I realized the immediate need for it when a newbie asked for info that was in the change notes outline. The instructions for finding the info were awkward. Now it'll be possible to provide an URL. Much easier.#
When you create a bookmark, Drummer not only remembers and opens the file, it also remembers where the cursor was when you created the bookmark, and the cursor goes there when you open the bookmark. I fixed a bug so now this important feature works again. #
Also, the bookmark still works if you move the node you bookmarked to another location in the file. In other words it's not based on the path to the node.#
Include nodes point to other outlines, anywhere on the web. When you double-click on one, Drummer, behind the scenes, reads the other outline, and drops the result under the bar cursor headline. It sounds complicated and time consuming, perhaps -- but it's not. Today's internet is amazingly fast, and so is the computer you're running Drummer on. There is documentation on include nodes in the OPML spec. #
Drummer has one enhancement implemented, and another mostly implemented as of today. #
You can use file:// urls in include nodes, they point to files in your Drummer account. #
You can include part of an outline, by using an identifier for the node in the outline you want to include. #
The two features work together, so you can include part of an outline in your Drummer account. #
There is no spec on the partial inclusion, so I'll give you a preview here.#
That points to a section of the states outline in my test account. #
If you create an include node with that as the url attribute, you'll get part of the states outline, not the whole thing.#
Here's a demo. Double-click on it in Drummer. Be sure to reload the app before doing so (new software).#
(The demo only works in Drummer, not in the email or on the blog.) #
I love this soooo much. Been wanting to get to this place for quite some time. Other devs are working in this area, but I don't think anyone is this far along. We shall see.#
If you were a ThinkTank/MORE user, this is a web-like version of cloning, which was a very popular feature.#
BTW, many of you already know how to use the suitcase icon to look at the attributes of a headline. You can very clearly see what's going on by looking at the demo node and seeing what the attributes are. Very low-tech. "Small pieces loosely joined."#
What's not finished about this? Not sure. It's very new, so I want to let it settle in. Use the feature lightly, there very likely will be breakage. 💥#
I'm going to be a super hardass about this so test me if you want, but there will be no "give."#
The only reason I'm running the private testing repo is to answer questions for users who need help.#
I also love it when other users help, when they know they have the answer. Don't guess here, we'll get the right answer. If you don't know the answer, kick back.#
A couple of times people have innocently asked questions of people, which I understand, we're all community-oriented but the support forum is not for that. Why? Because I know where that goes, I've been there many times, and I don't want to go there. #
People behave weirdly in mail lists and in spaces where everyone is following everyone. It becomes about power. "Who does he think he is?" Well here, in support for a product I am developing, I am in fact a special person. Usually in support forums you don't communicate with the person developing the product. But I need to do that, to do my job. It's how I do my job at this stage in its development, with contact with users.#
Once when I was testing a product, naively, gave everyone the means to communicate with every other user in the product itself. I had to kill the product because in about a week they were telling me what to do with my time. People very quickly forget in these contexts how to be a decent human being. #
Anyway -- we need a way to help people get their questions answered. So that's where the line is. And as I said at the top, there is no give. #
I realized the immediate need for it when a newbie asked for info that was in the change notes outline. The instructions for finding the info were awkward. Now it'll be possible to provide an URL. Much easier.#
When you create a bookmark, Drummer not only remembers and opens the file, it also remembers where the cursor was when you created the bookmark, and the cursor goes there when you open the bookmark. I fixed a bug so now this important feature works again. #
Also, the bookmark still works if you move the node you bookmarked to another location in the file. In other words it's not based on the path to the node.#
Include nodes point to other outlines, anywhere on the web. When you double-click on one, Drummer, behind the scenes, reads the other outline, and drops the result under the bar cursor headline. It sounds complicated and time consuming, perhaps -- but it's not. Today's internet is amazingly fast, and so is the computer you're running Drummer on. There is documentation on include nodes in the OPML spec. #
Drummer has one enhancement implemented, and another mostly implemented as of today. #
You can use file:// urls in include nodes, they point to files in your Drummer account. #
You can include part of an outline, by using an identifier for the node in the outline you want to include. #
The two features work together, so you can include part of an outline in your Drummer account. #
There is no spec on the partial inclusion, so I'll give you a preview here.#
That points to a section of the states outline in my test account. #
If you create an include node with that as the url attribute, you'll get part of the states outline, not the whole thing.#
Here's a demo. Double-click on it in Drummer. Be sure to reload the app before doing so (new software).#
(The demo only works in Drummer, not in the email or on the blog.) #
I love this soooo much. Been wanting to get to this place for quite some time. Other devs are working in this area, but I don't think anyone is this far along. We shall see.#
If you were a ThinkTank/MORE user, this is a web-like version of cloning, which was a very popular feature.#
BTW, many of you already know how to use the suitcase icon to look at the attributes of a headline. You can very clearly see what's going on by looking at the demo node and seeing what the attributes are. Very low-tech. "Small pieces loosely joined."#
What's not finished about this? Not sure. It's very new, so I want to let it settle in. Use the feature lightly, there very likely will be breakage. 💥#
I'm going to be a super hardass about this so test me if you want, but there will be no "give."#
The only reason I'm running the private testing repo is to answer questions for users who need help.#
I also love it when other users help, when they know they have the answer. Don't guess here, we'll get the right answer. If you don't know the answer, kick back.#
A couple of times people have innocently asked questions of people, which I understand, we're all community-oriented but the support forum is not for that. Why? Because I know where that goes, I've been there many times, and I don't want to go there. #
People behave weirdly in mail lists and in spaces where everyone is following everyone. It becomes about power. "Who does he think he is?" Well here, in support for a product I am developing, I am in fact a special person. Usually in support forums you don't communicate with the person developing the product. But I need to do that, to do my job. It's how I do my job at this stage in its development, with contact with users.#
Once when I was testing a product, naively, gave everyone the means to communicate with every other user in the product itself. I had to kill the product because in about a week they were telling me what to do with my time. People very quickly forget in these contexts how to be a decent human being. #
Anyway -- we need a way to help people get their questions answered. So that's where the line is. And as I said at the top, there is no give. #
copyright 2021 Dave Winer.
Last update: Sunday September 5, 2021; 2:41 PM EDT.