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𐃏 100 ROAM TIPS 𐃏
Just published a 25-min @RoamResearch intro course on YT.
To celebrate this act of masochism, I'll be posting the tips in tweet format here too! Bit-by-bit as I get time.
here's the mini-course I wish I could give myself when I started.
#RoamGames @conaw
Just published a 25-min @RoamResearch intro course on YT.
To celebrate this act of masochism, I'll be posting the tips in tweet format here too! Bit-by-bit as I get time.
here's the mini-course I wish I could give myself when I started.
#RoamGames @conaw
1. KEEP UP WITH CHANGES
@RoamResearch is a living tool w one of the fastest iteration cycles I've seen.
By the time you read this, these tips might have changed!
(Here's a blog post with these tips + any future changes: https://bit.ly/3u1fC9A )
@RoamResearch is a living tool w one of the fastest iteration cycles I've seen.
By the time you read this, these tips might have changed!
(Here's a blog post with these tips + any future changes: https://bit.ly/3u1fC9A )
2. SET UP
1. Sign up (free for 31 days)
https://roamresearch.com/#/signup
2. You get 3 graphs (separate "Roams" you can play with - not connected to each other)
3. Set up 1 then begin typing in your daily note!
EZ PZ. Roam runs directly in your browser (you must use Chrome, sorry), OR...
1. Sign up (free for 31 days)
https://roamresearch.com/#/signup
2. You get 3 graphs (separate "Roams" you can play with - not connected to each other)
3. Set up 1 then begin typing in your daily note!
EZ PZ. Roam runs directly in your browser (you must use Chrome, sorry), OR...
3. SET UP - DESKTOP APP
There's a "Progressive Web App" (basically a dedicated Chrome window you can launch from your toolbar).
This is great to avoid distractions while you work.
There's a "Progressive Web App" (basically a dedicated Chrome window you can launch from your toolbar).
This is great to avoid distractions while you work.
4. USE THE DAILY NOTE
Roam's wonderful because the structure emerges organically from your interests.
I neglected the daily note for months because it felt too wishy-washy and freeform. But it's the perfect staging ground for bottom-up emergent thinking.
Roam's wonderful because the structure emerges organically from your interests.
I neglected the daily note for months because it felt too wishy-washy and freeform. But it's the perfect staging ground for bottom-up emergent thinking.
5. MAKE SOME BULLETS
The bullet or ("block") is the primary unit in Roam.
Write a bullet. Then hit ENTER. You got a new bullet! Click enter. Write bullet. Hit tab. You've got an indented bullet! Woo!
Indentation is how you structure stuff in Roam. That way you can...
The bullet or ("block") is the primary unit in Roam.
Write a bullet. Then hit ENTER. You got a new bullet! Click enter. Write bullet. Hit tab. You've got an indented bullet! Woo!
Indentation is how you structure stuff in Roam. That way you can...
6. COLLAPSE & EXPAND BULLETS
Why look at everything at once?
You CLICK to hide sub-bullets ("children" to the "parent" bullet).
Do this all the time! Hide things and reduce your information overwhelm!
HOT-KEY:
Use hold CMD+UP
or CMD+DOWN
on the parent bullet. SPEEDY!
Why look at everything at once?
You CLICK to hide sub-bullets ("children" to the "parent" bullet).
Do this all the time! Hide things and reduce your information overwhelm!
HOT-KEY:
Use hold CMD+UP
or CMD+DOWN on the parent bullet. SPEEDY!
7. Don't Like Bullets? Use Document View or Numbered Bullets
Right
+ View As to change bullets OR WHOLE PAGES into doc view (no bullets) or numbered lists.
Dov view simplifies formatting if you copy+paste into another app!
(P.S. Call 'em "blocks" not bullets for accuracy!)
Right
+ View As to change bullets OR WHOLE PAGES into doc view (no bullets) or numbered lists.Dov view simplifies formatting if you copy+paste into another app!
(P.S. Call 'em "blocks" not bullets for accuracy!)
8.MULTI-LINES, 1 BLOCK
Hold SHIFT+ENTER.
Now you're on a new line WITHOUT creating a new block!
Great for sub-thoughts you -still want to see- even if you collapse the block (hiding sub-bullets).
(It's also the best way to tag items subtly! More on that later...)
Hold SHIFT+ENTER.
Now you're on a new line WITHOUT creating a new block!
Great for sub-thoughts you -still want to see- even if you collapse the block (hiding sub-bullets).
(It's also the best way to tag items subtly! More on that later...)
9. DRAG BLOCKS AROUND
What if you realize a new bullet is in the wrong spot, or actually just a sub-topic of an earlier thought, not really a standalone one?
Just drag it around!
Roam enables FREE-STYLE THINKING.
You can even drag a bullet into being a sub-bullet. NEAT!
What if you realize a new bullet is in the wrong spot, or actually just a sub-topic of an earlier thought, not really a standalone one?
Just drag it around!
Roam enables FREE-STYLE THINKING.
You can even drag a bullet into being a sub-bullet. NEAT!
10. SYNC CHANGES BUTTON
Roam auto-syncs changes as you make amendments, but if you're ever concerned that things aren't syncing, you can check the upper-right corner of the screen.
If things are green, you're good to go. Hover for more details!
Roam auto-syncs changes as you make amendments, but if you're ever concerned that things aren't syncing, you can check the upper-right corner of the screen.
If things are green, you're good to go. Hover for more details!
