What is GTD-Free?
GTD-Free is a personal TODO/action manager inspired by GTD (Getting Things DoneŠ) method by David Allen (see David Allen&Co. official site for more information). GTD-Free tries to be simple and easy to use management tool. GTD-Free is free open-source software.
GTD-Free aims to guide users to manage very efficient GTD workflow even if they are not familiar with GTD or they need guidance to follow it. The user interface is clean and simple on each step of the workflow: user objective should be to get thing done and spent minimum time with the tool itself.
The GTD-Free is in continuous development. Yet the things which are done so far are working well and the application is usable in day-to-day task management even as beta release.

Some features of GTD-Free;
  • A desktop application with locally stored data.
  • Runs on all main operating systems (requires Java 1.6).
  • Can be run from USB stick.
  • Simple and clean user interface with process oriented view on actions according to GTD workflow.
  • User editable lists with categories for next actions, maybe/someday actions and reference material.
  • Actions organized also by projects, remind dates and priority.
  • Tickler view for action with reminder date set.
  • Integration into system tray.
  • Printing, export of data to PDF, HTML, XML documents.

System requirements
  • Java version 1.6.0 (tested with version 1.6.0ga5)


GTD-Free on an eComStation machine with Open JDK


Installing GTD-Free
Download gtd-free-0.6-beta.jar (5.4Mb). Make a directory/map with the name "gtd" or something you like. Copy the file "gtd-free-0.6-beta.jar" to the new created directory/map. With this link you can find a manual. That's it!

The used cmd file
GTD-Free works with Open JDK in OS/2-eCS. I have a "gtd.cmd" file with the following contents; 
@echo off
SET BEGINLIBPATH=[drive: java]\JAVA160ga5\bin
SET path=[drive: java]\JAVA160ga5\bin
SET CLASSPATH=
[drive: gtd]
cd [drive: gtd]\gtd
java -Duser.home=[drive: gtd]\gtd -jar gtd-free-0.6-beta.jar 2>gtd-bugs.txt
I use 2 separate folders (directories), one for Java and one for GTD-Free with the files created by this program. The references used in the cmd file;

  • [drive: java] = drive with Java
  • [drive: gtd] = drive with GTD-Free

should be replaced with real drive letters. Save the file and name it "gtd.cmd" or use the file from "gtd-free-ecs.zip", see below. This file is copied to the "gtd" directory/map. Furthermore, different paths?, adjust according to your needs.
Create a new program object. Specify the path and file name: "[drive: gtd]\gtd\gtd.cmd". In the tabpage Session check the boxes "OS/2 window", "Running as an icon" and "Close Window to end program". In the tabpage General you can enter the name "GTD-Free". There is an OS/2 icon in the file "gtd-free-ecs.zip".

Parameters / options explained
  • The statement "-Duser.home=[drive: gtd]\gtd" will ensure that GTD-Free will save all necessary files in own directory instead of saving them in the home directory.
  • The addition "2>gtd-bugs.txt" ensures that errors are saved in the file "gtd-bugs.txt". The 2 in "2>" is not a typo! The file did not stay empty on my system due to not finding the browser.

Remarks with running gtd.cmd
Not all problems and remarks end up in the "gtd-bugs.txt" file. At startup of "gtd.cmd" in an eCS-window session you can read this;
GTD-Free version 0.6-beta
usage: java -jar gtd-free.jar [options]
 -data <arg> The folder, where data and configurations are stored, if 
             omitted default folder is used in user's home
 -eodb <arg> Exports all data to ODB file and exits.
 -exml <arg> Exports all data to XML file and exits.
 -h,--help   Prints this help message
 -log <arg>  Set logging level (valid values: OFF, FATAL, ERROR, WARN,
             INFO, DEBUG and ALL).
0 [main] INFO org.gtdfree.GTDFree  - GTD-Free started.
20 [main] DEBUG org.gtdfree.GTDFree  - Args: []
20 [main] INFO org.gtdfree.GTDFree  - Using data in: I:\PROGRAMS\gtd\.gtd-free
60 [main] DEBUG org.gtdfree.GTDFree  - GTK L&F not supported.
java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: com.sun.java.swing.plaf.gtk.GTKLookAndFeel
	at java.net.URLClassLoader$1.run(URLClassLoader.java:217)
	at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
	at java.net.URLClassLoader.findClass(URLClassLoader.java:205)
	at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:321)
	at sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader.loadClass(Launcher.java:294)
	at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:266)
	at java.lang.Class.forName0(Native Method)
	at java.lang.Class.forName(Class.java:264)
	at javax.swing.SwingUtilities.loadSystemClass(SwingUtilities.java:1875)
	at javax.swing.UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.java:573)
	at org.gtdfree.GTDFree.main(GTDFree.java:558)
1880 [main] DEBUG org.gtdfree.GTDFree  - Using L&F 'Metal' by javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalLookAndFeel
Loading XML file I:\PROGRAMS\gtd\.gtd-free\gtd-free-data.xml
XML declared encoding: UTF-8, system default encoding: IBM850
11050 [AWT-EventQueue-0] INFO org.gtdfree.GTDFree  - Application closing requested.
11160 [AWT-EventQueue-0] INFO org.gtdfree.GTDFreeEngine  - Shutdown emergency backup saved to
 I:\PROGRAMS\gtd\.gtd-free\gtd-free-data.shutdown_backup.xml
11160 [AWT-EventQueue-0] DEBUG org.gtdfree.GTDFree  - Cleanup while engine aborting.
There are 5 parts.
Part 1 shows some options you can use. They can be placed between "gtd-free-0.6-beta.jar" and "2>gtd-bugs.txt".
Part 2 shows that our setup works.
Part 3 shows that the "GTK" look and feel is not supportedin our Java and that the Metal look and feel from Swing is used.
Part 4 shows that our system is recognized (IBM850).
Part 5 shows what happens when you close the program.

Download
In the file you can find above command file (all drive letters are on set to C:) and an OS/2 GTD-Free icon: gtd-free-ecs.zip.

revision July 17, 2020