SQLNotes...what is it exactly?

[Armando]

What is it that you fail to grasp? Any precise aspect?


Have you tried reading http://sqlnotes.wiki....com/Getting+started ? It's lacking details and some stuff could be updated, but it gives an ok overview.

Honestly, I'm not sure if going through this thread is the best way to learn SQLNotes' basics. It might be good to find specific things, but not to get a synthesized overview. There are more precise advices in SQLNotes forum (even if it's sometimes unresponsive and shaky), and in the wiki documentation (also available in the default database). Most users skip all that info/tutorial altogether (especially the wiki/default database "Getting started" part), which is too bad.


Documentation is not complete yet, but what's available should be enough to...... get started (IMHO).


BTW, to change the win-n shortcut (that one is pretty hidden... don't know why -- probably be cause it's system wide) : Tools>Option>Other (at the bottom of the list, you'll be able to change this hotkey)

[PPLandry]

The Win-N shortcut can be changed in Tools>Options>Program Settings>Other>HotKey as Armando said. It is elsewhere, because it taps into the OS...

Other shortcuts are changed (as in MSOffice) by right-click on a toolbar>Customize

To help, I've added the Introduction and Applications pages. Getting started (a little bit outdated) is a good start too.

[J-Mac]

Paul,

I'm getting there, and believe me - if I can pick it up, with a lot of trying admittedly, then you can too! It does take a bit of time, but not any more than, say, Ultra Recall. And Ultra Recall has a complete, very large User Manual, though as one member of their forum put it, the manual appears to have been written by a programmer addressed to people who are already knowledgeable in UR!

I'm using IQ more extensively in less time and without a manual.

Jim

[Paul Keith]

I can't seem to make it work. Changed it to ctrl alt space and nothing seems to pop up.

What is it that you fail to grasp? Any precise aspect?

Well I don't know how precise one can be about these things with my lack of tech knowledge.

The things I'm not grasping are:

1) Calculations - since I've never used one before. I get that in the basketball example I can type a number and it will calculate something but I just couldn't quite get the grasp of all the options in the manage field screen to create a template that suits me. There's all those options under each section besides the large amount of fields in front of me. I just don't get how it will ever be easy for me to view all those texts.

2) Columns - I have never really understood spreadsheets so all this columns make my head hurt. I get that I can insert something into any field but it just comes off as renaming a cell in a spreadsheet program and I find that unintuitive.

3) Numbers - I don't get the 1.1, 1.1.1, 1.1.2 thing except that it makes it easier to click on a section.

4) HTML Pane - I don't get why after saving a text entry on it, I now can't edit it. The only thing I haven't tried is editing it in MS Word but I've tried doubleclicking, I've tried searching for an enable edit text but all I end up doing is selecting the text.

5) Filtering - Besides searching, I just don't get how to make certain things appear. Well, I don't get navigation overall.

6) Checkboxes - I tried searching for this but I couldn't find an entry to just add a checkbox even though I see from the preset forms that it could be done. It's not so much that I can't search the documentation for this as I think I'm just not getting the right mindset of finding these features. Checkboxes just stand out the most to me since it's basically a box.

7) Tree based hierarchy - It's my own weakness for not really liking tree-based hierarchies but it kind of falls into the category of something I don't get precisely. I'm one of those who never got hierarchies and only use this as a last resort for a program but I make sure there's another software that isn't tree based that I can export the information to yet IQ is supposed to be more powerful than your traditional tree based outliner so it could also be contributing to how I'm not getting it.

I'm getting there, and believe me - if I can pick it up, with a lot of trying admittedly, then you can too! It does take a bit of time, but not any more than, say, Ultra Recall. And Ultra Recall has a complete, very large User Manual, though as one member of their forum put it, the manual appears to have been written by a programmer addressed to people who are already knowledgeable in UR!

I'm using IQ more extensively in less time and without a manual.

Thanks for the encouragement! Yeah UltraRecall was also one of those applications which I couldn't grasp. Well, anything as complicated or more complicated as Ms Word, I couldn't grasp and that's kinda the problem.

[Paul Keith]

Never mind, I found the problem with the HTML pane. It was in browse mode.

