Easy entry of date ranges

Easy entry of date ranges

[Ken Mankoff]

Hi Org List

Org and the calendar make it fairly easy to enter time ranges, by typing "--" and then the end time or "+" and then the duration. I'd like to do something similar for dates, but it doesn't seem to be supported. Is there an easy way to enter a date range for a scheduled task?

Thanks,

  -k.

Re: Easy entry of date ranges

[Nicolas Goaziou]

Hello,

Ken Mankoff <mankoff@gmail.com> writes:

> Org and the calendar make it fairly easy to enter time ranges, by
> typing "--" and then the end time or "+" and then the duration. I'd
> like to do something similar for dates, but it doesn't seem to be
> supported. Is there an easy way to enter a date range for a scheduled
> task?

I don't think so. However, in Org, scheduling a task to date A means it
can start from date A. Scheduling a task to "date A -- date B" would be
equivalent to scheduling it to date A.

You probably want to do scheduled + deadline, which is supported.


Regards,

-- 
Nicolas Goaziou

Re: Easy entry of date ranges

[Ken Mankoff]

On 2015-08-26 at 15:04, Nicolas Goaziou <mail@nicolasgoaziou.fr> wrote:
> Ken Mankoff <mankoff@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> Org and the calendar make it fairly easy to enter time ranges, by
>> typing "--" and then the end time or "+" and then the duration. I'd
>> like to do something similar for dates, but it doesn't seem to be
>> supported. Is there an easy way to enter a date range for a scheduled
>> task?
>
> I don't think so. However, in Org, scheduling a task to date A means
> it can start from date A. Scheduling a task to "date A -- date B"
> would be equivalent to scheduling it to date A.
>
> You probably want to do scheduled + deadline, which is supported.

No, scheduled + deadline is a different use case. The syntax I use, =SCHEDULED: <2020-01-01>--<2020-01-07>=, is valid, there just isn't an easy way to enter it. One (of many) use cases: a week long vacation. This use case is supported by Org since the Agenda helpfully shows "(1/7)", and "(2/7)", etc. before each entry. Everything else is so efficient and has shortcuts, including time ranges, I just hoped I was missing something here. Perhaps it hasn't been implemented yet.

  -k.
  

Re: Easy entry of date ranges

[Eric Abrahamsen]

Ken Mankoff <mankoff@gmail.com> writes:

> On 2015-08-26 at 15:04, Nicolas Goaziou <mail@nicolasgoaziou.fr> wrote:
>> Ken Mankoff <mankoff@gmail.com> writes:
>>
>>> Org and the calendar make it fairly easy to enter time ranges, by
>>> typing "--" and then the end time or "+" and then the duration. I'd
>>> like to do something similar for dates, but it doesn't seem to be
>>> supported. Is there an easy way to enter a date range for a scheduled
>>> task?
>>
>> I don't think so. However, in Org, scheduling a task to date A means
>> it can start from date A. Scheduling a task to "date A -- date B"
>> would be equivalent to scheduling it to date A.
>>
>> You probably want to do scheduled + deadline, which is supported.
>
> No, scheduled + deadline is a different use case. The syntax I use,
> =SCHEDULED: <2020-01-01>--<2020-01-07>=, is valid, there just isn't an
> easy way to enter it. One (of many) use cases: a week long vacation.
> This use case is supported by Org since the Agenda helpfully shows
> "(1/7)", and "(2/7)", etc. before each entry. Everything else is so
> efficient and has shortcuts, including time ranges, I just hoped I was
> missing something here. Perhaps it hasn't been implemented yet.

I think what Nicolas means is that, in the sort of use case you're
outlining above, you should probably be using a plain timestamp.
SCHEDULED means "I'm going to work on this TODO now", in which case a
time span doesn't quite make sense -- you start working at the start of
the span, and you finish when you toggle the keyword to DONE.

For a vacation, a plain timestamp is more appropriate. However! That
just begs the question of how to make it easier to enter a date range.
That's a question I don't know the answer to -- I suspect there isn't
any way but just hitting a couple of hyphens and then "C-c ." again. I
suppose Org could help by setting the default date of the end time to
something after the start time.

Eric

Re: Easy entry of date ranges

[Nicolas Goaziou]

Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net> writes:

> Ken Mankoff <mankoff@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> No, scheduled + deadline is a different use case. The syntax I use,
>> =SCHEDULED: <2020-01-01>--<2020-01-07>=, is valid,

I wouldn't bet on it. I'm sure this can lead to subtle problems. For
example,

  * Test
    SCHEDULED: <2020-01-01>--<2020-01-07>

(org-entry-get (point-min) "SCHEDULED") => <2020-01-01>, i.e, range end
information is lost.

>>. One (of many) use cases: a week long vacation.
>> This use case is supported by Org since the Agenda helpfully shows
>> "(1/7)", and "(2/7)", etc. before each entry. Everything else is so
>> efficient and has shortcuts, including time ranges, I just hoped I was
>> missing something here. Perhaps it hasn't been implemented yet.
>
> I think what Nicolas means is that, in the sort of use case you're
> outlining above, you should probably be using a plain timestamp.
> SCHEDULED means "I'm going to work on this TODO now", in which case
> a time span doesn't quite make sense -- you start working at the start
> of the span, and you finish when you toggle the keyword to DONE. For
> a vacation, a plain timestamp is more appropriate.

Exactly.

If you know the exact range, use a plain timestamp. SCHEDULED is for
when you know when to start, but not when to end. With
SCHEDULED + DEADLINE, you know when to start, you're not sure when to
end, but it must be done before deadline.

