/microTask/ is a simple application to remember the tasks your are doing.
In μTask you have an editor where you type plain text with a special syntax and the application renders it to give you visual feedback about the state of your tasks.
This is only a concept version but you can try and give me feedback ;)
The current state of the project is indeed the example you can find if it is the first time you visit the demo.
μTask is here to provide two things: a language-independant set of rules to define tasks and visual feedback.
You can use the rules to open a simple txt document and keep your tasks organized but you can copy the contents of that document to the editor pad and get a visual representation of how are you doing.
μTask is based on personal experience. So here I'm describing a method working for me:
When I face several tasks to do, I try to split them into different subtasks and write them into sticky-notes I stick in a board. Each sticky-note has a number, so I can refer to the task in an unique form; a short description and an estimation (maybe a deadline too). I keep some empty space to track the completion of the task or to add some notes, details or clarifications.
Normally I use distinct colours for different tasks / projects. The precise semantics about colors and sticky-notes is up to you.
Write tasks is quite simple, this is the skeleton of a complete task:
# <here the name>[: <here the description>]
[<Here the details, >]
[<you can break lines if you want.>]
[>> [[<completed>/]<total>] [(<year>/<month>/<day>)]
Does it seem weird? Just remember, text between square brackets [ and ] is optional and text between < and >
is used as a placeholder so you can replace with any text you want.
Paste these examples into the notepad (pass over the right area, that with the arrow, to reveal the notepad) to see the results:
Task with name
To do:
# tutorial
Note we are putting the Task tutorial inside the state To do. You will read more about this in the next section.
If you want your task to be displayed you need to put it in some state.
Task with description
To do:
# tutorial: Read the μTask documentation
Task with description and details
To do:
# tutorial: Read the μTask documentation
Start with Syntax section and see some examples
in the following sections. URL:
https://github.com/lodr/mtask
Task with description, details & completion
To do:
# 1: Read the μTask documentation
Start with Syntax section and see some examples
in the following sections. URL:
https://github.com/lodr/mtask
>> 1/5
Trick: you can add units to your completions. I.e: 1h/5h but, at the moment, it does not support fractions, you can
not say 1.5h/5h. Note μTask does not understand what h means (yet). It just ignore it xP.
Task with description, details, completion and a deadline
To do:
# 1: Read the μTask documentation
Start with Syntax section and see some examples
in the following sections. URL:
https://github.com/lodr/mtask
>> 1/5 (2013/12/31)
Only a deadline and a description
To do:
# 1: Read the μTask documentation
>> (2013/12/31)
Note description, details, completion and deadline are optional in any combination.
You can write tasks more than once, any time you use the same name, you are updating an existing task.
To do:
# 1
Your task has only a name. Write this after:
# 1: Now with description
And further details
Now your task has a description and details.
The kanban board is the board where I stick my notes. So it is the place where your tasks will end.
If you want to see your task rendered, it is not enough to describe it, you have to put them inside some state. At current time, states are fixed:
To do: things that remain undoneDoing: things in progressDone: things you finishedUnshecduled: things you think about but they are not mandatory
To put a task into a state you write one the former names of the states, followed by two dots : and then the tasks
which are in this state.
To do:
# 4: Read "Clasifying tasks" section
# 5: Read "Colour your world" section
Doing:
# 3: Read "The kanban" section
Done:
# 1: Read "Practical examples" section
# 2: Read "Updating a task" section
Trick: Use cut and paste to move your tasks from one state to another.
You can classify your tasks inside a topic. To do this, add two dashes to your kanban to create the classification area:
To do:
# 5: Read "Colour your world" section
Doing:
# 4: Read "Clasifying tasks" section
Done:
# 1: Read "Practical examples" section
# 2: Read "Updating a task" section
# 3: Read "The kanban" section
--
After the two dashes you can define topics by writing a name, two dots : and putting tasks inside:
To do:
# 5: Read "Colour your world" section
Doing:
# 4: Read "Clasifying tasks" section
Done:
# 1: Read "Practical examples" section
# 2: Read "Updating a task" section
# 3: Read "The kanban" section
--
Syntax:
# 1: Read "Practical examples" section
# 2: Read "Updating a task" section
# 5: Read "Colour your world" section
Areas:
# 3: Read "The kanban" section
# 4: Read "Clasifying tasks" section
Trick: use the classification area after the two dashes to write details, completion information and deadlines and keep the kanban as simple as possible. You can always view all the information about a task by pointing over a task.
After a topic, use (<color in #RGB>) to indicate a color.
To do:
Doing:
# 5: Read "Colour your world" section
Done:
# 1: Read "Practical examples" section
# 2: Read "Updating a task" section
# 3: Read "The kanban" section
# 4: Read "Clasifying tasks" section
--
Syntax (#FF8C34):
# 1: Read "Practical examples". section
Go to http://github.com/lodr/mtask and start reading.
See how task 1 is a very simple way to define a task ;)
>> 3/3
# 2: Read "Updating a task" section
Note how we are updating the task 2 by adding further
details. You could omit repeating the description, only
the name is needed to refer a former task.
>> 3/3
# 5: Read "Colour your world" section
Adding colour to tasks help you to distinguish what
to do.
>> 2/3
Areas (#F71BBA):
# 3: Read "The kanban" section
Keep your kanban as simple as possible. Task there should
only have the name and description at most. Remember you
can use any text as names. If you choose short names instead
of numbers you could omit the description as well.
>> 3/3
# 4: Read "Clasifying tasks" section
The classification section was though to be the starting point.
Start by describing and classifying your tasks, then put them
in different states while you complete them.
>> 3/3
That is all by now. More features are coming. Please, use it and give me feedback ;)