I often list small numbers in an outline and add them up. Right now I calculate in Spotlight and paste the result. It would be faster to calculate in the outline.
The idea
Write {{ sum }} in a row. It shows the total of the numbers in the rows below. You don't need tags or special fields. Just write numbers as usual.
You write:
Trip budget {{ sum }}
Flights 420
Hotel 180
Food 120
You see:
Trip budget 720
Flights 420
Hotel 180
Food 120
The total updates when you change a number or add a row.
{{ sum }} could also add up more than plain numbers, like time:
You write:
Writing log {{ sum }}
Draft 3:30
Edit 4:00
You see:
Writing log 7:30
Draft 3:30
Edit 4:00
{{ words }} works the same way. It shows the word count, so you can see how long each part of a draft is:
You write:
Essay draft {{ words }}
Intro {{ words }}
...
Part 1 {{ words }}
...
You see:
Essay draft 1,240
Intro 310
...
Part 1 930
...
A plain number may not say what it counts. If you want a label, write {{ words= }} instead:
Essay draft words=1,240
Intro words=310
...
Part 1 words=930
...
In the app, words would appear as a small label, so the number is easy to see.
Other ideas:
{{ 1200 * 12 }}: simple math
{{ chars }}: character count
{{ count }}: number of rows
{{ progress }}: how many checkboxes are done
Choosing the range
{{ sum }} is short for {{ descendants.sum }}. The first part says which rows to use:
descendants: all rows nested under it (default)
children: only the rows one level down
siblings: other rows at the same level
parent: the row one level up
You write:
Trip budget 1000
Flights 420
Hotel 180
Left {{ parent.number - siblings.sum }}
You see:
Trip budget 1000
Flights 420
Hotel 180
Left 400
parent is one row, so parent.number is just its number, 1000.
Autocomplete
These names are hard to remember, so good autocomplete is important:
Suggestions when you type {{
A preview of the result before you pick
Clear messages when something is wrong
Export
When you export, you could choose to export the results instead of the {{ }} expressions.
This may be useful only for some people. But I think it fits Kosshi's design well, and it could make the outliner a better thinking tool. I made a simple prototype before, and the basic idea seems possible. For now, other things come first, such as improving the basics.
I posted the Summaries idea before. But showing summaries on every collapsed row can make the screen too busy. So I'm thinking of this instead. With {{ }}, you can put summary-like information only where you want it.
I often list small numbers in an outline and add them up. Right now I calculate in Spotlight and paste the result. It would be faster to calculate in the outline.
The idea
Write
{{ sum }}in a row. It shows the total of the numbers in the rows below. You don't need tags or special fields. Just write numbers as usual.You write:
You see:
The total updates when you change a number or add a row.
{{ sum }}could also add up more than plain numbers, like time:You write:
You see:
{{ words }}works the same way. It shows the word count, so you can see how long each part of a draft is:You write:
You see:
A plain number may not say what it counts. If you want a label, write
{{ words= }}instead:In the app,
wordswould appear as a small label, so the number is easy to see.Other ideas:
{{ 1200 * 12 }}: simple math{{ chars }}: character count{{ count }}: number of rows{{ progress }}: how many checkboxes are doneChoosing the range
{{ sum }}is short for{{ descendants.sum }}. The first part says which rows to use:descendants: all rows nested under it (default)children: only the rows one level downsiblings: other rows at the same levelparent: the row one level upYou write:
You see:
parentis one row, soparent.numberis just its number, 1000.Autocomplete
These names are hard to remember, so good autocomplete is important:
{{Export
When you export, you could choose to export the results instead of the
{{ }}expressions.This may be useful only for some people. But I think it fits Kosshi's design well, and it could make the outliner a better thinking tool. I made a simple prototype before, and the basic idea seems possible. For now, other things come first, such as improving the basics.
I posted the Summaries idea before. But showing summaries on every collapsed row can make the screen too busy. So I'm thinking of this instead. With
{{ }}, you can put summary-like information only where you want it.