User Guide

Welcome to TaskBook!

TaskBook is a desktop app for managing contacts and tasks, optimized for use via a Command Line Interface (CLI) while still having the benefits of a Graphical User Interface (GUI). If you can type fast, TaskBook can get your contact and task management tasks done faster than traditional GUI apps.

TaskBook helps NUS students to manage all their tasks, from project-related and module-related tasks, to even daily personal tasks!

In this user guide, you will find instructions on how to install TaskBook and use its many features to manage your tasks.

Choose a topic from the table of contents below to find out how to manage your apps using TaskBook!

Table of Contents

• Welcome to TaskBook!
• Table of Contents
• Useful Notations
• Graphical User Interface Components
• Quick start
• Using the Examples in this Guide
• Features
  • Viewing help : help
  • Listing
    • Listing all Contacts : contact list
    • Listing all Tasks : task list
  • Adding
    • Adding a contact : contact add
    • Adding a todo : task todo
    • Adding a deadline : task deadline
    • Adding an event : task event
  • Editing
    • Editing a contact : contact edit
    • Editing a task : task edit
  • Deleting
    • Deleting a contact : contact delete
    • Deleting a task : task delete
  • Finding
    • Finding contacts : contact find
    • Finding tasks : task find
  • Sorting
    • Sorting contacts : contact sort
    • Sorting tasks : task sort
  • Marking as done
    • Marking a task : task mark
    • Unmarking a task : task unmark
  • Undo and Redo
    • Undo Command : undo
    • Redo Command : redo
  • Exiting the program : bye
  • Navigating Command History
    • History: Previous Command
    • History: Next Command
  • Saving the data
  • Editing the data file
• Miscellaneous Notes
  • Accepted Date Formats
  • NAME Parameter
  • PHONE_NUMBER Parameter
  • TAG Parameter
• FAQ
• Command summary

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Useful Notations

While reading this user guide, these symbols will inform you if there is some important information you need to know.

Symbol	Meaning
	Important information
	Format-related information
	Reminder
	Bonus information that is not important to the usage of TaskBook
	Critical information related to errors

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Graphical User Interface Components

These are the GUI components of TaskBook. Components are all described from top to bottom, left to right.

1. Navigation Bar
   • File - A dropdown menu containing the exit button, which is an alternative to the bye command.
   • Help - A dropdown menu containing the help button, which creates a pop-up window with a link to this User Guide. Not to be confused with the help command.

2. Command Box - A box where you can type in commands to be executed. When empty and not in your focus, it will prompt you with Enter command here....

3. Results Display - A scrollable box that displays the result of executed commands in the Command Box. If the commands fail to execute, this box will also inform you what caused the failure of the command.

4. Contact List - A scrollable box that contains the list of contacts you have added to TaskBook. Odd numbered boxes are darker in colour than even numbered ones.
   These are the fields of a contact.
   • Index - The number TaskBook assigns to contacts you add. Can be reshuffled by the contact sort command.
   • Name - The name of the contact, situated right of the index.
   • Tags - A series of light blue boxes. If a contact has no tags, this region will not display any boxes.
   • Phone Number - The contact’s phone number. If no phone number was added, this field will be [No phone number] instead.
   • Address - The contact’s address. If no address was added, this field will display [No address] instead.
   • Email - The contact’s email. If no email was added, this field will display [No email] instead.

5. Task List - A scrollable box that displays the list of tasks you have added to TaskBook.
   The layout of a task is as follows, from top to bottom, left to right:
   • Index - The number TaskBook assigns to tasks you add. Can be reshuffled by the task sort command.
   • Description - The description of the tasks you add.
   • Date - If the task has a date assigned to it (i.e if the task is a deadline or event), the date will be at the end of the description in square brackets.
   • Status - The first [ ] box. If the task’s box is [X], it means the task has been done. Otherwise, if it is blank, the task has not been done.
   • Type - The second [ ] box. Indicates the type of the task. Each task type is a slightly different shade of purple to give you some visual clarity.
     Types of tasks:
     • Todo - A task that you need to do. Does not have an associated date. In the Task List, these tasks are labelled as [T], and are solid purple.
     • Deadline - A task that you need to do by a particular date. In the Task List, these tasks are labelled as [D], and are faintly purple.
     • Event - A task that involves you attending some event at some date. In the Task List, these tasks are labelled as [E], and are bright purple.
   • Assignment - An indicator on whether the task is assigned by you to someone else, or vice versa.
   • Assignor/Assignee - The contact that has been assigned a task by you, or vice versa. This can be yourself.

