Author Topic: FARR plugin: FARR Remember The Milk 1.1.3 (Read 305275 times)

phitsc · « **on:** September 24, 2008, 09:37 AM »

Description
The FARR Remember The Milk Plugin (FarrMilk) allows you to access your Remember the Milk (RTM) tasks and lists using Find and Run Robot (FARR). A lot of what you can do via the RTM web interface you can do with FarrMilk.

Check out these two video demos (of preliminary versions) to get an idea of what FarrMilk is: Demo 1, Demo 2

Screenshot - 9_24_2008 , 2_48_00 PM.png

What you can and can't do with FarrMilk
Can:

View your tasks
Filter your tasks by task name, by list, by tag, by priority and by due date
Sort your tasks by task name, by priority, by due date, by date added, by date completed and by URL
Add new tasks
Delete tasks
Complete / Uncomplete tasks
Move tasks from one list to another
Postpone tasks
Change a task's properties, including its name, priority, due date, recurrence, time estimate, tags, location and URL
Add, edit and delete task notes
View your lists
Add new lists
Delete lists
Archive / Unarchive lists
View your tags
View tasks of your smart lists (with limitations! read About Smart Lists further down)

Can't:

Share tasks (missing in the RTM API)
Send tasks (missing in the RTM API)
Manage contacts and groups (although the RTM API would allow this, I feel it doesn't make much sense without task sharing or sending functionality).
Manage locations
Create smart lists
Modify more than one task at the same time
FarrMilk currently doesn't support languages other than English
probably more...

Download & Install
Download the FarrMilk installer from here then double-click FarrMilkSetup.exe to start the installation. I've tested the installer on both Windows XP and Windows 7 32-bit. If you'd rather install the plugin manually, you can download it from here, then unzip it into the FARR plugins directory (usually C:\Program Files\FindAndRunRobot\Plugins) and restart FARR.

Getting started
Before you can use FarrMilk you'll have to authorise the plugin to manipulate your RTM account. To do this, open FARR and type rtm, a web browser will open asking you to log into your RTM account. After logging in, press the [OK, I'll allow it] button. Then switch back to the FARR window (which should still be open in the background. If it isn't you probably have set FARR to hide when focus is lost in the Window Mode / Focus settings. Change that to Ignore until authorisation is complete) and hit enter. After a short delay in which your tasks and lists are downloaded you should see the FarrMilk main menu and are ready to go!

Next, type rtm <Enter> to show a list of your tasks or rtm help to learn about the details of using FarrMilk.

All feedback is welcome. Not only about the plugin, but also about the help file.

FEP (frequently encountered problems)

Problem	Solution
When using both FarrMilk and the GooglePlus plugin GooglePlus' options window pops up every time you enter GP	If you are running GooglePlus v1.1 or lower replace GooglePlus' fscript.js file with this one
FarrMilk crashes when you try to select an item	If you are running any FScript-based plugins make sure they are all using FScript.dll 1.16 or newer (get it from here)

Version history
1.1.3 - 7. November 2011

Fixed a crash related to tasks created by email
Added info concerning the configuration of proxy servers requiring user / password

1.1.2 - 10. November 2010

Tags and Notes now support UTF8 characters
Power user command for archiving a list is now 'vl'

1.1.1 - 6. January 2010

Renamed 'Parse task name for due date' option to 'Use Smart Add', because that is what it's now doing
Updated libcurl

1.1.0 - 12. May 2009

Added option 'Highlight exact tag match'
Added option 'Highlight search term'
Added tool tips to some of the options
Implemented sorting by list (/s:l or /sort:list)

Spoiler

1.0.0 - 4. April 2009

Added more useful error message in case FarrMilk can't connect to the RTM server
Added proxy support (can be set in the Options window)
Reversed order of how task properties are specified for sorting in Options window (It's more logical now, but you need to manually update your sorting order!)
Priority, tags and list can now be specified in a dialog when adding a task (see 'Adding a task' in help file)

0.4.5 - 8. January 2009
- Added RTM API call throttling to keep requests to 1 request per second

0.4.4 - 14. December 2008
- Fixed bug "can't authenticate after a fresh install of FarrMilk"

0.4.3 - 13. December 2008
- FarrMilk now uses the api endpoint instead of the www endpoint (as was recently suggested by Remember The Milk)

