--- title: A Quick Way to Sort Projects and Contexts description: A Quick Way to Sort Projects and Contexts --- ![burger-icon](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/icons/burger-icon.svg) [![Kourosh Dini - Homepage](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/logos/kourosh-logo.svg)](https://www.kouroshdini.com) ![close-icon](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/icons/close-icon.svg) - [Blog page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog) - [Podcast page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/podcast) - [Music page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/music) - [Courses & Books page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/courses-and-books) - [Psychoanalysis page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/psy) - [About page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/about) - [Contact page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/contact) - [Waves of Focus page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/waves-of-focus) ![Search](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/icons/search-icon.svg) [![at-icon](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/icons/at-icon.svg)](mailto:kmdini@gmail.com) [Return to Blog](https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog) # A Quick Way to Sort Projects and Contexts Nov 20, 2017 ![](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/blog%20image.webp) \*Addendum (2017-12-06): [Brandon Pittman](https://twitter.com/brandonpittman) has since come up with an [Applescript method of doing the sorting](https://gist.github.com/brandonpittman/fb9cfb4f4bcb2e8ad2b5df0dadb69519) described in this post.   We may find ourselves with a large number of projects in one folder. As an example, I have a sizable number of clients. Each client has their own project. These projects then reside in one “Current Clients” folder. When creating a new client project, often through a template mechanism (to be discussed in another post), I now have a new project to add to the mix. However, at several scores of clients, the whole folder can eventually become a mess. There is no order: ![An unordered list of projects, gradually created over time.](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) An unordered list of projects, gradually created over time. While I can always search for a project using the Quick Open feature (Command-o), I’d also there to be some order. To re-order on a one time basis, we can use the “Sort Once” feature. To sort once, - Select a series of projects (multi-select using Shift or Command): ![A selection of all projects in a particula folder](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) A selection of all projects in a particular folder - Use Menu \> Organize \> Sort Once \> By Name: ![Menu command to have OmniFocus sort projects alphabetically](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) Menu command to have OmniFocus sort projects alphabetically Everything is now nicely alphabetized: ![An organized list of projects](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) An organized list of projects You’ll notice that there are several options available, not just “By Name”. The only other one that I use regularly is “By Status” though I can easily imagine the others working in other workflows. In fact, I use these two so often, e.g. every time I get a new client, that I’ve added Keyboard Maestro key commands for them: - Menu \> Organize \> Sort Once \> By Name (Option-n) - Menu \> Organize \> Sort Once \> By Status (Option-s) Organize by status lines up your active projects and then your on hold projects. That way, if you can sort a mix of one and the other: ![Before and after of sorting projects by status places Active above On Hold Projects](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) Before and after of sorting projects by status places Active above On Hold Projects Occasionally, I will follow one sort command with the other, (Option-n) then (Option-s). Everything is quickly organized quite nicely. Also, the same sorting command works for contexts, too. As I have a context for each client, the same issue appears. # Setup Keyboard Maestro for OmniFocus ## Create a Folder for OmniFocus Key Commands If you are interested in creating the same setup in Keyboard Maestro, we can use the same procedure I outlined in [this post](https://www.beingproductive.org/2017/10/quickly-access/). If you don’t already have a group dedicated to OmniFocus in Keyboard Maestro, - Create a Group for OmniFocus: ![Create a folder to dedicate to OmniFocus macros](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) Create a folder to dedicate to OmniFocus macros - Title it: ![Title for macro folder](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) Title for macro folder - Select “Available in all applications” and change it to “Available in these applications”. - Select the green + button and select OmniFocus: ![Set macros only for OmniFocus](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) Set macros only for OmniFocus You now have a folder that will let you make Keyboard Maestro macros specific to OmniFocus. ## Create a Sort by Status Command At this point, - Create a new macro: ![Use the middle bottom plus button to begin creating a macro.](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) Use the middle bottom plus button to begin creating a macro. - Title the macro: ![Assignt the macro a title](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) Assignt the macro a title - Select New Trigger \> Hot Key Trigger: ![Assign a hot key trigger - here I'm choosing Option-s](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) Assign a hot key trigger - here I'm choosing Option-s - Assign a key command (e.g. Option-s). - Open the Actions list by selecting the plus button: ![](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) - Find and select “Select or Show a Menu Item”. Here I used the search window to do so: ![Find "Select or Show a Menu Item"](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) Find "Select or Show a Menu Item" - In the action, select the Menu prompt: ![Use the menu command to find the desired menu option.](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) Use the menu command to find the desired menu option. - Find and select the menu command for assignment: ![Navigate several windows over to find the desired command.](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) Navigate several windows over to find the desired command. You’re now good to go: ![Completed macro in Keyboard Maestro](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png) Completed macro in Keyboard Maestro As a side note, I use the “Select or Show a Menu Item” function of Keyboard Maestro the most. Quite likely, there’s a ton of functionality that I’m missing. 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