Research Accelerator

Add search and research to project planning, brainstorming, and business processes within MindManager Pro 6.  This adds a task pane similar to the Research task pane in Microsoft Office 2003 so MindManager can pull in search results from desktop services such as Microsoft Windows Desktop Search and Google Desktop and online services like MSN, Yahoo, Google, Technorati, and Flickr.

• If you have an earlier version of the Research Accelerator installed, uninstall it from the Control Panel...Add or Remove Programs..Mindjet MindManager 6 Research Accelerator
• Install Mindjet MindManager 6 Pro or Free 21- day Trial.
• Install the Microsoft .Net Framework 2.0 from the Microsoft site if it is not already installed.
• Run the MM6_Research_Accelerator.msi Installer by downloading and running it.

• Start MindManager Pro 6
• Open the Research Task Pane by clicking on it
• type a word in the Search for field
• Select a service below the Search for field.
• The results will appear in the pane below.
• Drag a blue topic icon in the results to add that topic to your map.
• Press [Map Results] to add all of the results to the current map or to create a new map of the results.
• You can also start a search by selecting a topic with text in it to search, right clicking on it and selecting research...

• Some users have reported problems installing the research accelerator when they select to install for "Everyone" instead of "Just me".  The fix is to install the accelerator for "Just me."
• The research accelerator does not work with some proxy servers.
• The Research Accelerator will work with the .Net Framework 1.1 and has not been tested with the .Net Framework 2.0.  You can have both versions of the framework installed on your machine.

• Craig's List
• Flickr Groups
• Flickr Photos
• Google Blog Search
• Google Desktop
• Google Web Search
• Technorati Cosmos
• Technorati Search
• Windows Desktop Search
• Yahoo HotJobs
• Yahoo Image Search
• Yahoo Local Search
• Yahoo News Search
• Yahoo Web Search

• Google Desktop Plug-in for MindManager Maps
• Windows Desktop Search Plug-in for MindManager Maps

Select Tools...Options...Research to set the research options. 

• Results Returned Per Service: the number of results per page returned from each service.
• Google Key: the key required for Google Web Search
• Available Services: the complete categorized list of web services from Microsoft Office 2003 (if installed) and services built by Mindjet Labs for the Research Accelerator.  Check the services that you want to show up in the Research Accelerator.
• Proxy Server: set the proxy server and port if you use a proxy server to access the web.

The Research Accelerator is built to work like the Research Task Pane in Office 2003 Application.  Any research services installed in Office 2003 will also be shown as available services in the research accelerator.

There are three ways to create services that will work with the Research Accelerator:

• Write an XSL Transformation that transforms a QueryPacket to ResponsePacket as described in the Microsoft Office Research Service Software Developer Kit.
• Create a class library installed in the Global Assembly Cache that implements the Registration and Query functions as described in the Microsoft Office Research Service Software Developer Kit.
• Create a Web Service using the Microsoft Office Research Service Software Developer Kit.

• XSL Transformations

  This is the simplest method for creating research services as they can be installed with a simple .reg file.You would want to use this method when you don't need to use compiled code in your service.

  The Technorati and Flickr services are examples of these.

  Once installed, look into the registry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindjet\MindManager Research Task Pane\Sources for any services with the Type Transform.

• Global Assembly Cache Service Object

  You would want to use this method when you need to use compiled code in your service that could not be implemented in the XSL Transformation method.

  The global assembly cache object would implement these two functions:

  • publicstring Registration(string registrationXML);
  • publicstring Query(string queryXML);

  The Google and Yahoo services are examples of these.

  Once installed, look into the registry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindjet\MindManager Research Task Pane\Sources for any services with the Type Assembly.

• Office 2003 Research Service

  This is the most complex method for creating research services, but also the most versatile.  Research services created in this way are available to all Microsoft Office 2003 Applications as well as the MindManager Research Accelerator.

The installer attached to the central topic installs the Upcoming.org Event search to the research accelerator as well as the outbound transform, the map template and map parts needed for the Research Service Builder.

• 7/24/2006 Made minor changes to Yahoo HotJobs search and content Hyperlink handling.
• 7/7/2006 Fixed installation issue with extensibility.dll
• 6/27/2006 Made minor changes to fix incompatibilities with some systems.
• 6/16/2006 Updated to work with Microsoft .Net framework 2.0
• 4/7/2006 Updated to work with Primary Interop Assembly
• 3/6/2006 - Added Location option to Research Options.  Google Web Search and Yahoo Web Search both use this option to return local- specific results.
• 2/27/2006 - Added functionality to discover, update, and remove Research Services via the Research Options.
• 1/26/2006 - Moved options to bottom of task pane (Research Options link) to be more consistent with Microsoft Office. Added functionality to add services via the Research Options.
  
  Changed behavior of topic icon so that users drag it to the map instead of clicking on it.
• 12/21/2005 - Fixed error handling so that it doesn't display an error message when queries return no results.
• 12/9/2005 - Added diagnostic code to determine when another Add-in is running that is incompatible with the Research Accelerator.
• 12/8/2005 - Changed topic context menu Research 'x' to show only the first 30 characters of the topic text.  Changed Yahoo Web Search to default Language to "Not Specified".
• 12/6/2005 - Fixed bug where an invalid XML character error was occurring when some research results were put into a topic.  Removed non- working hyperlink from Outlook mail items in Windows Desktop Search results.  Added Region option to Yahoo Web Search.  
• 12/1/2005 - Fixed Windows Desktop Search service to not show an error with large result sets and added download information if Windows Desktop Search is not installed.
• 11/21/2005 - Added Proxy Server settings to Tools...Options...Research
• 11/14/2005 - Fixed a crash bug in Tools...Options...Research...OK
• 11/10/2005 - Added Google Desktop Search. Fixed a bug introduced in the previous build. Added refreshing of result sets that have been added to the map.
• 11/3/2005 - Fixed an object reference bug introduced in version 1.0.21.
• 11/1/2005 - Added Windows Desktop Search
• 10/26/2005 - The research accelerator will now use the proxy server settings from Internet Explorer.  Categories have been added to the list of services so that multiple services can be searched at one time.
• 9/23/2005 - Added detail to Google Web Search results to explain how to enter Google Key.