Comment by bitwrangler | Hacker News Reader

Comment by bitwrangler | Hacker News Reader

I like that specification. I've used something similar for many years. I code my task list into a text file using a single character to show status:

   . This is a pending/idle task item, and normal priority
   _ Task is pending/idle, and low priority (the "someday" tasks)
   ! This is a pending/idle task item, and high priority (fix today/soon)
   * Currently working on this item
   # Task was completed
   X Task was cancelled
   > Task is delayed/deferred, waiting until later time
   Z Task is sleeping, waiting for some dependency

I also tend to code year/month after the symbol like 2022/08 (not shown in the listed examples)

By keeping a single char in the first line, I can easily grep and sort tasks to make sense of things. I know it's very crude, but it works well for my purposes. I welcome any suggestions or improvements

(edit: formatting)

With [x]it!, lexicographic sorting of lines works as well, as long as you stick to the following rules:

- Write due dates first (if you use due dates)

- Pad your priority with dots (if you use priorities)

- Don’t use line breaks within descriptions, so only single-line items

- Don’t use titles

That way, the lines will sort by checkbox status (open first), then by priority (highest first), and finally by due date (soonest first). For example:

    [ ] !!! -> 2022-05-01 Something
    [ ] ..! -> 2022-06-15 Something else
    [x] .!! -> 2022-01-04 More text

> grep and sort tasks to make sense of things

This.

grep + sort + awk = unbelievable single person task management effectiveness. And it was right under my nose all the while.

I've dumbed my version even further, I just use numbers. every line starting with 1 is highest Priority and so on.

another important piece i needed was a pointer to where i last left off. I just use double underscores "__". next time just open and search for 2 underscores and start right off.

Works everywhere.

Doug McIlroy recounts how early use of egrep for personal calendars led to Al Aho improving its algorithm: https://minnie.tuhs.org/pipermail/tuhs/2022-August/026336.ht...

Side note: for weekly personal todos and tasks, I have not found a better way than a whiteboard or a piece of paper stuck on the wall.

Paper on the wall is better in many ways (e.g. easy to rip off when guests are coming over, folds into the pocket to take it with you for shopping, scan it, etc)

I use plain text files for longer term tasks and todos. One file per project.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com