Re: [feature request] A new cookie type [!] showing the last note taken

[Allen Li <darkfeline@felesatra.moe>]

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On Sat, Aug 29, 2020 at 6:42 AM Ihor Radchenko <yantar92@gmail.com> wrote:

>
> Over the years of using Org I often have a need to add a short note
> about how to proceed with some task:
>
> ***** REVIEW check again, subscribe | sindresorhus/awesome: 😎 Awesome
> lists about all kinds of interesting topics :BOOKMARK:
> :PROPERTIES:
> :CREATED: [2020-03-15 Sun 18:59]
> :Source: https://github.com/sindresorhus/awesome
> :END:
> :LOGBOOK:
> CLOCK: [2020-03-17 Tue 16:18]--[2020-03-17 Tue 17:46] =>  1:28
> CLOCK: [2020-03-17 Tue 16:03]--[2020-03-17 Tue 16:18] =>  0:15
> - Refiled on [2020-03-16 Mon 23:59]
> :END:
>
> In the above example, the short note is "check again, subscribe".
> The note is not fixed, but changes as I progress with completing the
> task.
>

Everyone has their own workflows, but I think the way you are approaching
this problem is "wrong".  Under the GTD methodology, there is the concept
of a project (some higher goal to be achieved) and next actions (the
concrete tasks to do next to achieve the project).  You would only track
the next action in your regular toto list. In Org mode, this would look
like:

* PROJECT make babel support org file links in header args (:file or :dir)
** TODO Finish the text prop org-mode

My anecdotal impression is that many people using Org do this (see
https://orgmode.org/worg/org-gtd-etc.html), so they have no need for a
"last note taken embedded in headline" feature.  As a practical matter, I
would find it inconvenient to have both the "last note take"/"next action"
and the overall project headline appear in the agenta view because it makes
the text too wide.  If I need to associate the next action with the overall
project, I take advantage of the CATEGORY property:

* PROJECT make babel support org file links in header args (:file or :dir)
:PROPERTIES:
:CATEGORY: BabelLinks
:END:
** TODO Finish the text prop org-mode

Which would show in the agenda as:

BabelLinks: TODO Finish the text prop org-mode

I have only been partially paying attention to this discussion thread, but
this sounds like both a feature with limited appeal and significant
complexity to implement, so I would suggest implementing it yourself for
your own use case, and then bringing it to the mailing list to share.  Once
you have a dozen people using it, it will likely have developed into a
mature enough form to include in Org mode.

Just my 2 cents.


> This is even more useful for delegated or HOLD tasks where I often need
> to add a short note why the task is delegated or put on hold:
>
> ** HOLD Finish the text prop org-mode | make babel support org file links
> in header args (:file or :dir)
> [[id:468e0645-68aa-4e14-86de-e5ce153538e3][[2017-09-22 Fri]
> CuNbARBshearstrength]] :HOLD:
> :PROPERTIES:
> :CREATED: [2020-07-20 Mon 16:53]
> :SHOWFROMDATE: 2020-08-15
> :END:
> :LOGBOOK:
> - State "HOLD"       from "NEXT"          [2020-08-10 Mon 15:16] \\
>   Finish the text prop org-mode
> - Refiled on [2020-07-20 Mon 17:15]
> CLOCK: [2020-07-20 Mon 16:53]--[2020-07-20 Mon 16:54] =>  0:01
> :END:
>
> Seeing this note directly in the headline without a need to dig into the
> task body / LOGBOOK drawer is really handy.
>
> In this last example, I had to duplicate the note taken using built-in
> note mechanism into headline, which was inconvenient. It would be handy
> if I could simply add a [!] cookie (similar to [/] or [%] cookies) to
> the headline to show the last note taken for this task. Then, I could
> easily see the reason why the task is blocked or what I am supposed to
> do with the task right in agenda view or in the folded headline.
> Something like the following
>
> ** HOLD [!] make babel support org... :HOLD:
> :LOGBOOK:
> - State "HOLD"       from "NEXT"          [2020-08-10 Mon 15:16] \\
>   Finish the text prop org-mode
> - Refiled on [2020-07-20 Mon 17:15]
> CLOCK: [2020-07-20 Mon 16:53]--[2020-07-20 Mon 16:54] =>  0:01
> :END:
>
> The cookie would be replaced by the last note text, according to
> user-defined format (say, "[%s] |"):
>
> ** HOLD [Finish the text prop org-mode] | make babel support org... :HOLD:
> :LOGBOOK:
> - State "HOLD"       from "NEXT"          [2020-08-10 Mon 15:16] \\
>   Finish the text prop org-mode
> - Refiled on [2020-07-20 Mon 17:15]
> CLOCK: [2020-07-20 Mon 16:53]--[2020-07-20 Mon 16:54] =>  0:01
> :END:
>
> What do you think?
>
> Best,
> Ihor
>
>

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