Our Verdict
For the preceding class , my biggest ailment about TaskPaper for Mac was thatHog Bay Softwaredidn’t have an iPhone version . The developer has in conclusion taken precaution of that unfavorable judgment withTaskPaper for iPhone . Like its desktop counterpart , the iPhone version is a solid task - management app that forgoes complex features in party favor of an elegant , but amazingly adequate to , interface that can handle much more than to - do lists .
What makes TaskPaper unique is that instead of strictly formatted to - do lists , TaskPaper uses devoid - variety written document with a few easy - to - think of text conventions . Within each document , you could have projects ( freestanding lists or plane section ) , tasks ( item in a project ) , and notes ( textbook annotation within a labor ) . Tap the Add ( + ) button ( or tap return if you ’re already cut ) to bring a newfangled item ; tap return before come in text to choose whether the novel point is a labor , task , or observe . Formatting is handle mechanically : project name are in great , bold case ; notes come along in grey type ; and part an token with a space indents the full item , adding a bullet for tasks . I love how comfortable it is to quickly add content and structure to a document .
Making change : TaskView ’s redaction bill of fare take it easy to change item .
Making Changes: TaskView’s editing menu makes it easy to modify items.
This simple approach to formatting has a phone number of other advantages , as well . For one , the lack of a particular “ checklist ” interface means you’re able to use TaskPaper documents for everything from to - do lists to project outlines to rebuke notes to brainstorm summaries — if your subject can be represented in a list or an outline , TaskPaper can handle it .
The other boastful reward is that this ease is reflected “ under the hood ” : TaskPaper document are simply plain - text text file . In any of those documents , a tune ending with a colon is a project header ; a line begin with a tabloid and a bolt ( - ) is a task ; a crease start with a tab without a dash is a note . Together with the sync feature ( see below ) , this entail that while you could make TaskPaper documents using the Mac or iPhone reading of TaskPaper , you could also create and edit compatible written document using any text editor — or even right in your Web web internet browser — and then synchronize those documents to the iPhone app . Open such a Indian file in TaskPaper on the Mac or iPhone , and it magically becomes a formatted TaskPaper written document .
But just because this initialize scheme is simple does n’t intend TaskPaper is feature article - limited . It ’s easy to find and view only a particular project , hiding others ; to move detail without having to infix a special Edit mode ; and even to select multiple items for action .
Menu Maneuvers: Some actions are hidden in non-standard menus; this one appears when you tap the name of the document.
you could also tag any papers , labor , project , or note by but adding@tagnameanywhere within the item . For example , you could use@todayto tag tasks you want to fill out today,@workfor work - touch on labor , and@personalfor personal item . ( There ’s also a Tag With menu command . ) In fact , when you mark an item as done , what really happen is TaskPaper tags that item with the@donetag . you’re able to then filter your view to show only items with a particular tag .
A handy search statement lets you search the text edition of your lists or for items with particular tags . you could also perform complex searches ; for object lesson , the queryproject Inbox and not @done and ( @priority > 1 or @today)will find all items in the Inbox list / undertaking that are n’t trail as@doneand that are either due@todayor have a antecedency greater than 1 . ( This example is adopt from TaskPaper ’s Help , which provides more details on the search query . )
After only a day or so using TaskPaper , create and navigating documents feels quite rude ; you quickly get the hang of the app ’s access to data formatting and the tatter and filtering features .
Oh , and how do you mark an token as “ done ” ? or else of checking a box seat , you swipe to the right , which alter the item ’s formatting to strikethrough ; to delete an token completely , you swipe to the unexpended and then tap the Delete clitoris . ( Yes , that ’s iPhone - backward ; I would have preferred if the delete activeness was logical with other iPhone apps . )
Of of course , for many people , TaskPaper ’s standout feature will be the fact that the iPhone app syncs with the Mac interpretation ( or with whichever text editor you prefer to use on your Mac ) using using Hog Bay ’s Google ID-basedSimpleText.ws sync service . After download and installing theSimpleText for Mac guest , any TaskPaper document you place in the SimpleText brochure on your Mac are synchronize to TaskPaper on your iPhone , and vice versa . you could also produce and cut your TaskPaper textual matter files on the SimpleText Website , which even provides a rudimentary versioning system . When using SimpleText sync , just be sure not to cut the same document on your iPhone and Mac at the same time . ( Sorry , Windows user , there ’s no Windows node ; your only alternative is to make and edit document on the Web site . )
Another appealing feature is support for the TextExpander text - expansion app from within TaskPaper . you could also configure TaskPaper so that a parole is required to view or edit any lists , you could lock concealment preference , and you could share your TaskPaper documents over a local net using a built - in Web waiter
Menu Maneuvers : Some actions are hide in non - standard menus ; this one appears when you tap the name of the papers .
On the other hand , TaskPaper does n’t support undo ( shaking or otherwise ) , and many useful features are n’t obvious ; for model , there are a numeral of commands hide in a bill of fare that seem when you pink on a document ’s statute title — an interface factor I ’ve never before seen in an iPhone app .
TaskPaper does n’t render the form of forward-looking scheduling and chore - direction features you ’ll find in an app such as Things . But for many types of lists , as well as for creating schema and taking note , there ’s a lot to like here . In fact , it ’s one of the few text - first appearance - found apps I on a regular basis found myself wanting to use more often … if only , ahem , the iPhone supported a Bluetooth keyboard . I ca n’t look for an iPad adaptation .
[ elderly editor program Dan Frakes reviews gloomy - price Mac software in the Mac Gems blog . ]
