Check Off 4.0: What Do You Want?

Hello,
Just downloaded Check Off... about two minutes ago. I've been looking for a simple, small, unobtrusive checklist program, and yours looks just about perfect.
My suggestion for the update is more keyboard shortcuts. I love the global shortcut option, and something like Apple-N for new item and Apple-shift-N for new folder would make it much much easier to use for me, since I have a laptop and it's much easier for me to use keyboard shortcuts than the trackpad.
Thank you!

I've been using this app for a while now and love it. One thing I would like to see in 4.0 is a way to export my content in Check Off and then have an import option to restore everything to the way I had it before.

Whenever I reinstall OS X I have to copy and paste all my stuff and make my folders over again.

It's good to see that there are keyboard shortcuts in this program as that would increase productivity when initially creating your master list or even quickly adding things to an existing one. Perhaps you could let us in on a few of the most common shortcuts right here while we wait for the expanded help. =)

I'm a new user but so far enjoy the simplicity of the program. I also like this customer feedback mode you have on your site! Great stuff.

Greetings from Germany.
I'm using Check Off on a daily basis and really enjoy the simplicity of the app.

Things I'd like to see in version 4:

- Right mouse button support (for applying color labels easier etc.)

- an option to promote a task to a folder (or better yet, the possibility to add subtasks to every task per drag & drop and completely get rid of the folder/task difference)

- Text editor field: Add buttons for common functions: bold, italic, underlined, crossed out, increase & decrease text size, text color. Using the OSX system text dialogue is a pain.

The thing I'd most like to see would be support for .mac syncing.

Maybe a command-z undo also. Sometimes I check a folder by mistake and lose the state of subitems.

Great application. Love it.

I love Check Off!

Here are a few things that would make it absolutely perfect in decreasing order of importance:

1) The ability to hide checked items
2) Timestamping items when checked off
3) Word wrap
4) Due dates with alarms
5) Being able to turn off the genie animation

Hi Justin,

Excellent app! I use it on 3 Macs (2 desktop and 1 laptop) and love it. It is small, unobtrusive, and really gets the job done. The biggest feature I would like to see is more synching options. My order of preference for synching:

* Peer-to-peer syncing (desktop to laptop or vise versa)
* Using a WebDav server to store all the tasks
* Send tasks list to myself via email

Keep up the great work!

-Ron

Turning the visual eye candy (colors) into filters - kinda like what tags do in iPhoto (filtering), where you can tag items, and use the find/filter to selectively show just certain items.

I use folders for project organization, and colors for prioritization (maybe I should try it the other way around?) and would like to filter to show, for instance, just the high priority tasks.

Assigning colors should also be keystroke invoked

Either way, this provides only 2 dimensions for categorizing tasks. I would really, really like to file things with multiple tags; affinity groupings for which I could define.
(e.g. interactions: call, meet, email, send -
activity: create, research, write, build -
focus: personal, internal, departmental, company, external, customer -
priority: Urgent&Important, Urgent, Important, notUrgent_or_Important, completed).

Then I could selectively pick which characteristics to display.

Still a simple task list but classified; don't want to get to all the things that a GTD, or Proj tool does, just deal with the list of all the tasks identified, in a fashion that I can display what I need to deal with now, based on different criteria. I have 50-100 things on my plate at any given time, and want something that does not require extensive field entries (i.e. GTD-type), but can be selective in classification and display.

Outside-the-box-thinking: It is almost like using the check off user defined hierarchy as a classification and filtering tool, with the task(s) defined (entry) or displayed (list mode) in the description field.

I'd like to be able to have Checkoff as a floating window rather than have to click the menu bar each time I need to use it.

Love your app! How about synchronizing data across 2 macs? I'm just curious - where is the file/folder that holds the data? I am trying to test if I can sync the data on my iMac to my MBP? Thanks!

Justin, I DEFINITELY prefer the retracting menu to a floating window!

What I love about CheckOff 3 is that it's not a ridged work environment. I actually use it for many different things, not just a task list.

