The Omni Group
These forums are now read-only. Please visit our new forums to participate in discussion. A new account will be required to post in the new forums. For more info on the switch, see this post. Thank you!

Go Back   The Omni Group Forums > OmniFocus > OmniFocus 1 for Mac
FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

 
KranK: An OmniFocus Widget Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Thank you for the kind words! :-)

Yes... the sprites.

Here's the logic behind the widget.

The Sprites aren't a 1 to 1 to completed tasks. The widget looks back 24 hours, and finds all overdue or completed tasks. I didn't want to have too many sprites in the widget and wanted it to be more of an organic encouragment... if that makes any sense. The user is fostering a healthy environment for the sprites to thrive.

So... for every 10 minutes of work completed in the last 24 hours, one sprite will appear.

The widget gets the time from the estimated time field once a task is completed.

For tasks that don't have any time the FireSprite widget treats the task as a 1 minute item.

KranK, will time tasks as you work on them. When you complete an item using KranK, it will move the time worked on into the estimated time field for you.

Whew...

Okay... so if you want to see a lot of sprites... and it's kinda fun to see them, create a test task, enter something like 500 in the estimated time field and complete it. :-)

The other fun hidden feature in the FireSprite widget, is watching the sprites change in number. The widget looks for new tasks whenever you activate or hide the dashboard. And then checks every 1 minute while the dashboard is active to see if the values have changed.

In order to see them change you'll need to use KranK. Make sure the Top Item First button is lit. Start working on a task, leave the dashboard visible, let the time get up into at least 6 minutes, 10 to be safe, and then complete the task. The dashboard should still be active.

Then watch the FireSprite widget for no longer than a minute. When the FireSprite widget checks for a task change, the sprites will change in number... in an interesting way. :-)
 
One other thing about the sprites. If you have overdue items, and the flames appear... all the sprites will disappear. As soon as your last overdue item is completed, the sprites will begin appearing, but the widget won't be counting 24 hours back anymore. It starts counting the completed items from the time you complete that last overdue task.

Sprites don't like the heat. ;-)
 
I thought of something else. Instead of having 'do not disturb' applications, it would be nice to have a "pause" button. You know, sometimes I want to stop getting things done, and I will still be at the computer. I don't want to be interrupted constantly, but I don't want to have to uninstall and reinstall KranK each time I want to relax.

It really is a nice app. Should satisfy all of those people who want OF to constantly annoy the c**p out of them.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by cyleigh View Post
I thought of something else. Instead of having 'do not disturb' applications, it would be nice to have a "pause" button.
I second this.
 
A great suggestion. I've thought of this as well, and it's on the enhancement list. I've gone back on forth on whether this is needed. Here are some thoughts. None of these are directed at any of the posters. There are observances from my own behavior.

One is how I think & feel about tasks. Tasks don't have to be evil work things to do and then I relax later. In the Getting Things Done model, Allen talks about capturing everything. There is no work and non-work categories. It's all wonderful things to do. When KranK comes up, it's not an interruption, it's an inquiry. It gives me a chance to see all the incredible widgets I have on my dashboard, take a breath, and dive back into the computer.

You could create tasks for fun things not just work things. Have a project for goofing off, or relaxing or surfing the web. KranK helps me be aware that time is happening while I do these fun things. I know for myself, it's easy to start on something fun, and then 2 hours later... I'm off on a tangent. KranK hopes to help me with that.

I have some reservations about putting a master control switch on the widget. Because I know, I'll switch it off, and forget to switch it back on, and then 2 hours later...

If a master control switch was added, there wouldn't be that much difference in the amount of clicks spent removing the widget. Loading the widget takes 3 to 4 clicks depending on how many widgets you have installed. I like it being a bit more difficult for the widget to be turned off and on. It puts resistance on the human nature part of getting things done.

All that said... the master control switch may find it's way into the build. It may be a while. First there's getting the widget more stable for more users and the sneaky peek. :-)

Thank you for the suggestion.
 
Here's one example of how I had to change how I have tasks set up in OmniFocus to use KranK.

I have a project called... process collection buckets.
In there I have repeating tasks for things like:
process email inbox to 0
process computer desktop to clean
process physical inbox to empty

When I am ready to process my email inbox to 0. I select the task, and then start working on it.

Then I process my email inbox to 0.
 
4 months later,

anybody still using KranK? What was/is your experience?
 
I came across the widget because of vauha27's follow-up... After reading the manual I was quite excited to try it out but it seems to be broken :-(
(at least for me - using the latest OF 1.5rc2, rev 106199)

After placing it on the dashboard the (middle) progress meter becomes red and the gauge fiddles around a bit. Then, I can see OmniFocus behind the dashboard deselecting all contexts leaving itself with an empty action list and the widget with a red gauge (pointer at about 90%) that doesn't do anything anymore...

Is this a known bug or am I doing something wrong?
 
This shouldn't be happening.

The widget is designed to only select one context at a time. It shouldn't be stalling like that. If there is an error, the widget is designed to report an error.

If the widget gets hung like that, removing the widget (hold option key and click on upper right X) and adding it to the dashboard should get it on it's feet again.

I've been working on an update with a lot of fixes. Hope to have it out soon.

One more thing... haven't tested the widget on Tiger for a while. At one point it worked on Tiger. If you are running Tiger then this may be part of the problem.
 
 


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
The greatest widget philonous OmniDictionary 4 2008-11-24 02:13 AM
Dashboard Widget to create OmniFocus inbox items Brian Gilstrap OmniFocus Extras 4 2008-07-20 06:25 PM
New widget LawDaddy OmniFocus 1 for Mac 3 2008-07-19 06:13 AM
Widget dhm2006 OmniFocus Extras 0 2007-11-12 04:25 PM
Dashboard widget of tasks pslade OmniPlan General 1 2007-10-22 02:13 PM


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 07:50 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.