Controlling Section Visibility

Previously

In a previous post, we talked about how adding the preparation section brought the total to five sections per task, and how the screen started feeling heavy. We had a direction in mind but hadn’t built it yet.

Now we have.

Two Levels of Control

Section visibility is controlled at two levels.

Per-document settings. Each task decides which sections to show. We added a section icon button to the top bar. Tap it, and a bottom sheet opens with five toggles: schedule, analysis, preparation, retrospect, attachments. Turn one off, the section disappears. Turn it back on, it returns. Sections with content show a blue dot next to their toggle, so you know what you’re hiding.

Default settings. Decide which sections new tasks start with. Under Settings > Default Document Display, you set it once and every new task inherits those defaults. Only schedule is on by default. Keep it minimal, turn on what you need.

Preparation Categories Follow the Same Pattern

Inside the preparation section, there are five categories: materials, tools, venue, personnel, qualification. Not every task needs all five.

We added a settings button to the preparation section header. Tap it, and category toggles appear. For a cooking task, keep materials on and turn off the rest. For project planning, maybe personnel and venue.

Default settings work the same way. Choose which categories appear by default. Only materials is on out of the box.

Descriptions for Each Section

Looking at the toggle list, we felt the names alone might not be enough. What does “analysis” do? What’s “retrospect” for?

So we added a one-line description under each toggle.

• Schedule — Record time and place.
• Analysis — Examine your goals in detail.
• Preparation — Check what you need in advance.
• Retrospect — Reflect on how it went.
• Attachments — Add related files and materials.

And for preparation categories:

• Materials — Organize the materials and supplies you need.
• Tools — Check the tools and equipment to use.
• Venue — Decide where the activity takes place.
• Personnel — Identify the people involved.
• Qualification — Verify required qualifications or certifications.

We wrote purposes, not feature lists. Not “what can you do here” but “why does this exist.”

Optimistic Update

Toggling saves to the server. But waiting for the server response makes the toggle feel slow. You flip a switch, and it moves half a second later. That feels broken.

So we applied optimistic updates. The toggle flips immediately in local state. The server save happens in the background. If it fails, the toggle reverts. The user only sees instant feedback.

Answering the Previous Questions

The previous post ended with open questions.

Should the schedule section always be visible?

No. It can be hidden like any other section.

Won’t a new task with no sections look too empty?

Defaults handle this. Schedule is on by default. The rest are off, but you can change the defaults in settings.

Should tasks generated from templates follow the template’s section settings?

Yes. Templates have the same section settings, and generated tasks inherit them.

Light, Then Deep

All five sections still exist. But they no longer all show up at once.

Open a simple task and you see the title and schedule. Open a complex project and analysis, preparation, schedule, and retrospect are all there. Same app, but the interface adapts to the depth of the task.

Minimal to Maximal. This time, not just as a principle — as a setting.