I would be interested in seeing these added.

*** Support for multiple lists, maybe as tabs

***Add a Ruler to the text fields with Styles, Lists, etc.. like TextEdit has

****Save on List Retraction

Support for images ... larger files

*** A drag and drop export of selected items only rather than the whole list. It could create a folder and subfolders on the desktop with rtf files inside. Remove the check box for folders

** Put the notification of completed items (3-5) or 50% back in the folders name as an option like the original CheckOff had

* add a service or hotkey to grab text from open apps and create new items in CheckOff from them

mobleme sync/ical sync/sync/sync/sync. I work on multiple computers and an iPhone. I love the easy to use interface but can't easily use a product that does not allow me to port my list between them. I also like headbirth's idea of a tabbed interface that would allow multiple sorted sublists to be set up. That would be very useful.

Do you have a target date for 4.0?

I love the Check Off program. There is only one thing that I was looking for...being able to sync with my iPhone. I noticed you said you were considering syncing with mobileme but would that include an app for the iPhone?
Thanks for program
Shannon

Hi Justin - I just had a major computer crash and now am trying to reinstall all my apps. I can't find where to re-download Check Off. Can you help me out with that? I rely on it quite heavily as a freelance retoucher. It has been a great help to keep track of multiple projects, clients, and hours worked on each to date. I'm feeling a little lost without it.
-cindylou
Also - as a note for the new release, having a way to sync with the iphone would be tremendous.

Your program is a wonderful makes a wonderful ToDo list. I use it nearly every day.

It would be helpful if I could directly drag the list or any item into iCal. Now I have to export the list to a text file and open it in TextEdit. From there I can drag the selected text into any time slot in iCal, usually the first day of the month so I can always find it. In that way I have a sync'd CheckOff todo list on my iPod Touch.

When a folder is selected in the CheckOff list, one cannot see the leading triangle because of its color. It should be a darker color.

Justin, Checkoff's simple elegance is what makes it great and sets it apart from complex task managers like omnifocus. Please resist the temptation to make the program more complex. Simply add an iphone companion app that syncs with the desktop app, and you will sell gobs of copies of it thru the apple app store. Do it fast as this window of opportunity (lack of simple sync-able task outliner) may not be open for too long. Good luck!

hi justin, i completly agree with the post above, i just downloaded check-off and like the simplicity of the program, it would be nice to keep that ease of use in the new version. Also, it would be great if it could sync with the iphone the same way it presently sync's with an ipod. thanks, andy

J., I just dowloaded Check Off, and use it already. It seems that this is what I was looking for. As somebody pointed out already, it would be great to have the possibility to synch different macs (I have 3 and use all of them) and even the iPhone, although the last is not essential to me. Time-stamping (even/folder creation/checking/deletion) would also be great, so that even a sorting by deadline would be possible.
Some of the suggestions above (that I did not even think about) are also excellent (filters based on colors, etc.)
Thanks a lot for making this available to macsters all over the I.
Ciao, St.

Oh, two more items I forgot to mention:

**The ability to either duplicate a set of items or a template feature!!!!

I modified the nib file to move the list above the text field and added the image support in.

Thanks!

Hi Justin,

I just stopped by to see what was up and I know you must be hard at work on 4.0. But I just want to point out that in browsing these posts at least 9 postings want sync. Most Mac users have some combination of multiple macs, ,mac, mobile me and iphones. Whatever else you are working on, IMHO there is a crying need for a To Do program with sybcing between devices. IMHO Check Off with syncing (and iPhone support??? would be terrific) Let me put it a different way, PLEASE!!!!

Thanks in advance

Keep it simple. There's plenty of to-do applications to beauty of this one is that it's so simple.

Is there a way of disabling the genie effect, to make it appear faster?

Cool that's great!

I would like for check off to have all the same to do items that are in iCal and Mail so I don't have to enter in the to do items twice and check them off twice.

I found your software after being referred by the folks at SpanningSync. I love thier app and yours is a perfect companion. The biggest missing link in my electronic integration is a to do manager for iphone that syncs with the desktop.

