Single Actions Do Not Appear in Context View
 

Perhaps, I am missing something simple; I enter, for example, Call Jim Smith. I assign it a context of @Calls; however, it does not appear in the Context view. What is wrong?

-tim

Hit the "Cleanup" button to move items out of the inbox and into your projects/contexts lists.

I thought the "Cleanup" button was for deleting completed tasks. I tried it and it did not correct the problem.

-t

Unfortunately, unless you assign your action item to a project (either a regular project or a special "single items" project), your item will not show up in your selected context.

Furthermore, if you do assign it to a project, and then remove that project while you're viewing it in Context, the item seemingly disappears from your project mode.

And further still, if you search for the action while in Context view, and select it, and try to view it in the projects list by using View > Show In Project View, the item disappears from the Context view until you search for it again. (If you simply scroll to the item in Context view and use this command, nothing seemingly happens: you remain where you are, with the action highlighted.)

Sorry, it's no wonder this is confusing since it's all still in flux. Pardon our mess!

For an action to appear in context mode it must be assigned to a list in planning mode (either a project, or a list of single actions). We recently introduced the notion of a default list for single actions, to which actions will be automatically assigned when they're assigned to a context without specifying a project. We intend for the default list to be part of the default setup (probably named something like "Miscellaneous"), but at the moment you have to set it up by hand if you want to get the behavior we're planning.

To set it up by hand, you need to create a list of single actions (which eventually will be as easy as creating a project or folder currently is, but currently involves creating a project and changing its type in the inspector), then make this list the default using Data Preferences. (The location and name of Data Preferences is also temporary, I have to point out. Ah, the joys of using software that's still a work in progress!)

At that point I think things will almost work the way we're planning, with one obvious exception: in the future we plan to treat single actions as though they're next actions, but right now they're treated as available actions.

I followed the instructions specified here, but an action item with context assigned but no project does not appear in the newly created list of single actions even though I specified it as the default.

[QUOTE]I followed the instructions specified here, but an action item with context assigned but no project does not appear in the newly created list of single actions even though I specified it as the default.[/QUOTE]

After you assign a context, you still need to Clean Up (which basically says that you're done editing and it's OK to move things around based on your changes). You can select Clean Up from the Edit menu (Command-K) or customize your toolbar and add the Clean Up button to it.

Is that what you were seeing, or is it still not working even when you Clean Up?

[QUOTE=Ken Case;20712]After you assign a context, you still need to Clean Up (which basically says that you're done editing and it's OK to move things around based on your changes). You can select Clean Up from the Edit menu (Command-K) or customize your toolbar and add the Clean Up button to it.

Is that what you were seeing, or is it still not working even when you Clean Up?[/QUOTE]

Thanks. It worked. The problem was I didn't do the last step (clean up).

Ken

[QUOTE=Ken Case;20709]Sorry, it's no wonder this is confusing since it's all still in flux. Pardon our mess!

For an action to appear in context mode it must be assigned to a list in planning mode (either a project, or a list of single actions). We recently introduced the notion of a default list for single actions, to which actions will be automatically assigned when they're assigned to a context without specifying a project. We intend for the default list to be part of the default setup (probably named something like "Miscellaneous"), but at the moment you have to set it up by hand if you want to get the behavior we're planning.

To set it up by hand, you need to create a list of single actions (which eventually will be as easy as creating a project or folder currently is, but currently involves creating a project and changing its type in the inspector), then make this list the default using Data Preferences. (The location and name of Data Preferences is also temporary, I have to point out. Ah, the joys of using software that's still a work in progress!)

At that point I think things will almost work the way we're planning, with one obvious exception: in the future we plan to treat single actions as though they're next actions, but right now they're treated as available actions.[/QUOTE]

I am wondering, since you have laid out your plan above, if it will be possible to make the InBox a child of the Library. Boy, it would really ease my concerns about the project focus of OmniFocus if the single tasks bucket was a list on the same level as the InBox. And it would seem consistent with the Library paradigm in the Apple apps. Library would be the topmost folder, containing all items. Then as sub folders: the InBox, Single Actions, Projects (or whatever sort of other subfolders you want). It all would make total sense to me then.

Thanks for this tip!
 

[QUOTE=Ken Case;20709]

To set it up by hand, you need to create a list of single actions (which eventually will be as easy as creating a project or folder currently is, but currently involves creating a project and changing its type in the inspector), then make this list the default using Data Preferences. (The location and name of Data Preferences is also temporary, I have to point out. Ah, the joys of using software that's still a work in progress!)

[/QUOTE]

I appreciate this quick-and-dirty tutorial on setting up single actions Ken. I'd been having similar issues (single actions seemingly disappear), but setting up the single actions project and cleaning up took care of it.

--> John