VS Code preview extension (GoMind Viewer)

GoMind Viewer is the GoMind extension for VS Code. It renders Markdown, YAML, XMind, and GoMind files as read-only mind maps, so you can work on documents, maintain a knowledge base, or browse a repository without leaving VS Code.

Use it to:

• write Markdown or YAML while keeping the structure in view;
• read .xmind and .gomind files quickly;
• switch between many maps in a workspace.

The extension is for previewing only. Use the GoMind app or another appropriate tool for editing, cloud sync, AI, import, and export.

Requirements

• Desktop VS Code 1.85 or newer.
• Windows, macOS, or Linux.
• Offline preview does not require a network connection. The online web app entry in the GoMind sidebar does require one.
• The current release targets desktop VS Code with a local folder or local file. vscode.dev, Remote SSH, Dev Containers, and Codespaces are not verified; local file preview is not recommended in those environments.

Install and update

Install from the Marketplace

1. Open the Extensions view in VS Code (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+X).
2. Search for GoMind Viewer or the extension ID POSHGROUPLIMITED.gomind-viewer.
3. Confirm that the publisher is POSHGROUPLIMITED, then choose Install.
4. If VS Code asks to reload the window, follow the prompt.

After installation, a GoMind icon appears in the Activity Bar. You can also right-click a supported document to confirm that the matching preview command is available.

Marketplace page: GoMind Viewer

Install a VSIX for offline or intranet use

If the Marketplace is unavailable, use the .vsix package provided by your organization:

1. Obtain a gomind-viewer-<version>.vsix compatible with your VS Code version.
2. Open the Extensions view, then choose ... → Install from VSIX... in the view title.
3. Select the VSIX file and reload the window when prompted.

You can also run:

code --install-extension /path/to/gomind-viewer-<version>.vsix

Local file preview works after an offline install. The online web app entry in the sidebar still requires access to the corresponding website.

Update or uninstall

Find GoMind Viewer in the Extensions view to check for updates or uninstall it. If the sidebar icon or commands do not appear after an update, reload the VS Code window.

Supported formats

In the Simplified Chinese interface, the command names are 使用 GoMind 预览 Markdown, 使用 GoMind 预览 YAML, 使用 GoMind 预览 XMind, and 使用 GoMind 预览 GoMind.

Open a preview

From the current file

1. Open a file in the editor, or select it in the Explorer.
2. Right-click the file and choose the matching Preview ... with GoMind command.
3. The preview opens in the active editor column.

You can also open the Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+P) and search for Preview ... with GoMind or 使用 GoMind 预览 ....

When you preview another supported file, the extension reuses the same GoMind Viewer tab and updates its title and contents instead of opening many preview tabs.

From the GoMind sidebar

1. Select the GoMind icon in the Activity Bar.
2. If the active tab is a supported file, choose Preview <file name> to open the current document in one click.
3. To preview a specific file, choose Select a file to preview and pick a Markdown, YAML, XMind, or GoMind file from disk. The file does not need to be inside the current workspace.
4. For the online app, use Open in editor or Open in browser at the bottom of the sidebar.

From the Previewable Files list

Previewable Files in the GoMind sidebar lists the supported files in the current workspace:

• Select an entry to open its preview.
• Use the refresh action in the view title to rescan the workspace.
• Use the list/tree action to switch between a flat list and the folder hierarchy. The choice is remembered per workspace.
• If the current editor contains a supported file, a preview button for that file also appears at the top of the sidebar.
• The list skips common dependency and build directories such as node_modules, .git, .svn, dist, build, out, and coverage. In a workspace with many supported files, it lists up to 1,000 files.
• If the workspace has no supported files, the view shows a prompt. Choose Select a file to preview or open a file from the Explorer.

Reading and navigation

The preview is read-only. Use the reading controls provided by the canvas and standard mouse or trackpad gestures:

• Drag an empty area to pan the canvas.
• Zoom with the mouse wheel, trackpad, or pinch gesture.
• Use the reading controls at the lower-left of the canvas to focus the root node, switch branches, go back or forward, center the view, find nodes, zoom, show the minimap, and show or hide notes.
• Use the visible branch controls to collapse or expand sections when you want to focus on the current part.

Control names and available actions can vary slightly by version and file format. The interface is authoritative.