[superboyac]

You know what, guys?  Next time I have a chance, I'm going to write a special article about SN (or InfoQube) on my website that will very specifically deal with the initial confusion people face when first trying out the program.  I think if I put my mind to it, I can come up with something that can be very useful.  Pierre, if you like it, you can use it in your wiki also.  This is a very special program and I think a lot of people can benefit from committing to it.

No offense to the explanations offered, but I'm going to try to do a really good one.  I know Pierre likes to use the analogy of the box (or cube) and the different views into the box, etc., but I think even that might be a little confusing to some people.

I still remember my breakthrough with this program.  I actually called Pierre on the phone and we talked about it for a decent amount of time, and Pierre patiently kept explaining it to me, and there was that moment when it just clicked.  This is probably around the time when this thread was only one page long.  I know I sound polite in the thread, but back then, I had a very negative view on the program (sorry Pierre!) and thought it was one of those overly technical and complicated programs that appealed only to the Ecco cult (who I used to think we're just weird, irrational fanatics).  In my mind, I actually lumped the program in the same group as TaoNotes, a ridiculous notetaking program from a couple years back.
So my attitude towards this program has changed drastically, and frankly, my initial attitude was immature and undeservedly harsh.  I have never flip-flopped so drastically about a software or things in general in life as I did with SN.

[superboyac]

Paul, all the issues you raise are very important and I believe they are typical of most casual users out there.  A lot of us here are very technical software powerusers so we sometimes take for granted the things that seem simple to us.

Let me talk about calculations and stuff in SN.  If you're not familiar with using spreadsheets or doing calculations on the computer in some form or another, then this will be confusing to you.  That's not to say it's prohibitively difficult, but you will have to put some time into it.  I only use calculations in one application in SN, my college transcript data, and it was quite an exercise for me...which, in turn, taught me a lot about the internal workings of the program.  However, I'll admit that it wasn't something that I would call easy.  But I love the fact that SN has the ability to do it because what I did was very customized and quite sophisticated compared to any other program I've tried.  So Paul, unless you really need to do calculations right now, I wouldn't worry about it.  When the time comes, learn it then.

You can ignore those numbers on the left if you don't need them.  I never use them.  In fact, i wouldn't mind being able to hide them so the program will "look" more like a typical tree-based notetaker.  Those numbers just keep track of the hierarchy in a numerical manner.

Tree based hierarchies.  Paul, you may not like them, so don't use them.  If you like them, use it.  Either way, it doesn't matter.  The great thing about SN is that it can do it both ways.  For myself, there is  some information that lends itself naturally to a hierarchy (like my transcript) and other information that doesn't.  If it doesn't, then I just leave the items in one long list, with no parents or children, no indenting, etc.  Most programs will force you to use one or the other, but not SN.  There are pros and cons to both, so be thankful that you can use both.  In fact, in SN, you can use a hybrid of them to any degree you like (I won't go into details here).

Filters and stuff...this can be difficult to grasp, but you should definitely try to understand it because it is fundamental to the program.  I will definitely write about this later.  The filtering in SN is very powerful and once again, I can't say it is the easiest thing in the world to understand.  I don't really do anything complicated with the filters, I barely touch them.  The only time I use them (so far) is when something wrong happens because it usually gets fixed by doing something with the filters.  You can read about several instances of this in this thread.  But you can use the program very effectively without worrying much about filters.

My advice is this:  don't try to understand everything about the program before using it.  It does too much and to try to understand it beforehand is a waste of time.  Just do specifically what task you are trying to use it for and learn the aspects of the program that apply only to your task.  Like my transcript...I only learned about the calculations and formulas to make my transcript work.  After that, I haven't done anything more with formulas and calcs, and I don't care.  I'll only learn it if I need to use it.  It's Pierre's job to know everything, not yours.   There are tons of things in the program you might never use, so just forget about them.  As long as you get the program configured to do exactly what you want it to, then that's the ultimate goal, right?

[Paul Keith]

You know what, guys?  Next time I have a chance, I'm going to write a special article about SN (or InfoQube) on my website that will very specifically deal with the initial confusion people face when first trying out the program.  I think if I put my mind to it, I can come up with something that can be very useful.

