Looking for Advice for Research Uses of Ultra Recall...

[WentSo]

I have spent the past week testing tree-note programs like Ultra Recall. Ultra Recall appears to have the most features of any of these applications. I am wondering if the users here have any suggestions for making the most of Ultra Recall when doing academic research. I like the document management capabilities of the program for example, and went through the basic .urd files included.

Another question (a quick one) is it possible to have more than one tree open at the same time? Some other programs allowed this option (through tabs) but I couldn't find it in Ultra Recall.

[quant]

Originally posted by WentSo
I have spent the past week testing tree-note programs like Ultra Recall. Ultra Recall appears to have the most features of any of these applications. I am wondering if the users here have any suggestions for making the most of Ultra Recall when doing academic research. I like the document management capabilities of the program for example, and went through the basic .urd files included.

I use it for research and it's simply GREAT! Grab websites, organize your library, take notes, link relevant notes to each other, schedule your time/meetings/conferences/contacts/ ....

Originally posted by WentSo
Another question (a quick one) is it possible to have more than one tree open at the same time? Some other programs allowed this option (through tabs) but I couldn't find it in Ultra Recall.

no, but it was already suggested here, hopefully will be implemented. For the time being you can use alt+L if you want to link one item to another, or alt+J if you want to jump to another location ....

[cnewtonne]

Having seen most of the info managers out there, you won't see a program that caters to the job of a researcher like UR. It does lack some features, but looking at the overall picture, Using the current set of features is limitless as you will see and learn as you start using it.
I'm, myself, a researcher and I spend with UR 7 hrs a day. These are the questions that came to my mind as I was designing UR databases and my answers to them ...
1) How many databases do I need? I use subject and size as criteria.

2) How should I organize content? This is physical (using tree) vs. logical (using views and queries). My approach has been to keep tree as simple as possible probably up to 5 levels deep. I try to avoid anything deeper than that. UR has limitless possibilities for both.

3) Decide on your linkage strategy? I.e. how to go about linking items together. For me, for every research subject, I have 3 items linked together, a review, a how to, and a references list.

4) Define a list of productivity/work flow questions? Things like what subjects needs reviewed? What references need to be read? The answers come via using UR attributes and searches (or queries).

5) Most important of all, decide on a backup strategy? Mine is set to perform a backup upon startup and after closing it. These are not natively available via UR, am using my own scripts to do them. You can use tools like MacroExpress or Perfect KB.

Hope this helps.

Thank you

[kinook]

Originally posted by WentSo
Another question (a quick one) is it possible to have more than one tree open at the same time? Some other programs allowed this option (through tabs) but I couldn't find it in Ultra Recall.

You can open multiple tabs in the same db and switch between them (and hoist if desired). You can also display the Database toolbar and use it to switch between multiple databases.
http://www.kinook.com/UR/Manual/tabs.htm
http://www.kinook.com/UR/Manual/hoisting.htm

http://www.kinook.com/UR/Manual/documenttoolbar.htm
http://www.kinook.com/UR/Manual/hidedisplay.htm
http://www.kinook.com/Forum/showthread.php?threadid=726