VCOO0024

OmniOutliner: Convert Outline to Project

This command uses the data from the outline to construct a new project in OmniFocus.

The item hierarchy, as well as all item notes, are transfered to the project.

Scope and Syntax

Language: English (United States 🇺🇸 · Great Britain 🇬🇧 · Australia 🇦🇺 · Canada 🇨🇦)

Scope: OmniOutliner

Command phrase variations (words in [brackets] are optional):

“Convert Outline to Project”

Requirements

Application: OmniOutliner: 5.10 (macOS), OmniOutliner 3.9.1 (iOS/iPadOS), OmniFocus 3.13 (macOS/iOS,iPadOS)
System: macOS 12, iOS 15, iPadOS 15

Video: Convert Outline to Project

This command uses the data from the outline to construct a new project in OmniFocus.

Script Code

Here is the script code for the commands.

The first version of the script automatically creates a new project using the default project settings indicated in the script:

Downloads

⇩ COMMANDS-FILE (OmniOutliner 5) (macOS)
⇩ SHORTCUT-LINK (“Convert Outline to Project”) (iOS/iPadOS)
⇩ SHORTCUT-LINK (“Split [OmniOutliner] with OmniFocus”) (iOS/iPadOS)

Convert Outline to Project


(async () => {
	try {
		function createUtterance(textToSpeak){
			AlexID = (
				(app.platformName === "macOS") ? 
				"com.apple.speech.synthesis.voice.Alex" : 
				"com.apple.speech.voice.Alex"
			)
			voiceObj = Speech.Voice.withIdentifier(AlexID)
			voiceRate = 0.4
			utterance = new Speech.Utterance(textToSpeak)
			utterance.voice = voiceObj
			utterance.rate = voiceRate
			return utterance
		}
		var synthesizer = new Speech.Synthesizer()
		
		try {document.name} catch(err){
			throw {name:"Missing Resource", message:"No outline document is open."}
		}
		
		documentName = document.name.replace(/\.[^/.]+$/, "")
		console.log("DOCUMENT NAME:", documentName)

		// GET DATA AS JSON RECORD ARRAY
		itemData = rootItem.descendants.map(item => { 
			itemObj = new Object()
			itemObj.level = item.level
			itemObj.topic = item.topic
			itemObj.note = item.note
			return itemObj
		})
		console.log("ITEM DATA:", JSON.stringify(itemData))

		// DEFAULT PROJECT SETTINGS
		projectTitle = documentName
		projectTypeIndex = 0 // Parallel = 0, Sequential = 1, Single Actions = 2
		completedByActions = false
		
		// THE OPTIONAL ARGUMENT MAY BE: string, number, date, array, or object
		var targetFunctionArgument = {
			"items": itemData,
			"title": projectTitle,
			"projectTypeIndex": projectTypeIndex,
			"completedByActions": completedByActions
		}
	
		var targetAppName = "omnifocus"
		
		// THE FUNCTION TO BE EXECUTED ON THE TARGET APP
function targetAppFunction(targetFunctionArgument){
	try {
		dataItems = targetFunctionArgument["items"]
		projectTitle = targetFunctionArgument["title"]
		projectTypeIndex = targetFunctionArgument["projectTypeIndex"]
		completedByActions = targetFunctionArgument["completedByActions"]
		var project = new Project(projectTitle)
		project.status = Project.Status.Active
		if (projectTypeIndex === 1){
			project.sequential = true
		} else if (projectTypeIndex === 2){
			project.containsSingletonActions = true
		}
		project.completedByChildren = completedByActions
		// link-back to project
		projectID = project.id.primaryKey
		var linkURL = "omnifocus:///task/" + projectID
		console.log("PROJECT LINK:", linkURL)
		
		var previousItem = null
		var previousLevel = null
		var insertionLocation = null
		dataItems.forEach((dataItem, index, dataArray) => {
			itemLevel = dataItem.level
			itemTopic = dataItem.topic
			itemNote = dataItem.note
			
