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1\input texinfo
2@c %**start of header
db78a8cb 3@setfilename ../../info/org
4009494e
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4@settitle Org Mode Manual
5
6@set VERSION 5.07
7@set DATE August 2007
8
9@dircategory Emacs
10@direntry
11* Org Mode: (org). Outline-based notes management and organizer
12@end direntry
13
14@c Version and Contact Info
15@set MAINTAINERSITE @uref{http://www.astro.uva.nl/~dominik/Tools/org/,maintainers webpage}
16@set AUTHOR Carsten Dominik
17@set MAINTAINER Carsten Dominik
18@set MAINTAINEREMAIL @email{dominik at science dot uva dot nl}
19@set MAINTAINERCONTACT @uref{mailto:dominik at science dot uva dot nl,contact the maintainer}
20@c %**end of header
21@finalout
22
23@c Macro definitions
24
25@c Subheadings inside a table.
26@macro tsubheading{text}
27@ifinfo
28@subsubheading \text\
29@end ifinfo
30@ifnotinfo
31@item @b{\text\}
32@end ifnotinfo
33@end macro
34
35@copying
36This manual is for Org-mode (version @value{VERSION}).
37
38Copyright @copyright{} 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation
39
40@quotation
41Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
42under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
43any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
44Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU Manual,''
45and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
46license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
47License.''
48
49(a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
50this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
51Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
52@end quotation
53@end copying
54
55@titlepage
56@title Org Mode Manual
57
58@subtitle Release @value{VERSION}
59@author by Carsten Dominik
60
61@c The following two commands start the copyright page.
62@page
63@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
64@insertcopying
65@end titlepage
66
67@c Output the table of contents at the beginning.
68@contents
69
70@ifnottex
71@node Top, Introduction, (dir), (dir)
72@top Org Mode Manual
73
74@insertcopying
75@end ifnottex
76
77@menu
78* Introduction:: Getting started
79* Document structure:: A tree works like your brain
80* Tables:: Pure magic for quick formatting
81* Hyperlinks:: Notes in context
82* TODO items:: Every tree branch can be a TODO item
83* Tags:: Tagging headlines and matching sets of tags
84* Properties and columns::
85* Timestamps:: Assign date and time to items
86* Agenda views:: Collecting information into views
87* Embedded LaTeX:: LaTeX fragments and formulas
88* Exporting:: Sharing and publishing of notes
89* Publishing:: Create a web site of linked Org-mode files
90* Miscellaneous:: All the rest which did not fit elsewhere
91* Extensions and Hacking:: It is possible to write add-on code
92* History and Acknowledgments:: How Org-mode came into being
93* Index:: The fast road to specific information
94* Key Index:: Key bindings and where they are described
95
96@detailmenu
97 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
98
99Introduction
100
101* Summary:: Brief summary of what Org-mode does
102* Installation:: How to install a downloaded version of Org-mode
103* Activation:: How to activate Org-mode for certain buffers.
104* Feedback:: Bug reports, ideas, patches etc.
105
106Document Structure
107
108* Outlines:: Org-mode is based on outline-mode
109* Headlines:: How to typeset org-tree headlines
110* Visibility cycling:: Show and hide, much simplified
111* Motion:: Jumping to other headlines
112* Structure editing:: Changing sequence and level of headlines
113* Archiving:: Move done task trees to a different place
114* Sparse trees:: Matches embedded in context
115* Plain lists:: Additional structure within an entry
116* Drawers:: Tucking stuff away
117* orgstruct-mode:: Structure editing outside Org-mode
118
119Archiving
120
121* ARCHIVE tag:: Marking a tree as inactive
122* Moving subtrees:: Moving a tree to an archive file
123
124Tables
125
126* Built-in table editor:: Simple tables
127* Narrow columns:: Stop wasting space in tables
128* Column groups:: Grouping to trigger vertical lines
129* orgtbl-mode:: The table editor as minor mode
130* The spreadsheet:: The table editor has spreadsheet capabilities.
131
132The spreadsheet
133
134* References:: How to refer to another field or range
135* Formula syntax for Calc:: Using Calc to compute stuff
136* Formula syntax for Lisp:: Writing formulas in Emacs Lisp
137* Field formulas:: Formulas valid for a single field
138* Column formulas:: Formulas valid for an entire column
139* Editing and debugging formulas:: Fixing formulas
140* Updating the table:: Recomputing all dependent fields
141* Advanced features:: Field names, parameters and automatic recalc
142
143Hyperlinks
144
145* Link format:: How links in Org-mode are formatted
146* Internal links:: Links to other places in the current file
147* External links:: URL-like links to the world
148* Handling links:: Creating, inserting and following
149* Using links outside Org-mode:: Linking from my C source code?
150* Link abbreviations:: Shortcuts for writing complex links
151* Search options:: Linking to a specific location
152* Custom searches:: When the default search is not enough
153* Remember:: Org-trees store quick notes
154
155Internal links
156
157* Radio targets:: Make targets trigger links in plain text.
158
159Remember
160
161* Setting up remember:: Some code for .emacs to get things going
162* Remember templates:: Define the outline of different note types
163* Storing notes:: Directly get the note to where it belongs
164
165TODO items
166
167* TODO basics:: Marking and displaying TODO entries
168* TODO extensions:: Workflow and assignments
169* Priorities:: Some things are more important than others
170* Breaking down tasks:: Splitting a task into manageable pieces
171* Checkboxes:: Tick-off lists
172
173Extended use of TODO keywords
174
175* Workflow states:: From TODO to DONE in steps
176* TODO types:: I do this, Fred the rest
177* Multiple sets in one file:: Mixing it all, and still finding your way
178* Per file keywords:: Different files, different requirements
179
180Tags
181
182* Tag inheritance:: Tags use the tree structure of the outline
183* Setting tags:: How to assign tags to a headline
184* Tag searches:: Searching for combinations of tags
185
186Properties and Columns
187
188* Property syntax:: How properties are spelled out
189* Special properties:: Access to other Org-mode features
190* Property searches:: Matching property values
191* Column view:: Tabular viewing and editing
192* Property API:: Properties for Lisp programmers
193
194Column View
195
196* Defining columns:: The COLUMNS format property
197* Using column view:: How to create and use column view
198
199Defining Columns
200
201* Scope of column definitions:: Where defined, where valid?
202* Column attributes:: Appearance and content of a column
203
204Timestamps
205
206* Time stamps:: Assigning a time to a tree entry
207* Creating timestamps:: Commands which insert timestamps
208* Deadlines and scheduling:: Planning your work
209* Progress logging:: Documenting when what work was done.
210
211Creating timestamps
212
213* The date/time prompt:: How org-mode helps you entering date and time
214* Custom time format:: Making dates look differently
215
216Deadlines and Scheduling
217
218* Inserting deadline/schedule:: Planning items
219* Repeated tasks:: Items that show up again and again
220
221Progress Logging
222
223* Closing items:: When was this entry marked DONE?
224* Tracking TODO state changes:: When did the status change?
225* Clocking work time:: When exactly did you work on this item?
226
227Agenda Views
228
229* Agenda files:: Files being searched for agenda information
230* Agenda dispatcher:: Keyboard access to agenda views
231* Built-in agenda views:: What is available out of the box?
232* Presentation and sorting:: How agenda items are prepared for display
233* Agenda commands:: Remote editing of org trees
234* Custom agenda views:: Defining special searches and views
235
236The built-in agenda views
237
238* Weekly/Daily agenda:: The calendar page with current tasks
239* Global TODO list:: All unfinished action items
240* Matching tags and properties:: Structured information with fine-tuned search
241* Timeline:: Time-sorted view for single file
242* Stuck projects:: Find projects you need to review
243
244Presentation and sorting
245
246* Categories:: Not all tasks are equal
247* Time-of-day specifications:: How the agenda knows the time
248* Sorting of agenda items:: The order of things
249
250Custom agenda views
251
252* Storing searches:: Type once, use often
253* Block agenda:: All the stuff you need in a single buffer
254* Setting Options:: Changing the rules
255* Exporting Agenda Views:: Writing agendas to files.
256* Extracting Agenda Information for other programs::
257
258Embedded LaTeX
259
260* Math symbols:: TeX macros for symbols and Greek letters
261* Subscripts and Superscripts:: Simple syntax for raising/lowering text
262* LaTeX fragments:: Complex formulas made easy
263* Processing LaTeX fragments:: Previewing LaTeX processing
264* CDLaTeX mode:: Speed up entering of formulas
265
266Exporting
267
268* ASCII export:: Exporting to plain ASCII
269* HTML export:: Exporting to HTML
270* LaTeX export:: Exporting to LaTeX
271* XOXO export:: Exporting to XOXO
272* iCalendar export:: Exporting in iCalendar format
273* Text interpretation:: How the exporter looks at the file
274
275HTML export
276
277* HTML Export commands:: How to invoke LaTeX export
278* Quoting HTML tags:: Using direct HTML in Org-mode
279* Links:: Transformation of links for HTML
280* Images:: How to include images
281* CSS support:: Changing the appearence of the output
282
283LaTeX export
284
285* LaTeX export commands:: How to invoke LaTeX export
286* Quoting LaTeX code:: Incorporating literal LaTeX code
287
288Text interpretation by the exporter
289
290* Comment lines:: Some lines will not be exported
291* Initial text:: Text before the first headline
292* Footnotes:: Numbers like [1]
293* Enhancing text:: Subscripts, symbols and more
294* Export options:: How to influence the export settings
295
296Publishing
297
298* Configuration:: Defining projects
299* Sample configuration:: Example projects
300* Triggering publication:: Publication commands
301
302Configuration
303
304* Project alist:: The central configuration variable
305* Sources and destinations:: From here to there
306* Selecting files:: What files are part of the project?
307* Publishing action:: Setting the function doing the publishing
308* Publishing options:: Tweaking HTML export
309* Publishing links:: Which links keep working after publishing?
310* Project page index:: Publishing a list of project files
311
312Sample configuration
313
314* Simple example:: One-component publishing
315* Complex example:: A multi-component publishing example
316
317Miscellaneous
318
319* Completion:: M-TAB knows what you need
320* Customization:: Adapting Org-mode to your taste
321* In-buffer settings:: Overview of the #+KEYWORDS
322* The very busy C-c C-c key:: When in doubt, press C-c C-c
323* Clean view:: Getting rid of leading stars in the outline
324* TTY keys:: Using Org-mode on a tty
325* Interaction:: Other Emacs packages
326* Bugs:: Things which do not work perfectly
327
328Interaction with other packages
329
330* Cooperation:: Packages Org-mode cooperates with
331* Conflicts:: Packages that lead to conflicts
332
333Extensions, Hooks and Hacking
334
335* Extensions:: Existing 3rd-part extensions
336* Adding hyperlink types:: New custom link types
337* Tables in arbitrary syntax:: Orgtbl for LaTeX and other programs
338* Dynamic blocks:: Automatically filled blocks
339* Special agenda views:: Customized views
340* Using the property API:: Writing programs that use entry properties
341
342Tables in arbitrary syntax
343
344* Radio tables:: Sending and receiving
345* A LaTeX example:: Step by step, almost a tutorial
346* Translator functions:: Copy and modify
347
348@end detailmenu
349@end menu
350
351@node Introduction, Document structure, Top, Top
352@chapter Introduction
353@cindex introduction
354
355@menu
356* Summary:: Brief summary of what Org-mode does
357* Installation:: How to install a downloaded version of Org-mode
358* Activation:: How to activate Org-mode for certain buffers.
359* Feedback:: Bug reports, ideas, patches etc.
360@end menu
361
362@node Summary, Installation, Introduction, Introduction
363@section Summary
364@cindex summary
365
366Org-mode is a mode for keeping notes, maintaining TODO lists, and doing
367project planning with a fast and effective plain-text system.
368
369Org-mode develops organizational tasks around NOTES files that contain
370lists or information about projects as plain text. Org-mode is
371implemented on top of outline-mode, which makes it possible to keep the
372content of large files well structured. Visibility cycling and
373structure editing help to work with the tree. Tables are easily created
374with a built-in table editor. Org-mode supports TODO items, deadlines,
375time stamps, and scheduling. It dynamically compiles entries into an
376agenda that utilizes and smoothly integrates much of the Emacs calendar
377and diary. Plain text URL-like links connect to websites, emails,
378Usenet messages, BBDB entries, and any files related to the projects.
379For printing and sharing of notes, an Org-mode file can be exported as a
380structured ASCII file, as HTML, or (todo and agenda items only) as an
381iCalendar file. It can also serve as a publishing tool for a set of
382linked webpages.
