indenting nested TODOs in agenda views

indenting nested TODOs in agenda views

[Eric Abrahamsen]

What would it take to get an Agenda tags view that indented nested
TODOs? I've always been bothered by the fact that nested TODOs within a
subtree are all flattened for the agenda view, so sometimes it's hard to
tell that several TODOs all belong to one "bigger" TODO.

I guess it would have to go in `org-finalize-agenda-entries', after the
filter function is run, and somehow instead of the way org entries are
currently fed to the sorting function. Would this be a desirable option?

Eric

Re: indenting nested TODOs in agenda views

[Bernt Hansen]

Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net> writes:

> What would it take to get an Agenda tags view that indented nested
> TODOs? I've always been bothered by the fact that nested TODOs within a
> subtree are all flattened for the agenda view, so sometimes it's hard to
> tell that several TODOs all belong to one "bigger" TODO.
>
> I guess it would have to go in `org-finalize-agenda-entries', after the
> filter function is run, and somehow instead of the way org entries are
> currently fed to the sorting function. Would this be a desirable option?

Set 

			    (org-tags-match-list-sublevels 'indented)

in your agenda view.

-Bernt

Re: indenting nested TODOs in agenda views

[Eric Abrahamsen]

On Mon, Aug 22 2011, Bernt Hansen wrote:

> Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net> writes:
>
>> What would it take to get an Agenda tags view that indented nested
>> TODOs? I've always been bothered by the fact that nested TODOs within a
>> subtree are all flattened for the agenda view, so sometimes it's hard to
>> tell that several TODOs all belong to one "bigger" TODO.
>>
>> I guess it would have to go in `org-finalize-agenda-entries', after the
>> filter function is run, and somehow instead of the way org entries are
>> currently fed to the sorting function. Would this be a desirable option?
>
> Set 
>
> 			    (org-tags-match-list-sublevels 'indented)
>
> in your agenda view.

That's pretty interesting, but not quite what I meant: I was thinking
that TODOs would be first sorted by outline level, and then only TODOs
that belonged to a subtree with "higher" TODOs would be indented. With
"indented", a second-level TODO can come after a first-level TODO and
appear to be subordinate to it, though they belong to completely
different subtrees.

But stating the problem this way makes me realize it's more complicated
than I thought…

Eric

Re: indenting nested TODOs in agenda views

[Sebastien Vauban]

Hi Eric,

Eric Abrahamsen wrote:
> On Mon, Aug 22 2011, Bernt Hansen wrote:
>
>> Eric Abrahamsen <eric-5ibeKGLO59aIK5dEoMBc7KxOck334EZe@public.gmane.org> writes:
>>
>>> What would it take to get an Agenda tags view that indented nested
>>> TODOs? I've always been bothered by the fact that nested TODOs within a
>>> subtree are all flattened for the agenda view, so sometimes it's hard to
>>> tell that several TODOs all belong to one "bigger" TODO.
>>>
>>> I guess it would have to go in `org-finalize-agenda-entries', after the
>>> filter function is run, and somehow instead of the way org entries are
>>> currently fed to the sorting function. Would this be a desirable option?
>>
>> Set 
>>
>> 			    (org-tags-match-list-sublevels 'indented)
>>
>> in your agenda view.
>
> That's pretty interesting, but not quite what I meant: I was thinking
> that TODOs would be first sorted by outline level, and then only TODOs
> that belonged to a subtree with "higher" TODOs would be indented. With
> "indented", a second-level TODO can come after a first-level TODO and
> appear to be subordinate to it, though they belong to completely
> different subtrees.
>
> But stating the problem this way makes me realize it's more complicated
> than I thought…

Just an incentive to tell you I'd also would love that feature.