Looking forward to it. Maybe you can even do a screencast demo of a complicated task using IQ and how seamless it is to modify such things.

No offense to the explanations offered, but I'm going to try to do a really good one.  I know Pierre likes to use the analogy of the box (or cube) and the different views into the box, etc., but I think even that might be a little confusing to some people.

Interesting you brought that up since I had a related fear that I didn't want to voice out because I really had no knowledge of the program yet but since you kinda criticized the box concept, I think I'll have a go at it too. Sorry if this comes off as insulting.

To be honest, i love the box concept. When I saw that image in the site, it was one of the most simple explanation of how IQ handles your data BUT I also think that in an age where people are used to the name/concept being associated to the product, I think from a business stand point it's a risky sell because it might lead users to the misconception that they are actually going to install an application that presents them with a visual cube. Of course, this is coming from some guy who have no business experience dealing with these kind of applications.

In my mind, I actually lumped the program in the same group as TaoNotes, a ridiculous notetaking program from a couple years back.

So that's why the program led to an error page. I saw that link in the Notetaking thread and I remember chancing by it in the past and ignoring it but then I saw the section that advised raising the taskbar a level to handle more windows so I thought I would actually try it but it was gone.

So Paul, unless you really need to do calculations right now, I wouldn't worry about it.  When the time comes, learn it then.

Actually I do need it just as a safety net since Joe's Goals can go down alot nowadays. The developer has e-mailed me that he'll try to improve things in a few months but I'm usually more comfortable with having both a desktop and an online version of an application.

Currently I use App's AnotherOneDone but it's not as easy to go wild with it because it requires a certain number to be set and when the number changes it can't be modified without resetting the count. I still use it for static total number counts like motivating me to continue to read this forum topic but for things like habit tracking and getting a pattern of how much tabs I read along with how much is added, Joe's Goals is the only one I found so far that does this and all the other checkbox recorders only handles daily, weekly and other set amount of checks and they use recurring instances rather than an actual grid where you just click to check an entry.

I'm not sure if IQ is the one that can finally do this but I'm thinking it's time for me to learn some sort of calculating app so as not to be caught dead when I fail to find an application.

I just leave the items in one long list, with no parents or children, no indenting, etc.  Most programs will force you to use one or the other, but not SN.  There are pros and cons to both, so be thankful that you can use both.

Yes, that's partially why I'm still testing IQ even though it looks very tree based from the get go. I wouldn't really consider a long list, a departure from tree-based hierarchies because not only is a long list unmanageable IMO in the sense that if such organizations were alright to a user than they don't need an organizer because they can do this straight from a File Explorer but also because the list is just a reduction of the tree and not really a separate entity like how items are in IQ's grid. (paraphrasing from PPLandry's words)

My advice is this:  don't try to understand everything about the program before using it.  It does too much and to try to understand it beforehand is a waste of time.  Just do specifically what task you are trying to use it for and learn the aspects of the program that apply only to your task.

This is definitely a problem since I didn't come to IQ with a certain goal in mind. I think if I recall what happened...I was still looking for a grid over grid program but then forgot to add Covey's four quadrant matrix in my newbie thread so I posted as an example and then I was pmed by tomos to try out this application and then that's how I got here and I read all the positive feedback that made me want to understand the application.

I did recently encountered a problem with The Form Letter Machine because I was using in a manner it wasn't intended to be and was hoping I could eventually get IQ to do something like this but that program is way beyond checkboxes and if I could replicate such an application, I think I'd also have the knowledge to fork or create my own application but I barely know where to start programming or asking for advise since how exactly does one try to explain wanting a Form Letter Machine that's not intended to be a Form Letter Machine?

SQLNotes...what is it exactly?

[tomos]

lots going on here
from skimming the last two pages:- (apologies if repeating stuff)

# the new item key doesnt work if the programme isnt open (should it Pierre? or has it been requested?)

# Paul, I'm not great on calculations and dont follow what you want to calculate, but maybe someone who understands both better can help you.

