Welcome to Cognodex. This guide covers the core features and navigation of the app. Cognodex is a macOS-only application.
The Canvas
Navigating the Mindmap
- Pan: Click and drag on empty canvas space to move the view.
- Zoom: Pinch on trackpad or use scroll to zoom in and out.
- Select: Click a node to select it. Its connections will be highlighted.
- Move: Drag a node to reposition it on the canvas. Its coordinates are saved automatically.
Nodes
- Vault Nodes: Each node corresponds to a unique folder stored within the Cognodex workspace.
- Root Folder Nodes: Alternatively, nodes can reference folders from a root directory of your choice, without moving your files.
Node Inspector
Double-click any node to open its inspector. The inspector shows:
Files
- View all files inside the node's folder.
- Click a file to reveal it in Finder.
- Add or remove files directly.
Tags & Links
- Assign tags to categorize the node.
- View and manage connections to other nodes.
- Create new links from the context menu.
Remarks
- Add short notes or context to any node.
- Rich text formatting is supported.
- Remarks are indexed for search.
Creating Links
Link Gesture
- Start: Right-click a node and select "Link To..."
- Connect: A temporary line follows your cursor. Click another node to create the link.
- New Node: Click empty canvas space to spawn a new connected node.
Edge Tags
Links between nodes can carry their own tags to describe the type of relationship. If no tag is specified, a default tag is used.
Sidebar & Search
Left Panel
- Recent Changes: File-related changes appear here in real time.
- Node List: Browse all nodes in your workspace.
- Tag Browser: Filter nodes by their assigned tags.
Search
- Global Search: Find nodes, tags, remarks, and filenames instantly.
- Powered by FTS5: Full-text search indexing for fast results.
Settings
Appearance
- Theme: Choose System, Light, or Dark mode.
- Grid: Toggle the canvas background grid on or off.
Workspace Storage
- Application Folder: Store your workspace inside the app's support directory.
- External Folder: Choose a dedicated folder on your disk as the workspace root.
- Switching storage performs a full migration of all data.
That covers the essentials. If you have questions or find a bug, reach out via the Report a Bug option in Settings.