ForumsQuestionsNot understanding how start dates work?
Not understanding how start dates work?
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cbernard |
Hi,
Can you check if the assumption that I'm making about how the start date works is correct? I've been trying to use start dates to hide tasks until I am ready to begin working on them. For instance, I keep track of several residency applications that have due dates throughout the year. Usually, I start work on those applications a few weeks before they are due. So for example....Residency Paradise is due January 31. I set the "start date" at January 10 and a "due by" date of January 31 and sometimes if I want to be really sure I don't miss it, I also set an alarm seven days out from the due date. My default view is "today" tasks sorted by priority. As long as I have "show future tasks" selected in the sort menu shouldn't this task start to appear my list beginning January 10? That doesn't seem to be happening and I'm not sure how to get tasks to begin to show up on the start date.....or am I misunderstanding how this is supposed to work? Thanks for your help! cb |
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Simon |
Toodledo is odd about future tasks.
The only way I've been able to get the behaviour that you describe (and which I also wanted) was to set up a custom search: * Match all criteria * Checked off: No AND { Start date: Doesn't exist OR Start date: Was in the last 99999 days } I use this search as my main to-do screen now. It means that I can't directly use folders, so I have two different searches that are restricted to specific folders. One could do the same thing with contexts, or whatever. |
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cbernard |
Thanks for that - the behavior I'm trying to get to work is in the Toodledo FAQ, so I'm assuming there must be a way to trigger it...otherwise why have the button at all?
"You can use the start date field to specify when a project or event begins. This is useful if you have a task that cannot be completed ahead of time, and that you don't want to be reminded about until the specified start date has arrived. Any task with a start date more than 1 day in the future will be hidden from your list until the date arrives. You can always reveal these hidden tasks by turning off the "Hide Future Tasks" filter under the "Show" button in the toolbar above your list. The start date will move forward along with the due date when a task repeats." At the moment, tasks with start dates do not follow this behavior.....am I missing something? |
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allendr59 |
If I understand correctly, you have the "Future Tasks" box checked in the "Show" dropdown?
I leave all 3 checkboxes un-checked, and it hides all tasks with a start date greater than today correctly. My sort is set up as "Priority", "Start Date (reverse), and "Date Modified". Looking in settings, I have the "Hide Future Tasks" set to 1 month, but I don't think it should have any effect since the filters are set up to trigger on start date. |
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Salgud |
Frankly, I'm a bit confused about this conversation in general, and how filtering for Start Date would preclude the use of folders in particular. And all the "buttons" I'm aware of work fine.
I have my own custom Hotlist (the canned one doesn't give me enough control and flexibility) in Saved Searches, and the dates are filtered based on Start Date before Tomorrow or Start Date doesn't exist, along with Due Date before Tomorrow. I have Future tasks set to one month as well. It all works fine with folders and most of the other TD features (actually, all of the ones I've tried, which is most of them). So any tasks with either a Start Date or Due Date before tomorrow shows on my custom Hotlist today. |
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Wayne T. |
Hi cbernard,
The button "show future tasks" is not referring to showing the tasks in the future, but do you want them to show right now. I have future dates on my tasks too to hide them until their start date. You need to have the "show future tasks" check box NOT checked to hide them. |
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Salgud |
It really helps when we discuss the features of the interface if we use standard nomenclature to differentiate between them. The items at the top and bottom of the filter box are "Checkboxes", because they can have checks in them. Buttons are more like the "New Task" button.
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Jake Toodledo Founder |
I think the problem might be that you are looking at the "Today" list in the "Due-date" view. This list will only contain tasks that have a due-date of today. It will not contain tasks that have a start-date in the past and a due-date in the future. The "hotlist" can get close to what you are trying to do, but I would recommend Salgud's advice of creating a saved-search that has your exact criteria.
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cbernard |
Hi All,
Thanks for the replies, I think Jake nailed it. I was assuming that the "Today" view would show tasks with start dates in past and due dates in the future as long as I had "Show Future Tasks" selected. I have set up the saved search as suggested and it's possible that the best use is a combination of better organized lists rather than relying on one view as I've always done. Because so much of what I do is deadline based (grants etc) Due date seemed like the obvious default choice. I've used Toodledo for years and years but have only taken time to understand it at the most basic level. I only tried to delve into some of the more nuanced uses over the weekend when I realized I might be better served by reassessing how I've used Toodledo. That's when I ran into the start date wall - it seemed that I should be able to see the work period prior to a deadline in my list (instead of setting the due date early, then changing it everyday to reflect an ongoing task). It's possible that exploring the functionality of the other lists (like the hotlist) will help me produce the list I'm looking for..... Thanks again for your help! Cb |
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