# Columns/Fields are simply a way of storing info about your item - you can sort by the columns (first by one, then by another, etc, etc). Probably more important - you can filter by column/field and by the content of the field.
Fields can be numerical, date, text, yes/no tick-boxes, or drop-down - where you can select from a drop-down list.
Examples could be | Cost | Date | Date Checked | ToDo by date | Project | Topic | Related to | etc, and Tick-box ones: | Finalised | Checked | Forwarded | Lyrics attatched | ToDo | Error | Reg.Key attatched | etc, etc.
You can set up tick-box fields to change the background colour of the item when ticked (ToDo & Done fields do this already)

# A Grid is a view - the Grid view is dictated by the "source" field which is usually a tick-box field - if something is ticked in this column it is shown in the grid.
If you create a new grid, say called "LOLCats", a new field is automatically created called "LOLCats" - top-level items in this Grid have field "LOLCats" ticked.

# Filtering is easier to explain with examples I find, one exapmle would be using the field "Invoice ID" and filtering for all items with an InvoiceID of 2080  [InvoiceID = "2080"]. Again with filtering others will have to help - I think easiest way to learn would be with concrete examples

gotta go here, bye

[urlwolf]

I downloaded and tried SN.
I'm looking for something that beats oneNote and is portable.

What made me stop looking is that the html mode doesn't work like an outliner (i.e. tabs indents, then it keeps indentation). This is very basic for me, as I write mostly that way.

I still want to invest more time learning the program, as it looks really promising. Will wait for superboyac's tutorial.

I still think that oneNote is wonderful in its simplicity.

[Paul Keith]

# Columns/Fields are simply a way of storing info about your item - you can sort by the columns (first by one, then by another, etc, etc). Probably more important - you can filter by column/field and by the content of the field.
Fields can be numerical, date, text, yes/no tick-boxes, or drop-down - where you can select from a drop-down list.
Examples could be | Cost | Date | Date Checked | ToDo by date | Project | Topic | Related to | etc, and Tick-box ones: | Finalised | Checked | Forwarded | Lyrics attatched | ToDo | Error | Reg.Key attatched | etc, etc.
You can set up tick-box fields to change the background colour of the item when ticked (ToDo & Done fields do this already)

Thanks. I think this is why it confuses me. I'm used to something more... tag cloud based but not really a tag cloud. Something like sort by most edited or most viewed and a much clearer indicator of whether I'm viewing from least to most or most to least than the up and down arrows which I'm not used to but mostly I'm more used to the Tag Cluster Folder way of having a predefined folder that shows only certain tags that have been marked to it or a requirement of showing only items that have all marked tags attributed to it.

I think this is more filtering but I'm just more comfortable being able to create a column of sorts of this in the chance that I mess up my column orders and just want my default order back.

This isn't actually how I see most programs do it but it's a bad habit acquired from using Incollector where there's both a search engine for filtering entries, a tag checkbox engine for tag filtering and a folders engine for filtering via attributed tags where the weakness is more along the lines of precise filtering that columns provide.

# A Grid is a view - the Grid view is dictated by the "source" field which is usually a tick-box field - if something is ticked in this column it is shown in the grid.
If you create a new grid, say called "LOLCats", a new field is automatically created called "LOLCats" - top-level items in this Grid have field "LOLCats" ticked.

Yes, I get this but it's still kinda confusing at first due to there being a grid submenu too. It's just hard getting used to this. I know the sidebar is there by default to make it easier but it's less about the easeness but more along the lines that it creates doubt when exploring options because I'm not really sure if there's other options that are like these. Earlier in the thread PPLandry did say that there were some hotkeys under options and there were other hotkeys in right click - customize so that's one of the confusing parts about the program. I know this is the norm for Microsoft Office and OpenOffice interfaces but that's why I could never customize both of those programs' toolbar to have more of a Wordpad + some more features ever and just gave up on the idea.

I downloaded and tried SN.
I'm looking for something that beats oneNote and is portable.

Not to try to sidetrack the topic here but I've been racking my brains the past few days trying to understand OneNote and I find it even more complicated than IQ. I even remember that one time where suddenly all my entries that were inside this one category expanded to individual categories and I couldn't drag and drop them in.

The box to drag thing is also very confusing and I find my head scratching everytime I have to go to themes just to change the background but then lose my old template lay-out.

