Things 3 to OmniFocus

This project helps you migrate your Things 3 database into OmniFocus.

This is done with the use of the TaskPaper format. This script will convert each Area into a TaskPaper file. There it's just a matter of copy-pasting the content of each file into a OmniFocus folder.

The following is not supported:

• Trashed items
• Projects NOT in an Area
• Repeating schedule on repeating tasks
  • Repeating tasks and projects will be migrated, but their repeating schedule will have to be set manually in OmniFocus
  • See: How to use
• Logbook items (completed/dropped tasks or projects)
  • Logbook items can be migrated with an experimental option, but most of them won't be marked as complete/dropped in OmniFocus
  • See: --include-logbook option

How to use

Install

1. Clone this repository
2. Install the dependencies with Pipenv

    pipenv install
   

Run the script

1. Run the app

    pipenv run python app.py
   

Optionally, you can specify the path to your Things3 database file, or the output directory.

pipenv run python app.py --dbpath /path/to/things3/database/main.sqlite --output /path/to/output/dir

Note: --dbpath supports globbing (e.g. ~/**/main-*.sqlite)

Import into OmniFocus

Import the TaskPaper files

1. Copy the content of each file/area into a OmniFocus folder

Manually adjust

Repeating tasks and projects

1. Identify the repeating tasks and projects by looking at the MANUALLY_CONVERT__REPEATING tag
2. In Things3, go to the Repeating section
3. Set the repeating schedule for each task/project
4. Delete the MANUALLY_CONVERT__REPEATING tag

Why?
The repeating schedule is stored in a complex format in the Things3 DB. I probably could have spent time deciphering it ... but then I realized I really didn't have that many repeating tasks, so I just decided to do it manually.

Someday projects

1. Identify the someday projects by looking at the MANUALLY_CONVERT__SOMEDAY tag
2. Set the status of each someday project to On Hold
3. Delete the MANUALLY_CONVERT__SOMEDAY tag

Why?
Can't set a project to On Hold via TaskPaper (or couldn't figure out how to do it)

Someday tasks

1. Set the tag SOMEDAY to On Hold
2. Optional: Rename the SOMEDAY tag

Why?
Need to let OmniFocus know the SOMEDAY tag represents tasks that are on hold

Tasks in Areas without a project

1. Identify the projects by looking at the MANUALLY_CONVERT__SINGLE-ACTIONS tag
2. Convert each project to a Single-Action list
3. Delete the MANUALLY_CONVERT__SINGLE-ACTIONS tag

Why?
The tasks that were in an Area without a project will be in a project named [AREA_NAME] (where AREA_NAME is the name of the area). This is because OmniFocus does not allow tasks to live in a folder.

These projects are no real project, but are instead Single-Action lists. Setting a project to be a Single-Action list is not possible via TaskPaper (or couldn't figure out how to do it), so we have to do it manually.

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Experimental Option

--include-logbook

This option will include the Project/Tasks that completed or dropped. It is disabled by default because when importing in OmniFocus:

• It won't make a Task as complete/dropped if not all of its children have been explicitly marked complete/dropped as well
• It won't ever mark a Project as complete/dropped, even if all of its children have been explicitly marked complete/dropped.

So, it results in a LOT of noise. But, the option is there, in case you want to try it out.