Subprojects don't show up in left-hand panel
 

Hello,
I've searched the forums for the answer to this question, but I apologize if my question is redundant.

I'm a new user from iGTD. Many of my projects have subprojects that are related to the parent project. In iGTD I keep this grouped under the parent project and the subprojects show up on the left-hand window (ie. planning mode). In Omnifocus, if I create a subproject of the parent project, it doesn't show up in the left-hand window (ie. planning mode).

I tried to get around this by making the parent project a folder in Planning mode, but that precludes me from now putting tasks in the parent project directly that aren't associated with any subproject. These usually fall into the category of recurring tasks that are weekly and related to the overall project.

This seems like a relatively straight forward, and likely common, problem. Am I missing something obvious, or is what I require impossible? If so, I'm sad to say that I'll have to scrap OmniFocus for the time being.

Just to clear things up... let's say you have a project A with subproject B which contains actions C and D. For me, in planning mode, in the right panel, I get
A
..B
....C
....D

It's in the left panel that subprojects don't show, but then actions don't either. Can you say how you are filtering things? Also, do you have starting dates defined for the actions?

I mistakenly wrote "right-hand panel" when I meant "left-hand panel". I've since corrected my posted. My mistake.

So yes, I'd like my subprojects to show up in the left panel.

In terms of filtering, in the planning panel I have the "All Projects" filter. In the right hand panel I have it sorted as generally a possible, from left to right.

I've tried using a starting date and no starting dates, but it doesn't seem to influence whether my subproject shows up in the left-hand panel.

[QUOTE=reuben;22775]So yes, I'd like my subprojects to show up in the left panel.[/QUOTE]

Two things.

First, there are no "subprojects". They are called "action groups," and they behave like actions (generally) rather than like projects.

Second, action groups don't show up in the left panel of the planning view. Changing the filters won't change that. Adding dates won't change that.

Pvonk was asking about filtering and dates because you originally said right panel, and filtering and dates can affect what shows up in the right panel.

I'd add that the "action groups should behave like subprojects" debate rages periodically on the forums. (About every 3 weeks, though the interval seems to be getting longer.) Try searching the forums for 'action group subproject' to find some to the threads.

I'm not sure it makes sense to display "subprojects" in the *left* panel. As dhm points out, they are action groups which behave more like actions that projects. Consider this... action groups may/usually appear with other actions within a list under a project. Like:

Proj
..action
..action
..action group
....action
....action
..action
..action group
....action
....action

Now, what should be displayed in the left panel? ....

Proj
..action group
..action group

Since actions don't show in the left panel, we are left with the project and "subprojects." However, the placement of the action groups may be dependent on the actions around them (esp. for sequential projects). The second list above may be confusing to some under certain circumstances.

Another problem is the nested naturre of action groups. If you get enough of them nested within nested groups, the left panel would get unmanageably wide.

[QUOTE=reuben;22747]In iGTD I keep this grouped under the parent project and the subprojects show up on the left-hand window (ie. planning mode). In Omnifocus, if I create a subproject of the parent project, it doesn't show up in the left-hand window (ie. planning mode).[/QUOTE]

Reuben,

Here is a post that helps explain OmniGroup's position on the action group/subproject issue: [url]http://forums.omnigroup.com/showpost.php?p=18378&postcount=37[/url]

Thanks for the link. While I don't fundamentally disagree with the points laid out in Ken Case's response, I think that there's room for improved implementation to facilitate some of the solutions he points out.

For example, if I do put all the action groups into a folder and promote the "subprojects" to the project level. That precludes me from assigning an action to that general folder, which again breaks the generality of me having an overarching project and specific subcomponents, each of which has varying dependencies.

Unfortunately, this is a deal-breaker for me.

Back to iGTD I go...so long OmniFocus.

[QUOTE=reuben;22800]Back to iGTD I go...so long OmniFocus.[/QUOTE]

That's one advantage of a competitive software market: you can find the tool that best suits how you work. For many of us that will be OmniFocus. For others, iGTD, Midnight Inbox, TaskPaper, Journler, Life Balance, etc. It's a bad idea to try to make an app all things to all people and end up pleasing none.

Agreed. Thank you guys so much for your assistance and quick responses. I'm sure Omnifocus is going to rock, and perhaps I'll revisit down the road.