6. Status Bar - Indicates the location in your computer where TaskBook is tracking your Contact List and Task List.

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Quick start

1. Ensure you have Java 11 or above installed in your computer.

2. Download the latest TaskBook.jar from here.

3. Copy the file to the folder you want to use as the home folder for your TaskBook.

4. Double-click the file to start the app. The GUI similar to the one below should appear in a few seconds, containing sample data.
   

5. Type the command in the command box and press Enter to execute it.
   Some example commands you can try:

   • contact list : Lists all contacts, including ones hidden by a previous command.

   • contact add n/John Doe p/98765432 e/johnd@example.com a/John street, block 123, #01-01 : Adds a contact named John Doe to the contact list.

   • contact delete i/3 : Deletes the 3rd contact currently shown in the displayed contact list.

   • task list : Lists all tasks, including ones hidden by a previous command.

   • task todo m/Bernice Yu d/Create a Todo : Adds a todo with the description Create a Todo to the task list.

   • task delete i/3 : Deletes the 3rd task currently shown in the displayed task list.

   • bye : Exits the app.

6. Refer to the Features below for details of each command.

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Using the Examples in this Guide

The examples in this guide are formatted with the following conventions:

• Command - Instructions to be typed into the command box. Will be executed when you press enter.
• Flag - Indicators to differentiate various parts of a command. Always of the form $/, and is followed by a parameter. The $ varies by command.
  E.g: s/ in task sort s/SORT_TYPE, or i/ in contact delete i/INDEX.
• Parameter - Component of a command that is prefixed by a flag.

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Features

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Viewing help : help

Shows you either the list of commands available or information about a particular command.

Examples:

1. help shows the list of commands available.

2. help c/contact delete shows the information about the command delete command.

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Listing

Listing all Contacts : contact list

Shows you a list of all contacts in your TaskBook in the order they were added.

Listing all Tasks : task list

Shows you a list of all assigned tasks in your TaskBook in the order they were added.

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Adding

Adding a contact : contact add

Adds a contact to your TaskBook.

• For more information on the NAME parameter, see NAME Parameter.
• For more information on the PHONE_NUMBER parameter, see PHONE_NUMBER Parameter.

Examples:

1. contact add n/John Doe p/98765432 e/johnd@example.com a/John street, block 123, #01-01

2. contact add n/Betsy Crowe #/friend e/betsycrowe@example.com a/Newgate Prison p/1234567 #/criminal

Adding a todo : task todo

Adds a task of type todo into your task list.

• Adds a todo assigned by (m/) or assigned to (o/) a contact.
• Input “Myself” or omit the m/ and o/ flags to assign yourself a todo.
  • Self-assignment defaults to m/Myself when m/ and o/ flags are omitted.

Examples:

1. task todo m/Alex Yeoh d/Finish user guide adds a todo called “Finish user guide” assigned by Alex Yeoh to you.

2. task todo o/Bernice Yu d/Finish the assignment #/cs2103 adds a todo called “Finish the assignment” tagged as “cs2103” and assigned to Bernice Yu.

3. task todo o/Myself d/Upload slides adds a todo called “Upload slides” which is self-assigned by you.

4. task todo d/Finish essay adds a todo called “Finish essay” which you assign to yourself.

Adding a deadline : task deadline

Adds a task of type deadline into the task list.

• Adds a deadline assigned by (m/) or assigned to (o/) a contact.
• Input “Myself” or omit the m/ and o/ flags to assign yourself the deadline.
  • Self-assignment defaults to m/Myself when m/ and o/ flags are omitted.
• For more information on DATE formats, see Accepted Date Formats.

Examples:

1. task deadline m/Alex Yeoh d/Finish user guide t/2022-12-31 adds a deadline called “Finish user guide” assigned by Alex Yeoh to you.

2. task deadline o/Bernice Yu d/Finish the assignment t/Jan 31 2022 #/cs2103 adds a deadline called “Finish the assignment” and tagged as “cs2103” which is assigned to Bernice Yu.

3. task deadline o/Myself d/Upload slides t/2022-12-31 adds a deadline called “Upload Slides” which self-assigned by you.

4. task deadline d/Finish essay t/Jan 31 2022 adds a deadline called “Finish essay” which you assign to yourself.

Adding an event : task event

Adds a task of type event into your task list.

• Adds an event assigned by (m/) or assigned to (o/) a contact.
  • Self-assignment defaults to m/Myself when m/ and o/ flags are omitted.
• For more information on DATE formats, see Accepted Date Formats.

