Task Creator
The Task Creator is a guided dialog that builds a task for you, so you never have to write the {{key:: value}} syntax by hand. It is the safest starting point when you want Operon to walk you through creating a task. This page is the reference; for a step-by-step walkthrough of writing a task and adding fields through pickers, see How to create a task with Task Creator.
Open it with Create New Operon Task from the command palette.
MEDIA-DOCS-020-1: The Task Creator dialog with the title field, inline/file toggle, status, priority, and date fields.
When to reach for it
Use the Task Creator when:
- You do not want to write task syntax by hand.
- You want to create a task from anywhere, not only at the cursor.
- You want to set fields up front, such as status, priority, dates, parent task, estimate, recurrence, or links.
If the task is already written as a line in a note, the faster path is Create or edit inline task instead. See Inline tasks.
Create from a Canvas
Task Creator also opens when you choose Convert to Operon task… on a normal Canvas text card, or Add Operon task after dragging a connection into empty Canvas space. Review the prepared fields, then create an Inline Task or File Task; Operon places its linked card on the Canvas.
When the connection starts from an Operon task card, Task Creator prepares the new task as its subtask with the configured inheritance. By contrast, Add task to Canvas from the command palette selects an existing task through Task Finder. See Canvas Task Cards for both workflows.
What you choose
Give the task a clear title, then choose its shape:
- Inline task if it belongs inside a note or capture target. See Inline tasks.
- File task if the work needs its own Markdown file and a body. See File tasks.
From there you can set the fields that matter. For a first task, a title, status, priority, and maybe a date are plenty. Contexts, assignees, recurrence, parent links, icons, and colors can wait. The field names follow the canonical set described in Inline task syntax.
Date and Date & time controls show their selected task date using Settings → Operon → General → Date format. This changes only what you see in the creator; the task is still saved with canonical ISO date values. The picker, its fixed display options, and natural-language input are covered in Date and time picker.
Task Type, Task Image, and Task Gallery use the shared task-data picker. Task Type stores one classification, Task Image stores one media reference, and Task Gallery keeps several references in order. See Task properties and Task images and galleries.
Setting reminders while you create
The toolbar carries a button for each kind of reminder, ReminderDatetimes for a fixed moment and ReminderRules for an offset from one of the task's dates. Reminders you add before saving appear as chips in the creator, and you can click one to change or remove it before the task exists. See Reminders.
Two things worth knowing:
- Both buttons are hidden by default. Turn them on in Settings → Operon → Interface → Task Chips, in the Task Creator toolbar section, which is also where you order the toolbar.
- The rule button stays disabled until the task has a date, because a rule counts back from one of the task's own dates. Set a due, scheduled, or start date, or a timed block, first, and it becomes available.
If you would rather not set reminders during capture at all, leave the buttons off and add reminders later from the Task Editor or directly from a task's chips.
Default to file tasks
Task Creator starts in Inline mode by default, but you can make it open in File mode instead. This is useful if most of your work lives as notes with frontmatter and a body, and you do not want to switch from Inline to File every time.
Turn on Default to File Task in Task Creator in Settings → Operon → Tasks → File Tasks → New File Task Creation Defaults. In the same section, Default file task template can preselect the template Task Creator uses when it enters File mode. Leave the template setting empty if you still want Task Creator to ask you to pick a template each time.
Where the task lands
When you save, an inline task goes to the current note when possible, or to your configured capture target. A file task is created in your configured file-task location. These targets are set once in Essential settings to configure first, so capture lands somewhere predictable.
MEDIA-DOCS-020-2: The Task Creator in inline-task mode (with Parent task selection), showing where the new note will be created.
After creating
Open the new task in the Task Editor to see its structured fields, or recover it later with Task Finder. If you picked the wrong shape, you can convert between inline and file forms at any time. See Converting inline and file tasks.
FAQ
Do I have to fill every field? No. A title is enough to start. Add structure when it helps you find, plan, or act on the work.
Can I create a task while reading another note? Yes. The Task Creator works from anywhere, which is its main advantage over editing a line in place.
Can Task Creator open in File mode by default? Yes. Enable Default to File Task in Task Creator under Settings → Operon → Tasks → File Tasks → New File Task Creation Defaults.
Where are the reminder buttons? Hidden by default. Turn them on in Settings → Operon → Interface → Task Chips, in the Task Creator toolbar section.