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Author	Message
Tim Gordon	Posted Feb 24, 2010 in: Use subtasks for projects - already-defined tasks -> subtasks Score: 0 Tim Gordon Posted: Feb 24, 2010 Score: 0 @Proximo Thanks Proximo - I've seen your vids and can see what you've done with Folders and Contexts, it's very neat. The key thing for me is that if I temporarily change the context of a subtask to Project I can get it in the same tab as the other parent tasks (similar to what you do with your Projects folder). Then I can drag and drop it - provided I can see the target parent tasks (ie there aren't too many). I might solve this by using a @Project tag, since I'm inclined to use Folders for areas of responsibility/interest. @wtrekell What you're doing with your high-level tags is very similar with what it's been suggested to me that I do with using Folders for areas of responsibility, rather than one for each specific deliverable project. Then I can place either single actions in an area of responsibility (Folder) or place actions to promote to a parent task in the same Folder. The problems come when I've more than 30 (screen size limit for me) single actions and projects in the same Folder - sooner or later there'll be a subtask I'd like to assign to a parent that will be off the screen. A quick sanity check of my current projects says I might get away with this. ------------- Ultimately Toodledo is all about slicing and dicing tasks into different grouped views in a way that makes sense to the user at a higher level. Unfortunately, as soon as you have more parent projects in a view than fit on the screen you're restricted to creating subtasks directly on the parent task. I guess we just have to live with this and accept the benefits that projects as parent tasks bring in terms of flexibility - it's a gnarly UI problem. Projects as parent tasks seem a bit too complicated to me (though I'm prepared to give them a go) - the mapping of Folders to GTD projects is very accurate and lightweight which I think is what it's all about, but then that's just my preference. If the following problems were solved I'd say subtasks might be better off just being used to break down a large task that you're working on (like an all-day one than needs some divide and conquer): - It'd be nice if there was a way to create folders on the fly (I think Omni allows you to do this). - It'd be nice if there were a way to see the number of tasks in a folder without having to resort to the tab count in the Folder view (unless there's a better way I've missed). - On the iPhone app it'd be nice if there were a fast-scroll index or or a narrow-down-on-typing on the Folder selection. I'm anticipating an explosion of in the number and churn of projects I'll have to take on (90 could be small potatoes) and a means of handling them flexibly is becoming pressing. I'll let you know how I get on.
Tim Gordon	Posted Feb 23, 2010 in: Fast-scroll index for large lists in iPhone app Score: 0 Tim Gordon Posted: Feb 23, 2010 Score: 0 Please please please put a fast-scroll index down the right-hand side of all lists with many choices like Folder - the same as in the iPhone Contacts application. This would do wonders for usability. (This would greatly improve the use of Folders for GTD projects). Thanks Tim
Tim Gordon	Posted Feb 23, 2010 in: Use subtasks for projects - already-defined tasks -> subtasks Score: 0 Tim Gordon Posted: Feb 23, 2010 Score: 0 Thanks Proximo Dragging a task to make it a subtask on the web app is fine - as long as you can physically see the target parent task in question. If, like many people, I've put all the project parent tasks into a Project context, then the problems are: 1. When I'm on my Inbox or some other context tab I can't see the target parent task I want to reassign to. This could be solved by creating a synthetic Subtask context and using a custom search which captures both Project and Subtask contexts to get them on the same screen. 2. If I've about 90 parent tasks in my Project context, what do I do if I want to assign this subtask to a parent that's off the screen? If there is no support for making a task a subtask on the iPhone then this is a serious limitation, though it kind of fits with the iPhone app being for reading while mobile and quick-entry of tasks which may be administered/organized in the web app. However, the web app doesn't seem to handle the subtasks very well. Support for the ability to be able to do the follow is paramount if subtasks are to be used for projects in Toodledo: - Quickly jot down an idea as a task with default attributes into some kind of inbox; then - Process that later and turn it into the subtask for a project later, without having to re-key it, even if there are many many parent tasks. Granted, maybe I should take less on and have fewer projects in life, but I've stuck with Folders for projects for now. My main gripe now that there's no narrow-down-on-typing feature for the selection of Folders - that's a large list to scroll through. Please please please put a fast-scroll index down the right-hand side of all lists with many choices like Folder - the same as in the iPhone Contacts application. This would do wonders for usability. Tim
Tim Gordon	Posted Feb 20, 2010 in: Sharing tasks - does this work on the iPhone Score: 0 Tim Gordon Posted: Feb 20, 2010 Score: 0 My wife and I waste a lot of time sending each other emails about stuff we need to co-ordinate on. We've both got iPhones now so I was wondering if the task sharing is available on that device. Can someone point me in the right direction?
Tim Gordon	Posted Feb 19, 2010 in: Use subtasks for projects - already-defined tasks -> subtasks Score: 0 Tim Gordon Posted: Feb 19, 2010 Score: 0 I've used Folders for projects up until now but I have something like 90 deliverable and ongoing projects now and it's becoming a bit unmanageable. I'd like to move over to using parent tasks for my projects with subtasks being the actions. I want to see my subtask actions alongside standalone tasks. I use contexts a lot (Home, Computer, Internet, etc). I've cheated a little and have created a Project context to keep the parent tasks out of the way and to facilitate my weekly review. My problem is: Let's say I've captured a bunch of actions using the iPhone app while I'm out and about - I then want to process them and assign some as subtasks. How do I do this on the web and on the iPhone? I'd rather not have to re-enter the tasks specifically as subtasks. A lot of people seem to use parent tasks for projects - where am I going wrong?
