Support for accessing Task Coach items on Android
Note from the Task Coach team: this item was updated to clarify some support for Android in some form. There is another request for a full Task Coach Android app, but we don't have the resources to do it, so it's more an issue of finding new team members who want to do the work of developing the app.
See the other request here:
https://taskcoach.uservoice.com/forums/26480-other-task-coach-requests/suggestions/2652582-a-full-android-version-of-task-coach-comparable-t
But voting on that won't do much, as we aren't capable of making this happen right now. Please do whatever you can to recruit developers for this. We would love to see it happen.
Release 1.2.26 has the ability to import/export tasks from/to the Todo.txt format. Using the free Simpletask app for Android (in Google Play or from F-Droid here: https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdid=nl.mpcjanssen.simpletask ) you can edit your tasks on your Android device and then import them again in Task Coach. If you turn on automatic importing and exporting in the preferences dialog, Task Coach keeps its task file in sync with the accompanying todo.txt file. See the Help in Task Coach for more information.
The big advantage (for us ;-) of this solution is that Todo.txt (and the Todo.txt format) are open source as is the Simpletask app, so that developing Todo.txt integration was/is relatively easy to do.
Because Task Coach is developed by just two people (Jérôme and Frank) , developing and supporting another app in another programming language is simply not an option. That’s the main reason why I opted for integration with another (open) task application for now.
I know that this solution doesn’t really fulfil the feature request (Develop an Android version) but I hope it’s close enough for many of you. Of course we welcome feature requests for improving Task Coach/Todo.txt integration or for supporting other Android task applications. Note: the more information you can provide about those third party Android apps, the better. If they cost money, please be prepared to buy us two copies :-)
Cheers, Frank
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J.G.E. commented
It's also an option but that implies sync with mobile phone only. The good thing with Toodledo is that you sync both computer and mobility at once. Also even Astrid has multiple sync possibilities all of them do have limitations, since Producteev is not that good as it claims to be.
Other option would be to sync Task Coach directly with Google Tasks and from there to Astrid, but first I'm not sure if that fits Task Coach development plans and second Google Calendar / Task do only actualize once or twice a day... quite a long way to get things updated.
Third thing is Astrid itself, which even being free it's quite buggy and doesn't reach Ultimate To-Do List functionality and stability.
Anyhow, I'll be happy to see any Task Coach sync improvement they (developers) want to add. The plug-in for Toodledo is open source either so I think it could be easily implemented. As many options as possible would be the best.
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Niels Anonymous commented
Sync with Astrid would be really great, both is Open Source so why not. I don't want to share all my data in the cloud.
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J.G.E. commented
Just being able to synchronize with Toodledo would boost the multi-platform support to online and android sync... an Android version of Task Coach won't be needed anymore sparing the development time to other things. Toodledo is also really stable and understands Task Coach quite well. I did import all tasks in iCAL form in 1 sec... just a pitty not all fields were recognized. I did try the same functionality within TaskUnifier and I was impressed even when the program doesn't reach Task Coach functionality by far... anyhow, 3 desktops (MAC, WIN and LIN) and 1 android phone can be now synchronize using Ultimate To-Do-List, for example... in 1 sec...
Even then, I would prefer working within Task Coach than TaskUnifier...
Toodledo is probably right now the most realistic option for Task Coach to add Android support and / or synchronization (http://www.toodledo.com/index.php?f=1). From the free subscription you can get a lot and from there on synchronize to an everyday more growing "community" of Toodledo compatible Android Task Apps (http://www.toodledo.com/connections.php and http://www.todolist.co/compare.html) together with all kind of third-party applications. Even RTM is loosing the battle against this rich yet simple cloud-to-everything free task synchronizer. Higher functionality can be reached by year subscription, but not needed for the most of users.
I cannot post anything about the protocols for sync yet but the code from TaskUnifier (Java / GNU GPL license) is there for anyone to look at.
