Was: Feedback on Scheduling? - How do you use yours?

[Tim O'Callaghan <timo@dspsrv.com>]

On Tue, May 16, 2006 at 08:49:58PM +0100, Pete Phillips wrote:
> 
> 
> Tim O'Callaghan <timo@dspsrv.com> wrote:
> 
>     Tim> I'm curious, if you don't mind me asking, how do you produce
>     Tim> your hipster cards from org mode?
> 
> Hi Tim
> 
> I have a simple perl script which I run from a Makefile.
> 
> The perl script is at:
> 
> 	http://www.philfam.co.uk/pete/GTD/org-na/org-na.pl
> 
> The Makefile I use is attached at the end. Basically I have a list of
> all my 'contexts' (GTD-speak) which I use as tags in org-mode. Running :
> 
>     make home
> 
> will make the postscript files and print them.
> 
> This will therefore take:
> 
> 	** Get wood preservative for Shed :Shopping:
> 	** Paint shed with preservative :DIY:
> 
> and add the first line to the 'Shopping' card and the second to my 'DIY'
> card.
> 

Interesting. This kind of thing should go into some kind of contrib
directory, or add a link to the emacs wiki org page or something.

Its also interesting that you use tags for GTD context. This is the
way i use tags, and i have been wondering if anyone else used them
like this.

> I keep meaning to add some options to allow printing on A4 etc, but am
> pushed for time at the moment. :-(
> 
<Snip/>

An interesting idea, one that i was kicking about for a bit when i was
using a hipster style PDA. I was thinking about generating XSLFO or
SWF based templates, and merging the information into the XML template
for printing. XSLFO is a pain, so i went for SWF, which is a pain but
less so. SWF has the advantage of being scalable if designed properly,
and supported by inkscape, which makes creating templates easy. I
experimented with ImageMagick and an SWF based templates for automatic
processing. I got an experimental SWF template from all things hipster:
diyplanner.org. Unfortunately ImageMagick did not support SWF well
enough for me to want to continue :(

In the end i opted for a paperless system.

I'd be interested to hear how other org users are implementing GTD. If
for nothing else that to be able to cherry pick ideas that i can
incorporate into my system. 

I shall explain my primitive implementation of org mode.

My system is based around one big org mode file for personal stuff and
one for work. I can edit the file in other editors (such as the one on
my smartphone) and search for GTD context via tags. The symbol
:TAGNAME: is unique enough to search on when i need context, and works 
to find tagged lines using every editor i know of.

External editors do not support the org mode 'file:' references, so i
am strict about keeping only Next Actions and possible Next Actions in
the org file. I keep reference material in a another appropriately named
file in the same directory.

an example could be:  (Where X=TODO)
---
* 101 things to do in Denver when you're dead                  :BORED:
  This is about not being Bored in Denver. The full list of Denver
  based shenanigans can be found in:
  file:101ThingsToDoInDenverWhenYoureDead.org

*** Don't loose your head 
    People keep on saying they don't like the way i look at them?
    file:PreferredHeadShapes.org

***** X Buy a new head                                         :BUY:
***** replace head with new one

*** Go skiing                                                  :MAYBE:
    Always wanted to Ski in Denver. 
    file:SkiingInformation.org

***** X Buy new legs                                           :BUY:
***** probably want to buy skis that fit the feet of my new legs
---

I also make sure the context tags and the text of the item will inform
me of the project they are related to. So I don't need the reference
material unless referred to by the text of the Next Action, and then
only because it does not fit in one line. 

When this occurs i use a RadioName type search reference so that
whatever the editor it can find the symbol in the file, as it should
be unique.

Does anyone else implement a GTD based system? and if so, how so?

Tim.