Event, Task, Note, and Contact Linking
Version 8.0 adds the ability to define 2-way links between events, tasks, notes, and contacts. For example, tasks and events could be linked with their assigned contacts, notes could be linked with associated events, or tasks leading up to an event could be linked with the event. When a link is established, it becomes 2-directional, meaning the association between the items can be viewed or removed from either item's editor window, via a new "Links" tab. The tab can present all associated links in a single view, providing instant access to the details you need, such as an associated contact's phone number and address.
Links Tab
A new "Links" tab shows currently defined links and allows the addition of links to other events, tasks, notes, and contacts. Links can also be removed. Each link is shown within a panel when the View option is set to "Tiles". If there are many links, the View option can be set to "List", allowing more links to be seen at one time. To open an associated item, click its name in the Tile view, or double-click its row in the List view. This will open the linked item in a separate editor window. Any changes made to the linked item will be dynamically refreshed in the Links tabs.
Adding Links
To link an item with another item, click the appropriate "Add" button at the top of the Links tab. A window will appear with a list very similar to the one shown in the List view. The list can be searched or filtered, and columns can be shown or hidden by right-clicking the column header. To select an item for linking, click its row. Multiple items can be selected by holding the Ctrl or Shift keys while clicking rows. When finished, click the OK button to link to the selected item(s).
Removing Links
To remove a linked item when viewing items by Tile, simply click the "X" in the upper-right corner of the item's tile. If viewing by List, click the linked item's row to select it, and then press the Del key or click the red X button at the top of the Links tab. A message will display asking to confirm removal of the link. When the link is removed, it will also be removed from the associated item, since links are bi-directional.
Details Pane
The Details Pane, which shows details for the selected event, task, note, or contact, has been improved to show any associated links, which can be clicked to open. If a linked contact has an email address, clicking the contact's email address will initiate a new email to the contact.
Conclusion
The ability to link events, tasks, notes, and contacts allows information to be easily and logically organized within VueMinder. The Links tab and improved Details pane allow quick access to associated item links. Instead of spending valuable time searching for an item you (might) recall was associated, now it's just a matter of clicking a link. This is a dramatic improvement to the software and opens many new possibilities for how data is viewed and organized within VueMinder.
