CherryTree (like Notecase) - Notes

[mikeslr]

Hi All,

Wiak mentioned this application as one he considered essential. Wondering what it was I browsed to the Cherry Tree Website, https://www.giuspen.com/cherrytree/ and learned that its features are:

rich text (foreground color, background color, bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, small, h1, h2, h3, subscript, superscript, monospace)
syntax highlighting supporting several programming languages
images handling: insertion in the text, edit (resize/rotate), save as png file
embedded files handling: insertion in the text, save to disk
multi-level lists handling (bulleted, numbered, to-do and switch between them, multiline with shift+enter)
simple tables handling (cells with plain text), cut/copy/paste row, import/export as csv file
codeboxes handling: boxes of plain text (optionally with syntax highlighting) into rich text, import/export as text file
execution of the code for code nodes and codeboxes; the terminal and the command per syntax highlighting is configurable in the preferences dialog
alignment of text, images, tables and codeboxes (left/center/right/fill)
hyperlinks associated to text and images (links to webpages, links to nodes/nodes + anchors, links to files, links to folders)
spell check (using pygtkspellcheck and pyenchant) (Comment by me: not builtin) See note below.
intra application copy/paste: supported single images, single codeboxes, single tables and a compound selection of rich text, images, codeboxes and tables
cross application copy/paste (tested with libreoffice and gmail): supported single images, single codeboxes, single tables and a compound selection of rich text, images, codeboxes and tables
copying a list of files from the file manager and pasting in cherrytree will create a list of links to files, images are recognized and inserted in the text
print & save as pdf file of a selection / node / node and subnodes / the whole tree
export to html of a selection / node / node and subnodes / the whole tree
export to plain text of a selection / node / node and subnodes / the whole tree
toc generation for a node / node and subnodes / the whole tree, based on headers h1, h2 and h3
find a node, find in selected node, find in selected node and subnodes, find in all nodes
replace in nodes names, replace in selected node, replace in selected node and subnodes, replace in all nodes
iteration of the latest find, iteration of the latest replace, iteration of the latest applied text formatting
import from html file, import from folder of html files
import from plain text file, import from folder of plain text files
import from basket, cherrytree, epim html, gnote, keepnote, keynote, knowit, mempad, notecase, rednotebook, tomboy, treepad lite, tuxcards, zim
export to cherrytree file of a selection / node / node and subnodes / the whole tree
password protection (using http://www.7-zip.org/) – NOTE: while a cherrytree password protected document is opened, an unprotected copy is extracted to a temporary folder of the filesystem; this copy is removed when you close cherrytree
tree nodes drag and drop
automatic link to web page if writing the URL
automatic link to node if writing node name either with no spaces and camelcase or surrounded by [[node name]]

Rather impressive.

Figured it was worth the effort to 'build' a version for Bionicpup64. PPM had it, and despite that it is mostly python I was pleasantly surprised that it ran OOTB. Only needed an icon to create a desktop file. And it's small. But if there's anything wrong, don't ask me to fix it. It's python.
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/7lwg8pj960fx4/

Note: required a couple more available python files which I've now included.

28 June 20: Uploaded a 'revised' version of 64-bit, now only named CherryTree64-0.37.6.pet. See here for reasons for revision. http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 51#1061851. You may want to edit the script added to /root/my-applications/bin if you have pzip on your system, located other than the path specified, or just don't want it.

[rockedge]

Nice!

I downloaded and works on a Bionic64-CE (fresh from woof-CE).

I did have to replace my python symlink from python3.8 to python2.7 since Cherrytree requires Python2.

Great addition though looking forward to using it Thanks for the PET mikeslr!!

[Flash]

So is Cherry Tree a word processor or what?

[foxpup]

I think it is notecase, more or less, maybe a little more.

[Flash]

What is Notecase?

[mikeslr]

I share foxpup's impression. As far as I know, (a cut-down) Notecase has been included in every Puppy since 2007 when Barry K described it as:

"Notecase is a notes organiser, an outliner, and it's marvelous. What I've been wanting for ages, but all other outliners fell short -- rich text format, search, images, internal and external hyperlinks -- the works." http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 384#126384

I haven't had a chance to really explore it. As I mentioned previously, I learned about it from a recent post by wiak. It can create notes (tested). But what I thought impressive was its ability to create kind of a database linking files of many types you've already created and stored.

It's usually shown up under the Document Category. But its ability to tie many file types together in an organized structure suggests that perhaps it is best thought of as a tool for project management.