The tags are also annoying in the sense that you're either limited to a few with hotkeys or you have to constantly click on the gui. I couldn't find a way where I can watermark an area so that only when I finish typing can I choose what kind of tag should be in what section.

The only thing that I found superior about it to IQ is the sidebar grids which are actually real buttons by default where as all IQ's themes are markers. Oh and there's probably that whole thing about being able to clip pages, voice records and other things but the lay-out is just a scary Rube Goldberg trap that looks simple at first but then the more use it, the more it sprungs open.

[superboyac]

Yes, that's partially why I'm still testing IQ even though it looks very tree based from the get go. I wouldn't really consider a long list, a departure from tree-based hierarchies because not only is a long list unmanageable IMO in the sense that if such organizations were alright to a user than they don't need an organizer because they can do this straight from a File Explorer but also because the list is just a reduction of the tree and not really a separate entity like how items are in IQ's grid. (paraphrasing from PPLandry's words)

You are making assumptions here, I think.  Even if you have a long list that is seemingly unmanageable in IQ, you can use the filters in a variety of ways to make the list extremely manageable.


Also, Paul, this is unrelated and I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I often can't understand what you are asking for or explaining in your posts.  That's fine if you just want to talk about something with the people here, but you are often asking for information or help.  I really suggest you be more clear and specific in your posts in these cases (keep it as short as possible).  Also, try not to ask for too much all at once.  Make it bite size for us, it will allow us to help you better!  Like, that one thread of yours (you know the one) is a little ridiculous!  That really needs to be several different threads, whether you think so or not.  Anyway, just offering my advice.

[superboyac]

I downloaded and tried SN.
I'm looking for something that beats oneNote and is portable.

What made me stop looking is that the html mode doesn't work like an outliner (i.e. tabs indents, then it keeps indentation). This is very basic for me, as I write mostly that way.

I still want to invest more time learning the program, as it looks really promising. Will wait for superboyac's tutorial.

I still think that oneNote is wonderful in its simplicity.

-urlwolf (October 19, 2008, 04:55 PM)

Onenote is very cool also (even though i don't use it).  As for the html thing, you should definitely tell Pierre about that.  It definitely should be able to do what you are saying, I'm surprised it can't.  I also am wishing for added functionality to the html pane, but so far, it covers most of my needs.

I would advise you to keep an eye open for IQ in case that functionality is eventually added.  It would be a shame to ditch all the other advantages you would have with the program because of that one thing.

[PPLandry]

I'll be releasing version 0.9.23.7j, which fixes a few bugs and I've added this feature:

- in HTML pane: tab indents, shift-tab unindents (works for regular text, numbered items and bulleted items (big thanks for the suggestion!)

[Armando]

[ooops ... see : Pierre posted as I was writing -.... ]

Are you guys talking about pressing tab "inside" the html pane itself ? Not the grid, right ?

This tab thing is probably very very easy to add/fix. I almost mentioned this myself to Pierre the other day as it was bothering me too.  

[Paul Keith]

You are making assumptions here, I think.  Even if you have a long list that is seemingly unmanageable in IQ, you can use the filters in a variety of ways to make the list extremely manageable.

Kind of, I was referring to my first impressions in the beginning.

Also, Paul, this is unrelated and I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I often can't understand what you are asking for or explaining in your posts.  That's fine if you just want to talk about something with the people here, but you are often asking for information or help.  I really suggest you be more clear and specific in your posts in these cases (keep it as short as possible).  Also, try not to ask for too much all at once.  Make it bite size for us, it will allow us to help you better!  Like, that one thread of yours (you know the one) is a little ridiculous!  That really needs to be several different threads, whether you think so or not.  Anyway, just offering my advice.

Edit: I'd also like to point out the necessity of making one thread since in the wrong forum, posting multiple threads at the same time can be interpreted as flooding or spamming.

Nah, no harm no foul although in this case, I really don't know how to shorten what I'm asking without taking parts away.

I'm working on turning that thread into several threads but it's going to take awhile.

The thing here is at best I could separate each quoted reply to a single reply but that's still the same reply.

Here let me give you an example:

Yes, I get this but it's still kinda confusing at first due to there being a grid submenu too.

