Folder-Status - active or inactive - my dream 😀

Monika · February 19, 2023, 3:05pm

I would be interested to know whether there is a kind of status (like active, inactive…) for Omnifocus 4 folders and whether this status can be used in user-defined perspectives to show or hide task areas.

The background of my question is my organizational structure with 2 root folders HOME and OFFICE (with subfolders), which I’m using to separate “private” from “job” strictly. At home I don’t want to be “bothered” with problems in the office. I really like custom perspectives and have created many good views (currently 22). In order to have a strict separation of areas, there are always 2 of the same type, which either only access the HOME folder or the OFFICE folder.
If there were an easy way in Omnifocus 4 to change a folder status (active, inactive …) quick and easy, I could simply set the OFFICE folder to inactive at the end of the working day and have peace and quiet at home and could even have 11 “double” perspectives extinguish.
I started working with Omnifocus 1 very early on because I felt that I couldn’t “switch off” at home otherwise. A lot of things from the office were constantly going through my head, even in bed. Because I tend to do everything 100 percent 💯 right in the office, it used to be hell in my head at night. Omnifocus helps me a lot to prevent that.

MultiDim · February 20, 2023, 11:48am

No, there isn’t any change to attributes in OF4. The simplest approach would be to use the ‘Focus’ feature with your ‘Home’ folder. That will hide even unavailable actions in other folders. In OF4 the Focus feature has been added to the iOS app.

If you prefer to make the contents of your office folder unavailable, you will have to put on hold all its projects. @kaitlin has made an automation plug-in that allows you to do that and later restore the statuses: GitHub - ksalzke/faux-focus-omnifocus-plugin: ‘Faux Focus’ plugin for OmniFocus

Monika · February 20, 2023, 12:08pm

Thanks, problem solved!!!
I should have come up with the focus solution myself :)). I hadn’t used the focus function before. One click and I get what I want. I am ashamed :))

wilsonng · February 24, 2023, 1:33pm

I can think of an alternate solution for the Mac that uses keyboard maestro. I’m on my iPad on vacation so I can’t test this theory until I return from vacation and back to work.

I think Keyboard Maestro has a macro action that will allow you to launch a macro if it detects which network I’m on and it can launch OmniFocus and set focus to home or office.

If my MacBook connects to my home WiFi, focus on home or personal folders. If my MacBook connects to the office WiFi, set the focus to work folders.

I’m. It sure how to do it for my iPhone and iPad. It another idea would be to use NFC stickers. Wave your iPhone over the office desk that has the NFC sticker to trigger a shortcut that will set the focus to work folders. Go home and wave your phone over the NFC sticker near the front entrance to focus on personal and home folders.