* A simple to-do list

For Wish List Requests that have either (a) been progressed to the Wish List; or (b) been classified as duplicates, or as redundant because the requirement is already satisfied within FH and/or plugins; or (c) closed because it wasn't possible to arrive at a clear specification of the request within 15 months of it being raised.
User avatar
tatewise
Megastar
Posts: 28272
Joined: 25 May 2010 11:00
Family Historian: V7
Location: Torbay, Devon, UK
Contact:

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by tatewise »

For future reference it is mentioned in how_to:create_work_in_progress_or_research_to_do_lists|> Create Work In Progress or Research To Do Lists near the end of the Introduction.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
User avatar
davidf
Megastar
Posts: 951
Joined: 17 Jan 2009 19:14
Family Historian: V6.2
Location: UK

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by davidf »

tatewise wrote:For future reference it is mentioned in how_to:create_work_in_progress_or_research_to_do_lists|> Create Work In Progress or Research To Do Lists near the end of the Introduction.
So that's where I found the reference! (Too many tabs open)
David
Running FH 6.2.7. Under Wine on Linux (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS + LXDE 11)
User avatar
davidf
Megastar
Posts: 951
Joined: 17 Jan 2009 19:14
Family Historian: V6.2
Location: UK

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by davidf »

arthurk wrote:After reading David's post it occurred to me that there's already something that could integrate with UK's Kalender: Jane's plug-in Create Individual Shortcut, which creates a small .cmd file. After trying this out, I can confirm that it appears to work: linking a reminder to the .cmd file as either a document or a command will open FH at the relevant person.
Still struggling to get this working under Linux/Wine!

However if you can create a Windows cmd file, I would have thought that you could create a hyperlink (to the clip-board) which does the same thing - and which would be platform independent. It would also save you from littering your hard-drive with lots of little cmd files!

(As a general point the ability to jump into FH with a specific record opened could be useful for more that just ToDos - you could for instance write documents for distribution with the Read-only version of FH which have links that take you to the actual data.)

We are onto page 3 of this thread - which to the OP is probably way off topic, but we are discovering and (re!)documenting various features that already do a lot of what many of us want or nearly offers a lot more.
David
Running FH 6.2.7. Under Wine on Linux (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS + LXDE 11)
User avatar
ColeValleyGirl
Megastar
Posts: 5437
Joined: 28 Dec 2005 22:02
Family Historian: V7
Location: Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Contact:

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

we are discovering and (re!)documenting various features that already do a lot of what many of us want or nearly offers a lot more.
I'm watching quietly and taking notes! And may ask for contributions to the updated Knowledgebase article on the topic when I can dig a couple of days free from the mountain of other stuff.
User avatar
davidf
Megastar
Posts: 951
Joined: 17 Jan 2009 19:14
Family Historian: V6.2
Location: UK

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by davidf »

ColeValleyGirl wrote:I'm watching quietly and taking notes! And may ask for contributions to the updated Knowledgebase article on the topic when I can dig a couple of days free from the mountain of other stuff.
You have been active on this forum more than most, so I am hoping that you can pull something out of this!

I think I'm anticipating
  1. Updated Knowledgebase content for the major work-arounds
  2. A short summary of external todo list applications that users have found useful - possibly linked to user contributed notes about workflows for working with specific applications (is that within scope of fhug?)
  3. Suggestions for improvements to work-arounds that might require:
    • Enhancements to custom queries facts reports plugins etc which support work-arounds
    • "Specifications" for plugins to support the work-arounds
    • Suggestions to CP for Productionising some work-arounds so that they become part of the core product*
    • Wishlists for FH features that make the work-arounds work better*
  4. Suggestions for enhancements to FH
    • Either for specific functionality
    • Or for features (such as being able to right-click a record ID and form it into a hyperlink on the clipboard) which then enables other developments either in other products or in plug-ins etc.
I guess you are anticipating doing (1) above. If it helps I could do something on (2) above and do some of the specific application pages - although these would be best contributed by users that use specific applications "in anger".

Ideally (3) is collated by people who have specified the work-around? - although I am not sure of the process. Should plug-in specific enhancements be channelled through comments on the plug-in store? (Although the two marked * above could lead to items that end up on the wishlist.)

I'm guessing that (4) sort of emerges from this thread. Are the Admin/mods the gate-keepers for determining when something makes it to the wish-list (per Please Read Before Posting Wishes)?

