by Literature and Latte’s $15 Scapple is a unique amalgamation of productivity tools from the folks who brought us the amazing Scrivener (
) writing app. The developers describe Scapple as a freeform, nonlinear, mind-mapping text editor—unlike most mind-mapping software, there’s no suggested hierarchy and no set system for capturing ideas.
The app starts you off with a blank canvas. Double-click anywhere to add a new note. To connect notes, just drag and drop one onto the other. If you change your mind, you can repeat that process to disconnect the two notes. The default connection is a simple dotted line, but if you’d rather have a directional arrow, hold down the Option key as you drag and drop. If you’d rather the arrow point the other way, instead hold Command+Option. If you prefer an arrow that points both ways, hold down Shift+Command.
A bunch of ideas in a Scapple document
In addition to connecting notes, a feature typical of mind-mapping software, you can also stack notes to form lists. After typing a note, press Shift+Return to create a new note stacked underneath. To stack existing notes, you just drag to select them, and then either choose Notes -> Stack, or press Command+’ (apostrophe). You use the same procedure for adding a note to an existing stack: Just select the stack and the note and then use the Stack command.
Oddly, you also use this procedure to reorder a stack: First you select the note just above the place in the stack you want the moved note to go, then you select the note you want to move, and then you use the Stack command. I find this process to be annoying, as I’d much rather simply drag and drop notes to rearrange them.
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