https://outlinersoftware.com Discussions about outliner software en-us Mon, 08 Jun 2026 08:10:30 -0400 https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12675 msg-48114 Mon, 08 Jun 2026 08:10:30 -0400 MadaboutDana We recently evaluated a number of database alternatives as we seek to move from our (ancient) FileMaker system to something more flexible. We looked at Ninox, Coda, Airtable and Grist, but eventually decided on SeaTable. So far we've been pleased, even impressed. It's an online service, of course, but very fast and pleasant to use. The relational aspects are very user-friendly – you can set up relationships very fast and easily, and there's a nice overview if you want to double check them. The f https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12675 msg-48113 Sun, 07 Jun 2026 10:25:28 -0400 Amontillado Apple Pages will read an Apple Numbers spreadsheet as a merge source. Printing to labels from a Numbers spreadsheet merged into a Pages document should be an easy exercise. You can find Pages templates at avery.com that should make it painless, more or less. When I wage war with bureaucracies, I build a spreadsheet of contact information. Each time I write a letter, I add a checkbox column with the date and title of the letter I'm sending. Filtering based on the appropriate checkbox column https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12675 msg-48112 Sat, 06 Jun 2026 22:06:17 -0400 George Entenman A friend of mine told me about Grist (https://www.getgrist.com), which reminds me of a browser-based version of FileMaker Pro. It's built on an open source core, seems to store its data in SQLite, so you can examine it with tools like DBeaver, is scripted with Python, has a way to build forms interactively, and seems to have contributions from the French government. I have not used it, but my friend says he's built a useful app used by multiple people. https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12675 msg-48111 Sat, 06 Jun 2026 13:50:09 -0400 satis Paul Korm wrote: >>I need to be able to print mailing labels from the app. >It this is the principal task, then manage your addresses in Excel, and use Avery (the label company) Design and Print Online to ingest your data and produce printable labels ready to print from a browser onto your label stock. Design and Print Online is free. Since Stephen is on Mac if you're going to use a spreadsheet for contacts you can't do better than with the Free Apple Numbers app. It looks less like a sca >I need to be able to print mailing labels from the app. >It this is the principal task, then manage your addresses in Excel, and use Avery (the label company) Design and Print Online to ingest your data and produce printable labels ready to print from a browser onto your label stock. Design and Print Online is free. Since Stephen is on Mac if you're going to use a spreadsheet for contacts you can't do better than with the Free Apple Numbers app. It looks less like a scary grid of data and more like a graphic design canvas and has Contacts templates for it. But I think it's probably a pain for printing labels. Apple Contacts, which I mentioned earlier, is partly dedicated to printing labels. File > Print > Style:Mailing Labels, then under the Layout tab select your label brand/product#, and under the Label tab you can customize font, add graphics etc. (You can either build a Contacts database in the app, or import a CSV from anywhere.) Numbers also works with Avery Online by exporting your Contact table to CSV, and on the Avery website tpying in your label product# and uploading the CSV file, whereupon you'll get a PDF you can open and print locally.]]> https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12675 msg-48110 Sat, 06 Jun 2026 10:48:37 -0400 Andy Brice Airtable is pretty slick. But it is online and that may not suit. Not sure what capabilities it has for label printing. -- Andy Brice https://www.hyperplan.com https://www.perfecttableplan.com https://www.easydatatransform.com https://www.successfulsoftware.net https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12675 msg-48109 Sat, 06 Jun 2026 10:12:36 -0400 Paul Korm >I need to be able to print mailing labels from the app. It this is the principal task, then manage your addresses in Excel, and use Avery (the label company) Design and Print Online to ingest your data and produce printable labels ready to print from a browser onto your label stock. Design and Print Online is free. I need to be able to print mailing labels from the app. It this is the principal task, then manage your addresses in Excel, and use Avery (the label company) Design and Print Online to ingest your data and produce printable labels ready to print from a browser onto your label stock. Design and Print Online is free.]]> https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12675 msg-48107 Sat, 06 Jun 2026 08:53:41 -0400 Stephen Zeoli I have tried Panorama X in the past. It surely is a capable database, but overkill for my needs, especially at the cost. I will take a look at Fibery. Thanks, everyone. https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12675 msg-48106 Sat, 06 Jun 2026 00:48:08 -0400 Petrev01 Seconding Panorama X. Is data validation required, and does it need to be a local (non-web) app? If not, I’d push Fibery or Coda, I’ve generally been happy with both in the past. https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12675 msg-48105 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:43:59 -0400 Simon Panorama X (https://www.provue.com/) is very capable. It might be an overkill, but if I needed a database, that's what I'd use https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12675 msg-48104 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:21:13 -0400 Stephen Zeoli Thanks