Examples:

1. task event m/Alex Yeoh d/Finish user guide t/2022-12-31 adds an event called “Finish user guide” assigned by Alex Yeoh to you.

2. task event o/Bernice Yu d/Finish the assignment t/Jan 31 2022 #/cs2103 adds an event called “Finish the assignment” tagged as “cs2103” which is assigned to Bernice Yu.

3. task event o/Myself d/Upload Slides t/Jan 31 2022 adds an event called “Upload Slides” which is self-assigned by you.

4. task event d/Finish essay t/Jan 31 2022 adds an event called “Finish essay” which you assigned to yourself.

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Editing

Editing a contact : contact edit

Edits the specified contact in your contact list.

• Edits the contact at the specified INDEX in the displayed contact list, with the parameters provided.
• Include only the parameters to be edited, however all included parameters must differ from the original.

Examples:

1. contact edit i/1 n/James Lee e/jameslee@example.com

2. contact edit i/2 p/98765433 #/friend

Editing a task : task edit

Edits the specified task in your task list.

• Edits the task at the specified INDEX in the displayed task list, with the parameters provided.
• Only one of assignor m/ or assignee o/ can be specified.
  • A task can be re-assigned to “Person Y” by providing parameter o/Person Y.
  • A task can be re-assigned by “Person X” by providing parameter m/Person X.
  • If neither m/ or o/ is specified, the current assignor or assignee will not be changed.
• Dates t/ can only be edited if the task is a deadline or event.
• For more information on DATE formats, see Accepted Date Formats.

Examples:

1. task edit i/1 m/Jackie Chan d/Practice kick 10000 times

2. task edit i/2 o/James Lee

3. task edit i/5 t/2023-12-31

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Deleting

Deleting a contact : contact delete

Deletes the specified contact from your displayed contact list.

• Deletes the contact at the specified INDEX in the displayed contact list.

Example:

1. contact list followed by contact delete i/2 deletes the 2nd contact in your contact list.

Deleting a task : task delete

Deletes the specified task from your task list.

• Deletes the task at the specified INDEX in the displayed task list.

Example:

1. task list followed by task delete i/2 deletes the 2nd task in your task list.

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Finding

Finding contacts : contact find

Displays all contacts matching the arguments provided by you.

Example:

1. contact find q/ea displays a contact list where all contacts will have “ea” in their name.

Finding tasks : task find

Displays all tasks matching the arguments provided by you.

Examples:

1. task find q/ea displays a task list where all tasks will have “ea” in either their connected person, or their description.

2. task find x/X displays a task list where all tasks are marked done, with [X].

3. task find a/FROM displays a task list where all tasks are assigned to you by someone else.

4. task find q/ea x/X is equivalent to task find x/X q/ea.

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Sorting

Sorting contacts : contact sort

Sorts your contact list based on the input parameter.

Example:

1. contact sort s/a dislays a contact list where names are sorted by alphabetical order.
   • Given 3 contacts: alfonzo, Alpha, and Betsy, the ordering of the list will be: Alpha, Betsy, alfonzo.

Sorting tasks : task sort

Sorts your task list based on the input parameter.

Example:

1. task sort s/a displays a task list sorted by description alphabetical order.
   • Given 3 tasks with descriptions: Walk the dog, Do homework, do chores, the order of the list will be: Do homework, do chores, Walk the dog.

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Marking as done

Marking a task : task mark

Marks the specified task from your task list as done.

• Marks the task at the specified INDEX in the displayed task list as done.

Example:

1. task list followed by task mark i/2 marks the 2nd task in your task list.

Unmarking a task : task unmark

Marks the specified task from your task list as not done.

• Marks the task at the specified INDEX in the displayed task list as not done.

Example:

1. task list followed by task unmark i/2 marks the 2nd task in your task list.

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Undo and Redo

Undo Command : undo

Undoes the previous command and reverts your TaskBook to the previous state.

Example:

1. task todo m/Bob d/Add undo feature - some command that causes a change in state.

2. undo will undo the previous command.

Redo Command : redo

Redoes the previous undo action and reverts your TaskBook to a previously undone state.

Example:

1. task delete i/1 - some command that causes a change in state.

2. undo will undo the previous command.

3. redo will revert the state such that the task is deleted.

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Exiting the program : bye

Ends the application immediately.

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Navigating Command History

A minimum of 1000 commands are guaranteed to be kept in the history, if there are that many commands executed. Invalid commands are also saved in the command history, to allow for editing mistyped commands.

