store and retrieve parameters in NAML

[nnako]

Hi,

on some of my sites I am using a getting-things-done (GTD) scheme to organize site relevant tasks. Nabble provides the "workgroups" functionality to handle responsibilities connected to these tasks. All this works very well.


BACKGROUND

Here is roughly explained, how we handle task at different stages:
(1) a new post (task) is created and assigned to a responsible person
(2) the task gets operated on and finally finished. The respective post is unassigned.
(3) the post for the finished task is moved out of the task list into an appropriate technical subforum

When the task is moved to another place within the forum, the task numbers "#<number>" identifying the respective task will not be ordered anymore: So, numbers disappear from the list while the order of numbers within the list changes according to the task communication activities. You see it in the picture: Current order is #003, #018, #017, #16, #009 .




PROBLEM

A person who wants to add a new task (post) does not know the highest number used within this project to be able to choose n+1 as the new task number. He would have to search the whole forum in order to find the highest used task number. So, he will probably use a number already in use, which causes confusion regarding further functionalities with base on these task numbers.


POSSIBLE SOLUTION

In order to be able to reliably use a number for new tasks which is higher than all the other numbers used for previous tasks, I would like to implement a mechanism directly into NAML. This mechanism will automatically "recommend" a number e.g. directly within the subject string of a new task (post) when the post is created within this subforum.

These technical questions would have to be solved:
(A) creation of a "parameter" which is stored within the site's non-volatile memory
(B) access (read, modify and store) of this parameter from within the NAML code
(C) placement of the parameter content as a string into a HTML portion of a new post

Can this be done in NAML? Especially for (A) and (B) would be important. (C) should be easier to find and realize.

Thanks.
nnako