Frequently asked questions

What’s the latest version of bCisive?

The latest version is bCisive 1.0.6, released on July 25, 2008.

How do I get a full (non-trial) copy of bCisive?

If you have downloaded a trial copy of bCisive, you already have the full software. It just needs to be “activated,” or converted from trial mode to full mode. To do this, you need to purchase a serial number.

What happens when my trial period expires?

When you start bCisive you will be asked to enter your serial number to activate the full version. Alternatively, you can continue to use bCisive in reader mode. You will be able to view and navigate bMaps, but not create or edit them.

Where do I get a serial number to activate bCisive?

You can purchase a serial number from the bCisive online store, or from a reseller.

What happens when I activate bCisive?

Your copy of bCisive will be converted to full mode. This uses up one of the “activations” allowed for your serial number.

How many times can I activate bCisive?

That depends on how many activations you are entitled to under the terms of your license. Standard individual licenses allow two activations.

I’m getting a ‘page not found’ error when I try to purchase bCisive. How can I fix it?

It’s likely that your computer is blocking cookies. The purchase process requires a cookie to be placed on your computer (no personal identifying details are collected). Enable cookies for Austhink websites, and repeat the purchase process.

Please read our Privacy Statement for more on how we collect and use your information.

Can I get bCisive for my Mac?

bCisive runs on Windows Vista, XP and 2000. It’s not available for Mac OS, and we are not currently planning a Mac version. However, we are working on a browser-based version that should work on Macs.

How can I make more space to view my map?

If you need more room to move around your bCisive workspace, try closing the Building Panel on the left and the Text Panel on the right, using the button at the bottom of the screen.

You can minimise the ribbon menu too, by double clicking on any one of the ribbon tabs. Just click a tab once to reveal it again.

For maximum elbow room, click ‘Full Screen’ in the Zoom to Fit area of the View tab, or press F11. Your workspace will expand to fill your entire screen. Press F11 again to return.

How do I create a new bCisive window, or a new page in my workbook?

Each bCisive file contains only one workspace, not a ‘workbook’ of many pages.

Your workspace is infinitely big and you can build as many separate maps on one workspace as you like. When you want to create a new workspace, click on the drop-down arrow under ‘File’ on the Home ribbon and select ‘New’. This creates a new bCisive file.

When you have more than one bCisive file open at once, you can switch between them using the Windows button at the bottom of the screen.

Is dragging an item near another one the only way to relate them?

Yes, dragging them together is the only way to relate two existing items. You can create new boxes without dragging and dropping, though, by selecting a box in your map and pressing the Insert key for a new ‘child’ box and the Enter key for a new ‘sibling’ box.

Can I relate boxes in my map in other ways than parent-child?

bCisive decision maps are heirarchical, which means that the only direct relationship is parent-child. It’s not currently possible to add other relationships, for example, relating a single Pro to more than one Option. We may add this functionality in the future.

Can I build a map automatically, without having to position the boxes manually?

The easiest way to add new boxes to your map without dragging and dropping them from the Building panel is to use the Insert and Enter keys on your keyboard.

The Insert key adds a new ‘child’ box below your selected box, automatically making it an appropriate box type for its position in your map. You can change the box type using the ‘Box’ button on the Home ribbon or by selecting ‘Change box’ from the right-click menu.

The Enter key adds a new ‘sibling’ box of the same type next to your selected box. If you’ve entered text in a box and want to finish and create a new sibling box, press Shift-Enter.

How can I rank the options, or show the relative strength of arguments or evidence?

Not all Pros and Cons are created equal. A Con might be a minor inconvenience, or it might be a deal-breaker. Likewise, not all evidence is equally reliable.

One visually effective way to show that a box is more important than those around it is to increase the font size. You can also use the Evaluate buttons in the Home ribbon to add Accept, Hmmm and Reject watermarks to Argument or Pro and Con boxes.

How do I delete a Note from a box?

Click the small pin icon in the corner of the box, which will open the Notes tab in the Text Panel. Delete the note text from the tab. This will remove the note from the box entirely.

Can I make my own box types?

Yes, you can edit headings and add pictures to create any type of box you need.

To use your own icon or picture, drag it onto the workspace from its location on your computer or on a website. It will form its own box, which you can connect to your map as you like.

You can add a custom heading to a box by typing it between asterisks, like this: heading. When you finish entering text and exit the box, it will appear as a bold heading. You can lock or unlock a box’s heading using the right-click menu. Once locked, headings can be shown or hidden using the Locked Headings button on the View ribbon.

Can I add a heading or text introduction to my map?

It’s easy to give your map a heading and other supporting text. Simply create a basic Item – by double-clicking the workspace or dragging from the Building Panel – and type your text into it.

By default, the basic box has no fill color or border, but you can add them using the Appearance ribbon if you like. Resize your box, change the font size and position it where you’d like it around your map, without connecting it.

How can I search for and view a particular box type across my map?

Open the Find Text Toolbar using the button on the View ribbon. Enter the box type you’re looking for into the search field, and select Highlight All.

You can search for and highlight all occurrences of any text using the same process.

Can I print my bCisive map across multiple A4 pages?

No, at the moment bCisive doesn’t support printing across multiple pages. If you have access to one, you can get great results printing big maps on a larger-format printer. If you are limited to A4, try splitting up large maps into more manageable individual branches and printing them separately.

Instead of printing your map, consider using bCisive to display it on a big computer monitor or with a projector. Even large maps are easy to explore. If you want to send your map to a colleague, using the bMap Bundle feature will allow them to view your map on their own screen, zoom in and out and pan around, even if they don’t have bCisive installed.

How do I create and export a text outline of my map?

Open the Text Panel and choose the ‘Outline’ tab. Select any box in your map and the text outline will be displayed automatically. You can choose how you want the outline to look by using the checkboxes to turn formatting like indenting and numbering on or off.

To export the outline for use in Word or any other program, just copy and paste it from the Text Panel, or save it to your computer using the ‘Text Outline’ button in the Export section of the Output ribbon.

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