[dancingbrook]

Are we all now here looking for that integrated PIM we so much long for? Integration is the key Omni.

wilsonng, you might like my idea which I'm posting separately in a bit.

Here it is: http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=13041

[dancingbrook]

Originally Posted by wilsonng

I usually want to delete the task from OmniFocus and put it in my calendar program as a task.

You don't like OF iCal sync?

It would be cool if OmniFocus had a calendar view that shows any tasks that have a due date or a scheduled start date.

I just sent a feature request to be able to more narrowly select what goes to iCal as I don't want everything just because it falls w/in a context.

[curt.clifton]

Originally Posted by dancingbrook

Are we all now here looking for that integrated PIM we so much long for?

Definitely not. I want different tools for different purposes, each refined to beautifully do what it is designed to do.

I don't doubt that many are looking for a single monolithic program for all their PIM needs. I think Microsoft sells such a beast, though I've never used the Exchange client. Personally, I want a great personal project tracker (got it, OmniFocus), a great mail app. and a great calendar app. Of course, I'd love for Omni to develop the latter two, but doubt there's much economic benefit for them to do so.

I don't begrudge anyone wanting a monolithic PIM, but there clearly isn't consensus for such a thing.

[dancingbrook]

You might have liked SOHO's idea to break up their PIM into separate(read thus more expensive) pieces. They "solved" that one simply by putting buttons at the top of the windows which would select the other apps. Command keys would work as well.

Even Omni sees the integration (to some extent) needed between task, email and calendars. I'm very happy with the range of options with Mail integration. I'd like to see iCal integration improved. And I'd like to see a separate field for people (instead of Contexts) integrated with Address Book (eg be able to pull up contact info by selecting a "people" and being able to select a "people" to see what actions are waiting on them.

[Edit: I might as well add very clean and good integration with OP.]

[BrainInside]

Originally Posted by filontheroad

Use this script from the forum tu turn....actions into events on iCal. It works great.

http:// tinyurl . com / n7q6kx

And here you will find the procedure how to install it:

http:// tinyurl . com / n2tbkt

So you dont need to jump between both to much. :-)

Hello,
The first link does not work.

Is this the only way to sync OmniFocus events with iCal?

What I need is to arrange a date, time, estimated time, set up 2 reminders [-> ALL IN OmniFocus]; and then sync it in iCal, with no changes necessary.

@sriggs - your idea is perfect for my needs. It is simple and keeps my thought and actions organized. Please write me if you did find even simpler solution.

Thank you guys.

May the organization be with you ;-)

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by BrainInside

Hello,
The first link does not work.

No, not as posted, but the OP didn't have permission to post real links (not allowed in initial posts, as a weak measure against spammers) so there are some spaces in there that need to be removed. Once you do so, and follow the links, you'll find that they are the following forum posts:

http://forums.omnigroup.com/showpost...9&postcount=22
http://forums.omnigroup.com/showpost...46&postcount=1

[BrainInside]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

No, not as posted, but the OP didn't have permission to post real links (not allowed in initial posts, as a weak measure against spammers) so there are some spaces in there that need to be removed. Once you do so, and follow the links, you'll find that they are the following forum posts:

http://forums.omnigroup.com/showpost...9&postcount=22
http://forums.omnigroup.com/showpost...46&postcount=1

Thank you for the quick answer.
However, I feel that my main question about syncing with iCal was not answered.

I made spaces between the links by myself, because the forum system does not allow to post the URLs with 0 number of posts. The quoted message of the user "filontheroad" is on the first page.

Thank you again and still waiting for the tip with the syncing OmniFocus and iCal.

Regards,
BrainInside

[whpalmer4]

I just tried the original links, and they work fine for me.

I don't sync OmniFocus and iCal together and don't consider it to be a fruitful approach. OmniFocus<->iCal syncing was something done long ago to help users get their OmniFocus task data onto mobile devices before there was a mobile version of OmniFocus. About the best that could be said was that it was better than nothing. It was never intended to provide a calendar view of upcoming actions. Apple has moved away from the underlying mechanism OmniFocus uses to sync with iCal. Complaining at this point is akin to someone who has long used a flat-bladed screwdriver as a chisel getting upset that with the invention of superior Philips and Torx head screwdrivers, no one manufactures the old ones any longer and the new ones make even worse makeshift chisels than the old ones!

I'm in 100% agreement that I didn't answer your main question. I am unaware of any social or legal contract which entitles you to an answer from me in the absence of a promise by me to provide one :-)

All that said, perhaps with a clearer specification of what you are trying to do, suggestions can be made. How about a concrete example showing exactly what you want to appear in iCal and OmniFocus?