I, too, would really like Check Off to tap into the calendar store in Leopard. I have heard that it has an API, and can support things like due dates. If you added that feature, you probably wouldn't strictly have to make Check Off support due dates-users could just use iCal/Mail.

Can we have a possible due date? I recently found another task list app (called Things) and am considering switching. As much as I love Check Off, it's not cutting it for what I want to do. I want to be able to compare check off 4 and Things, and want to know if I should make the effort to transfer my items just yet. Any dates?

Another idea- how about a Remove Completed button, to delete all tasks that are checked. That would be an easy feature to implement (as far as I, with no developing experience would know), and useful.

I deleted a folder of ToDos, and then decided I wanted to just use some of them. Then I discovered there was no Undo function in the Edit Menu. That might be worthwhile.

Let me elaborate on Ed's request ... occasionally I erase a description line and can't undo to get the text back. My bad ... but would sure be a handy feature to have undo for those occasions.

Also, and this is a dream of course, but an equivalent iphone app to complement and sync with check off! wish wish hope hope

A few things I would like to see:
• MobileMe (neé .Mac) syncing
• Undo
• Basic text formatting (larger font, bold, italics, colours)
• Smoked glass appearance (like Anxiety)
• Ability to associate files, emails, URLs with items
• Expanded categories stay expanded next time CheckOff is launched

What I don't want to see:
• Due dates. One of the main reasons I use CheckOff is that it doesn't have due dates.
• iCal/Mail integration. There are other apps that do this. I don't want it in CheckOff.

This is more of a bug report than anything, but when i change the color of a folder, I'd prefer if Check Off didn't change the color of the items inside the folder (some of which were different colors).

I've had check off on my machine for about 12 hours. I like it but the one BIG missing feature -- and it might be there and I have not found it yet -- is the ability to leave the check off window open. If I've written notes on one of the items it is often helpful to have them available without having to go back and open, and reopen, and reopen the window.

I agree, the Anxiety-type dark UI is getting a bit dated. Have a look at What ToDo's interface. It's clean, attractive, and has some modern elements. Whatever UI you pick, remember us old geezers who need larger fonts and higher contrast to see anything!

Something along the lines of Dejumble (www.dejumble.com) would be nice.

or even the interface of Things ...http://culturedcode.com/things/

As far as interface, I still like the clean and simple interface of checkoff 3.8. Whatever you do, resist adding lots of complexity and features that get in the way. All the small interface improvements and fixes will be great, but building complex to do list capability just distracts from what a todo list is for.

btw - I worked with dejumble for a few days and got frustrated with its categories and interface. Went back to Checkoff.

My dream is an improved checkoff, and a Today/iphone Today tandem that works with iCal tasks. I need ical tasks on the iphone!!!!

thanks!

iPhone synching: Two way note taking!

I like the menu bar integration and global hotkey but I would also like hotkeys for doing other operations, such as a quick hotkey (possibly a global hotkey) to add an item. Iphone integration would be great though most likely impossible. Also, it doesn't work very well with spaces at the moment. Otherwise great work. It's the first to-do application that has been accessible enough that I don't find it intrusive and have to go out of my way to use it. Keep it up :)

Feature Request...
I don't know whether this has been asked for before, but what I would like to see is the option to apply a 'strike-through' style to completed tasks - I believe this would make it instantly clear which items has been completed.

Fantastic Application too... many thanks for all the hard work.
Kind regards

Graeme
mail @ graememiller.com

Ability to specify where Check Off data is located.

I'd like to use my Dropbox to sync Check Off data between computers. Sync via MobileMe is fine, but Dropbox works and would require no extra coding to Check Off other than the ability to specify a different location for the data file (which is currently a plist file — your plan to switch to a database in 4.0 would make this easier).

If there's any way to have CheckOff Export only selected items to an RTF(D) file that would be of great help to me or even have a drag and drop export of selected items.

