use org-mode format as an option

[trenkert]

I really like go-for-it, but I would love to have the option to use *.org-format instead of todo.txt.
Would it be possible to implement this? Where should I start hacking?

[Manuel-Kehl]

You'd probably want to have a look at write_task_file and read_task_file in TaskManager.vala.
However adding multiple backends would require to abstract the persistence and storage behaviour so that it is easily exchangeable.

[JMoerman]

This version of Go for it! is built around todo.txt, you cant just add another backend to the current code.

I am working on making Go for it! plugin based, but it may take some time for this to a) work at all, b) have a consistent UI. I hope to have something to test within two weeks. (depends on the amount of available time and how I feel.)

I think that the changes I have in mind will work well and will keep the application simple, but as of now it is just an experiment.

An indication of what has to be done:

• Basic idea on how to change the UI to support plugins: done
• remove todo.txt specific code: ~done
• implement plugin loading: research is ~done, 30% done
• Adapt the UI to switch between plugins: todo
• Reimplement lost todo.txt functionality as a plugin: todo, needs a few small design changes
• Redesign settings window: todo

[Manuel-Kehl]

@JMoerman that sounds like what I've been hoping to do for ages but apparently never found the time to, so I'm very excited about your pull request 👍

[JMoerman]

@mank319 Do you mind if I drop Gtk < 3.10 support?
I could support it in theory, but this adds a lot of complications to both the main application as well as to the plugins.

I originally wanted to have it done already, but I have been very busy lately so it has been a month since I last worked on it.

Edit: I will also abandon my recurring task application in favor of a plugin as I feel this can be done without extra clutter.

[JMoerman]

@trenkert What you can do right now is make a couple of classes: a class to parse a .org file to a List of Objects (the exact implementation of this object does not matter right now, it just needs to able to hold the task info) and a class to write this List back to a file.

[Manuel-Kehl]

@JMoerman I think we should continue the generic discussion in #61, so that others can find it more easily.
Regarding Gtk < 3.10, It would be so great if we could keep it up due to older LTS distributions and the Windows branch.

If you have good reasons not to do so however, I'd prefer to maintain separate branches (with 3.10 not having the coolest, new features) but try to follow a strategy that allows for minimal maintenance overhead (if possible).