Merged both the Waiting For and @waiting threads.

For what it's worth ... Using the flag to mark 'waiting for' actions seems to work for me. A Perspective to show only flagged items then serves as the "Waiting For" file, to be reviewed on a regular basis.

JP

but then you don’t get to use the flag for other stuff.

Right now I'm using flags to show those things on my plate that I REALLY want to make sure get done today, as in “OK, if I only get a few things done, what do those need to be?”

then a separate perspective to show only flagged items.

If OF had tags and we could filter by tag, we could use that. but alas......

Looks like 6 months ago, the consensus on how to create a "Waiting for" context was that should use the inspector to uncheck the "Allows next actions" box. I see no such box in my inspector. Presumably this feature has been removed. So how do we create "Waiting for" contexts now?

Well, that's because it is just a graphic now. If you select a context and open the inspector, you should see a row of three buttons, one with an "@", one with a "||", and one with a red "x". The "||" is the hold button, and that's the one you want to select to put that context on hold.

[QUOTE=rmathes;31194]but then you don’t get to use the flag for other stuff.

Right now I'm using flags to show those things on my plate that I REALLY want to make sure get done today, as in “OK, if I only get a few things done, what do those need to be?”

then a separate perspective to show only flagged items.

If OF had tags and we could filter by tag, we could use that. but alas......[/QUOTE]

How about writing "WF/ this person" in the note of the action ? That way the action does not need to change in time, the note allows you to include as many "history / timestamps" about it (if you need it) and, for me at least, the best part : you find this actions (or exclude them, if you want), using perspectives + a search string including "WF/ this person" (obviously, do not use this same string anywhere ... kind of a tag)

By the way (question) : can I specify a negative filter to "give me everything except this string "XXXX" ???



Saludos

Feature request: Waiting Exclamation Mark Status Button (Like on hold's pause button)
 

Hi There,

I have made a similar suggestion for "Someday Maybe ([url]http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=6359&page=3[/url]) and I think this could also work well for "Waiting".

Ever since I started using OmniFocus I haven't quite devised a rock-solid system for either "Waiting" or "Someday/Maybe". What Strikes me most of all is that in all the discussions these statuses are mostly viewed as CONTEXTS.

If my action is "Get sales invoice from colleage" for example, the context is set to @colleague, because I need the colleage (physical requirement) to complete the action. Once I've sent the email requesting the invoice, the actual context shouldn't change to @waiting now (or having to create a NEW context @waitin@colleague or whatever). The physical requirement to do an action (Context) is still the same (i.e. @colleage), only the STATUS (i.e. the ball is now in his playing field) has changed now!

So my suggestion is - just like for "Someday/Maybe"- add a status button for "Waiting", like there is already for "On Hold" (the pause symbol). For "Waiting" one could use an exclamation mark (!) symbol, as it still needs following up.

This seems like the easiest solution to me, and does not disrupt any folder structures and merely requires a right click.

Robert

Why do you want the same action to mean two different things? You've got multiple actions here -- sending a request to your colleague, and waiting for a response.

These check marks you propose are not as trivial to properly implement as you suggest. Among the considerations: data file format changes, iPhone support (very limited screen space), support for filtering/grouping/sorting.

[QUOTE=whpalmer4;62490]Why do you want the same action to mean two different things? You've got multiple actions here -- sending a request to your colleague, and waiting for a response.

These check marks you propose are not as trivial to properly implement as you suggest. Among the considerations: data file format changes, iPhone support (very limited screen space), support for filtering/grouping/sorting.[/QUOTE]

How does the action mean two different things...?! If you read p.28 of the Omnifocus handbook - look at the "waiting" example: “get annotated pterodactyl brochure draft back from Dennis”. What is suggested there, is that I create another context (example > create a Waiting : Dennis context) although the context actually still is "Dennis". I'm not changing context so why create another one?! That's just extra work and unproductive. It would be easier to -just like an "on hold" marker- mark it as waiting (!). Otherwise how many unnecessary contexts do I start creating (that would be every calls/people/email context double!!!)

You can't be serious about the multiple actions here... =D Waiting is a state, not a second action. And for sure it isn't a GTD context. If it is please enlighten me, if not, why is the GTD-true Omnifocus treating it like one?

I am no programmer, and I cannot judge whether the implementation is trivial or not. However, doesn't it seem like code just needs to be copied from the "On hold" function and altered slightly (plus the exclamation mark logo design)?

[QUOTE=Robbie1702;62513]How does the action mean two different things...?! If you read p.28 of the Omnifocus handbook - look at the "waiting" example: “get annotated pterodactyl brochure draft back from Dennis”. What is suggested there, is that I create another context (example > create a Waiting : Dennis context) although the context actually still is "Dennis".
[/quote]
No, "Waiting : Dennis" is a separate context. If you don't have the option set in your preferences to display the full hierarchical name, it may look like it is the same as your "Agenda : Dennis" context, but it is most certainly a separate context.
[quote]
I'm not changing context so why create another one?! That's just extra work and unproductive. It would be easier to -just like an "on hold" marker- mark it as waiting (!). Otherwise how many unnecessary contexts do I start creating (that would be every calls/people/email context double!!!)
[/quote]
You probably don't need a calls context for each person you are going to call. Typically one might have a Calls context that serves as a catch-all for calls to be made (the physical constraint being that you need a means for making calls), and possibly an Agenda context for interactions where the other person or group needs to be present.

[quote]
You can't be serious about the multiple actions here... =D Waiting is a state, not a second action. And for sure it isn't a GTD context. If it is please enlighten me, if not, why is the GTD-true Omnifocus treating it like one?
[/quote]
I am serious, and don't call me Shirley :-)

DA speaks of "waiting for" lists all over the place in [i]Getting Things Done[/i]. You call Fred and tell him that you need him to send you his report. That's an action. Fred needs to actually send you the report. That's another action. The OmniFocus structure allows you to track that in the project instead of in a list over on the side, in much the same way that it gives you lists of Next Actions.
[quote]
I am no programmer, and I cannot judge whether the implementation is trivial or not. However, doesn't it seem like code just needs to be copied from the "On hold" function and altered slightly (plus the exclamation mark logo design)?[/QUOTE]
As I previously opined, I don't think this is a trivial change in 1.x, though as Dennis reminds me, Omni has mentioned reworking the model in 2.0, allowing for putting individual actions on hold. However, Ken, Omni's CEO, recently commented that they've just stopped taking 2.0 apart, and haven't started putting it all back together again, so you should probably count on doing a fair amount of work without that feature before you get it...there's still at least 1 more 1.x release in the pipeline before 2.0.