Task List - Pro!

---

The Task List tool allows viewing and managing the list of tasks. Task List is embedded into JBuilder Message Pane. To show or hide Task List please use View | Task List menu item or appropriate menu item in editor context menu.

Task List Panel

Introduction to Tasks' Concept

Each task is an entity that represents some work to be done.

The following attributes are belong to each task:

• Priority - can be one of the following: Low, Medium, High, Highest;
• Completion Status - specifies whether the task is completed or not;
• Description - specifies the description of the task;
• Owner - specifies the user name which owns the task;
• Start Date - specifies the date the task was/should be started;
• Due Date - specifies the date when the task should be done;
• Reminder Status - specifies whether reminder should be shown to the user about the task near to the due date.

The following task types are currently supported:

• Code Issues - errors and warnings collected from the file currently opened in the editor. They are interpreted as tasks because all errors and most of warnings should be fixed in order to successfully build source file;
• To-Do's - all @todo comments collected from the file currently opened in the editor and (optionally) collected for the whole project. All tasks collected for the whole project are cached in the file with ".todos" extension stored in the project folder. Task List tries to keep this cache up-to-date (as soon as file is opened) though there is ability to rebuild all of them manually;
• General Tasks - simple persistent tasks intended to general use. They are not related to any file but rather are related to the whole project. All those tasks are stored in the file with ".tasks" extension stored in the project folder.

Task List User Interface

The Task List consists of toolbar which provides controls those allow maintaining and controlling Task List and Task List View which shows tasks. Task List View can be either Plain or Outlined one.

The Plain View shows the table in which each task occupies one row and each column represents appropriate single attribute of task. There is ability to resize, move or hide columns as well as to specify sorting order by clicking to desired column header.

Outlined View consists of Tasks Folder Tree View at the left and Plain View at the right of Task List. Tasks Folder Tree View allows selection of tasks grouping and filtering criteria and it acts as "Master" while Plain View acts, as "Details" is their relationship. The following folders are available:

•  Project Folder - the root for all other folders;
•  Overdue Tasks -contains all overdue tasks;
•  Code Issues - contains code issues;
•  Tasks - contains General Tasks;
•  To Do's - contains all To-Do's outlined by packages of classes those To-Do's are belonging to.

It is possible to specify filters, sorting order, columns set, columns placement and sizes individually for each view and folder. All these settings are persistent between JBuilder sessions.

The Task List provides ability to synchronize selected task with file it is related to (if any). To open file associated with the task use double-click on the task in task list table.

The following table outlines actions available on the toolbar:

Icon	Description
	Toggles Plain/Outlined Views
	Specifies if tasks details view will include tasks from descendants of the currently selected package
	Expands all nodes in tree
	Collapses all nodes in tree
	Allows creation of new tasks
	Removes currently selected task/s
	Refreshes current view and optionally refreshes To-Do's for the whole project
	Allows applying filters for the current view
	Allows choosing visible columns for the current view.
	Specifies whether To-Do comments should be shown for the whole project or for active file only
	Specifies whether completed tasks should be visible
	Enables/Disables reminders tracking
	Specifies whether reminders should be shown only for tasks assigned to the current user

Maintaining Tasks Using Task List

The Task List allows creation of new tasks, removal of existing ones and changing attributes of them. To change task attributes, Task List offers in-place editing capabilities and provides appropriate cell editor for the each attribute.

Changing Priority of Task

The following table shows operations applicable to each task type:

* - This operation is applicable if there is at least one "Complete" action available for the particular Code Issue;

** - These operations are applicable if Java file this To-Do is belonging to is being edited and this file is not read-only one;

Changing of 'Completed' attribute for To-Do's and General Tasks doesn't lead to any other actions rather then simple assigning of appropriate value to the task. This behavior is completely different for Code Issues as the nature of Code Issues is different. To make Code Issue completed, the reason of it should be removed or the problem should be fixed someway. Thus Code Issue can be completed if there are actions those can fix it and to complete it one of them should executed as well.

For example, if code issue is "unknown class" or "ambiguous" one, it's possible to select correct class from list of options, fix the issue and thus complete the task.

Fixing Code Issues Using Task List

Reminders

There is ability to setup reminders for tasks which are not completed yet and have due date assigned. To setup reminder, the appropriate attribute of required task should be checked. The button should be pressed to enable reminders tracking. It is possible to instruct Task List to show reminders for tasks, which owned by current user only. To turn this mode on the button should be pressed.

The Reminder dialog is displayed when the time gap between current date and due date for particular task is less then specified value. In addition, there is an optional ability to play sound when reminder is occurring.

Reminder Dialog

The following actions are available from this dialog:

• Navigate to the particular task using the Go to Task button;
• Dismiss reminder using the Dismiss button;
• Snooze reminder for the certain period of time using the Snooze button and appropriate combobox.

The Task List hides all the shown Reminder dialogs for project dependent tasks when the user closes particular project or selects another one.

Options Dependency

You can control reminders behavior using the IDE Options | Productivity property page.

See also: Assistant, Productivity! Tools , Customizing Productivity!