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time manic  
#1 Posted : Sunday, May 6, 2012 3:16:21 AM(UTC)
time manic

Rank: Newbie

Joined: 5/6/2012(UTC)
Posts: 6
Man

Could the search or filtering of untagged time be implemented?

From the advanced search window, could that selected period be “zoomed in” (this option would close the search window, or maybe return the focus to the main window, and jump directly to that period selected in the search window)?

I saw that the advanced search has the ability to search by applications, tags, etc. Whenever searching for tags, the untagged time is not shown. When searching by applications, there is no information about tags.

Untagged time becomes lost, it becomes nearly as if there was no use of the computer. It is great drilling down to find out which applications and which documents/sites were used, but if a time is not tagged, it loses its identity, because by seeing firefox in the application, one cannot define if time was used for a project, or simply wasted. Hence all time must be tagged.

It would be great if it could show under statistics, timesheet, and even the search by tags, the untagged time. This untagged time should have more information, such as the applications used during that period, and the active/away time.

My method is to tag all time, leaving only the time using manictime untagged. Sometimes the away gap between two active periods must be tagged as well. Sometimes I just forget to tag, then I need to go back few days to find out where I forgot to tag. The advanced search is great for that, but it still needs to show the untagged time.
admin  
#2 Posted : Sunday, May 6, 2012 8:40:52 AM(UTC)
admin

Rank: Administration

Joined: 4/13/2010(UTC)
Posts: 872

I'll see what we can do, I think it would be a welcome addition to somehow show only untagged activities in advanced search.

If you double click on result, it will close Advanced search window and jump to that day, activity.
jxt  
#3 Posted : Sunday, May 6, 2012 10:17:45 PM(UTC)
jxt

Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 9/27/2011(UTC)
Posts: 89
Location: sf

It will be useful! I'm voting for it.

"If you double click on result, it will close Advanced search window and jump to that day, activity."
We sholud be able to open Adv. search window again and to see last search results.
time manic  
#4 Posted : Wednesday, May 9, 2012 9:40:05 AM(UTC)
time manic

Rank: Newbie

Joined: 5/6/2012(UTC)
Posts: 6
Man

Hey admin, all in all, this is a remarkably good time-keeping software. Well done.

I didn’t know that double clicking on an item would jump to it. Probably since I didn’t find what I was looking for, I didn’t check other features further.

Adding up to jxt comment above, how about adding an option (under preferences) to always clear or not previous searches? So whenever going back to search, it would be possible to reuse the previous search result, or just start a new one.

Adding to the idea of finding untagged time, on the search (or maybe filter) bar in the main window, could it be created (or maybe it already exists) a parameter for filtering untagged time, and showing those untagged activities, such as, in plain English: filter untagged activities, but only during active computer usage, not away. Then, the two panes above the filter field would show those activities (regardless of what they were showing before, documents, tags, whatever). If the filter was for untagged documents, then documents would be shown.

Thanks.
admin  
#5 Posted : Wednesday, May 9, 2012 9:45:36 AM(UTC)
admin

Rank: Administration

Joined: 4/13/2010(UTC)
Posts: 872

Something like an "untagged" keyword? I think we could add it. What happens if something is partly tagged? Does it show or not? I guess it does?
jxt  
#6 Posted : Wednesday, May 9, 2012 2:51:46 PM(UTC)
jxt

Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 9/27/2011(UTC)
Posts: 89
Location: sf

Just add a checkbox in advanced search "show only untagged time". It will hide results that have tags. IMHO, partly tagged should be shown.

Edited by user Wednesday, May 9, 2012 2:52:33 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

time manic  
#7 Posted : Thursday, May 10, 2012 6:47:07 AM(UTC)
time manic

Rank: Newbie

Joined: 5/6/2012(UTC)
Posts: 6
Man

The untagged keyword is an idea, but this would require changing how the data is written from the new version on. The past data would not be updated. For avoiding both – having to update previous databases, and changing the database structure for future versions – perhaps new parameters could be added to the existing filter parameters, eg. group:firefox - find all activities with keyword 'firefox' in group, so there could be tag:WhateverNameTheUserGave or empty or null or 0. Additionally, using keywords together, such as “tag:empty usage:active” or “tag:empty usage:away” or “tag:empty application:not manictime”.

I don’t know how the database is structured, but I don’t believe it needs to be changed. There is sufficient information there (or lack of it) for performing the search needed. When no tags are shown, I presume the value for periods of time for the tag field is null, 0 or similar. We just need to change the search method, or parameter. Imagine a customer creating a tag untagged, how would it work with the system untagged mark, tag or flag? I believe leaving the database alone is simpler. Anyway, it is always up to the programmer to decide.

