Applescript for dependent projects
 

I threw together something that enables me to select two or more projects, then select one from among them to remain active. The rest are put On Hold, and tasks are added to all the selected projects with links between the projects. Here's the result after running the script:

[IMG]http://forums.omnigroup.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1008&stc=1&d=1248367388[/IMG]

This is what I've been doing by hand until now.

The "this project on hold pending"... tasks are easilly visible during my reviews and helps me remember why I put the project on hold.

And of course the last tasks in the Active Project is now to active the blocked ones.

Applescript still mystifies (and baffles) me sometimes, so I'm certain there are several ways I could have done this better - and aside from that this could probably benefit from some refactoring. Any feedback on the script and the approach would be welcome.

The script is attached to this post

One more thing - I noticed in the Dictionary that projects have a "blocked" property:

blocked (boolean, r/o) : True if the project has a project that must be completed prior to it being actionable.

I haven't seen this implemented in the UI of OmniFocus - I've never seen a way to ascribe dependencies between projects in OmniFocus - only between tasks. Am I missing something?

The script appears to be corrupted when I download it. Could you upload it as a zip file, or use the forum's CODE tags to post the script in a post?

Sorry about that Greg, not sure why. Here's the script:

[CODE]
on run
tell application "OmniFocus"
tell front document
tell document window 1
set selectedTrees to selected trees of content

set selectedTrees to selected trees of content
if (count of selectedTrees) is less than 2 then
set selectedTrees to selected trees of sidebar
end if

set treeCount to count of selectedTrees

if not treeCount ≥ 2 then
display dialog "more than two projects must be selected in order to set a dependency"
--should also check to make sure they're projects and not tasks
else

-- obtain the project which is the "active" project, the one on which the others are waiting
-- build the list of names
set treeNames to {}
repeat with aTree in selectedTrees
set end of treeNames to name of aTree
end repeat

-- obtain selection from user
set nameOfActiveTree to {choose from list treeNames with prompt "Choose the project that should remain active (all others will be placed on hold):"}

-- now loop through the selected projects and grab the one the user specified, by name
set activeTree to missing value
repeat with aTree in selectedTrees
if (name of aTree as string) is equal to (nameOfActiveTree as string) then
set activeTree to aTree
end if
end repeat
set activeProject to the value of activeTree

-- now do the stuff
repeat with aTree in selectedTrees
set aProject to the value of aTree
if aProject = activeProject then

else
-- add task with link to the active project, and set the status to on hold
tell activeProject
set newTask to make new task with properties {name:"activate project: " & name of aProject, note:"omnifocus:///task/" & id of aProject & linefeed}
end tell
set status of aProject to on hold

-- add task with link to the blocked project
tell aProject
set newTask to make new task at beginning with properties {name:"this project on hold pending completion of: " & name of activeProject, note:"omnifocus:///task/" & id of activeProject & linefeed}
end tell
end if
end repeat
end if
end tell
end tell
end tell
end run

-- TODO:
-- could create an accompanying script that locates the linked project in a task's notes, activates it, and then toggles the status of the task

[/CODE]


Watch out for an annoyance with the selection - if there are non-projects (i.e. tasks) selected in the right pane, the script won't work. I haven't tested what it does in this scenario, but I should probably update the script to handle it.

Thanks for posting the code. That's a pretty nice script-I like it.

[QUOTE=Greg Jones;63793]Thanks for posting the code. That's a pretty nice script-I like it.[/QUOTE]

No worries, thanks Greg!

[QUOTE=fudster;63789] --should also check to make sure they're projects and not tasks [/QUOTE]

The simplest approach is probably to filter the selected trees with a [I]where[/I] clause. Something, for example, like:

[CODE]tell application "OmniFocus"
tell front document
-- GET SELECTED PROJECTS
tell front document window
repeat with oPanel in {content, sidebar}
set refProjects to (a reference to (selected trees of oPanel where class of value is project))
if (count of refProjects) > 1 then exit repeat
end repeat
end tell
if (count of refProjects) < 2 then ¬
display dialog "more than two projects must be selected in order to set a dependency" buttons {"OK"} cancel button "OK"

-- CHOOSE ACTIVE PROJECT
set lstNames to name of refProjects
set varResponse to {choose from list (lstNames) with prompt "Choose the project that should remain active (all others will be placed on hold):"}
if varResponse = false then return
set strActive to varResponse as string
set oActive to first flattened project where name = (strActive)
set status of oActive to active

-- SET OTHERS ON HOLD AND MAKE LINKS
set lstOnHold to value of (selected trees of oPanel where (class of value is project) and (name ≠ strActive))
repeat with oProj in lstOnHold
set refClip to (a reference to the clipboard)
tell oProj
set strHTML to quoted form of ("<font face=\"helvetica\"><a href=\"" & "omnifocus:///task/" & id & "\">" & name & "</a></font><p>")
do shell script "echo " & strHTML & " | textutil -format html -convert rtf -stdin -stdout | pbcopy -Prefer rtf"
tell oActive to set oTask to (make new task with properties {name:"activate project: " & name of oProj})
my PasteToNote(oTask)

set status to on hold
set strHTML to quoted form of ("<font face=\"helvetica\"><a href=\"" & "omnifocus:///task/" & id of oActive & "\">" & name of oActive & "</a></font><p>")
do shell script "echo " & strHTML & " | textutil -format html -convert rtf -stdin -stdout | pbcopy -Prefer rtf"

set oTask to (make new task at beginning with properties ¬
{name:"this project on hold pending completion of: " & name of oActive})
my PasteToNote(oTask)
end tell
end repeat
end tell
end tell

on PasteToNote(oTask)
tell application id "com.omnigroup.OmniFocus"
tell content of front document window of front document to select {oTask}
activate
end tell
tell application id "com.apple.systemevents"
keystroke "'" using {command down} -- Edit note
keystroke "v" using {command down} -- Paste
end tell
end PasteToNote
[/CODE]

I notice that illegibility of raw links like [B]omnifocus:///task/gnsId0vG3Jm[/B] causes a bit of cognitive friction.

It is possible to amend the code so that it hides these links behind the human-readable names of their target projects.

[IMG]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/5437956635_748b59b40c_o.jpg[/IMG]

I have amended the code in the previous posting to illustrate this approach. (Note that System Events pasting seems to be the the only way of inserting the RTF links in the notes, so the code takes a second or two to run).

[COLOR="White"]--[/COLOR]

[QUOTE=RobTrew;93165]hides these links behind the human-readable names of their target projects.[/QUOTE]

Thanks! I've been wondering how to do that from a script.

What I haven't found is a way of getting RTF content from a variable, the clipboard, or a reference thereto, straight into a note without pasting ...

Do tell me if you think of anything.