In TMNav opening a topicmap actually means, that a topicmap is parsed from a textual representation and added to one of the various providers, that tm4j comes with.

Once a topicmap is added to the provider, it is accessible as long as the provider is open.

If you close the provider, all topicmaps which are provided by this provider are closed too.

Currently, tmnav does not support the removal of a topicmap. Hopefully, this feature will be added soon.

In order to open a Topicmap, navigate to the File-Menu in TMNavs global menubar and choose Open Topicmap...

The "Open Topicmap..."-Dialog pops up.

You find a Combo Box in the upper right corner where you select to which provider you want to add the Topicmap. If you are unsure what provider to use, choose the default-provider or any other instance of the in-memory-provider. If the Combo Box is empty, you must create a provider prior to be able to add a topicmap.

Next, you must supply the path to the topicmap you want to open. If the topicmap should be read from the local filesystem, you can use the Browse...-Button to select the path. Alternatively, you may enter the path to the Topicmap-file into the textfield left to the button.

If you want to load a map from an external server, please type the url into the text-field. Please keep in mind to enter the protocol with the url (i.e. http:// or ftp://).

Click "OK" to start adding.

After you clicked the "OK"-Button, the "Open Topicmap..."-Dialog closes and an icon for your freshly added topicmap appears in the "Loaded Topicmaps"-View. The text on the right to the icon contains the path to your topicmap, prefixed by the word "Loading". This indicates that TM4J currently parses the Topicmap and adds it to the provider.

While the Topicmap is in the state of opening, you cannot use in TMNav. When parsing is done, the text right to the icon changes. The prefix "Loading " disappears and the text now contains the baseURL of the Topicmap. Now you are able to browse that map.

TM4J supports TopicMaps in either XTM or LTM-Notation and so does TMNav.

Currently TMNav decides on base of the extension of the file you supplied, what importer to use. If your file ends with .ltm, TMNav assumes that the TopicMap is provided in LTM-Notation. In all other cases, XTM-Notation is assumed

You may configure TMNav to open certain providers a startup time. You are the able to access all Topicmaps, which are contained in thees providers immediately. For a more in depth discussion, please refer to the TMNav-Configuration chapter