383
384An important design aspect that distinguishes Org-mode from for example
385Planner/Muse is that it encourages to store every piece of information
386only once. In Planner, you have project pages, day pages and possibly
387other files, duplicating some information such as tasks. In Org-mode,
388you only have notes files. In your notes you mark entries as tasks,
389label them with tags and timestamps. All necessary lists like a
390schedule for the day, the agenda for a meeting, tasks lists selected by
391tags etc are created dynamically when you need them.
392
393Org-mode keeps simple things simple. When first fired up, it should
394feel like a straightforward, easy to use outliner. Complexity is not
395imposed, but a large amount of functionality is available when you need
396it. Org-mode is a toolbox and can be used in different ways, for
397example as:
398
399@example
400@r{@bullet{} outline extension with visibility cycling and structure editing}
401@r{@bullet{} ASCII system and table editor for taking structured notes}
402@r{@bullet{} ASCII table editor with spreadsheet-like capabilities}
403@r{@bullet{} TODO list editor}
404@r{@bullet{} full agenda and planner with deadlines and work scheduling}
405@r{@bullet{} environment to implement David Allen's GTD system}
406@r{@bullet{} a basic database application}
407@r{@bullet{} simple hypertext system, with HTML export}
408@r{@bullet{} publishing tool to create a set of interlinked webpages}
409@end example
410
411Org-mode's automatic, context sensitive table editor with spreadsheet
412capabilities can be integrated into any major mode by activating the
413minor Orgtbl-mode. Using a translation step, it can be used to maintain
414tables in arbitrary file types, for example in La@TeX{}. The structure
415editing and list creation capabilities can be used outside Org-mode with
416the minor Orgstruct-mode.
417
418@cindex FAQ
419There is a website for Org-mode which provides links to the newest
420version of Org-mode, as well as additional information, frequently asked
421questions (FAQ), links to tutorials etc. This page is located at
422@uref{http://www.astro.uva.nl/~dominik/Tools/org/}.
423
424@page
425
426
427@node Installation, Activation, Summary, Introduction
428@section Installation
429@cindex installation
430@cindex XEmacs
431
432@b{Important:} @i{If Org-mode is part of the Emacs distribution or an
433XEmacs package, please skip this section and go directly to
434@ref{Activation}.}
435
436If you have downloaded Org-mode from the Web, you must take the
437following steps to install it: Go into the Org-mode distribution
438directory and edit the top section of the file @file{Makefile}. You
439must set the name of the Emacs binary (likely either @file{emacs} or
440@file{xemacs}), and the paths to the directories where local Lisp and
441Info files are kept. If you don't have access to the system-wide
442directories, create your own two directories for these files, enter them
443into the Makefile, and make sure Emacs finds the Lisp files by adding
444the following line to @file{.emacs}:
445
446@example
447(setq load-path (cons "~/path/to/lispdir" load-path))
448@end example
449
450@b{XEmacs users now need to install the file @file{noutline.el} from
451the @file{xemacs} subdirectory of the Org-mode distribution. Use the
452command:}
453
454@example
455@b{make install-noutline}
456@end example
457
458@noindent Now byte-compile and install the Lisp files with the shell
459commands:
460
461@example
462make
463make install
464@end example
465
466@noindent If you want to install the info documentation, use this command:
467
468@example
469make install-info
470@end example
471
472@noindent Then add to @file{.emacs}:
473
474@lisp
475;; This line only if org-mode is not part of the X/Emacs distribution.
476(require 'org-install)
477@end lisp
478
479@node Activation, Feedback, Installation, Introduction
480@section Activation
481@cindex activation
482@cindex autoload
483@cindex global keybindings
484@cindex keybindings, global
485
486@iftex
487@b{Important:} @i{If you use copy-and-paste to copy lisp code from the
488PDF documentation as viewed by Acrobat reader to your .emacs file, the
489single quote character comes out incorrectly and the code will not work.
490You need to fix the single quotes by hand, or copy from Info
491documentation.}
492@end iftex
493
494Add the following lines to your @file{.emacs} file. The last two lines
495define @emph{global} keys for the commands @command{org-store-link} and
496@command{org-agenda} - please choose suitable keys yourself.
497
498@lisp
499;; The following lines are always needed. Choose your own keys.
500(add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.org\\'" . org-mode))
501(global-set-key "\C-cl" 'org-store-link)
502(global-set-key "\C-ca" 'org-agenda)
503@end lisp
504
505Furthermore, you must activate @code{font-lock-mode} in org-mode
506buffers, because significant functionality depends on font-locking being
507active. You can do this with either one of the following two lines
508(XEmacs user must use the second option):
509@lisp
510(global-font-lock-mode 1) ; for all buffers
511(add-hook 'org-mode-hook 'turn-on-font-lock) ; org-mode buffers only
512@end lisp
513
514@cindex org-mode, turning on
515With this setup, all files with extension @samp{.org} will be put
516into Org-mode. As an alternative, make the first line of a file look
517like this:
518
519@example
520MY PROJECTS -*- mode: org; -*-
521@end example
522
523@noindent which will select Org-mode for this buffer no matter what
524the file's name is. See also the variable
525@code{org-insert-mode-line-in-empty-file}.
526
527@node Feedback, , Activation, Introduction
528@section Feedback
529@cindex feedback
530@cindex bug reports
531@cindex maintainer
532@cindex author
533
534If you find problems with Org-mode, or if you have questions, remarks,
535or ideas about it, please contact the maintainer @value{MAINTAINER} at
536@value{MAINTAINEREMAIL}.
537
538For bug reports, please provide as much information as possible,
539including the version information of Emacs (@kbd{C-h v emacs-version
540@key{RET}}) and Org-mode (@kbd{C-h v org-version @key{RET}}), as well as
541the Org-mode related setup in @file{.emacs}. If an error occurs, a
542backtrace can be very useful (see below on how to create one). Often a
543small example file helps, along with clear information about:
544
545@enumerate
546@item What exactly did you do?
547@item What did you expect to happen?
548@item What happened instead?
549@end enumerate
550@noindent Thank you for helping to improve this mode.
551
552@subsubheading How to create a useful backtrace
553
554@cindex backtrace of an error
555If working with Org-mode produces an error with a message you don't
556understand, you may have hit a bug. The best way to report this is by
557providing, in addition to what was mentioned above, a @emph{Backtrace}.
558This is information from the built-in debugger about where and how the
559error occurred. Here is how to produce a useful backtrace:
560
561@enumerate
562@item
563Start a fresh Emacs or XEmacs, and make sure that it will load the
564original Lisp code in @file{org.el} instead of the compiled version in
565@file{org.elc}. The backtrace contains much more information if it is
566produced with uncompiled code. To do this, either rename @file{org.elc}
567to something else before starting Emacs, or ask Emacs explicitly to load
568@file{org.el} by using the command line
569@example
570emacs -l /path/to/org.el
571@end example
572@item
573Go to the @code{Options} menu and select @code{Enter Debugger on Error}
574(XEmacs has this option in the @code{Troubleshooting} sub-menu).
575@item
576Do whatever you have to do to hit the error. Don't forget to
577document the steps you take.
578@item
579When you hit the error, a @file{*Backtrace*} buffer will appear on the
580screen. Save this buffer to a file (for example using @kbd{C-x C-w}) and
581attach it to your bug report.
582@end enumerate
583
584@node Document structure, Tables, Introduction, Top
585@chapter Document Structure
586@cindex document structure
587@cindex structure of document
588
589Org-mode is based on outline mode and provides flexible commands to
590edit the structure of the document.
591
592@menu
593* Outlines:: Org-mode is based on outline-mode
594* Headlines:: How to typeset org-tree headlines
595* Visibility cycling:: Show and hide, much simplified
596* Motion:: Jumping to other headlines
597* Structure editing:: Changing sequence and level of headlines
598* Archiving:: Move done task trees to a different place
599* Sparse trees:: Matches embedded in context
600* Plain lists:: Additional structure within an entry
601* Drawers:: Tucking stuff away
602* orgstruct-mode:: Structure editing outside Org-mode
603@end menu
604
605@node Outlines, Headlines, Document structure, Document structure
606@section Outlines
607@cindex outlines
608@cindex outline-mode
609
610Org-mode is implemented on top of outline-mode. Outlines allow a
611document to be organized in a hierarchical structure, which (at least
612for me) is the best representation of notes and thoughts. An overview
613of this structure is achieved by folding (hiding) large parts of the
614document to show only the general document structure and the parts
615currently being worked on. Org-mode greatly simplifies the use of
616outlines by compressing the entire show/hide functionality into a single
617command @command{org-cycle}, which is bound to the @key{TAB} key.
618
619@node Headlines, Visibility cycling, Outlines, Document structure
620@section Headlines
621@cindex headlines
622@cindex outline tree
623
624Headlines define the structure of an outline tree. The headlines in
625Org-mode start with one or more stars, on the left margin@footnote{See
626the variable @code{org-special-ctrl-a/e} to configure special behavior
627of @kbd{C-a} and @kbd{C-e} in headlines.}. For example:
628
629@example
630* Top level headline
631** Second level
632*** 3rd level
633 some text
634*** 3rd level
635 more text
636
637* Another top level headline
638@end example
639
640@noindent Some people find the many stars too noisy and would prefer an
641outline that has whitespace followed by a single star as headline
642starters. @ref{Clean view} describes a setup to realize this.
643
644An empty line after the end of a subtree is considered part of it and
645will be hidden when the subtree is folded. However, if you leave at
646least two empty lines, one empty line will remain visible after folding
647the subtree, in order to structure the collapsed view. See the
648variable @code{org-cycle-separator-lines} to modify this behavior.
649
650@node Visibility cycling, Motion, Headlines, Document structure
651@section Visibility cycling
652@cindex cycling, visibility
653@cindex visibility cycling
654@cindex trees, visibility
655@cindex show hidden text
656@cindex hide text
657
658Outlines make it possible to hide parts of the text in the buffer.
659Org-mode uses just two commands, bound to @key{TAB} and
660@kbd{S-@key{TAB}} to change the visibility in the buffer.
661
662@cindex subtree visibility states
663@cindex subtree cycling
664@cindex folded, subtree visibility state
665@cindex children, subtree visibility state
666@cindex subtree, subtree visibility state
667@table @kbd
668@kindex @key{TAB}
669@item @key{TAB}
670@emph{Subtree cycling}: Rotate current subtree among the states
671
672@example
673,-> FOLDED -> CHILDREN -> SUBTREE --.
674'-----------------------------------'
675@end example
676
677The cursor must be on a headline for this to work@footnote{see, however,
678the option @code{org-cycle-emulate-tab}.}. When the cursor is at the
679beginning of the buffer and the first line is not a headline, then
680@key{TAB} actually runs global cycling (see below)@footnote{see the
681option @code{org-cycle-global-at-bob}.}. Also when called with a prefix
682argument (@kbd{C-u @key{TAB}}), global cycling is invoked.
683
684@cindex global visibility states
685@cindex global cycling
686@cindex overview, global visibility state
687@cindex contents, global visibility state
688@cindex show all, global visibility state
689@kindex S-@key{TAB}
690@item S-@key{TAB}
691@itemx C-u @key{TAB}
692@emph{Global cycling}: Rotate the entire buffer among the states
693
694@example
695,-> OVERVIEW -> CONTENTS -> SHOW ALL --.
696'--------------------------------------'
697@end example
698
699When @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} is called with a numerical prefix N, the CONTENTS
700view up to headlines of level N will be shown.
701Note that inside tables, @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} jumps to the previous field.
702
703@cindex show all, command
704@kindex C-c C-a
705@item C-c C-a
706Show all.
707@kindex C-c C-r
708@item C-c C-r
709Reveal context around point, showing the current entry, the following
710heading and the hierarchy above. Useful for working near a location
711exposed by a sparse tree command (@pxref{Sparse trees}) or an agenda
712command (@pxref{Agenda commands}). With prefix arg show, on each
713level, all sibling headings.
714@kindex C-c C-x b
715@item C-c C-x b
716Show the current subtree in an indirect buffer@footnote{The indirect
717buffer
718@ifinfo
719(@pxref{Indirect Buffers,,,emacs,GNU Emacs Manual})
720@end ifinfo
721@ifnotinfo
722(see the Emacs manual for more information about indirect buffers)
723@end ifnotinfo
724will contain the entire buffer, but will be narrowed to the current
725tree. Editing the indirect buffer will also change the original buffer,
726but without affecting visibility in that buffer.}. With numerical
727prefix ARG, go up to this level and then take that tree. If ARG is
728negative, go up that many levels. With @kbd{C-u} prefix, do not remove
729the previously used indirect buffer.