0.4.2 - 10. December 2008
- Fixed bug "can't get the list of tasks from a list with a space in it"
- Store FarrMilk.ini in user's application data directory instead of FarrMilk plugin directory

0.4.0
- The selected task's add date and modified or completed date are now displayed in the status bar
- The selected note's add date and modified date are now displayed in the status bar
- It's now possible to add a new note when a task's existing notes are displayed
- Tasks can now be sorted by date modified (/sm, use /sm- to see most recently modified)
- Renamed sort names /sort:add to /sort:added and /sort:complete to /sort:completed
- When viewing a task's properties, notes or command list pressing Alt+Left (or Ctrl+Backspace) should now always take you back to the last task search if that was done with the tasks or t command

0.3.0 - 13. October 2008
- Added 'Change note of task' to task command list

0.2.0 - 4. October 2008
- Made tasks command more powerful and more intuitive. Instead of showing properties on Enter a command list is now shown. Hitting Shift+Enter will show properties by default but can be configured to complete or postpone the selected task.
- Added change properties command
- Added tasks, lists and tags commands to command auto completion list
- Auto completion list is now sorted according to most likely frequency of use (e.g. add task before add list)
- Completed tasks can now be shown by adding the /completed or /c switch. The switch only applies to the tasks and delete task commands and is always in effect on the uncomplete task command.
- Filtering down to one single task will no longer show the respective task's properties. Instead it will just show as a single task item in the result list. Likewise for the edit note and delete note commands.
- It's now possible to omit display of the list name if the list is Inbox (which is the RTM default list)
- Changed del (power user command to delete a task) to d
- Updated Getting started, Commands and Displaying tasks in the help file

0.1.0 - 29. September 2008
- Changed plugin name to FarrMilk
- trying yet another libcurl DLL (with hopefully better luck this time)

0.0.3 - 28. September 2008
- Fixed wrong processing of notes
- Added Basic concept of operation and Some examples to Getting started help topic
- Added Editing notes help topic

0.0.2
- Added rename list command to help file (the command was already implemented in 0.0.1)
- Changed archive list power user command to cl (from rl, which is used for rename list)
- Added /showall to help file
- changed libcurl DLL to a version without SSL support making the plugin package size smaller

0.0.1 - 24. September 2008
- First release.

jgpaiva · « **Reply #1 on:** September 24, 2008, 09:46 AM »

This is a great work, phitsc!!
Anyone who uses online calendars will love this, I'm sure

Also don't forget to add the link to the screencasts!

phitsc · « **Reply #2 on:** September 24, 2008, 10:06 AM »

Also don't forget to add the link to the screencasts!
-jgpaiva (September 24, 2008, 09:46 AM)

Yes, good idea! I've added links to the two preliminary videos in the first post.

Armando · « **Reply #3 on:** September 24, 2008, 10:26 AM »

I don't use Remember the Milk, but this plugin looks wonderful! Gorgeous!
This will/could certainly serve as an inspiration to others.
Great work!!!

phitsc · « **Reply #4 on:** September 24, 2008, 02:27 PM »

I don't use Remember the Milk, but this plugin looks wonderful! Gorgeous!
This will/could certainly serve as an inspiration to others.
Great work!!!
-Armando (September 24, 2008, 10:26 AM)

Thanks! The nice visuals are all thanks to Hamradio by the way. He designed and made all the icons (140 icons!). He will of course also benefit from all donations I get

mouser · « **Reply #5 on:** September 24, 2008, 02:46 PM »

Absolutely amazing. Seriously this may be the best looking and coolest plugin yet made for FARR.
Even the help is insanely cool:
Screenshot - 9_24_2008 , 2_48_53 PM.png

d4ni · « **Reply #6 on:** September 24, 2008, 02:54 PM »

Very nice work! I would like it, though, if the default choice for both 'add' and 'delete' would be 'task' and not list. I know it's sorted alphabetically but it doesn't make so much sense as you would want to add and delete tasks so many more times than you would add or delete lists.

phitsc · « **Reply #7 on:** September 24, 2008, 02:59 PM »

Thanks mouser!

