What's the point of a project context?
 

I'm new to OmniFocus, but I've read GTD and I'm completely hooked!

I have a question about something I find rather odd about OmniFocus for iPad.

When we assign contexts to actions, they show up under those contexts, and also on the map, if we assigned specific locations for those contexts. Works great.

However, when we assign a context to a project, that project doesn't show up under that context, or on the map, as those views are only for actions under the project, and not for the project itself.

So... Why is there an option to assign contexts to projects in the first place? So far, the only list I saw it had an effect is under contexts. If I don't assign a context to a project, it's listed under "no context". Otherwise, it's listed with the actions with that context assigned.

Could anyone explain the logic?

Whenever you create a child of an existing item, the context defaults to that of the parent. If you have set a context for a project, actions you create or move into that project will get that context, unless you specify otherwise. If you are creating a project where many actions have the same context, this can save you some work.

When you complete all the actions in a project or action group (the term for nested actions), the project or action group itself becomes available, looking much like an ordinary action, but for the bold styling. This gives you notice that you've completed all of the actions you set out, and it is time to either add some more, or mark the project or group as complete. Setting the context of a project or action group allows you to choose in which context this item will appear. If you want to complete it, you just check off the project, and it is as if you had edited the project and set its status to Completed.

A search for "Show projects and action groups in context mode" will find you previous threads on this occasionally contentious topic. Some people prefer not to see the project and action groups in context mode. If you are one of them, see my post [URL="http://forums.omnigroup.com/showpost.php?p=108262&postcount=2"]here[/URL] for details on how to be rid of them.

Now it all makes sense. Thanks!

I actually didn't know about child inheriting the context of the parent. Because when you assign the context of a project after creating its actions, it doesn't pass the context to its existing actions.

It's also nice to know that once the actions of a project are completed, the project itself becomes available like an action for you to review its state.

I prefer to have them showing up, so I won't use your tip to disable that function. However, by inspecting your tip, I learned that we can use scripted urls to change some settings that we can't normally change without the desktop version.

Thanks again!