AppleScript to update Microsoft To Do’s Next Step

#1

I’m using some AppleScript automation with Microsoft To Do. It is working fine for general fields (reminder name, due date, notes). I would like to update the Next Step field too (essentially the sub-tasks).

I don’t see any method to update that field and no indication in the dictionary that the data is accessible. Seemingly because the legacy AS support is using the Tasks portion of Outlook. The Next Step is unique to newer To Do functions and thus not accessible via AS. At least that is my theory.

Does anybody have experience using Next Step within AS? — jay

#2

Hi Jay,

I think you are a step ahead of me. I don’t even see a ‘Microsoft To-Do’ dictionary in AppleScript. Am I missing it? Or, perhaps you are using the Microsoft Outlook dictionary and creating tasks within Outlook which subsequently sync over to To-Do…?

Thanks,
Mikey

#3

you got it… the latter. Here’s a very simple example script i’ve shared with folks in my office. Some Apple Reminders users and some Microsoft To Do users

set myReminderApp to "Apple" -- either Microsoft or Apple
set theList to "Work"

set reminderTitle to text returned of (display dialog "Reminder" default answer "")
set reminderDueInDays to text returned of (display dialog "Due in Days" default answer "0")
set reminderNotes to text returned of (display dialog "Reminder Notes" default answer "")

set reminderDueDate to (current date) + (reminderDueInDays * days)

if myReminderApp is "Microsoft" then
	tell application "Microsoft Outlook"
		set myList to task folder theList
		tell myList
			make new task with properties {name:reminderTitle, content:reminderNotes, due date:reminderDueDate}
		end tell
	end tell
	
else
	tell application "Reminders"
		set myList to list theList
		tell myList
			make new reminder with properties {name:reminderTitle, body:reminderNotes, due date:reminderDueDate}
		end tell
	end tell
	
end if
display notification "Reminder added to " & theList
#4

Thanks for posting that snip, Jay. It’s helpful.

As for your original question, I think you are stuck until (if?) Microsoft releases a dictionary for To-Do. : (

Mike