Regards,

Re: Easy entry of date ranges

[Eric S Fraga]

On Thursday, 27 Aug 2015 at 11:46, Eric Abrahamsen wrote:
>>> Ken Mankoff <mankoff@gmail.com> writes:
>>>
>>>> Org and the calendar make it fairly easy to enter time ranges, by
>>>> typing "--" and then the end time or "+" and then the duration. I'd
>>>> like to do something similar for dates, but it doesn't seem to be
>>>> supported. Is there an easy way to enter a date range for a scheduled
>>>> task?

[...]

> For a vacation, a plain timestamp is more appropriate. However! That
> just begs the question of how to make it easier to enter a date range.
> That's a question I don't know the answer to -- I suspect there isn't
> any way but just hitting a couple of hyphens and then "C-c ." again. I
> suppose Org could help by setting the default date of the end time to
> something after the start time.
>
> Eric

Actually, org is quite smart in this respect.  if you enter a time stamp
and then ask to enter another, org automatically inserts the -- between
the two time stamps.  E.g. try this key sequence to get a time range
that covers 7 days starting today:

  C-c . RET C-c . +6 RET

and you should get: <2015-08-27 Thu>--<2015-09-02 Wed>

-- 
: Eric S Fraga (0xFFFCF67D), Emacs 25.0.50.2, Org release_8.3.1-176-g45abec

Re: Easy entry of date ranges

[Rasmus]

Eric S Fraga <e.fraga@ucl.ac.uk> writes:

> if you enter a time stamp and then ask to enter another, org
> automatically inserts the -- between the two time stamps

I had no idea.  This is awesome!

Rasmus

-- 
When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?

Re: Easy entry of date ranges

[Ken Mankoff]

Hi Eric, Eric, Rasmus, and Nicolas,

On 2015-08-27 at 05:36, Eric S Fraga <e.fraga@ucl.ac.uk> wrote:
> On Thursday, 27 Aug 2015 at 11:46, Eric Abrahamsen wrote:
>>>> Ken Mankoff <mankoff@gmail.com> writes:
>>>>
>>>>> Org and the calendar make it fairly easy to enter time ranges, by
>>>>> typing "--" and then the end time or "+" and then the duration. I'd
>>>>> like to do something similar for dates, but it doesn't seem to be
>>>>> supported. Is there an easy way to enter a date range for a scheduled
>>>>> task?
>
> [...]
>
>> For a vacation, a plain timestamp is more appropriate. However! That
>> just begs the question of how to make it easier to enter a date range.
>> That's a question I don't know the answer to -- I suspect there isn't
>> any way but just hitting a couple of hyphens and then "C-c ." again. I
>> suppose Org could help by setting the default date of the end time to
>> something after the start time.
>>
>> Eric
>
> Actually, org is quite smart in this respect.  if you enter a time stamp
> and then ask to enter another, org automatically inserts the -- between
> the two time stamps.  E.g. try this key sequence to get a time range
> that covers 7 days starting today:
>
>   C-c . RET C-c . +6 RET
>
> and you should get: <2015-08-27 Thu>--<2015-09-02 Wed>


Thank you all for the reminder of SCHEDULED, DEADLINE, normal and inactive timestamp use cases, and the information about easy-entry of inactive ranges. Workflow much improved!

  -k.

Re: Easy entry of date ranges

[Eric Abrahamsen]

Eric S Fraga <e.fraga@ucl.ac.uk> writes:

> On Thursday, 27 Aug 2015 at 11:46, Eric Abrahamsen wrote:
>>>> Ken Mankoff <mankoff@gmail.com> writes:
>>>>
>>>>> Org and the calendar make it fairly easy to enter time ranges, by
>>>>> typing "--" and then the end time or "+" and then the duration. I'd
>>>>> like to do something similar for dates, but it doesn't seem to be
>>>>> supported. Is there an easy way to enter a date range for a scheduled
>>>>> task?
>
> [...]
>
>> For a vacation, a plain timestamp is more appropriate. However! That
>> just begs the question of how to make it easier to enter a date range.
>> That's a question I don't know the answer to -- I suspect there isn't
>> any way but just hitting a couple of hyphens and then "C-c ." again. I
>> suppose Org could help by setting the default date of the end time to
>> something after the start time.
>>
>> Eric
>
> Actually, org is quite smart in this respect.  if you enter a time stamp
> and then ask to enter another, org automatically inserts the -- between
> the two time stamps.  E.g. try this key sequence to get a time range
> that covers 7 days starting today:
>
>   C-c . RET C-c . +6 RET
>
> and you should get: <2015-08-27 Thu>--<2015-09-02 Wed>

Oh man, I should have known not to second-guess Org. Thank you so much
for this tip!

Re: Easy entry of date ranges

[Eric S Fraga]

On Thursday, 27 Aug 2015 at 23:33, Eric Abrahamsen wrote:
> Oh man, I should have known not to second-guess Org.

Gets me all the time!  :-)
-- 
: Eric S Fraga (0xFFFCF67D), Emacs 25.0.50.2, Org release_8.3.1-176-g45abec

Re: Easy entry of date ranges

[Miguel Ruiz]

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En 27/08/2015, 18:14, en 18:14, Eric S Fraga <e.fraga@ucl.ac.uk> escrito:
>On Thursday, 27 Aug 2015 at 23:33, Eric Abrahamsen wrote:
>> Oh man, I should have known not to second-guess Org.
>
>Gets me all the time!  :-)
>-- 
>: Eric S Fraga (0xFFFCF67D), Emacs 25.0.50.2, Org
>release_8.3.1-176-g45abec

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