This could be the reply all it's own but I've already said this earlier in the thread so it alone has been proven to be not enough as it is possibly if not definitely being interpreted as vague no matter how short it is.

It's just hard getting used to this.

Since tomos was describing the functionality I already know of, I thought I was sending the wrong impression that I didn't get the purpose in a sense of not understanding the features rather than on having difficulty adapting to the features so I find this necessary to point out.

I know the sidebar is there by default to make it easier but it's less about the easeness but more along the lines that it creates doubt when exploring options because I'm not really sure if there's other options that are like these.

Again, insurance in case someone misinterprets and thinks I don't get why the sidebar is there since this is a reply revolving around a possible misunderstanding of my earlier difficulty.

Earlier in the thread PPLandry did say that there were some hotkeys under options and there were other hotkeys in right click - customize so that's one of the confusing parts about the program.

Other examples of possible similarities to further clarify the core point.

I know this is the norm for Microsoft Office and OpenOffice interfaces but that's why I could never customize both of those programs' toolbar to have more of a Wordpad + some more features ever and just gave up on the idea.

Clarification of my above written examples to give better insight as to why I'm having difficulty with the interface.

The problem is none of these sentences were padded any longer than they should be. Each complements each other in sequences where I try to present the core issue first then backs up these issues as the sentences go along.

[Paul Keith]

or something like this:

You are making assumptions here, I think.  Even if you have a long list that is seemingly unmanageable in IQ, you can use the filters in a variety of ways to make the list extremely manageable.

Kind of, I was referring to my first impressions in the beginning.

[Paul Keith]

Also, Paul, this is unrelated and I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I often can't understand what you are asking for or explaining in your posts.  That's fine if you just want to talk about something with the people here, but you are often asking for information or help.  I really suggest you be more clear and specific in your posts in these cases (keep it as short as possible).  Also, try not to ask for too much all at once.  Make it bite size for us, it will allow us to help you better!  Like, that one thread of yours (you know the one) is a little ridiculous!  That really needs to be several different threads, whether you think so or not.  Anyway, just offering my advice.

Nah, no harm no foul although in this case, I really don't know how to shorten what I'm asking without taking parts away.

I'm working on turning that thread into several threads but it's going to take awhile.

The thing here is at best I could separate each quoted reply to a single reply but that's still the same reply.

[Paul Keith]

The problem with the latter is that it makes it even harder to follow the conversations if I was a reader who started from the beginning with no idea who was talking because then I have to continuously peek at the left pane to check if the same user was talking where as the full quoted version gives the responsibility back to the reader whether they feel the question is worth reading and quarantines the text to a single area and can be easily resolved by the reader inquiring about the specific areas they feel overwhelming and requiring clarification and then the thread moves along just the same in the talk -> reply -> ask -> clarify -> talk loop rather than a reader having to adapt to a change of pace because a writer wanted to segment each section of his long post; in this case mine.

Edit: I also want to point out that I often read my longer posts to ensure that it makes sense to me and edit them where I feel the parts are vague. Yes, even with this I found I can miss some grammatical errors but often times, I also find that the error did not get in the way of comprehension at least to my eyes.

[superboyac]

Ok, ok, no sweat man!  Ha!  Write however you feel comfortable with, we're all flexible here at DC.  I'll ask for clarification if necessary.

[Paul Keith]

Thanks. Usually, most forums don't tolerate this so it's hard to stay for long. (The size of the newbie thread was testament to how long I avoided forums)

[superboyac]

By the way, your grid within a grid example thing:
I think you should consider the even bigger picture.  With the example you've shown, you've limited the categories to a 2x2 function...meaning there are just 2 things to mix and match.  But what if there are 3 or more things?  And what if each one of those things had more than 2 options (not just yes/no)?  So, I would recommend that you ditch the easy visual of the 2x2 box and think bigger...perhaps in a way that might not be so easy to visualize, but is better.  After all, after you go beyond 3D, things get too hard to visualize.  See what I'm saying?

If you really want to organize your tasks with a high level of complexity and sophistication based on a "scoring" system, I suggest you look at the program myLife Organized.  I've written reviews of it here:
http://aram.dcmember...re/mylife-organized/

You can tweak how "important" certain tasks are as much as you like, and it will automatically generate a list in the order of most important to least important.  Forget the box thing.