I wish this could also be implemented within Task Coach.
Works awesome!
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J.G.E. commented
Finally after much discussion and review surfing I've got my new (and first) Android phone. There are actually few professional phone sellers, unless they work for the BIG APPLE, who recommend an iphone against the growing and improving army of droids and android software. I must say I'm impressed with the phone, the system itself (even being 2.2) and the freedom of use compared to an iphone (nothing to say about the price :-)). Even being a daily iMAC worker I'm not turning back on this point. Iphone never more (I'm not google employee, by the way)
Anyhow, within all the apps I'm trying I'm definitely missing TaskCoach. No developer has even approached nor to the fully functionality of this program nor to the mutiplatform compatibility. Also being SyncML still such an issue within the Android environment (not so far from being resolved, though) Task Coach could be the first app to multi-synchronize and back-up through Mac, Win, Lin, Iph and Android with one click. Awesome dream!
Could be it's strange to think about people or workers wanting or needing all environments access during the same day, but I'm one of them.
Again, since this request seems to be hard as hell for the developers I do want to encourage people to donate something in order to get it accomplish. Otherwise I don't think it's a realistic idea.
Keep the great work!!
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Kristof BOSTOEN commented
Currently I'm using ToDoList but noticed that TaskCoach has all the functionality I would like and plan to use it. I looked for an alternative to ToDoList exactly because the Android viewer for ToDoList is not materialising. Happy to make a contribution for a functional app if that would persuade developers. Maybe we should start with just a sync and view function rather than a full working app.
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Rene Geling commented
Apparently it is very difficult to develop an android version, but what about an exchange with the Android Astrid app? Features of Astrid are comparable with Taskcoach, but it lacks an Windows or web application. Anyone who can look into the posiibilities?
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Tobi commented
would love to see an Android app that would sync via bluetooth or USB.
Many thanks -
Eike commented
I just discovered TaskCoach and love it and an Android port would make this software even better. I hope you guys can find the time or help to make this possible.
Thank you for the project. -
Thomas Merkle commented
a version for android would be very nice - having all time the tasks not only in mind :-)
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AdminJérôme Laheurte (Admin, Task Coach) commented
It's not possible to get the old user interface. At the time, all viewers had the same set of actions so there was only one toolbar but now viewers have their own toolbars, with possibly very different options...
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J.G.E. commented
Now I get it. I was still wondering why I was using a Mac program that looks like Mindows (sorry for inverting the 'W'). If only was it possible to customize the toolbars (main and viewers) colour and size, the icons (icon itself, position and size) and the background colours and appearance, even within the same program and structure, the look and feel could fit a bit more each user.
I didn't try the linux version yet, but I'm sure i could play around with customization within one of the distros... yet themes impose a certain look to windows and toolbars and I'm curious how wxWidgets would handle it. In case it did work, soon could Task Coach open an Artwork section (like several Lintros) and get promotion with it. Who knows?
On the other hand, and this seems to be quite strange to me, the former version 0.73.4 (again, outdated) that is published at the apple site (http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/productivity_tools/taskcoach.html) shows a UI quite different (and with a better look, I must say) than the actual one. There's a main toolbar, big and clear, and the viewers look like tabs avoiding the annoying icon repetition through the screen. Is it possible at the current version to get that user-interface or did I just miss it at the preferences?
Thanks for reacting that fast to my previous post.
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AdminJérôme Laheurte (Admin, Task Coach) commented
I agree that the UI for the iPhone/iPod/iPad app is a bit, err, rough. When developers design a UI it often shows:
http://okcancel.com/comic/4.html
If anybody has experience in HCI, I'm all open for advices.
Concerning the desktop app, the problem is that in order to run on all major platforms, we use a toolkit named wxWidgets, which is, to put it bluntly, a kind of lowest common denominator between supported platforms. That would be Windows. So it looks like a Windows app, which may be a bit disturbing for a Mac user. Maybe the next major version will fix some of that (the current one is still based on Carbon instead of Cocoa), but probably not.