730@end table
731
732When Emacs first visits an Org-mode file, the global state is set to
733OVERVIEW, i.e. only the top level headlines are visible. This can be
734configured through the variable @code{org-startup-folded}, or on a
735per-file basis by adding one of the following lines anywhere in the
736buffer:
737
738@example
739#+STARTUP: overview
740#+STARTUP: content
741#+STARTUP: showall
742@end example
743
744@node Motion, Structure editing, Visibility cycling, Document structure
745@section Motion
746@cindex motion, between headlines
747@cindex jumping, to headlines
748@cindex headline navigation
749The following commands jump to other headlines in the buffer.
750
751@table @kbd
752@kindex C-c C-n
753@item C-c C-n
754Next heading.
755@kindex C-c C-p
756@item C-c C-p
757Previous heading.
758@kindex C-c C-f
759@item C-c C-f
760Next heading same level.
761@kindex C-c C-b
762@item C-c C-b
763Previous heading same level.
764@kindex C-c C-u
765@item C-c C-u
766Backward to higher level heading.
767@kindex C-c C-j
768@item C-c C-j
769Jump to a different place without changing the current outline
770visibility. Shows the document structure in a temporary buffer, where
771you can use the following keys to find your destination:
772@example
773@key{TAB} @r{Cycle visibility.}
774@key{down} / @key{up} @r{Next/previous visible headline.}
775n / p @r{Next/previous visible headline.}
776f / b @r{Next/previous headline same level.}
777u @r{One level up.}
7780-9 @r{Digit argument.}
779@key{RET} @r{Select this location.}
780@end example
781@end table
782
783@node Structure editing, Archiving, Motion, Document structure
784@section Structure editing
785@cindex structure editing
786@cindex headline, promotion and demotion
787@cindex promotion, of subtrees
788@cindex demotion, of subtrees
789@cindex subtree, cut and paste
790@cindex pasting, of subtrees
791@cindex cutting, of subtrees
792@cindex copying, of subtrees
793@cindex subtrees, cut and paste
794
795@table @kbd
796@kindex M-@key{RET}
797@item M-@key{RET}
798Insert new heading with same level as current. If the cursor is in a
799plain list item, a new item is created (@pxref{Plain lists}). To force
800creation of a new headline, use a prefix arg, or first press @key{RET}
801to get to the beginning of the next line. When this command is used in
802the middle of a line, the line is split and the rest of the line becomes
803the new headline. If the command is used at the beginning of a
804headline, the new headline is created before the current line. If at
805the beginning of any other line, the content of that line is made the
806new heading. If the command is used at the end of a folded subtree
807(i.e. behind the ellipses at the end of a headline), then a headline
808like the current one will be inserted after the end of the subtree.
809@kindex M-S-@key{RET}
810@item M-S-@key{RET}
811Insert new TODO entry with same level as current heading.
812@kindex M-@key{left}
813@item M-@key{left}
814Promote current heading by one level.
815@kindex M-@key{right}
816@item M-@key{right}
817Demote current heading by one level.
818@kindex M-S-@key{left}
819@item M-S-@key{left}
820Promote the current subtree by one level.
821@kindex M-S-@key{right}
822@item M-S-@key{right}
823Demote the current subtree by one level.
824@kindex M-S-@key{up}
825@item M-S-@key{up}
826Move subtree up (swap with previous subtree of same
827level).
828@kindex M-S-@key{down}
829@item M-S-@key{down}
830Move subtree down (swap with next subtree of same level).
831@kindex C-c C-x C-w
832@kindex C-c C-x C-k
833@item C-c C-x C-w
834@itemx C-c C-x C-k
835Kill subtree, i.e. remove it from buffer but save in kill ring.
836@kindex C-c C-x M-w
837@item C-c C-x M-w
838Copy subtree to kill ring.
839@kindex C-c C-x C-y
840@item C-c C-x C-y
841Yank subtree from kill ring. This does modify the level of the subtree to
842make sure the tree fits in nicely at the yank position. The yank
843level can also be specified with a prefix arg, or by yanking after a
844headline marker like @samp{****}.
845@kindex C-c ^
846@item C-c ^
847Sort same-level entries. When there is an active region, all entries in
848the region will be sorted. Otherwise the children of the current
849headline are sorted. The command prompts for the sorting method, which
850can be alphabetically, numerically, by time (using the first time stamp
851in each entry), by priority, and each of these in reverse order. With a
852@kbd{C-u} prefix, sorting will be case-sensitive. With two @kbd{C-u
853C-u} prefixes, duplicate entries will also be removed.
854@end table
855
856@cindex region, active
857@cindex active region
858@cindex transient-mark-mode
859When there is an active region (transient-mark-mode), promotion and
860demotion work on all headlines in the region. To select a region of
861headlines, it is best to place both point and mark at the beginning of a
862line, mark at the beginning of the first headline, and point at the line
863just after the last headline to change. Note that when the cursor is
864inside a table (@pxref{Tables}), the Meta-Cursor keys have different
865functionality.
866
867@node Archiving, Sparse trees, Structure editing, Document structure
868@section Archiving
869@cindex archiving
870
871When a project represented by a (sub)tree is finished, you may want
872to move the tree out of the way and to stop it from contributing to the
873agenda. Org-mode knows two ways of archiving. You can mark a tree with
874the ARCHIVE tag, or you can move an entire (sub)tree to a different
875location.
876
877@menu
878* ARCHIVE tag:: Marking a tree as inactive
879* Moving subtrees:: Moving a tree to an archive file
880@end menu
881
882@node ARCHIVE tag, Moving subtrees, Archiving, Archiving
883@subsection The ARCHIVE tag
884@cindex internal archiving
885
886A headline that is marked with the ARCHIVE tag (@pxref{Tags}) stays at
887its location in the outline tree, but behaves in the following way:
888@itemize @minus
889@item
890It does not open when you attempt to do so with a visibility cycling
891command (@pxref{Visibility cycling}). You can force cycling archived
892subtrees with @kbd{C-@key{TAB}}, or by setting the option
893@code{org-cycle-open-archived-trees}. Also normal outline commands like
894@code{show-all} will open archived subtrees.
895@item
896During sparse tree construction (@pxref{Sparse trees}), matches in
897archived subtrees are not exposed, unless you configure the option
898@code{org-sparse-tree-open-archived-trees}.
899@item
900During agenda view construction (@pxref{Agenda views}), the content of
901archived trees is ignored unless you configure the option
902@code{org-agenda-skip-archived-trees}.
903@item
904Archived trees are not exported (@pxref{Exporting}), only the headline
905is. Configure the details using the variable
906@code{org-export-with-archived-trees}.
907@end itemize
908
909The following commands help managing the ARCHIVE tag:
910
911@table @kbd
912@kindex C-c C-x C-a
913@item C-c C-x C-a
914Toggle the ARCHIVE tag for the current headline. When the tag is set,
915the headline changes to a shadowish face, and the subtree below it is
916hidden.
917@kindex C-u C-c C-x C-a
918@item C-u C-c C-x C-a
919Check if any direct children of the current headline should be archived.
920To do this, each subtree is checked for open TODO entries. If none are
921found, the command offers to set the ARCHIVE tag for the child. If the
922cursor is @emph{not} on a headline when this command is invoked, the
923level 1 trees will be checked.
924@kindex C-@kbd{TAB}
925@item C-@kbd{TAB}
926Cycle a tree even if it is tagged with ARCHIVE.
927@end table
928
929@node Moving subtrees, , ARCHIVE tag, Archiving
930@subsection Moving subtrees
931@cindex external archiving
932
933Once an entire project is finished, you may want to move it to a
934different location, either in the current file, or even in a different
935file, the archive file.
936
937@table @kbd
938@kindex C-c C-x C-s
939@item C-c C-x C-s
940Archive the subtree starting at the cursor position to the location
941given by @code{org-archive-location}. Context information that could be
942lost like the file name, the category, inherited tags, and the todo
943state will be store as properties in the entry.
944@kindex C-u C-c C-x C-s
945@item C-u C-c C-x C-s
946Check if any direct children of the current headline could be moved to
947the archive. To do this, each subtree is checked for open TODO entries.
948If none are found, the command offers to move it to the archive
949location. If the cursor is @emph{not} on a headline when this command
950is invoked, the level 1 trees will be checked.
951@end table
952
953@cindex archive locations
954The default archive location is a file in the same directory as the
955current file, with the name derived by appending @file{_archive} to the
956current file name. For information and examples on how to change this,
957see the documentation string of the variable
958@code{org-archive-location}. There is also an in-buffer option for
959setting this variable, for example
960
961@example
962#+ARCHIVE: %s_done::
963@end example
964
965@noindent
966You may have several such lines in the buffer, they will then be valid
967for the entries following the line (the first will also apply to any
968text before it).
969
970@node Sparse trees, Plain lists, Archiving, Document structure
971@section Sparse trees
972@cindex sparse trees
973@cindex trees, sparse
974@cindex folding, sparse trees
975@cindex occur, command
976
977An important feature of Org-mode is the ability to construct
978@emph{sparse trees} for selected information in an outline tree. A
979sparse tree means that the entire document is folded as much as
980possible, but the selected information is made visible along with the
981headline structure above it@footnote{See also the variables
982@code{org-show-hierarchy-above}, @code{org-show-following-heading}, and
983@code{org-show-siblings} for detailed control on how much context is
984shown around each match.}. Just try it out and you will see immediately
985how it works.
986
987Org-mode contains several commands creating such trees. The most
988basic one is @command{org-occur}:
989
990@table @kbd
991@kindex C-c /
992@item C-c /
993Occur. Prompts for a regexp and shows a sparse tree with all matches.
994If the match is in a headline, the headline is made visible. If the
995match is in the body of an entry, headline and body are made visible.
996In order to provide minimal context, also the full hierarchy of
997headlines above the match is shown, as well as the headline following
998the match. Each match is also highlighted; the highlights disappear
999when the buffer is changed by an editing command, or by pressing
1000@kbd{C-c C-c}. When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix argument, previous
1001highlights are kept, so several calls to this command can be stacked.
1002@end table
1003@noindent
1004For frequently used sparse trees of specific search strings, you can
1005use the variable @code{org-agenda-custom-commands} to define fast
1006keyboard access to specific sparse trees. These commands will then be
1007accessible through the agenda dispatcher (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}).
1008For example:
1009
1010@lisp
1011(setq org-agenda-custom-commands
1012 '(("f" occur-tree "FIXME")))
1013@end lisp
1014
1015@noindent will define the key @kbd{C-c a f} as a shortcut for creating
1016a sparse tree matching the string @samp{FIXME}.
1017
1018Other commands use sparse trees as well. For example @kbd{C-c
1019C-v} creates a sparse TODO tree (@pxref{TODO basics}).
1020
1021@kindex C-c C-e v
1022@cindex printing sparse trees
1023@cindex visible text, printing
1024To print a sparse tree, you can use the Emacs command
1025@code{ps-print-buffer-with-faces} which does not print invisible parts
1026of the document @footnote{This does not work under XEmacs, because
1027XEmacs uses selective display for outlining, not text properties.}.
1028Or you can use the command @kbd{C-c C-e v} to export only the visible
1029part of the document and print the resulting file.
1030
1031@node Plain lists, Drawers, Sparse trees, Document structure
1032@section Plain lists
1033@cindex plain lists
1034@cindex lists, plain
1035@cindex lists, ordered
1036@cindex ordered lists
1037
1038Within an entry of the outline tree, hand-formatted lists can provide
1039additional structure. They also provide a way to create lists of
1040checkboxes (@pxref{Checkboxes}). Org-mode supports editing such lists,
1041and the HTML exporter (@pxref{Exporting}) does parse and format them.
1042
1043Org-mode knows ordered and unordered lists. Unordered list items start
1044with @samp{-}, @samp{+}, or @samp{*}@footnote{When using @samp{*} as a
1045bullet, lines must be indented or they will be seen as top-level
1046headlines. Also, when you are hiding leading stars to get a clean
1047outline view, plain list items starting with a star are visually
1048indistinguishable from true headlines. In short: even though @samp{*}
1049is supported, it may be better not to use it for plain list items.} as
1050bullets. Ordered list items start with @samp{1.} or @samp{1)}. Items
1051belonging to the same list must have the same indentation on the first
1052line. In particular, if an ordered list reaches number @samp{10.}, then
1053the 2--digit numbers must be written left-aligned with the other numbers
1054in the list. Indentation also determines the end of a list item. It
1055ends before the next line that is indented like the bullet/number, or
1056less. Empty lines are part of the previous item, so you can have
1057several paragraphs in one item. If you would like an empty line to
1058terminate all currently open plain lists, configure the variable
1059@code{org-empty-line-terminates-plain-lists}. Here is an example:
1060
1061@example
1062@group
1063** Lord of the Rings
1064 My favorite scenes are (in this order)
1065 1. The attack of the Rohirrim
1066 2. Eowyns fight with the witch king
1067 + this was already my favorite scene in the book
1068 + I really like Miranda Otto.
