What is the Single Expand option, and when should I use it?
The Single Expand option reduces clutter and lets you focus on a particular section of the map. When it is turned on and you expand from a topic at a given level of the map, the branches shown from other topics at that level collapse.
Turn Single Expand on (or off)
This option is a toggle. There are three ways to turn it on (or off).
Method 1: Click the Single Expand button
You can click the Single Expand button on the BigPicture ribbon. The option is on when the button is highlighted; it is off when the button is white (as shown here).
Method 2: Select from the Map Settings dropdown list
You can choose the Single Expand Collapses Open Branches item from the Map Settings dropdown list. The option is on when there is a check mark next to this item; it is off when there is no check mark (as shown here).
Method 3: Change an Application Setting
You can change the default behavior in Application Settings (from the Utilities dropdown list on the BigPicture ribbon). This affects the current map and future maps.
Watch the effect
The following steps illustrate the effect of Single Expand being on.
Draw a map
At the outset, as you are drawing a map, all topics remain visible, regardless of the Single Expand state. It is later, when you have opted to collapse topics, that the Single Expand state becomes relevant.
Collapse all topics at some level
Expand one of the topics
Expand another topic at the same level
Here you see the effect. The topics emanating from the upper topic automatically collapse when the bottom topic is expanded. If you then expand the top topic, the bottom topic collapses, and you are back to the map in the previous step.
