Any updates on this? iOS is rapidly becoming a problem for the taskpaper format. Editorial is defunct and I’m not so keen on Taskmator, but it seems the only option.
Does anyone have any other solution they are using to access their Taskpaper on iOS? Now that I’m 50% on iOS, I’m sadly having to rethink continuing with Taskpaper. When iOS 13 is released with full USB access, I can’t help but think that macos only apps are going to be a problem. I’m hoping that Jesse might be able to port it over as they look to make macos apps run on iOS.
I’ve been able to get my most important macros written in JavaScript, and I am using iCloud to sync (which works better than Dropbox did with Editorial—zero conflicted files with the new setup).
My only gripe was that I had to rename my TaskPaper files from .taskpaper to .txt—but once I got over that, I couldn’t be happier!
Just to say, I use TaskPaper a little differently than some. I use TaskPaper primarily as a writing tool. My organization of ideas happens in TaskPaper. At some point, Scrivener becomes my main focus as TaskPaper remains plain text and will not allow inline formatting or pasting in graphics. Finally, I move to Nisus, my word processor of choice.
I am making do just fine using Apples Notes app. I copy the text I am working on, and paste it into Notes. It syncs with my iPad, and I walk around reviewing and editing my writing, make changes, and allow it to resync with my Mac. Then I copy paste the changes.
I think I was the OP on this post. It would also be nice to see TaskPaper as a task keeping and task scheduling app on a compatible iOS platform. But for my needs, Notes has filled the gap quite nicely.
The more I realize that my writing process involves three separate apps, the less worried I have become about continuing to seek out a TaskPaper specific iOS outcome.
Thanks guys. My problem is that iOS is no longer a temporary fill-in for when I’m out and about. I actually need to work on my tasks on my iPad. This requires full Taskpaper functionality, which does not appear to be on the horizon.
Yep, I sympathize with you on that. I think Jessie weighed in that he was unable to find a profit in the overcrowded iOS market. Seems sad since, there are many other apps around that will do some of what TaskPaper can do, I suppose, but getting it right, as Jessie has done with TaskPaper is oh so sweet.
If it is about tracking projects and lists in the iOS environment, I think I would take a hard look at the offerings by the Omni Group. I don’t know very much about their products (OmniFocus, OmniPlan, OmniOutliner) but from what I have demoed in the past they seem to offer strong solutions that work in iOS and macOS. Not sure if any of their products work in the TaskPaper plain text environment or not. But, if you are seriously considering a total iOS environment, their products might be worth a look - see.
It wouldn’t matter specifically for Taskpaper, but it matters to many like me who are still needing to use desktops/laptops because of file transfer. As iOS inches ever closer to replacing macbooks/desktops it will invariably have an impact on macos only software. Which is my current predicament with Taskpaper.
I used to use Omni, but they’ve simply priced themselves out of my budget.
I’ve also moved all my text to plain text and don’t want to lock myself into proprietary formats. I did also consider Drafts which handles the Taskpaper format, but it’s data is siloed which also makes it unusable.
I may need to revisit todo.txt if I cannot find a solution.
I’m still working (very slowly it seems) on WriteRoom/TaskPaper 4 for Mac infrastructure.
I agree there needs to be better way to view/edit Taskpaper files cross platform, but I don’t have any concrete plans to do this right now.
With that said there is potential for movement here… I know @leftium is recently thinking about way to provide TaskPaper on iOS. Previously he’s done some other TaskPaper hacks:
There are a few reasons I created Todo.taskpaper. First, I want to use TaskPaper on non-MacOS platforms. Also, there are a few features I’d like to add. My original announcement explains in more detail.
Todo.taskpaper is hosted on the web, so it will run on most platforms with web browsers. The current version is completely client-side: no server is involved aside from serving static files. So it could easily be modified to run locally without any internet and could even be “appified.”
Currently Todo.taskpaper is a hobby project I work on as permitted by time and motivation. I am also waiting for the next version of a few libraries like CodeMirror 6 and React with suspense hooks.
A CEO recently approached me about funding/commercializing Todo.taskpaper. It’s just talk right now, but funding would accelerate and focus development specifically for TaskPaper on iPad. Commercialization would probably result in a web-based collaborative version of TaskPaper (that would work on iPad, of course).
In the near future, I plan to create an online TaskPaper viewer. This app would solve the issue with sharing TaskPaper files by nicely rendering an HTML version of any publicly accessible TaskPaper format file. This app would be largely read-only, although it may offer rudimentary Dropbox sync. (Copy the text from the app, edit in another app, then paste the changes back into the app. This would trigger a sync back to Dropbox.) I won’t be able to test on an iPad, but I’m sure it will work on iOS.
