[pjc]

I'm starting a new thread so that the "Best and Worst" thread doesn't get completely derailed. There are a lot of strong feelings on this topic, but let's try to keep things constructive. I'm hoping this will be a brainstorming thread, trying to uncover good ideas, rather than competing requests for Omni to implement.

There are many things to like about the View bar (formerly Filter bar) -- but can it be improved? If so, how -- if not, why not?

For now, let's address the terminology.

Originally Posted by MEP

My vote is for leaving the view bar exactly as it is and making the name "filter bar" again like it used to be.

I'm not sure "filter" is really the right name for it, given the grouping and sorting options. On the other hand the distinction between "View" and "Perspective" isn't obvious. (I understand what the difference is, but their names don't help.) And why wouldn't the Search bar be part of "filtering" (since that's what it does)? So, on to the first question:

What are folks trying to accomplish when they use the filter/view bar?
The answer to this might help us get at the best name.

It does seem like it's being used to select and arrange the visible tasks. "Select" is too overloaded a term to be useful here, and "arranging" doesn't really include the notion of selecting/filtering.

So what part of your work flow is it? Is it part of your review? Part of your planning? Part of your acting? All of the above?

It does seem like the purpose of this bar is distinct from searching, even if the functionality (i.e. filtering the results) overlaps. When you're searching, you're trying to find something (although I wonder if this means searching should ignore the filters in the view bar...but I'll leave further exploration of functionality to a subsequent post).

The next related question is:

How do people use "Perspectives?"
Again, this might lead us to a name that's more intuitively distinct from "view".

Where does it fit into your work flow? It seems (to me) like this is where I would encapsulate the different GTD stages: immediate actions, daily review, weekly review, planning, etc. Does "perspective" best describe this?


I expect the answers to these questions will eventually contribute to our understanding of the UI, function, and interaction of searching vs. filtering vs. arranging vs. perspectives.

[curt.clifton]

Originally Posted by pjc

I'm not sure "filter" is really the right name for it, given the grouping and sorting options. On the other hand the distinction between "View" and "Perspective" isn't obvious. (I understand what the difference is, but their names don't help.) And why wouldn't the Search bar be part of "filtering" (since that's what it does)? So, on to the first question:

What are folks trying to accomplish when they use the filter/view bar?
The answer to this might help us get at the best name.

I use the view bar for fine-grained tuning of what I'm viewing. Perhaps its a "View Tuning Bar".

Originally Posted by pjc

So what part of your work flow is it? Is it part of your review? Part of your planning? Part of your acting? All of the above?

All of the above.

Originally Posted by pjc

How do people use "Perspectives?"
Again, this might lead us to a name that's more intuitively distinct from "view".

Where does it fit into your work flow? It seems (to me) like this is where I would encapsulate the different GTD stages: immediate actions, daily review, weekly review, planning, etc. Does "perspective" best describe this?

Here's the perspectives I'm currently using:

- 1 Evening Review
- 2 Morning Review — Today’s To-Dos
- 3 Morning Review — Important Actions
- 4 Home Actions
- 5 Work Actions
- 6 Errands
- 7 Traveling, no network
- 8 Traveling, with network

I don't mind "Perspective", but perhaps "Saved View" would be more direct. The problem with that name is that Perspectives are supposed to store the choice of Context or Project View and the choice of focused projects.

[MEP]

I use the view/filter bar to filter what actions are currently visible. For me, it's about removing the stuff I'm not currently interested in. I sort and group as well, but that's all part of filtering IMHO (I've never used a filter in a GUI app that didn't sort the filtered results... seems obvious to me). To me it's like a SQL query, it grabs only the data I want, then sorts and groups it appropriately. "Filter bar" as a name makes the absolute most sense to me, and it's current location feels just about perfect to me.

I use Perspectives much the same way I use focus only it's easier to recall. It's a saved view, but honestly, I like the name "Perspectives". I think it expresses the purpose of the tool quite clearly. It's a viewpoint on your action list that is restricted in some way to be more relevant in certain situations. I'd like Perspectives to be individually namable (in the works, I know), but otherwise I wouldn't change a thing about them.

[pjc]

Originally Posted by MEP

I use the view/filter bar to filter what actions are currently visible.

