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How does OF2 iPhone handle custom perspectives? Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
I cannot seem to find these questions answered anywhere clearly ...

* Does OF2 iPhone still allow me to import my custom perspectives?

* Does OF2 iPhone allow me to re-order the list on the Home page? For example, I use a layout that has ...

- Active (custom)
- Forecast (built-in)
- Next (custom)
- Top Projects (custom)
- Waiting For (custom)
--- (all others built-in, but arranged in MY DESIRED ORDER)

Will I loose the ability to maintain a layout that works for me?

* Does OF2 iPhone eliminate the icons on custom perspectives (if it does keep the custom perspectives)? I use various immediately recognizable icons to define a perspective so that I do not have to "read" the words. Will I loose these?

TIA
 
Import custom perspectives: YES
Reorder the list on the home page: Sorta

The custom perspectives show up just above the word Perspectives, under all the other stuff you see in screen shots (Forecast, Inbox, Flagged, Projects, Contexts, Nearby). Those don't seem to be movable.

Kind of buggy for me; 2 of my perspective's are there, but the text is gone (re-adding them didn't fix it, but I'm sure this is just a growing pain).

The Icon made for my perspectives doesn't show up - just the text of the perspective name. (Though at one point I saw them; again, growing pains).

UPDATE:
(killed the app, re-added all my perspectives and the text now shows up; but text only, no icons).

You change the order of the perspectives in the Perspectives list, not on the home screen. I had to kill & restart the app to get it to work.

On a personal note, the perspectives text is less prominent than any of the other items Omni has designed on the home screen, and they aren't a visual priority when you look at the app. (in my opinion).

Must say, I'm a bit conflicted about this update. It hasn't won me over yet, and I'll have to change my workflow in order to use it.
 
Thank you. I will wait on an update to OF2 based on this preliminary information. The inability for me to layout the list order and associated icon for custom perspectives on the Home screen is the deal-breaker.

:-(
 
If you don't mind me asking, what do you keep in your Active (top) perspective? The others look pretty self-explanatory.

I ask because I manage my projects pretty well in a Focus,On Deck/Waiting set of Contexts, but don't have a good way to integrate the Single Action items that need to be incorporated into my day, and was wondering how you handle that.

Just thought I'd ask...
 
My Active perspective is for flagged and available tasks. I keep it at the top to indicate it as the first place should go to when I start "doing" rather than processing.

I use flags to indicate tasks that have one of two characters. One is a general spur-of-the-minute type task that should float as a reminder or tickler. Something like

[Errands] - re-order my monthly medicines (Start on Sunday, Due on Friday, Repeat Monthly)

has a flag. When this task restarts, it automatically appears (as a tickler) in my Active perspective. I don't have to think about setting the flag as I do a Review of tasks in my Health folder (especially when that review may be off-sequence for the given due cycle to re-order my medicines).

The second type is an task that I flag is one that I am actively doing.

My restriction then becomes to

* DO tasks only from my Active perspective
* ASSIGN tasks to be Active (i.e. to do) from all other perspectives

As I DO from Active, I consider the Context. Indeed, I set my Contexts ordered from top to bottom as somewhat a priority sheet and try to work from top to bottom. Once I complete what I can complete in the Contexts that I are viable for where I am, I might decide either to stay Active and work in a different Context (go run my Errands for example). Or I might decide to go ASSIGN and pick another set of tasks in Contexts for where I am.

For me at least, I find this is an easier way to stay in focus. I jump less between DO and ASSIGN mode trying to decide what I should / could / might / will do next. Instead, I can try to stay fully in a DO mode and, once done, I can revert to ASSIGN what next to do.

Admittedly, Active and Forecast could be switched top and next when I am in the ASSIGN mode. But, as you might understand now based on how I work, I would be loath to find that my Active perspective is forced to appear at the bottom of a longer list of pre-built perspectives. I also have a difficult time DOing from Forecast mode. I have learned that, when I have multiple deadlines arise on any given day, I tend to get anxious about or distracted with the long list.

I also work best from the iPad or iPhone, and the inconsistent interface is yet another hesitation to upgrade.
 
Thanks for taking the time to detail this out. I'm still digesting how you manage your tasks and how I might integrate that into how I manage my tasks, but re-thinking the use of Flags is interesting. Especially given how prominent it is on the new version of the app.

Regardless, thanks again for writing this up.
 
 


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