My list of tasks has disappeard

Hi Jon,

Next time you get a "locked" message and you're sure you haven't opened that task file in another instance of Task Coach (on the same or another computer), simply click "break the lock" to open the task file.

That being said, let's see if we can find your task file. The easiest way is to start Task Coach and then click the File menu. Somewhere down in the menu there should be a list of task files you have recently used. The files are numbered 1, 2, etc. Clicking the file name should open that task file in Task Coach. Number 1 should be the most recent one, so try that one first.

Does that help?

Thanks for your quick response.

There IS no file menu, at least not where one would normally look. Starting from left, there is a pair of scissors ("cut"), then icons for copy, paste, new task, new sub-item, and so on.

Hi Jon,

What platform are you on?

Thanks, Frank

Hello, Frank:

I am using a PC, Windows XP Pro. Is that what you mean?

--Jon

At 04:01 PM 10/27/2011, you wrote:
>Your question #176531 on Task Coach changed:
>https://answers.launchpad.net/taskcoach/+question/176531
>
> Status: Open => Needs information
>
>Frank Niessink requested more information:
>Hi Jon,
>
>What platform are you on?
>
>Thanks, Frank
>
>--
>To answer this request for more information, you can either reply to
>this email or enter your reply at the following page:
>https://answers.launchpad.net/taskcoach/+question/176531
>
>You received this question notification because you asked the question.

I am on a P.C., using Windows XP Pro

Hello, Frank:

Thank you for your quick response. I answered it on the website but
I'll repeat here: there is no "file" menu. I made a screen shot of
what I see when I open Task Coach.

As I note on the attachment, when I first installed task coach the
window was smaller and it was laid out differently. Then a few days
later I started getting the window you see. There are not the normal
(- [] X) symbols in the upper right corner so I have to minimize it
by right clicking on the task coach symbol at the bottom of the
screen. But, at least it has been working all along and I think it's
becoming a good way to keep track of my freelance work.

Any suggestions you may have will be appreciated, because I now have
a couple weeks worth of time recorded on task coach and I will need
that information in order to bill for my hours!

Sincerely,
Jon Battle

At 03:11 PM 10/27/2011, you wrote:
>Your question #176531 on Task Coach changed:
>https://answers.launchpad.net/taskcoach/+question/176531
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
>Frank Niessink proposed the following answer:
>Hi Jon,
>
>Next time you get a "locked" message and you're sure you haven't opened
>that task file in another instance of Task Coach (on the same or another
>computer), simply click "break the lock" to open the task file.
>
>That being said, let's see if we can find your task file. The easiest
>way is to start Task Coach and then click the File menu. Somewhere down
>in the menu there should be a list of task files you have recently used.
>The files are numbered 1, 2, etc. Clicking the file name should open
>that task file in Task Coach. Number 1 should be the most recent one, so
>try that one first.
>
>Does that help?
>
>--
>If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
>know that it is solved:
>https://answers.launchpad.net/taskcoach/+question/176531/+confirm?answer_id=0
>
>If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
>following page to enter your feedback:
>https://answers.launchpad.net/taskcoach/+question/176531
>
>You received this question notification because you asked the question.

Hi Jon,

Where is the screen shot exactly?

Here's another option to try:
- Remember where you saved your task file (probably somewhere in your home folder?)
- Close Task Coach
- Go to c:\Documents and Settings\<your username>\Application Data\TaskCoach
- Remove the file called "TaskCoach.ini"
- Start Task Coach; it should look normal now (like the very first time you started it) (*)
- Use the File -> Open menu to open your task file

(*) If it doesn't look normal now, you'll have to uninstall Task Coach, download the latest release and install that.

Please let me know how this works out.

Sorry for the inconvenience, Frank

Hello, Frank:

Thank you for this additional information.

I did as you suggested and now I have the original Task Coach layout. Alas! It is blank!

How do I recover my tasks? After every session I clicked "yes" to backup. (I never did figure out how to independently backup my data, possibly on MS Word or some other program, but I assumed there was some sort of Task Coach backup file.) Would the ''ini'' file contain this info? Could the info be amongst the files in the Task Force program file folder (under Program Files? There's a "backup.tsk" file, for example, dated yesterday.

