FreeplaneJrubyInstaller Addon

Introduction

Freeplane supports groovy (.groovy) and javascript (.js) scripts out-of-the-box.

This addon adds support for ruby (.rb) scripts, enabling you to run ruby scripts (ex: <freeplane-user-dir>/scripts/my_ruby_script.rb) alongside the out-of-the-box .groovy and .js scripts.

The addon was made with 2 purposes:

• To enable Freeplane to use/run ruby scripts.
  To run a ruby script, you first need to install the FreeplaneJrubyInstaller-addon.
  Once the FreeplaneJrubyInstaller-addon is installed, you can then use ruby scripts in Freeplane
  This wiki page shows How to install the FreeplaneJrubyInstaller-Addon in Freeplane and How to use ruby scripts in Freeplane , in a step-by-step fashion.

• To be helpfull for non-programmers who want to try first-steps-of-programming with Ruby and make simple Freeplane ruby scripts.
  Ruby is easy to learn, has many tutorials/books written for new programmers, and the RubyLiveDebugger (included in this addon) gives an instant-gratification-labtest for ruby and freeplane scripting (demo video)
  Start by installing the addon as explained in this page, and then switch to the FreeplaneJrubyInstaller - developers wiki page. Hope you have fun :)

How to install the FreeplaneJrubyInstaller-Addon in Freeplane

To run a freeplane ruby script, you first need to install the FreeplaneJrubyInstaller-addon in Freeplane

To install the addon follow the instructions bellow (click on any image to enlarge it):

You dont need to manually download anything, all downloads are automatic.

• Check that your Java version is >= 1.7 (Jruby requires it). If you want to update your Java, goto https://java.com/en/download/

• Copy to your clipboard THE-URL-TO-THE-ADDON (without any leading/trailing spaces! or it fails):

THE-URL-TO-THE-ADDON:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/zipizap/FreeplaneJrubyInstaller/master/addon_lab/FreeplaneJrubyInstaller-v1.7.0.addon.mm

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/zipizap/FreeplaneJrubyInstaller/master/addon_lab/FreeplaneJrubyInstaller-v1.6.2.addon.mm

• Follow the images:

• Open Freeplane for a second-time, and:

• Open Freeplane for a third-time, and:

• The following final window should appear, which indicates that the FreeplaneJrubyInstaller-addon is now installed! Hurray!

Youtube demo video: install FreeplaneJrubyInstaller Addon

https://youtu.be/sJUWTcPhOk0

How to use ruby scripts in Freeplane

Once the FreeplaneJrubyInstaller-addon is installed, you can then use ruby scripts in Freeplane

Lets take as an example, that you have a my_ruby_script.rb file, that you got from the wiki or the forum or from a friend, and you want to use it in Freeplane.

Do this:

1. In Freeplane goto Tools/Open user directory to open the <freeplane-user-dir> in a new window
2. Inside the new window, open the subdirectory scripts
3. Copy/paste the new file into that subdirectory
   You should end up with: <freeplane-user-dir>/scripts/my_ruby_script.rb
4. Freeplane only detects new ruby scripts after a restart. So now close Freeplane.
5. Open Freeplane again, and you will see that there is a new entry in the menu Tools/Scripts/My_Ruby_Script - click on it to run the new ruby script!

You now have the ruby script in freeplane: from now on whenever you want to run this script, just click again Tools/Scripts/My_Ruby_Script

Youtube demo video: how to use ruby scripts in Freeplane

https://youtu.be/ExqYF0SLGzI

The first time you run a ruby-script in freeplane, it takes a while to "warm-up" jruby. Since the second and third and xxx times, the script will already run much faster. This also happens (in a lesser degree) with groovy scripts.

NOTE: To remove a script (either ruby or groovy), just delete the script from <freeplane-user-dir>/scripts/my_ruby_script.rb and restart Freeplane.