			if (itemLevel > 1){ // child or sibling of previous item
				if(itemLevel === previousLevel){ // sibling
					insertionLocation = previousItem.parent.ending
				} else if (itemLevel > previousLevel){ // child
					insertionLocation = previousItem.ending
				} else if (itemLevel < previousLevel){ // calculate previous parent				
					var parentItem = project.task
					for(var i = 0; i < (itemLevel -1); i++){
						parentItem = parentItem.tasks.pop()
					}
					insertionLocation = parentItem.ending
				}
			} else {
				insertionLocation = project.ending
			}
			
			task = new Task(itemTopic, insertionLocation)
			task.note = itemNote
			
			previousItem = task
			previousLevel = itemLevel
		})
				
		document.windows[0].focus = [project]
		
		// return link to project to calling script
		return linkURL
	}
	catch(err){
		console.error(err.name, err.message)
		throw {
			name: err.name,
			message: err.message
		}
	}
}

			// CREATE SCRIPT URL WITH FUNCTION AND PASSED DATA
			scriptURL = URL.tellFunction(
				targetAppName, 
				targetAppFunction,
				targetFunctionArgument
			)
		
			// CALL THE SCRIPT URL, PROCESS RESULTS OR ERROR
			// WRAP IN PROMISE TO GIVE PASSED SCRIPT TIME TO COMPLETE
			var result = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
				scriptURL.call(reply => {
					// PROCESS RESULTS OF SCRIPT
					if(reply){
						console.log("CALL RESULT:", reply)
						// open returned link to show new project
						URL.fromString(reply).open()
					}
					utterance = createUtterance("Done!")
					synthesizer.speakUtterance(utterance)
					resolve("done")
				}, error => {
					// PROCESS SCRIPT ERROR
					console.error("CALL ERROR:", error.errorMessage)
					throw error
					reject(error.errorMessage)
				})
			})
			await result
	}
	catch(err){
		if(!err.causedByUserCancelling){
			utterance = createUtterance(err.message)
			synthesizer.speakUtterance(utterance)
			//new Alert(err.name, err.message).show()
		}	
	}
})();

The second version of the script prompts the user to enter and choose the settings for the created project:

Downloads

⇩ COMMANDS-FILE (OmniOutliner 5) (macOS)
⇩ SHORTCUT-LINK (“Convert Outline to Project”) (iOS/iPadOS)

Convert Outline to Project


(async () => {
	try {
		function createUtterance(textToSpeak){
			AlexID = (
				(app.platformName === "macOS") ? 
				"com.apple.speech.synthesis.voice.Alex" : 
				"com.apple.speech.voice.Alex"
			)
			voiceObj = Speech.Voice.withIdentifier(AlexID)
			voiceRate = 0.4
			utterance = new Speech.Utterance(textToSpeak)
			utterance.voice = voiceObj
			utterance.rate = voiceRate
			return utterance
		}
		var synthesizer = new Speech.Synthesizer()
		
		try {document.name} catch(err){
			throw {name:"Missing Resource", message:"No outline document is open."}
		}
		
		documentName = document.name.replace(/\.[^/.]+$/, "")
		console.log("DOCUMENT NAME:", documentName)

		// GET DATA AS JSON RECORD ARRAY
		itemData = rootItem.descendants.map(item => { 
			itemObj = new Object()
			itemObj.level = item.level
			itemObj.topic = item.topic
			itemObj.note = item.note
			return itemObj
		})
		console.log("ITEM DATA:", JSON.stringify(itemData))

		// CONSTRUCT AND DISPLAY FORM
		textInputField = new Form.Field.String(
			"projectTitle",
			"Project Title",
			documentName
		)
		
		menuItems = ["Parallel", "Sequential", "Single Actions"]
		menuIndexes = [0,1,2]
		menuElement = new Form.Field.Option(
			"projectTypeIndex", 
			"Project Type", 
			menuIndexes, 
			menuItems, 
			0
		)
		
		completedByChildrenCheckbox = new Form.Field.Checkbox(
			"completedByActions",
			"Complete with last action",
			null
		)

		inputForm = new Form()
		inputForm.addField(textInputField)
		inputForm.addField(menuElement)
		inputForm.addField(completedByChildrenCheckbox)	
		
		inputForm.validate = function(formObject){
			projectTitle = formObject.values['projectTitle']
			return ((!projectTitle)?false:true)
		}
		
		formPrompt = "Title and settings for new project:"
		buttonTitle = "Continue"
		
		utterance = createUtterance(formPrompt)
		synthesizer.speakUtterance(utterance)
		
		formObject = await inputForm.show(formPrompt, buttonTitle)
		projectTitle = formObject.values['projectTitle']
		projectTypeIndex = formObject.values['projectTypeIndex']
		completedByActions = formObject.values['completedByActions']
		
