From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: tsd@tsdye.com (Thomas S. Dye) Subject: Re: Overall organization/setup for org mode: Projects and Tasks Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:26:21 -1000 Message-ID: References: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Return-path: Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([140.186.70.92]:46535) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1R3uAU-00053J-Fn for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:26:44 -0400 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1R3uAJ-0007Rp-2U for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:26:33 -0400 Received: from oproxy5-pub.bluehost.com ([67.222.38.55]:34505) by eggs.gnu.org with smtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1R3uAI-0007RV-KJ for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:26:31 -0400 In-Reply-To: (Alan E. Davis's message of "Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:43:28 -0700") List-Id: "General discussions about Org-mode." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Sender: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org To: "Alan E. Davis" Cc: org-mode Aloha Alan, I found myself in a similar situation a while back and it helped me to do a weekly review. I base mine on Bernt Hansen's experience: http://doc.norang.ca/org-mode.html#sec-11-1 Every Monday a task pops up reminding me to complete the weekly review. Clicking on the task takes me to a checkbox list that gives a label to the individual review task and the keystrokes needed to invoke the corresponding agenda view. I'm typically monitoring 1-2 dozen projects and the whole review, which is now 12 steps, takes me a couple of hours to complete. I suppose I could cut this time down if I were more organized during the week, but I'm not, which is why I value the tools in Org-mode. Also, I found Bernt's ideas on how to structure org-mode files very helpful. I'm not able consistently to pick the best option among the very many that org-mode makes possible, so I've come to rely on the advice of Bernt and others. hth, Tom "Alan E. Davis" writes: > I've been using org-mode for a few years. My agenda is cluttered with ta= sks > that are weeks and even months past due. I am "this close" to declaring > "orgmode bankruptcy" and starting from scratch, except my current setup > works so well for other things. Might still do that, but I want to ask = for > ideas. > > I stumble consistently over the distinction between projects and tasks. I > think there is not clear distinction, but I need to find a way to organize > them so that, at least, agenda displays the day to day TODO tasks separat= ed > in a meaningful way from the long term projects that I need to remind mys= elf > of (and there are dozens of these). > > PROJECTS: I can define projects as > - an overall series of tasks related to a single purpose > - a recurring task (monthly calendars that I need to remind myself= to > make each month) > - an actual project I am working on (writing a proposal, or a > research project about a coral, or a recipe database, or reconstructing a > LaTeX file tree for a publication ten years ago) > > > TODOS: perhaps tasks could be anything, > - bills (marked by tag "bill" > - phone calls to make > > I am starting to understand how I TODOS can be scattered through all= my > other files. However, the greater the number of agenda files, the great= er > the clutter. And, as a recent thread called to mind, there are times wh= en > the list of agenda files prevents me from searching for tags or todos. SO > where is the happy medium? > > Some thoughts: > - I tried to write a custom agenda command that defined the agenda > files to encompass all *org files in a directory. This actually set the > agenda-files variable to all files for the rest of the session, so I gave > that idea up----although I know it's possible to do it. > - Again, the number of agenda files seems to be constraining. > - There seem to be issues between defining the agenda files > explicitly, or adding them one at a time. > - It would be useful if agenda searches automatically picked up the > recent files I had worked on during the session, > however, in as streamlined a way as possible. > > > I don't need to be reminded everyday that I have to organize bibliographic > references for my next trip to the library, but I have to have a way to k= eep > these organized to jog my memory in planning my time in some loose sense. > > I do need to have a list of bills that I can access without having to sort > through the list of projects that are 3 months overdue. > > Almost every week I have new insights into how to use tags, so perhaps I > need to junk alot of the tags I set up long ago. > > These thoughts are somewhat disconnected, and I apologize for this. > > And I would be grateful for any comments that would shed light on how to > solve these issues. > > Alan Davis > I've been using org-mode for a few years.=C2=A0 My agenda is cluttere= d with tasks that are weeks and even months past due.=C2=A0 I am "this clos= e" to declaring "orgmode bankruptcy" and starting from scratch, except my c= urrent setup works so well for other things.=C2=A0=C2=A0 Might still do tha= t, but I want to ask for ideas.=C2=A0=20 > > I stumble consistently over the distinction between projects and tasks.= =C2=A0 I think there is not clear distinction, but I need to find a way to = organize them so that, at least, agenda displays the day to day TODO tasks = separated in a meaningful way from the long term projects that I need to re= mind myself of (and there are dozens of these).=C2=A0=C2=A0=20 > > PROJECTS: I can define projects as=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 - = an overall series of tasks related to a single purpose=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 - a recurring task (monthly calendars that I need to remind= myself to make each month)=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 - an actual= project I am working on (writing a proposal, or a research project about a= coral, or a recipe database, or reconstructing a LaTeX file tree for a pub= lication ten years ago) > > TODOS: perhaps tasks could be anything, =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 - = bills (marked by tag "bill"=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 - phone calls to make= =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 I am starting to understand how I TODOS can be sca= ttered through all my other files.=C2=A0=C2=A0 However, the greater the num= ber of agenda files, the greater the clutter. =C2=A0 And, as a recent threa= d called to mind, there are times when the list of agenda files prevents me= from searching for tags or todos.=C2=A0 SO where is the happy medium? > > Some thoughts:=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 -=C2=A0 I tried to write a custom = agenda command that defined the agenda files to encompass all *org files in= a directory.=C2=A0 This actually set the agenda-files variable to all file= s for the rest of the session, so I gave that idea up----although I know it= 's possible to do it.=C2=A0=20 > > =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 -=C2=A0 Again, the number of agenda files seems = to be constraining.=C2=A0 =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 -=C2=A0 There seem to be= issues between defining the agenda files explicitly, or adding them one at= a time.=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 -=C2=A0 It would be useful if agenda searc= hes automatically picked up the recent files I had worked on during the ses= sion,=20 > > =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 however, in as streamlined a w= ay as possible.=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 I don't need to be reminded everyday = that I have to organize bibliographic references for my next trip to the li= brary, but I have to have a way to keep these organized to jog my memory in= planning my time in some loose sense. > > I do need to have a list of bills that I can access without having to sor= t through the list of projects that are 3 months overdue.Almost every week = I have new insights into how to use tags, so perhaps I need to junk alot of= the tags I set up long ago. > > These thoughts are somewhat disconnected, and I apologize for this.=C2=A0= And I would be grateful for any comments that would shed light on how to s= olve these issues.=C2=A0 Alan Davis --=20 Thomas S. Dye http://www.tsdye.com