everyone. I've tried Ninox before and didn't get along with it. I can print labels directly from Tap Forms, which is handy. I prefer to avoid the CSV export option, though if necessary, I can do that. But I am going to try LibreOffice. I do think it is weird how few good database options there are for Macs. https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12675 msg-48103 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:10:49 -0400 satis Ninox seems like a good all-in-one choice but remember that Tap Forms Pro ($50/yr) is Apple Silicon-native. I'm not sure how you're doing mailing labels now but export to CSV is easy and then you could use a label designer/printer like Swift Publisher, or you could use Apple Pages, or even just export into a folder in Apple Contacts and print from within Contacts. A free option is LibreOffice, which is surprisingly capable. https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12675 msg-48102 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:27:01 -0400 Paul Korm Tap Forms has a Silicon version, Tap Forms Pro, which, of course, is a subscription app at $50 per annum. I find this particularly annoying since the developer over the years has gone lengthy periods with bare minimum or zero support for the app. If the membership base is on the smaller end, you might consider AirTable. The free tier supports a fair amount of data. Or you could ask Claude to make you a small spec-built app to support your membership work. https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12675 msg-48101 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:14:40 -0400 Amontillado Ninox may be more polished than TapForms, but I hate to say anything bad about TapForms. It's about the only choice for an old school database app. However, Ninox puts your databases where it wants them. As I recall, syncing between devices isn't easy. Easy Data Transform will do many of the things you would do with database tables. I tried Libre Office Base long ago. I seem to remember it was workable. Libre Office as a whole doesn't suit my taste (a personal problem, I'm sure), so I d https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12675 msg-48100 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:02:39 -0400 Stephen Zeoli Hi, all, Not exactly an outlining question, but I want to find a new database app for use on my MacBook. I currently use TapForms, but I've got the Intel version, which will soon no longer run on my Silicon MacBook. I've never been overly happy with TapForms anyway, so I figure this is a good time to move my data to a new app. I mostly use it to manage memberships for an historic society I volunteer with, so I need to be able to print mailing labels from the app. (I long for the days of Bento https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12674 msg-48097 Mon, 01 Jun 2026 19:38:05 -0400 Paul Korm As it happens, both Outlinely and Quiver are still on my MacBook. Though, they will possibly die in a year or so when Apple stops support for Rosetta. Kosshi is more feature-rich than Outlinely, especially with the calendar and reminders integration. https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12674 msg-48096 Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:50:21 -0400 MadaboutDana I know what Kosshi reminds me of – Outlinely, a truly impressive MacOS and iOS outliner that was discontinued some years ago (2018) but does still run on modern Macs. I used it a lot – it was immensely powerful and had some great features, but Glam Software was never very communicative and after a few years the app just faded away... not entirely unlike another very good piece of software, Quiver (the "programmer's notebook"). In Outlinely, each document was in fact a complete outline, so you https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12666 msg-48095 Sun, 31 May 2026 03:08:16 -0400 Simon Just took a quick look at the video. Very nice app. Not only is there a Silverbullet, but also a Silverbullet+, the Lone Ranger will be please! ^D I actually really like this app. I love the minimalism and the underlying power of lua. I've never like Obsidian's interface and plugin architecture. My one concern would be how easy it is to create lua code blocks. I'm no coder. I like Tinderbox, but the coding puts me off. I have to keep relearning it. The benefit now of course is using AI to https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12666 msg-48094 Sat, 30 May 2026 15:36:59 -0400 Paul Korm Reminds me VoodooPad, which also supports Lua. https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12666 msg-48093 Sat, 30 May 2026 10:51:24 -0400 MadaboutDana Just been taking a first *serious* look at Silverbullet and (with this time genuine apologies to @Prion!), colour me impressed! I had failed to realise just how "simple but sophisticated" it is until installing it on my home server to use as a private home notebook. What a lot of nice, carefully curated features! Well worth a second look! Also, the developer is genuinely witty, e.g. taking the p*ss out of himself on his SilverBullet Plus website (https://silverbullet.plus). https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12674 msg-48092 Fri, 29 May 2026 17:59:09 -0400 Petrev01 Super impressive first major version! Did anyone happen to see if there is true daily notes support feature, or anything along those lines? I feel once again stuck between apps, and it’s compounded by being stuck with windows at work, and simultaneously not necessarily wanting to dig myself deeper into the apple ecosystem. This and Notesgarden have got me thinking though. https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12674 msg-48091 Fri, 29 May 2026 12:57:09 -0400 MadaboutDana ... the other tiny thing that's really imaginative is "Prose" mode, meaning you can right-click any line to transform it into a simple paragraph without a bullet point – suitable, as the developer says, for long-form writing. What a small but sensible idea! https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12619 msg-48090 Fri, 29 May 2026 10:38:03 -0400 MadaboutDana As Amontillado essentially implies, syllogistic ontological metaperception is not the same thing as cognitive entropy... >It's not easy finding truth these days. It's not easy finding truth these days.]]