FAQ

1. How do I create new entries?

   Press 'e' to create an event, 't' to create a task or 'j' to start the timer for a journal entry and then follow the prompts. For example, to create an event for a one hour meeting on Friday beginning at 10:00AM, I could press 'e', then press 'Return' at the prompt to accept the default file number and then enter:

   * meeting @d fri @s 10a @e 11a
   

   If I enter something wrong, say 'fir' instead of 'fri', I'll see an alert with the details of the problem and have a chance to correct the mistake.

2. What are the strange numbers in the far right hand column of the agenda and list views?

   The 'numbers' are indices that uniquely identify the filename AND the line number of the item (event, task or journal entry). They are base 36 numbers using the digits [0-9a-z] so that indices of 3 digits or less can represent 36^3 = 46,656 items. Three digit indices take less screen room and are easier, at least for me, to remember than 5-digit numbers would be. They are assigned in order as the tasks are processed so they will change, for example, if you delete a task. Thus they cannot be used as permanent identifies as would be the case with a database.

   The only times that you will use an item index are to:

   • mark a task finished. Press 'f' and then enter the index of the task at the prompt.
   • modify a item. Press 'm' and then enter the index of the item at the prompt.

   Since doing either will change the item (unless the operation is cancelled), etm will reload all the items from the data files after the operation and the indices may change. It is thus possible, for example, to mark two different tasks finished consecutively using the same index.

3. I'd like to be able to associate some items with clients and projects. My clients have unique 4-digit id numbers such as '1212' and projects have unique 2-digit ids such as '23'. How can I do this?

   Use hierarchical keywords, i.e., keywords with components separated by colons. E.g., record a task for this client and project that is due on May 30 as:

   + task description @d may 30 09 @k 1212:23
   

   Then you could see all the items associated with this client in the second quarter of 2009 by pressing 'l' to bring up the list view prompt and entering:

   -b apr 1 09 -e jun 30 09 -k 1212:
   

   since this would only show items with keywords containing the 'client' string '1212:'. Similarly:

   -b apr 1 09 -e jun 30 09 -k :23
   

   would only show items with keywords containing the 'project' string ':23'.

4. The default colors aren't very good against a dark background. How can I fix them?

   If you like these colors better:

   

   then open your ~/.etmrc with an editor and, from the default colors, change black to white and blue to yellow:

   ### Possible colors here and in the following include:
   ### 'black', 'red', 'green', 'yellow', 'blue', 'magenta', 'cyan' and 'white'
   ### The color to use for the header title
   # hclr = '''blue'''
   hclr = '''yellow'''
   
   ### The color to use for groupby headings
   gclr = '''green'''
   
   ### The color to use for pastdue tasks
   pclr = '''red'''
   
   ### The color to use for tasks due today
   tclr = '''magenta'''
   
   ### The color to use for tasks due within SOON days
   # sclr = '''blue'''
   sclr = '''yellow'''
   
   ### The color to use for tasks due within NEXT days
   # dclr = '''blue'''
   dclr = '''yellow'''
   
   ### The color to use for tasks due in more than NEXT days
   # mclr = '''black'''
   mclr = '''white'''