Now, you may also be able to accomplish this in IQ using calculations and formulas, and maybe even some future features that Pierre is adding.  But I don't know how to do it, and it sounds hard.  MLO is already there, and it's a great program, and I use it every day.

[Paul Keith]

By the way, your grid within a grid example thing:
I think you should consider the even bigger picture.  With the example you've shown, you've limited the categories to a 2x2 function...meaning there are just 2 things to mix and match.  But what if there are 3 or more things?  And what if each one of those things had more than 2 options (not just yes/no)?  So, I would recommend that you ditch the easy visual of the 2x2 box and think bigger...perhaps in a way that might not be so easy to visualize, but is better.  After all, after you go beyond 3D, things get too hard to visualize.  See what I'm saying?

-superboyac (October 20, 2008, 01:36 AM)

I'd just like to clarify that I haven't read the book this grid is based on so I'm not sure my interpretation of the grid is correct.

I think I follow you up to the 3d portion but let me see if I got you correctly: I think the flaw you see with the grid is that it fails as a "prioritizer" in that once you have too many entries it becomes no more different than 4 separate pages with lots of text on them, am I correct?

I agree with this perspective that's why I don't plan to use the grid this way. The grid is more my preference for an already prioritized list magnifier.

I'm not sure if this makes sense since for most people a prioritized list is good enough but have you ever read the philosophy of the low number to do list? (I don't know what it's actually called but the description is close to that)

The key idea with that concept was to write down only the top 3-5 entries in your to do list and keep it that way. I think this is more my preference of that philosophy. The grid over grid basis isn't so much to organize the tasks as much as it is to contextify the tasks.

Now this might fly in the face of filtering technologies that does allow an even more powerful version of this but I prefer  this simplicity mostly because it's more of a visual reminder for me and I like the idea of being able to print this grid or even use an index card or post-it to create this image and just stick it anywhere outside my computer as a friendly offline reminder.

Where this basic grid idea fails for me though is in having a software version of a "plate" like a sticky note over a sticky note over a sticky note to simulate the same visuals I have of it in the real world to the digital world.

Obviously this isn't something IQ can do or is designed for so I hope this doesn't confuse the readers as to why I pointed the image out earlier. I was only recalling the turn of events that led me to trying out IQ.

Now for more complicated organization, I use Compendium. Example:

SQLNotes...what is it exactly?

I know this flies in the face of filtering but I find I'm much more comfortable filtering stuff presented this way. The flaw of these maps is that the foundation sets up the feel for the rest of the maps requiring another management system as a temporary information holder but once both are set up correctly, I just find it hard to go back to the more traditional line per line way of viewing things. In fact, I don't think I've ever adapted well to the old system that's why I don't have a passion for viewing help files in programs despite being comfortable reading lots and lots of webpages.

If you really want to organize your tasks with a high level of complexity and sophistication based on a "scoring" system, I suggest you look at the program myLife Organized.  I've written reviews of it here:
http://aram.dcmember...re/mylife-organized/

You can tweak how "important" certain tasks are as much as you like, and it will automatically generate a list in the order of most important to least important.  Forget the box thing.

I've tried MyLife Organized before but I didn't quite like the feel of it. I'm not sure if it's because when it comes to tasks I feel much more at home with the rigid structure of ThinkingRock but I'm just pointing out my current application for organizing todo tasks.

I also use Toodledo as my online alternative.

Here's one topic comparing the two programs (and yes ThinkingRock is slow because it's java but it just clicks with me so much, I use a notetaker when I want to put something in rather than having it opened all the time):

http://www.thinkingr...amp;highlight=mylife

Edit: Oh right, I just previewed the screenshot right now and I think it was the tree based hierarchy combined with it being not free that didn't do it for me back then. Please keep in mind that at the time I was looking for an outliner and was already using YeahWrite so the interface just didn't come close to my preference.

Now, you may also be able to accomplish this in IQ using calculations and formulas, and maybe even some future features that Pierre is adding.  But I don't know how to do it, and it sounds hard.  MLO is already there, and it's a great program, and I use it every day.