The help file is still missing loads of information though, e.g. the options dialog is completely missing. Also other stuff, it was just too much to describe it all in one go. I'll certainly add to it. One important thing missing is: you can add /a or /sall or /showall when displaying tasks or lists to switch to FARR's small icon view. Well, with only two tasks it's not a problem yet, hahaha.

phitsc · « **Reply #8 on:** September 24, 2008, 03:03 PM »

Very nice work! I would like it, though, if the default choice for both 'add' and 'delete' would be 'task' and not list. I know it's sorted alphabetically but it doesn't make so much sense as you would want to add and delete tasks so many more times than you would add or delete lists.
-d4ni (September 24, 2008, 02:54 PM)

Yes, I thought about that as well when implementing it. And I actually agree. It's mainly lack of time that made me do it differently, alphabetically was just so much simpler. I'll go add that to the todo list right away though

mouser · « **Reply #9 on:** September 24, 2008, 03:35 PM »

the one thing that confused me a little was that i expected i could select a task, and THEN choose to delete or mark as complete.

i eventually figured out that i had to go to main menu and choose delete then select the project. it might be nice if there was a way to do those operations from viewing a task.

phitsc · « **Reply #10 on:** September 24, 2008, 03:54 PM »

the one thing that confused me a little was that i expected i could select a task, and THEN choose to delete or mark as complete.

i eventually figured out that i had to go to main menu and choose delete then select the project. it might be nice if there was a way to do those operations from viewing a task.
-mouser (September 24, 2008, 03:35 PM)

I completely agree! And I was planning to implement that as soon as plugins can customize the context menu (for mouse operation. as requested here) as well as receive per item hot keys (was requested somewhere else I think, maybe in a different context). For example, as a plugin I would like to get notified when a button is pressed (e.g. DEL to delete a task) together with the information on which item the button was pressed.

As for completing a task, you can already do that now, by hitting Shift+Enter on as task when it's displayed with 'rtm tasks'. Or you can choose to postpone the task instead (can be changed in the options dialog).

But in general your discovery is correct. You first have to say what you want to do, e.g.
- rtm add task (or a for short)
- rtm complete task (c)
- rtm rename task (ren)
- rtm delete task (del)
etc.
this will always give you a list of ALL tasks. Then you choose with which task to want to do that by applying filters, e.g. typing some characters of its name, or (additionally) add /list=blah to filter for tasks of a specific list, or (additionally) by adding /p2 to filter for tasks with priority 2 only, etc. And you can apply different sortings to make it easier for you to find the task you want to do something with.

I think once you understand this basic concept: First choose what you want to do then filter with what you know about the task you want until you find it, the plugin allows very fast and powerful manipulation of RTM tasks. Obviously it would be cool to have the other possibility as well (i.e. filter first, then choose what to do).

phitsc · « **Reply #11 on:** September 25, 2008, 12:02 AM »

Very nice work! I would like it, though, if the default choice for both 'add' and 'delete' would be 'task' and not list. I know it's sorted alphabetically but it doesn't make so much sense as you would want to add and delete tasks so many more times than you would add or delete lists.
-d4ni (September 24, 2008, 02:54 PM)
Yes, I thought about that as well when implementing it. And I actually agree. It's mainly lack of time that made me do it differently, alphabetically was just so much simpler. I'll go add that to the todo list right away though
-phitsc (September 24, 2008, 03:03 PM)

Concerning this: if you're too lazy to type 'rtm add t' + Enter (and I mean the positive kind of laziness here) you can use power user mode (read Modes of Operation in the help file) instead and just type 'rtm a' + Space. Your point is still valid though, and the way I thought I was going to do this back then was to always put the last action selected as the first result item and help at the end (that's now already the case) and sort the rest in between.

justice · « **Reply #12 on:** September 25, 2008, 12:59 PM »

I got this after installing, everytime i run a rtm command and when FARR starts up:

---------------------------
Advanced Options: FindAndRunRobot.exe - Ordinal Not Found
---------------------------
The ordinal 3724 could not be located in the dynamic link library LIBEAY32.dll.
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

phitsc · « **Reply #13 on:** September 25, 2008, 05:34 PM »

I got this after installing, everytime i run a rtm command and when FARR starts up:
---------------------------
Advanced Options: FindAndRunRobot.exe - Ordinal Not Found
---------------------------
The ordinal 3724 could not be located in the dynamic link library LIBEAY32.dll.
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------
-justice (September 25, 2008, 12:59 PM)

Thanks for reporting this. Would you mind trying out this version: http://farrrmilk.obj.../FarrRmilk_0.0.2.zip
Please delete your old FarrRmilk plugin directory first, as the new version doesn't need that dll you mention any more, so just unzipping into the existing directory won't remove the file.

