[Orgmode] Re: Best way to use org-mode as a work log

[Ethan Brown]

On Sat, Dec 19, 2009 at 8:07 AM, Matt Lundin <address@hidden> wrote:
> Ethan Brown <address@hidden> writes:
>
>> I've been an emacs user since about 1990, but have just recently
>> discovered org-mode.  It seems as if it would be very well suited to
>> use as my work log--I currently just use a regular text file.
>
> Would you mind explaining what you mean by a work log? Org-mode has
> built in logging and clocking features to track when you worked on
> something and how long you spent on it. Using the agenda, you can easily
> review all your work from any past date, week, etc. But perhaps you mean
> something more like a diary?
>
>> Since a work log is based around daily entries, I'm wondering if
>> anyone can recommend the best way to use org-mode for such a purpose.
>> I perused the FAQs but didn't see anything. Org-mode apparently
>> integrates with the emacs calendar/diary so there is probably a "right
>> way" to do this. If there's a FM out there that deals with this I'm
>> happy to RTFM.
>
> These sections of the manual should be of interest:
>
>  - http://orgmode.org/manual/Progress-logging.html#Progress-logging
>
>  - http://orgmode.org/manual/Agenda-commands.html#Agenda-commands (see
>   the command vl or l - toggle logbook mode)
>
>  - http://orgmode.org/manual/Clocking-work-time.html#Clocking-work-time
>
>> I read the excellent tutorial at
>> http://www.newartisans.com/2007/08/using-org-mode-as-a-day-planner.html
>> about using org-mode as a day planner, but a work log is somewhat
>> different, as it's a recount of the events and tasks worked on during
>> the day.
>
> You might want to check out Bernt Hansen's nice walk-through, which
> deals extensively with clocking:
>
> http://doc.norang.ca/org-mode.html
>
> Best,
> Matt
>

Thanks Matt, and also Mueen for the responses.   I have a work log
spanning the last 5 or so years on my current project.  It's a plain
text file that I just edit in emacs, plain and simple.  Here is how my
work log is organized and how I've done my initial conversion to
org-mode.  My current format is of the form:
========================================
05/14/09

    Accounting system:
            Work on CSS for tables
                 ** Use standard fonts!

             Design schema for SAP integration.
             ....

05/15/09
.....
05/16/09
.....
========================================

So when I start my work day, I just add the current date to the end of
the file and type away.   After reviewing the Org-mode docs and
playing around a bit I decided to just start simple and work my way
slowly into the more complex features.  I decided that my
implementation would set a top-level outline for each day and then set
the daily tasks with appropriate tags.  I needed to convert my current
work log, which contains entries from the last 5 or so years.  The
conversion was quite simple:

(1)  Replace all lines with "*" in the first character to "+" as the
first character so as not to inadvertently create an outline entry.
         M-x replace-regexp RET ^ *\* RET + RET

(2)  Replace all daily start entry lines with top-level outline
entries.  So lines of the form:

        05/15/09
     would be transformed to to lines of the form
        * Day Entry [2009-05-14]

     M-x replace-regexp RET
^\([0-9]\{1,2\}\)/\([0-9]\{1,2\}\)/\([0-9]\{2\}\) RET * Day Entry
\[20\3-\1-\2]  RET

And voila!  My work log was converted to org-mode format and I'm ready
to go.  Here's my work log for today in my new format, previous days
collapsed:

* Day Entry [2009-12-17] ...
* Day Entry [2009-12-18] ...
* Day Entry [2009-12-19]
** DONE Convert worklog to emacs .org file.        :work_organization:
   CLOSED: [2009-12-19 Sat 09:23]
*** DONE Replace all lines with * in the first character to +.
    CLOSED: [2009-12-19 Sat 09:10]
*** DONE Change all lines with starting entries XX/YY/ZZ to day entries of the
    CLOSED: [2009-12-19 Sat 09:23]
      form * Day Entry [20ZZ-XX-YY]
        Use emacs replace-regex
          ^\([0-9]\{1,2\}\)/\([0-9]\{1,2\}\)/\([0-9]\{2\}\)
           => * Day Entry \[20\3-\1-\2]


I'm currently using KTimeTracker for doing my project time tracking,
but I'm going to read up on the org-mode timers and perhaps switch
over.

Thanks again,

--Ethan