LifeMap User Manual Addendum V. 4.1.1 (Conversions)
LifeMap can now import and export concept maps to and from various programs, including SemNet, CMAP, and Inspiration. This user manual addendum describes how to use these features.
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How to create a concept map in LifeMap from a Semantic Network in SemNet:
1) In SemNet, use "Create" under the "Instances" menu to create a series of instances. Caution: Do not use the "/" in your link words. "/" are okay in concepts.
2) When you are done creating instances, choose "Instances - Creation Order" under the "Display" Menu.
3) Choose "Copy Window Contents" under the "Edit" menu.
4) Switch to Lifemap (version 4.0.9 or later).
5) Choose "Convert Semnet Instances to BasicTriple Propositions" from the "Database" menu.
6) Paste the instances from Semnet into the "insert semnet instances here" field.
7) Click the Convert Semnet Instances to BasicTriple Format button.
8) Select the BasicTriple Output and choose Copy from the Edit menu.
9) Select "Open Input Window" from the Database menu.
10) Paste Basic Triple Output into the main text field in the Input window.
11) Enter Creator attributes if desired and click "Add Propositions to Database". (This step assumes you have already created or opened a proposition database.)
12) Select "Open Output Window" from the Database menu.
13) Click "Output to NetData format and create concept map". (This step assumes that you have a concept map file open.)
14) Use LifeMap features such as "View Current Map in Standard Heirarchy" under the Special Menu to move concepts around as desired.
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How to create a semantic network in SemNet from a Concept Map in Lifemap:
1) In LifeMap, create a concept map.
2) In Lifemap, create a proposition database.
3) In LifeMap, select "Create Proposition report" from the Database menu.
4) Select Open Input window from the Database menu and copy the propositions to the main field.
5) Add creator attributes as desired and click "Add Propositions to database"
6) select "Open output window" from the database menu.
7) Click "Output to SemNet instances format and create text file"
8) Select and copy text that appears in the NetData Window and paste it into a text file using any word processor. (eventually Lifemap will produce a text file directly, but it doesn't yet)
9) In Semnet, create a new file.
10) In Semnet, choose "import from text file" from the file menu.
11) Select "Instance List" and click "Import"
12) Use SemNet's various features to view your semantic network.
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How to Import a concept map from Inspiration or CMAP.
1) Create your concept map as usual in CMAP or Inspiration. In Inspiration, you can use either the link on the line feature to create your linking words, or you can use different styles of boxes for both linking words and concepts. It will make the conversion much more effective if you follow the standard concept mapping convention of using a Capital for the first letter of concepts, and a lowercase for the first letter of link words.
2) Select your entire concept map, and select Copy from the Edit menu.
3) Switch to LifeMap. Choose Paste from the Edit Menu.
4) Select "Convert Diagram to Concepts" from the Database menu. LifeMap will find all of the concepts and linkwords in your original map, and create new LifeMap style concepts and linkwords. The linking lines are not created, but you can easily recreate these by using the original map as a guide.
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The other method for converting Inspiration concept maps. Note: This method isn't working so well at the moment.
This method recreates the entire map, but it requires more work up front. The first method is probably easier and more foolproof.
1) Do not use Inspiration's text on link line feature. Create your concepts using boxes for both concepts and links, such as Rectangles for Concepts, and Clouds for Linkwords.
2) When you are done with your concept map, add a new line to the bottom of each concept and link word. This line should be in the form,
#CN;LN,LN,LN#
where CN is unique number assigned to each concept (in the form C1 C2 C3 and so on), and LN are any concepts to which that concept is linked (just a number).
3) Switch to Inspiration's Outline View, and export as outline with plain text and no prefixes.
4) Switch to LifeMap. Open the NetData utility from the Special menu. Copy the Inspiration outline into the NetData Utility. Click Add Outline # to Current Concept Map (make sure that you have created a Pound Database from the Database menu).
5) Choose create Map from Pound Database from the Database menu.
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Exporting a LifeMap concept map to Inspiration.
1) Create a concept map in LifeMap.
2) Choose Convert Concept Map to Outline from the Database Menu.
3) Copy the outline that appears in the NetData Utility to a text file, and then import that text file into Inspiration. Note that even in Inspiration, there is not an exact one to one relationship between outline and diagram forms, so what you see in Inspiration may not be exactly what you had in LifeMap. This feature works well for traditional heirarchical concept maps where you select the top concept as your starting point. If you use this feature, the idea is that you would use Lifemap or SemNet for creating concept maps. The main reason to convert to Inspiration is if you want to do outline based brainstorming.