[HappyDude]

I've started using the notes feature in OF, which I gotta say I love. But feel that i'll only use them all the time if I can always see my notes. LAtely i've had to go under edit and "toogle all notes" or use the keyboard shortcut. But i'd really like to just have notes on all the time, this includes when first opening up OF and seeing notes in whichever perspective I may be in.

I feel notes is great since for the longest time pretty much wrote instructions for my actions in the title/subject line of the NA. With notes I see myself rewriting actions steps more easily such as "Clean bedroom" and under notes writing out instructions for getting supplies from under the sink, towels to wipe mirrors, etc.

Implementing this will have my OF filled with clean simple task names and insturctions in the notes, rather than one long sentence for eahc next action; it's just how I write things out. Take a look.

Second note, I want to get an iPod Touch soon and obviously OF on it...but am wondering if Notes work well on the iPod Touch. Since I don't have an iPod Touch yet I can't really test things around but want am guessing that if I implement my OF on my Mac filled with simpler action titles with notes under each one, if these action titles and notes will work well under the native iphone app.

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by HappyDude

Second note, I want to get an iPod Touch soon and obviously OF on it...but am wondering if Notes work well on the iPod Touch. Since I don't have an iPod Touch yet I can't really test things around but want am guessing that if I implement my OF on my Mac filled with simpler action titles with notes under each one, if these action titles and notes will work well under the native iphone app.

Notes work acceptably well, considering the confines of the small screen. I entered your examples and took some screen shots so you can see how they would look.



(now tap on first action to see the note)

[HappyDude]

thats amazing! i want the ipod touch even more now.

I'm now going to title things in a simpler fashion and add notes to all.

But i'm still stuck using OF on my Mac, so I need to find a way that my notes will always be viewable in whatever view i'm in.

I used the word "stuck" cause (and perhaps this is just me and i'm wrong) I hate having to carry my Mac everywhere to see my projects and actions. I don't get things done as much as i'd like. Some major projects are still in OF, when they should've been completed a long time ago. They're still relevant and still need to get done with no due date, which is why I haven't dropped them.

It might be just me but feel that with an iPod Touch I won't need to take my Macbook in my Incase backpack wherever I go only to see my projects and next actions. Recently i've shoved my Macbook into that Incase backpack and have taken it with me everywhere. Even if I'm just going to hang out with some friends at night. Like say we go to a party, i'll still take my incase backpack with my Mac and leave it in the car, just in case.

Mentally, i'm thinking with an iPod Touch i'll have everything I need to do with me all the time. I carry my Macbook everywhere, but an iPod Touch could easily replace it and an iPod Touch weighs so much less and fits in my pocket. seriously, people always see me with my incase sling backpack.

For a time I tried printing out all my projects, all my available actions, all in context mode, etc. Each printed about 7 pages which changes daily when you're actually completing actions and added new things.

Which is exactly why I figure with the iTouch and OF app, things will always be current and easy to carry....perhaps that is why I figure i'll get more done.

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by HappyDude

But i'd really like to just have notes on all the time, this includes when first opening up OF and seeing notes in whichever perspective I may be in.

OmniFocus preserves the state of notes display, so your notes should be just as you left them when you start it up again. Put your toys away the way you want to find them :-)

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by HappyDude

Which is exactly why I figure with the iTouch and OF app, things will always be current and easy to carry....perhaps that is why I figure i'll get more done.

It's a nice tool, and I wouldn't want to give it up, but there are still a lot of things that are nicer on the Mac. No perspectives, no ability to group by start date, no review function, no control over sorting, hard to get much more than a peephole view. I find it is fine for executing tasks, and a bit of a chore for planning projects and processing the Inbox, especially if you have a large quantity of actions/projects. Some of that will undoubtedly improve with subsequent releases, but some of it is like working on a big 1960's era car vs. a modern compact -- you have a lot more room to move around, and it's easier to see what you're doing!

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by HappyDude

Even if I'm just going to hang out with some friends at night. Like say we go to a party, i'll still take my incase backpack with my Mac and leave it in the car, just in case.

