Use OF on my Mac (plus iOS though just for viewing) and I’ve often wondered, why is the reporting so limited on OF. You have a world-class database that you can sort in any fashion imaginable, yet the reporting is essentially limited to page setup and what-you-see-on-the-screen.
When you set up a custom perspective, you are given a wealth of criteria that you can customize to create that perspective: why not take that same dialogue box and put it on printing output?
And respectfully: I don’t need advice that I can do this through AppleScript/HTML/OmniJS. I’ve paid a premium for OF and quite honestly, feel this type of output, for reporting and metrics, should be built in. It’s like we have the worlds best database with the most limited reporting.
Old Designer : I think you’re right. But there is a need for it and they already incorporate such wonderful dialogue boxes in setting up perspectives, why not take that code and simply output to the printer? Or give us the more fully featured print options on Omniplan?
I must be in the minority as I cannot believe it’s 2022 and no one seeks reporting.
Martin, anytime you offer such functionality, it’s like asking 400 people how to order a pizza. I get your point, totally. My big overarching note is simply we can output a report, essentially one way: what you see on the screen is what you get. OF makes wonderful, huge drill down capable dialogue boxes for perspective views. My only point is to offer that with output to the printer.
Nice idea but print how? Include what? Many people have copious notes and attachments, in what order do you want it printed? For example a note button is pretty useless incorporated into a printed copy.
Coding is rarely as simple as just add a print button, adding extra options usually breaks other things, and if you open up printing then people are going to ask for formatted headers, time frames font choices colours, filters and numerous other formatting options. OF is complex as is.
One option with no scripting is to export to Omnoutliner which is designed with print in mind.
I do totally understand that it is far harder to code than to request it. For me, it would be nice to offer a modicum of what any other programs in 2022 offer: portrait versus landscape (which we can do now), perhaps a few choices if we wanted projects versus tasks, tags / no tags and count (available, total, etc). And a page number down at the bottom wouldn’t hurt my feelings either.
I totally agree it’s complex enough as is; I just feel it’s a huge disparity between what we have on screen versus what we can print and, I do need to print occasionally as I manage so many projects.
I’m more than willing to see what comes down the pike; I’m in no hurry. OF solves a lot of what I need in a very unique way. I followed you at length when you made the decision to go to Things; I went to OF FROM Things, as I needed the dates/due dates, etc. And I’ve been quite vocal on my biggest reason for loving OF: it’s the Forecast screen, plain and simple. I love having my calendar and my tasks on one screen, so I’ll take the reporting as it is. My work around has been to take it all into Ulysses and finagle it there.
I do like the Omnioutline choice and did download it but I’m still on Catalina. I’m heading to Monterey in April…just have not had the time to do that OS upgrade yet.
It’s always nice and I am amazed when you read someone actually follows what you write 😳
I guess some need reporting, so at the moment OF is just not the app to offer it, that may change, and I can see why given the numerous config options for perspectives it would seem simple, as a coder I just doubt it would be as easy as it appears on the surface…
I actually went back to OF (Beta) as I had a lot of time and emotion invested in it but finally decided a few weeks ago to go to Things permanently. Don’t want to make this a commercial for Things but the checklists and headings coupled with my unhappiness with the new OF inline inspector tipped me over to Things and so far very happy.
