New version of ToDoList released

[app103]

In honor of the great GTD experiment, I have done a little more work on my ToDoList program. I have added the ability to print lists and resize the window. I also made the list text larger so it will be easier to read.

I use this, myself, for tons of things from my grocery list, tasks that need to be done on projects, party planning, links that need to be checked for my ebook site, etc.

It's pretty basic, but it gets the job of making a list done, very quickly. It also makes recycling lists very easy.

• To create a new list, click the New List button. (If you have an unsaved list loaded, you will be prompted to save it.)
• To add an item click the Add button and type in your text. Then click OK or hit your Enter key again. Click the Add button or hit your Enter key to add additional entries.
• To edit an item, just click the Edit button and change the text. Then click OK or hit your Enter key.
• To delete an item from the ToDo side, select it and click the Delete button. (Note: You can not delete entries from the Done side. The must be moved back to ToDo side in order to be deleted.)
• To undo a delete, click the Undo Delete button.
• To open an existing list, click the Open List button and navigate to the location of list file (filename.tdo).
• To save a list, click Save.
• To save an existing list with a new name or save a new list, click Save List as... (Note: Lists are saved in a pair of files; one having a .tdo extension (your todo list) and one having a .don extension (your done list). If you move one of these files to a new location, you must move them both. They must be kept together as a pair.)
• To print your ToDo list, click the Print button. (Note: You can only print the ToDo side. You can not print your Done side. If you want to print the Done side, you will have to open the .don file in notepad and print it from there.)
• To move an item from the ToDo side to the Done side, click the > button located in the center, between the 2 lists.
• To move all items from ToDo to Done, click the >> button located in the center, between the 2 lists.
• To move an item from Done back to ToDo, click the < button located in the center, between the 2 lists.
• To move all items from Done back to ToDo, click the << button located in the center, between the 2 lists.

Enjoy!

http://appsapps.info/todolist.php

[Redhat]

Thank you app - I shall try it out right away. Keep up the good work 

Looking forward to this project - should be great!

[Redhat]

Very nice (just been using it) 

May I make just two little "requests" for features? It would "perfect" it for me 

• Re-Organising of Tasks - Is it possible to make available the drag-drop re-organising of tasks in the task list to prioritise?
• Auto-Save - Also would be great for the list to save automagically after entering a new item! (or, if #1 is implimented, also everytime something is re-organised)

Ta for now 

[app103]

• Re-Organising of Tasks - Is it possible to make available the drag-drop re-organising of tasks in the task list to prioritise?

-Redhat (August 24, 2006, 11:04 PM)

Currently it alphabetizes the list whenever you add an entry, which was much easier to do than drag & drop....and makes finding items in large lists easier. It's more of a general list making program than a real organized todo list one.

The easiest way to prioritize a list would be to assign a rank number to the beginning of the entry. That way when it sorts, the numbers would be put in order at the top and unranked entries would be alphabetized at the bottom.

• Auto-Save - Also would be great for the list to save automagically after entering a new item! (or, if #1 is implimented, also everytime something is re-organised)

-Redhat (August 24, 2006, 11:04 PM)

That would be a lot of saving! Don't forget that would also mean saving both lists, ToDo & Done...and after each item shift too. I am not sure how that would perform with large lists on an old slow pc and if it would have a bad effect on overall performance of the program.

I don't know if you are aware of this but everything I create has to be able to be run on a 233mhz P1 with 64mb ram on Win9x, or I won't release it. I made a personal ethical commitment to owners of old PC's that this is what I would do for as long as my old slow pc continues to work. And that is a promise I will not back down on.

I'll keep the suggestions in mind though.

[rjbull]

Don't forget that would also mean saving both lists, ToDo & Done...and after each item shift too. I am not sure how that would perform with large lists on an old slow pc and if it would have a bad effect on overall performance of the program.