Do we need to move part of this to the more general forum so that it gets greater visibility?
David
Running FH 6.2.7. Under Wine on Linux (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS + LXDE 11)
User avatar
mjashby
Megastar
Posts: 719
Joined: 23 Oct 2004 10:45
Family Historian: V7
Location: Yorkshire

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by mjashby »

On 'Item 2' and out of general interest I just carried out a search on AlternativeTo for 'Free' Windows ToDo applications https://alternativeto.net/software/todo ... rm=windows and there were 92 suggestions and that's not a comprehensive list as more complex applications such as MS OneNote didn't come up.

For the Knowledge base, I would suggest perhaps just including examples of one or two sample applications, e.g Microsoft To-Do for those who want to keep things relatively simple - https://todo.microsoft.com/en-gb; perhaps TaskCoach for the 'more demanding' user - https://www.taskcoach.org. It would be impossible, as this discussion shows, to satisfy everyone's very specific preferences, so stick to the KISS principle - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KISS_principle However, given the purpose(s) people have suggested, it might be better to choose example applications that have mobile options that run on iPad/iPhone and Android and can be synchronised via the internet.

It would be presumably be possible to also provide a text only version of a plugin launcher for a couple sample applications that users could then consider adapting/editing for whatever their own preferred application might be. Looking at the launcher provided by Progeny with their Charting Companion Product that might not be too complex and should require minimal ongoing maintenance.

Mervyn
User avatar
davidf
Megastar
Posts: 951
Joined: 17 Jan 2009 19:14
Family Historian: V6.2
Location: UK

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by davidf »

Mervyn

I think that you are right that we do not want to just recreate the "100 best ToDo List application" listings that can be found through any search. People who just want a to do list might be better internet searching. However there may be no harm in pointing out that there are some "agreed safe choices" - possibly Notepad (& similar), or a sortable spreadsheet table, the task managers in most email/calendar applications and then possibly the likes of your suggestions MS To-Do and Task Coach - (neither of which I have used).

It's when the "basic" or "obvious" apps don't do something that we need to offer some suggestions.

I think we want to pickup those applications which are particularly relevant to genealogy/family history or have a particular feature that is useful to our subject. They might possibly be grouped in some means; possibly:
  • To Do List Applications - such as above
  • Other applications to help manage genealogy tasks which can also handle To Do lists - for instance Zim (a wiki)
  • More "off-beat" applications that may be useful for managing genealogical work
What features may be particularly useful to a genealogist beyond task name / task narrative / status?
My starter for ten:
The ability to hold in sortable form data relating to
  • Genealogical record of focus (e.g. Jo Bloggs, Beaumont Parish, Ancestry ANZAC Records)
  • Some indication of physical or online place (e.g. Carlisle Record Office, Find My Past website)
  • Some form of group of tasks (e.g. an outlining ability, custom sort fields)
  • To Do date
Other
  • The ability to hold extensive journal type notes ideally linked to tasks (So, for instance, a record of your thinking when you attempt to complete a set of tasks at the National Archives)
  • Others have highlighted a need for reminders
  • PC to Smart device interoperability for when working in the field
  • Some other functionality which may be so important that you will trade a lot of the the features listed above (at least in formal structured form)
Purely as an example of what might be thought of a an "off beat option": if you have MS OneNote, you may find the inbuilt OCR useful - not necessarily an obvious feature for a "To Do" list but genealogists who may have as a task "download/scan a number of images" may store them temporarily in their "to do" application - it is then convenient to be able to OCR them (whilst the original is still available) before transferring the detail to FH. If OCR is important (and maintaining different sections/tabs for different individuals/families etc, is important) OneNote despite its lack of explicit task management (? I have not used it since going Linux 2 years ago) may be the ideal tool for "managing your family history work".

Possibly under each of the above headings we might have about five certs or particularly interesting applications with a link to a page contributed by a user highlighting how it is useful to genealogists. If we get significantly more we might have an "others" page to try and keep the numbers manageable - if we can somehow agree on what marks out an application as better than an also-ran!

I agree that inter-operability / synchronisability between a PC and some smart/portable device is increasingly important as may be having solutions across OS platforms - not that an application must be multi-platform, but our users are now not Windows only. (But it is considerably easier to change OS if you are using applications that work on both the new and the old OS!). Both these considerations open up the whole range of web-based "managers".

The advantage of trying to record this sort of information in a wiki such as the knowledge base is its flexibility - but as your post points out that can also be its enemy as we could end up including "everything" and having something that serves little purpose because people cannot see the wood for the trees.

