How to set up tasks in the Go For It to-do list on Linux

Go For It is a great task tracker/to-do list for Linux. It supports task lists, an “active task” mode that can keep you focused on work, and much more. Here’s how to use it to set up tasks on your Linux PC.

Installing the Go For It to-do list app

The Go For It app has broad support for Linux, as it is available as a Flatpak, in the Arch Linux AUR, as an Ubuntu PPA, on Elementary OS’s AppCenter, and as downloadable source code. To start the installation of Go For It on your Linux PC, open up a terminal window by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or Ctrl + Shift + T on the keyboard. Then, follow the step-by-step installation instructions outlined below that correspond with your Linux operating system.

Ubuntu

The developers of Go For It maintain a PPA for all versions of Ubuntu Linux. To get this app working, the first thing to do is to use the add-apt-repository command below.

Note: the PPA will also work on Linux Mint and other operating systems based on Ubuntu.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:go-for-it-team/go-for-it-stable

After adding the software PPA to your system, it is time to run the update command to refresh all of Ubuntu’s software sources.

sudo apt update

Following the update command, you may install the Go For It app by using the apt install command.

sudo apt install go-for-it

Elementary OS

On Elementary OS, it is effortless to get Go For It working. Launch AppCenter on the Elementary OS desktop, click on the search box, write in “Go For It,” and install the app!

Arch Linux

There’s an AUR of Go For It available. If you’re using Arch Linux, you will be able to easily install the software by entering the following commands into a terminal window.

Note: this will also work on Manjaro Linux.

sudo pacman -S git base-devel

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/trizen.git

cd trizen

makepkg -sri

trizen -S go-for-it

Flatpak

Flatpak is by far the best way to install Go For It on Debian, Fedora, OpenSUSE, Gentoo, and other lesser-known Linux operating systems. The reason? The Flatpak release is well supported, gets automatic updates, and does not require any talent with Linux to get running. Ensure you have the latest Flatpak running on your Linux OS, then, use the commands below to install the software.

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
flatpak install flathub de.manuel_kehl.go-for-it

Source Code

If you prefer to compile software from source, the Go For It source code is ready and available to download. To get your hands on it, follow the information on the developer’s website.

Set individual tasks

To set up tasks in the Go For It to-do list, start by launching the app on your Linux desktop. To launch the app, press Win on the keyboard, write out “Go For It” in the search box and launch the app with that name. Or, look under “Utilities” in the app menu and start it that way.

When the Go For It app is running, follow the step-by-step instructions below to learn how to set individual tasks in the app.

Step 1: Look for the “Add list” button at the bottom of the Go For It app, and click on it with the mouse. As you click it, you will see a pop-up window that says, “New to-do list.”

Step 2: In the “New to-do list,” look for “Todo.txt directory” and click on the drop-down menu next to it. Then, find the “Other” button and click on it with the mouse.

Step 3: By clicking on “Other,” an open-file dialog window will appear. Use this window to specify where to save your to-do list.

Step 4: Under “List name,” add the name of your task list.

Step 5: Click “Add list” to add the list to Go For It.

Step 6: After creating your new list in the app, double-click on the list with the mouse to access it.

Step 7: Upon accessing your new list, locate the “Add new task..” box at the bottom of the app window. Then, write out the task you wish to add to your to-do list. Repeat this process as many times as necessary to fill up your to-do list.

How to check off tasks

Unsure about how to check off tasks in the Go For It task manager? Here’s what to do.

Step 1: Double-click on your list in the Go For It app to access it.

Step 2: Locate the task you’ve just completed and check the box next to it to cross it off the list.

Repeat as necessary till all items on the list are crossed off.

Active tasks

One of Go For It’s best features is “Active tasks.” This allows you to delegate a specific amount of time to each item on the list. Here’s how to use it.

First, double-click on your to-do list in the Go For It app to access your tasks. Then, ensure that you have tasks added to the list. If you don’t, add them via the “Add new task” box. After that, click on the clock icon.

Upon clicking on the clock icon in Go For It, you will be presented with a timer set to 25 minutes. Click the “start” button to work on your task. When the timer is complete, click the “Done” button.

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