-app103 (August 25, 2006, 07:32 AM)

Why not make it one file in two parts, internally like


buy groceries
do laundry
mail package
==============================
make dinner
pick up kids from school


so it's only one file to save?  I don't necessarily mean display it like that, just a way to reduce disk I/O activity.  Also, have you implemented hotkeys?  If you offer the standard Control-S for Save, keyboard-centred people can get into the habit of saving as often as they like, and make their own compromise between security and performance.

0.2p... (I'm English)

[app103]

Also, have you implemented hotkeys?  If you offer the standard Control-S for Save, keyboard-centred people can get into the habit of saving as often as they like, and make their own compromise between security and performance.

-rjbull (August 25, 2006, 08:12 AM)

Hotkeys added. 

If my combos don't make sense or are overly complicated, let me know.

• New: Ctrl+N
• Add: Ins
• Edit: Ctrl+E
• Delete: Del
• Undo Delete: Shift+Del
• Open List: Ctrl+O
• Save List: Ctrl+S
• Save List as: F6
• Print: Ctrl+P
• Move item to Done: Ctrl+D
• Move all to Done: Ctrl+Shift+D
• Move item to ToDo: Ctrl+T
• Move all to ToDo: Ctrl+Shift+T

All buttons have hints showing the shortcuts.

http://appsapps.info/todolist.php

[Redhat]

Thanks for the tips app! And the new version, love hotkeys 

[rjbull]

Hotkeys added. 

If my combos don't make sense or are overly complicated, let me know.

-app103 (August 25, 2006, 09:59 AM)

Thanks.  Responsive authors is what we like   

I still wish it were one file, though, for ease of backing up/portability etc.  Maybe a tag preceding each entry with "1" for ToDo and "0" for "Done?"  You'd only have to sort the file once to re-order it, and show the two boxes as now.  But what do I know, I'm no programmer 

[app103]

Ok...first of all I am still considered a beginner at all this and there is still much I do not know how to do yet.

At the time I first wrote this program (over 1 year ago) it was much easier for me to create 2 plain text files and load one in each side than it was for me to do something much more complicated, using one file for both sides. It was my first experience with writing and retrieving data to/from a file, and only my 3rd program that wasn't some lame book example exercise.

The sorting it currently has is done automatically because I have the sorted property set to true on the lists....and the resorting when you edit an item is done by toggling the sort property off and on again....that's how simply made this is.

Code: Delphi [Select]

1. Sorted := False;  //Toggle Sorted property to resort
2.         Sorted := True;

There are some advantages to having 2 separate lists though....

Before I added the ability to print the ToDo side (which I couldn't do when I first wrote it, since I didn't own a working printer at the time to test it with), you had to open the file in notepad to print it. Having everything as one file would have meant you would be printing a mess containing both ToDo & Done.

Currently if you want to print only Done, you still have to do it from notepad. (might change this)

Having 2 files is also a good idea if you want to export one for another purpose, such as being able to copy & rename the appropriate one to .txt and sending it to someone.

Yesterday I did that with a membership list for my chatroom. The new host of my chatroom wanted to know who was supposed to be given automatic admin privileges. I was able to send her the .don file, renamed to .txt, over MSN. It wouldn't have been so easy if it were all in one file all mixed up with 1's & 0's.

Maybe if I get adventurous, and acquire a lot more programming skills, I may rewrite it from scratch and put it all in one file, but then I would have 2 different projects to maintain, since I like the 2 file system it currently uses and it's very useful to me like it is.

I guess that is one of the problems when you code an application for yourself and release it to the public. Other people don't always like the things you like best about your program.

This originally wasn't even supposed to be a ToDo list program. It was intended to be a feature in another program, and I only released it as a separate one when a friend asked me to. But I am glad I did since it solved a bunch of problems I wouldn't have known how to fix if I hadn't made it a separate .exe file.

I am sorry if I sound defensive, but sometimes when you don't know a whole lot about programming, it can be scary when you share an application you have made and people start asking for features you don't have the foggiest idea on how to do yet.

