# Phase 9: Task Creation UX - Context

**Gathered:** 2026-03-18
**Status:** Ready for planning

<domain>
## Phase Boundary

Rework the frequency picker from a flat grid of 10 preset ChoiceChips + hidden "Custom" mode into an intuitive "Every [N] [unit]" picker with quick-select shortcut chips. The picker is inherently freeform — no separate "Custom" mode. All existing interval types and calendar-anchored scheduling behavior must continue working. No new scheduling logic, no new DB columns, no new screens.

</domain>

<decisions>
## Implementation Decisions

### Picker layout
- Shortcut chips first (compact row), then the "Every [N] [unit]" picker row below
- Tapping a chip highlights it AND populates the picker row (bidirectional sync)
- Editing the picker manually deselects any highlighted chip
- Both always reflect the same value — single source of truth
- The picker row is always visible, not hidden behind a "Custom" toggle

### Number input
- Keep the existing TextFormField with digit-only filter
- Same pattern as the current custom interval input (TextFormField + FilteringTextInputFormatter.digitsOnly)
- Minimum value: 1 (no max limit — if someone wants every 999 days, let them)
- Text field centered, compact width (~60px as current)

### Unit selector
- Keep SegmentedButton with 3 units: Tage (days), Wochen (weeks), Monate (months)
- No "years" unit — yearly is handled as 12 months in the picker
- Consistent with existing SegmentedButton pattern used for effort level selector

### Shortcut chips
- 4 shortcut chips: Täglich, Wöchentlich, Alle 2 Wochen, Monatlich
- No quarterly/yearly shortcut chips — users type 3/12 months via the freeform picker
- Drop all other presets (every 2 days, every 3 days, every 2 months, every 6 months) — the freeform picker handles arbitrary intervals naturally
- Chips use ChoiceChip widget (existing pattern)

### Preset removal
- Remove the entire `FrequencyInterval.presets` static list from being used in the UI
- The 10-chip Wrap grid is fully replaced by 4 shortcut chips + freeform picker
- The "Benutzerdefiniert" (Custom) chip is removed — the picker is inherently freeform
- `_isCustomFrequency` boolean state is no longer needed

### Edit mode behavior
- When editing an existing task, match the stored interval to a shortcut chip if possible
- Daily task → highlight "Täglich" chip, picker shows "Alle 1 Tage"
- Weekly task → highlight "Wöchentlich" chip, picker shows "Alle 1 Wochen"
- Biweekly → highlight "Alle 2 Wochen" chip, picker shows "Alle 2 Wochen"
- Monthly → highlight "Monatlich" chip, picker shows "Alle 1 Monate"
- Any other interval (e.g., every 5 days, quarterly, yearly) → no chip highlighted, picker filled with correct values

### DB mapping
- Shortcut chips map to existing IntervalType enum values (daily, weekly, biweekly, monthly)
- Freeform days → IntervalType.everyNDays with the entered value
- Freeform weeks → IntervalType.everyNDays with value * 7
- Freeform months → IntervalType.everyNMonths with the entered value
- Calendar-anchored behavior (anchorDay) preserved for month-based intervals
- No changes to IntervalType enum, no new DB values, no migration needed

### Claude's Discretion
- Exact chip styling and spacing within the Wrap
- Animation/transition when syncing chip ↔ picker
- Whether the "Alle" prefix label is part of the picker row or omitted
- How to handle the edge case where user clears the number field (empty → treat as 1)
- l10n string changes needed for new/modified labels

</decisions>

<specifics>
## Specific Ideas

- User consistently prefers simplicity across phases ("just keep it simple" — Phase 8 pattern)
- The key UX improvement: no more hunting through 10 chips or finding a hidden "Custom" mode — the picker is always there and always works
- 4 common shortcuts for one-tap convenience, freeform picker for everything else
- The current `_buildCustomFrequencyInput` method is essentially what becomes the primary picker — it already has the right structure

</specifics>

<code_context>
## Existing Code Insights

### Reusable Assets
- `_buildCustomFrequencyInput()` in `task_form_screen.dart:279-326`: Already implements "Alle [N] [Tage|Wochen|Monate]" row with TextFormField + SegmentedButton — this becomes the primary picker
- `_CustomUnit` enum (`task_form_screen.dart:511`): Already has days/weeks/months — reuse directly
- `_customIntervalController` (`task_form_screen.dart:35`): Already exists for the number input
- `_resolveFrequency()` (`task_form_screen.dart:378-415`): Already handles custom unit → IntervalType mapping — core logic stays the same
- `_loadExistingTask()` (`task_form_screen.dart:55-101`): Already has edit-mode loading logic with preset matching — needs rework for new chip set
- `FrequencyInterval.presets` (`frequency.dart:50-61`): Static list of 10 presets — UI no longer iterates this, but the model class stays for backward compat

### Established Patterns
- ChoiceChip in Wrap for multi-option selection (current frequency chips)
- SegmentedButton for unit/level selection (effort level, custom unit)
- TextFormField with FilteringTextInputFormatter for numeric input
- ConsumerStatefulWidget with setState for form state management
- German l10n strings in `app_de.arb` via `AppLocalizations`

### Integration Points
- `task_form_screen.dart`: Primary file — rework `_buildFrequencySelector()` method, simplify state variables
- `frequency.dart`: `FrequencyInterval.presets` list is no longer iterated in UI but may still be used elsewhere (templates) — check before removing
- `app_de.arb` / `app_localizations.dart`: May need new/updated l10n keys for shortcut chip labels
- `template_picker_sheet.dart` / `task_templates.dart`: Templates create tasks with specific IntervalType values — no changes needed since DB mapping unchanged

</code_context>

<deferred>
## Deferred Ideas

None — discussion stayed within phase scope

</deferred>

---

*Phase: 09-task-creation-ux*
*Context gathered: 2026-03-18*
