MyLifeOrganized & Desktop Search Launch Scripts (AutoHotkey)
Aug 21st
I make frequent use of my label maker for all sorts of things around the house and office. I actually bought the one that David Allen recommended in his 2001 book
I use the “Insert” key to launch my desktop search function, and the “Home” key to launch my task function (MLO). Pressing the keys by themselves launches a “basic” function, whereas pressing them along with the Windows modifier key launches a more in-depth function. For example, pressing [Insert] launches the Everything Search Tool, available for free from voidtools. This is an amazing tool for extremely fast/instant file searches. You can configure it to launch with the [Insert] key by setting the “New window Hotkey key” to “VK_INSERT” in the Tools > Options > General pane. If, however, I need to perform a more in-depth search for text within a file, or within Outlook emails, or with special constraints, I press WIN-INSERT to launch Windows Search (for Windows XP) in its own window. Since I am still using Windows XP on some of my PCs, the AHK script below helps.
For task management, I am still going strong with MyLifeOrganized. I shared some setup information for synchronization a few months ago when I started using MLO, and I hope to share a more detailed review of the app along with the ins & outs of my setup in the very near future. In the meantime, here is the launch script I am using for MLO. See the portion below the “;Hotkeys to open MyLifeOrganized:” comment. You can launch MLO using the Hotkeys that MLO supports directly, but I wanted a version that would also launch the MLO app if it wasn’t running. Note that the script below assumes that you have Read the rest of this entry »
Weekend Planning Template
Aug 21st
I told my wife I wouldn’t drink tonight. Besides, I got a big day tomorrow. …actually a pretty nice little Saturday. We’re gonna go to Home Depot. Yeah, buy some wallpaper; maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed Bath & Beyond, I don’t know. I don’t know if we’ll have enough time.
– Will Ferrell as “Frank the Tank” (Old School)
I’ve been away from blogging for a while, and it’s been a long time since I posted any new content. I figured I would ease back into things with another simple template…
This one is aimed at simplifying your weekend planning process. I know we all have our various systems for managing our tasks and to-do lists, but for those of you have who have spouses or significant others, you may find that your task management systems are not really compatible. (Read, “My wife isn’t into GTD, productivity apps, or nerdy web sites”.) In addition to that, you may both have some pretty ambitious (and potentially conflicting) plans going into the weekend. Since we have young kids, we can’t just each run off in our own directions and do as we please. I have found that sitting down with my wife at the kitchen table on Friday night after the kids are in bed and sketching out a plan for the weekend can alleviate a lot of stress and avoid some major conflicts. This gives us a chance to let each other know what our expectations are for the weekend, what we would like to accomplish, and where we need help/time.
The best medium for this for us seems to be good ole pen and paper. To speed things along, I’ve created the template shown here. I keep a small stack of these printed (double-sided) in the kitchen. The front side of the template contains a simple task list arranged into columns. Each task row has a space to indicate status (see key at the top of the page), a space to indicate priority (A/B/C), and a space for the task itself. To fill in this page, I would recommend Read the rest of this entry »
Simple Coin Toss
Feb 13th
Here’s a cute trick. This is a bit old, but since I have actually used it a few times in recent months, I thought it was worth sharing. (Click the image below to view full size.)
I can’t remember if I first found this on Lifehacker or on the Minimal blog, but both seem to be re-posts. Based on the image tag I think it came from this blog on Tumblr (now inactive). If I’m mistaken, please post a link in the comments.
You can’t think about it too hard, or it won’t help. Enjoy!
“When faced with two choices, simply toss a coin. It works not because it settles the question for you, but because in that brief moment when the coin is in the air, you suddenly know what you are hoping for.”
MyLifeOrganized – Automatic Synchronization
Feb 13th
I am trying out a new task management software package called MyLifeOrganized, or “MLO” for short. I have looked at MLO before, but only casually. What got my attention this time is that there are some nice mobile apps available as well as a new “Cloud Sync” service. I thought I would give the desktop app a serious try. I’ll have more posts in the near future on how I am using it. For now, I’ll just start with some tips for automating the sync feature.
After setting up your data file, go to File > Synchronization to create your sync profile. Click the “Add” button to add a new profile. Another dialog box will open to allow you to define the profile. You can choose to sync via the MLO Cloud service, via FTP, via USB, or to another local file. Just be sure to check the box at the bottom of the window that says “Add this sync profile to quick synchronization”.
Once your sync profile is defined, test it out by pressing the F9 key, or by selecting Tools > Synchronize on the menu bar. Check the data in both locations, and sync back and forth a few times to make sure everything is working.
Once your sync profile is working, you are now ready to set & forget. The automation is done by using the built-in Windows Scheduled Tasks feature, and MLO command-line functionality. First you will need a Read the rest of this entry »
DROE Tool 0.5 Alpha01
Dec 4th
As promised, here is an update to the DROE Tool. I am calling this an alpha release since there may still be some rough edges, and this includes only about half the list of planned fixes and improvements. Here is the summary of what is included in 0.5 alpha 01:
- Hopefully fixed all compatibility issues with OneNote 2010 and Outlook 2010, including launching the DROE page, and using the “Quick Cat” hotkey to open categories dialog box. Users must specify the 2010 versions of these apps in the INI file.
- MAJOR NEW FEATURE: TEA encryption… Users can quickly encrypt & decrypt selected text in place in any edit window with WIN-SHIFT-e and WIN-SHIFT-d. Thank you to Laszlo and tic for their code in the AHK forums that became the basis of this version.
- MAJOR NEW FEATURE: Hotkey definitions can now be completely customized via the newly added DROE_Hotkeys.INI file Read the rest of this entry »
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