Name: Firmament for Mac: The Complete User Guide
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Author: 爱上MAC

Source: 爱上MAC | Software download link: Firmament for Mac

Firmament is a professional-grade mind mapping and information organization tool designed exclusively for macOS, renowned for its minimalist design aesthetic, smooth interactions, and powerful structuring capabilities. It helps users visualize complex ideas, project plans, and knowledge systems, building clear and organized digital mind maps. This article will provide an in-depth analysis of its interface, workflow, and core operation techniques.

I. Detailed Overview of the Core Interface and Workspace

Firmament’s interface adheres to macOS design philosophy—clean and focused—and is mainly divided into the following areas:

Menu Bar and Toolbar (Top): Contains all file operations, editing commands, view switching, and export functions. The toolbar provides shortcut icons for common actions (such as creating new nodes, connecting, and style adjustments).
Navigation Panel (Left): Displays the hierarchy of the entire mind map in a tree structure or outline view, making it easy to quickly locate and browse at a macro level. You can show/hide it with the shortcut Cmd + 1.
Core Canvas Workspace (Center): An infinitely expandable visual canvas, which is the main area for building and editing mind maps. Supports zooming (pinch with two fingers or Cmd + +/-) and panning (drag with two fingers).

Inspector Panel (right side): A context-sensitive properties panel. When you select different elements (nodes, connectors, canvas), it dynamically displays the corresponding style (color, font, shape), connection line, notes, and other settings. You can show/hide it with the shortcut Cmd + 2.

Status Bar (bottom): Displays real-time information such as the current canvas zoom level and the number of selected elements.

II. Complete Workflow: From Creation to Export

1. Create/Open a Project

Step 1: Launch and Create New

After launching Firmament, the “Get Started” window will automatically appear. Click “New Diagram” or use the menu bar File > New (Cmd + N) to create a blank project.

Step 2: Open an Existing Project

Double-click an item in the “Recent Projects” list in the “Get Started” window, or use the menu bar File > Open (Cmd + O) to select an existing .firmament file.

2. Build the Core Content of the Mind Map

Step 3: Create the Central Topic

After creating a new project, a central node (usually a rectangle or circle) will automatically appear in the center of the canvas. Simply click the node and enter the name of your core topic.

Step 4: Add Child Nodes (Branches)

Method A (Shortcut): Select a node and press Tab or Cmd + to create a child node below it.
Method B (Toolbar): After selecting a node, click the “Add Child Node” icon (plus sign) on the toolbar.
Method C (Context Menu): Right-click on a node and select “Add Child Node”.

Step 5: Add a Sibling Node

Select a node and press Enter or Cmd + Return to create a new node at the same level.

Step 6: Connect and Link

Select the “Connector” tool in the toolbar (or press L), click a node and drag to another node to release, and you can create a connecting line. After selecting a connection, you can adjust its style and arrow in the inspector on the right.

Step 7: Add Node Details

Select any node, and in the “Notes” field of the inspector on the right, you can add detailed text descriptions, to-do lists (Cmd + Shift + C), or insert links.

3. Beautify and Organize

Step 8: Adjust Styles

Select one or more nodes, and in the “Style” panel of the inspector on the right, you can modify the fill color, border color, text font/size/color, and node shape (rectangle, rounded rectangle, ellipse, etc.).

Step 9: Organize the Layout

Use the “Auto Layout” tool in the toolbar (or press Cmd + Shift + A), and the software will automatically arrange nodes according to their hierarchy. You can also manually drag any node to any position, and the connecting lines will follow automatically.

4. Final Export and Sharing

Step 10: Export the Project

Go to the menu bar File > Export, and you can choose from multiple formats:
– Image (PNG, JPEG): For sharing static images. You can choose to export the current view or the entire canvas.
– PDF Document: Generate a printable or archivable document.
– Text Outline (TXT, Markdown): Export the structure as hierarchical text, making it easy to use in other editors.
After setting the options in the export dialog, click “Export” and choose a save location.

III. Advanced Tips for Common Features

Batch Operations: Hold down the Cmd key and click or drag a selection box to select multiple nodes, allowing you to modify styles, move, or delete them simultaneously.
Quick Search and Jump: Press Cmd + F to bring up the global search box. Enter keywords to quickly locate nodes, and you can jump directly from the search results.
Focus Mode: Double-click a node or select it and press the F key to enter Focus Mode, which highlights the node and its directly related branches while hiding other content, helping you focus deeply.
Canvas Grouping and Layers: For very large projects, you can use the “Canvas” or “Layer” feature (managed in the left navigation panel) to separate different topic modules and keep the interface clean.
Keyboard Navigation: After selecting a node, use the arrow keys to switch between sibling nodes, and Cmd + Arrow Keys to quickly move to the parent or child node.

IV. Common Issues and Solutions

Issue: Too many canvas elements make it look cluttered and disorganized.
Solution:
- Use “Focus Mode” (the F key) to temporarily hide unrelated branches.
- Use “Auto Layout” (Cmd + Shift + A) to reorganize.
- Use different colors for branches of different themes to create visual separation.
- Consider using multiple canvases or layers to split content.
Problem: Important nodes were accidentally deleted.
Solution: Immediately use the undo command Cmd + Z. If multiple operations have been performed, you can undo repeatedly. It is recommended to save promptly after important changes (Cmd + S).
Problem: Exported images have low resolution and blurry text.
Solution: When exporting as an image (PNG/JPEG), be sure to check the “Scale” or “Resolution” option in the export settings dialog. Adjust it to 200% or higher to generate high-definition large images.
Problem: The software runs slowly or lags.
Solution:
- Check the project size. If the number of nodes is extremely large (e.g., thousands), performance may be affected. Try using grouping or splitting the project.
- Close other applications that consume a large amount of system resources.
- Make sure both Firmament and macOS are updated to the latest versions.

V. Firmament for Mac Keyboard Shortcuts Summary

Function Category	Action Description	Shortcut (Mac)
File Operations	New Mind Map	`Cmd + N`
Open Mind Map	`Cmd + O`
Save	`Cmd + S`
Export	`Cmd + E`
Close Window	`Cmd + W`
Editing Operations	Undo	`Cmd + Z`
Redo	`Cmd + Shift + Z`
Cut	`Cmd + X`
Copy	`Cmd + C`
Paste	`Cmd + V`
Delete Selected Item	`Delete` or `Backspace`
Node Operations	Add Child Node	`Tab` or `Cmd +`
Add Sibling Node	`Enter` or `Cmd + Return`
Edit Selected Node Text	Double-click the node or press `Space`
Insert To-do List	`Cmd + Shift + C`
Create Connection Line	`L`
View & Navigation	Show/Hide Navigation Panel	`Cmd + 1`
Show/Hide Inspector Panel	`Cmd + 2`
Zoom In Canvas	`Cmd + +`
Zoom Out Canvas	`Cmd + -`
Tools & Features	Global Search	`Cmd + F`
Trigger Focus Mode	`F`
Apply Auto Layout	`Cmd + Shift + A`
Select All	`Cmd + A`

Note: This guide is written based on Firmament’s general features and typical interaction patterns. Specific menu item names or shortcuts may vary slightly due to software version updates; please refer to the version you are actually using. By mastering the core workflows and tips above, you will be able to efficiently use Firmament to organize your thoughts, plan projects, and manage knowledge.