In today’s fast-paced world, staying organized and managing tasks effectively is more critical than ever. Whether you’re a developer, a student, or a professional juggling multiple projects, having a reliable task management system can make a world of difference. But what if you could create your own customized task manager with just a bit of Python and SQLite?

Manage your tasks with the terminal :-)

We’re excited to share a Python script that not only helps you add, update, and display tasks but also allows you to delete all tasks with a simple command. Brefaly here’s what script does:

• Create a Task Table: It automatically sets up your SQLite database with the necessary table and columns.

• Add Tasks: It allows you to effortlessly add new tasks, with optional due dates.

• Update Task Status: It enables you to easily update the status of your tasks to monitor your progress.

• Delete All Tasks: It clears all tasks with a confirmation prompt to ensure you don't delete them unintentionally.

• Display Tasks: It lets you view all your tasks in a clean, tabular format

Setting Up the Table

The script begins by creating a table in your SQLite database if it doesn't already exist. It even checks for a due_date column and adds it if it's absent:

def create_table(conn):
    sql_create_tasks_table = """ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS tasks (
                                    id integer PRIMARY KEY,
                                    task text NOT NULL,
                                    status text NOT NULL
                                ); """
    c = conn.cursor()
    c.execute(sql_create_tasks_table)

    # Check if due_date column exists, if not, add it
    c.execute("PRAGMA table_info(tasks)")
    columns = [column[1] for column in c.fetchall()]
    if 'due_date' not in columns:
        c.execute("ALTER TABLE tasks ADD COLUMN due_date text")
    conn.commit()

Adding New Tasks

Adding a task is as simple as calling the add_task function. You can even set a due date:

def add_task(conn, task, due_date=None):
    sql = ''' INSERT INTO tasks(task, status, due_date)
              VALUES(?,?,?) '''
    cur = conn.cursor()
    cur.execute(sql, (task, 'Pending', due_date))
    conn.commit()
    return cur.lastrowid

Updating Task Status

Need to mark a task as completed? Just update its status:

def update_task(conn, task_id, status):
    sql = ''' UPDATE tasks
              SET status = ?
              WHERE id = ?'''
    cur = conn.cursor()
    cur.execute(sql, (status, task_id))
    conn.commit()

Deleting All Tasks

Want a fresh start? You can delete all tasks with a simple command, but don’t worry – it asks for confirmation first:

def delete_all_tasks(conn):
    sql = 'DELETE FROM tasks'
    cur = conn.cursor()
    cur.execute(sql)
    conn.commit()

Displaying Tasks

See all your tasks neatly listed in the console:

def display_tasks(conn):
    tasks = select_all_tasks(conn)
    print("\nAll Tasks:")
    print("-" * 50)
    print("ID | Task | Status | Due Date")
    print("-" * 50)
    for task in tasks:
        due_date = task[3] if len(task) > 3 and task[3] else "Not set"
        print(f"{task[0]} | {task[1]} | {task[2]} | {due_date}")
    print("-" * 50)

User-Friendly Menu

The script includes a user-friendly menu to interact with your task manager:

def menu():
    print("\n1. Add Task")
    print("2. Update Task Status")
    print("3. Delete All Tasks")
    print("4. Exit")

Bringing It All Together

Here’s the main function that ties everything together, providing a seamless user experience:

def main():
    database = "todo.db"
    conn = sqlite3.connect(database)
    if conn is not None:
        create_table(conn)
    else:
        print("Error! Cannot create the database connection.")
        return

    while True:
        display_tasks(conn)
        menu()
        choice = input("Enter choice: ")
        if choice == '1':
            task = input("Enter task: ")
            due_date = input("Enter due date (YYYY-MM-DD) or press Enter to skip: ")
            due_date = due_date if due_date else None
            add_task(conn, task, due_date)
        elif choice == '2':
            task_id = int(input("Enter task ID to update: "))
            status = input("Enter new status (Pending/Completed): ")
            update_task(conn, task_id, status)
        elif choice == '3':
            confirmation = input("Are you sure you want to delete all tasks? (yes/no): ")
            if confirmation.lower() == 'yes':
                delete_all_tasks(conn)
                print("All tasks have been deleted.")
        elif choice == '4':
            conn.close()
            break
        else:
            print("Invalid choice! Please try again.")

You can extend this script

• Customizable: Adjust the script to meet your specific task management requirements.

• Educational: Discover how to engage with SQLite databases using Python.

• Efficient: Handle tasks straight from your terminal, eliminating the need for third-party apps.

This script empowers you to manage your tasks efficiently and effectively. Happy coding!