one fact: many projects
 

apologies if this has been covered, perhaps many times, but sometimes it really is easier just to ask again :-)

I've just acquired a note describing how to transfer audio regions from Logic Pro to GarageBand. This is highly relevant to Chloe's current song, so it goes into her song project - it's something I must do very soon.

However, it's useful for any client projects, but once I've finished Chloe's project I may be so far down various tunnels that I'll forget to move the transfer workflow note to a more general area.

As I have a slew of tech notes about my setup, this question will rise over and again.

How would the panel handle this?

tia

peter

I may be veering off in the wrong direction with this answer, I'm not sure, but it seems like this is a simple case of copying and pasting -- that the ease of duplication is automation enough. It's nice to think that OF might be able to magically make an action appear in 19 or 78 other relevant projects, but ... software can't do [I]everything[/I] for us. Being able to quickly paste the action into a bunch of other projects is still pretty dang handy, isn't it?

At any rate, I don't know of a better way. But I suppose if someone else does, I'd like to know it, too! :)

First of all, I'd save all those tech notes outside of OmniFocus since they're really reference material that is not specific to any one project. Besides, at some point you might want to search/browse/archive that material irrespective of your projects, so an independent system for that kind of stuff is a good idea.

With my reference material in a common, easily-accessible place, I'd link particular items to my OmniFocus projects by simply dragging the file (or link to a database item) to any associated project. If the attachment is a file or folder (instead of a database item), it can be easily previewed with Quick Look from within OmniFocus.

The nice thing about this approach is that the reference material can be updated as time goes on and all your projects will still be linked to the most current data.

If the action or project with linked reference material is something I'll be using over and over in new projects, I create a template (with the reference material still linked inside) and mark it as dropped in the OmniFocus sidebar so it doesn't interfere with my active items. Then, when I need to create a new instance of the special project, I just Option-drag my template to wherever I want the copy to reside, mark it as active, and fill in any details particular to that instance.

-Dennis

In addition to Dennis' excellent points, you probably don't want to duplicate this material all over the place because it would increase the size of your database unnecessarily. Another reason to link to the original instead of duplicating...

I think what the OP is describing is essentially a project template. When a song comes to him to deal with, he has many of the same tasks to do for each. So, if there was template for a typical project, he could use that to create the project and workflow and then add or delete from that.

The way I would do this is to write an applescript that creates a new project and all of its relevant actions. Invoke the applescript and the new project would instantly be created with all of its tasks.

J.

[QUOTE=bigcloits;50834]... it seems like this is a simple case of copying and pasting ... It's nice to think that OF might be able to magically make an action appear in 19 or 78 other relevant projects, but ... software can't do [I]everything[/I] for us. ....[/QUOTE]

thanks bigcloits :-)

I would like to see aliases - this works in my other PIM seamlessly.
I spotted a reference to links in another thread, and this would work too, but I can't get it to work and the Help file doesn't explain

peter

Thanks Dennis :-)

[QUOTE] I'd save all those tech notes outside of OmniFocus since they're really reference material ... an independent system for that kind of stuff is a good idea.[/QUOTE]

tempting - I have MORI in mind...

[QUOTE] I'd link particular items to my OmniFocus projects by simply dragging the file (or link to a database item) to any associated project. If the attachment is a file or folder (instead of a database item),
[/QUOTE]

Unfortunately I can't find a way to link entries from MORI :-(

Can you suggest a good PIM that would allow nested storage and linkability?

[QUOTE]
The nice thing about this approach is that the reference material can be updated as time goes on and all your projects will still be linked to the most current data.[/QUOTE]

very tempting :-)

[QUOTE]
If the action or project with linked reference material is something I'll be using over and over in new projects, I create a template (with the reference material still linked inside)
-Dennis[/QUOTE]

at this stage, I don't feel that my projects fit a template, they seem to vary a lot. However, if I see a pattern developing, I will look again at that approach

peter

[QUOTE=whpalmer4;50874]In addition to Dennis' excellent points, you probably don't want to duplicate this material all over the place because it would increase the size of your database unnecessarily. Another reason to link to the original instead of duplicating...[/QUOTE]

I need a good way to either link to a 'master' note in OF or to link from a note in another application.
I don't want to keep notes as separate files - too much distribution...

thanks, peter

thanks John :-)

[QUOTE=JohnJ80;50907]....The way I would do this is to write an applescript that creates a new project and all of its relevant actions. Invoke the applescript and the new project would instantly be created with all of its tasks.

J.[/QUOTE]

as per parallel response, my projects don't fit a pattern yet.
eg. in this particular project, my client is using GarageBand. Very few others do.

peter

[QUOTE=JohnJ80;50907]The way I would do this is to write an applescript that creates a new project and all of its relevant actions. Invoke the applescript and the new project would instantly be created with all of its tasks.[/QUOTE]

You might want to check out [B]curt.clifton[/B]'s [URL="http://www.rose-hulman.edu/~clifton/software.html#PopTemp"]Populate Template Placeholders script[/URL], referenced [URL="http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=6551"]here[/URL] and [URL="http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=9716"]here[/URL] in threads discussing templates. I find the script to be very helpful.

[QUOTE= peterlemer]I would like to see aliases - this works in my other PIM seamlessly.
I spotted a reference to links in another thread, and this would work too, but I can't get it to work and the Help file doesn't explain[/QUOTE]

I agree that clones could be helpful. An ongoing discussion can be found [URL="http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=3871"]here[/URL]. Use Help > Send Feedback… if you'd like to add a vote to this feature request.

To link to a task, select the task, go to Edit > Copy As Link, then paste. [LIST][*]If you paste in the notes field of a task, it will paste as a link. Clicking the link will open a new OF window with the linked task selected. [*]If you paste in the name field of a task, it will paste as plain text. Select the text and use the contextual menu to convert it to a link, if preferred. [*]It seems to be supported to varying to degrees in other applications. Pasting into TextEdit displays the same behavior as pasting in the name field of a task. MS Word 2004 doesn't seem to support links, but I haven't experimented with it too much.[/LIST]