To build the application all I did was use Bionicpup64's Puppy Package Manager to download the files; the combine them using PaDS 1.14 into an SFS, mount the SFS, add a pixmaps to /usr/share/pixmaps, edit /usr/share/applications/cherrytree.desktop and repackage it as a pet.

All the debs downloaded were python modules. I think, therefore, it should be able to run under any 64-bit Puppy (its existing python permitting).

[foxpup]

The link for notecase in Barry's post is no good anymore.
This is better: https://sourceforge.net/projects/noteca ... ase/1.9.8/

It is stuck at 1.9.8 since 2008 but that's perfect.
I use it almost every day for notetaking, documentation ...
The Puppy newsletters are/where in notecase format.
It is in almost all Puppys.

It's in a lot of ports, but f you do not have it, you can still look at the documents in a (html)browser.

What is Notecase?

Really, Flash?

[mikeslr]

Figured having avoided being bitten by python under Bionicpup64 I'd press my luck and try to put together a 32-bit version. Constructed under dpup-stretch. Functions under Tahrpup32. I don't know if it will function under other 32-bit Puppies. It did NOT under Slacko 5.7.2CE: Complained about a lot of missing python files.

Download link at bottom of first post.

[Indy]

Installed the PET for 32-bit version, no warnings or errors, working on my Xenialpup32.

Just started playing with it, looks like it'll be very useful for me.

Thanks!

[scsijon]

More of a Project running package than just a notecse from the specs. This remind me of something we had back in the Netware 3 days, which even allowed multiple people to work on the one project at different levels simultaneously.

The only problem for me is with python2 and gtk+ (2.x) being depreciated, i believe it should be working towards versions 3 of both before going much further.

[wiak]

Porting to Gtkmm3 began over a year ago and release is expected soon.

https://github.com/giuspen/cherrytree/issues/444
giuspen (creator and lead developer of cherrytree) commented on 6May2020:

I plan to complete the Gtkmm3 Debian packaging adding the internationalisation scripts and I would also like to add the windows/msys2 build to Travis in the next couple of days. It would be definitely great if you can have a look at building for Mac (#762) I know nothing about Mac and have never owned one but many users have asked for it since long time

[scsijon]

Porting to Gtkmm3 began over a year ago and release is expected soon.

https://github.com/giuspen/cherrytree/issues/444
giuspen (creator and lead developer of cherrytree) commented on 6May2020:

I plan to complete the Gtkmm3 Debian packaging adding the internationalisation scripts and I would also like to add the windows/msys2 build to Travis in the next couple of days. It would be definitely great if you can have a look at building for Mac (#762) I know nothing about Mac and have never owned one but many users have asked for it since long time

Yes, he's replied to me via github and told me how to download the alpha to try which i have done. It will get built in a few days when i have a free dev workstation, they are all busy with t2 stuff at present.

[wiak]

Or simply go to (e.g. git clone/checkout) github master branch folder future for latest development branch as described on giuspen/cherrytree github site:

https://github.com/giuspen/cherrytree/t ... ter/future

compile instructions are there (including build dependencies required)

[tallboy]

I use several Notecases every day! I have encrypted versions for personal info or passwords, I have lists of car parts and vendors, puppylinux tips and trix, useful links on different subjects, genealogy - both general info, people and families, and many, many more. I actually have a Notecase in almost every folder where I need to store directions to contents, tips and comments. It has the advantage of not being laden with a ton of features which require a couple of days just to figure out how they work. Notecase has just enough options to set the prefs once, and forget about them. That way, you just use it!

[wiak]

I use several Notecases every day! I have encrypted versions for personal info or passwords, I have lists of car parts and vendors, puppylinux tips and trix, useful links on different subjects, genealogy - both general info, people and families, and many, many more. I actually have a Notecase in almost every folder where I need to store directions to contents, tips and comments. It has the advantage of not being laden with a ton of features which require a couple of days just to figure out how they work. Notecase has just enough options to set the prefs once, and forget about them. That way, you just use it!

Oh, Notecase is fine. I've explored pretty much all these hierarchical note-taking utilities over the years - best for a long time was actually old 'Keynote' on Windows alas (which is why I used to bother installing Wine). Notecase is much more basic, but fine if that's all you need. I gravitated to Cherrytree because it did everything and more that Keynote used to do, and as Mike talks about, I also appreciated that the more powerful features of Cherrytree made it capable of being used as a complex document-management system, far more than Notecase could.

