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Need multiple databases/files [A: supported, with caveats.] Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
For reasons that are too complicated to go into here, I'd love to be able to have multiple OF files. I use OF daily for managing and tracking tasks, but I have a project with a lot of other people and I'm experimenting with a different way of using OF - using Projects and Contexts not for task management, but because it allows us to view information in different ways. (It gets pretty arcane from here, so just trust me on this.)

It'd be great if I could set up a separate OF file for this group so we can track all these things, without everyone having access to my personal stuff.

Is there any way I can create an a new OF file, perhaps as an additional archive file?

I know from searching other posts that I could do this by logging off my account and setting up an OF file on a separate user account, but that would limit its use to me. Also, one of the great assets of OF for this purpose is that we can all use it on iPhones and iPads, so I'd like to have this new file available to me on any platform at any time without having to reboot.

Any way to create a 2nd OF file?
 
OmniFocus supports multiple databases, though there's no built-in UI for creating them.

Caveats: only one database - the one in
<your home folder>/Library/Application Support/OmniFocus
will be synced. Quick Entry will also only file into that database.

Just Quit OmniFocus, then open that location in the finder. Select the OmniFocus.ofocus database there, then File -> Duplicate from the menu bar.

Move the new database to whatever location you'd like, name it whatever you'd like, and open it with a double-click. Use the All Items perspective to clear out whatever the current contents are, and you're good to go from then on.

Hope this helps!
 
Thanks Brian, that helps me a lot in terms of experimenting with this approach. (If it works, I'll drop you a line explaining it - basically, it's an attempt to do some things I used to be able to do in Ecco Pro in terms of managing information and seeing the same info from different vantage points.)

But the inability to sync more than one file would eventually grind us to a halt, as I'm hoping to be able to use this portably, and sharing it with others portably. It's possible the next iteration of OmniOutline will allow filtering based on column criteria - it's an oft-requested feature - and if it does, than OO might solve this problem. In the meantime, I'll keep puttering.

And thanks again for the quick reply.

roger
 
I appreciate the nod to the temporary solution here, but I would argue against saying OF "supports" multiple DB's. It's obvious the current situation is not about multi-database functionality but is simply a back up system. I think the multi-file functionality is an important feature that should be added to make OF truly robust. For example: I use OF for both business and personal use (yes, I have read the comments about why this shouldn't be an issue and they aren't well thought out). I work with volunteers and staff and, yes, from my perspective I would love to see MY tasks in one file for both biz and personal projects. However, when I'm assigning tasks to others (using contexts as people names--another feature request issue), I can't share the file with them without them seeing all my personal to-do's. As of now, I print out a copy of my work context, which as been working but is not interactive or efficient. If I could have separate files, with full functionality, I could have a home and work database and the work file could be shared by all my employees, which could be synced and have Quick Entry, etc. A more complex solution (but necessary in collaborative environments where Omni solutions are deployed?) would be user accounts for a file. Permissions could be assigned based on Project or Context and managed by a main administrator (the owner of the file). Or, better yet, go web-based. This seems ridiculously simple, most of the export functionality is already there with the export to HTML feature. Let a user sign in to the web solution or give OF an account feature (like Mail, FileMaker, etc.) to access local or remote DB's. Omni, you guys would own the market with these features.

Oh, yeah, this goes for OmniPlan, too. I love the program, but somehow there needs to be a marriage (or link??) between 'Plan and 'Focus. Different forum.
 
Brian, I'm going a bit crazy trying to find an application where I can store my non-project info, and I keep returning to OF as the best structure ( disregarding tags for now). I understand that I can have a second database, so I could have this just for information. Will I be able to move actions en masse from one to the other?

(later), yes, I can just drag blocks across. Fascinating.

Ponders...

Do

pete

Last edited by peterlemer; 2011-05-12 at 01:09 PM.. Reason: been doing some homework
 
Yep! Just multiple select the items, then drag them from one window to the other; that drops a copy into the target window. You can then delete the selected items from the source window.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian View Post
Yep! Just multiple select the items, then drag them from one window to the other; that drops a copy into the target window. You can then delete the selected items from the source window.
oops, you beat me to it! :-)
 
 


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