Three more random thoughts... (if they haven't been mentioned already - apologies if they have)

1. Preferences checkbox to 'not show' completed tasks
2. Preferences checkbox to 'auto-move' completed tasks to the bottom of a 'folder'
3. Current version animates out 'behind' open windows, eg. Firefox

Thanks for all the efforts... This is such a useful application

Hi there, I just wanted to say that love your program.. However It would be great if you could set the program to automatically open on any restart. I have the box "launch check off when you log into your mac" checked but the program has never opened automatically for me. i'm running a macbook pro intel 2.4ghz with 10.4.11. cheers

Used to use Check Off on another computer last year. just got a new mac last month and tracked down Check off as soon as I got it out of the box and have to say it's just as great as I remember it being. I've been using an iPhone for a few months now and the lack of a good syncable to do list has been driving me nucking futs. Some type of iPhone sync PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!

V4: I also vote for some type of iPhone sync! Would be great either with iPhone's built-in notes feature, or would be even better with a Check Off app for the iPhone. Would be great if the iphone showed the folders and color coding.

A menu bar icon with colours (like the icon on finder would already be Ok): the black one is sooo sad..

I'm not sure if anyone mentioned ithere, but an encryption feature for notes would be awesome.

Question: What's the status of Check Off 4? Your question was posed 5 months ago, and as a result expectations have been created of a wonderous new version of Check Off. I know you guys just finished cranking through a major update of Today, and that it's the app that pays the bills, so I understand why Check Off 4 hasn't made an appearance yet. But now that Today 1.5 is out the door, I'm curious as to when Check Off will get the love.

Maybe I'm late to the party, but I just started using CheckOff.

1. What you really like about Check Off 3
- Unobtrusive and out of the way, but easily accessible via global hotkey.
- Minimal but clean interface for the most part, doesn't go overboard.

2. What you really dislike about Check Off 3
a) No easy way to add notes for an item without using the mouse. I'm a keyboard oriented guy and I hate having to use the mouse to click into the notes box.

b) Long todo items don't get line wrapped. One could argue that I shouldn't make such long todo items, but given the issue a), making a short todo with a more expansive note is too hard so i don't do it.

c) More of a "minor annoyance" than a "really dislike" but when the app opens, the focus is on one of the buttons in the button bar rather than in the todo area, so key commands don't work, requiring that i click into the text area.

3. What could I add to Check Off 4 that would make it your preferred quick todo list?
- It already is the best I've found, but a solution to the issues in 2 (obviously) would go a long way.

- Besides those let me add my voice to those clamoring for a facility to clear checked items, both manually and (via preference) after a set amount of time. I'd rather this be more of an "archive" than a delete, because I like to be able to go back and check those things i completed from time to time. Ideally, the archive replicates the folders that the item was in as well (even if that folder no longer exists in the current ToDo list) and has searching. I figure the archive gets it's own normal window... that kind of stuff is a less common activity, so instant access in the menubar isn't really necessary. An item in the gear dropdown to open the archive would work great.

Thanks for all the great work! As a fellow developer, I know how even "simple" features end up taking a lot of time, so I wish you the best on version 4...

Cheers,
-k.benton

Just downloaded Check-off 3.8
Suggest for 4.0 -
1. Help - similar to other typical Apple software w/ What's New. Could be located on 2ndGear website.
2. Simple graphic demo to show how to use CheckOff, & best ways
3. I like post-its/Stickies - could have option to select portion of list that would display on a Stickies note.
-Jim

I'm quite surprised that only a few people has asked for iPhone/iPod Touch support!

What I'd like is what I miss on 3.0 versions:
+ iCal sync: drag n' drop
+ deadline alarms
+ hide done/old items
+ compatibility with iPhone / iPod Touch. This's definetly the most important - there's no good to-do app around... Notes isn't that good.

Good work!

Hi,
I discovered this app yesterday and I love it : it's easy to move an item up and down and the folders are GREAT for me (see image). The only misssing thing is a way to sync the todo's items on my PDA (I use "The Missing thing" to sync my HTC Touch HD with Ical)
The thing I dislike in Today is that we are prisonner in the (silly) ical' task organisation.
Anyway, Good work...