Oh, sorry for the misunderstanding. My last comment about the most used/most used column wasn't so much because I plan to use IQ as a todo manager but more as an explanation of why columns didn't gel with me.

[tomos]

# Columns/Fields are simply a way of storing info about your item - you can sort by the columns (first by one, then by another, etc, etc). Probably more important - you can filter by column/field and by the content of the field.
Fields can be numerical, date, text, yes/no tick-boxes, or drop-down - where you can select from a drop-down list.
Examples could be | Cost | Date | Date Checked | ToDo by date | Project | Topic | Related to | etc, and Tick-box ones: | Finalised | Checked | Forwarded | Lyrics attatched | ToDo | Error | Reg.Key attatched | etc, etc.
You can set up tick-box fields to change the background colour of the item when ticked (ToDo & Done fields do this already)

Thanks. I think this is why it confuses me. I'm used to something more... tag cloud based but not really a tag cloud. Something like sort by most edited or most viewed and a much clearer indicator of whether I'm viewing from least to most or most to least than the up and down arrows which I'm not used to but mostly I'm more used to the Tag Cluster Folder way of having a predefined folder that shows only certain tags that have been marked to it or a requirement of showing only items that have all marked tags attributed to it.

I think this is more filtering but I'm just more comfortable being able to create a column of sorts of this in the chance that I mess up my column orders and just want my default order back.

-Paul Keith (October 19, 2008, 08:39 PM)

I dont follow the last sentence there ?

# A Grid is a view - the Grid view is dictated by the "source" field which is usually a tick-box field - if something is ticked in this column it is shown in the grid.
If you create a new grid, say called "LOLCats", a new field is automatically created called "LOLCats" - top-level items in this Grid have field "LOLCats" ticked.

Yes, I get this but it's still kinda confusing at first due to there being a grid submenu too. It's just hard getting used to this. I know the sidebar is there by default to make it easier but it's less about the easeness but more along the lines that it creates doubt when exploring options because I'm not really sure if there's other options that are like these. Earlier in the thread PPLandry did say that there were some hotkeys under options and there were other hotkeys in right click - customize so that's one of the confusing parts about the program. I know this is the norm for Microsoft Office and OpenOffice interfaces but that's why I could never customize both of those programs' toolbar to have more of a Wordpad + some more features ever and just gave up on the idea.

-Paul Keith (October 19, 2008, 08:39 PM)

by grid "submenu" - I guess you mean the list of grids shown as tabs on the side ..
It's not really a sub-menu in the sense that the programme has to use a (any particular) grid to show your info.
So it's a list - not sure does that help clarify grids as opposed to programmes that would have everything in a tree outline there on the left.
I've been using it so long now, I forgot that's a fundamental difference. So, for example I have a Music grid with various different info about tracks I like, or I'd like to buy, or songs I'd like to learn, etc, a Software grid which seems to be expanding into a hardware grid and a record of windows/etc errors as well, etc.
Fairly clear boundaries with most of my stuff - with work I have grids that overlap a lot more:
-
# Drawings - the files I work on (this one has columns like check date/checked/approved/finalised
# Billing (=Invoice grid) - time spent on whatever, including drawings (start time/finish time/duration/cost/Invoice#)
# Current Billing = Billing grid filtered in a way to show current project - this could be created on the fly with filters but if using a lot it's easiest (for me) to create separate grids

This has evolved - isn't necessarily the best way but hopefully gives you some idea of how things could be structured

I've followed Armando's example and created a button which shows a drop down list of your grids in alphabetical order - now have this placed on top. I find it less confusing then the tabs on the left - my main problem with them is they dont show all grids & it can get very confusing

SQLNotes...what is it exactly?

see post bottom of page change this setting
http://sqlnotes.net/...dpage/5/Default.aspx

[urlwolf]

Cool! PPLandry already added a change I suggested and I've used the tool for minutes; this is very promising!

Some other thing that is fundamental is search; since superboyac loves live search, I'm sure this has been suggested and implemented; I just don't know how to get it to work. ctrl shift F does something close, but not exaclty. See how oneNote highlights the tabs AND occurrences on the page? That kind of thing. Is this possible?

Also, how about a global shortcut to send it/get it back from the tray?