[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: Best way to use org-mode as a work log
From: |
Ethan |
Subject: |
Re: Best way to use org-mode as a work log |
Date: |
Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:10:35 -0800 (PST) |
User-agent: |
G2/1.0 |
On Dec 20, 12:51 am, Dmitri Minaev <min...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sat, Dec 19, 2009 at 6:47 PM, Vagn Johansen <gonz...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > Ethan <ethandbr...@gmail.com> writes:
>
> >> Since a work log is based around daily entries, I'm wondering if
> >> anyone can recommend the best way to use org-mode for such a purpose.
>
> > I do not if it the best way but "remember templates" could be useful
> > for this.
>
> I second that. Besides, I have set up a keyboard shortcut in my window
> manager (Stumpwm) which raises the Emacs window and calls the template
> selection dialog, so I can add and entry to the log with just a few
> keystrokes.
>
> --
> With best regards,
> Dmitri Minaev
>
> Russian history blog:http://minaev.blogspot.com
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm definitely going to read up on the
Remember Templates. Here's how I've done my initial (very simple)
implementation:
I have a work log spanning the last 5 or so years on my current
project. It's a plain
text file that I just edit in emacs, plain and simple. Here is how my
work log is organized and how I've done my initial conversion to
org-mode. My current format is of the form:
========================================
05/14/09
Accounting system:
Work on CSS for tables
** Use standard fonts!
Design schema for SAP integration.
....
05/15/09
.....
05/16/09
.....
========================================
So when I start my work day, I just add the current date to the end of
the file and type away. After reviewing the Org-mode docs and
playing around a bit I decided to just start simple and work my way
slowly into the more complex features. I decided that my
implementation would set a top-level outline for each day and then set
the daily tasks with appropriate tags. I needed to convert my current
work log, which contains entries from the last 5 or so years. The
conversion was quite simple:
(1) Replace all lines with "*" in the first character to "+" as the
first character so as not to inadvertently create an outline entry.
M-x replace-regexp RET ^ *\* RET + RET
(2) Replace all daily start entry lines with top-level outline
entries. So lines of the form:
05/15/09
would be transformed to to lines of the form
* Day Entry [2009-05-14]
M-x replace-regexp RET
^\([0-9]\{1,2\}\)/\([0-9]\{1,2\}\)/\([0-9]\{2\}\) RET * Day Entry
\[20\3-\1-\2] RET
And voila! My work log was converted to org-mode format and I'm ready
to go. Here's my work log for today in my new format, previous days
collapsed:
* Day Entry [2009-12-17] ...
* Day Entry [2009-12-18] ...
* Day Entry [2009-12-19]
** DONE Convert worklog to emacs .org file. :work_organization:
CLOSED: [2009-12-19 Sat 09:23]
*** DONE Replace all lines with * in the first character to +.
CLOSED: [2009-12-19 Sat 09:10]
*** DONE Change all lines with starting entries XX/YY/ZZ to day
entries of the
CLOSED: [2009-12-19 Sat 09:23]
form * Day Entry [20ZZ-XX-YY]
Use emacs replace-regex
^\([0-9]\{1,2\}\)/\([0-9]\{1,2\}\)/\([0-9]\{2\}\)
=> * Day Entry \[20\3-\1-\2]
I'm currently using KTimeTracker for doing my project time tracking,
but I'm going to read up on the org-mode timers and perhaps switch
over.
--Ethan