`dodl` MVP and Vision

[matthewchivers]

MVP Implementation for dodl

Overview

dodl is a command-line tool designed to simplify the creation, tracking, and management of documents. It allows users to quickly create new entries, track existing files, and manage metadata such as tags and modification times. The tool is especially useful for note-taking during meetings, where users need a fast and efficient way to generate and organise files without manual navigation and setup.

Purpose

The primary purpose of dodl is to streamline the process of creating and managing documents by providing an intuitive command-line interface. This tool is useful for:

• Professionals who need to take quick notes during meetings.
• Users who want to organise documents systematically.
• Individuals looking for a lightweight alternative to more complex document management systems.

Features

Initialisation

• Command: dodl init
• Description: Sets up a new dodl register directory structure and metadata file.
• Usage:

  dodl init

Entry Management

Create a New Entry

• Command: dodl new entry <entry-name>
• Description: Creates a new entry file in the dodl register according to the directory pattern specified in the configuration.
• Usage:

  dodl new entry meeting-notes

Track an Existing Entry

• Command: dodl track entry <file-path>
• Description: Adds an existing file to the dodl register, tracking its location and checksum.
• Usage:

  dodl track entry /path/to/existing/meeting-notes.md

Get Entries

• Command: dodl get entries
• Description: Lists all entries currently tracked in the dodl register.
• Usage:

  dodl get entries

Tag Management

Add a Tag to a File

• Command: dodl add tag <file-path> <tag>
• Description: Adds a tag to the specified file in the dodl register without modifying the file itself.
• Usage:

  dodl add tag /path/to/meeting-notes.md meetings

Get Tags of a File

• Command: dodl get tags <file-path>
• Description: Displays the tags associated with the specified file.
• Usage:

  dodl get tags /path/to/meeting-notes.md

List Files by Tag

• Command: dodl get entries --tag <tag>
• Description: Lists all files associated with the specified tag.
• Usage:

  dodl get entries --tag meetings

Status and Metadata Management

Check Status

• Command: dodl status
• Description: Identifies files that are not currently tracked / do not have an entry registered against them.
• Usage:

  dodl status

Refresh Metadata

• Command: dodl refresh
• Description: Updates metadata with the latest information regarding tracked files.
• Usage:

  dodl refresh

Metadata Structure

Metadata for each tracked file is stored in a JSON file (.dodl/dodl_metadata.json). The metadata includes:

• uuid: Unique identifier for the file.
• type: The type of entry (e.g. diary, planning, minutes, or any other custom entry type specified in the config)
• path: Normalised file path.
• date_created: Original creation date of the file (if available).
• date_started_tracking: Date when the file was first tracked.
• date_last_accessed: Date when the file was last accessed.
• date_last_modified: Date when the file was last modified.
• tags: Tags associated with the file.

Example Metadata Structure

{
  "entries": [
    {
      "uuid": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
      "type": "meeting-note",
      "path": "year/month/day/meeting-notes-7-10-24.md",
      "date_created": "2024-07-10T00:00:00Z",
      "date_started_tracking": "2024-07-12T00:00:00Z",
      "date_last_accessed": "2024-07-12T00:00:00Z",
      "date_last_modified": "2024-07-12T00:00:00Z",
      "tags": ["meetings", "notes"],
    }
  ]
}

Workflow Examples

1. Initialise the Register:

   dodl init

2. Create a New Entry:

   dodl new entry meeting-notes

3. Track an Existing Entry:

   dodl track entry /path/to/existing/meeting-notes.md

4. Add a Tag to a File:

   dodl add tag /path/to/meeting-notes.md meetings

5. Get Tags of a File:

   dodl get tags /path/to/meeting-notes.md

6. List Files by Tag:

   dodl get entries --tag meetings

7. Check Status:

   dodl status

8. Refresh Metadata:

   dodl refresh

Intended Users

dodl is designed for:

• Professionals who need to take quick and organised notes during meetings.
• Users who want to systematically manage and categorise documents.
• Individuals seeking a lightweight, command-line-based document management tool.

By implementing these features, dodl aims to provide a streamlined and efficient experience for creating, tracking, and managing documents, making it an invaluable tool for daily note-taking and document organisation.

[matthewchivers]

Rough outline for remaining work:

• Implement CLI Functionality and Project Structure

  • Description: Set up the basic project structure and implement the command-line interface (CLI) foundation for dodl.

• Add Initialization Command (dodl init)

  • Description: Implement the init command to set up the dodl register directory structure and create the initial metadata file.

• Implement Entry Creation Command (dodl new document)

  • Description: Develop the new document command to create new document documents based on specified templates and configuration.

• Develop Configuration Management

  • Description: Implement configuration management to support user-defined templates, default tags, and directory patterns for different document types.

• Implement File Tracking Command (dodl track document)

  • Description: Add functionality to track existing files, update the metadata with the file path, UUID, and other relevant information.

• Implement Status Check Command (dodl status)

  • Description: Develop the status command to identify files that are not currently tracked or do not have an document registered against them.

• Implement Entry Retrieval Command (dodl get documents)

  • Description: Develop the get documents command to list all tracked documents, with options to filter by document type and tags.

• Add Support for Entry Templates

  • Description: Implement support for document templates, allowing users to define and use templates for creating new documents based on different document types.

• Add Tag Management Commands (dodl add tag, dodl get tags, dodl get documents --tag)

  • Description: Implement commands for managing tags, including adding tags to files, retrieving tags for a specific file, and listing files by tag.

• Implement Metadata Refresh Command (dodl refresh)

  • Description: Add functionality to update the metadata file with the latest information regarding tracked files, such as last accessed and modified dates.

• Enhance Metadata Structure for Extensibility

  • Description: Refactor the metadata structure to support additional fields like user-defined metadata and ensure it is easily extendable for future features.

• Implement Short UUIDs for Ease of Use

  • Description: Add functionality to generate and use short UUIDs as shorthand identifiers for documents, simplifying user interaction.

• Implement User Metadata Support

  • Description: Allow users to add custom metadata fields to documents, providing greater flexibility for different use cases.

• Develop Documentation for User Commands

  • Description: Create comprehensive documentation for all user commands, including usage examples and detailed descriptions of each command's functionality.

• Implement Interactive Command Line Prompts

  • Description: Enhance the CLI with interactive prompts for commands that require additional user input, improving user experience.

• Improve Performance for Large Repositories

  • Description: Optimize the performance of dodl for handling large numbers of documents and extensive metadata, ensuring quick and efficient operations.

• Release Initial Version of dodl

  • Description: Package and release the initial version of dodl, including all core features, documentation, and installation instructions for users.