ForumsQuestionsHow to show empty folders in the Folders ?


How to show empty folders in the Folders ?
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Juan Hidalgo

Posted: Feb 10, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
I'm using the folders list to contain my projects list to implement GTD. However, I can't use the Folders View to do my Weekly Review because I don't know how configure it to show empty folders (projects without any action task that I need to assign during the review). How can I do that?

This message was edited Feb 10, 2010.
Proximo

Posted: Feb 10, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
Not sure Juan. I see you are a Pro subscriber.

Have you tried my GTD Setup in the "Getting Things Done" area? Not sure if you would like the setup but it may give you some other ideas on using GTD with Toodledo.
PeterW 

Posted: Feb 11, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
Posted by Juan Hidalgo:
I'm using the folders list to contain my projects list to implement GTD. However, I can't use the Folders View to do my Weekly Review because I don't know how configure it to show empty folders (projects without any action task that I need to assign during the review). How can I do that?

Hi Juan,

Can you please clarify how you are using Toodledo? I'm not sure I understand your setup.

It sounds like you may be using different folders for each of your projects? If so, there is a setting within your Account Settings that can show the number of tasks in each folder.

Find the "Show Tab Counts" setting and check Show the number of tasks inside each tab. You will now see the number of tasks inside each folder and thereby will be able see which folders are empty.
Juan Hidalgo

Posted: Feb 12, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
You're right, PeterW. I'm using Folders as Projects in my GTD implementation. And I know and using "Show Tab Counts" as well. My problem is when I'm doing my Weekly Review. One of the steps is to review "all" the projects and place new actions. In the Folders View I can see all the Projects I have and place the tasks, but if the folder is empty it doesn't appear in the list, so I miss these folders in my reviews.
So I'm asking for a view where all my folders/tasks are shown including the empty forders too.

Best Regards,
Juan
Proximo

Posted: Feb 12, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
If the folder is empty and you are using folders for Projects. Would that not mean that the Project(Folder) is complete?

If so, why would you want to keep the folder?

just curious
PeterW 

Posted: Feb 12, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
In the Folders View I can see all the Projects I have and place the tasks, but if the folder is empty it doesn't appear in the list, so I miss these folders in my reviews.


Hi again Juan,

Thanks, but I must be missing something still because my empty folders do display in the Folders view.

Regards,
Peter.


This message was edited Feb 12, 2010.
roddyt

Posted: Feb 14, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
Juan,

Please clarify. You use the term "Folders View." That would mean that you've selected Folders in the View By list at the very top of the screen. If that's the case, then the folders are in tabs running horizontally. In this view, all folders, even empty ones, are listed (up to a point, you may have to click the "More" dropdown to see the rest that don't fit).

Or do you perhaps mean that you are in some other view, eg. Main, and are sorting by Folder. If this is the case, then yes, empty folders are not listed. The obvious solution is to not create the folder (project) until you actually have a task to assign to it. But as this is obvious, you probably have reasons for not doing it. The only other thing I can think of is to create a dummy task to put in the folder when you create it. Then when you add your first real task, delete the dummy.

Roddy
Juan Hidalgo

Posted: Feb 15, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
Roddy,

I'm using "View: by Folder" and then "All Tasks". I'm calling it my "Folders View". When the folder doesn't have any task, it doesn't appear and I miss it in my weekly review. Currently, I have a dummy task in every single folder to prevent this issue and make sure I'm reviewing all my open projects (70+). But this means to have 70+ dummy tasks and I was asking for some more suitable solution.

Juan
pierresc

Posted: Feb 16, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
Juan,

I know exactly what you're saying, because I ran into the same issue. My workaround is to put a dummy task in every folder, so there are no empty folders. This means that you subtract one from the task counts by each folder name.

Hope this is helpful
Jake

Toodledo Founder
Posted: Feb 17, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
Folders are in tabs listed across the top of the page. Empty folders are displayed here. If you are sorting your list by folder, it will place little dividers between the tasks, grouping them by folder. If a folder is not represented in the list, then there will not be a divider, since one isn't needed.
Juan Hidalgo

Posted: Feb 19, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
I see your point Administrator, but as I said, I have currently 70+ folders and to review all of them in my weekly review using the tabs is not very suitable.

The review of my projects is based in the "View:by Folder"/All Tasks/Close Dividers". I go through the list clicking in the Folders Name in order see its content to review it. As the empty folders are not shown in this list, I have to make sure there's always a dummy task in all the folders otherwise I could miss it in my review. I can't trust only in the real tasks because they can be checked at any moment and empty the folder.

So, before my review, I have to go to my Folders Settings to check if every folder has at least 1 task. After that I can go to review my folders (projects) trustworthy.

I would prefer a kind of option in my settings to allow me to show or not these empty folders. With this option, I would have trust all the folders are shown, without any workaround.
Jake

Toodledo Founder
Posted: Feb 19, 2010
Score: 0 Reference
Thanks for the suggestion. The only problem that I see is that when you are viewing a list with only 1 or two tasks on it (for example, the due-today list), then you would have 69 empty dividers cluttering up the screen. I'll continue to think about it.
Linden

Posted: Feb 19, 2010
Score: 1 Reference
Maybe a Show/Hide Empty Dividers option? Off by default, but available for situations like this?
Juan Hidalgo

Posted: Feb 20, 2010
Score: 1 Reference
I think so, Linden. This would be an elegant solution to help us manage this issue without heavy workarounds.
kennethchristensen

Posted: Jul 17, 2010
Score: 1 Reference
I to would greately appreciate an option to show emty folders deviders. at least in the folder tap view.

I am also using folders, for projects, but I am very tired with the fact that if I add a new folder/project on the fly, It will not show on my folder, devider list during my weekly review.
So I have to use the "create/delete folder menu" as my project list. :-(

Would be perfect if there where a list option to list all ALL folders, also folders with no tasks yet.

regards
Kenneth
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