[omnibob]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

Those new tasks you added which don't have any resource assignments or dependencies could have started immediately at T=0, so that's when OmniPlan schedules them.

OK, but I initially assigned them a resource (me) and they still were set to T=0. However your subsequent text I think sheds more light on the situation.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

I think I've seen requests in the past that there be an option to tell OP not to schedule newly entered tasks prior to the present time; as always, use Help->Send Feedback to get your vote in.

Will do. I would ideally like to enter tasks without fixed dates, and have them set to start in the present, and then auto move forward in the Gantt chart as each day passes.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

But remember, those tasks it is scheduling in the past are tasks for which you haven't yet specified the relationship to the plan [Bob's emphasis], or it wouldn't be possible to schedule them in the past.

I think that is key to understanding how it works. I'm probably thinking more in a GTD/OmniFocus way, where any task/action I enter should be available to me now, assuming I don't place any restrictions on it directly, or indirectly.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

Or, assign them to a new resource not previously available.

Sorry, I don't understand. When I enter a new task, it automatically gets the project's start date, even if I assign a resource. Do you mean I should create some dummy resource? (I don't think that's what you mean, I just don't understand.)

Here's my real world scenario (apologies for changing gears here a bit):

I have a bunch of things I can do on the project right now. I just learned I need to get a part at the hardware store, and this is something I should do today, before anything else. I enter the task. I set it's finish to be a pre-req to the start of another task. I manually change the start date to today. I set it's priority to highest, yet another task (with a "0" priority) shows up as first in the critical path.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

Be sure to watch the video tutorials on the product page if you haven't done so.

I'll do that; sounds like "a plan" ;). I did do the self (computer) tutorial from the help system.

Thank you so much for helping me out today, very good info.

Bob