History: Previous Command

Gets the previous command, if any.

Steps:

1. Ensure that the text field is selected and in focus.

2. Press UP arrow key.

History: Next Command

Gets the next command, if any.

Steps:

1. Ensure that the text field is selected and in focus.

2. Press DOWN arrow key.

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Saving the data

TaskBook data is saved in the hard disk automatically after any command that changes the data. There is no need to save manually.

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Editing the data file

TaskBook data is saved as a JSON file [JAR file location]/data/taskbook.json. Advanced users are welcome to update data directly by editing that data file.

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Miscellaneous Notes

Accepted Date Formats

Any of these date formats are accepted:

• yyyy-MM-dd (2022-10-31)
• MMM dd yyyy (Oct 31 2022)
• MM dd yyyy (10 31 2022)
• dd MMM yyyy (31 Oct 2022)

NAME Parameter

Where the NAME parameter is required (e.g. n/NAME), specify the exact name

• in full
• in a case-sensitive format

This prevents ambiguity in naming so that you can specify the exact contact where necessary.

PHONE_NUMBER Parameter

Phone numbers must consist of only numerical inputs 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. TaskBook does not support country code extensions.

Phone numbers must be at least 3 digits long, as the shortest phone numbers in the world (emergency hotlines) are 3 digits long.

TAG Parameter

The tag parameter #/TAG accepts only alphanumeric inputs and no blank spaces. (e.g. #/friend or #/bestFriend and not #/best friend)

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FAQ

Q: How do I save my progress?
A: Your progress is automatically saved after each command.

Q: How do I transfer my data to another computer?
A: Install the app in the other computer and overwrite the empty data file it creates with the file that contains the data of your previous TaskBook home folder.

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Command summary

Action	Format	Examples
Help	help [c/COMMAND]	help c/help
View All Tasks	task list	N/A
View Contacts	contact list	N/A
Add Contact	contact add n/NAME p/PHONE_NUMBER e/EMAIL a/ADDRESS [#/TAG]…	contact add n/James Lee p/98765432 e/jameslee@example.com a/John street, block 123
Add Todo: Assigned by	task todo m/NAME d/DESCRIPTION [#/TAG]…	task todo m/Alex Yeoh d/Finish user guide #/cs2103 #/homework
Add Todo: Assigned to	task todo o/NAME d/DESCRIPTION [#/TAG]…	task todo o/Alex Yeoh d/Finish the assignment #/compulsory
Add Deadline: Assigned by	task deadline m/NAME d/DESCRIPTION t/DATE [#/TAG]…	task deadline m/Alex Yeoh d/Finish user guide t/2022-12-31 #/cs2103 #/homework
Add Deadline: Assigned to	task deadline o/NAME d/DESCRIPTION t/DATE [#/TAG]…	task deadline o/Alex Yeoh d/Finish the assignment t/Jan 31 2022 #/compulsory
Add Event: Assigned by	task event m/NAME d/DESCRIPTION t/DATE [#/TAG]…	task event m/Alex Yeoh d/Finish user guide t/2022-12-31 #/cs2103 #/homework
Add Event: Assigned to	task event o/NAME d/DESCRIPTION t/DATE [#/TAG]…	task event o/Alex Yeoh d/Finish the assignment t/Jan 31 2022 #/compulsory
Edit Contact	contact edit i/INDEX [n/NAME] [p/PHONE_NUMBER] [e/EMAIL] [a/ADDRESS] [#/TAG]…	contact edit i/2 e/berniceyu@gmail.com #/friend
Edit Task	task edit i/INDEX [m/NAME] [o/NAME] [d/DESCRIPTION] [t/DATE] [#/TAG]…	task edit i/2 o/Bernice Yu #/classmate
Delete Contact	contact delete i/INDEX	contact delete i/3
Delete Task	task delete i/INDEX	task delete i/3
Sort Contacts	contact sort s/SORT_TYPE	contact sort s/a
Sort Tasks	task sort s/SORT_TYPE	task sort s/a
Find Contacts	contact find q/QUERY	contact find q/ea
Find Tasks	task find <q/QUERY a/ASSIGNMENT x/DONE>	task find a/FROM q/ea
Mark Task	task mark i/INDEX	task mark i/3
Unmark Task	task unmark i/INDEX	task unmark i/3
Undo	undo	N/A
Redo	redo	N/A
Exiting the program	bye	N/A
History: Previous Command	UP arrow key	N/A
History: Next Command	DOWN arrow key	N/A

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