Best regards,
  Seb

-- 
Sebastien Vauban

Re: indenting nested TODOs in agenda views

[Olivier Schwander]

Le 22 Aug 2011 14:26, Sebastien Vauban a écrit:
> > That's pretty interesting, but not quite what I meant: I was thinking
> > that TODOs would be first sorted by outline level, and then only TODOs
> > that belonged to a subtree with "higher" TODOs would be indented. With
> > "indented", a second-level TODO can come after a first-level TODO and
> > appear to be subordinate to it, though they belong to completely
> > different subtrees.
> >
> > But stating the problem this way makes me realize it's more complicated
> > than I thought…

Yes, I was looking for the same kind of thing some times ago. But I do
not have any idea of how we may present the agenda view. Maybe it should
be better do display the path to a TODO item, since parent item may be
not TODO items by themselves, like this:

* Garden
** TODO Cut the flowers
* Home
** TODO Cut the flowers

should be presented somehow like in the refile view, as:

TODO Garden / Cut the flowers
TODO Home / Cut the flowers

instead of the unclear:

TODO Cut the flowers
TODO Cut the flowers

Actually, I wonder how people deals with this kind of tasks. Are you
relying on tags ? For example with :garden: and :home: in my previous
example ?

Personally, I am used to recall the main heading at the beginning of the
children, but only when the TODO item heading is really not clear enough
by itself, since it is a quite heavy solution.

> Just an incentive to tell you I'd also would love that feature.

Same :)

Best,

Olivier

Re: indenting nested TODOs in agenda views

[Jason Dunsmore]

Olivier Schwander <olivier.schwander@chadok.info> writes:

> * Garden
> ** TODO Cut the flowers
> * Home
> ** TODO Cut the flowers
>
> should be presented somehow like in the refile view, as:
>
> TODO Garden / Cut the flowers
> TODO Home / Cut the flowers
>
> instead of the unclear:
>
> TODO Cut the flowers
> TODO Cut the flowers
>
> Actually, I wonder how people deals with this kind of tasks. Are you
> relying on tags ? For example with :garden: and :home: in my previous
> example ?

I deal with it by making my TODO items more descriptive.  For example:

* TODO Cut the flowers by the side of the house
* TODO Cut the flowers in the garden

Regards,
Jason

Re: indenting nested TODOs in agenda views

[John Hendy]

On Mon, Aug 22, 2011 at 8:50 AM, Olivier Schwander
<olivier.schwander@chadok.info> wrote:
> Yes, I was looking for the same kind of thing some times ago. But I do
> not have any idea of how we may present the agenda view. Maybe it should
> be better do display the path to a TODO item, since parent item may be
> not TODO items by themselves, like this:
>
> * Garden
> ** TODO Cut the flowers
> * Home
> ** TODO Cut the flowers
>
> should be presented somehow like in the refile view, as:
>
> TODO Garden / Cut the flowers
> TODO Home / Cut the flowers
>
> instead of the unclear:
>
> TODO Cut the flowers
> TODO Cut the flowers
>
> Actually, I wonder how people deals with this kind of tasks. Are you
> relying on tags ? For example with :garden: and :home: in my previous
> example ?
>

I *just* corresponded with the list about something like this within
the last month or two, but can't find the thread. The response I got
back was that the person relied on adding descriptive words to all the
todos, which is what I've been doing, but I don't like it. I host a
lot of external vendors at work and have the same structure for all of
them:

----------
* proj [/] host vendor x
** todo set date
** todo book room
** todo request abstract
** todo submit event announcement
** todo post presentation online
----------

They're so similar that I can just copy/yank the subtree from one to
the other... but then I have to go change each to:

----------
** todo x: set date
----------

and so on. Time consuming and non-ideal. It would be great to know
what the subtask belongs to for things like this. When I have two
vendors within a week or two, it gets confusing.


JOhn

> Personally, I am used to recall the main heading at the beginning of the
> children, but only when the TODO item heading is really not clear enough
> by itself, since it is a quite heavy solution.
>
>> Just an incentive to tell you I'd also would love that feature.
>
> Same :)
>
> Best,
>
> Olivier
>
>
>

Re: indenting nested TODOs in agenda views

[Sebastien Vauban]

