[whpalmer4]

I posted a script to the forum not too long ago that gets rid of all but the foremost OmniFocus window. Rather than force you to figure out where it is, I'll just include it again here:

tell application "OmniFocus"
	set mainWindow to front window
	set frontID to id of mainWindow
	set background to (every window whose id is not frontID)
	repeat with thisWindow in background
		close thisWindow
	end repeat
end tell

I use this whenever I think the windows are starting to pile up.

[Toadling]

Originally Posted by CatOne

The issue here for me often is that with OF's annoying habit of opening additional windows (when I don't want it to!)...

I've heard a small number of other people mention this as well. But what really puzzles me is why I don't seem to have any problems with multiple windows at all. I never accidentally get multiple windows in OmniFocus; I only get multiple windows if I specifically ask for them.

So what is so different about our workflows that would result in such a radically different experience?

-Dennis

[sfkeydel]

One thing that creates an unwanted (at least for me) additional window is clicking on a task in the OmniFocus Dashboard Widget. Never quite understood why it wouldn't simply shift the focus to that task in my currently open window.

[CatOne]

Originally Posted by Toadling

I've heard a small number of other people mention this as well. But what really puzzles me is why I don't seem to have any problems with multiple windows at all. I never accidentally get multiple windows in OmniFocus; I only get multiple windows if I specifically ask for them.

So what is so different about our workflows that would result in such a radically different experience?

-Dennis

If you use anything that links to OF from an outside application (e.g. get a Growl notification and click on it), it opens a new window, rather than re-using the existing window.

[CatOne]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

I posted a script to the forum not too long ago that gets rid of all but the foremost OmniFocus window. Rather than force you to figure out where it is, I'll just include it again here:

...

I use this whenever I think the windows are starting to pile up.

That will work, but it's really such a hack. I want to be able to tell the application to NOT do that in the first place.

[ksrhee]

Originally Posted by CatOne

The issue here for me often is that with OF's annoying habit of opening additional windows (when I don't want it to!), sometimes I can have 4 or 5 windows on top of each other and I don't know that another perspective I'd like to see is buried. So I close window after window after window... at which point the last one closes and the app keeps running, but the dock notification goes away.

The windowing behaviors of OF are not endearing to me... I really hate the way it handles multiple windows and the dock status icon.

I believe there is a script available in the forum that closes all the windows except one. I use it quite a bit. See here

Also, you can control the open window behavior via perspectives as well. I set up the program that only one or two perspectives open new windows, and I can close it whenever I'm done with that view.

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by CatOne

That will work, but it's really such a hack. I want to be able to tell the application to NOT do that in the first place.

If you haven't already done so, send in your feature request via Help->Send Feedback or email omnifocus@omnigroup.com for a preference that controls whether OmniFocus opens new windows or recycles the current one. I have a feeling that our preferred values will be related by the XOR operator :-) When I click on a growl notification, I usually do that task and promptly close the window, then go back to what I was previously doing. I don't use the due count in the dock icon feature (mostly because I use start dates rather than due dates for most actions, and also because I keep the dock hidden), but I would probably do the same thing, as it is also my practice with web browsers. It's actually kind of a convenient way to pick out a selection of things to work on; I get the flurry of notifications in the morning, and pop up windows for the ones I want to do. I cycle through the stack of windows doing the selected actions (they are highlighted, so easy to spot) and closing the containing window after doing each one. Sometimes I'll double-click the containing project to get a separate, focused window if a quick glance suggests I'll want to do more than just the task that triggered the notification.

I wouldn't dream of suggesting my way is the only way or the best way. If someone finds it to be useful in developing their own preferred way, that's great. I'm always looking to adopt other people's great ideas :-)

[Toadling]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

If you haven't already done so, send in your feature request via Help->Send Feedback or email omnifocus@omnigroup.com for a preference that controls whether OmniFocus opens new windows or recycles the current one. I have a feeling that our preferred values will be related by the XOR operator :-)

I work similarly to whpalmer4 and prefer links to open in a new window. I often have my main OmniFocus window set up a particular way for the project(s) I'm currently working on and would be frustrated to see it change every time I clicked on a link (e.g. Growl notification, Spotlight search result, double-clicked sidebar item, etc.). Like whpalmer4, I just immediately close any new window with Command-W if I no longer need it.

But I can see why some might prefer a single window approach. So as long as there'd be a preference to control the behavior we could all be happy. ;-)

-Dennis

[lmsboy]

Hey there,
it would be nice, when I use APPLE + W (keyboard) that OF would close the window, but the badge will stay in the dock. I have always to use APPLE+H (hide) to get the badge stay.

[pumpkinwhite]

If you forget to 'hide' omnifocus, and close the main window instead, not only do the dock/taskbar notifications disappear, but growl notifications stop working too. This according to me is a bigger problem. I have growl set up to display a 'due soon' or 'overdue' note, and for the notification to permanently stay on my desktop unless i close it (via growl preference pane). This way if i am away from my desk, and a task just turned overdue, a notification will pop-up and stay there; waiting for me to review whenever i return to the desk. I find it a great way to stay on top of deadlines.

Unfortunately, if you close the main window of omnifocus, growl notifications stop working too. So if I forget to 'hide' OF via cmd+H, and close it instead i don't get a growl pop-up for an item's status turning 'due soon' or 'overdue'. Practically, if I open the OF main window at 5pm, i get the overdue notification for something that I ought to have seen at 2pm.

I mailed this to the support ninjas quite some time back. At the time, they were busy with the iphone app so i suppose this wasn't a priority. They didn't have a timeline for a fix, or whether this will be fixed. Would love to hear something on the issue from the team.