Export Perspective on Mac to readable text

unlocked2412 · January 5, 2019, 1:36pm

You’re very welcome.

Some useful links from Apple:

OmniFocus scripting dictionary (Javascript) is available through Script Editor. It’s a good place to start familiarizing with OmniFocus methods and properties (Javascript).

You can execute it in Script Editor setting language to Javascript. Additionaly, with Keyboard Maestro (as you found out), Alfred, etc…

Script update: now handles more perspectives and it is a little more polished. It returns a string with a plain text representation of a perspective. It can be used to set the clipboard to this string with Keyboard Maestro (output of an Execute a Javascript for Automation), for example.

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TheWart · January 9, 2019, 2:54pm

I must be doing something wrong. The javascript will not compile on 10.13 here: Error on line 101: SyntaxError: Unexpected token ','

unlocked2412 · January 9, 2019, 3:54pm

Thanks for letting me know, @TheWart. It’s fixed, now. Does it work for you?

TheWart · January 9, 2019, 11:09pm

Yes, thanks!

Janov · January 11, 2019, 2:05pm

works like a charm, kudos!
1 question though:

Can I use a variable as input for this script to:

ask user for which perspective to output
have the jsa script use that for the "const strPerspectiveName = ‘Checklists’ "

Do you have an idea about this?

unlocked2412 · January 11, 2019, 3:45pm

Of course, one possible route would be through Keyboard Maestro.

OmniFocus 3 Perspective As Text.kmmacros

Janov · January 11, 2019, 3:55pm

Kudos again! :-)

TheWart · January 14, 2019, 3:03pm

Love possibility here. However, it prompts me as expected but only returns the Inbox items despite naming a stock or custom perspective.

I simply downloaded the macro and placed it in my enabled OmniFocus macro group, running it with the indicated shortcut.

unlocked2412 · January 14, 2019, 4:02pm

Thanks for letting me know. I think it’s fixed. Does it work for you, now?

TheWart · January 15, 2019, 7:41pm

It does, thanks! Could it be further tweaked to toggle the task notes on/off when run?

unlocked2412 · January 15, 2019, 8:00pm

Far from my desk now but will look into it.

unlocked2412 · January 17, 2019, 1:53pm

Received great ideas from user @draft8 on passing information between KM prompt for user input action and a Execute a JavaScript For Automation action and creating specialised versions of a function to allow options.

Just implemented task notes on/off toggle. Is this what you had in mind, @TheWart ?

Janov · January 17, 2019, 6:45pm

Can you share the new link? Or is it still the same?

unlocked2412 · January 17, 2019, 8:37pm

It’s the same link. I updated the file.

TheWart · January 19, 2019, 9:14pm

So, so good! Thank you very much for all the tweaking!

narabharath · February 22, 2021, 10:15pm

Can someone help to create a text file to a specific directory
thanks in advance

unlocked2412 · February 23, 2021, 1:52am

Could you give more details about your request ?

narabharath · February 23, 2021, 2:12am

Sorry for being terse.
I want to use the script to generate few types of text files to display using Übersicht for inbox, due soon etc
Also the perspectives text output produces “-” which results in two lines (one regular and one strikethrough) when Übersicht displays.

would like a text file written as

of3inbox.txt

Task-A
Task-B
etc…
and same for Due Soon or Due Now and other perspectives.

thanks in advance and appreciate the help
regards

unlocked2412 · February 23, 2021, 1:07pm

@narabharath, you can set the output of the Execute a Javascript For Automation action to a variable named, for example, perspectiveText.

Then, setting up a Write To File action, in this way:

narabharath · February 23, 2021, 5:28pm

Great thanks a lot. will give it a try ( I got it working by assigning to clipboard and back :)) yours is better. BTW is it possible to avoid the - in front of the tasks list created?