My approach (one which I believe is largely shared by the developers) is to put items which must be done in a specific block of time (meet with Joe about widget design Wed. at 4 PM) in the calendar, not in OmniFocus. If there are tasks which must be done to prepare for the event, or follow up, those would go in OmniFocus. Attempting to use OmniFocus as a calendar will just lead to frustration. There are task management tools out there which will attempt to provide you with a detailed schedule of when you should do every single thing, such as Skoach: http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=14992

Did you happen to see this thread? http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=16855

[BrainInside]

@whpalmer4

Thank you for quick answer.

Skoach would be the next app and anyway it is not good for my purposes.

I try to keep everything as simple as possible, in compliance with knowing my needs, possibilities, habits, etc. I use a lot the alert reminder feature in iCal. Also, approach of the user "sriggs" is exactly what I need.

The concrete example:
I know I have to make an interview with a person. I typed it one day to the Inbox in OmniFocus (OF). Later I moved it to my Single-Action List (S-AL), called "To Do - Urgent," even if I knew the interview will be scheduled no sooner than 4 weeks. I placed it to the context called "Important," where are only things with the highest importance. I see the interview meeting in the S-AL, flagged, between other events (not all flagged). 2 weeks later I called and scheduled the interview for the April 5th, 9:00 AM. After the phone I know the interview should not take longer than 2 hours. I typed the information in OF. There is 2 more weeks to the meeting. I know I have to prepare the equipment, questions, prepare myself and necessary things, but some of these things I have to do exactly day before the interview. I can add all the actions as "Childs" (⌘}) - sub-actions. There is more then 1 action. Today, April 4th, I will be at home at 7.00 PM, which I see in iCal. I will have 4h30min, to finish my preparation and get hair cut, before I will go sleep. It is easy to see it for me in iCal, because I placed the events at approximate time, for approximate time, and I see that driving will take me that much time. It is very comfortable when you see everything. So I know I have 2 hours to prepare things for the meeting, excluding haircut, which is perfect.

It is inconvenient to me that I have to remember the events from OF, then type them down to iCal, because not all the data I can copy and paste. Typing the same thing twice is a wasting of time. I prefer to keep the list of actions in OF and sync with iCal when I will have all the necessary data to schedule complete.
In addition, each action has its specific date, time, duration, which OF sorts the way I can choose, see and control. But, if the data is incomplete I cannot schedule an event.

Somebody can write, "why you won't make a project?" Well, that would not change anything. Second, it is kind of a project, but not exactly. For example, I need to drive to BestBuy to buy a cable for somebody, on my drive back from school. But I know, I can buy a new SD card for the interview or at least check the price, because maybe it would be cheaper online. If it is cheaper online, I will just change the context to "Mac: Online" and deal with it later, when I deal with all that context actions. Simpler for me and I have a full control. I spend less time to organizing and I don't have to drive 2 times to BestBuy. If I would be focused on the interview as a project, probably I would not remember to step by to BestBuy. For somebody it would be easier to do the opposite way, but everybody has their own workflow and different habits.

So what I need when I have not so important "project" which is very important to me, but it does not affect my carrier if I would screwed it up:
-ability co quickly view things which I need to do, which data is incomplete (OmniFocus gives me that)
-ability to schedule some of the actions with complete data into events in iCal (I need to type it manually)
-ability to type a location. Not in every case, but OF does not support it. Not a big deal for me, since I will type it only one time in iCal. But, it would be helpful, because sometimes I write that info in the Note option and then copy to iCal as a location.


Sorry for so long text, but I cannot explain shorter. If there is any language mistakes, sorry. English is my 2nd language.
If there is no way to do in automatically, I will still do it by hand. It is just too time consuming.
The option "Sync to iCal" does not make it simpler for me, because it adds all the actions from particular context as Reminders in iCal.



May the organization be with you,
BrainInside



-----------
MacBook Pro 15", Mac OS X Lion, iPhone 4, iPad

[psidnell]

A calendar view is clearly ideal for planning when to do things. I obviously enter things that are inherently time boxed directly into the calendar but most of the other things I do start life as floating tasks in OmniFocus.

When I schedule when I'm going to act on an OF task, I often create an entry in the calendar for it but this manual copying of the task into another app (iCal) does seem like a pointless chore simply for the benefit of seeing it in a calendar view. I'd much rather check a box on that task in OmniFocus and have just that one item appear in the calendar from its start to due time. This scheduling of things is part of my daily planning ritual and I would love to simplify it.

The forecast view in the iOS versions of OF (what I mostly use) is a great step forward but it's a long way short of showing a coherent view of the two worlds, particularly on the iPad where you have to finger over a calendar entry to even see what it is.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Omni come up with when the forecast view launches on the desktop version.