1069 3. Peter Jackson being shot by Legolas
1070 - on DVD only
1071 He makes a really funny face when it happens.
1072 But in the end, not individual scenes matter but the film as a whole.
1073@end group
1074@end example
1075
1076Org-mode supports these lists by tuning filling and wrapping commands to
1077deal with them correctly@footnote{Org-mode only changes the filling
1078settings for Emacs. For XEmacs, you should use Kyle E. Jones'
1079@file{filladapt.el}. To turn this on, put into @file{.emacs}:
1080@code{(require 'filladapt)}}.
1081
1082The following commands act on items when the cursor is in the first line
1083of an item (the line with the bullet or number).
1084
1085@table @kbd
1086@kindex @key{TAB}
1087@item @key{TAB}
1088Items can be folded just like headline levels if you set the variable
1089@code{org-cycle-include-plain-lists}. The level of an item is then
1090given by the indentation of the bullet/number. Items are always
1091subordinate to real headlines, however; the hierarchies remain
1092completely separated.
1093
1094If @code{org-cycle-include-plain-lists} has not been set, @key{TAB}
1095fixes the indentation of the curent line in a heuristic way.
1096@kindex M-@key{RET}
1097@item M-@key{RET}
1098Insert new item at current level. With prefix arg, force a new heading
1099(@pxref{Structure editing}). If this command is used in the middle of a
1100line, the line is @emph{split} and the rest of the line becomes the new
1101item. If this command is executed in the @emph{whitespace before a bullet or
1102number}, the new item is created @emph{before} the current item. If the
1103command is executed in the white space before the text that is part of
1104an item but does not contain the bullet, a bullet is added to the
1105current line.
1106@kindex M-S-@key{RET}
1107@item M-S-@key{RET}
1108Insert a new item with a checkbox (@pxref{Checkboxes}).
1109@kindex S-@key{up}
1110@kindex S-@key{down}
1111@item S-@key{up}
1112@itemx S-@key{down}
1113Jump to the previous/next item in the current list.
1114@kindex M-S-@key{up}
1115@kindex M-S-@key{down}
1116@item M-S-@key{up}
1117@itemx M-S-@key{down}
1118Move the item including subitems up/down (swap with previous/next item
1119of same indentation). If the list is ordered, renumbering is
1120automatic.
1121@kindex M-S-@key{left}
1122@kindex M-S-@key{right}
1123@item M-S-@key{left}
1124@itemx M-S-@key{right}
1125Decrease/increase the indentation of the item, including subitems.
1126Initially, the item tree is selected based on current indentation.
1127When these commands are executed several times in direct succession,
1128the initially selected region is used, even if the new indentation
1129would imply a different hierarchy. To use the new hierarchy, break
1130the command chain with a cursor motion or so.
1131@kindex C-c C-c
1132@item C-c C-c
1133If there is a checkbox (@pxref{Checkboxes}) in the item line, toggle the
1134state of the checkbox. If not, make this command makes sure that all
1135the items on this list level use the same bullet. Furthermore, if this
1136is an ordered list, make sure the numbering is ok.
1137@kindex C-c -
1138@item C-c -
1139Cycle the entire list level through the different itemize/enumerate
1140bullets (@samp{-}, @samp{+}, @samp{*}, @samp{1.}, @samp{1)}).
1141With prefix arg, select the nth bullet from this list.
1142@end table
1143
1144@node Drawers, orgstruct-mode, Plain lists, Document structure
1145@section Drawers
1146@cindex drawers
1147@cindex visibility cycling, drawers
1148
1149Sometimes you want to keep information associated with an entry, but you
1150normally don't want to see it. For this, Org-mode has @emph{drawers}.
1151Drawers need to be configured with the variable @code{org-drawers}, and
1152look like this:
1153
1154@example
1155** This is a headline
1156 Still outside the drawer
1157 :DRAWERNAME:
1158 This is inside the drawer.
1159 :END:
1160 After the drawer.
1161@end example
1162
1163Visibility cycling (@pxref{Visibility cycling}) on the headline will
1164hide and show the entry, but keep the drawer collapsed to a single line.
1165In order to look inside the drawer, you need to move the cursor to the
1166drawer line and press @key{TAB} there. Org-mode uses a drawer for
1167storing properties (@pxref{Properties and columns}).
1168
1169@node orgstruct-mode, , Drawers, Document structure
1170@section The Orgstruct minor mode
1171@cindex orgstruct-mode
1172@cindex minor mode for structure editing
1173
1174If you like the intuitive way the Org-mode structure editing and list
1175formatting works, you might want to use these commands in other modes
1176like text-mode or mail-mode as well. The minor mode Orgstruct-mode
1177makes this possible. You can always toggle the mode with @kbd{M-x
1178orgstruct-mode}. To turn it on by default, for example in mail mode,
1179use
1180
1181@lisp
1182(add-hook 'mail-mode-hook 'turn-on-orgstruct)
1183@end lisp
1184
1185When this mode is active and the cursor is on a line that looks to
1186Org-mode like a headline of the first line of a list item, most
1187structure editing commands will work, even if the same keys normally
1188have different functionality in the major mode you are using. If the
1189cursor is not in one of those special lines, Orgstruct-mode lurks
1190silently in the shadow.
1191
1192@node Tables, Hyperlinks, Document structure, Top
1193@chapter Tables
1194@cindex tables
1195@cindex editing tables
1196
1197Org-mode has a very fast and intuitive table editor built-in.
1198Spreadsheet-like calculations are supported in connection with the
1199Emacs @file{calc} package.
1200
1201@menu
1202* Built-in table editor:: Simple tables
1203* Narrow columns:: Stop wasting space in tables
1204* Column groups:: Grouping to trigger vertical lines
1205* orgtbl-mode:: The table editor as minor mode
1206* The spreadsheet:: The table editor has spreadsheet capabilities.
1207@end menu
1208
1209@node Built-in table editor, Narrow columns, Tables, Tables
1210@section The built-in table editor
1211@cindex table editor, built-in
1212
1213Org-mode makes it easy to format tables in plain ASCII. Any line with
1214@samp{|} as the first non-whitespace character is considered part of a
1215table. @samp{|} is also the column separator. A table might look like
1216this:
1217
1218@example
1219| Name | Phone | Age |
1220|-------+-------+-----|
1221| Peter | 1234 | 17 |
1222| Anna | 4321 | 25 |
1223@end example
1224
1225A table is re-aligned automatically each time you press @key{TAB} or
1226@key{RET} or @kbd{C-c C-c} inside the table. @key{TAB} also moves to
1227the next field (@key{RET} to the next row) and creates new table rows
1228at the end of the table or before horizontal lines. The indentation
1229of the table is set by the first line. Any line starting with
1230@samp{|-} is considered as a horizontal separator line and will be
1231expanded on the next re-align to span the whole table width. So, to
1232create the above table, you would only type
1233
1234@example
1235|Name|Phone|Age|
1236|-
1237@end example
1238
1239@noindent and then press @key{TAB} to align the table and start filling in
1240fields.
1241
1242When typing text into a field, Org-mode treats @key{DEL},
1243@key{Backspace}, and all character keys in a special way, so that
1244inserting and deleting avoids shifting other fields. Also, when
1245typing @emph{immediately after the cursor was moved into a new field
1246with @kbd{@key{TAB}}, @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} or @kbd{@key{RET}}}, the
1247field is automatically made blank. If this behavior is too
1248unpredictable for you, configure the variables
1249@code{org-enable-table-editor} and @code{org-table-auto-blank-field}.
1250
1251@table @kbd
1252@tsubheading{Creation and conversion}
1253@kindex C-c |
1254@item C-c |
1255Convert the active region to table. If every line contains at least one
1256TAB character, the function assumes that the material is tab separated.
1257If not, lines are split at whitespace into fields. You can use a prefix
1258argument to indicate the minimum number of consecutive spaces required
1259to identify a field separator (default: just one).@*
1260If there is no active region, this command creates an empty Org-mode
1261table. But it's easier just to start typing, like
1262@kbd{|Name|Phone|Age @key{RET} |- @key{TAB}}.
1263
1264@tsubheading{Re-aligning and field motion}
1265@kindex C-c C-c
1266@item C-c C-c
1267Re-align the table without moving the cursor.
1268@c
1269@kindex @key{TAB}
1270@item @key{TAB}
1271Re-align the table, move to the next field. Creates a new row if
1272necessary.
1273@c
1274@kindex S-@key{TAB}
1275@item S-@key{TAB}
1276Re-align, move to previous field.
1277@c
1278@kindex @key{RET}
1279@item @key{RET}
1280Re-align the table and move down to next row. Creates a new row if
1281necessary. At the beginning or end of a line, @key{RET} still does
1282NEWLINE, so it can be used to split a table.
1283
1284@tsubheading{Column and row editing}
1285@kindex M-@key{left}
1286@kindex M-@key{right}
1287@item M-@key{left}
1288@itemx M-@key{right}
1289Move the current column left/right.
1290@c
1291@kindex M-S-@key{left}
1292@item M-S-@key{left}
1293Kill the current column.
1294@c
1295@kindex M-S-@key{right}
1296@item M-S-@key{right}
1297Insert a new column to the left of the cursor position.
1298@c
1299@kindex M-@key{up}
1300@kindex M-@key{down}
1301@item M-@key{up}
1302@itemx M-@key{down}
1303Move the current row up/down.
1304@c
1305@kindex M-S-@key{up}
1306@item M-S-@key{up}
1307Kill the current row or horizontal line.
1308@c
1309@kindex M-S-@key{down}
1310@item M-S-@key{down}
1311Insert a new row above (with arg: below) the current row.
1312@c
1313@kindex C-c -
1314@item C-c -
1315Insert a horizontal line below current row. With prefix arg, the line
1316is created above the current line.
1317@c
1318@kindex C-c ^
1319@item C-c ^
1320Sort the table lines in the region. The position of point indicates the
1321column to be used for sorting, and the range of lines is the range
1322between the nearest horizontal separator lines, or the entire table. If
1323point is before the first column, you will be prompted for the sorting
1324column. If there is an active region, the mark specifies the first line
1325and the sorting column, while point should be in the last line to be
1326included into the sorting. The command prompts for the sorting type
1327(alphabetically, numerically, or by time). When called with a prefix
1328argument, alphabetic sorting will be case-sensitive.
1329
1330@tsubheading{Regions}
1331@kindex C-c C-x M-w
1332@item C-c C-x M-w
1333Copy a rectangular region from a table to a special clipboard. Point
1334and mark determine edge fields of the rectangle. The process ignores
1335horizontal separator lines.
1336@c
1337@kindex C-c C-x C-w
1338@item C-c C-x C-w
1339Copy a rectangular region from a table to a special clipboard, and
1340blank all fields in the rectangle. So this is the ``cut'' operation.
1341@c
1342@kindex C-c C-x C-y
1343@item C-c C-x C-y
1344Paste a rectangular region into a table.
1345The upper right corner ends up in the current field. All involved fields
1346will be overwritten. If the rectangle does not fit into the present table,
1347the table is enlarged as needed. The process ignores horizontal separator
1348lines.
1349@c
1350@kindex C-c C-q
1351@item C-c C-q
1352Wrap several fields in a column like a paragraph. If there is an active
1353region, and both point and mark are in the same column, the text in the
1354column is wrapped to minimum width for the given number of lines. A
1355prefix ARG may be used to change the number of desired lines. If there
1356is no region, the current field is split at the cursor position and the
1357text fragment to the right of the cursor is prepended to the field one
1358line down. If there is no region, but you specify a prefix ARG, the
1359current field is made blank, and the content is appended to the field
1360above.
1361
1362@tsubheading{Calculations}
1363@cindex formula, in tables
1364@cindex calculations, in tables
1365@cindex region, active
1366@cindex active region
1367@cindex transient-mark-mode
1368@kindex C-c +
1369@item C-c +
1370Sum the numbers in the current column, or in the rectangle defined by
1371the active region. The result is shown in the echo area and can
1372be inserted with @kbd{C-y}.
1373@c
1374@kindex S-@key{RET}
1375@item S-@key{RET}
1376When current field is empty, copy from first non-empty field above.