Cheers
Philipp

s.newave · « **Reply #14 on:** September 26, 2008, 04:50 PM »

WOW!!! Definitely one of the best executed plugins i have seen. Great job!

Cant wait to see what you come up with next, maybe an rss reader

phitsc · « **Reply #15 on:** September 27, 2008, 01:02 AM »

I got this after installing, everytime i run a rtm command and when FARR starts up:
---------------------------
Advanced Options: FindAndRunRobot.exe - Ordinal Not Found
---------------------------
The ordinal 3724 could not be located in the dynamic link library LIBEAY32.dll.
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------
-justice (September 25, 2008, 12:59 PM)
Thanks for reporting this. Would you mind trying out this version: http://farrrmilk.obj.../FarrRmilk_0.0.2.zip
Please delete your old FarrRmilk plugin directory first, as the new version doesn't need that dll you mention any more, so just unzipping into the existing directory won't remove the file.

Cheers
Philipp
-phitsc (September 25, 2008, 05:34 PM)

Anyone else having justice's problem and can confirm that http://farrrmilk.obj.../FarrRmilk_0.0.2.zip does or does not fix the problem?

I'm a bit surprised about the relative silence in this thread. Is anyone actually using this plugin?

mouser · « **Reply #16 on:** September 27, 2008, 01:31 AM »

im using it, and i dont have that problem.

justice · « **Reply #17 on:** September 27, 2008, 02:44 AM »

Now I get this instead:

---------------------------
Find and Run Robot
---------------------------
Find+Run Robot Encountered an exception error (EAccessViolation). Please report to [email protected].
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

---------------------------
Find and Run Robot
---------------------------
Access violation at address 00470568 in module 'FindAndRunRobot.exe'. Read of address 00000260.
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------
---------------------------
Find and Run Robot
---------------------------
Access violation at address 74E50DE8. Read of address 74E50DE8.
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

This is on an XP machine. I also tried 0.2 (not 0.1) at work on my vista machine and I get the same error message. I get it when my tasks are loaded. Internet Explorer is NOT my default browser on both systems, in case this matters. The last two errors only occured the second time i tried it (probably because i took longer to click ok) and when not clicking on the OK button repeat themselves after about 4-5 seconds. After I closed all errors then farr crashes. I unticked all plugins from the plugins part of the preferences.

Are there any error logs somewhere that I can attach?

phitsc · « **Reply #18 on:** September 27, 2008, 09:33 AM »

Hm, that could become a tough one. I've successfully run FarrRmilk on a Vista and an XP SP3 installation myself. I also just set up a clean Windows XP SP1 Home installation, installed nothing but FARR and FarrRmilk and it's working flawlessly. I'll let that fresh installation update itself now (I guess it will be SP3 in the end) and check again then. I'll also add some error logging that might help track down the problem. Thanks for your help anyway.

Cheers
Philipp

justice · « **Reply #19 on:** September 27, 2008, 09:51 AM »

IF you want me to test any versions just PM me

phitsc · « **Reply #20 on:** September 28, 2008, 01:05 PM »

Version 0.0.3 is now available.

Thanks a lot to justice for helping me find this bug!

mouser · « **Reply #21 on:** September 28, 2008, 01:40 PM »

I love to see good teamwork

justice · « **Reply #22 on:** September 28, 2008, 02:17 PM »

Yep it works great now! Good work Phitsc

TucknDar · « **Reply #23 on:** September 28, 2008, 02:40 PM »

Just wanted to say that this is an amazing plugin! I haven't really taken full advantage of RTM yet, so not really used the plugin much, but first impressions are

Only problem is that you've set a tough standard for other plugin writers

Grorgy · « **Reply #24 on:** September 28, 2008, 06:53 PM »

Yeah, I'm using it too. Hasn't done anything wrong for me, works as you said it would, no need to post except to say thanks