Tracking time with MobileOrg

Tracking time with MobileOrg

[Jeff Kowalczyk]

Can the current version of MobileOrg be used for a simple time tracking
workflow? (i.e. does it have an easy clock in and clock out?)

My wife has a need for a simple time tracking application on the iPhone. The
only number needed is total hours spent per period (e.g. month) on one task, the
full-time job.

I use Org Mode for my own worklogs, and would do any necessary pre-templating
and post-processing on the resultant Org file, if a rapid-capture strategy can
be worked out for MobileOrg.

Given how much I use and like Org Mode myself, I'd be really pleased if we can
work with Org as a file format for this application, rather than some
closed-source app.

Thanks,
Jeff

Re: Tracking time with MobileOrg

[Erik Iverson]

Jeff Kowalczyk wrote:
> Can the current version of MobileOrg be used for a simple time tracking
> workflow? (i.e. does it have an easy clock in and clock out?)

I do not believe so, but I will put in my vote for this being a really,
really good idea.

> 
> My wife has a need for a simple time tracking application on the iPhone. The
> only number needed is total hours spent per period (e.g. month) on one task, the
> full-time job.
> 
> I use Org Mode for my own worklogs, and would do any necessary pre-templating
> and post-processing on the resultant Org file, if a rapid-capture strategy can
> be worked out for MobileOrg.
> 
> Given how much I use and like Org Mode myself, I'd be really pleased if we can
> work with Org as a file format for this application, rather than some
> closed-source app.
> 
> Thanks,
> Jeff
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Emacs-orgmode mailing list
> Please use `Reply All' to send replies to the list.
> Emacs-orgmode@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/emacs-orgmode

Re: Tracking time with MobileOrg

[Ilya Shlyakhter]

> Can the current version of MobileOrg be used for a simple time tracking
> workflow? (i.e. does it have an easy clock in and clock out?)

I very much second the request to support time tracking in MobileOrg.
For me, this would be the single most useful extension of MobileOrg.

ilya

Re: Tracking time with MobileOrg

[Richard Moreland]

Hi Jeff,

I'm glad you mentioned this.  It is on my list of things to work on next.

I still need to coordinate it with Carsten to make sure the approach is sound and that he can support me by updating org-mobile.el.

My plan for the UI is this:

- Two methods to clock in a new task:  First, you can tap and hold on a node, then click the 'Clock in' button.  Alternatively, you can open up the node details page and click a similar 'Clock in' button.

- To clock out, you can use the same method, but the button would say 'Clock out' instead.  Since it would be tedious to find the current clocking item, I'm considering...

- A tab/icon at the bottom for Clocking (like the 4 existing icons at the bottom).  I may make it optional in the Settings page.  If you are clocking, there will be an indicator on the icon letting you know so, perhaps by overlaying the clock time on the icon somehow.

- If you click on the clocking icon at the bottom, a list of recently clocked tasks will be shown, with the active one being highlighted.  You can stop the running clock, or start the clock on any of your recent items.

When you sync and run org-mobile-pull, the time logs would be added to the correct nodes (I'll need Carsten or a volunteer to help me integrate this part).

I believe this workflow would make it easy to clock in (either by navigating to the node in the outline, searching for it on the Search page, or identifying a recently clocked item) and clock out.

I haven't covered any type of reporting within the app, I was hoping to keep things relatively simple.  But if there is a need for this let me know.  Perhaps clicking on an entry in the recently clocked list could display the start/stop times and some summary info.

Let me know what you think, it would help to have some feedback on the workflow before I begin.

Thanks,
Richard

On Oct 6, 2010, at 2:41 PM, Jeff Kowalczyk wrote:

> Can the current version of MobileOrg be used for a simple time tracking
> workflow? (i.e. does it have an easy clock in and clock out?)
> 
> My wife has a need for a simple time tracking application on the iPhone. The
> only number needed is total hours spent per period (e.g. month) on one task, the
> full-time job.
> 
> I use Org Mode for my own worklogs, and would do any necessary pre-templating
> and post-processing on the resultant Org file, if a rapid-capture strategy can
> be worked out for MobileOrg.
> 
> Given how much I use and like Org Mode myself, I'd be really pleased if we can
> work with Org as a file format for this application, rather than some
> closed-source app.
> 
> Thanks,
> Jeff
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Emacs-orgmode mailing list
> Please use `Reply All' to send replies to the list.
> Emacs-orgmode@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/emacs-orgmode

Re: Tracking time with MobileOrg

[Carsten Dominik]

Hi Richard,

On Oct 7, 2010, at 12:55 AM, Richard Moreland wrote:

> Hi Jeff,
>
> I'm glad you mentioned this.  It is on my list of things to work on  
> next.

Support for clocking in MobileOrg would be very valuable.  And of course
I'd be happy to handle the Emacs side.

>
> I still need to coordinate it with Carsten to make sure the approach  
> is sound and that he can support me by updating org-mobile.el.
>
> My plan for the UI is this:
>
> - Two methods to clock in a new task:  First, you can tap and hold  
> on a node, then click the 'Clock in' button.  Alternatively, you can  
> open up the node details page and click a similar 'Clock in' button.

Sounds good.

>
> - To clock out, you can use the same method, but the button would  
> say 'Clock out' instead.  Since it would be tedious to find the  
> current clocking item,

Yes, this would be totally annoying if you *had to* find
that entry back just to clock out.