1377When not empty, copy current field down to next row and move cursor
1378along with it. Depending on the variable
1379@code{org-table-copy-increment}, integer field values will be
1380incremented during copy. This key is also used by CUA-mode
1381(@pxref{Cooperation}).
1382
1383@tsubheading{Miscellaneous}
1384@kindex C-c `
1385@item C-c `
1386Edit the current field in a separate window. This is useful for fields
1387that are not fully visible (@pxref{Narrow columns}). When called with a
1388@kbd{C-u} prefix, just make the full field visible, so that it can be
1389edited in place.
1390@c
1391@kindex C-c @key{TAB}
1392@item C-c @key{TAB}
1393This is an alias for @kbd{C-u C-c `} to make the current field fully
1394visible.
1395@c
1396@item M-x org-table-import
1397Import a file as a table. The table should be TAB- or whitespace
1398separated. Useful, for example, to import an Excel table or data from a
1399database, because these programs generally can write TAB-separated text
1400files. This command works by inserting the file into the buffer and
1401then converting the region to a table. Any prefix argument is passed on
1402to the converter, which uses it to determine the separator.
1403@item C-c |
1404Tables can also be imported by pasting tabular text into the org-mode
1405buffer, selecting the pasted text with @kbd{C-x C-x} and then using the
1406@kbd{C-c |} command (see above under @i{Creation and conversion}.
1407@c
1408@item M-x org-table-export
1409Export the table as a TAB-separated file. Useful for data exchange with,
1410for example, Excel or database programs.
1411@end table
1412
1413If you don't like the automatic table editor because it gets in your
1414way on lines which you would like to start with @samp{|}, you can turn
1415it off with
1416
1417@lisp
1418(setq org-enable-table-editor nil)
1419@end lisp
1420
1421@noindent Then the only table command that still works is
1422@kbd{C-c C-c} to do a manual re-align.
1423
1424@node Narrow columns, Column groups, Built-in table editor, Tables
1425@section Narrow columns
1426@cindex narrow columns in tables
1427
1428The width of columns is automatically determined by the table editor.
1429Sometimes a single field or a few fields need to carry more text,
1430leading to inconveniently wide columns. To limit@footnote{This feature
1431does not work on XEmacs.} the width of a column, one field anywhere in
1432the column may contain just the string @samp{<N>} where @samp{N} is an
1433integer specifying the width of the column in characters. The next
1434re-align will then set the width of this column to no more than this
1435value.
1436
1437@example
1438@group
1439|---+------------------------------| |---+--------|
1440| | | | | <6> |
1441| 1 | one | | 1 | one |
1442| 2 | two | ----\ | 2 | two |
1443| 3 | This is a long chunk of text | ----/ | 3 | This=> |
1444| 4 | four | | 4 | four |
1445|---+------------------------------| |---+--------|
1446@end group
1447@end example
1448
1449@noindent
1450Fields that are wider become clipped and end in the string @samp{=>}.
1451Note that the full text is still in the buffer, it is only invisible.
1452To see the full text, hold the mouse over the field - a tool-tip window
1453will show the full content. To edit such a field, use the command
1454@kbd{C-c `} (that is @kbd{C-c} followed by the backquote). This will
1455open a new window with the full field. Edit it and finish with @kbd{C-c
1456C-c}.
1457
1458When visiting a file containing a table with narrowed columns, the
1459necessary character hiding has not yet happened, and the table needs to
1460be aligned before it looks nice. Setting the option
1461@code{org-startup-align-all-tables} will realign all tables in a file
1462upon visiting, but also slow down startup. You can also set this option
1463on a per-file basis with:
1464
1465@example
1466#+STARTUP: align
1467#+STARTUP: noalign
1468@end example
1469
1470@node Column groups, orgtbl-mode, Narrow columns, Tables
1471@section Column groups
1472@cindex grouping columns in tables
1473
1474When Org-mode exports tables, it does so by default without vertical
1475lines because that is visually more satisfying in general. Occasionally
1476however, vertical lines can be useful to structure a table into groups
1477of columns, much like horizontal lines can do for groups of rows. In
1478order to specify column groups, you can use a special row where the
1479first field contains only @samp{/}. The further fields can either
1480contain @samp{<} to indicate that this column should start a group,
1481@samp{>} to indicate the end of a column, or @samp{<>} to make a column
1482a group of its own. Boundaries between colum groups will upon export be
1483marked with vertical lines. Here is an example:
1484
1485@example
1486| | N | N^2 | N^3 | N^4 | sqrt(n) | sqrt[4](N) |
1487|---+----+-----+-----+-----+---------+------------|
1488| / | <> | < | | > | < | > |
1489| # | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
1490| # | 2 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 1.4142 | 1.1892 |
1491| # | 3 | 9 | 27 | 81 | 1.7321 | 1.3161 |
1492|---+----+-----+-----+-----+---------+------------|
1493#+TBLFM: $3=$2^2::$4=$2^3::$5=$2^4::$6=sqrt($2)::$7=sqrt(sqrt(($2))
1494@end example
1495
1496It is also sufficient to just insert the colum group starters after
1497every vertical line you'd like to have:
1498
1499@example
1500| N | N^2 | N^3 | N^4 | sqrt(n) | sqrt[4](N) |
1501|----+-----+-----+-----+---------+------------|
1502| / | < | | | < | |
1503@end example
1504
1505@node orgtbl-mode, The spreadsheet, Column groups, Tables
1506@section The Orgtbl minor mode
1507@cindex orgtbl-mode
1508@cindex minor mode for tables
1509
1510If you like the intuitive way the Org-mode table editor works, you
1511might also want to use it in other modes like text-mode or mail-mode.
1512The minor mode Orgtbl-mode makes this possible. You can always toggle
1513the mode with @kbd{M-x orgtbl-mode}. To turn it on by default, for
1514example in mail mode, use
1515
1516@lisp
1517(add-hook 'mail-mode-hook 'turn-on-orgtbl)
1518@end lisp
1519
1520Furthermore, with some special setup, it is possible to maintain tables
1521in arbitrary syntax with Orgtbl-mode. For example, it is possible to
1522construct La@TeX{} tables with the underlying ease and power of
1523Orgtbl-mode, including spreadsheet capabilities. For details, see
1524@ref{Tables in arbitrary syntax}.
1525
1526@node The spreadsheet, , orgtbl-mode, Tables
1527@section The spreadsheet
1528@cindex calculations, in tables
1529@cindex spreadsheet capabilities
1530@cindex @file{calc} package
1531
1532The table editor makes use of the Emacs @file{calc} package to implement
1533spreadsheet-like capabilities. It can also evaluate Emacs Lisp forms to
1534derive fields from other fields. While fully featured, Org-mode's
1535implementation is not identical to other spreadsheets. For example,
1536Org-mode knows the concept of a @emph{column formula} that will be
1537applied to all non-header fields in a column without having to copy the
1538formula to each relevant field.
1539
1540@menu
1541* References:: How to refer to another field or range
1542* Formula syntax for Calc:: Using Calc to compute stuff
1543* Formula syntax for Lisp:: Writing formulas in Emacs Lisp
1544* Field formulas:: Formulas valid for a single field
1545* Column formulas:: Formulas valid for an entire column
1546* Editing and debugging formulas:: Fixing formulas
1547* Updating the table:: Recomputing all dependent fields
1548* Advanced features:: Field names, parameters and automatic recalc
1549@end menu
1550
1551@node References, Formula syntax for Calc, The spreadsheet, The spreadsheet
1552@subsection References
1553@cindex references
1554
1555To compute fields in the table from other fields, formulas must
1556reference other fields or ranges. In Org-mode, fields can be referenced
1557by name, by absolute coordinates, and by relative coordinates. To find
1558out what the coordinates of a field are, press @kbd{C-c ?} in that
1559field, or press @kbd{C-c @}} to toggle the display of a grid.
1560
1561@subsubheading Field references
1562@cindex field references
1563@cindex references, to fields
1564
1565Formulas can reference the value of another field in two ways. Like in
1566any other spreadsheet, you may reference fields with a letter/number
1567combination like @code{B3}, meaning the 2nd field in the 3rd row.
1568@c Such references are always fixed to that field, they don't change
1569@c when you copy and paste a formula to a different field. So
1570@c Org-mode's @code{B3} behaves like @code{$B$3} in other spreadsheets.
1571
1572@noindent
1573Org-mode also uses another, more general operator that looks like this:
1574@example
1575@@row$column
1576@end example
1577
1578@noindent
1579Column references can be absolute like @samp{1}, @samp{2},...@samp{N},
1580or relative to the current column like @samp{+1} or @samp{-2}.
1581
1582The row specification only counts data lines and ignores horizontal
1583separator lines (hlines). You can use absolute row numbers
1584@samp{1}...@samp{N}, and row numbers relative to the current row like
1585@samp{+3} or @samp{-1}. Or specify the row relative to one of the
1586hlines: @samp{I} refers to the first hline, @samp{II} to the second etc.
1587@samp{-I} refers to the first such line above the current line,
1588@samp{+I} to the first such line below the current line. You can also
1589write @samp{III+2} which is the second data line after the third hline
1590in the table. Relative row numbers like @samp{-3} will not cross hlines
1591if the current line is too close to the hline. Instead, the value
1592directly at the hline is used.
1593
1594@samp{0} refers to the current row and column. Also, if you omit
1595either the column or the row part of the reference, the current
1596row/column is implied.
1597
1598Org-mode's references with @emph{unsigned} numbers are fixed references
1599in the sense that if you use the same reference in the formula for two
1600different fields, the same field will be referenced each time.
1601Org-mode's references with @emph{signed} numbers are floating
1602references because the same reference operator can reference different
1603fields depending on the field being calculated by the formula.
1604
1605Here are a few examples:
1606
1607@example
1608@@2$3 @r{2nd row, 3rd column}
1609C2 @r{same as previous}
1610$5 @r{column 5 in the current row}
1611E& @r{same as previous}
1612@@2 @r{current column, row 2}
1613@@-1$-3 @r{the field one row up, three columns to the left}
1614@@-I$2 @r{field just under hline above current row, column 2}
1615@end example
1616
1617@subsubheading Range references
1618@cindex range references
1619@cindex references, to ranges
1620
1621You may reference a rectangular range of fields by specifying two field
1622references connected by two dots @samp{..}. If both fields are in the
1623current row, you may simply use @samp{$2..$7}, but if at least one field
1624is in a different row, you need to use the general @code{@@row$column}
1625format at least for the first field (i.e the reference must start with
1626@samp{@@} in order to be interpreted correctly). Examples:
1627
1628@example
1629$1..$3 @r{First three fields in the current row.}
1630$P..$Q @r{Range, using column names (see under Advanced)}
1631@@2$1..@@4$3 @r{6 fields between these two fields.}
1632A2..C4 @r{Same as above.}
1633@@-1$-2..@@-1 @r{3 numbers from the column to the left, 2 up to current row}
1634@end example
1635
1636@noindent Range references return a vector of values that can be fed
1637into Calc vector functions. Empty fields in ranges are normally
1638suppressed, so that the vector contains only the non-empty fields (but
1639see the @samp{E} mode switch below). If there are no non-empty fields,
1640@samp{[0]} is returned to avoid syntax errors in formulas.
1641
1642@subsubheading Named references
1643@cindex named references
1644@cindex references, named
1645@cindex name, of column or field
1646@cindex constants, in calculations
1647
1648@samp{$name} is interpreted as the name of a column, parameter or
1649constant. Constants are defined globally through the variable
1650@code{org-table-formula-constants}, and locally (for the file) through a
1651line like
1652
1653@example
1654#+CONSTANTS: c=299792458. pi=3.14 eps=2.4e-6
1655@end example
1656
1657@noindent
1658Also properties (@pxref{Properties and columns}) can be used as
1659constants in table formulas: For a property @samp{:XYZ:} use the name
1660@samp{$PROP_XYZ}, and the property will be searched in the current
1661outline entry and in the hierarchy above it. If you have the
1662@file{constants.el} package, it will also be used to resolve constants,
1663including natural constants like @samp{$h} for Planck's constant, and
1664units like @samp{$km} for kilometers@footnote{@file{Constant.el} can
1665supply the values of constants in two different unit systems, @code{SI}
1666and @code{cgs}. Which one is used depends on the value of the variable
1667@code{constants-unit-system}. You can use the @code{#+STARTUP} options
1668@code{constSI} and @code{constcgs} to set this value for the current
1669buffer.}. Column names and parameters can be specified in special table
1670lines. These are described below, see @ref{Advanced features}. All
1671names must start with a letter, and further consist of letters and
1672numbers.
