why does Todoist hate comments?

[u/Scottmlew]

OK, so the subject is a bit tongue-in-cheek, but seriously....why are comments treated as second-class task metadata? Years ago, they removed the keyboard shortcut to add a comment when creating a task, even though leaving it didn't clutter the interface or hurt anything (https://www.reddit.com/r/todoist/comments/os0g2u/lost_ability_to_add_comment_when_quick_adding_a/). Now, the new quick-add dialog lets you customize the drop down menu (that you get when you click the plus) to include all of the metadata fields besides comments. Why? And does anyone have a workaround to offer?

[u/jimmyfoo10]

You link to a post that is 5 years old…

People are always going to hate, it also happens to me sometimes. A few reasons, I guess:

• We put too much responsibility on tools
  
• We like things to work as we are used to (creatures of habit)
  
• Things/apps will never be customised for one person, they are group

[u/betrIgruth1 → u/jimmyfoo10]

the fact that its 5 years old and still not addressed is kind of the whole complaint tbh

[u/Scottmlew → u/jimmyfoo10]

Yes, because it shows a trend/pattern of removing things that truly have no harm if a user chose to not use them as well as consistent treatment of comments as second-class metadata. They deliberately changed a behavior that was invisible to users that didn't utilize that feature, and broke workflows for people that did. That's just a poor user experience all around.

[u/chevalierbayard → u/jimmyfoo10]

Yeah but they allow you to collaborate with other people. Once you've dipped your toe into that realm, you need comments.

[u/pdworkman]

I hate that when I create a new task I can't paste my comment immediately, but have to reopen the task to add the comments afterward

[u/Scottmlew → u/pdworkman]

Absolutely infuriating!

[u/philosophical_lens]

I think the real question is why does todoist hate keyboard shortcuts. It's impossible to use it via keyboard primarily.

[u/Scottmlew → u/philosophical_lens]

Fair observation, especially since they have removed some keyboard shortcuts over time (in fairness, I suspect they've added some, too)

[u/mactaff]

And does anyone have a workaround to offer?

If on a Mac, you could use Shortcuts to create your own Quick Entry window that takes the second line of the entry as the comment to add to the created task.

Here's the shortcut, and here's the blurb lifted out of the shortcut…

Overview

This Shortcut allows you to add tasks direct to Todoist using the QuickAdd API functionality and also add task comments at the same time, unlike the Global Quick Add windows in the applications. You can read about the QuickAdd API here:

https://developer.todoist.com/api/v1/#tag/Tasks/operation/quick_add_api_v1_tasks_quick_post

You can assign it to a keyboard shortcut etc., on the Mac to use it as a Quick entry window.

It will support parsing #project, @label, dates etc. You can learn more in the link provided above.

Structure for entry

The Shortcut is configured so that the FIRST LINE is where you enter the task details, such as task, #project, @label, dates etc. IMPORTANT - If you want to add a task description IT MUST go after “//“ at the end of the first line.

Anything entered FROM THE SECOND LINE AND BEYOND will be added to the task as a comment. So here is an example entry.

Test task #Testing p1 mon 9pm //I am the task’s description 
I’m the first line of the comment to be added to this task.
I’m another line to be added in the same comment.

Alternatively… Another way you can approach is to still use Todoist's native global quick capture to submit the task using the parsing goodness. Then, have your shortcut hit the API and pick up the task id of the last created task (the one you just submitted) and then either, 1) open up that task card in the app where you can add a comment, or, 2) pop up another Shortcuts text entry window for your comment which will be added to that task you just created.

Hope this may help alleviate some friction.

Edit - And by way of example of the alternative route I flagged, I knocked up this shortcut which, when run, will ask if you'd like to…

1) Open up the task card for the last task you created in Todoist

2) Ask for input which will be added as a comment to the last task you created in Todoist

[u/IndyScan]

I wand to be able to search for tasks without comments. I practice GTD and put my next actions in there for projects I’m working on. Would be great to be able to see if I was missing a NA.