Are the keywords shown in the faq section all the available ones? Aren’t there any other keywords? Can we use negated parameters (not ApplicationName)? Can we search applications or documents? Perhaps for avoiding excess of questions from customers, or even increasing the knowledge of the software capabilities, perhaps all internal keywords, plus more elaborate examples could be provided.

I don’t really believe that adding the show untagged time option in the advanced search would provide the expected result. But since this has been mentioned, probably jxt would make use of it. I don’t see this one fitting to my purposes, but if it is possible to implement it, why not? If it is possible to implement the filter bar search, and jxt check box, two customers would be happy.
admin  
#8 Posted : Thursday, May 10, 2012 7:49:16 AM(UTC)
admin

Rank: Administration

Joined: 4/13/2010(UTC)
Posts: 872

I think all the keywords are mentioned in help.
-group doesn't work, we will fix this.

I agree with you, keywords like tag:Something, tag:empty, -tag:Something are a better way to go and they are more useful. At one point we will have to rewrite statistics to work like Advanced search and all this will automatically work there as well.

This doesn't require and changes to the database. Database is very simple, more or less you can imagine there is no connection between timelines, so they are only connected by time.
For example to get the indicators on the left side, which show which lines are tagged, those are calculated, basically an intersection between the selected timeline and tag timeline.

I'm all for making a better query language. Here is what I would propose.
Your example:
tag:empty usage:active

I'd change this to something like
-[timeline:tag] and [timeline:usage active]

tag:empty application:not manictime
-[timeline:tag] and [timeline:application -group:manictime]

[timeline:application group:firefox] and [timeline:document google.com]

Something like this, just an idea, but it allows to make an intersection on any two timelines, not just tag timeline.

It would be great if we could simplify this, so any suggestions are welcome. What do you think?
time manic  
#9 Posted : Wednesday, May 16, 2012 1:12:52 PM(UTC)
time manic

Rank: Newbie

Joined: 5/6/2012(UTC)
Posts: 6
Man

Sorry not answering before.

Admin, you got the idea, this is the important bit. Also it seems you found an easy way to do it, and went further away seeing that this is useful in the statistics tab, well done. I really like the idea of filtering with more options.

Adding to this, how about allowing to save the filter parameters, so on the arrow on the right, one could select the filtering parameters saved before, and also jump to the advanced search?

However, to me it is still necessary to have the ability to search across multiple days, as the filter only works for the current day. In fact, the parameters for filtering could well be used in the search window as well.

The examples you provided are all clear to me. I would not change anything. In fact, I would like (and possibly this would be useful for other users as well), if there were more details about the filter parameters, such as all application reserved codes, how could they be used together (such as not, and, or, !, ~, comma, etc), the rules of use, and few examples, not that many. Not that they are not useful, they are, but for me the emphasis should be in defining the rules, not in guessing and discovering by ourselves. But if everything that can be done with the filter is already shown in the faq pages, then nothing else to add.
admin  
#10 Posted : Wednesday, May 16, 2012 1:29:39 PM(UTC)
admin

Rank: Administration

Joined: 4/13/2010(UTC)
Posts: 872

Query language is pretty simple for now. I think everything is mentioned in the help.

All filter queries do and will always work in Advanced search.

The dropdown of previous commands. We tried to implement this once. The problem is that the filter works as you type, so when do you save it? We tried saving it when the control lost focus, but it felt wrong and there was no way of knowing when it would be saved.

So in the end we figured that we would have to have some save button, but as soon as you have save you have to have delete and an editor and.... in the end we just left it as it is :)
jxt  
#11 Posted : Wednesday, May 16, 2012 2:00:19 PM(UTC)
jxt

Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 9/27/2011(UTC)
Posts: 89
Location: sf

In the help there is nothing about NOT operator. I've already guessed how to use it (with "-") but it should be added in the help pages.

It should be able to save custom searches. Currently I have a txt file with all my searches and everytime i have to copy-paste. You may add a save button right to the "x" button and to allow to delete saved searches with holding CTRL+Click (like it is in Timesheet tab). Bad UI but acceptable at this time.
So if it isn't so hard please add save button.
admin  
#12 Posted : Friday, May 18, 2012 9:33:49 AM(UTC)
admin

Rank: Administration

Joined: 4/13/2010(UTC)
Posts: 872

I'll update the help.

Saving searches, I guess it should save them in Advanced search and in filter? If yes, is this the same collection? I mean when you type and save something in filter, would you also like to see it in advanced search and vice versa?
jxt  
#13 Posted : Friday, May 18, 2012 12:34:40 PM(UTC)
jxt

Rank: Advanced Member

Joined: 9/27/2011(UTC)
Posts: 89
Location: sf

"would you also like to see it in advanced search and vice versa"
IMHO - yes, it should be able to save and use saved searches from both places and when save something in filter field to be able to use the same search in advanced search field. So it should be one collection for both.

Edited by user Friday, May 18, 2012 12:36:49 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

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