1673
1674@node Formula syntax for Calc, Formula syntax for Lisp, References, The spreadsheet
1675@subsection Formula syntax for Calc
1676@cindex formula syntax, Calc
1677@cindex syntax, of formulas
1678
1679A formula can be any algebraic expression understood by the Emacs
1680@file{Calc} package. @b{Note that @file{calc} has the
1681non-standard convention that @samp{/} has lower precedence than
1682@samp{*}, so that @samp{a/b*c} is interpreted as @samp{a/(b*c)}.} Before
1683evaluation by @code{calc-eval} (@pxref{Calling Calc from
1684Your Programs,calc-eval,Calling calc from Your Lisp Programs,calc,GNU
1685Emacs Calc Manual}),
1686@c FIXME: The link to the calc manual in HTML does not work.
1687variable substitution takes place according to the rules described above.
1688@cindex vectors, in table calculations
1689The range vectors can be directly fed into the calc vector functions
1690like @samp{vmean} and @samp{vsum}.
1691
1692@cindex format specifier
1693@cindex mode, for @file{calc}
1694A formula can contain an optional mode string after a semicolon. This
1695string consists of flags to influence Calc and other modes during
1696execution. By default, Org-mode uses the standard calc modes (precision
169712, angular units degrees, fraction and symbolic modes off. The display
1698format, however, has been changed to @code{(float 5)} to keep tables
1699compact. The default settings can be configured using the variable
1700@code{org-calc-default-modes}.
1701
1702@example
1703p20 @r{switch the internal precision to 20 digits}
1704n3 s3 e2 f4 @r{normal, scientific, engineering, or fixed display format}
1705D R @r{angle modes: degrees, radians}
1706F S @r{fraction and symbolic modes}
1707N @r{interpret all fields as numbers, use 0 for non-numbers}
1708T @r{force text interpretation}
1709E @r{keep empty fields in ranges}
1710@end example
1711
1712@noindent
1713In addition, you may provide a @code{printf} format specifier to
1714reformat the final result. A few examples:
1715
1716@example
1717$1+$2 @r{Sum of first and second field}
1718$1+$2;%.2f @r{Same, format result to two decimals}
1719exp($2)+exp($1) @r{Math functions can be used}
1720$0;%.1f @r{Reformat current cell to 1 decimal}
1721($3-32)*5/9 @r{Degrees F -> C conversion}
1722$c/$1/$cm @r{Hz -> cm conversion, using @file{constants.el}}
1723tan($1);Dp3s1 @r{Compute in degrees, precision 3, display SCI 1}
1724sin($1);Dp3%.1e @r{Same, but use printf specifier for display}
1725vmean($2..$7) @r{Compute column range mean, using vector function}
1726vmean($2..$7);EN @r{Same, but treat empty fields as 0}
1727taylor($3,x=7,2) @r{taylor series of $3, at x=7, second degree}
1728@end example
1729
1730Calc also contains a complete set of logical operations. For example
1731
1732@example
1733if($1<20,teen,string("")) @r{``teen'' if age $1 less than 20, else empty}
1734@end example
1735
1736@node Formula syntax for Lisp, Field formulas, Formula syntax for Calc, The spreadsheet
1737@subsection Emacs Lisp forms as formulas
1738@cindex Lisp forms, as table formulas
1739
1740It is also possible to write a formula in Emacs Lisp; this can be useful
1741for string manipulation and control structures, if the Calc's
1742functionality is not enough. If a formula starts with a single quote
1743followed by an opening parenthesis, then it is evaluated as a lisp form.
1744The evaluation should return either a string or a number. Just as with
1745@file{calc} formulas, you can specify modes and a printf format after a
1746semicolon. With Emacs Lisp forms, you need to be concious about the way
1747field references are interpolated into the form. By default, a
1748reference will be interpolated as a Lisp string (in double quotes)
1749containing the field. If you provide the @samp{N} mode switch, all
1750referenced elements will be numbers (non-number fields will be zero) and
1751interpolated as Lisp numbers, without quotes. If you provide the
1752@samp{L} flag, all fields will be interpolated literally, without quotes.
1753I.e., if you want a reference to be interpreted as a string by the Lisp
1754form, enclode the reference operator itself in double quotes, like
1755@code{"$3"}. Ranges are inserted as space-separated fields, so you can
1756embed them in list or vector syntax. A few examples, note how the
1757@samp{N} mode is used when we do computations in lisp.
1758
1759@example
1760@r{Swap the first two characters of the content of column 1}
1761 '(concat (substring $1 1 2) (substring $1 0 1) (substring $1 2))
1762@r{Add columns 1 and 2, equivalent to the Calc's @code{$1+$2}}
1763 '(+ $1 $2);N
1764@r{Compute the sum of columns 1-4, like Calc's @code{vsum($1..$4)}}
1765 '(apply '+ '($1..$4));N
1766@end example
1767
1768@node Field formulas, Column formulas, Formula syntax for Lisp, The spreadsheet
1769@subsection Field formulas
1770@cindex field formula
1771@cindex formula, for individual table field
1772
1773To assign a formula to a particular field, type it directly into the
1774field, preceded by @samp{:=}, for example @samp{:=$1+$2}. When you
1775press @key{TAB} or @key{RET} or @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in
1776the field, the formula will be stored as the formula for this field,
1777evaluated, and the current field replaced with the result.
1778
1779Formulas are stored in a special line starting with @samp{#+TBLFM:}
1780directly below the table. If you typed the equation in the 4th field of
1781the 3rd data line in the table, the formula will look like
1782@samp{@@3$4=$1+$2}. When inserting/deleting/swapping column and rows
1783with the appropriate commands, @i{absolute references} (but not relative
1784ones) in stored formulas are modified in order to still reference the
1785same field. Of cause this is not true if you edit the table structure
1786with normal editing commands - then you must fix the equations yourself.
1787
1788Instead of typing an equation into the field, you may also use the
1789following command
1790
1791@table @kbd
1792@kindex C-u C-c =
1793@item C-u C-c =
1794Install a new formula for the current field. The command prompts for a
1795formula, with default taken from the @samp{#+TBLFM:} line, applies
1796it to the current field and stores it.
1797@end table
1798
1799@node Column formulas, Editing and debugging formulas, Field formulas, The spreadsheet
1800@subsection Column formulas
1801@cindex column formula
1802@cindex formula, for table column
1803
1804Often in a table, the same formula should be used for all fields in a
1805particular column. Instead of having to copy the formula to all fields
1806in that column, org-mode allows to assign a single formula to an entire
1807column. If the table contains horizontal separator hlines, everything
1808before the first such line is considered part of the table @emph{header}
1809and will not be modified by column formulas.
1810
1811To assign a formula to a column, type it directly into any field in the
1812column, preceded by an equal sign, like @samp{=$1+$2}. When you press
1813@key{TAB} or @key{RET} or @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in the
1814field, the formula will be stored as the formula for the current column,
1815evaluated and the current field replaced with the result. If the field
1816contains only @samp{=}, the previously stored formula for this column is
1817used. For each column, Org-mode will only remember the most recently
1818used formula. In the @samp{TBLFM:} line, column formulas will look like
1819@samp{$4=$1+$2}.
1820
1821Instead of typing an equation into the field, you may also use the
1822following command:
1823
1824@table @kbd
1825@kindex C-c =
1826@item C-c =
1827Install a new formula for the current column and replace current field
1828with the result of the formula. The command prompts for a formula, with
1829default taken from the @samp{#+TBLFM} line, applies it to the current
1830field and stores it. With a numerical prefix (e.g. @kbd{C-5 C-c =})
1831will apply it to that many consecutive fields in the current column.
1832@end table
1833
1834
1835@node Editing and debugging formulas, Updating the table, Column formulas, The spreadsheet
1836@subsection Editing and Debugging formulas
1837@cindex formula editing
1838@cindex editing, of table formulas
1839
1840You can edit individual formulas in the minibuffer or directly in the
1841field. Org-mode can also prepare a special buffer with all active
1842formulas of a table. When offering a formula for editing, Org-mode
1843converts references to the standard format (like @code{B3} or @code{D&})
1844if possible. If you prefer to only work with the internal format (like
1845@code{@@3$2} or @code{$4}), configure the variable
1846@code{org-table-use-standard-references}.
1847
1848@table @kbd
1849@kindex C-c =
1850@kindex C-u C-c =
1851@item C-c =
1852@itemx C-u C-c =
1853Edit the formula associated with the current column/field in the
1854minibuffer. See @ref{Column formulas} and @ref{Field formulas}.
1855@kindex C-u C-u C-c =
1856@item C-u C-u C-c =
1857Re-insert the active formula (either a
1858field formula, or a column formula) into the current field, so that you
1859can edit it directly in the field. The advantage over editing in the
1860minibuffer is that you can use the command @kbd{C-c ?}.
1861@kindex C-c ?
1862@item C-c ?
1863While editing a formula in a table field, highlight the field(s)
1864referenced by the reference at the cursor position in the formula.
1865@kindex C-c @}
1866@item C-c @}
1867Toggle the display of row and column numbers for a table, using
1868overlays. These are updated each time the table is aligned, you can
1869force it with @kbd{C-c C-c}.
1870@kindex C-c @{
1871@item C-c @{
1872Toggle the formula debugger on and off. See below.
1873@kindex C-c '
1874@item C-c '
1875Edit all formulas for the current table in a special buffer, where the
1876formulas will be displayed one per line. If the current field has an
1877active formula, the cursor in the formula editor will mark it.
1878While inside the special buffer, Org-mode will automatically highlight
1879any field or range reference at the cursor position. You may edit,
1880remove and add formulas, and use the following commands:
1881@table @kbd
1882@kindex C-c C-c
1883@kindex C-x C-s
1884@item C-c C-c
1885@itemx C-x C-s
1886Exit the formula editor and store the modified formulas. With @kbd{C-u}
1887prefix, also apply the new formulas to the entire table.
1888@kindex C-c C-q
1889@item C-c C-q
1890Exit the formula editor without installing changes.
1891@kindex C-c C-r
1892@item C-c C-r
1893Toggle all references in the formula editor between standard (like
1894@code{B3}) and internal (like @code{@@3$2}).
1895@kindex @key{TAB}
1896@item @key{TAB}
1897Pretty-print or indent lisp formula at point. When in a line containing
1898a lisp formula, format the formula according to Emacs Lisp rules.
1899Another @key{TAB} collapses the formula back again. In the open
1900formula, @key{TAB} re-indents just like in Emacs-lisp-mode.
1901@kindex M-@key{TAB}
1902@item M-@key{TAB}
1903Complete Lisp symbols, just like in Emacs-lisp-mode.
1904@kindex S-@key{up}
1905@kindex S-@key{down}
1906@kindex S-@key{left}
1907@kindex S-@key{right}
1908@item S-@key{up}/@key{down}/@key{left}/@key{right}
1909Shift the reference at point. For example, if the reference is
1910@code{B3} and you press @kbd{S-@key{right}}, it will become @code{C3}.
1911This also works for relative references, and for hline references.
1912@kindex M-S-@key{up}
1913@kindex M-S-@key{down}
1914@item M-S-@key{up}/@key{down}
1915Move the test line for column formulas in the Org-mode buffer up and
1916down.
1917@kindex M-@key{up}
1918@kindex M-@key{down}
1919@item M-@key{up}/@key{down}
1920Scroll the window displaying the table.
1921@kindex C-c @}
1922@item C-c @}
1923Turn the coordinate grid in the table on and off.
1924@end table
1925@end table
1926
1927Making a table field blank does not remove the formula associated with
1928the field, because that is stored in a different line (the @samp{TBLFM}
1929line) - during the next recalculation the field will be filled again.
1930To remove a formula from a field, you have to give an empty reply when
1931prompted for the formula, or to edit the @samp{#+TBLFM} line.
1932
1933@kindex C-c C-c
1934You may edit the @samp{#+TBLFM} directly and re-apply the changed
1935equations with @kbd{C-c C-c} in that line, or with the normal
1936recalculation commands in the table.
1937
1938@subsubheading Debugging formulas
1939@cindex formula debugging
1940@cindex debugging, of table formulas
1941When the evaluation of a formula leads to an error, the field content
1942becomes the string @samp{#ERROR}. If you would like see what is going
1943on during variable substitution and calculation in order to find a bug,
1944turn on formula debugging in the @code{Tbl} menu and repeat the
1945calculation, for example by pressing @kbd{C-u C-u C-c = @key{RET}} in a
1946field. Detailed information will be displayed.
1947
1948@node Updating the table, Advanced features, Editing and debugging formulas, The spreadsheet
1949@subsection Updating the Table
1950@cindex recomputing table fields
1951@cindex updating, table
1952
1953Recalculation of a table is normally not automatic, but needs to be
1954triggered by a command. See @ref{Advanced features} for a way to make
1955recalculation at least semi-automatically.
