Suggestion: Ability to view Spent time over a period

[JW.]

The program currently allow user to view total Spent time (since the task was started) but it doesn't allow to view the time Spent over a period. So I suggest there is another filter on the filter section, so user could choose the period he wants to view, for example: Today, Yesterday, This Week, Last Week, This Month, Last Month, Last 3 Months, Last 6 Months, Last Year and custom period. After the user select the period he wants to view, the Spent time columm will show the actual Spent time for the period he selected.

Right now we can do the same by using Analyse Logged Time function but it's not too convenient when we have many tasks to view. The idea is to allow user to view the information directly from the user interface. It's much easier and more convenient.

This feature could be accomplished with the (suggested idea) Time Tracking widget, so the widget will display the spend time as it is displaying in the main window.

[JW.]

Hi,

I would like to quickly check if you have any plan to implement this feature yet? I want to analyze my logged time, but everytime I want to do that, it always say my computer is low on memory (although I have 8GB Ram and 4GB is free).

Best regards.

[Hotmail]

               > I want to analyze my logged time, but everytime I want to do that, it always say my computer is low on memory (although I have 8GB Ram and 4GB is free).

So there must be a problem on your PC. The analysis

 

a) creates a CSV-file: TDL-FILENAME_Log_Report.csv

-> Is it created?

b) starts the associated program (usually MS Excel)

-> Is it started?

 

Can you try steps a) and b) to see where the problem occurs? What happens when you double-click a CSV-file?

 

Pierre

[JW.]

Hi Pierre,

1) is the log file created? No.
2) opened with Excel? Of course not.

It works first few times, maybe my list is large. Restart doesn't help. Anyway, I really thing my initial suggestion could really save these extra (not needed) steps.

Best.

[Hotmail]

            > 1) is the log file created? No.

Have you tried with different formats, different file-paths (file locations), different settings and different TDL-files? The results could help to find the problem.

 

            > 2) opened with Excel? Of course not.

 

But other CSV are opened without problems with your standard-software?

            > It works first few times, maybe my list is large.

 

Maybe the output file already exists and is write-protected? (see point 1) above)

 

            > Anyway, I really thing my initial suggestion could really save these extra (not needed) steps.

 

The decision is up to Dan .....

 

Pierre

[JW.]

Thanks for your attempt to help me troubleshooting the problem.

1) Have you tried with different formats, different file-paths (file locations), different settings and different TDL-files? The results could help to find the problem.
Yes, no luck

2) But other CSV are opened without problems with your standard-software?
Yes, excel is working normally

3) Maybe the output file already exists and is write-protected? (see point 1) above)
No it's not exists

I think the error is pretty special. It's a dialog created by the program itself, so there must be something triggered. Everything else is normal.

[Hotmail]

Strange ....

Let’s see what Dan will say.

 

Pierre

[.dan.g.]

Hi JW

Did you try Googling the error message?

I did and there are lots of hits, suggesting that TDL is not necessarily the direct cause. I will still be investigating this however.

Dan

[.dan.g.]

Hi JW

Could you first describe where this request fits into your work process and why it's important for you to be able to observe time spent over different historical periods?

[.dan.g.]

Hi JW

1. At what exact point does the 'low on memory' message appear?

a) Immediately after selecting the menu item?

b) Immediately after 'OK-ing' the 'Analyse Logged Time' dialog?

c) Sometime after that?

2. Are you using the 'csv' or 'xml' output option?

3. Does it work if you try with the 'Introduction' tasklist that ships with ToDoList?

Dan

On Thursday, 22 October 2015 03:46:02 UTC+11, JW. wrote:

[.dan.g.]

Hi JW

4. How big is your 'logged time' csv file?

On Monday, 14 September 2015 17:26:57 UTC+10, JW. wrote:

[JW.]

Tools > Analyse Logged Time > (Dialog) > Click "OK" > Your computer is low on memory.
Where can I file the logged time file as you asked? Please note there was no exported file after I clicked OK. I tried both CSV and XML
No problems when I created a new Tasklist and track for a few minutes, so I guess it's because of too many tasks and log time. I have some continuous tasks that has 120 hours spent (multiple days)

[Hotmail]

When you have a file like „mytask.tdl“, then there should be „mytask_log.csv“ in the same folder, The „Analyse“ does not use the TDL, it use the „...._Log.csv“ to create a „...Log_Report.csv“.

 

a) Do you have the „...._Log.csv“?

b) Have you enabled Preferences > Tasks > Time Tracking: „Log tracked time“?

 

Pierre

[.dan.g.]

