Best way to use org-mode as a work log

Best way to use org-mode as a work log

[Ethan]

I've been an emacs user since about 1990, but have just recently
discovered org-mode.  It seems as if it would be very well suited to
use as my work log--I currently just use a regular text file.

Since a work log is based around daily entries, I'm wondering if
anyone can recommend the best way to use org-mode for such a purpose.
I perused the FAQs but didn't see anything.  Org-mode apparently
integrates with the emacs calendar/diary so there is probably a "right
way" to do this.  If there's a FM out there that deals with this I'm
happy to RTFM.

Thanks for you help.

Re: Best way to use org-mode as a work log

[tomas]

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On Fri, Dec 18, 2009 at 10:51:49PM -0800, Ethan wrote:
> I've been an emacs user since about 1990, but have just recently
> discovered org-mode.  It seems as if it would be very well suited to
> use as my work log--I currently just use a regular text file.

Same here. I'm using it at the moment as a work log (one top-level entry
per day, one second-level entry within each day for each task, with a
:PROPERTIES: drawer within it, stating, among other things which
customer/project/subproject to bill the working time to), but I'm still
unsure whether this is the right way to use Org.

So I, too would be interested on insight/ideas on this "modus operandi".

Regards
- -- tomás
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Re: Best way to use org-mode as a work log

[David Maus]

Hi Ethan,

At Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:51:49 -0800 (PST),
Ethan wrote:
> Since a work log is based around daily entries, I'm wondering if
> anyone can recommend the best way to use org-mode for such a purpose.
> I perused the FAQs but didn't see anything.  Org-mode apparently
> integrates with the emacs calendar/diary so there is probably a "right
> way" to do this.  If there's a FM out there that deals with this I'm
> happy to RTFM.

You may take a look at Worg, "a set of Org files collectively edited
by people who like Org-mode and want to share tutorials, ideas, code
snippets, etc."

http://orgmode.org/worg/

In addition, the Orgmode mailinglist at 

http://news.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.orgmode

is a good place to ask questions on specific setups. There's a good
chance that someone participating in the mailinglist uses org as a
work log and can explain his/her setup.

 -- David
-- 
OpenPGP... 0x316F4BE4670716FD
Jabber.... dmjena@jabber.org
Email..... maus.david@gmail.com
ICQ....... 241051416

Re: Best way to use org-mode as a work log

[Vagn Johansen]

Ethan <ethandbrown@gmail.com> writes:

> Since a work log is based around daily entries, I'm wondering if
> anyone can recommend the best way to use org-mode for such a purpose.

I do not if it the best way but "remember templates" could be useful
for this.

http://orgmode.org/manual/Remember-templates.html

-- 
Vagn Johansen

Re: Best way to use org-mode as a work log

[Ethan]

On Dec 19, 3:38 am, David Maus <maus.da...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Ethan,
>
> At Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:51:49 -0800 (PST),
>
> Ethan wrote:
> > Since a work log is based around daily entries, I'm wondering if
> > anyone can recommend the best way to use org-mode for such a purpose.
> > I perused the FAQs but didn't see anything.  Org-mode apparently
> > integrates with the emacs calendar/diary so there is probably a "right
> > way" to do this.  If there's a FM out there that deals with this I'm
> > happy to RTFM.
>
> You may take a look at Worg, "a set of Org files collectively edited
> by people who like Org-mode and want to share tutorials, ideas, code
> snippets, etc."
>
> http://orgmode.org/worg/
>
> In addition, the Orgmode mailinglist at
>
> http://news.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.orgmode
>
> is a good place to ask questions on specific setups. There's a good
> chance that someone participating in the mailinglist uses org as a
> work log and can explain his/her setup.
>
>  -- David
> --
> OpenPGP... 0x316F4BE4670716FD
> Jabber.... dmj...@jabber.org
> Email..... maus.da...@gmail.com
> ICQ....... 241051416

Thanks David.  I've made a posting over at http://news.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.orgmode

Re Best way to use org-mode as a work log

[Steve Revilak]

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ethandbrown> I've been an emacs user since about 1990, but have just
ethandbrown> recently discovered org-mode.  It seems as if it would be
ethandbrown> very well suited to use as my work log--I currently just
ethandbrown> use a regular text file.

A few months ago, I began using org-mode as a combinatin work log and
calendar.  Before org-mode, I used a plain text file.

As a work log, I like org-mode a lot.  It's a fantastic piece of
software.

Here are the org-mode-specific portions of my ~/.emacs.

(setq
  org-clock-into-drawer nil
  org-tags-column 60)
(define-key global-map "\C-ca" 'org-agenda)
(defun sr-org-boot ()
   ;; interactive, in case I start emacs before mounting /path/to
   (interactive)  
   (let ((f "/path/to/work.org"))
     (cond ((file-exists-p f)
            (setq org-agenda-files (list f))
            (appt-activate 1)
            (org-agenda-list)
            (org-agenda-to-appt))))
   )


tomas> I'm using it at the moment as a work log (one
tomas> top-level entry per day, one second-level entry within each day
tomas> for each task, with a :PROPERTIES: drawer within it, stating,
tomas> among other things which customer/project/subproject to bill
tomas> the working time to), but I'm still unsure whether this is the
tomas> right way to use Org.

I use a similar system -- a top level for months, a second level for
days, an a third level for tasks within each day.  I clock and tag
everything at the third level.


maus.david> You may take a look at Worg, "a set of Org files
maus.david> collectively edited by people who like Org-mode and want
maus.david> to share tutorials, ideas, code snippets, etc."
maus.david> http://orgmode.org/worg/

Worg is a great resource, as are the tutorials on
<http://orgmode.org/>.  One of the tutorials is a 45 minute video of
Carsten Dominik giving a tech-talk at Google:
<http://orgmode.org/GoogleTech.html>.  If you have 45 minutes to
spare, the talk is a nice introduction to org-mode, and the philosophy
behind it.

