Amend the "Comments" from different users 'without TDL'? Topic is solved

[Peter2]

I'm thinking about this simple(??) idea:

- I have a tasklist (a tdl-file) which I use on a "simple" level, but with long comments.
- I want that my colleagues add their comments to the "comment" area, as a kind of "log file what they have done".
- Neither my colleagues nor the tasks itself should be handled by the full version of TDL - it's to complicated for adding 2 lines every three weeks.
- So my idea is to create a small, external tool with AutoHotKey AHK which offers only a simple input field: "Please write what you have worked on"
- The tools adds only the date and starts a command like this:

Code: Select all

"D:\Program Files\todolist\ToDoList.exe" "d:\xxx\log.tdl" -cm "I worked on this and that and added something" -tid 3

I'm not sure if this will work fine, because ..
- the TDL and todolist.exe will be saved in our local network
- do I need only the exe in the network or the entire software folder
- how will the construct "react" on the command? I tried it with a batch-file and saw that the software and the tdl-file stay opened. I just want a "small and quick" adding of two lines to the file. There should be no opened software and no opened file (but maybe I could close it by the AHK program ..)

Is there a chance that it will work or will it fail?

have a fine evening!

[abstr]

Is there a chance that it will work or will it fail?

Definitely a chance. But:

1. If you are using 'Simple Source Control' (SSC) then you will need to add '-ssc' to the command line
2. And then you have the issue of handling the fact that the tasklist might be checked out by someone else when another user wants to update it
3. If you are not using SSC then you still have the problem of two people wanting/attempting to update the tasklist at the same time, and only one them will win

[Peter2]

But am i right that there is no command to close the program?
To "open - write comment - close file and program"?

[abstr]

You can close the app by issuing a '-cmd' with the appropriate menu ID but do that as a separate action.

Are you guaranteed that the user will not themselves be running TDL else it could close their running instance?

[Peter2]

...Are you guaranteed that the user will not themselves be running TDL else it could close their running instance?

Yes. The idea is that the user don't use TDL itself, just only the AHK script to add the comment.

[Peter2]

You can close the app by issuing a '-cmd' with the appropriate menu ID but do that as a separate action....

I don't understand ..
I tried something like this in a batch-file, but I messed up opening and saving and closing ..

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chcp 1252
"D:\Program Files\todolist\ToDoList.exe" "d:\xxx\log.tdl" -cmd 999
pause
"D:\Program Files\todolist\ToDoList.exe" "d:\xxx\log.tdl" -cm "Das ist ein langer Kommentar für a sdsdsd" -tid 3
"D:\Program Files\todolist\ToDoList.exe" "d:\xxx\log.tdl" -cm "Das ist ein langer Kommentar für a sdsdsd" -tid 2
"D:\Program Files\todolist\ToDoList.exe" "d:\xxx\log.tdl" -cm "Das ist ein langer Kommentar für a sdsdsd" -tid 1
pause
"D:\Program Files\todolist\ToDoList.exe" "d:\xxx\log.tdl" -cmd 999
pause

Please give me an example how to make it ..

[abstr]

-cmd 999

Not sure where you got this from. The IDs need to come from the 'Tools > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts' page.

It might be enough to do this:

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"...\ToDoList.exe" "...\log.tdl" -cm "..." -tid 3 -cmd 32816|32854

where 32816 saves the tasklist and 32854 closes TDL.

However, the issue with one person overwriting another persons comment is a serious one that may undermine the reliability of this tool.

[Peter2]

Thanks, Dan,
now I understand the meaning of the "cmd IDs". ...

And yes - my idea will be rather unstable. I have to think about another approach.