Hello,
(follow up to my previous message) The software "Things" has the fonctionnality I want : the simple export to Ical/Mail, the way you decide (and not the way Ical decide). (then, no more problem for me to sync with my WM PDA).
Check-Off with this functionnality would be the best todo's app for me. (I tried 6 until now). Check off is more simple, clear, easy, straight forward

tiny tiny interfaces changes that would make me happy

* a way to turn off the "genie" drop down animation in the prefs
* a better labeling/coloring scheme than Apple' obnoxious OSX bubble labels (Does anyone else miss the subtle FLAT colored rectangles from OS9? )

other than that, i'm happy with the features. i was looking for something quick and easy and unobtrusive, and so far Check Off does it.

I realise that some people want due dates and ability to sync with various other programs, but I'd ask that these both only be options that can be turned on and off. The reason I love Check Off is that it isn't linked to iCal and stands on it's own, and that it doesn't have due dates.

My only other thought at the moment is that the option should be given for checked items to be sent to the bottom of the list/folder. This way all unchecked items remain at the top of the list/folder. Also, ability to list by alphabetical order.

Great program though- really helps me keep my design business organised!

Ross

"The reason I love Check Off is that it isn't linked to iCal and stands on it's own, and that it doesn't have due dates" : I agree with that, BUT an export-only toward Ical allow - after syncing- to have the ToDo list on the PDA !

I would like to be able to resize the pull-down window so I can add as much as I want to the notes section without limiting the number of viewable items in my list...

HI. I've been using 'Today' for a while now and like the fact i can see tasks lined up as I have it floating on a second monitor. What I hate about it is that I can't see the notes that go with each 'To Do'. (no, I don't want to launch iCal).

Today I discovered Check Off and thought my prayers had been answered....except: Can't float the window so my list is hidden and thus easier to ignore :-). Worse: Although I can add notes, I can't resize the window so I can't read them anyhow!

So, my vote would be: Floating window option and resizable notes/list window. Apart from that, perfect.

Of course what would be even better would be a notes window in 'Today'

best
Roger

Since I use check off for writing down homework, I use the colour labels to tag the class that the homework is from. Next year I will be taking more courses so I will need more labels. Perhaps, to keep things simple, just provide a check box option for additional or custom colour tags that users could add to the existing default colours. That would keep it clean cut and just provide a bit of customization if the user chooses.
Thanks for taking tips,
Colin

Things I'd like to see in version 4:

- iTunes 8.8 style ( for example scrolbar and checkbox).
- HUD style, It wuold have possibilty to choose a classical style of application or HUD style.
- possibilty to open window of application in all spaces.
- scrollbar of iPhone.
- possibility to chose the Priority of task, similar to ical.
- little badge in menu bar icon when have a incomplete task (only for high priority).
- possibilty to choose activate or not the iCal/Mail integration (i prefer not).

Thanks for taking tips and for hard work!!

p.s : sorry for writing errors but i' am italian people.

Lollo

Hi
I like the program but I would like to see the body text be selectable.

I like to use a larger font size that your default value.

Prior to your product I was using MENotes. I have now switched to your product

Thanks
Don

I've been using CheckOff for ages, for all the same reasons as others have mentioned. I've also been waiting for it to be revamped. Before I list the new things I would like to see I must say that my definition of a GTD app is that is must be ever-present ,thus ultra portable. This achievable with an iPhone app that overrides Apple's To-Do app; allowing entry on the device and synching. In turn this means that the need for online synching should not be necessary a device with you all the time is a better replacement to an internet connection.

1. When c&p I would like only plain formatted text to be used, I hate the current situation where the last font used is applied to the next new note you take. Something in the options to stop this would be good.