Hi John,

John Hendy wrote:
> <olivier.schwander-917zY2CxX9biB9QmIjCX8w@public.gmane.org> wrote:
>> Yes, I was looking for the same kind of thing some times ago. But I do not
>> have any idea of how we may present the agenda view. Maybe it should be
>> better do display the path to a TODO item, since parent item may be not
>> TODO items by themselves, like this:
>>
>> * Garden
>> ** TODO Cut the flowers
>> * Home
>> ** TODO Cut the flowers
>>
>> should be presented somehow like in the refile view, as:
>>
>> TODO Garden / Cut the flowers
>> TODO Home / Cut the flowers
>>
>> instead of the unclear:
>>
>> TODO Cut the flowers
>> TODO Cut the flowers
>>
>> Actually, I wonder how people deals with this kind of tasks. Are you
>> relying on tags ? For example with :garden: and :home: in my previous
>> example ?
>
> I *just* corresponded with the list about something like this within
> the last month or two, but can't find the thread. The response I got
> back was that the person relied on adding descriptive words to all the
> todos, which is what I've been doing, but I don't like it.

This is a solution.

Another is to leave those tasks untouched (I mean: don't add words in their
description) and check out in the echo area about the context, when looking at
the tasks (scanning them with the arrow key). Of course, that means you can't
deduce what task belongs to which context without putting your cursor on the
task in question.

> I host a lot of external vendors at work and have the same structure for all
> of them:
>
> ----------
> * proj [/] host vendor x
> ** todo set date
> ** todo book room
> ** todo request abstract
> ** todo submit event announcement
> ** todo post presentation online
> ----------
>
> They're so similar that I can just copy/yank the subtree from one to
> the other... but then I have to go change each to:
>
> ----------
> ** todo x: set date
> ----------
>
> and so on. Time consuming and non-ideal. It would be great to know
> what the subtask belongs to for things like this. When I have two
> vendors within a week or two, it gets confusing.

Yet another solution would be to use your category therefore?

Best regards,
  Seb

-- 
Sebastien Vauban

Re: indenting nested TODOs in agenda views

[Achim Gratz]

Olivier Schwander <olivier.schwander@chadok.info> writes:
> * Garden
> ** TODO Cut the flowers
> * Home
> ** TODO Cut the flowers

Tagging the parent should work, I think.

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
* House 							      :HOUSE:
** TODO Cut the flowers
* Garden 							      :Garden:
** TODO Cut the flowers
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---


and produces this agenda:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
  todo:       TODO Cut the flowers                                      :HOUSE::
  todo:       TODO Cut the flowers                                     :Garden::
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

But maybe I misunderstood what you were trying to achieve.


Regards,
Achim.
-- 
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Wavetables for the Waldorf Blofeld:
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Re: indenting nested TODOs in agenda views

[Eric Abrahamsen]

On Mon, Aug 22 2011, Sebastien Vauban wrote:

> Hi Eric,
>
> Eric Abrahamsen wrote:
>> On Mon, Aug 22 2011, Bernt Hansen wrote:
>>
>>> Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net> writes:
>>>
>>>> What would it take to get an Agenda tags view that indented nested
>>>> TODOs? I've always been bothered by the fact that nested TODOs within a
>>>> subtree are all flattened for the agenda view, so sometimes it's hard to
>>>> tell that several TODOs all belong to one "bigger" TODO.
>>>>
>>>> I guess it would have to go in `org-finalize-agenda-entries', after the
>>>> filter function is run, and somehow instead of the way org entries are
>>>> currently fed to the sorting function. Would this be a desirable option?
>>>
>>> Set 
>>>
>>> 			    (org-tags-match-list-sublevels 'indented)
>>>
>>> in your agenda view.
>>
>> That's pretty interesting, but not quite what I meant: I was thinking
>> that TODOs would be first sorted by outline level, and then only TODOs
>> that belonged to a subtree with "higher" TODOs would be indented. With
>> "indented", a second-level TODO can come after a first-level TODO and
>> appear to be subordinate to it, though they belong to completely
>> different subtrees.
>>
>> But stating the problem this way makes me realize it's more complicated
>> than I thought…
>
> Just an incentive to tell you I'd also would love that feature.
>
> Best regards,
>   Seb

I'm going to have a whack at this, will probably take me a week or more…

E