Query by parent bullet(s)

[ericlpeterson]

Add the capability to query by parent bullet.

Current state: right now, we can query by block, or markdown, or both - but not but parent bullet. For example:

Meeting with [[Bob]]

• Section of the meeting also with [[Joe]]
  • Task with [[Gene]]

If I query tasks with heading "Bob" and I get the "Task with Gene".
If I query tasks with description ''Gene" I get the "Task with Gene".
There is nothing I can query with "Joe" that will make the task show up - ideally a separate type of query would solve this.
Ideal state: Query parent block description "Joe" and get all child bullets with a parent block with "Joe" in the description.

WHY: In outliner format, parent bullets serve in many cases as headings, and are more easily formatted vs headings.

Separate mention of appreciation: THANK YOU for creating and posting this plug in - it is an incredible help to me!

[claremacrae]

Thank you for logging this suggestion.

Currently Tasks only stores each task independently, and does not store non-task lines at all.

So implementing this would need a complete re-design of how Tasks reads and stores data from Markdown.

[ericlpeterson]

Understood - but how does the plug in query using heading data? It would seem to me that one could likely use that method (or use a completely different plugin/process to make bullets appear as headings)? Eric Peterson

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On Thu, Sep 08, 2022 at 10:54 AM, Clare Macrae < ***@***.*** > wrote: Thank you for logging this suggestion. Currently Tasks only stores each task independently, and does not store non-task lines at all. So implementing this would need a complete re-design of how Tasks reads and stores data from Markdown. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub ( #1127 (comment) ) , or unsubscribe ( https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AQGSGCOYBRGNVH6B7WA7AWLV5ID5HANCNFSM6AAAAAAQHHBETA ). You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Message ID: <obsidian-tasks-group/obsidian-tasks/repo-discussions/1127/comments/3596416 @ github. com>

[claremacrae]

Understood - but how does the plug in query using heading data?

It stores inside each Task object the previous heading.
And the Task objects are then stored in a flat list.

It would be inefficient, memory-wise, for each Task to store full information about the tree of indented bullets it is within.

And so to adopt this change, I am presuming that the last list of tasks would need to be changed in to some different storage, perhaps a tree structure. Which would be a fundamental change to the plugin's code.

[ericlpeterson]

As an alternative, would it be possible for the query to recognize headings that are within bullets?
Meaning this:

Original example:

Meeting with [[Bob]]

• Section of the meeting wtih [[Joe]]
  • Task with Gene

If I query tasks with heading "Bob" and I get the "Task with Gene".

New example:

• Meeting with [[Bob]]

  • Section of the meeting wtih [[Joe]]
    • Task with Gene

If I query tasks with heading "Bob" and I do not get the "Task with Gene".

[claremacrae]

If I query tasks with heading "Bob" and I do not get the "Task with Gene".

I think that answers your question, that no, it is not currently possible.

As I said in my first reply, as far as I can tell, implementing this would require a complete redesign of the Tasks storage, As such, it is unlikely to be done any time soon, as there are lots of highly requested features that can be done without a redesign - and there are only so many hours in the week available for volunteering.

It may happen in the future, but is not currently planned.

I'm sorry this isn't the answer you want, but I feel it is better to be transparent about this.

In case it helps, I believe that the dataview plugin does retain information about task hierarchies, so it might be worth looking there in the meantime.

[ericlpeterson]

Yes that does answer it - and I apologize, my question was poorly written. Clarifying that question below so that other people may understand better if they are searching for similar answers: My first question was related to tasks under a bullet hierarchy, which I now understand is not possible without major rewrites. My second question was more related to how Obsidian (or Obsidian Tasks plugin) recognizes headings when they are part of a bullet list (at any level in the list hierarchy), which also sounds like is not possible without major changes. I appreciate the responses and the clarification, and your work on the plugin! Eric Eric Peterson

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On Thu, Sep 15, 2022 at 1:02 PM, Clare Macrae < ***@***.*** > wrote: > > > If I query tasks with heading "Bob" and I do not get the "Task with Gene". > > > I think that answers your question, that no, it is not currently possible. As I said in my first reply, as far as I can tell, implementing this would require a complete redesign of the Tasks storage, As such, it is unlikely to be done any time soon, as there are lots of highly requested features that can be done without a redesign - and there are only so many hours in the week available for volunteering. It may happen in the future, but is not currently planned. I'm sorry this isn't the answer you want, but I feel it is better to be transparent about this. In case it helps, I believe that the dataview plugin does retain information about task hierarchies, so it might be worth looking there in the meantime. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub ( #1127 (reply in thread) ) , or unsubscribe ( https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AQGSGCMTZLEG24KJOCK3OY3V6NQD7ANCNFSM6AAAAAAQHHBETA ). You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Message ID: <obsidian-tasks-group/obsidian-tasks/repo-discussions/1127/comments/3656389 @ github. com>

[claremacrae]

Thanks very much for the clarification- much appreciated!