How big is your task-time log file JW?

I'm asking because I haven't yet got sufficient information to reproduce the problem.

[JW.]

To both of you: Yes the log report file is exists (of course the preference is enabled, I tracked time for every task, everyday), size is just over 80KB but has around 450 rows tracked time. I guess it's too many to proceed by the program?

[.dan.g.]

Thx JW

I tried a log file with 100000 lines (141 MB) without any difficulty so size is not the issue I think.

If you have the time, could you try 6.9 to see if this issue manifests in the same way?

https://github.com/abstractspoon/ToDoList_Downloads/blob/master/Previous%20Versions/todolist_69_exe.zip

Dan

[Hotmail]

               > Yes the log report file is.....

 

Just to confirm: you tried different logs from different TDL-files and they show all the same problem?

[JW.]

I have tried with 6.9, there was no problem at all to do the same thing (although when I first opened the task file, it said the file was created as newer format and therefore it will be readonly). However, I don't understand why it's a need to create extra steps for viewing task log. Have you thought of using database instead of XML/CSV for storing the tasks and logged time?

Regarding my purpose for this request, I just want to analyze my logged time, for example how much time did I spend last week, last month, or in a period... that's it. I don't think that viewing the report provide me sufficient result, it lists almost everything including what I don't need to view (while with the GUI I can filter and/or hide things those are unnecessary)

[JW.]

Interesting, the problem wasn't fixed. But I have found something, thanks Pierre. Well yes, I have found the MyTask_Log.csv file inside the TaskLists folder. However, the file was updated the last time on Oct 5, and it wasn't update anymore. Instead, I have found a folder named MyTask and inside the folder, it has files those were named TaskID_Log.csv and the earliest file was created on Oct 5. Seems a change was made to the program on that date (maybe an update (?))

Anyway, I feel that this kind of storage (for everything) is not stable at all, please consider my suggestion to use a database engine for storage. It will take some time to make an upgrade but then you will have more time for everything else and save the filter/sort/insert/update/delete... tasks to the database itself.

[Hotmail]

               > I have found a folder named MyTask and inside the folder, it has files those were named TaskID_Log.csv

 

Take a look at he preferences – you can select one log-file for the entire TDL-file or one log-file for every single task.

[JW.]

You are a life saver, aren't you? After changing the preference back to single log file then I have no problem to Analyse Logged Time anymore. It seems to be a bug now.

@ .dan.g: How do I merge all the splitted CSV back to the main Logged CSV?
Also, for your reference
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQLite

[Hotmail]

               > It seems to be a bug now.

 

Hmmh – What is „it“? Is there a bug now or not?

 

               > I merge all the splitted CSV back to the main Logged CSV?

 

I believe that you can copy&paste the different lines from different logs to the main log. Make a backup of your files and try it – I’m confident that it should work.

 

Pierre

[JW.]

When I said it "seems" to be a bug then it means, I suspect that was a bug, so you can double check to confirm.

What If I don't know how to merge CSV files? Not every people knows what to do it the techy-way :-) That's why I always suggest for a change, not for myself but for the community of users. Whatever it takes, I'm still using the tool as one of my favorites. I also don't have time to do the merge task because that's meaningless. There was a function for people to split task log files, then the program itself should merge the files if people changes the setting, not by asking user to merge by himself, am I correct?

[.dan.g.]

Hi Alex

I can confirm that I have no plans to use a database engine for TDL as this is not an area of expertise for me.

Dan

[.dan.g.]

Hi Alex

>> but for the community of users.

I would much rather you simply made your own needs known and let me decide how best to bring that to the larger community.

Dan

[JW.]

I can confirm that I have no plans to use a database engine for TDL as this is not an area of expertise for me.

I would much rather you simply made your own needs known and let me decide how best to bring that to the larger community.

Yes sure, I am just discussing about a "possibility", i know it's none of my business but a bit of inconvenience is what I saw from the file-based storage model. How if the file gets bigger and the computer crash, then people lose everything?

Anyway, I'd still rather need to get the things sorted from the GUI without extra steps. That's why I suggested you to use a database engine...

[Tony G]

For reference the ToDoListLib .NET can create and maintain a database. With the "code first" approach, we can generate the database from the classes, or even from the schema definition, generate CRUD code for that, and then link the library into that CRUD rather than doing direct read/write from a .tdl file. This functionality was added to the library but temporarily removed for the v1 (still not published) because there hasn't been time for testing. So ... it's possible in the future... This would facilitate import/export with a database, and apps that operate directly on a database with auto-sync with .tdl files.

HTH
T