How are new project actions ordered in the Next list?

Usage Questions
1

Thanks for Everdo, I greatly appreciate it and have tried many of these types of applications over the (many) years and this is my favourite and have been using it now since just after it came out, or thereabouts.

My question is about the “Next” list feature. I have a few Projects and I use the “Next” feature on a regular basis. The Next feature is when the item is at the top of a Project list and it gets added to “Next list” automatically. The issue is that the item gets added to the bottom of the “Next” list instead of the top. So if I’m looking at a Project, and I see the “Next” item is at the top, I wind up prioritizing everything from top to bottom. However, the “Next list” is the opposite because it puts those Next items at the bottom, so you end up having to sort from bottom to top.

Also, when “due” items appear and show up in the “Next” list, they show up at the bottom, as well.

Is this intentional? I’m probably missing something, but is there a way that I can fix this or am I just using it wrong?

2

Here are my thoughts

  • When you manually order the Next list, you might expect the top action to remain at the top (because you explicitly put it there). So when another project gains an “unordered” next action, it seems logical for it to go to the very bottom.
  • I do understand what you are getting at. Maybe it would indeed be more useful to get all “unordered” actions to appear at the top. In fact I personally would probably choose this behavior.

Same problem here. The item you see appearing at the bottom simply has no assigned order in the list, but it must go somewhere. So when originally implementing this I chose to prioritize keeping the top of the list ordered as the user left it.

This behavior could be modified relatively easily, but then I worry about some users complaining that the old behavior is gone.

I’m glad you like Everdo and stuck with it over the years. Thanks for sharing this. If you have a moment, a 5-star rating on App Store / Google Play would help a lot, if you think the app deserves it.

3

Hi Andrei, thanks for your thoughtful reply. That makes sense and I understand why you designed it that way.

Would you consider adding an option to sort views like the Project list? Perhaps as an option via one of the icons at the top? Sort→Newest At Top, or something? That way existing users won’t be affected, but it would allow for a different sorting for those of us who might opt for it? So all other views would sort with newest at top, like how a Project list works?

Anyway, just an idea, and I commend you for your work on Everdo!

Thanks again.

4

I created a ticket to add this as a general setting. I think the altered behavior makes a lot of sense, and I would definitely use it.

5

That sounds great, Andrei, looking forward to it!

Thanks for doing that, I believe it will really help my (and others’) use of Everdo.

6

Hi Andrei, I see some new releases have come out and I’m just curious if this happened to make it in to one of them? I ask because I’m not sure if I missed it in a setting or icon somewhere. Thanks again.

7

You didn’t miss it. I will raise priority on the ticket, hopefully it makes the next release.

8

Oh okay, no problem. Thanks very much.

I’ve been enjoying the new releases, by the way, especially the drag-and-drop fix (of items in lengthy lists), that is much appreciated.

9

Hi Andrei, sorry to bring this up again, but I’m curious if this is going to make it out to the Linux Desktop version anytime soon?

Also, I wanted to provide a bit clearer summary of the request, just in case it helps:

  • The ability (perhaps as a setting?) to have new items (when pressing the ‘N’ keyboard shortcut, for example) appear at the top of all lists rather than at the bottom. This includes the Next list, Focus list, etc (any list, really). Basically, the ability to change default sorting of new->old items as top->bottom, instead of sorting bottom->top the way it is now.
  • Also, the ability for new Scheduled / Due items to appear at the top of these lists when they come due / are scheduled to start.

And, in case it matters, a clarification on the use cases:

  • Creating a new item at the top in the Focus list (with ‘Shift-N’) puts it at the bottom of the Next list. Forcing us to have to switch from Focus to Next and then drag it all the way up to the top of the Next list (and vice-versa: if adding to Next, or any other list, it goes to the bottom of Focus). New items should go to the top of both when creating new items, imho. It would greatly help with visibility, improve consistency, and remove an organizational step, I believe.
  • Also, when Starring an item from another list to add it on the Focus list, that newly Starred item goes to the bottom of the Focus list, instead of the top. It would be wonderful if it could go to the top of the Focus list.

“New things always go to the top of all lists” is one way of phrasing all this, I guess.
Anyway, hope this info helps.
Thanks again.