Is "Task Management applications which are particularly relevant to genealogy/family history or have a particular feature that is useful to our subject" a useful initial scoping statement?

David
David
Running FH 6.2.7. Under Wine on Linux (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS + LXDE 11)
User avatar
ColeValleyGirl
Megastar
Posts: 5437
Joined: 28 Dec 2005 22:02
Family Historian: V7
Location: Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Contact:

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

Updated Knowledgebase content for the major work-arounds
Yes, this is what I'm planning to tackle myself first -- the two major approaches: Shared Notes/Named Lists, and then Custom Attributes plus the Research Planner plugin which builds on the Custom Attributes approach. In the process, I'll identify the related wish-list items for CP to consider to make the workarounds better, and also look at
Enhancements to custom queries facts reports plugins etc which support work-arounds
-- wish-list items can take years to appear if they ever get addressed, so anything we can take into our own hands is a good idea.
A short summary of external todo list applications that users have found useful - possibly linked to user contributed notes about workflows for working with specific applications (is that within scope of fhug?)
If you're willing to take this on, that would brilliant -- start a thread in the General forum and refer back to this one for context?

I suspect the final result in the KnowledgeBase ought to focus on the advantages and disadvantage of using an external app; plus tips and tricks for integrating it with FH. A simple example plugin -- or more likely some code snippets -- for whatever integration is possible would be a good idea as well. Absolutely we can't tackle "1001 todo applications" and even if we did, we'd miss somebody's favourite -- so examples are they way to go, but I'd definitely include some sort of Note-taking application like OneNote as well as at least one calendaring/to-do app. I'm not sure we'll get many user-contributed workflows but let's structure stuff in the Knowledgebase so that anyone who wants to contribute one can do so?

Some more wish-list items will probably come out of this strand -- or identification of existing items that are relevant.

Yes, admin/mods are the only people who can add things to the Wish-list but I've already volunteered to do that for this topic (subject to getting a good specification for each item :D )

Re plugin enhancements, the plugin store is maybe not the best place to discuss them as it doesn't get the traffic of this site, so raising them in the plugin forum here might make more sense.

How familiar are you with editing the Knowledgebase? -- Mike and I started on some improved documentation contributeyourknowledge:alternative_approach|> Contribute Your Knowledge ~ Alternative Approach which you might find helpful -- most of what's left to do is advanced topics... I'll create an 'alternative' page to do-do lists for us to work on -- we can replace the existing one when we're happy with the new one?
User avatar
ColeValleyGirl
Megastar
Posts: 5437
Joined: 28 Dec 2005 22:02
Family Historian: V7
Location: Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Contact:

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

I've created alternative_approach:work_in_progress_or_research_to_do_lists|> Planning and Tracking Your Research as a starting point -- please bookmark it as it isn't easy to find (deliberately) in the wiki -- when we're happy it's ready for primetime I will move it to replace the existing page(s).

Question: I have a preference to keep this entry page fairly short and link off to other pages for detail -- less daunting for a newcomer? Do you agree.
User avatar
ColeValleyGirl
Megastar
Posts: 5437
Joined: 28 Dec 2005 22:02
Family Historian: V7
Location: Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Contact:

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

And while I remember: NOTHING I write is perfect -- if somebody wants to take issue with it or change it -- go ahead! The important thing is to provide clear useful information, not that my name is attached to it!
User avatar
davidf
Megastar
Posts: 951
Joined: 17 Jan 2009 19:14
Family Historian: V6.2
Location: UK

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by davidf »

ColeValleyGirl wrote:
Updated Knowledgebase content for the major work-arounds
Yes, this is what I'm planning to tackle myself first -- the two major approaches: Shared Notes/Named Lists, and then Custom Attributes plus the Research Planner plugin which builds on the Custom Attributes approach. In the process, I'll identify the related wish-list items for CP to consider to make the workarounds better, and also look at
I think Jane's Using Private Notes for Research should also get more than a passing reference (it looks like the basis for the most comprehensive "internal" solution).
...
ColeValleyGirl wrote:
A short summary of external todo list applications that users have found useful - possibly linked to user contributed notes about workflows for working with specific applications (is that within scope of fhug?)
If you're willing to take this on, that would brilliant -- start a thread in the General forum and refer back to this one for context?

I suspect the final result in the KnowledgeBase ought to focus on
  1. the advantages and disadvantage of using an external app; plus
  2. tips and tricks for integrating it with FH.
  3. A simple example plugin -- or more likely some code snippets -- for whatever integration is possible would be a good idea as well.