I have been keeping my hours for five jobs on Task Coach for about three weeks so it's critical that I get this information back!

By the way, I have version 1.2.27 -- should I download a newer version or will this erase my accumulated data?

I'll be grateful for your help in retrieving this information.

Hi Jon,

How you recover your tasks? Simply by opening the task file where you saved the tasks. It's a file whose name ends with '.tsk' like the backup.tsk you mentioned. I don't know where you saved it, but in any case *you* decided where to save it the first time you saved your tasks. If you don't remember where you saved it, some places to look are your home folder and C:\Program Files\TaskCoach. Searching your computer for all files ending with .tsk may also be help you locate it.

The TaskCoach.ini file does not contain your tasks, it only contains the settings (like which views are visible, which columns are visible, what task file you are working on, etc.).

Upgrading is not necessary right now. I'd recommend you first find your task file and make sure you can open it with Task Coach. If you're all set, then might be a good time to upgrade (but please always make a backup copy of your task file before upgrading).

Cheers, Frank

Thank you! I found my data by opening the "tsk." backup file!

A few last questions, if you'll permit me --

1). Can I somehow save the backup file and make it my current Task Coach? Would I "save as" -- and if so, "as" what? Or must I type all my tasks into the "blank" Task Coach, and start a complete new time sheet?

2). You say to make sure I keep a backup copy, and I will. And that backup copy is indeed the "backup.tsk" file, is that correct?

3). Where is the instruction manual found on-line? If I'd read this to begin with, I wouldn't have subjected myself to so much trouble (or subjected you to so much time in helping me!).

4). In order to upgrade to the newest version, do I simply download it off your website? Do I have to remove the previous version first? And how then do I transfer my accumulated data from the old version to the new one (or is that automatic)?

Thank you for your time and patience. I've been giving Task Coach a trial run for the last 2-3 weeks and it has been quite helpful in tracking my hours on various jobs and their components. I originally did this on paper but it is much easier to do on the computer (since I perform my work on the computer).

Hi Jon,

Glad your back on track.

1) Yes you can use Save as to copy the files from the backup.tsk file to a new one. Open the backup.tsk file and then use File -> Save as to save the tasks under a different name, e.g. "My tasks.tsk". After you have done that, both "backup.tsk" and the new file will contain exactly the same information (until you make changes to one of them of course).

You should *not* save task files in the same folder as where Task Coach is installed (C:\Program Files\TaskCoach) because that folder is not meant for user data, but only for the program itself. You should save the task file in your home folder (C:\Documents and Settings\<your username>\My documents).

2) You should turn on the creation of automatic backups. Go to the preferences dialog (Edit->Preferences), click on the Files tab and check the second option (create a backup copy before overwriting a task file). This will create backup copies of the task file you are working on, in the same folder as where the task file is. To prevent too many backup files, Task Coach will remove older backup files from time to time.

3) The help information is quite extensive (Help menu in Task Coach->Help contents). There's also work going on the create a manual in a wiki online. See http://taskcoach.wikispaces.com.

4) You don't need to uninstall the previous version. You do need to close Task Coach before installing the new version (but if you forget, the installer will warn you that Task Coach is still running). We make sure that newer versions of Task Coach can read old task files, so you don't need to do anything special to your task file after upgrading. Just to be safe it's of course a good idea to create a backup of your task file before installing a new version. If you turn on the automatic backup feature you should always have a few recent backup files around. But making a copy of the task file to e.g. a USB stick or external harddrive is of course even more safe.

Cheers, Frank

Thank you very much for your help!

Just to be absolutely sure, you're saying that the "my tasks.tsk" file -- the one I create by saving the backup file as another name -- becomes my "master" Task Coach file. The one I use every day. Is that correct?

Thanks, and thanks again for all of your time and patience in getting me through this problem. As I said, the concept of recording my hours on the computer seems to working out well, and Task Coach has just the tools I need with which to do that (and keep track of sub tasks as well). I'm sure it has the ability to do many other things as well, but I haven't had time yet to check those out!

Jon, you're welcome.