But when? What task are you engaging in when you use OF this way? Is it part of how you select an immediate action to take, or is it part of your planning? I assume you're not just idly filtering.

[A perpsective is] a viewpoint on your action list that is restricted in some way to be more relevant in certain situations.

In which situations? Can you give some examples?

[MEP]

Ok. Filtering is always on. It changes from time to time, but it is always on. My list of actions in context view is always filtered, usually showing only what's available, grouping by context and sorting by due date, but occasionally I'll switch to different settings if I've flagged some items that I want to concentrate on for the time being or if want to get a quick glimpse of what actions might become available in the next day or so. I'd like to play with the time required filters more, but I just don't enter a time estimate in all of my actions. Sometimes I change the sort order, but really only very rarely and I can't think of any good reasons why right now.

I've played with perspectives some, but I don't use them that often because I don't like using numbers instead of names. And I have to reconsider my statement about not changing perspectives at all. It would be nice if I could focus in on certain projects and save that in my perspectives as well.

If Perspectives saved my current Focus state as well as the filter bar settings, that would be super helpful (sending support ninja ticket right now).

What I have toyed with in Perspectives is saving the filter bar settings I mentioned above. So I've got my default Next Actions perspective which is all available actions, grouped by context, sorted by due date. Then I've got my more focused flagged available items only perspective. Then I've got my crystal ball mode perspective which shows me all remaining actions, sort by start date (so I know what's going to become active tomorrow).

I use both filtering and perspectives in context view more than in project view, but I spend most of my time doing anything in OF in context view so I'm not sure what that really indicates.

I do use the perspectives to save my weekly review settings too. So I have the group by next review turned on in project view (sort by next review seems broken to me -- shouldn't it sort in ascending order rather descending?).

Again, though I would use Perspectives (and explore its uses) more if I could name my perspectives.

[Ken Case]

Originally Posted by MEP

If Perspectives saved my current Focus state as well as the filter bar settings, that would be super helpful (sending support ninja ticket right now).

This was fixed in today's r89449 build (which was posted only about 20 minutes before your message, so it's no surprise that you hadn't yet discovered the fix).

[MEP]

Originally Posted by Ken Case

This was fixed in today's r89449 build (which was posted only about 20 minutes before your message, so it's no surprise that you hadn't yet discovered the fix).

You know. You could've just told me that you added it right after I asked. I wouldn't have known the difference.

That's totally awesome though. I'm going to start playing with it right away. Thanks!

[filmgeek]

The term used in Apple's Pro Apps (FCP, DVDSP, etc) is "Layout" for how they arrange their windows.

Just an alternative to "Perspectives"

[LizPf]

I'm not sure "filter" is really the right name for it, given the grouping and sorting options.

I like filter ... I see all my OF tasks as a giant Venn diagram, and the various bar settings are filters to allow only certain tasks to be visible.

True, this doesn't exactly cover the grouping and sorting -- but that bar is a nifty way to cover a lot of functions.

What are folks trying to accomplish when they use the filter/view bar?


I'm still trying to figure out the most effective way of using it. I do a lot of switching in the checkbox section, but that's because I can't get the right list of things visible.


So what part of your work flow is it? Is it part of your review? Part of your planning? Part of your acting? All of the above?


I use it as I said above, in daily use, to see the Actions that are hidden because the Next and Available don't give me enough data, but Remaining gives too much.

I've used the other sections in combination with Perspectives to show my non-completed actions by time slot as part of my weekly review.

I don't use estimated time at all.

How do people use "Perspectives?"
Again, this might lead us to a name that's more intuitively distinct from "view".

I only have one, for my Weekly Review. I will set up more when they get names, probably one for each "hat" I wear. Yeah, there will be some redundancy with Focuses, and folders, but if it helps me get my work done ...

--Liz
waiting for the refrigerator repair guy

[scot]

I don't use them at all. I want everything I can work on in front of me at any time. I haven't heard a good argument for filtering yet. I wanna see it all in my list, if I am just interested in one project, I'll click on that project name in the sidebar. easy.

I also shovel lots of stuff over to my sumdey meighbe folder and only look at that during weekly reviews. If I have something in my list that I'm not working on and it isn't that important to do this week, or I'm not gonna feel like it, Someday Maybe it.