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Why Bother ? Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
I've done a bit of reading of this forum, the Omni manual and even googled it and I'm struggling to see what benefit syncing ical and OF achieves.

You have your actions sorted by context, start/due dates, duration etc so why have another location with the same data ?

I could see a benefit in having some actions marked in your "hard landscape" but even so, that's what the start/due date column is for (plus flexibility to a quick change of mind) and surely a quick manual entry is easier than all the syncing drama.

Given the activity in the forum I gather a lot of people know something I don't, please help ?
 
We originally included the Sync with iCal feature because the iPhone and iPod touch weren't yet available, and syncing with iCal (as the Mac's only built-in to-do list) was the only way to get our task lists onto mobile devices (Nokia phones, Palm handhelds, etc.).

I stopped syncing with iCal the moment OmniFocus for iPhone became available. (Actually, I stopped sooner than that, when I traded in my old device for an iPhone. I just wasn't totally happy about it until OmniFocus for iPhone became available.)
 
Thanks Ken ;-)

An applescript that allows you to put certain actions into your iCal calendar as a time block would be helpful but am I correct in thinking the scripts published in the forums only put them in the iCal todo ?
 
Warwick, it sounds like this script does what you're looking for.
 
Brilliant !

Thanks Brian (and those on whose shoulders you climbed)
 
I keep appointments in my calendar which I and other create. So, syncing with a calendar lets you see what you have scheduled with dated actions, completed actions, and to have a list of undated actions of what's coming up all in one view.

Basically, it allows me to see the bigger picture. Especially useful is using BusyCal with OF since BusyCal puts dated actions right on the days planned while segmenting the to do list into due dates.

OF alone allows you to concentrate on the next specific action, and allows one to hide what's not important. However, with a list alone its just textual with no visual component.

For me the visual component creates a feedback loop which effects what projects I'm going to have active for the week. All others I put on hold or give start dates in the future to hide them until I need them and unclutter OF.

For example, my son has Down Syndrome, goes to preschool comes home where I do home therapy with him as well as manage his nutrition, oral chemo and doctor and clinic visits.

So, once a week I review and active projects and ongoing items for the week and sync to BusyCal. Then I review the list of actions along side his schedule, my own, and the actions of the projects for the week. I will always go back into OF and put some projects on hold because of various reasons such as there aren't large enough blocks of time to do those actions. Inversely, I'll usually activate other projects who's actions are more likely to be completed given that week's schedule.

Before I started doing this, I was always having projects that were active yet at the end of the week no actions completed. At the same time, I would think back and wonder why I didn't do some other project which I could have completed some actions on.

So, I think that visual feedback loop of putting one's projects into greater perspective of a weekly view allows one to consider more options and get more things done.

It would be really great if OF would auto sync with iCal instead of requiring me to manually hit a button every day.
 
 


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