Of course, clocking into another item should stop the
running clock.


> I'm considering...
>
> - A tab/icon at the bottom for Clocking (like the 4 existing icons  
> at the bottom).  I may make it optional in the Settings page.  If  
> you are clocking, there will be an indicator on the icon letting you  
> know so, perhaps by overlaying the clock time on the icon somehow.

Yes, show the time!

Maybe you could also modify the application badge to show that
the clock is running.  Not the with time, but just add a little clock,  
or change the color of the badge or.......

> - If you click on the clocking icon at the bottom, a list of  
> recently clocked tasks will be shown, with the active one being  
> highlighted.  You can stop the running clock, or start the clock on  
> any of your recent items.

This would be excellent.  This list of recently clocked items
could also be made to survive when you sync.  You could
keep a list of the IDs or OLPs and only verify the existence
of the node after a sync.  So while the collected times would
be written to the server and then no longer be visible in the
clock list, the items themselves should stay.

>
> When you sync and run org-mobile-pull, the time logs would be added  
> to the correct nodes (I'll need Carsten or a volunteer to help me  
> integrate this part).

Yes, I'll do that.

>
> I believe this workflow would make it easy to clock in (either by  
> navigating to the node in the outline, searching for it on the  
> Search page, or identifying a recently clocked item) and clock out.
>
> I haven't covered any type of reporting within the app, I was hoping  
> to keep things relatively simple.

I don't think reporting would be needed.  Just the list of recent  
items, with information of the time clocked on these items seems to be  
enough.
Everything else can happen in Emacs.

> But if there is a need for this let me know.  Perhaps clicking on an  
> entry in the recently clocked list could display the start/stop  
> times and some summary info.

Yes.  You might even consider allowing to edit the times - but I don't
think this is so important.

>
> Let me know what you think, it would help to have some feedback on  
> the workflow before I begin.

Please don't let encryption drop from your priority list :)

Cheers

- Carsten

>
> Thanks,
> Richard
>
> On Oct 6, 2010, at 2:41 PM, Jeff Kowalczyk wrote:
>
>> Can the current version of MobileOrg be used for a simple time  
>> tracking
>> workflow? (i.e. does it have an easy clock in and clock out?)
>>
>> My wife has a need for a simple time tracking application on the  
>> iPhone. The
>> only number needed is total hours spent per period (e.g. month) on  
>> one task, the
>> full-time job.
>>
>> I use Org Mode for my own worklogs, and would do any necessary pre- 
>> templating
>> and post-processing on the resultant Org file, if a rapid-capture  
>> strategy can
>> be worked out for MobileOrg.
>>
>> Given how much I use and like Org Mode myself, I'd be really  
>> pleased if we can
>> work with Org as a file format for this application, rather than some
>> closed-source app.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Jeff
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Emacs-orgmode mailing list
>> Please use `Reply All' to send replies to the list.
>> Emacs-orgmode@gnu.org
>> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/emacs-orgmode
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Emacs-orgmode mailing list
> Please use `Reply All' to send replies to the list.
> Emacs-orgmode@gnu.org
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/emacs-orgmode

Re: Tracking time with MobileOrg

[Richard Moreland]

On Oct 7, 2010, at 2:38 AM, Carsten Dominik wrote:

> Please don't let encryption drop from your priority list :)

I actually got that working last night, I just need to add the Settings option for the user's passphrase and I'll prepare it for beta/release this evening.

-Richard

Re: Tracking time with MobileOrg

[Carsten Dominik]

On Oct 7, 2010, at 1:10 PM, Richard Moreland wrote:

>
> On Oct 7, 2010, at 2:38 AM, Carsten Dominik wrote:
>
>> Please don't let encryption drop from your priority list :)
>
> I actually got that working last night, I just need to add the  
> Settings option for the user's passphrase and I'll prepare it for  
> beta/release this evening.

Great!

- Carsten

Re: Tracking time with MobileOrg

[Ilya Shlyakhter]

Richard Moreland <rlm <at> ncogni.to> writes:
> My plan for the UI is this:

Thanks a lot for working on this.

It would also be useful to have commands to adjust the clock log:
delete a clock entry, subtract some duration from it (if you got distracted
with another task for a while), adjust its endpoints.

ilya

Re: Tracking time with MobileOrg

[Jeff Kowalczyk]

Richard Moreland <rlm <at> ncogni.to> writes:
> - If you click on the clocking icon at the bottom, a list of recently
> clocked tasks will be shown, with the active one being highlighted.
> You can stop the running clock, or start the clock on any of your recent
> items.

The UI ideas sound great.

I would think that a one-touch action for clock in/out of the active task would
be helpful. I'm not completely familiar with the iOS UI conventions, but would a
'long-touch' of the button you mention be a good mechanism to clock in/out of
the active task? A tap would bring up the list of tasks, as you describe.

Also, I think allowing editing of the clock-in/out times (using the iOS
date-time widgets, presumably) would be necessary, if only for accuracy. Many
tasks might start or stop when the device can't be used at that particular
moment. If you can't adjust the clock in/out until you get back to Org Mode,
you'll have to leave yourself a note to do so later.

Thanks, these are exciting developments, I'm glad I asked.

Jeff