OutLinker Lite (OutLinker for “list” people)
OutLinker came into being as a means for creating MindManager hyperlinks to archived Microsoft Outlook messages. It faccilitates the Getting Things Done (GTD) process of empyting your inbox and can be optionally enhanced by GyroQ and MindReader.
The program was recently enhanced with the option to create Outlook tasks with message attachments and/or links. It occurred to me that this tool might be useful to non-MindManager users. OutLinker Lite is a new version of OutLinker that removes dependencies and options related to MindManager and focuses on creating OutLook tasks. As time goes on, more “MindReader” functionality can be added to mark up those tasks in a manner similar to what is done in MindReader.
If you are an OutLinker power user, you might have a friend give “OutLinker Lite” a try. If you are not a MindManager user, but are suffering from a full inbox and struggling to avoid exceeding your Exchange quota, this could be a useful tool for you.
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ActivityOwner said,
March 22, 2009 @ 7:28 pm
There was a bug introduced with OutLinker Lite code that would cause tasks to be sent to task list regardless of version and for command line commands to not work correctly (also sent messages to task list). The lastest versions should fix this issue.
ActivityOwner said,
March 23, 2009 @ 6:51 am
Note that in order to access the message hyperlinks in the tasks from OutLook 2007, you should just run OutLinker on the tasks themselves. OutLinker will recognize it as a task it created and open the associated message.The comment above was incorrect. What OutLinker actually does is use the associated message as its MindManager link rather than the task (not really helpful to OutLinker Lite users).
In OutLook 2003, the link itself (Outlook:xxxxx) can be clicked on to open it.
I will make some tweaks to allow the message to be more readily accessible from the task list.
Ron said,
March 23, 2009 @ 8:26 am
Would love to give Lite a try but the download link points to a .jpg but no apparent download.
Ron said,
March 23, 2009 @ 8:36 am
The download link from the main page of the Wiki appears to point to the auto install script. I did not run it as I am not sure what it will do and prefer to install manually. The download link on http://wiki.activityowner.com/index.php?title=OutLinker_Lite points to the .jpg rather than an actual download.
Can we get a link to the actual code for we manual install types?
Ron
ActivityOwner said,
March 23, 2009 @ 9:35 am
Hi Ron — OutLinker Lite code = OutLinker code with the conditional compilation line at the top of the code set to “usemm=false”. Otherwise it is the same. The install version also has the reference to MindManager type library unchecked.
ActivityOwner said,
March 23, 2009 @ 9:37 am
Link is fixed now.
ActivityOwner said,
March 23, 2009 @ 9:58 pm
I hadn’t realized that the Outlook:entryid string at the top of the task list was not displayed as a hyperlink in Outlook 2007. If you run the registry setting script mentioned on the OutLinker page to configure your PC and then copy/paste the string into Internet Explorer it will open up the message associated with the task.
OutLinker could be programmed to pull up the message associated with the task instead of the task for processing, but that leaves the question of what to do with the task itself in those cases? Thoughts?
Note that the current behavior (for full OutLinker) is to transfer the message hyperlink rather than a link to the task.
ActivityOwner said,
March 23, 2009 @ 11:08 pm
The latest version uploaded will offer the option of opening/processing the message associated with outlinker-created tasks and after processing offer to mark the outlinker-created-task complete. Perhaps that can be the default behavior (feedback needed).
This should make “OutLinker Lite” more useful to folks.
Ron said,
March 24, 2009 @ 8:35 am
I have not played with the Lite version enough yet to answer your questions thoughtfully. I do have a question of my own though. You have stated the only difference between the versions is the value of the “usemm” constant and the code is otherwise identical. If that is the case is there any difference between operating in “Lite Mode” and operating in “Full Mode” and simply clicking on “TaskList”? For those without MM I understand it is necessary to have the option available. What I am really asking is does the “Lite Mode” do anything that the “Full Mode” does not do when you click on “TaskList”? I have noticed when doing my manual installs you have the “usemm” constant set to False by default.
ActivityOwner said,
March 24, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
Hi Ron — Sorry — I should be more clear on difference. If a non-MindManager user tried to use full OutLinker, it would complain about lack of type library and have several useless/buggy commands. What OutLinker-Lite does is exclude mindmanager and GyroQ-related code and options so that the user only sees navigation and tasklist related items and they are not dependent on type library they don’t have. The only interface “change” vs. deletion is that hiitting enter on a next action sends it to tasklist instead of the GyroQ queue. There isn’t anything additional in “lite” version or I’d call it “Deluxe” or “Pro” :-).
Focusing in on tasklist functionality has triggered some upgrades useful to both sets of users.
My workflow for upgrades is to save the OTM file with usemm=true for outlinker.exe and false withd the MM type library unchecked for outlinkerlite.exe Along the way I paste the new code into the wiki. Sometimes I forget to do that with usemm=true.
ActivityOwner said,
March 24, 2009 @ 8:17 pm
There are new versions uploaded that have a thread “zoom’/”unzoom” button that can allow you to navigate more cleanly over a conversation thread.
ActivityOwner said,
March 24, 2009 @ 8:34 pm
The even newer versions are tested :-).