Filter projects list by context on iPhone?
 

On the iPhone, is there a way to filter the project list by context? When I'm at work, I only want to see the projects (and associated actions) that have a context of @work. Same when I'm home, I only want to see the projects and actions associated with the @home context. As it currently stands, my projects list is long enough that the iPhone interface seems virtually unusable (at least for me) if I have to wade through all of the projects and they can't be filtered by context.

I really like the ability to sync the phone and desktop versions of Omnifocus (that was one of the main reasons I bought both products), but without the ability to tailor the views a bit more I find myself ignoring the iPhone version because there's just too much data to deal with. Perhaps an implementation of perspectives on the iPhone version would take care of this. Are there any other solutions?

Now that I have synced all my Macbook 1.5 stuff with my Iphone, this is an important point. Need a way to select a context and display only items for that context. Initially "Next available" task for each project would do, but perspectives do indeed play a critical function in OF in that they allow you to be presented with only the specific data to that exact situation you are in. (ex. @HOME : With_PC, vs @HOME : Without_PC), etc. really is a key stength.

Often programs are good at storing data. Perspectives allows OF to actually present only data for that context specifics that apply at that moment. This means OF is good a presenting data, which shouldn't be unique to programs, but we all know it is. Which is why OF is a great application! Perspectives have the same value on the iphone.

I put most of my projects into a couple folders: Work, Household, Personal. I find this keeps my lists short enough to be manageable even on an iPhone.

When I'm actually _doing_ things, I don't look at projects at all. I look at Contexts. This allows me to "select a context and display only items for that context", exactly as defilmj suggests. When I'm at home, I want to see all the things for @Home, regardless of what project they're for. I might have "take extra laptop battery to work" in my @Home context, and I need to do that at home, even though it's for a work project.

But what about the "focus" ? :)
 

[QUOTE=Lizard;49966]
When I'm actually _doing_ things, I don't look at projects at all. I look at Contexts. This allows me to "select a context and display only items for that context", exactly as defilmj suggests. When I'm at home, I want to see all the things for @Home, regardless of what project they're for. I might have "take extra laptop battery to work" in my @Home context, and I need to do that at home, even though it's for a work project.[/QUOTE]

Agreed, I also have folders like this, and in fact sub-folders of those, and in some cases even sub-sub-folders. One of my favourite features of OmniFocus (and the reason I thought it was called OmniFOCUS...) was the ability to focus on a project, or a project folder. Doing so means that I can remove various sorts of distractions to suit my situation (apart from using other methods like contexts, start dates etc). I often dedicate time in my calendar not to a particular project, but to a group (folder/"category") of projects, so that I set up my work environment, frame of mind etc for those types of projects, and pick off tasks in a context view. I find I'm much more focussed on the types of task at hand this way, and I spend less overhead adapting my environment for the kinds of tasks I need to do.

Since I work from home, this allows me to make sure that when I have the clock running, counting time which I'll be billing a customer for, I'm not doing personal tasks instead, and vice versa.

Currently on the iPhone. the only solution would seem to be to use contexts instead, to distinguish between personal work time and paid work time, and I'm currently looking at going that route, where right now I just mark things I need to do at my Mac (which is 95% of my actions), as being in the "Mac" context.

I'm curious if there's been any further thought on this problem? I find that I regularly want to Focus on a particular folder, and then see just the available Contexts and Actions for that folder.

This would be the equivalent of Focusing on a folder on the Desktop while in Projects mode, and switching over to Context mode.

Have you tried making a context mode perspective on your desktop that does this, then turning on the experimental perspectives support on the iPhone app? As long as you know in advance on which projects/folders you'll need to do this, it appears to do what you want...

Jasong, just wanted to let you know that yep, this is one of the ideas we're kicking around. If you haven't already, email the [EMAIL="omnifocus-iphone@omnigroup.com"]support ninjas[/EMAIL] and ask them to attach your email to the item we have open on this in the development database. Thanks!

[QUOTE=whpalmer4;77044]Have you tried making a context mode perspective on your desktop that does this, then turning on the experimental perspectives support on the iPhone app? As long as you know in advance on which projects/folders you'll need to do this, it appears to do what you want...[/QUOTE]

I have considered that. As you say, it works well if you know in advance what you're Focusing on. For me, it's just that I when I'm in the office, I only want to see my Office folder, and the related items, and it's not usually a particular combination I'm looking for.

[QUOTE=Brian;77057]Jasong, just wanted to let you know that yep, this is one of the ideas we're kicking around. If you haven't already, email the [EMAIL="omnifocus-iphone@omnigroup.com"]support ninjas[/EMAIL] and ask them to attach your email to the item we have open on this in the development database. Thanks![/QUOTE]


Done.

[QUOTE=jasong;77065]I have considered that. As you say, it works well if you know in advance what you're Focusing on. For me, it's just that I when I'm in the office, I only want to see my Office folder, and the related items, and it's not usually a particular combination I'm looking for.[/QUOTE]
Can't you make such a perspective showing everything in your Office folder?