Improvements in filter bar: No due date and Multiple filtering (AND) in contexts and labels (positive and negative)

Features
1

I personally use the contexts as GTD indicates. It would be good to have the option to filter by tasks without assigned context.

2

Could you please give a bit more detail on how you would use that and why the current options don’t work well?

Option 1: Negative filtering by multiple contexts
I believe it should work fine if you don’t have to do it often or you don’t have many contexts.

Option 2: “Unassigned Area” filter
You would need to make you contexts into areas, but otherwise seems perfect.

3

The idea is to have filters that cover all the possibilities:

Example: I have 20 tasks:

  • 5 tasks with context blue
  • 2 tasks with context yellow
  • 3 tasks with context green
  • 2 tasks with context blue and yellow
  • 2 tasks with context blue, yellow and green
  • 6 tasks without context.

I would like to be able to make the following filters (all possibilities).

  • Filter by blue: 9 tasks.
  • Filter by yellow: 6 tasks.
  • Filter by green: 5 tasks.
  • Filter by blue and yellow: 4 tasks.
  • Filter by blue, yellow and green: 2 tasks.
  • Filter by blue, yellow and not green: 2 tasks.
  • Filter by blue and not yellow: 5 tasks.
  • Filter by blue and not green: 7 tasks.
  • Filter by …
  • Filter by NO Context: 6 tasks.

I analyze the current filtering options in areas, context, due date and labels:

  • In areas you can filter by unassigned area. I would not add anything,
  • In contexts, I have no way to filter all those tasks that do not have an assigned context, I can not do multiple filters at the same time and I cant do negative filtering.
  • In due date, I cant filter for those tasks that do not have a deadline.
  • In labels it is the same case than contexts.

In my opinion I would add:

  • Multiple filtering (AND) in contexts and labels (positive and negative).
  • Add the filter: Has not due date.
4

Could this improvement be considered in the searches in the backlog of the product?

5

I understand what you’re suggesting. And it wouldn’t be too difficult to do. I just want to know if it’s going to be truly useful for a large portion of users.

So let me ask you first:

  1. How will you use “no due date” in practice? Why search for tasks without a due date?

  2. For filtering by context/label why don’t the existing filters work? If you sometimes need to find tasks without a context, couldn’t you just negate all contexts in the filter bar? Or do you do this so often, that it’s inconvenient?

6

Hi Andrei,

  1. For example in focus section, everdo automatically sets with focus a task with deadline today and we have tasks with due date and others tasks. I use the filter “due today” every day but this additional filter would be very helpful too.
    Other example, when you are doing a weekly review of a area, it could be interesting filter for those tasks who doesnt have due date.

  2. The existing filters works very well, I dont try to say that. In my case, i am using everdo in my work and in my personal projects, now i have 8-10 contexts, 40-50 labels and 400-500 actives tasks. Sometimes when i try to focus in something I would need a second o third level in searchs of context or labels.
    I understand that a user less advance, the current filters are more than enough, in fact I think it could be more “messy” this type of filtering that I’m proposing.
    As you say the solution is easy to implement, I propose two possible alternatives:
    2.1) Multiple filtering (AND) in contexts and labels (positive and negative) and add a button “Clear All Filters” in the filter bar.
    2.2) In Settings add an option: “Multiple filtering in the filter bar”. By default this option will be unchecked (same behaviour than now).
    Other possible alternative it could be a mix of boths.

I hope you can evaluate these proposals, for me these improvements would be very useful.

7

OK I got it.

Hmm now I’m confused. When I say “filter bar” I mean the place at the top of the item list. Where the energy, due date, time and label filters are. And it already has the all the things you have listed here. What am I missing?

8

Yes, I’m refering to the same zone (in the top of item list). Exactly, this option exits right now with the bottom “All”.

What do you thing about implement this improvement? Multiple selection now its possible, but only with Due, Time, Energy and one label.

By the way, I have changed the name of the requested feature in this topic. :grinning:

9

Wait, you can also multi-select labels by holding the “Ctlr” key.

There’s “All” option in the filter bar as well (left from “due date” filter)

10

I can not believe it, I had it in front of my eyes all this time!!

The request at the end only remains in the possibility of including the option Has No due date.

Thanks!!!