Freemind Collaboration on Windows

Introduction

Share your mindmaps and build them in collaboration. This simple batch file authorizes collaboration on freemind maps via a fileserver. If you can access the same disk with your collegues in your organisation, you can now work together on your mindmaps : this script avoid multiple edition at the same time (lock the file for you and tell the others that YOU are currently editing it) and make backups each time you open a mindmap (like 2006-04-02_myfilename.mm). Works only on Windows.

Use

Call share.bat instead of the freemind file directly (ex : toto.mm) to lock and backup the map prior editing. Easy way to use it : put your freemind file + share.bat on your shared disk (ex : J://freemindFiles/share.bat and J://freemindFiles/toto.mm) and make a share.bat shortcut on your windows desk (right click on share.bat and select "send to" > "desk")

Code

Copy the code below to a text file (located in the same dir as your mindmap to share if possible) named share.bat (for example). Check if the configuration lines (first lines) fits your needs.

@ECHO OFF
CLS
REM *** CONFIG : Edit here if necessary ***

SET freemindProgramPath = "C:\Program files\FreeMind\Freemind.exe"

REM if this script is in the same dir as the file (.mm), just write : filepath=.\
SET filepath=.\

REM the name of the file to share
SET filename=toto.mm

REM if you like the backuped file to be stored in their own dir. Don't forget the trailing slash
REM example : backupsdir=versions\
SET backupsdir=

REM ******** Do not edit below ********

IF EXIST %filepath%lock.txt GOTO :LOCKEDFILE

ECHO STARTING FREEMIND on %computername% 
echo .

REM ********** Backups ***************
set mydate=%date:~11,4%%date:~8,2%%date:~5,2%
set mytime=%time:~0,2%%time:~3,2%%time:~6,2%
ECHO Saving preceding version of this file (good idea, is'nt it ?)
copy "%filepath%%filename%" "%filepath%%backupsdir%%mydate%_%mytime%_%filename%"
ECHO .
echo %filepath%%backupsdir%%mydate%_%mytime%_%filename%
echo %mydate%
echo %mytime%
REM ********** lock file creation ***************
ECHO %computername% > "%filepath%lock.txt"
%freemindProgramPath% "%filepath%%filename%"
ECHO You locked this mindmap file. You can free it later by pressing space bar in this window
echo .
PAUSE
CLS
ECHO That's it, your file is now free to be edited by others.
DEL "%filepath%lock.txt"
GOTO THEEND

:LOCKEDFILE
CLS
ECHO Sorry, the file is already edited by  
TYPE "%filepath%lock.txt"
GOTO THEEND

:THEEND
echo .
PAUSE

Licence

This code is released under GPL licence by Starcrouz. Hope it could be usefull for you.

Who use it ?

Us at EDF R&D, France