[MarkSealey]

I have a sequential project with multiple steps, only the next one of which do I want to be able to see in my Contexts Perspective.

But I don't want to assign either Start or Due dates to these steps.

So how can I filter so that only the next action, the next step of about 30, is visible at any one time? The next action will appear if dated, of course; but what when there's no dates?

(I'm working my way through an online tutorial - and just want to list which chapter to read next.)

Thanks!

[whpalmer4]

Not a problem. Bring up the View Bar (View->Show View Bar or cmd-shift-V) if it isn't already present, then select Next Actions in the Actions filter (3rd lozenge from the right). That will show you only the current Next Actions for whatever selection you have made. Note that sequential projects/action groups, parallel projects/action groups, and single action lists have somewhat different notions of the Next Action. For a sequential project it is what you would expect -- the top of the list, if it is available (context assigned, start date passed or not present). For parallel projects, the first listed of the possible actions is taken as the Next Action, on the theory that any of them could be done, but possibly you have ordered them in priority order. For single action lists, all of the available actions are styled and listed as Next Actions.

To illustrate, here are sequential, parallel, and single action projects/lists shown filtered by Remaining, Active, and Next Action:

[whpalmer4]

Yes, I realize that I showed Project/Planning mode for my screen captures, but I think that makes it a bit easier to see the behavior pattern. Here's what it would look like as a Next Action view in Context mode:

[MarkSealey]

Hey, whpalmer4 - thanks so much!

Trouble is, I haven't dated anything - and don't want to.

I want to present myself with the next do-able item (the next chapter in the online tutorial, as it happens) only when I have read the current one!

Since the road to… somewhere is paved with good intentions, for once, I'm not going to assign any (start or due) dates.

Because all I know is that I shall do step n+1 when I've done step n; and n+2 only when I've done n+1. And so on.

Can that be done in OF 1.5?

Thanks!

[Greg Jones]

You don't need to assign any dates to do what you want. Just make sure that when in contextual mode that you have selected 'Next Action' in the view bar, as whpalmer4 has demonstrated in Post #3 above.

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by MarkSealey

Trouble is, I haven't dated anything - and don't want to.

The dates aren't used, except to eliminate actions from consideration. In my sequential example project (the OmniFocus tutorial), if I set a start date of tomorrow on the Getting Started action, I won't see anything listed as a Next Action until tomorrow rolls around. For the parallel project, I will still see a Next Action, but it will be the second one in the list. For the single action list, I'll see all of them except the one with the start date.

I want to present myself with the next do-able item (the next chapter in the online tutorial, as it happens) only when I have read the current one!

One use for the start date in such a scenario is to pace yourself. Putting a start date on subsequent chapters would help keep you from getting caught up in the tutorial (it's a real page-turner, I hear!) and spending the rest of your day reading the next 53 chapters instead of doing anything else that needed to be done.

[MarkSealey]

Thanks, Greg and whpalmer4!

I'm beginning to see how I can do this, but…

the Perspective I usually work in is:

Remaining items grouped by when they're due sorted by Start Date.

(attached)...

It's then that now Nexts from the Project in question are visible.

Presumably - since I don't specify a Start Date for this Project - I can't do what I want?