InfoQube IM - Community

Submitted by David_H on 2016/05/12 16:37

Sometimes there are so many ways to accomplish the same thing with IQ that the challenge is deciding on the best way.

Let's assume you outline your items in this "OGPT" manner:

Objectives

- Goals

-- Projects

---Tasks

And let's assume:

1. You want to have dedicated grids which represents each.

2. You want each grid to show the associated child items, but not parent items. So you want the Objectives grid to show the entire outline. But you want the Goals grid to display the outline of Goals, Projects and Tasks, but NOT show Objectives. And so on.

A. Would you use dedicated check mark fields for O, G, P and T? Or would you use a single pop-up field where you select a value of O, G, P or T? And why?

B. How would you accomplish the filtering so each grid only shows what you want? would you just use the display mode and context parents settings or another method? And why?

C. Any other comments you have...

Thanks

Comments

I structure my stuff in a very similar way.

What you're after is easy to achieve as it's pretty much IQ's strength.

A. Any solution would probably work fine, but I'd go with a different field for each item type (that's how I've set up my own tasks,projects, etc. so I'm a bit biased). IMO it's just simpler to manage, easier to filter, etc.

Objectives, goals, Projects and tasks are 4 pretty different types of items, so by using different fields, you can more easily differentiate these types with the various fields options -- e.g. use different functions/equations/settings/icons for each field, different conditional formats, etc.

It would certainly be possible to achieve something similar with a "Pop-up" field, but it might get "crowded" over the years... Well, if I look at my task, project, etc. fields, and the way they've evolved, I don't think that I'd like them to be all integrated into one single field

B. It's super easy. 1- Either you use each field as a source for your various grids, 2- or you leave the source empty (but TLIs created in that 2nd set up won't get the source auto-assignment -- which can be good or not, depending on what you want -- unless you play with the settings a bit) and fill up the filter part.

E.g.

- Grid name: Objectives; Source : Objective -- (or, leave source empty and write Objective in the filter section of the source bar. See the help file)

- Grid name: Goals; Source : Goal -- (or, leave source empty and write Goal in the filter section of the source bar. See the help file)

and so on.

Filters can be more elaborate of course, depending on what you want to show or not show. Like : Objective and done is null | done is null (depending on your own fields, that would show your objectives that aren't done, and will only show subs that aren't marked as done)

+ you can turn context parents ON/OFF to see the parents

+ you can change the view mode to either see all goals flat, or reorganized in hierarchies -- if that makes sense in your set up, but it might not if I understand correctly.

Since grids are very easily copied, modified, etc., you can play with various settings as much as you want. Then delete the grids that don't make sense, etc. I do that all the time.

C. There's so much I could add. But I've got tons of stuff to do! : )

IQ geek

Windows 8.1

CPU: Intel i5 2.6ghz

Thanks Armando! Some interesting ideas re: "B", very helpful.

Re: "A" I am currently using a pop-up, but wanted to hear how others would do it. I'd actually prefer to use checklists...especially if I could create a pop-up that allows me to select from a series of checklist fields, however Pierre says that is not a developmental priority. For me the advantage of the pop-up is better use of grid space - one column across several grids. I like not having to display many columns, which even when stacked start to make a grid look really busy.

Do you display all the (relevant) checklist columns in the grids, or just select them from the properties pane? Or are you just disciplined about where you enter items so the proper field values are automatically assigned based on equations?

You're welcome.

[quote=David_H]

[/quote]

It depends -- e.g. If I'm in a task list, I usually don't need the projects and goals field/s/columns. I have an icon system that makes displaying columns just fort the sake of identifying item types a bit useless.

I often group columns headers (helps with screen estate -- but you don't seem to find it that useful)

I also use the properties pane a lot (F4, type a few letters, hit ctrl+space to check/uncheck) + the add item dialog (Win+N or Ctrl+N). Entering anything is very quick, really. I use the keyboard a lot to navigate.

I find that if I need to check/uncheck a lot , then side by side columns are quicker than popups.

That said, for mutually exclusive values, a popup field woud make sense. I'd have to try it, but I don't have the time to move stuff around these days.

IQ geek

Windows 8.1

CPU: Intel i5 2.6ghz

After reviewing your responses, I'm going to adjust some of my methods, but for this specific example I gave, I am going to stick with my pop-up method, because they are indeed mutually exclusive. But that brings up another question. Right now I have my O, G, P, & T grids all using the same source (which is the OGPT pop-up field), and then each grid is set to filter to the specific pop-up value of O, G. P or T.

I'm now thinking I might want to use still have a dedicated check mark field as the source for each grid, regardless of whether I'm using the pop-up value - and might gain some possible advantages from that.

Comments?

[quote=David_H]

Comments?

[/quote]

I've mentioned some advantages above, but apart from that, I think it's really about personal preferences and how you envision your system in the future (e.g. how might it grow?)

Pierre might have some additional ideas...

IQ geek

Windows 8.1

CPU: Intel i5 2.6ghz

My grid sources tend to be either Y/N or Date fields. It is just simpler to filter. Sometimes, the field is used for many purposes and I filter using another field, to get the relevant items, typically, but not exclusively, it is a text field.

As for Date fields, the big advantage is that you get an automatic time stamp

As for sources of the type Field1="G", beware that grid source field won't get auto-assigned, but if you don't do it yourself, your items will disappear from your grid and fall in IQ NoWhereLand... and you'll probably need to use the Journal grid and assign the correct value for Field1 to have them appear again in your grid.

In your particular example, I would tend to have an Objective grid (Y/N field Objective). You could then use 3 forms, one for each of the various "types" Goals, Projects, Tasks to create sub-items (there is an icon on the form to create a sub-item and apply the form) which would fill in relevant fields for you (possibly including your pop-up text field), Y/N fields, etc

Pierre_Admin

IQ Designer

[quote=Pierre_Admin]

[/quote]

And just to make sure I'm on the same page, since I also want dedicated grids for the sub-items (goals, projects and tasks) under objectives, you're recommending I use separate (distinct) yes/no fields for the source for each of those as well, correct?

[quote=David_H]

you're recommending I use separate (distinct) yes/no fields for the source for each of those as well, correct?

[/quote]

If you want to be able to add items in those "sub-grids", then yes.

Just to be sure, can you provide some sample data ?

p.s. I think you'll sometimes want to see context parents in these grids.

Pierre_Admin

IQ Designer