would be great).

 

Any tip about how to handle the XML reader, just to get started with the workflow will be very welcomed.

 

Many thanks,

Cadu

4

The XML Reader creates a single cell with the complete XML structure in it. If you want to extract certain parts of the XML file, you can use the XPath and/or XSLT nodes. Since you want to transform a tree into a table, XSLT would be the best way to go. First create a new XML document that contains the table and then use several XPath nodes to extract the columns. We are currently lacking a node that can extract a table-like XML structures into a KNIME table.