1956
1957In order to recalculate a line of a table or the entire table, use the
1958following commands:
1959
1960@table @kbd
1961@kindex C-c *
1962@item C-c *
1963Recalculate the current row by first applying the stored column formulas
1964from left to right, and all field formulas in the current row.
1965@c
1966@kindex C-u C-c *
1967@item C-u C-c *
1968@kindex C-u C-c C-c
1969@itemx C-u C-c C-c
1970Recompute the entire table, line by line. Any lines before the first
1971hline are left alone, assuming that these are part of the table header.
1972@c
1973@kindex C-u C-u C-c *
1974@kindex C-u C-u C-c C-c
1975@item C-u C-u C-c *
1976@itemx C-u C-u C-c C-c
1977Iterate the table by recomputing it until no further changes occur.
1978This may be necessary if some computed fields use the value of other
1979fields that are computed @i{later} in the calculation sequence.
1980@end table
1981
1982@node Advanced features, , Updating the table, The spreadsheet
1983@subsection Advanced features
1984
1985If you want the recalculation of fields to happen automatically, or if
1986you want to be able to assign @i{names} to fields and columns, you need
1987to reserve the first column of the table for special marking characters.
1988@table @kbd
1989@kindex C-#
1990@item C-#
1991Rotate the calculation mark in first column through the states @samp{},
1992@samp{#}, @samp{*}, @samp{!}, @samp{$}. The meaning of these characters
1993is discussed below. When there is an active region, change all marks in
1994the region.
1995@end table
1996
1997Here is an example of a table that collects exam results of students and
1998makes use of these features:
1999
2000@example
2001@group
2002|---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
2003| | Student | Prob 1 | Prob 2 | Prob 3 | Total | Note |
2004|---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
2005| ! | | P1 | P2 | P3 | Tot | |
2006| # | Maximum | 10 | 15 | 25 | 50 | 10.0 |
2007| ^ | | m1 | m2 | m3 | mt | |
2008|---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
2009| # | Peter | 10 | 8 | 23 | 41 | 8.2 |
2010| # | Sara | 6 | 14 | 19 | 39 | 7.8 |
2011| # | Sam | 2 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 1.8 |
2012|---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
2013| | Average | | | | 29.7 | |
2014| ^ | | | | | at | |
2015| $ | max=50 | | | | | |
2016|---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
2017#+TBLFM: $6=vsum($P1..$P3)::$7=10*$Tot/$max;%.1f::$at=vmean(@@-II..@@-I);%.1f
2018@end group
2019@end example
2020
2021@noindent @b{Important}: Please note that for these special tables,
2022recalculating the table with @kbd{C-u C-c *} will only affect rows that
2023are marked @samp{#} or @samp{*}, and fields that have a formula assigned
2024to the field itself. The column formulas are not applied in rows with
2025empty first field.
2026
2027@cindex marking characters, tables
2028The marking characters have the following meaning:
2029@table @samp
2030@item !
2031The fields in this line define names for the columns, so that you may
2032refer to a column as @samp{$Tot} instead of @samp{$6}.
2033@item ^
2034This row defines names for the fields @emph{above} the row. With such
2035a definition, any formula in the table may use @samp{$m1} to refer to
2036the value @samp{10}. Also, if you assign a formula to a names field, it
2037will be stored as @samp{$name=...}.
2038@item _
2039Similar to @samp{^}, but defines names for the fields in the row
2040@emph{below}.
2041@item $
2042Fields in this row can define @emph{parameters} for formulas. For
2043example, if a field in a @samp{$} row contains @samp{max=50}, then
2044formulas in this table can refer to the value 50 using @samp{$max}.
2045Parameters work exactly like constants, only that they can be defined on
2046a per-table basis.
2047@item #
2048Fields in this row are automatically recalculated when pressing
2049@key{TAB} or @key{RET} or @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} in this row. Also, this row
2050is selected for a global recalculation with @kbd{C-u C-c *}. Unmarked
2051lines will be left alone by this command.
2052@item *
2053Selects this line for global recalculation with @kbd{C-u C-c *}, but
2054not for automatic recalculation. Use this when automatic
2055recalculation slows down editing too much.
2056@item
2057Unmarked lines are exempt from recalculation with @kbd{C-u C-c *}.
2058All lines that should be recalculated should be marked with @samp{#}
2059or @samp{*}.
2060@item /
2061Do not export this line. Useful for lines that contain the narrowing
2062@samp{<N>} markers.
2063@end table
2064
2065Finally, just to whet your appetite on what can be done with the
2066fantastic @file{calc} package, here is a table that computes the Taylor
2067series of degree @code{n} at location @code{x} for a couple of functions
2068(homework: try that with Excel :-)
2069
2070@example
2071@group
2072|---+-------------+---+-----+--------------------------------------|
2073| | Func | n | x | Result |
2074|---+-------------+---+-----+--------------------------------------|
2075| # | exp(x) | 1 | x | 1 + x |
2076| # | exp(x) | 2 | x | 1 + x + x^2 / 2 |
2077| # | exp(x) | 3 | x | 1 + x + x^2 / 2 + x^3 / 6 |
2078| # | x^2+sqrt(x) | 2 | x=0 | x*(0.5 / 0) + x^2 (2 - 0.25 / 0) / 2 |
2079| # | x^2+sqrt(x) | 2 | x=1 | 2 + 2.5 x - 2.5 + 0.875 (x - 1)^2 |
2080| * | tan(x) | 3 | x | 0.0175 x + 1.77e-6 x^3 |
2081|---+-------------+---+-----+--------------------------------------|
2082#+TBLFM: $5=taylor($2,$4,$3);n3
2083@end group
2084@end example
2085
2086@node Hyperlinks, TODO items, Tables, Top
2087@chapter Hyperlinks
2088@cindex hyperlinks
2089
2090Just like HTML, Org-mode provides links inside a file, and external
2091links to other files, Usenet articles, emails, and much more.
2092
2093@menu
2094* Link format:: How links in Org-mode are formatted
2095* Internal links:: Links to other places in the current file
2096* External links:: URL-like links to the world
2097* Handling links:: Creating, inserting and following
2098* Using links outside Org-mode:: Linking from my C source code?
2099* Link abbreviations:: Shortcuts for writing complex links
2100* Search options:: Linking to a specific location
2101* Custom searches:: When the default search is not enough
2102* Remember:: Org-trees store quick notes
2103@end menu
2104
2105@node Link format, Internal links, Hyperlinks, Hyperlinks
2106@section Link format
2107@cindex link format
2108@cindex format, of links
2109
2110Org-mode will recognize plain URL-like links and activate them as
2111clickable links. The general link format, however, looks like this:
2112
2113@example
2114[[link][description]] @r{or alternatively} [[link]]
2115@end example
2116
2117Once a link in the buffer is complete (all brackets present), Org-mode
2118will change the display so that @samp{description} is displayed instead
2119of @samp{[[link][description]]} and @samp{link} is displayed instead of
2120@samp{[[link]]}. Links will be highlighted in the face @code{org-link},
2121which by default is an underlined face. You can directly edit the
2122visible part of a link. Note that this can be either the @samp{link}
2123part (if there is no description) or the @samp{description} part. To
2124edit also the invisible @samp{link} part, use @kbd{C-c C-l} with the
2125cursor on the link.
2126
2127If you place the cursor at the beginning or just behind the end of the
2128displayed text and press @key{BACKSPACE}, you will remove the
2129(invisible) bracket at that location. This makes the link incomplete
2130and the internals are again displayed as plain text. Inserting the
2131missing bracket hides the link internals again. To show the
2132internal structure of all links, use the menu entry
2133@code{Org->Hyperlinks->Literal links}.
2134
2135@node Internal links, External links, Link format, Hyperlinks
2136@section Internal links
2137@cindex internal links
2138@cindex links, internal
2139@cindex targets, for links
2140
2141If the link does not look like a URL, it is considered to be internal in
2142the current file. Links such as @samp{[[My Target]]} or @samp{[[My
2143Target][Find my target]]} lead to a text search in the current file.
2144The link can be followed with @kbd{C-c C-o} when the cursor is on the
2145link, or with a mouse click (@pxref{Handling links}). The preferred
2146match for such a link is a dedicated target: the same string in double
2147angular brackets. Targets may be located anywhere; sometimes it is
2148convenient to put them into a comment line. For example
2149
2150@example
2151# <<My Target>>
2152@end example
2153
2154@noindent In HTML export (@pxref{HTML export}), such targets will become
2155named anchors for direct access through @samp{http} links@footnote{Note
2156that text before the first headline is usually not exported, so the
2157first such target should be after the first headline.}.
2158
2159If no dedicated target exists, Org-mode will search for the words in the
2160link. In the above example the search would be for @samp{my target}.
2161Links starting with a star like @samp{*My Target} restrict the search to
2162headlines. When searching, Org-mode will first try an exact match, but
2163then move on to more and more lenient searches. For example, the link
2164@samp{[[*My Targets]]} will find any of the following:
2165
2166@example
2167** My targets
2168** TODO my targets are bright
2169** my 20 targets are
2170@end example
2171
2172To insert a link targeting a headline, in-buffer completion can be used.
2173Just type a star followed by a few optional letters into the buffer and
2174press @kbd{M-@key{TAB}}. All headlines in the current buffer will be
2175offered as completions. @xref{Handling links}, for more commands
2176creating links.
2177
2178Following a link pushes a mark onto Org-mode's own mark ring. You can
2179return to the previous position with @kbd{C-c &}. Using this command
2180several times in direct succession goes back to positions recorded
2181earlier.
2182
2183@menu
2184* Radio targets:: Make targets trigger links in plain text.
2185@end menu
2186
2187@node Radio targets, , Internal links, Internal links
2188@subsection Radio targets
2189@cindex radio targets
2190@cindex targets, radio
2191@cindex links, radio targets
2192
2193Org-mode can automatically turn any occurrences of certain target names
2194in normal text into a link. So without explicitly creating a link, the
2195text connects to the target radioing its position. Radio targets are
2196enclosed by triple angular brackets. For example, a target @samp{<<<My
2197Target>>>} causes each occurrence of @samp{my target} in normal text to
2198become activated as a link. The Org-mode file is scanned automatically
2199for radio targets only when the file is first loaded into Emacs. To
2200update the target list during editing, press @kbd{C-c C-c} with the
2201cursor on or at a target.
2202
2203@node External links, Handling links, Internal links, Hyperlinks
2204@section External links
2205@cindex links, external
2206@cindex external links
2207@cindex links, external
2208@cindex GNUS links
2209@cindex BBDB links
2210@cindex URL links
2211@cindex file links
2212@cindex VM links
2213@cindex RMAIL links
2214@cindex WANDERLUST links
2215@cindex MH-E links
2216@cindex USENET links
2217@cindex SHELL links
2218@cindex Info links
2219@cindex elisp links
2220
2221Org-mode supports links to files, websites, Usenet and email messages,
2222and BBDB database entries. External links are URL-like locators. They
2223start with a short identifying string followed by a colon. There can be
2224no space after the colon. The following list shows examples for each
2225link type.
2226
2227@example
2228http://www.astro.uva.nl/~dominik @r{on the web}
2229file:/home/dominik/images/jupiter.jpg @r{file, absolute path}
2230file:papers/last.pdf @r{file, relative path}
2231news:comp.emacs @r{Usenet link}
2232mailto:adent@@galaxy.net @r{Mail link}
2233vm:folder @r{VM folder link}
2234vm:folder#id @r{VM message link}
2235vm://myself@@some.where.org/folder#id @r{VM on remote machine}
2236wl:folder @r{WANDERLUST folder link}
2237wl:folder#id @r{WANDERLUST message link}
2238mhe:folder @r{MH-E folder link}
2239mhe:folder#id @r{MH-E message link}
2240rmail:folder @r{RMAIL folder link}
2241rmail:folder#id @r{RMAIL message link}
2242gnus:group @r{GNUS group link}
2243gnus:group#id @r{GNUS article link}
2244bbdb:Richard Stallman @r{BBDB link}
2245shell:ls *.org @r{A shell command}
2246elisp:(find-file-other-frame "Elisp.org") @r{An elisp form to evaluate}
2247@end example
2248
2249A link should be enclosed in double brackets and may contain a
2250descriptive text to be displayed instead of the url (@pxref{Link
2251format}), for example:
2252
2253@example
2254[[http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/][GNU Emacs]]
2255@end example
2256
2257@noindent
2258If the description is a file name or URL that points to an image, HTML
2259export (@pxref{HTML export}) will inline the image as a clickable
2260button. If there is no description at all and the link points to an
2261image,
2262that image will be inlined into the exported HTML file.
