I think my thoughts are well known on sub-tasks not inheriting a Parent task automatically but that is not for this discussion. As I try to develop tools for the community this becomes problematic so here is my question, How many of you create subtasks of subtasks? This is a programming challenge because you have to climb up the ladder to reach the Parent Task which is the only type of task that automatically has a project. This information would be very helpful. And @Jeff_Schneider it would be a great addition if it is not already there as I am not a programmer if all subtasks regardless of their level in the hierarchy knew what Parent task it was a derivative of. If it is there please let me know. I suspect not knowing the API is a sub of a sub believes its parent task is the first sub and may not know the original task at the highest level of the chain. Once the top level Task is known all the way down at least one of its Projects (if multi-homed) is the original Project of the task. Thanks
Hi @James_Carl, I generally avoid subtasks of subtasks, and recommend the same to others except in special circumstances.
A task object knows its immediate parent task if there is one. It does not know if there are any tasks above its parent in the hierarchy.
I’d just suggest a little caution here; there is no concept in the data model of a task’s “original project”. If it’s a multi-homed task, it’s a true democracy: “All projects are created equal”, so to speak. 
I agree with the true democracy that is why any tool I might have developed will require the user to break the tie. Phil do you believe you can walk up the tree to eventually arrive at the top limb.
Absolutely, that’s no problem at all, only about 4 lines of code - you just create a loop that keeps getting a task’s parent task until you hit a parent task ID of 0.
Not sure why the user would have to break the tie and pick one project over the others; but then I don’t know what you have planned.
The reason I made the post is to decide how much time should be spent on subtasks lower than the first level of subtasks. I get the impression subtasks of subtasks are not widely used. I assume your looping is a lower level subtask considers its higher level subtask to be its parent, then you look for the parent of that subtask and keep looping until you reach a true task, not a subtask all in an attempt to get the project of an orphaned (no project) subtask. At the top somebody has to break the tie to provide the project all the way down if you choose to make that assignment. So I think you know what I would like to do. My job is the vision not the programming, and they definitely are equals.
Ah, gotcha.
I think you’re probably right that subtasks of subtasks (and on down) are not that commonly done.
But now this non-programmer CFO wondering if you loop from top to bottom or bottom to top. My developer will know though. Why do you think I call my son all the time with 4 degrees including financial mathematics and computer science in charge of algorithmic development, because you guys are the smart ones that can make me look better than I am .
If granted free rein, I would add subtasks of subtasks of subtasks of subtasks. I refrain because team members balk at (or miss) a subtask of a subtask. There is resistance to going further with them.
If there was a way to identify subtasks within subtasks, for example, a number reflecting the subtasks associated (3) next to the assignee and due date, then its clear to LOOK there, and know that theres more to view in an organized fashion. I have to say, one of the reasons I actually chose Asana is BECAUSE of the ability to have subtasks within subtasks. It helps me truly track the level of depth a specific task has in a project.
This is the primary reason for not using Asana. Hierarchies and reuse is crucial for project planning.
This is crazy. Subtasks aren’t used because they don’t inherent the parent tasks project association. They get lost because they are not easily tracked to a specific project. If they worked as they should, then this should be an extremely useful tool that is used all the time.
Currently the subtasks I create show up only on “recent tasks”, but when sorting tasks by projects, they are in their own uncategorized section…
FIX THE SYSTEM before you asks who is using it. OF COURSE no one is going to use something that is broken or not connecting to the main functions of the software.
See this forum for more information.