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3.3.1 Todo States

By default, TODO entries have one of two states:

• TODO
• DONE

• org-todo-keywords

Org mode allows you to create more extensive states. These states are stored in the variable org-todo-keywords. This variables is a list of sequences. Each sequences starts with a symbol that is either:

sequence

sequence of action steps; keywords requiring action. These states will select a headline for inclusion into the global TODO list. If one of the keywords is the vertical bar "|", the remaining keywords signify that no further action is necessary. But if "|" is not found, then the last keyword is treated as the only DONE state.

((sequence "TODO" "DONE"))

(setq org-todo-keywords
  '((sequence "TODO" "FEEDBACK" "VERIFY" "|" "DONE "DELEGATED")))

Cycle an entry through these states with:

C-c C-t
S-<RIGHT> S-<LEFT>

Pick the third entry:

C-3 C-c C-t

Use multiple sequences in parallel:

(setq org-todo-keywords
  '((sequence "TODO" "|" "DONE")
    (sequence "REPORT" "BUG" "KNOWCAUSE" "|" "FIXED")
    (sequence "|" "CANCELLED")))

To select a sequence:

C-u C-u C-c C-t
C-S-<RIGHT> C-S-<LEFT>

Set sequence states in a file:

#+SEQ_TODO: KEYWORDS...
#+TODO: KEYWORDS...

type

different types of TODO items, e.g., "work" or "home", or "Tom"; but you should really implement this functionality using Tags instead.

Set type keywords in a file:

#+TYP_TODO

fast state selection

Each keyword can specifiy a character for fast state selection in conjunction with the variable org-use-fast-todo-selection. This is done by adding the selection character after each keyword in parentheses. When you press ‘C-c C-t’, followed by the selection key, the entry is switched to this state immediately. Further, use ‘<SPC>’ to remove a TODO keyword from an entry.

(setq org-todo-keywords
      '((sequence "TODO(t)" "|" "DONE(d)")
        (sequence "REPORT(r)" "BUG(b)" "KNOWNCAUSE(k)" "|" "FIXED(f)")
        (sequence "|" "CANCELED(c)")))

Todo Faces

• org-todo for keywords indicating that an item still has to be acted upon;
• org-done for keywords indicating that an item is finished.
• org-todo-keyword-faces for additional faces; if you are using more than two different states, you can use special faces for some of them.

(setq org-todo-keyword-faces
       '(("TODO" . org-warning) ("STARTED" . "yellow")
         ("CANCELED" . (:foreground "blue" :weight bold))))