Ask me again in about 5 years and maybe I'll be able to make the GTD application of everybody's dreams that has every feature everyone in the world wants. But right now I can't....I still have too much to learn.

[insert_nick]

Hi to all, this is first post in this forum!
Maybe you could be interested in this app I found some time ago and use:
http://www.codeproje.../tools/ToDoList2.asp

[rjbull]

Ok...first of all I am still considered a beginner at all this and there is still much I do not know how to do yet.

At the time I first wrote this program (over 1 year ago) it was much easier for me to create 2 plain text files and load one in each side than it
[...]

-app103 (August 27, 2006, 10:35 PM)

OK, I thought it might be something like that.  Thanks for your valiant efforts so far.

Having 2 files is also a good idea if you want to export one for another purpose

Yes, I see the value.  There are other ways of getting the same thing, of course.  Although I'm not a programmer, I've been around a long  time now, and it looks to me as if you probably started with Windows, rather than in the deep mists of time with command lines and things like "fgrep -v" 

I like the 2 file system it currently uses and it's very useful to me like it is.

In which case you have no motivation.  Well, it wouldn't be the first time I made suggestions/requests that turned out to be in less than immaculate congruence with the intentions of the developer 

Again, thanks for making it available now   

[nudone]

app, thanks for making this little prog.

i've mentioned elsewhere on the forum that i've just read Mark Forster's book, Do It Tomorrow, and that he recommends using a closed 'will-do' list.

your little to-do list is pretty much the perfect thing for the method that he describes. the only thing missing, and this is why i make this request, is the ability to include 'unexpected' tasks to the list.

i'll explain his method...

each night you make a set 'closed' list of the things you will do the following day. the list should be realistic, i.e. you will be able to complete everything on it unless something really unexpected happens on the day.

it doesn't matter in which order you complete the tasks - the aim is simply to complete the full list (defining certain tasks as lower priority simply means you are less likely to do them).

any 'unexpected' tasks that arise that you really must get done that day are added to the list but set appart so that you can see they weren't in your original planned list - he recommends to put non planned tasks at the bottom of your list with a line separating them from your original plan (a different text colour would be enough i think).

the point of his method is that you are keeping control of what you are doing - you set yourself a realistic goal for the oncoming day and stick to it. any unforeseen tasks that you carry out on that day are added (but set appart) to your list so that you can see and monitor exactly where you lost control or managed to keep on top of everything.

his system is extremely simple and your minimalistic util is almost the perfect tool for the job.

it's just a suggestion.

thanks.

(just a quick edit: i realise now that the text colour difference wouldn't work as the text files wouldn't save this information - so, if you could a line or something would be good instead.)

[nudone]

sorry, app, i'm talking complete nonsense...

instead of you changing the program all that is required is that i place an indicator such as ** or // or whatever before the task to indicate it wasn't originally on the list.

sorry.

[app103]

sorry, app, i'm talking complete nonsense...

instead of you changing the program all that is required is that i place an indicator such as ** or // or whatever before the task to indicate it wasn't originally on the list.

sorry.

-nudone (August 29, 2006, 07:33 AM)

Wow...the easiest work I never had to do. 

[app103]

Updated to v1.6:

New feature additions:

Global hotkey to add item:
  ctrl+shift+ins

command line parameter to open file
  use .tdo file path as command line parameter

ability to print done list

ability to minimize to tray

tray icon:
  single click = add new item
  double click = show application window
  right click = show popup menu

    menu options:
      show window
      add item
      save list
      save list as...
      print to do
      print done
      new list
      open list

And I am very aware that my program shares the name with another popular one. I think it is time for a name change to get rid of the confusion.

i've mentioned elsewhere on the forum that i've just read Mark Forster's book, Do It Tomorrow, and that he recommends using a closed 'will-do' list.

-nudone

Maybe I should consider changing the name to Will Do List? or Do It List? or 2bDone?

Let me know what you think.

http://appsapps.info/todolist.php