Separate Someday/Maybe database?
 

I am trying to slim down my OF data so it syncs more quickly and is "lighter" to work with. My Someday/Maybe lists are now a Projects folder with pseudo-projects in it like "Personal deferred" and "Professional deferred" all set to "On Hold". This allows me to easily drag stuff in and out when I'm reviewing, but bloats my system and slows my synching.

If I could save S/Ms out as a separate database, perhaps I could move things in and out there pretty easily, but not have them all sync to my iPhone. I don't need to carry them around all the time, or work with them more often than once a week or so.

Is this possible? If so, how would I set that up? Seems like the Archive function is a way to do this, but I'm not totally clear about how to do it. Any suggestions? Good idea? Bad idea for some reason I'm not seeing?

Archiving is one way to slim down your sync database, but I don't think you'll want to store these items in there. (More info on archiving is available [URL="http://forums.omnigroup.com/showpost.php?p=59256&postcount=2"]here[/URL], just in case that helps.)

I'd suggest you try the following, instead.

Quit OmniFocus, then open up <your home folder>/Library/Application Support/OmniFocus in the Finder.

Select the file named "OmniFocus" (or "OmniFocus.ofocus").

Select File -> Duplicate from the Menu bar. Change the name of the new file from "OmniFocus Copy.ofocus" to "Someday-Maybe.ofocus".

Delete everything [I]except[/I] the Someday/Maybe actions from the new database, then move it some location that's convenient to double-click. You can now open the second database as you need it. (To add stuff, to move things to the "real" database, or what have you.)

You can now slim down your "real" database by removing those someday/maybe actions.

Does that help?

Brian, that sounds like just what I was looking for! When they're both open, can you drag actions and projects between them? And, I assume the "normal" database (Omnifocus.ofocus) will be the only one that syncs?

Can I make backups of the Someday-Maybe.ofocus database, archive things, and generally do the same kinds of activities as you'd do with the normal database? I ask because it looks like OF doesn't normally work with more than one file open at a time, so I'm just looking for what kinds of limitations or problems this might create.

Yes, OmniFocus only syncs the database stored in the default location, but is happy to display and edit multiple other databases. This is also how you can retrieve material from backups or the archive. You do want to be sure that you edit the right database, of course!