[markbrown00]

is there any way in the current build to have a parent context that itself is blocked from having tasks assigned to it?

For example say I have a superordinate context "@work" with many many child contexts: @desk @briefing @phone @endofday plus 10 others.

I'm never going to select just the @work context on its own because it is too big; it will show me hundreds of tasks. But I worry that i may have accidentally assigned a task to @work. As a consequence, i've lost trust in my system.

What I really need are context folders. Does anyone else think this might be useful?

[Paul Hoadley]

Originally Posted by markbrown00

What I really need are context folders. Does anyone else think this might be useful?

Yes, very.

[johnrover]

absolutely. context folders. That could simplyfy my naming scheme quite a bit and ou be a heck of a lot easier. The folders don't even need to be functional or "focus"

[kmarkley]

Originally Posted by markbrown00

I'm never going to select just the @work context on its own because it is too big; it will show me hundreds of tasks. But I worry that i may have accidentally assigned a task to @work. As a consequence, i've lost trust in my system.

I agree that context folders makes more sense then nested contexts.

But in the mean time, you can check for @work tasks by selecting it and setting the grouping filter to group by context. Anything assigned to @work will be segregated (at the top) and can be dragged from there to assign a new context.

[markbrown00]

Originally Posted by kmarkley

I agree that context folders makes more sense then nested contexts.

Oh, well I like having nested contexts as well. I was suggesting context folders as an additional tool.

Originally Posted by kmarkley

But in the mean time, you can check for @work tasks by selecting it and setting the grouping filter to group by context. Anything assigned to @work will be segregated (at the top) and can be dragged from there to assign a new context.

True. But i don't like having to check. I want to prevent myself from misplacing them in the first place.

[Wild Rye]

Could someone 101 this for me? I'm starting to grok the idea that I can select multple contexts within the context view. ie @Office, @Computer, @ Phone.

But I'm not quite "getting" the utility of the folders. Wouldn't it be better to use those to group things by subject, topic or goal rather than context? ie Finances, Freelance, Lose 90 lbs. and Evil Day Job from Hell?

[LizPf]

I also like the nest of contexts.

One thing that Ken said would be in OF 1.0, but isn't around yet, is the ability to set up the equivalent of a smart folder. [Brain drain; i forget the exact term. It's somewhere on this forum, though.] So when that feature is live, we can set up sets of contexts.

I like this better than exclusive folders. An example: you need to schedule a dentist appointment, but the dentist is only available for calls when you are at work (and takes a long lunch hour, so you need to call between 9 and 11 or 2 to 4.). If you assigned a Calls - Home context, you'd only see this when you can't call. It isn't work related, so it doesn't belong in Calls-Work.

I don't work outside the home, but I'd set up a nest:

Calls
Work
Home

My call to the dentist would be in Calls, work related calls in Calls-Work, and after hours calls in Calls-Home. During the day, you could look at the entire Calls context, or just Calls-Work. You could set up smart lists "8 to 5" for things you want to see during business hours, "Work" for only things related to work, etc.

I'm really looking forward to those new features!

--Liz

[billback]

I think nested contexts are too hierarchical and I believe you can accomplish the same basic functionality using regular old folders. I have a home and work folder and have calls in both. When I'm at work I simply focus on the work folder and then when in the context view I only see work related calls. You might try this and see if you get what you want. An alternative (I believe the demo vid uses this) is to fake it out by using contexts such as Home:Calls and Work:Calls. I don't personally like this approach, but whatever works for you.