Steve

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Re: Best way to use org-mode as a work log

[Dmitri Minaev]

On Sat, Dec 19, 2009 at 6:47 PM, Vagn Johansen <gonz808@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Ethan <ethandbrown@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> Since a work log is based around daily entries, I'm wondering if
>> anyone can recommend the best way to use org-mode for such a purpose.
>
> I do not if it the best way but "remember templates" could be useful
> for this.

I second that. Besides, I have set up a keyboard shortcut in my window
manager (Stumpwm) which raises the Emacs window and calls the template
selection dialog, so I can add and entry to the log with just a few
keystrokes.

-- 
With best regards,
Dmitri Minaev

Russian history blog: http://minaev.blogspot.com

Re: Best way to use org-mode as a work log

[Ethan]

On Dec 20, 12:51 am, Dmitri Minaev <min...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sat, Dec 19, 2009 at 6:47 PM, Vagn Johansen <gonz...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > Ethan <ethandbr...@gmail.com> writes:
>
> >> Since a work log is based around daily entries, I'm wondering if
> >> anyone can recommend the best way to use org-mode for such a purpose.
>
> > I do not if it the best way but "remember templates" could be useful
> > for this.
>
> I second that. Besides, I have set up a keyboard shortcut in my window
> manager (Stumpwm) which raises the Emacs window and calls the template
> selection dialog, so I can add and entry to the log with just a few
> keystrokes.
>
> --
> With best regards,
> Dmitri Minaev
>
> Russian history blog:http://minaev.blogspot.com

Thanks for the suggestions.  I'm definitely going to read up on the
Remember Templates.  Here's how I've done my initial (very simple)
implementation:
I have a work log spanning the last 5 or so years on my current
project.  It's a plain
text file that I just edit in emacs, plain and simple.  Here is how my
work log is organized and how I've done my initial conversion to
org-mode.  My current format is of the form:
========================================
05/14/09

   Accounting system:
           Work on CSS for tables
                ** Use standard fonts!

            Design schema for SAP integration.
            ....

05/15/09
.....
05/16/09
.....
========================================

So when I start my work day, I just add the current date to the end of
the file and type away.   After reviewing the Org-mode docs and
playing around a bit I decided to just start simple and work my way
slowly into the more complex features.  I decided that my
implementation would set a top-level outline for each day and then set
the daily tasks with appropriate tags.  I needed to convert my current
work log, which contains entries from the last 5 or so years.  The
conversion was quite simple:

(1)  Replace all lines with "*" in the first character to "+" as the
first character so as not to inadvertently create an outline entry.
        M-x replace-regexp RET ^ *\* RET + RET

(2)  Replace all daily start entry lines with top-level outline
entries.  So lines of the form:

       05/15/09
    would be transformed to to lines of the form
       * Day Entry [2009-05-14]

    M-x replace-regexp RET
^\([0-9]\{1,2\}\)/\([0-9]\{1,2\}\)/\([0-9]\{2\}\) RET * Day Entry
\[20\3-\1-\2]  RET

And voila!  My work log was converted to org-mode format and I'm ready
to go.  Here's my work log for today in my new format, previous days
collapsed:

* Day Entry [2009-12-17] ...
* Day Entry [2009-12-18] ...
* Day Entry [2009-12-19]
** DONE Convert worklog to emacs .org file.        :work_organization:
  CLOSED: [2009-12-19 Sat 09:23]
*** DONE Replace all lines with * in the first character to +.
   CLOSED: [2009-12-19 Sat 09:10]
*** DONE Change all lines with starting entries XX/YY/ZZ to day
entries of the
   CLOSED: [2009-12-19 Sat 09:23]
     form * Day Entry [20ZZ-XX-YY]
       Use emacs replace-regex
         ^\([0-9]\{1,2\}\)/\([0-9]\{1,2\}\)/\([0-9]\{2\}\)
          => * Day Entry \[20\3-\1-\2]


I'm currently using KTimeTracker for doing my project time tracking,
but I'm going to read up on the org-mode timers and perhaps switch
over.

--Ethan

Re: Re: Best way to use org-mode as a work log

[Russell Adams]

> 
> Thanks Matt, and also Mueen for the responses.   I have a work log
> spanning the last 5 or so years on my current project.  It's a plain
> text file that I just edit in emacs, plain and simple.  Here is how my
> work log is organized and how I've done my initial conversion to
> org-mode.  My current format is of the form:
> ========================================
> 05/14/09
> 
>     Accounting system:
>             Work on CSS for tables
>                  ** Use standard fonts!
> 
>              Design schema for SAP integration.
>              ....
> 
> 05/15/09
> .....
> 05/16/09
> .....
> ========================================
> 

My workflow & projects is the opposite. I use a logical layout
organized by topic, plan, notes, etc. Each time I leave org and return
I insert an inactive timestamp, as well as making sure that TODO item
changes are logged.

I find organizing by topic or plan to be immensely easier to use.

Then, if I need a time view into my work, I pull up the agenda. I'll
often use the logbook mode, and if I want real detail I'll activate
the inactive timestamps.

Its a beautiful way to work, allowing me to focus on comprehensive
notes and organizing the issues at hand, while org provides alternate
views into that data.

Thanks.

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Russell Adams                            RLAdams@AdamsInfoServ.com

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