Repeating tasks bug?
I just took the time to turn my scheduled tasks into repeating
tasks and noticed that some tasks don't behave like I tell them to!
:). I'm not sure if it is a bug or if that's how repeating tasks
are supposed to work. In any case, here's what I found: I created a
recurring task that is to be repeated every 1st Monday of the
month. This month, however, I was on vacation on the 1st Monday and
therefore wanted the next instance of the task to be on a different
date (on the 2nd Monday, 04/11). Unfortunately, though, this
doesn't work. Instead the task is saved with next month's regular
date (05/02). I've tried to change the date after creating the task
but it always reverts to the next regular recurrence. So now I have
to create a new identical task and schedule it for the date on
which I want it to move into Focus. If this was done by design,
then I'd prefer more flexibility.
And while I'm on the topic of repeating tasts, I'm for adding
"repeat x days after completion" (as others have already asked
for).
EDIT: I just tried changing the date of a weekly recurring task. The task is set to be repeated every Sunday, the next instance would be the 10th of April. If I change the date to the 11th of April, though, it gets saved with a different date, namely the 17th or in other words the next regular instance. If users don't notice this behavior, they'll think that they've successfully adjusted the date even though they haven't. Basically they're only skipping the next occurrence without knowing it! In that case, let's hope it's not an important task!
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2 Posted by Lasse on 08 Apr, 2011 10:13 PM
And another repeating tasks bug: Some tasks appear in Focus a day or two early even though the copy is to be created on the day it is due / scheduled. I've just now had it happen the second time this week.
Support Staff 3 Posted by David McLaughlin on 18 Apr, 2011 09:43 PM
Let's see... the first part of your post is intended behavior as I think you know at this point because of the other discussion thread you were a part of.
I do suspect that "repeat x days after completion" might come into play in the future - not sure when at this point - but it seems a number of people have asked for it.
We are also thinking that we may have an option to "force-spawn the next occurence" -- this would created the next scheduled occurence on demand (without changing the pattern task), and you could then change the date on that if you needed to.
My scenario is that if I had some time free, I might want to get a jump on tomorrow's tasks, so I'd force-spawn a task early and do it ahead of time. It could also be used in a case like you mentioned to force-spawn a task due to a schedule aberation and change that instance task without changing the schedule pattern.
Re: post 2 -- are you sure you're not making that up? -- I don't remember anyone else with that issue -- although I have to admit the memory is going. ;-)
Can you tell me the pattern that's causing the problem? I'll see if I can re-create it.
Thanks,
David
4 Posted by Lasse on 26 Apr, 2011 07:07 AM
@David,
OK, you got me. Every now and then I come up with fake bug reports just so I'll have something to post about. After all, I'm still hoping to catch up with Proximo someday. Only 3000 more posts to go... :)
But jokes aside, concerning post 2, here's what I think may have happened: When I first created repeating tasks, I set them to be spawned a day early because I thought that's when the copy would be visible in Next. When I realized that creating a copy a day early meant that it would appear in Focus on that day, I went back and removed the "create copy x days early" rule from all pattern tasks. At least I think I did. But unfortunately insufficient memory is a problem that's not limited to senior citizens... :) So either I just forgot to change some pattern tasks or this behavior occurs when you tinker with "create copy early" rule. But since I haven't seen this behavior in the last two weeks, consider it resolved.
Support Staff 5 Posted by David McLaughlin on 02 May, 2011 02:37 PM
@Lasse
I'll consider it done then unless it happens again.
Thanks,
David
David McLaughlin closed this discussion on 02 May, 2011 02:37 PM.