I created an action with a weekly repeat schedule (see screenshot), and I have a couple questions as to what I’m seeing in the Inspector. I can’t tell if this is a bug or if I’m not understanding how OF2 works.
Settings
Deferred: Sun 12 AM
Repeat Every: 1 Week / Monday
Flagged
Questions
(1) Why is Next Deferred Sat May 10th and not Sun May 11th?
(2) Why is Next Due even filled out when I don’t have a due time?
(2) Next Due is filled in because you’ve set the task to repeat every week, setting effectively the due date on Monday of each week. Of the scheduling options, ‘Repeat every’ and ‘Due again’ both set a due date (in the first case on a fixed schedule, in the latter relative to the completion date).
I usually specify a Due date when defining a repeating task for the first time.
I am confused. I still do not understand why it says “Next Due.” He did not set a due date. I noticed this and assumed it was a bug. When that task repeats, it will then have a Due Date, even though he did not intend it to have one. This is a major change from OF1, isn’t it?
“Next due” and “next deferred” show you a preview of the dates that would be assigned to the next instance of the task. If one of the labels corresponds with an unassigned date in the current iteration of the task, we add the interval from the text field to the current date.
If I recall correctly, this behavior is the same in OmniFocus 1. I agree it can be confusing, and a logical argument could be made that we should hide labels that won’t actually result in a date set on repeated instances of a task.
If you have feedback on this behavior, please email ofpreview@omnigroup.com.
I must be explaining myself poorly, or missing something fundamental here.
My problem is this:
On Monday, I create a task to repeat every morning. Let’s call it: “Brush your teeth.” I set it to repeat every morning. I do not set a due date, because I reserve those for things that are actually due. I brush my teeth, and check it off my list.
Tuesday, I wake up. Open up OF2. OH CRAP IT SAYS I HAVE SOMETHING DUE OMG. But I look… And it’s “Brush your teeth” that is now DUE. When I check it off, it is DUE again on Wednesday.
I do not want it due at all! I just want it to repeat and show up as available on my task list, that’s it.
I did not have this problem in OF1.
I’m not seeing the behavior you describe. (I’m on build r208913.)
Starting with this:
If I check off the "Brush teeth task, I get this:
Notice that the new instance does not have a due date.
Are you referring to the Forecast tab? If so, click the View button in the toolbar and check if the “Show deferred items” checkbox is checked. If so, perhaps you are being confused by Forecast showing you the date that the task becomes available.
I am on the same build.
I was not referring to Forecast, I am referring to the number on the OF icon, and the bold highlighted DUE to the right of the task under the flag. In other words, the things that happen when a task is due.
I did the same “Brush teeth” as you, repeating every week. I also did “Brush hair” and set it to repeat every day.
I think something is different about how we’re setting up that initial instance of the task. It would be extremely helpful to see a screenshot of the inspector for the “Brush hair” task after you’ve set up in the initial instance but before you’ve checked it off for the first time.
Not sure if this fits into this category, but since its about repeat I try here anyway.
Isn’t it possible to ad a monthly repeat in this version? I tried to change 1 week to 4 weeks (it changed to weels automatically), but the due date shows the date next week anyway.
Update: Sorry, just realised its only showing next weeks date if I click on a week day for the reminder too. Meaning if I change to 4 weeks, and then add sunday as the reminder day. Then suddenly, instead of being the Sunday 4 weeks later it shows just the week after the original due date.
@Mjmottajr, I just want to clarify my initial question. The repeat task does not set a Due Date. It merely displays a Due Date preview as @KyleS explained in his first response. It will not appear as Due nor in Forecast.
Regardless, it’s still confusing to see the preview when I’m not dealing with Due dates.
Kyle, I don’t know if its a bug or me who did something incorrect, but the error I wrote about earlier isn’t there anymore! I feel confused now. If it repeats I make sure to write to you. Sorry for taking up your time.
@Mjmottajr: I think I might know what’s different about our situations: I was setting up my initial task with a defer date. It looks like you weren’t.
So if I start with this:
And complete the task, I get this:
It might seem a little strange at first, but this is actually intended behavior.
If you choose “Repeat Every”, repeated instances of the task need to have either a defer date or a due date. Otherwise they can’t repeat at the interval you specify, because there’s nothing to define the interval against.
Nothing about our repeat model has changed since OmniFocus 1, but the labels have changed. In particular, “Start Again” has been renamed to “Defer Another”, and “Defer Another” and “Due Again” no longer include the helpful “after completion” text that made it clearer how they differed from “Repeat Every.”
None of OmniFocus’s repeat modes can create a new copy of a task after its completed without also setting either the Defer or Due date. If such a feature is useful to you, please write in to ofpreview@omnigroup.com.
I think the problem here is that on the bottom of the inspector it says “Next Due,” but it does not actually create a due date unless the original had a due date. This is why there is confusion. If you click to complete the task, it does not actually create a task that is due that day. I see this as a bug. If you would like me to do a screencast, please let me know. To fix this, it should only say “Next Due” if there is something in the Due field.
I disagree. The ‘Next Due’ information shows the details of the task that will be created when you complete the current task. Since the next task will have a due date (even if you didn’t specify a due date for the first task), it is correct to show this information.
Going back to the original post & repeating tasks not appearing where expected:
Isn’t this this driven by what happens in Apple’s Calendar?
If you want to be notified of a recurrent task monthly,
let’s say, to brush your hair once a month on Saturdays, or to remove your 30 day-wear contacts every month, but on a weekend -
You would have to refine the entry to say “repeats every month, on the 4th Saturday.”
???
ya i’m very confused on this issue. For example, look at this screenshot:
It’s deferred until 22 June - which is a Sunday. I set it to repeat every 1 week on Sunday.
Now look at the Next deferred date: It’s on 24th June Tuesday.
And look at the next due date: Its only 22nd June Sunday.
How can next deferred date be on 24th June tuesday? Doesn’t next deferred be on 29th June sunday?
What logic is there?
And if there’s a due date, even though I don’t set one, then why the task does not appear in Forecast’s overdue? (No it doesn’t appear in forecast, only task that I specifically set a due date, not these auto due date)
It makes no sense.
Did you try tech support?
If you want it to repeat every sunday you have to set it to be due on Sunday. You can also set it to become available on Sunday if you want.
I think the “repeat every” is really based around the due date; it doesn’t really work with just setting the defer date.
Software implementation aside, I’m curious as to what the use case would be for a repeating event without a due date? Isn’t something repeating because you need it to be done at certain intervals, and therefore has be to due at those intervals?
A task without a due date doesn’t have to be done at/by a certain time. In the case of “brush teeth” repeating daily, would you do it three times on Wednesday if not done Monday or Tuesday? That seems unlikely.
By it’s very nature, a repeating event should have a due date, should it not?
Interested in thoughts - I know this is a little off-course from the topic intent, but the software should reflect a logical philosophy of task management.
ScottyJ
