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Author here, AMA. Thanks for the ~yearly submit :) Software has existed since 2008 or so but still going strong.

account-5 4y ago
I would just like to say thank you for this beautiful bit of software. I install it on all my computer's and have a portable copy for when I can't. I don't know why but it seems to work very well with my dyslexic brain in a way other forms of note taking on a computer don't. If I was a better programmer I'd definitely be contributing!
- Aardappel 4y ago
  Thanks!
karlicoss 4y ago
First, big respect for working on software for so many years! My question is what data format is it using? I found some examples here [1], but looks like it's a custom binary format? Is there a functionality to auto-export (e.g. on save) to plaintext (xml/json/whatever), so I could hook TreeSheets files to other apps? I appreciate it would be lossy, but even a tree/graph structure with text nodes would be good. E.g. I'm a big fan of using plaintext search over all of my personal data/information, even in siloed apps [2] [1] https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/tree/master/TS/examples https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/tree/master/TS/examp... [2] https://beepb00p.xyz/pkm-search.html#personal_information https://beepb00p.xyz/pkm-search.html#personal_information
- Aardappel 4y ago
  Yes, it is (compressed) binary: https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/blob/master/TS/docs/file_format_spec.txt https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/blob/master/TS/docs/... TreeSheets tries to be highly efficient in space/time, which is challenging with text formats. There's an option in the menus for auto html export on every save. It's what I use to browse my data from non-supported devices, e.g. mobile (thru e.g. DropBox).
  - joshspankit 4y ago
    Have you been exposed to Kaitai Struct[0] yet? As someone who wanted to use binary data from programs I’ve used it quite successfully and even more to the point: quite happily [0] https://kaitai.io/ https://kaitai.io/
    - Aardappel 4y ago
      Nope, not seen this one, though there are many similar such specification languages. This one looks a bit overly verbose? I suppose someone could write a description of https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/blob/master/TS/docs/file_format_spec.txt https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/blob/master/TS/docs/... in that specification language to give parsers in many languages. May not be as easy as it sounds with the embedded PNGs and compression etc.
      - joshspankit 4y ago
        If someone provides an example binary file I’ll give it a try
        Aardappel 4y ago
        there are many here: https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/tree/master/TS/examples https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/tree/master/TS/examp...
        joshspankit 4y ago
        Right on, thank you. Would you mind exporting some of those examples and commit them alongside the `cts` files so that I can validate my own parsing?
- darkteflon 4y ago
  Oh hey: your articles on journaling and using a search-first interface heavily inspired me a couple years back, and formed the basis of my own system, with which I’m very happy. So, thank you very much!
joshspankit 4y ago
I don’t see any examples of data “deduplication” (a poor term used here to mean referring to the same data from multiple hierarchies, such as having a reference to the resume inside the row of people) Does TreeSheets do that natively?
- Aardappel 4y ago
  No, it does not have a way to render DAGs, it is purely a tree. It does have a way to follow "links" (cells with the same text).

I would just like to say thank you for this beautiful bit of software. I install it on all my computer's and have a portable copy for when I can't. I don't know why but it seems to work very well with my dyslexic brain in a way other forms of note taking on a computer don't. If I was a better programmer I'd definitely be contributing!

Aardappel 4y ago
Thanks!

karlicoss 4y ago

First, big respect for working on software for so many years! My question is what data format is it using? I found some examples here [1], but looks like it's a custom binary format? Is there a functionality to auto-export (e.g. on save) to plaintext (xml/json/whatever), so I could hook TreeSheets files to other apps? I appreciate it would be lossy, but even a tree/graph structure with text nodes would be good. E.g. I'm a big fan of using plaintext search over all of my personal data/information, even in siloed apps [2] [1] https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/tree/master/TS/examples https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/tree/master/TS/examp... [2] https://beepb00p.xyz/pkm-search.html#personal_information https://beepb00p.xyz/pkm-search.html#personal_information

Aardappel 4y ago
Yes, it is (compressed) binary: https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/blob/master/TS/docs/file_format_spec.txt https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/blob/master/TS/docs/... TreeSheets tries to be highly efficient in space/time, which is challenging with text formats. There's an option in the menus for auto html export on every save. It's what I use to browse my data from non-supported devices, e.g. mobile (thru e.g. DropBox).
- joshspankit 4y ago
  Have you been exposed to Kaitai Struct[0] yet? As someone who wanted to use binary data from programs I’ve used it quite successfully and even more to the point: quite happily [0] https://kaitai.io/ https://kaitai.io/
  - Aardappel 4y ago
    Nope, not seen this one, though there are many similar such specification languages. This one looks a bit overly verbose? I suppose someone could write a description of https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/blob/master/TS/docs/file_format_spec.txt https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/blob/master/TS/docs/... in that specification language to give parsers in many languages. May not be as easy as it sounds with the embedded PNGs and compression etc.
    - joshspankit 4y ago
      If someone provides an example binary file I’ll give it a try
      - Aardappel 4y ago
        there are many here: https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/tree/master/TS/examples https://github.com/aardappel/treesheets/tree/master/TS/examp...
        joshspankit 4y ago
        Right on, thank you. Would you mind exporting some of those examples and commit them alongside the `cts` files so that I can validate my own parsing?
darkteflon 4y ago
Oh hey: your articles on journaling and using a search-first interface heavily inspired me a couple years back, and formed the basis of my own system, with which I’m very happy. So, thank you very much!

joshspankit 4y ago

I don’t see any examples of data “deduplication” (a poor term used here to mean referring to the same data from multiple hierarchies, such as having a reference to the resume inside the row of people) Does TreeSheets do that natively?

Aardappel 4y ago
No, it does not have a way to render DAGs, it is purely a tree. It does have a way to follow "links" (cells with the same text).