Projects+Next Actions view

Projects+Next Actions view

[Marcelo de Moraes Serpa]

Hello list,

Another thing that I like about Things
(http://culturedcode.com/things/) is the "Next Actions" view. It
basically lists all projects plus the very first next action for each
of them. When you need some perspective, having quick access to a view
like this is very useful. It also shows any "orphan" tasks (tasks that
don't belong to a project), so you have a nice overview of what you
can do based on your own input.

With org, I have created a Projects view, a tags agenda filter
filtering for non-todo items. I could use follow mode, which is quite
useful, but doesn't give the same uncluttered view Things does with
its next actions view. I was wondering if it would be possible, even
if more elisp would be needed, to create a view like this?

E.x:

* Keep the cat alive :PROJECT:HOME:
 ** TODO Feed the cat
  ...

* Feature 2 :PROJECT:FEATURE:
** TODO Run the script
 ...

A screenshot of my Things dashboard:
http://i56.tinypic.com/2u4kimh.jpg.  On the right you see the Projects
and Next Actions view. On the left, blurred too, you see first the
projects list and below it the "Areas of Responsibility" list.

Cheers,

Marcelo.

Re: Projects+Next Actions view

[Matt Lundin]

Marcelo de Moraes Serpa <celoserpa@gmail.com> writes:

> Another thing that I like about Things
> (http://culturedcode.com/things/) is the "Next Actions" view. It
> basically lists all projects plus the very first next action for each
> of them. When you need some perspective, having quick access to a view
> like this is very useful. It also shows any "orphan" tasks (tasks that
> don't belong to a project), so you have a nice overview of what you
> can do based on your own input.
>
> With org, I have created a Projects view, a tags agenda filter
> filtering for non-todo items. I could use follow mode, which is quite
> useful, but doesn't give the same uncluttered view Things does with
> its next actions view. I was wondering if it would be possible, even
> if more elisp would be needed, to create a view like this?
>
> E.x:
>
> * Keep the cat alive :PROJECT:HOME:
>  ** TODO Feed the cat
>   ...
>
> * Feature 2 :PROJECT:FEATURE:
> ** TODO Run the script
>  ...
>

You could use a sparse tree view:

(add-to-list 'org-agenda-custom-commands
	     '("x" "PROJECT+N/A" tags-tree "PROJECT|TODO=\"TODO\""
	       ((org-show-siblings nil)
		(org-show-entry-below nil))))

Best,
Matt

Re: Projects+Next Actions view

[Marcelo de Moraes Serpa]

Thanks Matt!

However, this seems to show all the TODO items below a PROJECT item,
including the DONE ones. What I had in mind was to show only the first
child. Is it possible?

Thanks,

Marcelo.

On Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 6:56 PM, Matt Lundin <mdl@imapmail.org> wrote:
> Marcelo de Moraes Serpa <celoserpa@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> Another thing that I like about Things
>> (http://culturedcode.com/things/) is the "Next Actions" view. It
>> basically lists all projects plus the very first next action for each
>> of them. When you need some perspective, having quick access to a view
>> like this is very useful. It also shows any "orphan" tasks (tasks that
>> don't belong to a project), so you have a nice overview of what you
>> can do based on your own input.
>>
>> With org, I have created a Projects view, a tags agenda filter
>> filtering for non-todo items. I could use follow mode, which is quite
>> useful, but doesn't give the same uncluttered view Things does with
>> its next actions view. I was wondering if it would be possible, even
>> if more elisp would be needed, to create a view like this?
>>
>> E.x:
>>
>> * Keep the cat alive :PROJECT:HOME:
>>  ** TODO Feed the cat
>>   ...
>>
>> * Feature 2 :PROJECT:FEATURE:
>> ** TODO Run the script
>>  ...
>>
>
> You could use a sparse tree view:
>
> (add-to-list 'org-agenda-custom-commands
>             '("x" "PROJECT+N/A" tags-tree "PROJECT|TODO=\"TODO\""
>               ((org-show-siblings nil)
>                (org-show-entry-below nil))))
>
> Best,
> Matt
>

Re: Projects+Next Actions view

[Łukasz Stelmach]

Marcelo de Moraes Serpa <celoserpa@gmail.com> writes:

>
> On Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 6:56 PM, Matt Lundin <mdl@imapmail.org> wrote:
>> Marcelo de Moraes Serpa <celoserpa@gmail.com> writes:
>>
>>> Another thing that I like about Things
>>> (http://culturedcode.com/things/) is the "Next Actions" view. It
>>> basically lists all projects plus the very first next action for each
>>> of them. When you need some perspective, having quick access to a view
>>> like this is very useful.

>>> It also shows any "orphan" tasks (tasks that don't belong to a
>>> project), so you have a nice overview of what you can do based on
>>> your own input.

Remember, you can set CATEGORY property which is displayed in the
leftmost column of an agenda view. I set it in projects.org file so I
don't have to use :PROJECT: tag.

>> You could use a sparse tree view:
>>
>> (add-to-list 'org-agenda-custom-commands
>>             '("x" "PROJECT+N/A" tags-tree "PROJECT|TODO=\"TODO\""
>>               ((org-show-siblings nil)
>>                (org-show-entry-below nil))))
>
> However, this seems to show all the TODO items below a PROJECT item,
> including the DONE ones. What I had in mind was to show only the first
> child. Is it possible?

So use the ORDERED property, or properly nest action and enforce todo
dependencies <info:(org)TODO dependencies>. Actions that cannot be taken
right know because they depend on other actions will be displayed in
grey font on an agenda. If, however, they are featured this way there
probably is a way to hide them completely.

-- 
Miłego dnia,
Łukasz Stelmach