Status

This connector is beta and this setup document is in progress. If any connector doesn’t behave the way you expect, we always want to know, but especially in this case.

Setup

As of 2013-10-22, Cultured Code reported “we don’t offer API access to Things Cloud, nor do we have any plans to do so at this time.”

However, Taco can import tasks from Things via an exported file, like to a network-accessible file sharing service such as Dropbox or Box.

Things keeps the file updated locally and your file sharing service syncs those changes. When syncing, Taco downloads the file from your file sharing service.

While initial setup takes more effort, updates run automatically and the end result is similar. If Cultured Code does offer an API, Taco will adopt it.

Download script

We’ll use one of many existing AppleScripts to export tasks from Things to a text file. We suggest this one. Others are also available.

Edit script

Follow the setup instructions provided the script.

For the recommended script, double-click the .scpt file to edit it in the AppleScript Editor. Change the first line to a path to your file sharing service.

For example, change this line:

set thePath to (path to desktop as Unicode text) & "ThingsToDo.txt"

to:

set thePath to "/Users/bob/Dropbox/Public/things.taskpaper.txt"

This will export the tasks to the filename above. The path should be one which is synced with a file sharing service.

Save as application

Make your new AppleScript a runnable application instead of a script. In AppleScript, choose File then Export (or if not shown, Save As). For File Format, choose: Application.

Run export

From your Applications folder, invoke the AppleScript by double-clicking it. The exported file should appear.

Add Taco connector

Visit Taco’s Connectors page and click “Things.” Provide the URL (provided by your file sharing service) to the exported file above. For example:

https://dl.dropboxfilesharingexample.com/u123456/things.taskpaper.txt

When Taco syncs with connectors, it will treat this file like a service.

Automate exports

Install cronnix and add an entry to run the export application every hour or as often as you see fit.

Behavior

Taco imports all exported tasks.

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