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@kstrauser
Last active April 12, 2021 13:08
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Export an OmniOutliner document as a set of OmniFocus actions
set isdate to (display dialog "When are you traveling?" default answer (current date)'s date string)'s text returned
tell date isdate to set travelDate to date (((its month as integer) & "/" & day & "/" & year) as text)
set lastOf to {}
tell application "OmniOutliner"
set theDoc to front document
-- Find the When and Context column numbers
set contextColumnNum to 0
set whenColumnNum to 0
set columnCount to count of columns of theDoc
repeat with i from 1 to columnCount
set theColumn to column i of theDoc
if name of theColumn contains "Context" then
set contextColumnNum to i
end if
if name of theColumn contains "When" then
set whenColumnNum to i
end if
end repeat
repeat with theRow in (every row of theDoc)
set titleText to topic of theRow
set contextText to text of cell contextColumnNum of theRow
set whenText to text of cell whenColumnNum of theRow
set levelNum to level of theRow
if levelNum > 1 then
set parentRecord to item (levelNum - 1) of lastOf
else
set parentRecord to null
end if
-- If no "Context" is given, use the parent's
if contextText = "" and parentRecord ≠ null then
set contextText to contextText of parentRecord
end if
-- If no "When" is given, use the parent's
if whenText = "" and levelNum > 1 then
set whenText to whenText of parentRecord
end if
if whenText = "" then
set whenSeconds to 0
else
set whenSeconds to run script whenText
end if
set dueDate to travelDate + whenSeconds
if whenSeconds = 0 then
-- Day of travel? Default to due at 8AM.
set dueDate to date "8:00 AM" of dueDate
else if whenSeconds ≤ days * -1 or whenSeconds ≥ days * 1 then
-- At least 1 day before or after travel date? Default to due at 5PM.
set dueDate to date "5:00 PM" of dueDate
end if
tell application "OmniFocus"
tell default document
set taskProperties to {name:titleText, context:flattened context contextText, due date:dueDate}
if levelNum = 1 then
set newTask to make new project with properties taskProperties
else
set parentTask to |task| of parentRecord
set newTask to make new task at parentTask with properties taskProperties
end if
end tell
end tell
-- Store information about the most recent task at the given indentation level
set lastRecord to {task:newTask, contextText:contextText, whenText:whenText}
if levelNum > length of lastOf then
set end of lastOf to lastRecord
else
set item levelNum of lastOf to lastRecord
end if
end repeat
end tell
@kstrauser
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kstrauser commented May 15, 2017

I use this to convert a bunch of rows in an OmniOutliner document into OmniFocus actions. This way I can build a template of things I need to do every time I travel, and with a single command turn that into a fleshed-out travel project.

Start with an OmniOutliner outline with columns "Title", "Context", and "When". "Title" and "Context" map to the expected fields.

When the script runs, it prompts for a travel date. This is combined with values in the "When" column to compute each action's due date. Values may be given like:

  • -3 * weeks: the action is due at 5 PM, 21 days before the travel date.
  • -5 * hours: the action is due at 7PM the evening before travel.
  • 2 * days: the action is due at 5PM, two days after the travel date.
  • <blank>: the action is due at 8AM the day of travel.

(Note: values have to be written like number * units because they are actually interpreted as AppleScript expressions.)

Children inherit their parent's "When" value. This lets you create a "2 days before travel" action containing all the actions that need to be done by then.

Examples of my items:

Title Context When
Three weeks before travel Home -3 * weeks
: Call the vet to make pet boarding arrangements Phone
Two days before travel Home -2 * days
: Check in to flight Computer
Night before travel Home -3 * hours
: Pack suitcase Home
: Charge USB keyboard Home
Afterward Home 2 * days
: Update this list Computer

That last items is important! Every time I travel and wish I'd remember to do something, this reminds me to add it to the template so that next time I'll remember.

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