I am using OF since 2010 and in the last few months I am asking myself how much time did I waste with a routine that I am forced to do every day. I have two perspectives wicht I use daily. 1. Work, 2. Private. Every day when I launch OF I have to open them separately in two windows (not tabs) and then to use the focus function to have the stuff for work in the work window visible and the private stuff in the window private visible.
After I contacted the OF support they told me as I also have read in the forum that I have set up the system preferences and deselect the checkbox «Close windows when quitting an application». I used this but of course this has an effect on all my software (e. g. Safari) which I don’t want.
I am not sure, but I think there are a lot of people using OF and also working like me with different windows to have a overview of their daily task. Tabs are useless for that because you have to switch between them and so you don’t have an overview at once.
I am not willing to use some extra software for that like Key Maestro or to write some scripts because this is not user friendly. It is such a simple request and I do not know why this is not possible to implement in the updated version which is in my opinion not really better. It has too many bugs. Do you have any recommendations to solve my problem? Thanks.
You are basically asking OF to implement something which is easily achieved using something like KB Maestro but your not prepared to be compromise and look at that which seems a little one sided, instead wanting OF to put in dev time and resources to solve a “problem” which does not really exist.
Why not use two custom perspectives one for work one for private (which can be set to open in individual tabs) then just drag the tab into a new window? I do not see why in this scenario you would even need focus or that there would be a huge loss of time doing this.
Something like KBMaestro really can make a system your own, often allowing edge case scenarios and personal workflows like this to be set up, the very definition of “user friendly” I would have thought.
Once upon a time, I also thought that I shouldn’t need to have a script or Keyboard Maestro to customize my Mac to my personal workflow. But once I saw a friend do some whiz bang workflows by using a floating palette and keyboard shortcuts, I was sold.
KM, Siri Shortcuts, and Applescript looks intimidating. I mostly took someone else’s script or macro and tweaked it to my own use. Later, I created simple KM macros and Siri Shortcuts. I am just starting to add things like variables and if-then conditional statements to handle situations that are a little more complex. If I had a question, I just asked a question in the keyboard maestro forum or he automators forum, KM and
Siri Shortcuts are really user friendly. It lets you build the building blocks one step at a time. And I am definitely not a “programmer.”
Here is one example where I save time. At the end of the day, I hit Control-T to invoke a KM macro. This KM macro brings Fantastical to the front and resizes it to the right side of my screen. Then it switches to Day view and jumps to tomorrow. Next, it opens OmniFocus and switches to a custom perspective that shows a list of Due and Flagged tasks (my today view). It resizes the OmniFocus window to the left side of my screen. Now I can drag and drop tasks from OmniFocus to Fantastical to plan tomorrow’s work schedule. I reduced all of this mousing around to Control-T.
Keyboard Maestro is money well spent. The Keyboard Maestro Video Field Guide has saved me massive amounts of time. I slowly started with 3 macros that I used daily. Nowadays, if I need to do something repetitive, I can just use KM and/or a macro. I don’t know how I could ever live without KM. I learn just enough to move an idea into a macro. I didn’t have to master KM in one day. I slowly build up my vocabulary over time.
It would be a disservice to brush off scripting and automation. Scripting and automation allows me to make my Mac and iPhone truly my own. I can customize almost any app to behave the way I want it to work. I’m not waiting for the app developer to implement something. I’ve taken control of my destiny and my devices.
Thank you for the response. Achieving something by using a second software is not user friendly. You know why? Because 90 % of the users are not doing that but my described problem affects them probably too. My described issue is still an issue nevertheless you don’t think so.
Your proposal is clear. But did you also tested it. Do you really want to do everyday tasks like opening a second window, drag & drop. I need the focus because otherwise the preview mode is also messed up with work and private. So your proposal won’t work.
I have tested Keyboard Maestro but I really do not get it why I – let’s say as a «standard user» – should use it for such a simple-to-solve issue. Hey let’s get clear. Omni Focus is not that cheap and probably the customer can demand something. And that’s my answer why they could put in time and resources in it.
Thank you wilsonng. I did not say that KM is not user friendly. I meant that needing a second software to solve such an easy-to-solve issue is not user friendly. But you are right. I like your statement «I’m not waiting for the app developer to implement something.» That also means you are investing time and effort which for me leads always to the questions: Is it worth the time and effort? Is the developer doing a good job or should I look for an other solution (software)? And to be honest I thought a lot about the third question in the past view weeks. Thank you again for the input.
I was once in your shoes. I downloaded KM and went through a trial demo. It wasn’t for me because I didn’t want to invest the time for it. I shelved it for a couple of years before returning to it. When I saw my friend flying through a bunch of steps using KM, I was amazed.
I was also intimidated by Siri Shortcuts. That’s my next mountain to tackle ne t.
I take one experiment at a time. I think it’s like learning a foreign language. Master 5 phrases such as…
Hello
Goodbye
Thank you
I’m hungry
Please
Where is the toilet
Later, I’ll expand my vocabulary. I won’t have perfect mastery but I can get by on the core sentences. Then I visit tutorials on YouTube or practice with friends. In a few years, I’ll become competent.
I can get by with KM for now. I’m not a master but I’m decent enough to get solutions.
KM and Siri Shortcuts is truly amazing. I can customize my apps to fit my work style.
When you’re ready, the Automators forum and the KM forum have a bunch of participants who will pitch in with different ideas.
Personally it would not bother me,I do everyday tasks like breathe, eat, open multiple windows all day, but hey we are all different. Often two pieces of software are required to achieve tasks or something in a way you personally want. For example I write code using sublime text but i need the command line or codekit to compile/build it.
Omnigroup do a fabulous job of providing top grade software and I believe keep a database of requests for additions changes, which form the basis of future development. Maybe your user case is not one others have an issue with?
I appreciate the comments about the forecast view, but again this is pretty easily replicated apart from the calendar in a custom perspective so again I think your overcomplicating, but each to their own.