Refresh and editing

• The preview reads the file content already saved on disk. Unsaved edits in the editor are not shown immediately.
• By default, saving the source file refreshes the preview automatically.
• When gomind.viewer.enableAutoRefresh is true (the default), saving the source file reloads the preview.
• With auto-refresh off, saving does not update the preview. To see the latest content, close the preview tab and run the preview command again.
• If a tool outside VS Code modifies the file, reopen the preview to read the latest content.
• You cannot edit, save, export, or sync from the preview. Edit the source file instead; for XMind and GoMind files, use the GoMind app.

Online web app

The bottom of the GoMind sidebar provides an online web app entry:

• Open in editor loads the online GoMind web app in a VS Code tab, which is useful when you need a wider canvas.
• Open in browser opens the online app in your default browser, which is useful for sign-in, pop-ups, clipboard access, or compatibility requirements.

The online app loads from https://gomind.app/app/ by default. For the mainland China entry, set gomind.app.region to mainland; the extension then uses https://gomindapp.com/app/.

The online app and the offline preview are separate paths: the online app does not automatically open the current local file, and the extension does not pass local file paths, preview tokens, or credentials into it. To preview a local file, use the preview commands described above.

Settings

Search for GoMind in VS Code Settings to find these options:

Offline preview and privacy

• The extension bundles the Viewer rendering assets. Offline preview needs no network connection and does not intentionally upload your document to GoMind or another remote server.
• On the first preview, the extension starts a local HTTP server on a random port on 127.0.0.1 and exposes only the file currently being previewed through a short-lived random token. The token expires after about 30 minutes; closing the preview tab or switching files releases the old token.
• The local server accepts only tokens minted by the extension for the current file, so it cannot be used to read arbitrary paths.
• The online web app is different: it loads GoMind's web service over the network, so normal web-service data handling applies. The extension does not pass local file paths, preview tokens, or credentials into the online app.
• On a shared computer, close the preview tab to stop token access to the current file. Disable or uninstall the extension if you do not need it.

Limitations

• The preview is read-only. You cannot edit, create, save, export, or sync files from it.
• The extension does not include the GoMind app's cloud documents, version history, AI, account, or import/export features.
• Only the extensions in the table above are supported. Import or convert other formats in the GoMind app first.
• The extension does not take over the default handler for .gomind and .xmind. Double-clicking those files may show binary content in VS Code; use the preview command instead.
• Larger and more complex files take longer to open and to refresh after saving.
• The current release is not intended for vscode.dev, Remote SSH, Dev Containers, Codespaces, or other remote or browser-based development environments.

Troubleshooting

The preview command is missing from the context menu

• Confirm that the file extension is listed in the supported formats table.
• Confirm that GoMind Viewer is installed and enabled.
• Try right-clicking the file in the Explorer, or search for the command in the Command Palette.
• Reload the VS Code window.

The preview is blank or keeps loading

• Save the file, then reopen the preview.
• Open View → Output and select GoMind Viewer or GoMind Viewer Panel to inspect errors.
• Confirm that you installed the complete extension package, not a partial copy of its files.
• Try a smaller file. If only one file fails, record the file format and reproduction steps.

The preview does not update after saving

• Confirm that gomind.viewer.enableAutoRefresh is true.
• Close the current preview tab and run the preview command again.
• If the file was modified outside VS Code, reopen the preview.
• Some formats and large files may take longer to finish parsing.

The Previewable Files list is empty

• Confirm that you opened a workspace folder, not only a single file.
• Use the refresh action in the view title to rescan.
• Confirm that the files are not inside an excluded build or dependency directory.
• Use Select a file to preview to open a file from disk directly.

The online web app does not open

• The online app requires a network connection. Confirm that the network, proxy, and firewall allow access to gomind.app or gomindapp.com.
• Choose Open in browser in the sidebar as a fallback.
• If the browser works but the editor tab does not, use the browser version for sign-in or compatibility tasks.
• Offline file preview does not depend on the online app; local preview continues to work even when the online entry is unavailable.

.gomind or .xmind opens as garbled text

This means VS Code opened the binary file with a text editor. Close that tab and use Preview GoMind with GoMind or Preview XMind with GoMind, or select the file from the sidebar's Previewable Files list.

Report a problem

Include the following when reporting an issue:

• the extension name and version;
• the VS Code version and operating system;
• the file type and reproduction steps;
• any error messages in the GoMind Viewer output panel.

Do not attach confidential documents.

Related documentation

• Import and export
• Cloud, AI, and integrations
• Shortcuts and troubleshooting

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