[tommythecat]

Hello - I recently began using OF on the iPhone as a standalone GTD solution. Given the Siri, TextExpander and Launch Center integration, data entry hasn't been a burden at all. However, there are a few things that seem strange/missing. I've searched the forums and interwebs and haven't been able to confirm workarounds.

1. Is there any way to search the notes of an action item?
2. Are there plans to implement incremental search and/or saved searches?
3. Are there plans to implement a better date picker than the default Apple "date wheels"? Things2 on the iPhone has a beautiful date picker.
4. If I have a project with one next action that starts next week, the project will still show up under the "Actions" section of the "Contexts" view. When I searched on this, it seems that this is planned functionality for projects without next actions - which makes sense. However, if I have a next action, but it's just not yet available, it's confusing to see it in this view.
5. As mentioned in #4 above, from the Contexts view, projects with no next actions appear under the "Actions" section. When I tap one of the projects, is there any way to actually get to the project page? From this, it seems I'm only able to edit the project properties. I'd like to be able to see what action items are under it.

Cheers
tommy the cat

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by tommythecat

Is there any way to search the notes of an action item?

Not at present. The iOS apps currently only search action and project names, not the notes.

Are there plans to implement incremental search and/or saved searches?
Are there plans to implement a better date picker than the default Apple "date wheels"? Things2 on the iPhone has a beautiful date picker.

Someone from Omni will need to answer that, but I'll caution you that you may find the answer to be rather noncommittal. You can make a feature request with the Send Feedback option in the settings page of the app. The more requests they get, the higher the priority given, but even things at the top of the list may take some patience. Right now, most of their efforts appear to be focused on getting the next major version of the Mac application ready.

You can save a search via the perspective mechanism, although there is no easy way for you to create new perspectives without the Mac version of OmniFocus. You can call up Omni support (1-800-315-6664 or +1-206-523-4152) and have them build one for you; while you are at it, make a request for the ability to build your own perspectives in the iPhone app :-)

If I have a project with one next action that starts next week, the project will still show up under the "Actions" section of the "Contexts" view. When I searched on this, it seems that this is planned functionality for projects without next actions - which makes sense. However, if I have a next action, but it's just not yet available, it's confusing to see it in this view.

Whether it appears or not depends on what you've chosen for the action visibility setting (the eyeball icon). If you are showing only next or available actions, it will not appear. If you are showing remaining or all actions, it will. One of the basic tenets of OmniFocus is that the context view is best for actually doing the work, with the project view better for planning the work; with that in mind, showing only available actions when looking at context view gets you a clearer picture of what you can do now. In that scenario, those projects only pop up when there is truly nothing else to do, giving you notice that it is time to either repopulate it with some more actions, or mark it complete. See below.

As mentioned in #4 above, from the Contexts view, projects with no next actions appear under the "Actions" section. When I tap one of the projects, is there any way to actually get to the project page? From this, it seems I'm only able to edit the project properties. I'd like to be able to see what action items are under it.

This is a bit more subtle. Projects and action group parents by default appear in context view, though they only appear as available if all the children are complete, which means if you are only showing available actions, the parent only appears if there are no further children to be completed.

It would be handy to be able to go from the project info to the actual project contents, as you suggest, but while there is a way to go from an action to its project listing, there is no such means to go from a project "action" to the project listing of which I am aware. The iPad app does allow you to do this, so they do understand the utility of such a feature, but haven't retrofitted it into the iPhone app. Fodder for yet another feature request...

[denrael]

Originally Posted by tommythecat

Hello - I recently began using OF on the iPhone as a standalone GTD solution. Given the Siri, TextExpander and Launch Center integration, data entry hasn't been a burden at all. However, there are a few things that seem strange/missing. I've searched the forums and interwebs and haven't been able to confirm workarounds.

1. Are there plans to implement incremental search and/or saved searches?

One way to implement saved searches today is to utilize Text Expander to enter your searches. It doesn't help with the incremental, but it's a quick way to have some common, cross-platform searches.

[tommythecat]

Thanks whpalmer4 and denrael for the responses. Glad to see such helpful forums here.

Unfortunately after a week of using OminFocus as a standalone iPhone solution, I don't think it's going to meet my needs. If I had a Mac at work, I'm sure iPhone OF would be a great supplement. It's just not robust enough yet to be standalone. I was hoping to shift my whole system to just my iPhone, but there are simply too many friction points compared to my current system.

I guess I'm back to MyLifeOrganized (MLO) which has a fantastic Windows app. The MLO iPhone app is light years behind OF but works well enough as a portable list when paired with the desktop version.

Thanks again!