I basically use two tools for all my development work in terms of managing it: Cherrytree (which is actually very user-friendly), and git, which is definitely NOT user-friendly, but utterly wonderful for what it does, assuming you manage to work out how to use it adequately... My approach to git is to stick to the usage parts of it I know that work for me - when something major goes wrong though, I tend to then have trouble fixing all the required merges and so on - even when I manage I often have no idea how I did. But git, is terrific as a way of reverting to previous document changes - but I've never come across a single git GUI that made git usage anything like friendly enough and certainly not as user-friendly at all as cherrytree (but, of course, cherrytree doesn't contain any revision control abilities).

wiak

[mikeslr]

I received an email from Mr. Accident. He called to my attention that using "Cherry Tree" in the title --separating the words-- made it hard to find. Fixed.

He also called to my attention that the Ubuntu Repo had an "old" version --37-- whereas version 39 can be obtained from https://www.giuspen.com/cherrytree/#downl, The UExtracted 'deb' package from above 'fired right up' via its python module at /usr/bin. python is still 2.7.

I'll have to install it and see if there are rough spots. Other than these /usr/share/applications/cherrytree.desktop arguments

Exec=cherrytree %f
Icon=cherrytree
Categories=GNOME;GTK;Utility;

I suspect not.

The %f in Exec= is either unnecessary and/or generates a 'looking for non-existing file' error.
Puppies often need both a path and file ending for icons: e.g. /usr/share/icons/.../cherrytreee.svg. [Easier to drag it to the beginning of /usr/share/icons].

And sometimes Puppies get lost with a couple of unknown categories before one it recognizes. At any rate, would change that to Categories=Documents and/or FileManager.

Thanks Mr. Accident for the information.

p.s. The Control File indicates pzip is a dependency. I have pzip as an external: UExtract and Packit pretty much do everthing. Might create a bash-script to it or live without that under CherryTree.

p.p.s. NOPE. Generates "ImportError: No module named gtksourceview2" even though pfind and PPM say it's in my system. Will see if this is easy to fix. I hate python. It always bites me.

Note about 'firing right up' above. I had the 37 version installed at the time. May use it as a base for 'overwriting with 39'. Python and NO Binaries: Is this 'no-arch' so that you don't need both a 32 & 64 bit for different Puppies?

p.p.p.s*. Well, seems all it needed was python-gtksourceview2xx which PPM provided. . But It now complains "dbus fail, maybe a firewall problem, centralized instances disabled". Was CherryTree expecting to directly access the Internet?. I guess so: You can makes nodes of URLs.

The complaint suggests too many variables. Does it not like Puppy's firewall? It's settings? My choice of web-browser? That I'm running my default browser (palemoon) as a portable which imports libraries from its external folder? And a new version of CherryTree is expected shortly. I'm going to leave solving that complaint to seasoned snake handlers.

I prefer fish and have other fish to fry.

Think I'll fire up the 37 version, run it from terminal and compare.

* It's getting to the point I'll have to gets some Depends.

[mikeslr]

Version 37 via PPM from Ubuntu Repo had no complaints when run via the terminal. But, having noted that "Control" indicated pzip as a dependency, I rebuilt the previous pet including, however, a bash-script in /root/my-applications/bin named pzip which will call my External pzip if and when CherryTree thinks it's necessary. Also changed the icon to CherryTree's official and made the other desktop adjustments mentioned above.

Should have taken Mike Walsh's advice: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Keep that in mind while considering the revised version linked from the first post.

[Puppus Dogfellow]

https://giuspen.com/cherrytreemanual/#_ ... _a_codebox


cool stuff, mikeslr, thanks, but i've been having a problem with something. does the code box execution command work/exist for you? if so, can you explain to me how to find it and use it? (or just confirm that the instructions refer to a newer version or something so i can stop clicking the boxes looking for something that isn't there.)

thanks again

-puppus

[tallboy]

wiak, I see what you mean. CherryTree is a far more complex tool, and I can understand the use for it in - for me - more special cases.

[mikeslr]

https://giuspen.com/cherrytreemanual/#_ ... _a_codebox


cool stuff,... does the code box execution command work/exist for you?

You found documentation about a codebox. That means you're ahead of me.

On Section 8.3 above your link there's a link to https://giuspen.com/cherrytreemanual/#_ ... _languages. On the long list are a couple I recognize and, if I had the time, might 'play with': forth and pascal I had a fleeting interest in 30 years ago; Puppy had a brief fling with vala maybe a decade ago; lua seemed like a sensible tool by which humans could interact with computers. Xml and gtk-doc (if its a different name for gtk-dialog) may have some use in Puppies. But I didn't see bash on that list; unless giuspen actually referred to it as "sh".

Explain it? No I can't. But, figuring it out is now on my 'to do' list. Or will be if I can remember where I put my 'to do' list.