From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Samuel Wales Subject: organizing =intra-day tasks= with a countdown timer Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2010 09:42:02 -0700 Message-ID: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Return-path: Received: from [140.186.70.92] (port=41440 helo=eggs.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1PBVYD-0000ws-BA for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:42:06 -0400 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1PBVYC-0005dS-5s for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:42:05 -0400 Received: from mail-pw0-f41.google.com ([209.85.160.41]:35320) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1PBVYC-0005d6-15 for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:42:04 -0400 Received: by pwi1 with SMTP id 1so354629pwi.0 for ; Thu, 28 Oct 2010 09:42:02 -0700 (PDT) List-Id: "General discussions about Org-mode." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Sender: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org To: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org I wrote this a while back, and now I see that the manual describes a countdown timer. So now might be a good time. === We've discussed something like this before, but it seems there have been changes, so I am starting from scratch. Wondering how much of the functionality exists in Emacs or Org. I describe it in detail below. === Overview: === I'd like to keep =countdown timers= and get reminded at blastoff. This is a completely separate concept from clocking, effort estimates, and that org timer that inserts mm:ss, by the way. Here is a single example -- all 3 timers will run at the same time: 1) You just put the laundry in. You want a reminder to switch it in 30m. 2) You are also making tea right now. You want a reminder in 5m to drink it. 3) You are interviewing somebody at 6PM today. You want a reminder 15m before and at 6PM. Note that 1 and 2 are specified with a number of minutes, while 3 is specified with a time. Note that there is more than one timer at the same time. === Entry: === The interface should be simple, perhaps via capture, and definitely in the minibuffer. It's OK if it creates tasks. This would allow persistence and keep track of your activities. Appt-add can mostly do 3, but without keeping an Org task and without specifying duration (only target). Thus, you have to manually calculate the duration, which is a cognitive burden. For 3 you can add an Org task, set a time, and tell appt to show it. However, I don't know if there is a capture interface for all of that. I know of no mechanism for 1 and 2. === Output: === Ideally, you would be able to show a buffer that shows remaining duration, target time, and name of thing: |----------+---------+-----------+-----------| | status | target | remaining | task | |----------+---------+-----------+-----------| | reminded | 17:17 | -13m | tea | | - | /17:30/ | - | /now/ | | wait | 17:44 | 14m | laundry | | wait | 18:00 | 30m | interview | |----------+---------+-----------+-----------| I don't know if it makes sense to use agenda. And a timer in the modeline that can be switched between the currently clocked task display (whatever you are clocking in org, i.e. the usual count-up display) and the next item (in this case laundry in 14m). === OK, so how much of all this is possible these days? Thanks. Samuel