Power Features In TaskAngel For Windows

.NET Framework

TaskAngel uses the .NET Framework, which runs on Windows 10 and from Windows 7 onwards. With TaskAngel Release 3.6 we upgraded to .Net Framework 4.7.2. Our article about Release 3.6 explains more about it.

Printing

You can print the whole task list or a filtered view of it. And the details of individual tasks. And stand-alone notes. You make these choices in File->Page Setup. There you also choose Portrait or Landscape and set fonts for the header, list, and footer.

When you print the task list, what you see is what you get. So make sure the filters on-screen are set to show you what you want.

When you print details, you can select one or more tasks from your list. To select more than one, click on the first one, then hold down the Ctrl key and click on the others.

File->Print Preview lets you check out what you are going to print before you use any paper.

File->Print does the printing. TaskAngel lays your page out nicely. However, if you have too many columns showing on the task list, or if your font size is too big, the layout will be messy. Be more selective about your choice of columns, and choose a font size that will fit.

Saving Your Data

TaskAngel keeps your task list in a file in its application settings folder. Every time you make a change TaskAngel waits for one minute of inactivity then saves your task list automatically. When you close TaskAngel or shut down your computer, it writes the task list again if necessary. It stores your notes in the same file.

The File menu has an item called AutoSave. You should keep this checked. If it is not set, automatic saving is disabled, and you might lose your most recent changes.

You can save the task list manually, using File->Save or Ctrl+S. But manual saving is not necessary if you have AutoSave on.

You can change where TaskAngel keeps your tasks. See Changing the task file.

Changing The Task File

Generally, TaskAngel keeps all of your tasks in a single file called Tasks.xml, in your Windows AppData folder. However, you can change this. For example, you might want to keep your task file on a USB memory stick so that you can move it easily to another computer.

The File menu has the commands you need for this. Before you change your task file, we recommend you sync your current task file with Toodledo.

To save your current task list to a new file, choose Save As and navigate to the folder you want, then type the file name. TaskAngel creates a file with that name and location and switches to using that file.

To go back to using the default task file, choose Use Default Task File. To change to a different file - one that you have saved before - choose Open.

TaskAngel shows you which file you using, in its caption bar (at the top of the TaskAngel main window), if you are using a file other than the default task file.

Parking in the System Tray

When you have finished working with TaskAngel, you can minimize it or close it, just like any other Windows program. But you also have a third option - to park TaskAngel in the System Tray.

While it is parked, TaskAngel continues to monitor any tasks for which you have set reminders. It also continues to automatically sync with Toodledo every hour, if you have chosen that option.

If you check File->Use System Tray, TaskAngel will park itself automatically in the System Tray when you click on the Close button at the top right corner of the TaskAngel main window. Otherwise, clicking on the Close button will completely close TaskAngel.

You can also use File->Park in System Tray to park TaskAngel.

Clicking on File->Exit will always completely close TaskAngel, even when you have Use System Tray checked.

When TaskAngel is parked, you can open it again by double-clicking on it.

If you right-click on TaskAngel while it is parked, it pops up a menu that allows you to create a new task, or to open or close TaskAngel.

Start When Windows Starts

You can set TaskAngel to start when Windows starts. Just check the item in the File menu.

Keyboard Shortcuts

TaskAngel provides shortcut keys to speed up the operation of common commands, or to allow you to use TaskAngel without a mouse. The keys are consistent with Windows standards.

Hold the Alt key down to reveal the shortcut keys for menus and items in TaskAngel windows.

Some of the menu items have additional shortcut keys to the right of the menu item text.

Ctrl+Insert creates a new task.

Ctrl+Delete deletes the currently selected tasks.

In the Task List, the right and left arrow keys open and close a task group, if you move the focus to its parent task.

The F6 key cycles the keyboard focus between the Task List, the Note Panel, and the Filter panel.

The F5 key switches between the Task List and the Note List. Shift+F10 pops up a context menu, like right-clicking the mouse.

In the Filter Panel, the right and left arrow keys expand and collapse a filter category. And pressing any letter key takes you to the next item that starts with that letter.

The F4 key brings up the editing form for the current task, where you can change its individual properties.

In the editing form, use Tab to move between the properties in order, and use F4 to open and close the drop-down lists for properties that have them.

Alt+F4 closes the current window. If this is the main TaskAngel window, it is parked in the system tray if you have selected that option.

F1 shows help.

Hotkeys

Hotkeys can be used to interact with TaskAngel even if you are working in another program.

Ctrl+Alt+T brings the TaskAngel window to the top, even if it is minimized or parked.

Ctrl+Alt+N creates a new task.

You can change which hotkeys are used, by choosing Hot Keys in the File menu.