Launch app in task?

OmniFocus OmniFocus for Mac
1

I have several tasks that involve using other apps. Is there a way that I can enter a task that includes an actual link to an app so I just double-click on the link inside the task and it launches the app?

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2

I created a new task from Quick Entry, typed up my normal information, and then opened up the Notes field. While the Notes field was opened I then dragged an application (Adium in this case) into the Note. This created an alias to the app which I could double click.

I assume that you can do this with particular files as well. I’d imagine it is preferable to do this activity with an alias instead of the actual file for two reasons – 1) To keep the database size small and 2) Not having to worry about which version of the file you are editing.

I hope this helps!! This is a great question!

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3

It seems like a bunch more work to actually do anything about this than to use Spotlight or LaunchBar to launch the app?

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4

In my mind, the best “bang for the buck” would be to link to a specific file instead of of a general application. I personally use Spotlight to launch applications. It is nice to know OmniFocus has this capability and can accommodate a variety of approaches though.

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Cool. I tried this, and found it did not create an alias. As far as I could tell, it copied the app into the notes field.

So I created an alias in the Applications folder, and dragged that into the Notes field, and that works fine.

Interestingly, I was unable to drag either the app or the alias into the Note field of an existing task. I had to create a new one, via Quick Entry only. Don’t know why. Anyway, this works now.

Many thanks.

6

Or, you can set a keyboard shortcut in preferences, general for the clippings shortcut. If you have a file, or an email in mail.app, highlighted, it will create a new inbox entry with an alias to that file or email already embedded in the notes field.

1 Like
7

I just tested with steps below:

  1. Export OmniFocus backup
  2. Drag Evernote from Applications folder into task note of OF
  3. Export OmniFocus backup again
  4. Check the size of two files

I found the difference is very small, so I think it just creating a link and don’t copy the whole APP into OF.
So you don’t need to create an alias before dragging it.