From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Eric Abrahamsen Subject: Re: conceptual TODO help? Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2012 16:47:46 +0800 Message-ID: <871ujvvtql.fsf@ericabrahamsen.net> References: <20120728130410.424df425@tomsarchtoo> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Return-path: Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([208.118.235.92]:39713) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1SvPAf-00053l-2T for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sun, 29 Jul 2012 04:48:18 -0400 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1SvPAe-00082Q-14 for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sun, 29 Jul 2012 04:48:16 -0400 Received: from plane.gmane.org ([80.91.229.3]:35127) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1SvPAd-000829-Qp for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sun, 29 Jul 2012 04:48:15 -0400 Received: from list by plane.gmane.org with local (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1SvPAY-0006Qd-2R for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Sun, 29 Jul 2012 10:48:10 +0200 Received: from 114.252.240.239 ([114.252.240.239]) by main.gmane.org with esmtp (Gmexim 0.1 (Debian)) id 1AlnuQ-0007hv-00 for ; Sun, 29 Jul 2012 10:48:09 +0200 Received: from eric by 114.252.240.239 with local (Gmexim 0.1 (Debian)) id 1AlnuQ-0007hv-00 for ; Sun, 29 Jul 2012 10:48:09 +0200 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: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org On Sun, Jul 29 2012, scrawler wrote: > Hi guys, I have a few questions about todo states. I have these > keywords defined: > > #+TODO: Do Doing DoBy DoLater | Did DidNot DidNever > #+TAGS: @Beverly(y) @Bionca(a) > > I'd like to have a better understanding of the TODO sequence for any > given task, assignment, or project. The states Do and Did are pretty > obviously just TODO and DONE renamed. I can maybe add a > DEADLINE:<2012-07-28 Sat> for the DoBy heading, and a > SCHEDULED:<2012-07-28 Sat> for DoLater, but what can or should I do > with Doing? Should I just leave it alone and look at it? > > I think I've seen TODO keywords defined (in the manual? list emails?) > like "feedback", etc, but it seems like if I have a basic but > comprehensive sequence I can put that kind of stuff in tags > (Incidentally, what are the @ signs in front of tags for?). > > Are there any keywords I should add or remove? Should I get rid of > DidNot and DidNever (implying not yet and never will)? My keywords are > arbitrary and silly, but I'd like to better understand the states they > label. Some things to consider: Say you use DEADLINE for DoBy and SCHEDULED for DoLater: now, does a DoBy or DoLater tag carry any more information than a "Do plus SCHEDULED property" or a "Do plus DEADLINE property"? You might think they'll be easier to search for, but what if you have a DoLater and forget to add a SCHEDULED? I tend to go for the minimum amount of significant information, and avoid duplication. What's the difference between a DidNot and a Do? Or DidNot and a Doing, for that matter? I've got a CANCELLED(c@), which would be the same thing as your DidNever, except that the @ means I have to add an explanation for *why* it's canceled, and that's useful for record-keeping. I think @ in tags is a convention for indicating a "location" category, like @home or @office. I may be wrong, but I think it has no effect whatsoever on Org's treatment of the tag. Hope that's good for something… Definitely second Thomas' link to the online docs… Eric -- GNU Emacs 24.1.50.1 (i686-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version 2.24.11) of 2012-07-23 on pellet 7.8.11