Option to show projects and contexts from hidden todos in the Attributes drawer

[sokolgeo]

This feature request is related to #769 and expands on my comment there.

The behaviour introduced by #769 solves the problem of hidden-only attributes appearing as apparently empty filters, but it also removes an important project-management workflow: using hidden incomplete todos as persistent project and context records.

I would therefore like to propose an optional setting:

Include projects and contexts from hidden todos in the Attributes drawer

The existing behaviour could remain the default, while users who deliberately use hidden todos as a persistent project register could enable the previous behaviour.

Use case: hidden todos as a persistent project and context register

I understand the original problem described in this issue: an attribute was displayed in the drawer even though selecting it produced no visible todos.

However, completely removing projects and contexts that occur only in hidden todos has also removed an important workflow that I relied on.

I intentionally keep one hidden, incomplete “project record” todo for every active project, for example:

Project record +healthcare_project h:1

Actual next actions then use the same project:

Ask the doctor about the next vaccination +healthcare_project @doctors

The hidden project record is not itself an action. Its purpose is to preserve the existence of the project when it temporarily has no next action.

This previously provided two important benefits:

1. The project remained listed in the Attributes drawer even when it had no actionable todo.
2. Because the project record was hidden from the normal todo list, it was much less likely to be accidentally completed.

This made the Attributes drawer useful as a reliable project register. When the last normal action for a project was completed, the hidden record ensured that the project remained visible and could be identified during a review as a project without a next action.

With the current behaviour, a project disappears from the Attributes drawer as soon as its only remaining todo is hidden. I can therefore no longer easily distinguish between:

• a project that has been genuinely completed; and
• an active project that currently has no next action.

Keeping the project-record todo permanently visible is not an equivalent workaround. It places non-actionable records in the normal todo list and makes them vulnerable to be accidentally marked as completed. If such a record is completed, the project can disappear without being noticed.

Could the behaviour introduced by this issue please be made configurable?

For example:

Setting: Include projects and contexts from hidden todos in the Attributes drawer

The setting could be disabled by default, preserving the behaviour requested in this issue. When enabled:

• projects and contexts used only by hidden todos would remain in the Attributes drawer;
• hidden-only attributes could be displayed dimmed or with a hidden icon;
• their count could distinguish between visible and hidden todos, for example 0 visible / 1 hidden;
• selecting one could either display its hidden todos or explain that Show hidden todos must be enabled.

This would preserve the fix for users who do not want hidden-only attributes displayed, while restoring the project-review workflow for users who deliberately use hidden todos as a persistent project and context register.

Would you please consider adding such a configuration option?