I’ll keep an eye on this thread to track what people want when using TaskPaper on iPad/iOS. My personal vision for Todo.taskpaper is not exactly the same as TaskPaper, but they are quite similar.
I think yes and no (I’ve not really used org-mode, but have read through docs in past).
Speaking of just function and file format, I think you are right … org-mode does more. With that said I think TaskPaper’s format is cleaner and better for pure outlining.
TaskPaper creates outline structure with whitespace while org-mode uses *. Even in a simple outline TaskPaper is easier to read and edit I think.
TaskPaper:
one
two
three
Org-mode:
* one
** two
*** three
There are lots of other areas where I would argue TaskPaper is easier/cleaner for macOS users, but I think the above is the core syntax difference.
Jesse, The iOS, of lack there of, always gives me pause with TaskPaper and is one of the reasons I keep leaving (but eventually coming back) the platform. I need a real iPAD OS version of TaskPaper like only you can develop it. Touch is ironically less important there now, I version on the iPAD that worked exactly like the Mac version is all I need.
I know I might get criticized for this but have you considered going subscription? I know that Greg at Drafts says it saved his business. He can develop cross-platform and he updates the product regularly. Something to consider as you get closer to a TaskPaper 4 release. I’d easily pay $5 or $6 per month if it got me full TaskPaper on iOS and Mac OS.
Certainly have wondered about it, but not really prepared to think much about it until I have 4.0 versions of my apps ready to go… which I do not. Personally I would like to offer both, and even allow user to choose from different price points, but maybe that would be to confusing in the end. Anyway haven’t given much real thought to any of it at this point.
I used to be a vibrant user of Drafts until it changed to the subscription model. I dropped Drafts at that point and haven’t regretted it once. Same for Fantastical and TextExpander.
I think that the problem I have with those plans is that once you stop paying, you don’t own anything. If a piece of software goes into a subscription base, I immediately look for an alternative. I have abandoned or I am still using older versions of some programs that went towards a subscription mode.
I used to use “Day One” till it became a subscription app. I got scared since I the purpose of journaling was to keep information. I now use Devonthink Server for that and many other things. I cost me a lot more than a subscription to DayOne (I just upgraded to the next Devonthink Server version, but I think that all together I have spent close to 700 dollars on Devonthink licenses on the last three years), but I am happy because I own my copy of Devonthink, and Devonthink is awesome. That is one of the reasons I moved towards Markdown many years ago. I have information there that I can open with LOTS of programs.
I think it will be a grave mistake to go into a subscription program with TaskPaper since many people started using some programs like TaskPaper because how refreshingly open their files were. Now, if something change into a subscription base, they will less inclined to keep their relationship with a software if they know that their source files were agnostic and could be open with other programs.
I think TaskPaper is underpriced and @jessegrosjean is under appreciated. I would be open to donate money. Pay way more for TaskPaper. I LOVE taskPaper. I do. I have purchased licenses of the program as a gift for some of my friends. I also loved Ulysses and when they moved into a subscription model, I felt betrayed. I felt like that sense of “ownership” was gone and I didn’t feel like “renting” going forward. I think I have spent more money buying other Markdown programs that I don’t even use than what a subscription for Ulysses would have cost me, but I am okay with that.
I think that a hybrid model where once could pay $50 dollars for the next version of TaskPaper or $5 dollars a month for a year for TaskPaper could work. I just get to keep all the updates and upgrades that I paid for that year. I just purchased some licenses for work that go for several hundreds of dollars each under that model (ProPresenter 7.) It seems a fair balance between supporting software we love and use for work, while having an ownership on what I purchase. Specially because if I love something, I rather buy it than rent it!
I use both TaskPaper and Org-Mode. TaskPaper is both a wonderful outlining format and an awesome app. It has it’s use-cases for quick outlining, drafting ideas and projects. Org-Mode is much much more complex, and it is not easy to read (as an outliner).
Re subscription: As much as I don’t like subscriptions like many of you, I strongly believe that it’s the only sustainable way for an (indie) developer to keep up his business. I choose my apps wisely[^1], and pay the subscription willingly knowing that I support the devs long run.
[^1]: Among others: Bear app, Ulysses app, Headspace (Meditation), MyFitness Pal, OneDrive, iCloud, Strides (habit tracker), and half a dozen other apps.