2. I list completed tasks (archived) with a tick in the checkbox, I would like a nice fade effect to take place which shoos away the todo to a 'completed folder' adding a date/time stamp to the task in the comments area, maybe in square brackets. Also the idea suggested by somebody else to have a strikethrough effect is good, but should only then be used if tasks remain mingled in ones existing (uncompleted tasks)

3. A new icon to replace he tick please. like a ☃ Snowman or replaceable with a char from the Symbols & Dingbats character category..I also like ♗ (Bishop) and ⚰ (Coffin) ◌ (dotted circle)

4. An undo feature (accidentally deleting a task and haing it unretrievable is like playing Megaman I on the NES on 'easy' - not easy! its a bit old school to be so harsh) and a fix for the export option (which currently crashes the app)

5. Searching for a todo should be made possible with a search box, currently I export the todos and use spotlight to find entries - this is a must with hundreds of todos. Searching for something I feel has been overlooked, search is everywhere these days, maybe not when 3.8 was made.

6. An option to time date stamp when the task was created, simply putting this info into square brackets at the beginning of the todo or maybe at the end e.g. [created: 1st June, 2009] ~please don't use numerical only formatting because that can confuse things depending on the country you live in.

7. Allowing me to choose what extra knobs & whistles I see; a drag and drop feature like FireFox has with its toolbar. I would like just to have a search field at the top and none of the menu options or colour coding... so a drag and drop option would be ace!

8. Using colours should be done sparingly in my opinion. I would like to be able to set one colour as the priority colour: so anything in red will float to the top and always be at the top no matter when it was crated - presuming that CheckOff starts from the top every time its opened up, which currently it doesn't. If not then some keyboard or mouse click (maybe holding down the mouse button) would show the most urgent todos. I don't know if you have seen the effect that gracefully moves text around by certain manner of order, the text slips between each other to re-order themselves - this would be aesthetically nice when viewing impending todos marked in red.
In fact using that small space to the left of the checkbox to simply colour and prioritise a todo would be a way of ridding the need for a button at the top of CheckOff, making way for just a search box.

9. Text gets lost if its too long, this goes not just for the title but for the comments. Is it possible to show all the text in a box at a small pt size when clicking the todo title and then have it automatically and rapidly size back up to normal, so you instantly see that there is more.. sort of a zooming up effect and maybe a scroll ticker for titles too long? I would like to say that the rule of one line for each todo/task is one that should be kept.

10. To create a task I still have to use the cursor :( I click the hotkeys to bring it up and then hit 'n' (for new todo) and start typing a new todo title but find that the automatic knee-jerk response to press the tab key to start filling in the comment field only allows me to rename the title and not pass to the comment field.. this is not intuitive for me and like you said a lo of the shortcuts in the code are undocumented

11. Yet another app for you to write: a simple widget that displays all the priority todo's, those labelled in red (ref: 8), most people shouldn't have more than 5 things they need to do immediately. Simply checking your widgets would be easy to do when looking for those impending tasks, unless you figure out an easy way to see them in CheckOff itself.. maybe even shunt these priority ones off to a Google Widgets so they could be seen in Gmail (now accepting Google widgets)

P.S. I like the genie effect and any due date feature should be optional (i.e. can be turned off)

Final thoughts would be that I need something always there i.e. iPhone/Mac app, something that is always up to date (sync), something that is simple (done), something that once in use gets strait to the point - hitting 'n' and entering text is good enough (tab would be even nicer to switch to the comment field though!), searching for something is severely missing! and finding something at a glance that lets me see priority tasks with colour on a white background is a brilliant way of highlighting todos.

I like that I can have folders within folders. So I have 4 categories of folders: Due TODAY, What I will Do NEXT, What I should do DAILY, and all TO DOs within their project folders. I like that it acts like an outline app. That I can drag items around to where I want them.

I wish that I could Export my TODAY and NEXT folders directly into iCal. Or drag them into iCal. Otherwise, I am quite happy the way CheckOff works now, by always being accessible from the Menu and out of the way when it should be.

Perhaps having an iPhone/iPod Touch app that syncs with the iMac version would be useful to me.