Collecting all entries that contain certain text
Long-standing BrainStorm user, Jack Rickards was struggling with trying to list the entries in BrainStorm that contained the same text. He could "find" and "find again" but that wasn’t enough.
Here’s the email exchange that led to a solution that worked for him.
From Jack:
This may be a WIBNI request or something I have stupidly overlooked that is already possible in the all-encompassing BrainStorm.
I realize that one can do a "find" and continue doing "find agains" on a text string and, with a split screen, copy the result of these multiple finds into a new list. Is there a way to ask BrainStorm to generate a list of all occurrences of a text string?
I have, in a BrainStorm model, projects all over the place under various major headings. I have included in these project titles, a priority code and a now/later code, for example [A1/now]. Obviously I am looking for a quick and dirty way to generate all my "A1/now"s in a separate list.
From me:
On the "all strings" - I usually "Write" "Only entries containing this text" to the clipboard then paste. The pasted lines form namesakes with the originals (of course). You may want to write just one level.
Or not.
Let us know if this helps.
From Jack:
Thanks David. That works great. What an incredible and powerful feature for setting & retrieving tagged info’ throughout a BrainStorm model. David I suspect this is just one of many great features that are fully implemented yet not being pitched!
Phew! Glad that solved your problem, Jack.
September 27th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Subject: Difficulty using solution to Jacks problem.
This is a very interesting blog entry. First there is the idea about tagging headings - which I’m assuming looks like : [A4/Now] Clean Car.
To use Jacks example.
Second is the idea that one can collect these headings based on the tag(or part of a tag) in to lists, automatically. I don’t quite understand the instruction for performing this step. I’m under the impression that one is supposed to write to the clipboard the tag name(or part of it) in quotes - when pasted this should produce a heading with a list containing all tasks/projects with a Now tag - for instance?
Thanks.
September 28th, 2008 at 6:08 am
You use the Write command with your tag in ‘only output entries containing this text’ and with the ‘Write to clipboard instead of file’ box checked.
September 29th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Subject:Got it! SUPER!
[I'm so excited by this I hope you will not mind if I write a more detailed account of the method?]
Exact method of collecting a list of entries containing a particular string/text.
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Step One
File->Write text file… or CTRL+W
Opens up a properties window
Step Two
In the text box labelled : “only output entries containing this text”
Write the text you wish Brainstorm to look for when outputing entries.
Step Three
At the bottom of the said properties window observe the checkbox labelled:
“Write to clipboard instead of file”
If not checked/market, do so.
Step Four
Press Ok. The property window closes.
Brainstorm searches for all entries containing the text you’ve specified in the, “only output entries containing this text” text box and copies such entries in to the windows clipboard.
Select an empty entry in your project and activate the past command: CTRL+V or Edit->Paste or Right-Click on an entry and from the pop-up menue choose paste.
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Thanks for blogging about this!
September 29th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Hi. David here.
Thanks for being so articulate. Appreciated.