Question: How to import from CSV keeping hierarchy of tasks and subtasks? Or JSON?

[Gr Igor]

Trying to import tasks from quire.io (CSV) - can't get hierarchy of tasks and sub-tasks, all imported as single list.
I tried to experiment with field mapping a little but didn't succeed.
Sample of CSV file is in attachment.

Quire.io can also export in JSON format but I haven't found any JSON import options in ToDoList, may be there's some third party plugin?

Thanks for any hints.

[.dan.g.]

Welcome GI

I can't see from the example where the parent-child relationships are defined. And without that there's no way to import the hierarchy.

Can you also attach a copy of the JSON export pls?

[Gr Igor]

Hello Dan,

If I understand correctly (I'm not too smart), parent-child relationships are identified by amount of "ID" fields, and location of "Task ID" number (in specific column) indicates to what level task belongs.
The more levels tasklist has, the more "ID" fields are there. For example, if "Task ID" number is located in first "ID" field, it belongs to top (root) level. How specific tree is built from these I haven't figured out.

JSON export file contains a little bit of private information (email, etc.) so I edited it with Notepad++ (to post it here in public), hopefully I didn't break anything in structure. Please check attachment.

If I understand correctly, JSON is pretty "standard" format for presenting tree structures, at least I've encountered it couple of times in export or import settings of tree task managers (here for example third-party developer offers export to JSON from Todoist service https://darekkay.com/todoist-export/)


среда, 8 ноября 2017 г., 6:44:15 UTC+2 пользователь .dan.g. написал:

[.dan.g.]

>> The more levels tasklist has, the more "ID" fields are there

TDL only requires the immediate parent to be specified and assumes that parents will precede their tasks in the CSV ie they'll already have been imported by the time the task gets imported.

Having a variable number of columns with the same name is horribly non-standard and I can't immediately think of how one could massage those columns into just two, so I'll have a look at the JSON and get back to you.

BTW is this a one-off import or something you expect to do regularly?

[Gr Igor]

Thank you for work, Dan.

Will I do this import on regular basis is actually very complicated question :)

1. Short answer is "yes", because sometimes I need tree task manager as SaaS (mainly at work, but may be also en-route):

1a. Not always it's allowed to install anything on work PC or even run portable app.

1b. Mobile version of TDL is yet far beyond being usable and not on every device.

2. On the other side, I'm "offline ol'skul" person:

2a. I want my data offline in clear format, and that's what TDL does.

2b. Features of TDL are surpassing IMHO any SaaS to-do task manager by 100-200% at least.

2c. Unfortunately IRL first thing every SaaS developer does is thinking how to prevent giving customer his data in a format allowing to switch provider.

But sometimes, as I mentioned, I need task manager as SaaS, and my idea is - to create (when necessary) temporary task lists in SaaS task manager and later import them as subset of tasks into TDL, having TDL as main storage of tasks and ideas with time tracking, bells and whistles.

Yes, two-way sync between SaaS and TDL (or between TDL and something) would be better, but for my whole life I've never seen perfectly working sync between anything. There's always something broken and something lost in the process.

So trivial import in one or another direction would be just fine.

As for quire.io service - for the moment it seems to have cleanest GUI of all and most comfortable to use. Plus they offer export in recognizable formats (CSV and JSON).

Sorry for long story... :)

пятница, 10 ноября 2017 г., 11:34:48 UTC+2 пользователь .dan.g. написал:

[.dan.g.]

Reviewing this further I think it is beyond the scope of my work on this project.

[Gr Igor]

Of course, you are the boss.
But let me say frankly - even taking my own egoistic motives out of equation, I don't understand.
To my knowledge, JSON is the only open format supporting tree structures, so supporting it seems so... natural.
OK, may Father Chrismas change you mind, may be :)

воскресенье, 19 ноября 2017 г., 8:43:38 UTC+2 пользователь .dan.g. написал: