Faster MindReader Tags
The current MindReader “o”, and “q” tags make use of a temporary MindManager map to transfer the text entered at the GyroQ prompt into the underlying SAX basic macros. This adds a second of processing time and a distracting flash of the temporary map.
While waiting for the GyroQ version 7 upgrade, I worked out a way to send text directly into the macros as a parameter and avoid the temporary map. This has been leveraged into new “fo” and “fq” tags (“fast open” and “fast queue”). In order to facilitate easier updating and revision history, I’ve put these on a wiki page rather than in the main site tag library. You can install by just pasting the packed text for fo and the packed text for fq into the GyroQ dialog box. The recently added m tag already incorporates this new approach.
These two tags are much faster than “q” and “o”, particularly when combined with the latest version of the macros, which are required to get these new tags to run. There is one limitation — do not include double quotes (“) in your text as it will break the macro and force you to discard the contexts of your queue.
Entries 
Trevor said,
June 21, 2007 @ 6:08 pm
Hey,
I’ve been playing with the FQ and FO and they are indeed much faster.
Is it expected behavior for the Mindreader configuration map to open and be switched to multiple times while sending the queue? Also should the mindreader config map stay open?
Lastly, not a FO or FQ question, the gray triangle icon, does this show up when your queued item does not trigger a context?
Thanks!
ActivityOwner said,
June 21, 2007 @ 6:15 pm
Hi Trevor — In the previous rev of the macros the configuration map was left open to save time rather than open and close it twice per task. The latestmacros available for download keep it hidden unless you already had it open.
The gray icon means your task didn’t get identified with a context, “contact about”, project or somday maybe. It is a potential “blob”. The latest version on the wiki makes it an optional to have this added. I’m not sure whether to make it default on or off.
On a related note, I’m wondering if we should change the keyword for “project”. I’m seeing cases where a task gets identified as a project due to the work being in there (e.g. “Talk to Bob about the project”.
Trevor said,
June 21, 2007 @ 8:09 pm
Thanks for the info.
Hmm, I was thinking of something really complicated for the project and how certain contexts would be less likely to trigger a project. Talk for example is likely a 1 item action. Whereas Develop is more of a project verb. That’s unwieldly and wouldn’t work across multiple people effectively.
Maybe change it to new project? Can mindreader handle triggers across words?
The balance point between natural and artificial language is a tough one. For example, newproject would make sense, but takes away from naturalness of entering tasks.
ActivityOwner said,
June 21, 2007 @ 8:33 pm
Version 0.1 of MindReader actually had a list of “project” verbs that it recognized but we found it to be too much complexity too soon.
MindReader does trigger on phrases fine but even “new project” has risks as you could be saying “Talk to Bob about new project”. Having it marked as a project will pull it off of next action lists, so you want to err on the side of caution.
If we forced the project-verb to be at beginning of sentence (as is done for context verbs) it would probably be safe for several common “project verb” from David Allen’s work:
http://www.43folders.com/2006/11/14/project-versus-next-action/
That could be augmented by an explicit keyword (perhaps $project).
BillS said,
June 22, 2007 @ 12:08 pm
Trevor,
I posted briefly on NLP vs AI & well-formed vs amorphous blob GyroQ entries (see SpeedReader blog entry). My original solution was that a GyroQ entry had be identified by an icon in the config map. If it didn’t match up, then it was a potential amorphous blob of undoability. I think this approach is rather messy & the other solution I thought might work is: if GyroQ entry has a context, then not an amorphous blob. While its possible to have a context & still be an amorphous blob, I think its much less likely. I’d love to hear other opinions/possible solutions.
Ken Florian said,
June 24, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
When I run fo or fq I get the following message:
“The sequence {run:macro:Call MacroRun(….mindreaderopen.mmbas…..returned an error:
Message from MindManager 7:
A runtime error occurred while executing the macro
\\server\Users\kflorian\GyroActivator-macro.mmbas
I’ve abbreviated the message in the hope that someone will recognize it. The original o a q tags still work as expected.
Gyroactivator v1.5
MindManager 7.0.429
Results Manager 2.7.8
Ken Florian said,
June 24, 2007 @ 1:22 pm
Alas, a few more minutes of examinging the problem and I discovered that the location of my macros was incorrect….I had a folder mmDirectoryMyMaps\Macros in which I’d put backups the macros but, of course, they were being referenced from mmDirectoryMyMaps…..I updated the code in ..\macros but not in the mmDirectoryMyMaps folder.
All working well.
ActivityOwner said,
June 24, 2007 @ 1:23 pm
Can you look in the file:
\\server\Users\kflorian\GyroActivator-macro.mmbas
and see what is in there?
Steven S. Bammel said,
June 28, 2007 @ 10:30 am
Hi ActivityOwner,
Thanks for responding to my post on the GTD_MindManager list. As per your instructions, I’m continuing the question here.
After getting everything on MindReader working fine, if I reboot, it starts up with the default set of tags again and no evidence of the previous install (except for the macros and maps which remain in place).
I am not currently storing MyMaps on a network drive (but I plan to do so later).
Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks,
Steven
ActivityOwner said,
July 1, 2007 @ 3:13 pm
Hi Steve — Did Nick’s suggestions on yahoo-gtd list address your issue?
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/GTD_MindManager/message/903
Sounds like an issue/bug with having a non-default “My Maps” directory.