Persistent Task Manager (PTM)

The Persistent Task Manager (PTM) is a simple, console-based Java application designed to help users manage their to-do lists effectively. It features persistence through file serialization (.dat) for program data and generates a human-readable CSV file (.csv) for data inspection.

Key Features

• Task Management (CRUD): Add, View, Mark Complete, and Delete tasks.
• Persistence: Tasks are automatically saved and loaded using Java Serialization (tasks.dat).
• Data Inspection: A human-readable backup file (tasks.csv) is automatically generated on every save operation.
• Priority System: Tasks can be assigned High (1), Medium (2), or Low (3) priority.
• Sorting: View tasks sorted by Priority or Due Date.
• User Interface: Simple, menu-driven console interface for easy interaction.

Technology Stack

• Language: Java
• Persistence:
  • Primary: Java Serialization (ObjectOutputStream/ObjectInputStream)
  • Secondary (Inspection): CSV File I/O (PrintWriter/FileWriter)
• Date/Time Handling: java.time.LocalDate

Project Structure

The project is composed of three core classes:

File Name	Description
Main.java	Contains the main method and handles the console-based User Interface (UI), input validation, and menu navigation.
TaskManager.java	Manages the collection of Task objects. Implements the business logic for persistence (loading/saving to .dat and .csv) and task operations (add, delete, sort).
Task.java	The model class representing a single task. It implements Serializable for persistence and handles the task's properties (title, description, priority, due date, completion status).

Getting Started

Prerequisites

You need a Java Development Kit (JDK) installed on your system.

Compiling and Running

1. Download the files :

   Main.java, TaskManager.java, Task.java

2. Compile the Java files:

   javac Main.java TaskManager.java Task.java

3. Run the application:

   java Main

Usage

Here is a description of each menu option:

Option	Description	Action Performed
1. Add New Task	Allows you to create a new task. You will be prompted to enter a Title, Description, Priority (1=High, 2=Medium, 3=Low), and Due Date.	Creates a Task object, adds it to the list, and automatically saves the updated list to both tasks.dat and tasks.csv.
2. View All Tasks (Unsorted)	Displays the complete list of tasks in the order they were added.	Calls manager.getAllTasks() and prints the list to the console, showing the index and details for each task.
3. Mark Task as Complete	Changes the status of an existing task to [COMPLETED].	Prompts for the task number, updates the task object's completion status, and saves the changes.
4. Delete Task	Permanently removes a task from the list.	Prompts for the task number, removes the task from the list, and saves the updated list.
5. Sort and View Tasks	Provides a sub-menu to view tasks sorted by different criteria.	Prompts for sort choice (1 for Priority, 2 for Date), uses manager.getSortedTasks(sortBy), and displays the sorted list.
6. Exit & Save	Saves the current state of the task list and closes the application.	Calls manager.saveTasks(), ensuring the latest data is written to both tasks.dat and tasks.csv, then terminates the program.

Date and Priority Format

• Due Date: Must be entered in the format dd-MM-yyyy (e.g., 25-11-2025).
• Priority: Must be a number from 1 (High), 2 (Medium), or 3 (Low).

Data Files

The application will create the following files in the project directory:

File	Purpose
tasks.dat	Primary data storage. This is a binary file used by the program to load and save the object structure.
tasks.csv	Secondary data storage. This human-readable file is generated for inspection/debugging purposes.

Code Highlights

Dual Persistence in TaskManager.java

The TaskManager class ensures robust data saving by utilizing two methods:

1. Serialization (.dat): Ensures all object state is perfectly preserved for the program.
2. CSV Export (.csv): Provides a simple, cross-platform, human-readable view of the data.

// Simplified persistence snippet from TaskManager.java
public void saveTasks() {
    // 1. Primary Save via Serialization
    try (ObjectOutputStream oos = new ObjectOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(DAT_FILE))) {
        oos.writeObject(tasks);
    } catch (IOException e) { /* ... */ }
    
    // 2. Secondary Save to CSV
    saveTasksToCsv();
}

Author:

This project was developed by:

• MUSKAN
• REG NO. 24MIM10127