The Ultimate Mind Map Builder for Obsidian
Zsolt Viczián demonstrates his new Mind Map Builder script for Obsidian Excalidraw, enabling rapid visual thinking with keyboard navigation, markdown interoperability, and flexible layout controls.
Key Takeaways
- Mind Map Builder runs as an Excalidraw script, installable via the Obsidian Tools panel
- Navigate mind maps with Alt+Arrow keys for friction-free editing
- Copy/paste between mind maps and markdown bullet lists enables rapid workflows
Features
Keyboard Shortcuts
The script provides several Enter key variations:
- Ctrl+Enter: Create child node and keep focus on input
- Shift+Enter: Create child node and close the panel
- Ctrl+Shift+Enter: Pin/unpin a node's position
Pinned nodes retain their location during auto-layout, letting you control which branches stay on specific sides.
Growth Modes
Three layout strategies available:
- Right-facing: All branches extend rightward
- Left-facing: All branches extend leftward
- Radial: Branches spread in all directions
Unpinned nodes rearrange automatically when switching modes.
Visual Customization
- Multi-color branches (random colors per branch) or uniform colors
- Font sizes on Fibonacci scale, uniform, or standard Excalidraw scale
- Optional rounded boxes around nodes
- Configurable text wrapping width and alignment
Markdown Interoperability
Select a mind map and click "Copy" to export as bullet-point markdown. Paste markdown bullet lists back into Mind Map Builder to generate visual maps instantly.
Other Features Covered
The video also demonstrates two additional Excalidraw 2.18 features:
- LaTeX support: Insert and edit mathematical formulas with live preview
- Smart arrows: Arrows that point to specific locations on images and stay connected as elements move
References
Builds on visual PKM concepts from building-a-second-brain and how-i-use-obsidian.