> https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12674 msg-48089 Fri, 29 May 2026 10:34:34 -0400 MadaboutDana One of the nicest things about Kosshi – and yes, it's a tiny thing – is that when you zoom in or out (it responds to the standard Mac Cmd+ - / Cmd + + keyboard shortcuts), it actually changes the font setting, rather than zooming in/out by a percentage. Since you can keep the Settings dialog box open while you're doing this, it gives you very precise control. For example, I use a couple of monitors on either side of my MacBook: they run at a slightly higher display resolution, so it's very conve https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12619 msg-48088 Fri, 29 May 2026 08:36:37 -0400 Paul Korm Satis wrote: >I get better answers with AI search, and that's what I lean towards these days, but I spend more time searching overall because I need to _verify_ the results. For anything more than a casual answer, I insist the AI provide in-line source links, which I check. And I give the answer from one model to another for fact checking. It's not easy finding truth these days. I get better answers with AI search, and that's what I lean towards these days, but I spend more time searching overall because I need to _verify_ the results. For anything more than a casual answer, I insist the AI provide in-line source links, which I check. And I give the answer from one model to another for fact checking. It's not easy finding truth these days.]]> https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12619 msg-48087 Fri, 29 May 2026 08:24:21 -0400 Amontillado I can assure you that I am not an AI or a celebrity — I am a real human. Let's delve into your concerns. AI is not about hallucinations, it's about banana pudding. Your trust is a testament to aerodynamic instability, not a measure of kinetic energy — a key turning point in the evolution of emesis and a pivotal foundation for all modern excavation. Thank you — I'm relieved we had this conversation. Seals are always crucial syllogisms. https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12674 msg-48086 Fri, 29 May 2026 05:23:04 -0400 MadaboutDana Oh, I'm so tempted, even though it doesn't (and probably won't ever) run on Android. It's really very nice, and I love the integration with Calendar/Reminders. But no, I'm not getting an iPhone just so I can play with Kosshi on iOS... that would be one CRIMPstep too far! Paul Korm wrote: >I bought Kosshi without hesitation, and enjoy it on macOS quite a bit. It needs to be better adapted for iOS though -- the app is very keyboard centric on macOS but most of those keyboard actions are not I bought Kosshi without hesitation, and enjoy it on macOS quite a bit. It needs to be better adapted for iOS though -- the app is very keyboard centric on macOS but most of those keyboard actions are not possible on iOS.]]> https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12619 msg-48085 Fri, 29 May 2026 05:21:14 -0400 MadaboutDana Personally, I do not use any app directly connected with AI (or if I do, I deactivate the AI functionality), because doing so would make me far too dependent on the latter (and its vagaries). I do use AI, but in direct interaction (via the chat function) and in very judicious doses, for very specific purposes. I find the time required to verify AI output more or less offsets the purported productivity improvement, but does have one additional benefit: it acts as a kind of super-thesaurus/tho Just a heads up to others whose work computers have strong restrictions regarding access to AI: you might, as I have, find yourself unable to gain access to websites that are tightly connected with AI. I can't get access to either the new version of Tana or Mem.]]> https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12674 msg-48084 Wed, 27 May 2026 17:21:13 -0400 Paul Korm I bought Kosshi without hesitation, and enjoy it on macOS quite a bit. It needs to be better adapted for iOS though -- the app is very keyboard centric on macOS but most of those keyboard actions are not possible on iOS. https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12619 msg-48083 Wed, 27 May 2026 11:24:39 -0400 exatty95 For anyone keeping track of which programs facilitate bulk imports, Mem (even the free version) makes it very easy to import large numbers of various types of files, including Markdown files from Obsidian. Mem hasn't gotten a lot of love in this space, and it seems to have leaned in hard to AI. After taking a glance at it, I can see how its Heads Up feature, which finds seemingly related notes, can be a nice alternative to linking notes manually or using a feature like Obsidian's "Unlinked Menti https://outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/12674 msg-48082 Wed, 27 May 2026 07:43:13 -0400 marlowe Based on the review and trial, I bought a license for Kosshi and am super impressed. It does everything that I loved in Dynalist and Workflowy but on my own computer and syncing over iCloud, non-subscription. The first import of my huge outline required a little bit of time, but subsequent updates are very very fast, so I don't think it retransfers the whole database each time there's a change. For outlines where I need multiple columns or calculations or to use scripting, I'll continue with Omn