Before I spend time creating a JSX script, I figured I would ask if I am just missing how to do this. I really like the templates applescript. It’s really helpful for just quickly creating a predefined project. It does some friction for me, but not all. Here’s my scenario/user story so to speak.
I like to keep my kitchen clean so I create a “Clean the kitchen project” as a template. In this template, I throw in all the tasks for cleaning the kitchen. Only, I don’t really need to do all of them. I can create a second project called “Quick Clean the Kitchen”, but that’s kind of duplicating my work since those tasks are already in the larger project template of “Clean the kitchen”. Even if I did this, the friction comes when the “Clean the Kitchen” project has too many tasks, and the “Quick Clean the Kitchen” either doesn’t have enough tasks, or doesn’t contain the right ones.
My solution is create a template folder I call “Repo” (I’m a web developer if you can’t tell). In this Repo folder, I have lists of commonly repeated tasks that are not done at a set interval, but that I don’t want to constantly have to rewrite. What I want to do is be able select the tasks I want from a repo project and then either duplicate them into a new or existing project.
I know I can duplicate and or/change the project on those duplicated actions. Can I create a new project from those duplicated tasks, or do I need to do that manually. I’m asking because I haven’t seen a way to do this and will write a script if necessary. I just don’t want to do that if it’s not necessary.
Thanks.
The programmer in you will hate this, but the way I solve this is to have a complete checklist, and just delete the things I’m not going to do this time. Yes, it could be automated and fancy, but this is quick and perfectly customized.
Another way i’d approach it is to have a “Core Kitchen Cleaning” checklist and another “Extra KItchen Cleaning” List that I could activate if I was going to do more than an ordinary clean.
I actually ended up using Keyboard Maestro (an app I should definitely use more). First, I go into the task repo and select the tasks I want to create as a new project. I set up a keyboard shortcut that does the following:
- Duplicate tasks
- Group tasks
- Ask for input to name project
- Insert date into the title (I just prefer this)
- Press return to highlight task group
- Convert group to project
I can do this all manually, but I’m a programmer and lazy by nature. Now, I just select the tasks I want and press Command Option R, and voila, new project.
Sound great. Would you mind posting the macro? I use KM every day. Also if you haven’t been to their forum, I recommend it.
Thanks. Nice work.
Your macro worked fine, but I had to change the “Return” to an “escape” to make it work on my system. (In case anyone else tried it out and has a problem.)
On my laptop it’s ⌘-! , which is convert to project on my system.
I think ⇧⌘1 is Convert To Project on all systems.
I changed the “Return” that you used to select the Action Group headline to an “escape,” because that’s how my system is set up. Before I changed it, the macro didn’t produce the intended results on my system.
Thanks again.