Keep scrolling for the rest of the tips (if they've been posted) 
If not -- BREAK: Will add more tips 10 at a time in this thread until I get to
You can check out the rest of the tips here in video format in the meantime!
If not -- BREAK: Will add more tips 10 at a time in this thread until I get to
You can check out the rest of the tips here in video format in the meantime!
11. MAKE TO-DO LISTS
I love getting things done in Roam.
To turn a block into a todo item, type CMD+ENTER when you're on that bullet.
(ORright click + MAKE TODO)
You should see a checkbox appear!
(p.s. type {{[[TODO]]}} out to get this if you like pain.)
I love getting things done in Roam.
To turn a block into a todo item, type CMD+ENTER when you're on that bullet.
(OR
right click + MAKE TODO) You should see a checkbox appear!
(p.s. type {{[[TODO]]}} out to get this if you like pain.)
12. MARK TODOs as DONE
Click a checkbox!
OR type CMD+ENTER again.
It will transform to DONE
(or {{[[DONE]]}} for masochists)
CMD+ENTER one a DONE to return it to a plain block.
(You can cycle states - bullet->TODO->done->bullet - by hitting CMD+ENTER repeatedly!)
Click a checkbox!
OR type CMD+ENTER again.
It will transform to DONE
(or {{[[DONE]]}} for masochists) CMD+ENTER one a DONE
to return it to a plain block.(You can cycle states - bullet->TODO->done->bullet - by hitting CMD+ENTER repeatedly!)
13. Use DATES to Organize Thoughts
Type /today + ENTER to tag today's date.
/tomorrow + ENTER to tag tomorrow!
Use DATES to sort in Roam:
WHEN did I learn something? WHEN do I have to act?
(spoilers: tag 'tomorrow' and it will show up in tomorrow's daily note!'
)
Type /today + ENTER to tag today's date.
/tomorrow + ENTER to tag tomorrow!
Use DATES to sort in Roam:
WHEN did I learn something? WHEN do I have to act?
(spoilers: tag 'tomorrow' and it will show up in tomorrow's daily note!'
)
14. Use TIME STAMPING to Track Your Day
Want to note when something happened?
Type /current time + ENTER.
You'll get an exact time stamp for your current time.
I use this in my daily note to track and "commit" to what I'm working on at any given moment.
Want to note when something happened?
Type /current time + ENTER.
You'll get an exact time stamp for your current time.
I use this in my daily note to track and "commit" to what I'm working on at any given moment.
15. ZOOM IN & OUT on BLOCKS
To focus on just 1 bullet (+ its children), select the line then type CMD + . (period)
To zoom back type CMD + , (comma)
This is great because you have a full page to elaborate on any interesting block.
It's like EVERY BULLET IS A PAGE!
To focus on just 1 bullet (+ its children), select the line then type CMD + . (period)
To zoom back type CMD + , (comma)
This is great because you have a full page to elaborate on any interesting block.
It's like EVERY BULLET IS A PAGE!
16. ZOOM IN & OUT on BLOCKS
(pt 2 - addt'l hotkeys)
Other ways to focus a block if you don't like commas and periods:
- Simply double-click the block's bullet
- Right click then select "Focus on Block"
- ctrl + o (the letter O, not zero) when a block is selected
(pt 2 - addt'l hotkeys)
Other ways to focus a block if you don't like commas and periods:
- Simply double-click
the block's bullet - Right click
then select "Focus on Block"- ctrl + o (the letter O, not zero) when a block is selected
17. Go BACK or FORWARD One Page FAST
Type CMD + LEFT ARROW
to go back one page, or CMD + RIGHT ARROW 
to jump forward again.
(You may need to hit "Esc" to unselect any selected blocks first!)
ALTERNATIVELY, click the back or forward arrows in your browser.
Type CMD + LEFT ARROW
to go back one page, or CMD + RIGHT ARROW to jump forward again. (You may need to hit "Esc" to unselect any selected blocks first!)
ALTERNATIVELY, click the back or forward arrows in your browser.
18. Return HOME to Your Daily Note
Click DAILY NOTES in the upper left you'll be back to today's Daily Note, which is basically your "Home Page."
If you're feeling cheeky, type CTRL + SHIFT + D.
You just jumped back home without any mouse shenanigans. Look at you!
Click DAILY NOTES in the upper left you'll be back to today's Daily Note, which is basically your "Home Page."
If you're feeling cheeky, type CTRL + SHIFT + D.
You just jumped back home without any mouse shenanigans. Look at you!
19. Make A New Page FAST
Highlight any word you've written. Type [ (left bracket) twice.
Boom! Congrats, this text is now a New Page
! (Signified by the double-brackets)
If that page existed already, this creates a link the pre-existing page. Neat!
Highlight any word you've written. Type [ (left bracket) twice.
Boom! Congrats, this text is now a New Page
! (Signified by the double-brackets)If that page existed already, this creates a link the pre-existing page. Neat!
20. Pages are Concept Bundles
Bullets = "a thought."
Sub-bullets = "a line of thought."
Pages = "a concept bundle."
a.k.a. thoughts converging!
LINK to a page when you mention that page's idea...
...or add bullets directly on the page!
Bullets = "a thought."
Sub-bullets = "a line of thought."
Pages = "a concept bundle."
a.k.a. thoughts converging!
LINK to a page when you mention that page's idea...
...or add bullets directly on the page!
