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How can I keep my normal OF workflow with OF for iPad and iPhone?? Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Hello.

I don't mean to whine and complain, but after being totally spoiled by the greatness of OF for Mac, I feel totally underwhelmed with the iOS versions.

I've had them for a while, but I am trying to incorporate them into my daily workflow just now. And I'm beginning to notice how little I can do with them. One thing I know now is that I'm glad I have the desktop version, because the iOS versions could not stand on their own, IMO.

These are some of the things I need to figure out how to implement in the iOS versions to make them usable for me (sorted by degree of annoyance/disappointment):

1.- I tried doing my weekly review on the iPad. I couldn't... It's so annoying! Why would I want to look at ALL my projects, even the ones that are On Hold? Why can't I just review my FLAGGED projects?

The way it is now, I only see an endless (and very anti-GTD-like) list of projects. Worst of all, most are not even projects in the first place: I see all my templates (which are a lot), all my checklists, half-baked some-day projects, etc. I don't want to see those when I'm reviewing! I want to have the ability to review only the active (not On Hold) or flagged projects, just like I can with the desktop version.
Is there a way around this?

2.- I use a Flag core in the desktop version. I find it almost crippling that I can't make the iOS versions show ONLY the flagged projects or tasks. All I can do is choose to see Active, Next Action, Remaining, etc. But this is useless to me because my active projects are marked with Flags.
How can I choose to see only flagged projects or everything except flagged ones?
I could live with having the flagged tasks/projects show at the top, together, and not scattered all over the place between un-flagged ones.

3.- Only context-based perspectives sync to the iOS apps.
May I ask why this is? This really seems like a flop. Most of my perspectives are project-based, so my most useful ones don't show up in the iOS versions.

I seem to recall a post by William Palmer about a workaround, but I can't find it anymore. I think he mentioned something about focusing on the desired projects and then going to Context view and creating a perspective from there? I tried this and it didn't work (I'm sure I'm missing a key piece).

4.- The perspectives that do sync (context-based only) can not be tweaked (the eye is always unavailable).
If I have perspective X showing Available or Next Actions, I may want to temporarily change the filter to something else. I don't see where or how I can do that.

5.- I do most of my reading in the iPad. How can I create clippings from interesting stuff I come across (from Safari, a PDF document, etc.).
If I find something interesting on a website, I may want to create a task to read it more carefully later. But I don't see how to create a clip like I can with the desktop app.

Again, I really love Omni Group, so I hope this post doesn't come out as harsh criticism. I'm just trying to figure out how to use my toys effectively, especially when they have SO MUCH potential.

I could live without points 3 and 4 above (or some kind of workaround), but definitely not without 1, 2 or 5.

I was looking forward to comply with the High Command's request (which was more like an order) about leaving the laptop at the studio during the weekends. I said I would do it (knowing I could do my reviews on the iPad), but now I'm not sure the iPad will be of much help anymore...

If you can help me with any of the above points, please mention the number in your reply, so it's clear.

Thank you so much in advance!

Last edited by FMiguélez; 2012-07-15 at 08:31 AM..
 
I think the point of Review is that you look at ALL of your projects. If you never look at the "On Hold' ones, how do you know when to take them off hold?

But here's something you can do to see them a lot less often: When one of the projects you don't want to see comes up for review, change the review frequency by tapping on the box at the bottom to the left of the 'Dropped' X, which says:

Last Reviewed X
Review Every X X

Tapping it will bring up the Review Every picker where you can set the frequency in Days, Weeks, Months and Years. Set them for every 6 months or every 2 years or however often you want to look at the On Hold stuff.
 
Even if you plan to look at all of your projects, you still might want to do all of the active projects first, followed by all of the stalled projects, on hold projects, etc. OmniFocus on the iPad doesn't give you that option, although the Mac does. I appreciate having the mobile review provided by the iPad app, but quite a bit of power is simplified away. Another example is that the Mac allows you to set the next review date (in addition to the interval) so you can not be bothered reviewing projects that are deferred to a specific date until that date approaches, without having to remember to reset the review interval when it becomes active.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by daverobeson View Post
I think the point of Review is that you look at ALL of your projects. If you never look at the "On Hold' ones, how do you know when to take them off hold?
I agree to an extent.
One needs to look at all the projects, but not every week! I just want to control what I see and when I see it.
Perhaps I want to look at all my projects during my monthly reviews, but during the weekend reviews I just want to see the ones that are active (flagged) and/or the ones I worked on during the week.

I am easily distracted and long lists of to-dos sort of scare me...

Quote:
Originally Posted by daverobeson View Post
But here's something you can do to see them a lot less often: When one of the projects you don't want to see comes up for review, change the review frequency by tapping on the box at the bottom to the left of the 'Dropped' X, which says:

Last Reviewed X
Review Every X X

Tapping it will bring up the Review Every picker where you can set the frequency in Days, Weeks, Months and Years. Set them for every 6 months or every 2 years or however often you want to look at the On Hold stuff.
I suppose I will have to change the review dates for these non-projects (templates, checklists, etc.) in the desktop app (so I can batch-change them), then sync, otherwise it would take for ever to do it in the iPad. There as SO MANY of them in my database (tucked inside one folder at the bottom).

This all would be a non-issue if the Flag filter was available in the iOS versions...

I will email the Ninjas about this.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by whpalmer4 View Post
Even if you plan to look at all of your projects, you still might want to do all of the active projects first, followed by all of the stalled projects, on hold projects, etc. OmniFocus on the iPad doesn't give you that option, although the Mac does. I appreciate having the mobile review provided by the iPad app, but quite a bit of power is simplified away. Another example is that the Mac allows you to set the next review date (in addition to the interval) so you can not be bothered reviewing projects that are deferred to a specific date until that date approaches, without having to remember to reset the review interval when it becomes active.
Exactly!

Then I guess the short answer is: YES. I have been spoiled by the desktop version of OF, LoL!

I trust the NInjas will make the iOS versions a bit more versatile little by little? Just adding the Flag filter would be a HUGE step!
 
 


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