Wait, I'm confused.... why wouldn't you take the Mac to the party? What sort of twisted people do you hang out with? :-D

[HappyDude]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

Wait, I'm confused.... why wouldn't you take the Mac to the party? What sort of twisted people do you hang out with? :-D

lol. Recently i've taken out my Macbook in between at moments when nothing is going on. Say during a moment before we go out to a party and i'm at my friends house or after the party. I hate that when just anyone sees my computer thet have something interesting to show me online.

I remember being like this, saving funny or cool videos I found on YouTube, or any interesting article or w/e...but aside from it taking up time, I feel like i'm surrendering my Macbook to someone I may or may not know to waste away my battery to show me something that may or may not be good.

i've been in situations where someone will have their computer nearby and in the past would do the same thing, years ago. Now whenever a computer is present (almost daily now) I hint at people that we're here to hang out, not to get rick rolled or watch a cat on a keyboard.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

OmniFocus preserves the state of notes display, so your notes should be just as you left them when you start it up again. Put your toys away the way you want to find them :-)

I've just tested this and it works under "Projects" view, but it doesn't work under any perspectives. With Projects view it works when switching back and forth with no problem, and even if I close the app and open it back up notes are still displayed under the Projects view....But under my perspectives if I set the note view and go away to my inbox or something and return to the same perspective the notes view goes away.

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

It's a nice tool, and I wouldn't want to give it up, but there are still a lot of things that are nicer on the Mac. No perspectives, no ability to group by start date, no review function, no control over sorting, hard to get much more than a peephole view. I find it is fine for executing tasks, and a bit of a chore for planning projects and processing the Inbox, especially if you have a large quantity of actions/projects. Some of that will undoubtedly improve with subsequent releases, but some of it is like working on a big 1960's era car vs. a modern compact -- you have a lot more room to move around, and it's easier to see what you're doing!

I didn't know perspectives weren't available on the app. How do you get around this? I have an "available" view on my Mac OF, what's something similar that would be possible on the iTouch app?

[curt.clifton]

Originally Posted by HappyDude

I've just tested this and it works under "Projects" view, but it doesn't work under any perspectives. With Projects view it works when switching back and forth with no problem, and even if I close the app and open it back up notes are still displayed under the Projects view....But under my perspectives if I set the note view and go away to my inbox or something and return to the same perspective the notes view goes away.

For custom perspectives, I think the note status is saved when the perspective is created. So if you expand the notes, then take a snapshot of the perspective, the notes should be expanded when you switch back to the perspective. If you'd like perspectives to remember the note expansion status automatically, use Help --> Send Feedback to submit a feature request.

[HappyDude]

Originally Posted by curt.clifton

For custom perspectives, I think the note status is saved when the perspective is created. So if you expand the notes, then take a snapshot of the perspective, the notes should be expanded when you switch back to the perspective. If you'd like perspectives to remember the note expansion status automatically, use Help --> Send Feedback to submit a feature request.

I've just saved new perspectives with the notes shown and it works. Thanks!

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by HappyDude

I've just tested this and it works under "Projects" view, but it doesn't work under any perspectives. With Projects view it works when switching back and forth with no problem, and even if I close the app and open it back up notes are still displayed under the Projects view....But under my perspectives if I set the note view and go away to my inbox or something and return to the same perspective the notes view goes away.

What I was referring to is that OmniFocus preserves your window state when you quit. When you start it up again, your windows should be just as you left them, including the status of the notes display, on an action by action basis in my experience. Curt's description of the behavior of the perspectives mechanism is also correct, I believe.

I didn't know perspectives weren't available on the app. How do you get around this? I have an "available" view on my Mac OF, what's something similar that would be possible on the iTouch app?

You should go watch the videos:

Introduction to OmniFocus on the iPhone, by Michaela @Omni

Advanced OmniFocus and OmniFocus for the iPhone, by Don McAllister @ScreencastsOnline