Single Actions ?
 

Is there a solution on the way for single actions ?
I know it has been discussed before but it doesn't appear yet in OmniFocus.
For me the only change necessary would be a checkbox in the Project inspector saying 'all next actions' which makes all the actions in the project go purple.

From what I've read in those threads concerning single actions, the Religion of GTD permits only one next action per project, regardless of the sequential or parallel setting. I believe one solution that was offered was to use the appropriate filter (available?) to see multiple actions per project. Unfortunately this is a global setting and does not affect the sequential vs. parallel setting. Your suggestion would certainly work.

However, I've noticed that folks have brought up countless issues regarding the use of OF and one solution frequently offered for each issue is to include a preference or checkbox. But how many can we put up with?

If they're ALL next actions, then NONE of them are next actions.

I hope Omni stays canonical (follows GTD principles) for 1.0, and doesn't waste time enabling "cheater" behavior until later...

In a list of single actions every action SHOULD be a next action because the actions are not related to eachother.

In OF I use a parallel project for single actions which means that all actions down from nr 2 are not considered next actions, but in fact they are !

If I put the filter bar in context view on "next" all these next-actions disappear. Now this is not very 'canonical' in my opinion...

[QUOTE=plutones]In a list of single actions every action SHOULD be a next action because the actions are not related to eachother.

In OF I use a parallel project for single actions which means that all actions down from nr 2 are not considered next actions, but in fact they are !

If I put the filter bar in context view on "next" all these next-actions disappear. Now this is not very 'canonical' in my opinion...[/QUOTE]

You currently have two options.

1. Filter for Available actions. That will show exactly the actions you want. Then change the formatting of Available-but-not-Next Actions to match that of Next Actions.

2. Don't assign your singleton actions to projects. Just give them a context and clean them from the inbox. They'll show in context view as next actions, but won't show at all in project view.

[QUOTE=curt.clifton]You currently have two options.
2. Don't assign your singleton actions to projects. Just give them a context and clean them from the inbox. They'll show in context view as next actions, but won't show at all in project view.[/QUOTE]

I have a question about this... I've created an action in the inBox and assigned it a context but no project. Then I clicked the "clean up" tool (I'm not sure if this is what you mean by 'clean them from the inbox' - but this did remove the action from the inBox). I turned on the "next" filter in context view, but this action doesn't show up. If I choose "available" then it does. Am I missing something?

- Pierre

[QUOTE=curt.clifton]You currently have two options.
1. Filter for Available actions. That will show exactly the actions you want. Then change the formatting of Available-but-not-Next Actions to match that of Next Actions.

2. Don't assign your singleton actions to projects. Just give them a context and clean them from the inbox. They'll show in context view as next actions, but won't show at all in project view.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for your suggestions.
1. I did use the available-filter already but got distracted by the different colors of actions with the same status. Your suggestion to use the same formatting does work and I will use it for now. But I do find it a shame to have to sacrifice custom formatting for next actions. I think the Omni people can come up with a more elegant solution...

2. This doesn't work for me, I would like to see a list of single actions in the project view for reviewing purposes.

[QUOTE=pvonk]I have a question about this... I've created an action in the inBox and assigned it a context but no project. Then I clicked the "clean up" tool (I'm not sure if this is what you mean by 'clean them from the inbox' - but this did remove the action from the inBox). I turned on the "next" filter in context view, but this action doesn't show up. If I choose "available" then it does. Am I missing something?[/QUOTE]

No, I was missing something. I actually keep all my singleton actions in a separate singletons project. I had forgotten how non-project actions were formatted. Sorry for the misinformation.

[QUOTE=curt.clifton]No, I was missing something. I actually keep all my singleton actions in a separate singletons project. [/QUOTE]
Yes, that's what I do as well; however, GTD does not require all actions to be in projects. It's only those actions that are part of several others, making up some... project. I think we all understand this, but OF seems to be mainly project-focused at this point.

- Pierre

How about special formatting for singletons? I don't want to see them in project view, and I'm quite happy to have them only available in Context, but it would be nice to be able to identify them at a glance at a context list. A green text maybe?