		// THE OPTIONAL ARGUMENT MAY BE: string, number, date, array, or object
		var targetFunctionArgument = {
			"items": itemData,
			"title": projectTitle,
			"projectTypeIndex": projectTypeIndex,
			"completedByActions": completedByActions
		}
	
		var targetAppName = "omnifocus"
		
		// THE FUNCTION TO BE EXECUTED ON THE TARGET APP
function targetAppFunction(targetFunctionArgument){
	try {
		dataItems = targetFunctionArgument["items"]
		projectTitle = targetFunctionArgument["title"]
		projectTypeIndex = targetFunctionArgument["projectTypeIndex"]
		completedByActions = targetFunctionArgument["completedByActions"]
		var project = new Project(projectTitle)
		project.status = Project.Status.Active
		if (projectTypeIndex === 1){
			project.sequential = true
		} else if (projectTypeIndex === 2){
			project.containsSingletonActions = true
		}
		project.completedByChildren = completedByActions
		// link-back to project
		projectID = project.id.primaryKey
		var linkURL = "omnifocus:///task/" + projectID
		console.log("PROJECT LINK:", linkURL)
		
		var previousItem = null
		var previousLevel = null
		var insertionLocation = null
		dataItems.forEach((dataItem, index, dataArray) => {
			itemLevel = dataItem.level
			itemTopic = dataItem.topic
			itemNote = dataItem.note
			
			if (itemLevel > 1){ // child or sibling of previous item
				if(itemLevel === previousLevel){ // sibling
					insertionLocation = previousItem.parent.ending
				} else if (itemLevel > previousLevel){ // child
					insertionLocation = previousItem.ending
				} else if (itemLevel < previousLevel){ // calculate previous parent				
					var parentItem = project.task
					for(var i = 0; i < (itemLevel -1); i++){
						parentItem = parentItem.tasks.pop()
					}
					insertionLocation = parentItem.ending
				}
			} else {
				insertionLocation = project.ending
			}
			
			task = new Task(itemTopic, insertionLocation)
			task.note = itemNote
			
			previousItem = task
			previousLevel = itemLevel
		})
				
		document.windows[0].focus = [project]
		
		// return link to project to calling script
		return linkURL
	}
	catch(err){
		console.error(err.name, err.message)
		throw {
			name: err.name,
			message: err.message
		}
	}
}

			// CREATE SCRIPT URL WITH FUNCTION AND PASSED DATA
			scriptURL = URL.tellFunction(
				targetAppName, 
				targetAppFunction,
				targetFunctionArgument
			)
		
			// CALL THE SCRIPT URL, PROCESS RESULTS OR ERROR
			// WRAP IN PROMISE TO GIVE PASSED SCRIPT TIME TO COMPLETE
			var result = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
				scriptURL.call(reply => {
					// PROCESS RESULTS OF SCRIPT
					if(reply){
						console.log("CALL RESULT:", reply)
						// open returned link to show new project
						URL.fromString(reply).open()
					}
					utterance = createUtterance("Done!")
					synthesizer.speakUtterance(utterance)
					resolve("done")
				}, error => {
					// PROCESS SCRIPT ERROR
					console.error("CALL ERROR:", error.errorMessage)
					throw error
					reject(error.errorMessage)
				})
			})
			await result
	}
	catch(err){
		if(!err.causedByUserCancelling){
			utterance = createUtterance(err.message)
			synthesizer.speakUtterance(utterance)
			//new Alert(err.name, err.message).show()
		}	
	}
})();

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