[HappyDude]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

You need to look in the Data pane in the preferences window. You'll see the option down a the bottom in the Projects & Action Groups section, labeled "When completing the last item: <checkbox> Mark the project or group complete"

I don't see that option.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

[Toadling]

Originally Posted by HappyDude

I don't see that option.

Then you must not be on the most recent version of the software. I think that feature was added in either 1.6 or 1.6.1.

You can get the most recent version here:

http://www.omnigroup.com/download/latest/OmniFocus.dmg

Or run the "Check for Updates..." command under the File menu.

-Dennis

[Toadling]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

My post was intended to describe how to sort the projects in the sidebar, and it does work. However, what I didn't say (but you appear to credit to me) is that you can use the same technique to rearrange the actions in a project, provided you select the innards of the project instead of names in the sidebar. I was hoping to avoid the sometimes confusing discussion of the difference between the Edit->Sort command and the view bar settings, but I think I confused an old hand :-)

Heh, apparently I read one thing (your post clearly states "sidebar") but my brain went off in another direction. Sorry about that. :-)

So, for clarity, the three options for sorting in planning mode are:

1. Select some projects in the sidebar and use the Edit->Sort command to permanently sort the projects.
   
   
2. Select some actions inside a project in the main content area and use the Edit->Sort command to permanently sort the actions.
   
   
3. Use the "Sort By" view bar menu to temporarily sort projects in the main content area of the current view.

I agree the differences between the Edit->Sort command and the view bar menu can sometimes be confusing to new users. It seems HappyDude is satisfied with the Edit->Sort solution. I only mentioned the view bar menu because it's the only approach that sorts projects automatically.

-Dennis

[HappyDude]

Originally Posted by Toadling

Then you must not be on the most recent version of the software. I think that feature was added in either 1.6 or 1.6.1.

You can get the most recent version here:

http://www.omnigroup.com/download/latest/OmniFocus.dmg

Or run the "Check for Updates..." command under the File menu.

-Dennis

Ah, you're right. Looks like I haven't updated. I'll go ahead and do that now. Thanks!

[HappyDude]

Hey I thought of something and am wondering if I missed it in OF.

I enjoy using perspectives and currently have two favorites I use; one shows all my available actions in their context and the other shows all the actions i've completed yesterday, earlier this week and earlier this month to remind myself I haven't been just slacking off.

Well, I'm wondering if there is a perspective that can allow me to view avaiable actions I haven't touched. What i'd absolutely utilize is if it would show me available actions that haven't been touched and it tells me for how long since the action was created, similar "completed yesterday, earlier week, etc." But more like "Hasn't been touched since..."

Anything like this?

I really believe this would boost me into finally touching those things I created for whatever important reason yet am not actually doing them. With the other perspective of seeing what I have completed, I think both these perspectives will help me put into perspective why I haven't been tackling all my available actions.

[whpalmer4]

You can create a perspective in context mode that shows actions grouped by changed, and also one grouped by added. You might try experimenting with them to see if they provide what you want. I have start dates on most of my actions, which allows me to do this with grouped by start.

Do you use the review feature?

[HappyDude]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

You can create a perspective in context mode that shows actions grouped by changed, and also one grouped by added. You might try experimenting with them to see if they provide what you want. I have start dates on most of my actions, which allows me to do this with grouped by start.

Do you use the review feature?

Um, I'm a bit confused so I'm going to have to say that I don't know what the review feature is...

:]

As for perspectives grouped by change and added, this doesn't work out too well with me since only a few of my actions are listed with due or start dates.

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by HappyDude

Um, I'm a bit confused so I'm going to have to say that I don't know what the review feature is...

Type the word "review" into the OmniFocus help function and read the pages you get... Also check out the blog entries Linda is posting on the Omni Mouth, especially this one about reviewing. The review functionality is great, and I don't understand why Omni doesn't put it in the default toolbar set, which would make it much easier to discover for any user with even the slightest bit of curiosity!

As for perspectives grouped by change and added, this doesn't work out too well with me since only a few of my actions are listed with due or start dates.

Group by change and group by add work on the timestamps that OmniFocus maintains internally for when an item is added or edited. You can see these in the inspector. Shouldn't matter that you haven't used a due or start date, unless I am completely misunderstanding your request....

[HappyDude]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

Type the word "review" into the OmniFocus help function and read the pages you get... Also check out the blog entries Linda is posting on the Omni Mouth, especially this one about reviewing. The review functionality is great, and I don't understand why Omni doesn't put it in the default toolbar set, which would make it much easier to discover for any user with even the slightest bit of curiosity!

So i'm trying to get this here, you've made the review functionality sound so great that i'm sure it has a great undiscovered purpose for me.

I've just typed in "Review" under the help section of OF and read the articles. When fiddling in OF and review I get all of my projects (& Miscellaneous) under where it says, "Review within the last month."

As I said, I'm trying to understand this.

So am I correct to guess that this can be part of my Weekly Review where I review each of my already existing projects in OF to see if anything within the projects needs to be modified, changed or just to see if I've forgotten something?

Again, I've only been messing around here with this for the past half hour but am I seeing the review function in its correct form?

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

Group by change and group by add work on the timestamps that OmniFocus maintains internally for when an item is added or edited. You can see these in the inspector. Shouldn't matter that you haven't used a due or start date, unless I am completely misunderstanding your request....

As for this i've included photos of the configurations i've tried out. I gotta tell ya, they look like they'll work. I believe the only true difference I would've preferred was if it said something like, "Hey Dummy, You Haven't Touched These Actions For The Past Week." But tomato, tomåto.

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by HappyDude

So i'm trying to get this here, you've made the review functionality sound so great that i'm sure it has a great undiscovered purpose for me.

Go bring up a view in Project mode, grouping by Next Review date. Look at (and select) the first project, do your review to make sure you're making acceptable progress, you've got all the actions where you need them, etc. When you think it's gotten enough eyeball time, use that Mark Reviewed stamper (if you've installed it in the toolbar) or cmd-shift-R or Edit->Mark Reviewed or use the contextual menu on right-click or ctrl-click. Note how the project disappears from view and the next project is selected. Repeat until you've finished everything off that is due for a review in the past or today. While you are reviewing the projects, you can adjust their next review date with the inspector if you think they need a different review period (the default can be set for newly created projects in the Preferences Data pane). I try to do this review process on a daily basis, and use the ability to change the review period on a per-project basis to have each project get the amount of attention it needs. A project that needs a little goosing along will get a short review period so that I'm forced to look at it more often, without splashing any more red stuff on the screen than is already there. Something that is on the back burner, with no particular time pressure will have a longer review period, serving mostly to remind me that it is still there.

David Allen gives doing reviews a lot of press, of course, but I think some sort of feedback loop is necessary for success no matter what sort of task management system you might use. At some point, you have to stick your head up and make sure you're getting closer to shore, no matter how furiously you are swimming.