From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: "Alan E. Davis" Subject: Overall organization/setup for org mode: Projects and Tasks Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:43:28 -0700 Message-ID: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=0016364d213773a53a04acea4da9 Return-path: Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([140.186.70.92]:35374) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1R3tV2-0004d8-6U for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:43:53 -0400 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1R3tV0-0002R9-Mv for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:43:52 -0400 Received: from mail-ww0-f49.google.com ([74.125.82.49]:65375) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1R3tV0-0002Qx-Cb for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:43:50 -0400 Received: by wwp14 with SMTP id 14so2064928wwp.30 for ; Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:43:48 -0700 (PDT) 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: org-mode --0016364d213773a53a04acea4da9 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 I've been using org-mode for a few years. My agenda is cluttered with tasks that are weeks and even months past due. I am "this close" to declaring "orgmode bankruptcy" and starting from scratch, except my current setup works so well for other things. Might still do that, but I want to ask for ideas. I stumble consistently over the distinction between projects and tasks. I think there is not clear distinction, but I need to find a way to organize them so that, at least, agenda displays the day to day TODO tasks separated in a meaningful way from the long term projects that I need to remind myself of (and there are dozens of these). PROJECTS: I can define projects as - an overall series of tasks related to a single purpose - a recurring task (monthly calendars that I need to remind myself to make each month) - an actual project I am working on (writing a proposal, or a research project about a coral, or a recipe database, or reconstructing a LaTeX file tree for a publication ten years ago) TODOS: perhaps tasks could be anything, - bills (marked by tag "bill" - phone calls to make I am starting to understand how I TODOS can be scattered through all my other files. However, the greater the number of agenda files, the greater the clutter. And, as a recent thread called to mind, there are times when the list of agenda files prevents me from searching for tags or todos. SO where is the happy medium? Some thoughts: - I tried to write a custom agenda command that defined the agenda files to encompass all *org files in a directory. This actually set the agenda-files variable to all files for the rest of the session, so I gave that idea up----although I know it's possible to do it. - Again, the number of agenda files seems to be constraining. - There seem to be issues between defining the agenda files explicitly, or adding them one at a time. - It would be useful if agenda searches automatically picked up the recent files I had worked on during the session, however, in as streamlined a way as possible. I don't need to be reminded everyday that I have to organize bibliographic references for my next trip to the library, but I have to have a way to keep these organized to jog my memory in planning my time in some loose sense. I do need to have a list of bills that I can access without having to sort through the list of projects that are 3 months overdue. Almost every week I have new insights into how to use tags, so perhaps I need to junk alot of the tags I set up long ago. These thoughts are somewhat disconnected, and I apologize for this. And I would be grateful for any comments that would shed light on how to solve these issues. Alan Davis --0016364d213773a53a04acea4da9 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I've been using org-mode for a few years.=A0 My agenda is cluttered wit= h tasks that are weeks and even months past due.=A0 I am "this close&q= uot; to declaring "orgmode bankruptcy" and starting from scratch,= except my current setup works so well for other things.=A0=A0 Might still = do that, but I want to ask for ideas.=A0

I stumble consistently over the distinction between projects and tasks.= =A0 I think there is not clear distinction, but I need to find a way to org= anize them so that, at least, agenda displays the day to day TODO tasks sep= arated in a meaningful way from the long term projects that I need to remin= d myself of (and there are dozens of these).=A0=A0

PROJECTS: I can define projects as
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 - an overall s= eries of tasks related to a single purpose
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 - a recurr= ing task (monthly calendars that I need to remind myself to make each month= )
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 - an actual project I am working on (writing a prop= osal, or a research project about a coral, or a recipe database, or reconst= ructing a LaTeX file tree for a publication ten years ago)


TODOS: perhaps tasks could be anything,
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 - bills= (marked by tag "bill"
=A0=A0=A0=A0 - phone calls to make
<= br>=A0=A0=A0=A0 I am starting to understand how I TODOS can be scattered th= rough all my other files.=A0=A0 However, the greater the number of agenda f= iles, the greater the clutter. =A0 And, as a recent thread called to mind, = there are times when the list of agenda files prevents me from searching fo= r tags or todos.=A0 SO where is the happy medium?

Some thoughts:
=A0=A0=A0=A0 -=A0 I tried to write a custom agenda co= mmand that defined the agenda files to encompass all *org files in a direct= ory.=A0 This actually set the agenda-files variable to all files for the re= st of the session, so I gave that idea up----although I know it's possi= ble to do it.=A0
=A0=A0=A0=A0 -=A0 Again, the number of agenda files seems to be constrainin= g.=A0
=A0=A0=A0=A0 -=A0 There seem to be issues between defining the ag= enda files explicitly, or adding them one at a time.
=A0=A0=A0=A0 -=A0 I= t would be useful if agenda searches automatically picked up the recent fil= es I had worked on during the session,
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 however, in as streamlined a way as possible.
=A0= =A0=A0

I don't need to be reminded everyday that I have to orga= nize bibliographic references for my next trip to the library, but I have t= o have a way to keep these organized to jog my memory in planning my time i= n some loose sense.

I do need to have a list of bills that I can access without having to s= ort through the list of projects that are 3 months overdue.

Almost e= very week I have new insights into how to use tags, so perhaps I need to ju= nk alot of the tags I set up long ago.

These thoughts are somewhat disconnected, and I apologize for this.=A0 =

And I would be grateful for any comments that would shed light on h= ow to solve these issues.=A0

Alan Davis

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