Tim Gordon	Posted Feb 19, 2010 in: Is there a way to copy and paste your list of folders? Score: 0 Tim Gordon Posted: Feb 19, 2010 Score: 0 I can use the export function and excel to produce one, but is there a better way?
Tim Gordon	Posted Feb 05, 2010 in: Any suggests for GTD with iterations? Score: 0 Tim Gordon Posted: Feb 05, 2010 Score: 0 I'd like to know how people organise themselves using Toodledo so that they can focus by prioritising projects, perhaps selecting a few deliverable projects they'd like to see completed in the next 3-month review cycle, while still allowing the efficiency benefits of GTD to be felt by picking off other 'tasks of opportunity' as you change between contexts to keep things moving along when you've a little enforced spare time (eg travelling). I create a folder for every project I work on - this includes deliverable projects which will produce something tangible in the near-term and ongoing projects that have no foreseeable end-date. The best way I can think of for working on iterations is during every 3-month review create two custom searches: - Urgent/Next Iteration. Captures all the projects I'd like to deliver or focus on in the next 3 months. - Not-Urgent. I know it's there but have no immediate plans to work on it. These are then bulk-updated to above-default and below-default priority respectively. Tasks that come up during the iteration are then default priority. During the weekly review Urgent/Next Iteration bulk updates can be used to keep the projects in the iteration moving first. Whenever I'm working on my todo lists I should switch to context, deal with due-by date first, then look at priority. I have to say my system feels too complicated - it takes a long time to do reviews and I feel I go over the same stuff again and again. Can anyone suggest a better way? People talk a lot on the forum about using subtasks (I'm a pro subscriber). Is creating subtasks better because they'll inherit the priority of the parent task? Isn't it annoying that the parent task is always visible? How do you do your weekely review and capture project tasks and check that they that have no subtasks and need more brainstorming? I've read some interesting posts about goals too but they seem too high-level to be relevant here as they seem to apply at the 1-year review cycle level. Any help with the overwhelming much appreciated!
Tim Gordon	Posted Jul 17, 2009 in: iPhone app Todo note edits lost switching applications Score: 1 Tim Gordon Posted: Jul 17, 2009 Score: 1 When editing the note attached to a Todo item and then switching to another application, switching back to the Toodledo iPhone application the synchronization starts (if it is set) and after synchronization any edits to the note are lost. This is especially inconvenient when taking notes during a telephone call. When hanging up the phone there can be an application switch. On switching back all the notes taken during the conversation are lost. Are there any plans to address this? I can turn off the automatic synchronization, but the manual synchronization is many clicks away, especially if "return to last screen" is set as the home screen option.
Tim Gordon	Posted Jul 17, 2009 in: iPhone app locks briefly when set to sync on start Score: 0 Tim Gordon Posted: Jul 17, 2009 Score: 0 When I switch back to the Toodledo iPhone application from another application (like having made a call or looked at a website) there is a very noticeable pause as the application prepares to synchronize and the application does not respond to input. If there is a network signal, once synchronization is in progress the application is responsive again - it's just the pause before this that is _incredibly_ annoying. If there is no network available ie you are making a phone call, then switching back to the Toodledo iPhone application it hangs for some time before coming back to life. This is most annoying having launched a call from the hyperlinked phone number in a Todo note. Is this a know issue? Is there any workaround? Thanks Tim
Tim Gordon	Posted Jul 07, 2009 in: Have there been any short outages? Score: 0 Tim Gordon Posted: Jul 07, 2009 Score: 0 Toodledo was inaccessible to me at work about 17:00 BST. I've just tried again at home at about 18:05 BST and couldn't reach Toodledo. It seems to be accessible again for me to make this post.
Tim Gordon	Posted May 28, 2009 in: Should subtasks inherit the context of their parent task? Score: 0 Tim Gordon Posted: May 28, 2009 Score: 0 Thanks Toodledo for taking note. Anders - I take your point about not always inheriting context since the whole point of GTD is to achieve an end result where multiple actions are potentially spread over different contexts. It is bit of a generalisation, I admit, but large tasks (usually work things for me) which need to get broken down into sub-tasks often need to primarily be carried out in one context (say @Office) with perhaps a few blockers that need to be pursued in other contexts (like @Agenda Boss). It depends on your style of working, though. Lots of personal projects eg 'Car Maintenance' are probably going to involve a multitude of contexts. It'll be nice when it's possible to configure optional attribute inheritance.
Tim Gordon	Posted May 27, 2009 in: Should subtasks inherit the context of their parent task? Score: 0 Tim Gordon Posted: May 27, 2009 Score: 0 When a subtask is specifically created as the subtask of a parent task which has a context assigned, should the subtask be created with the same context as the parent task? In this scenario, the subtask inherits the folder of the parent task. This doesn't feel right to me, as I now have to assign a context to the subtask, which is usually the same as the parent task. I can get around this using 'n' short-cut to create the task in the right context, but then it doesn't inherit the folder automatically. I accept there may be other scenarios that I haven't considered, but I thought I'd post before submitting this as a ticket. This message was edited May 27, 2009.