Absolutely we can't tackle "1001 todo applications" and even if we did, we'd miss somebody's favourite -- so examples are they way to go, but I'd definitely include some sort of Note-taking application like OneNote as well as at least one calendaring/to-do app. I'm not sure we'll get many user-contributed workflows but let's structure stuff in the Knowledgebase so that anyone who wants to contribute one can do so?
OK I will try and run with the above. Is the easiest way to incorporate user-contributed workflows by copying them from a General Forum Thread to the Knowledgebase or by encouraging more people to apply for "editor" status? My feeling is that the former is probably easiest unless the contributor has a wide ranging focus - but the later is more in line with the ethos of a wiki.
ColeValleyGirl wrote: Some more wish-list items will probably come out of this strand -- or identification of existing items that are relevant.

Yes, admin/mods are the only people who can add things to the Wish-list but I've already volunteered to do that for this topic (subject to getting a good specification for each item :D )
Ok so we keep that within this thread. I was thinking that the ability to create hyperlinks back into specific FH records may be a CP enhancement, but other posts in this thread have indicated that this might be possible with a plugin (see Create Individual Shortcut) ...
ColeValleyGirl wrote:Re plugin enhancements, the plugin store is maybe not the best place to discuss them as it doesn't get the traffic of this site, so raising them in the plugin forum here might make more sense.
OK. There seem to be two existing plugins mentioned so far on this thread which are relevant:
  1. Create Individual Shortcut - Plugin Forum thread
  2. The plugin in used to automate the Private Notes for Research workaround
I will add my comments in the plug-in forum. I will also try to explore the potential of a plugin for hyperlinks in those comments.
ColeValleyGirl wrote:How familiar are you with editing the Knowledgebase? -- Mike and I started on some improved documentation contributeyourknowledge:alternative_approach|> Contribute Your Knowledge ~ Alternative Approach which you might find helpful -- most of what's left to do is advanced topics... I'll create an 'alternative' page to do-do lists for us to work on -- we can replace the existing one when we're happy with the new one?

I've created Knowledge Base > Planning and Tracking Your Research as a starting point -- please bookmark it as it isn't easy to find (deliberately) in the wiki -- when we're happy it's ready for primetime I will move it to replace the existing page(s).

Question: I have a preference to keep this entry page fairly short and link off to other pages for detail -- less daunting for a newcomer? Do you agree.
Found it. I have not edited the knowledgebase before (worked on similar) so am reading up and will start to section edit the page you have created.

I think for accessibility your approach to short summaries that lead to detail is less daunting. Overloaded lead pages may be one of the reasons that the knowledgebase seems not to be used until someone (usually Mike) points someone to specific pages!
ColeValleyGirl wrote:And while I remember: NOTHING I write is perfect -- if somebody wants to take issue with it or change it -- go ahead! The important thing is to provide clear useful information, not that my name is attached to it!
I think that is key to wiki work - even if we occasionally forget it and get exasperated when someone else seem to be editing a document in a different direction.
David
Running FH 6.2.7. Under Wine on Linux (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS + LXDE 11)
User avatar
GeneSniper
Superstar
Posts: 379
Joined: 06 Dec 2016 20:40
Family Historian: V7
Location: East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, UK

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by GeneSniper »

I have been trying to follow this thread but it seems to be getting away from me. The one thing I will say is that this thread has focused me to look at other ways to do things and look beyond what I do with different programs. Having read through what you have been saying on here two programs I would recommend are both by Microsoft, OneNote and To-do which have both been mentioned here. My reason for recommending them having looked more at them is that they are both cross platform iOS, Windows, android and web based so a big tick there and are very searchable (Which I didn't realise until now as I never needed it before). They also sync across all platforms via your Microsoft account including Microsoft Office and have pop up reminders in the to-do list.

I use them more now and have to say if I had spent a bit more time learning the other things that could be done with them, I probably wouldn't have started this thread . I suppose that is the same for FH, lesson learned, I hope :lol: . Looks like this and what is available through FH will be more than enough for me.
William

* Illegitimi non carborundum *
User avatar
ColeValleyGirl
Megastar
Posts: 5437
Joined: 28 Dec 2005 22:02
Family Historian: V7
Location: Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Contact:

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

William, glad you seem to have a solution -- and don't worry if we've spun out in directions away from you! It's been a fascinating discussion (thank you for sparking it) and when (the collective) we document the outcomes, you might decide to adopt something we suggest -- or not! But others will benefit anyway. If you do have the time to come back as we pull things together, I'd love to have your input as to whether what we document would have made life easier for you, even if you've gone in a different direction. I still intend that the first stuff I document in the Knowledge Base is as simple as possible, while illustrating how basic FH features might be used.