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J.G.E. commented
I have an idea... most of us want an Android version. Right now I'm even doubting between an Iphone or an Android telephone just only because of Task Coach!!... :-))... (it's gonna be Android nevertheless).
But seriously, folks. If we all want the Android version so much I propose we all 528 voters donate between 1 and 10 $ to the project (since the Mac version cost 1$ and there are many other features that we are asking for within the desktop version) in order to give these two brave developers some financial free time to keep on working on this masterpiece software.
I'm gonna donate some more because all the features I'm already asking for and because of all the service I'm getting from this program (only the growl implementation saves my days!). But I understand also if people sticks to the android request and donation. I think it would be fair to help them a little since it doesn't exist in the market any program with such features, open source, multi-platform, portable (don't forget!) and with a 1-10 €/$ price... no way! (I can tell you, I did try them all).
I also think the program needs some UI-design-user interface improvements to make it more intuitive, easier and attractive to the eye. I did check the iphone version and I think the main reason why this App didn't sell that well is not because the app itself but because the desktop version not having the Apple style or at least a more modern and simple interface.
Mac users (like me) look for the task program style of "Things" (which actually doesn't reach by far all the features of Task Coach and cost 50 $!!) and want to be able to sync both desktop and iphone programs easily. If one of both ends don't match they won't put interest in the other one.
Also doesn't help the desktop reviews from CNET Download or Apple itself (with many other download sites) which are outdated from the development effort, but do criticize the lack of simplicity "...the program's interface is cluttered and not intuitive..." they say... what produces an immediate rejection from many users without trying it further.
On the other hand, Linux and open-source fans (like me) love light yet complete programs to customize and look forward to integrate them with Android mobile systems. It's kind of sad to think a great open-source program like this cannot play in such environment (sad enough my linux programming skills are not high enough to help them in this travel. I reach market analysis, instead)
I'm sure this program has the potential to gain massive user's and 'awards' attention but I think we all should be realistic about the fact that both developers cannot deal with such amount of work on their free time without some 'help' (and no, I don't know the developers personally nor I'm their relative :-)
I hope all my 527 (at this point) Android-mates will agree on this matter.
Thanks in any case for the great work! I hope it will keep on going!
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Robert commented
I will use ist on Android.
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Robert commented
Cool... I am a brand new user... I will use the Android version on my Google phone Nexus1.
At least if it is possible to synchro, track time effort on existing task, add task on the fly it will be very usefull.I have a very good bandwith on my server, install in a data center. I may be willing to offer a bandwith for free to help a project. Hope my english skill will not be an obstacle.
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Thomas K. commented
After uncounted years of looking for a suitable to-do list manager, I recently found task coach portable on the net. Now I'm using it everyday and have to say it 100% fits to the way I work. For all other products I always had to adjust my personal way to manage my time and projects to the functionality of the software, so I always spent too much time in customizing the products to my need, which at the end never worked out as I wanted. Now I have bought an Dell Streak Android system, which is a great tool. After checking Android Marketplace, I could not find any software which is even close to Task Coach. I would give a lot, if task coach would be available on Android!!!. (At least 2 copies :-))
Please let my dreams come true...Have a nice day
Thomas
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Robert Lilly commented
Thanks Jerome! I'll look your specs over shortly. I joined the taskcoach-dev list for follow-up.
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AdminJérôme Laheurte (Admin, Task Coach) commented
The first draft is available:
http://fraca7.free.fr/proto.html
If you have questions/remarks/feedback etc, you should post to the taskcoach-dev mailing list (on Yahoo groups).
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Robert Lilly commented
Awesome! Thanks Jerome. Hopefully my programming skills will be sufficient.
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AdminJérôme Laheurte (Admin, Task Coach) commented
Cool! I'll write something down as soon as I have some time; shouldn't take long.