I'm very fond of OneNote, and must look at Microsoft To-Do ( I currently use ToDoist but haven't looked at the options recently.)
User avatar
GeneSniper
Superstar
Posts: 379
Joined: 06 Dec 2016 20:40
Family Historian: V7
Location: East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, UK

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by GeneSniper »

Helen, Microsoft To-do is basically the Task section of Microsoft Outlook especially the online version.
William

* Illegitimi non carborundum *
avatar
robacis
Gold
Posts: 20
Joined: 17 Jan 2007 22:27
Family Historian: V6

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by robacis »

I have created a custom fact type Research which is set up as a pre birth fact so it always appears first in the individuals facts, Then create a custom query based on the research fact including whatever fields are in the fact Research. Then when you find something to do relating to that person add the research fact and enter the details in the research fact. You can run the research query and they will all show. When the research has been done delete the research fact for that particular individual
User avatar
ColeValleyGirl
Megastar
Posts: 5437
Joined: 28 Dec 2005 22:02
Family Historian: V7
Location: Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Contact:

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

A bit like how_to:create_work_in_progress_or_research_to_do_lists#custom_attributes_approach|> Custom Attributes Approach ?
User avatar
davidf
Megastar
Posts: 951
Joined: 17 Jan 2009 19:14
Family Historian: V6.2
Location: UK

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by davidf »

robcis wrote:I have created a custom fact type Research
Research / Todo / Task facts take you part of the way. If the fact relates to Individuals (or by relatively easy? extension to families) you are arguably "there" - and the Research Planner suite of queries and reports does most of what you might want. (See also Helen's review of this suite)

Where it does not take you is if your "todo" relates to a record other than an individual or family (e.g. Check through Beaumont Parish Records when next at Carlisle Record Office for baptisms etc of possible relatives) - which relates to either a source or possibly a repository. Nor does it answer your need if it relates to a particular fact. Here Jane's Private Notes may help.

There is also a current separate topic about External Applications for Research Management.
David
Running FH 6.2.7. Under Wine on Linux (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS + LXDE 11)
avatar
Danielbaker2
Silver
Posts: 8
Joined: 03 Jul 2019 05:50
Family Historian: V6.2

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by Danielbaker2 »

Keep it simple. I have looked over inputs and responses. I agree and have communicated... like it simple, straight forward to get to, and don't programmatically connect to an individual or place or whatever, because I certainly have found cases that doesn't work.

One more thing: I went into the Shared Note..... Notes tab.

I am not seeing how to delete a note (record) when it is no longer needed.
User avatar
tatewise
Megastar
Posts: 28272
Joined: 25 May 2010 11:00
Family Historian: V7
Location: Torbay, Devon, UK
Contact:

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by tatewise »

See how_to:delete_a_large_number_of_records|> Delete Any Number of Records for methods to delete a Note record, etc.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
User avatar
ColeValleyGirl
Megastar
Posts: 5437
Joined: 28 Dec 2005 22:02
Family Historian: V7
Location: Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Contact:

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

I haven't forgotten I promised to raise some Wish List items arising out of this discussion -- I shall wait for FH7 to come out and see what if any improvements it makes before I raise the wish list items.
User avatar
GeneSniper
Superstar
Posts: 379
Joined: 06 Dec 2016 20:40
Family Historian: V7
Location: East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, UK

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by GeneSniper »

I have to say a simple to-do list would be nice, but I have now looked at the Named Lists recommended to me on here and have to say that between them and a separate Family Tree- Outlook To-do list are more than enough for me. I can live with working this way if no Task/to-do list ever appeared.
William

* Illegitimi non carborundum *
User avatar
ColeValleyGirl
Megastar
Posts: 5437
Joined: 28 Dec 2005 22:02
Family Historian: V7
Location: Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Contact:

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

V7 supports Research Notes, including a simple Tasks list.
User avatar
ColeValleyGirl
Megastar
Posts: 5437
Joined: 28 Dec 2005 22:02
Family Historian: V7
Location: Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Contact:

Re: A simple to-do list

Post by ColeValleyGirl »

Locking this topic to ensure discussion goes to Possible Research Note enhancements (20832)
Locked