2263
2264@cindex angular brackets, around links
2265@cindex plain text external links
2266Org-mode also finds external links in the normal text and activates them
2267as links. If spaces must be part of the link (for example in
2268@samp{bbdb:Richard Stallman}), or if you need to remove ambiguities
2269about the end of the link, enclose them in angular brackets.
2270
2271@node Handling links, Using links outside Org-mode, External links, Hyperlinks
2272@section Handling links
2273@cindex links, handling
2274
2275Org-mode provides methods to create a link in the correct syntax, to
2276insert it into an org-mode file, and to follow the link.
2277
2278@table @kbd
2279@kindex C-c l
2280@cindex storing links
2281@item C-c l
2282Store a link to the current location. This is a @emph{global} command
2283which can be used in any buffer to create a link. The link will be
2284stored for later insertion into an Org-mode buffer (see below). For
2285Org-mode files, if there is a @samp{<<target>>} at the cursor, the link
2286points to the target. Otherwise it points to the current headline. For
2287VM, RMAIL, WANDERLUST, MH-E, GNUS and BBDB buffers, the link will
2288indicate the current article/entry. For W3 and W3M buffers, the link
2289goes to the current URL. For any other files, the link will point to
2290the file, with a search string (@pxref{Search options}) pointing to the
2291contents of the current line. If there is an active region, the
2292selected words will form the basis of the search string. If the
2293automatically created link is not working correctly or accurately
2294enough, you can write custom functions to select the search string and
2295to do the search for particular file types - see @ref{Custom searches}.
2296The key binding @kbd{C-c l} is only a suggestion - see @ref{Installation}.
2297@c
2298@kindex C-c C-l
2299@cindex link completion
2300@cindex completion, of links
2301@cindex inserting links
2302@item C-c C-l
2303Insert a link. This prompts for a link to be inserted into the buffer.
2304You can just type a link, using text for an internal link, or one of the
2305link type prefixes mentioned in the examples above. All links stored
2306during the current session are part of the history for this prompt, so
2307you can access them with @key{up} and @key{down}. Completion, on the
2308other hand, will help you to insert valid link prefixes like
2309@samp{http:} or @samp{ftp:}, including the prefixes defined through link
2310abbreviations (@pxref{Link abbreviations}). The link will be inserted
2311into the buffer@footnote{After insertion of a stored link, the link will
2312be removed from the list of stored links. To keep it in the list later
2313use, use a triple @kbd{C-u} prefix to @kbd{C-c C-l}, or configure the
2314option @code{org-keep-stored-link-after-insertion}.}, along with a
2315descriptive text. If some text was selected when this command is
2316called, the selected text becomes the default description.@* Note that
2317you don't have to use this command to insert a link. Links in Org-mode
2318are plain text, and you can type or paste them straight into the buffer.
2319By using this command, the links are automatically enclosed in double
2320brackets, and you will be asked for the optional descriptive text.
2321@c
2322@c If the link is a @samp{file:} link and
2323@c the linked file is located in the same directory as the current file or
2324@c a subdirectory of it, the path of the file will be inserted relative to
2325@c the current directory.
2326@c
2327@kindex C-u C-c C-l
2328@cindex file name completion
2329@cindex completion, of file names
2330@item C-u C-c C-l
2331When @kbd{C-c C-l} is called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix argument, a link to
2332a file will be inserted and you may use file name completion to select
2333the name of the file. The path to the file is inserted relative to the
2334directory of the current org file, if the linked file is in the current
2335directory or in a subdirectory of it, or if the path is written relative
2336to the current directory using @samp{../}. Otherwise an absolute path
2337is used, if possible with @samp{~/} for your home directory. You can
2338force an absolute path with two @kbd{C-u} prefixes.
2339@c
2340@item C-c C-l @r{(with cursor on existing link)}
2341When the cursor is on an existing link, @kbd{C-c C-l} allows you to edit the
2342link and description parts of the link.
2343@c
2344@cindex following links
2345@kindex C-c C-o
2346@item C-c C-o
2347Open link at point. This will launch a web browser for URLs (using
2348@command{browse-url-at-point}), run vm/mh-e/wanderlust/rmail/gnus/bbdb
2349for the corresponding links, and execute the command in a shell link.
2350When the cursor is on an internal link, this commands runs the
2351corresponding search. When the cursor is on a TAG list in a headline,
2352it creates the corresponding TAGS view. If the cursor is on a time
2353stamp, it compiles the agenda for that date. Furthermore, it will visit
2354text and remote files in @samp{file:} links with Emacs and select a
2355suitable application for local non-text files. Classification of files
2356is based on file extension only. See option @code{org-file-apps}. If
2357you want to override the default application and visit the file with
2358Emacs, use a @kbd{C-u} prefix.
2359@c
2360@kindex mouse-2
2361@kindex mouse-1
2362@item mouse-2
2363@itemx mouse-1
2364On links, @kbd{mouse-2} will open the link just as @kbd{C-c C-o}
2365would. Under Emacs 22, also @kbd{mouse-1} will follow a link.
2366@c
2367@kindex mouse-3
2368@item mouse-3
2369Like @kbd{mouse-2}, but force file links to be opened with Emacs, and
2370internal links to be displayed in another window@footnote{See the
2371variable @code{org-display-internal-link-with-indirect-buffer}}.
2372@c
2373@cindex mark ring
2374@kindex C-c %
2375@item C-c %
2376Push the current position onto the mark ring, to be able to return
2377easily. Commands following an internal link do this automatically.
2378@c
2379@cindex links, returning to
2380@kindex C-c &
2381@item C-c &
2382Jump back to a recorded position. A position is recorded by the
2383commands following internal links, and by @kbd{C-c %}. Using this
2384command several times in direct succession moves through a ring of
2385previously recorded positions.
2386@c
2387@kindex C-c C-x C-n
2388@kindex C-c C-x C-p
2389@cindex links, finding next/previous
2390@item C-c C-x C-n
2391@itemx C-c C-x C-p
2392Move forward/backward to the next link in the buffer. At the limit of
2393the buffer, the search fails once, and then wraps around. The key
2394bindings for this are really too long, you might want to bind this also
2395to @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p}
2396@lisp
2397(add-hook 'org-load-hook
2398 (lambda ()
2399 (define-key 'org-mode-map "\C-n" 'org-next-link)
2400 (define-key 'org-mode-map "\C-p" 'org-previous-link)))
2401@end lisp
2402@end table
2403
2404@node Using links outside Org-mode, Link abbreviations, Handling links, Hyperlinks
2405@section Using links outside Org-mode
2406
2407You can insert and follow links that have Org-mode syntax not only in
2408Org-mode, but in any Emacs buffer. For this, you should create two
2409global commands, like this (please select suitable global keys
2410yourself):
2411
2412@lisp
2413(global-set-key "\C-c L" 'org-insert-link-global)
2414(global-set-key "\C-c o" 'org-open-at-point-global)
2415@end lisp
2416
2417@node Link abbreviations, Search options, Using links outside Org-mode, Hyperlinks
2418@section Link abbreviations
2419@cindex link abbreviations
2420@cindex abbreviation, links
2421
2422Long URLs can be cumbersome to type, and often many similar links are
2423needed in a document. For this you can use link abbreviations. An
2424abbreviated link looks like this
2425
2426@example
2427[[linkword:tag][description]]
2428@end example
2429
2430@noindent
2431where the tag is optional. Such abbreviations are resolved according to
2432the information in the variable @code{org-link-abbrev-alist} that
2433relates the linkwords to replacement text. Here is an example:
2434
2435@lisp
2436@group
2437(setq org-link-abbrev-alist
2438 '(("bugzilla" . "http://10.1.2.9/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=")
2439 ("google" . "http://www.google.com/search?q=")
2440 ("ads" . "http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/
2441 nph-abs_connect?author=%s&db_key=AST")))
2442@end group
2443@end lisp
2444
2445If the replacement text contains the string @samp{%s}, it will be
2446replaced with the tag. Otherwise the tag will be appended to the string
2447in order to create the link. You may also specify a function that will
2448be called with the tag as the only argument to create the link.
2449
2450With the above setting, you could link to a specific bug with
2451@code{[[bugzilla:129]]}, search the web for @samp{OrgMode} with
2452@code{[[google:OrgMode]]} and find out what the Org-mode author is
2453doing besides Emacs hacking with @code{[[ads:Dominik,C]]}.
2454
2455If you need special abbreviations just for a single Org-mode buffer, you
2456can define them in the file with
2457
2458@example
2459#+LINK: bugzilla http://10.1.2.9/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=
2460#+LINK: google http://www.google.com/search?q=%s
2461@end example
2462
2463@noindent
2464In-buffer completion @pxref{Completion} can be used after @samp{[} to
2465complete link abbreviations.
2466
2467@node Search options, Custom searches, Link abbreviations, Hyperlinks
2468@section Search options in file links
2469@cindex search option in file links
2470@cindex file links, searching
2471
2472File links can contain additional information to make Emacs jump to a
2473particular location in the file when following a link. This can be a
2474line number or a search option after a double@footnote{For backward
2475compatibility, line numbers can also follow a single colon.} colon. For
2476example, when the command @kbd{C-c l} creates a link (@pxref{Handling
2477links}) to a file, it encodes the words in the current line as a search
2478string that can be used to find this line back later when following the
2479link with @kbd{C-c C-o}.
2480
2481Here is the syntax of the different ways to attach a search to a file
2482link, together with an explanation:
2483
2484@example
2485[[file:~/code/main.c::255]]
2486[[file:~/xx.org::My Target]]
2487[[file:~/xx.org::*My Target]]
2488[[file:~/xx.org::/regexp/]]
2489@end example
2490
2491@table @code
2492@item 255
2493Jump to line 255.
2494@item My Target
2495Search for a link target @samp{<<My Target>>}, or do a text search for
2496@samp{my target}, similar to the search in internal links, see
2497@ref{Internal links}. In HTML export (@pxref{HTML export}), such a file
2498link will become an HTML reference to the corresponding named anchor in
2499the linked file.
2500@item *My Target
2501In an Org-mode file, restrict search to headlines.
2502@item /regexp/
2503Do a regular expression search for @code{regexp}. This uses the Emacs
2504command @code{occur} to list all matches in a separate window. If the
2505target file is in Org-mode, @code{org-occur} is used to create a
2506sparse tree with the matches.
2507@c If the target file is a directory,
2508@c @code{grep} will be used to search all files in the directory.
2509@end table
2510
2511As a degenerate case, a file link with an empty file name can be used
2512to search the current file. For example, @code{[[file:::find me]]} does
2513a search for @samp{find me} in the current file, just as
2514@samp{[[find me]]} would.
2515
2516@node Custom searches, Remember, Search options, Hyperlinks
2517@section Custom Searches
2518@cindex custom search strings
2519@cindex search strings, custom
2520
2521The default mechanism for creating search strings and for doing the
2522actual search related to a file link may not work correctly in all
2523cases. For example, BibTeX database files have many entries like
2524@samp{year="1993"} which would not result in good search strings,
2525because the only unique identification for a BibTeX entry is the
2526citation key.
2527
2528If you come across such a problem, you can write custom functions to set
2529the right search string for a particular file type, and to do the search
2530for the string in the file. Using @code{add-hook}, these functions need
2531to be added to the hook variables
2532@code{org-create-file-search-functions} and
2533@code{org-execute-file-search-functions}. See the docstring for these
2534variables for more information. Org-mode actually uses this mechanism
2535for Bib@TeX{} database files, and you can use the corresponding code as
2536an implementation example. Search for @samp{BibTeX links} in the source
2537file.
2538
2539
2540@node Remember, , Custom searches, Hyperlinks
2541@section Remember
2542@cindex @file{remember.el}
2543
2544Another way to create org entries with links to other files is through
2545the @i{remember} package by John Wiegley. @i{Remember} lets you store
2546quick notes with little interruption of your work flow. See
2547@uref{http://www.emacswiki.org/cgi-bin/wiki/RememberMode} for more
2548information. The notes produced by @i{Remember} can be stored in
2549different ways, and Org-mode files are a good target. Org-mode
2550significantly expands the possibilities of @i{remember}: You may define
2551templates for different note types, and to associate target files and
2552headlines with specific templates. It also allows you to select the
2553location where a note should be stored interactively, on the fly.
2554
2555@menu
2556* Setting up remember:: Some code for .emacs to get things going
2557* Remember templates:: Define the outline of different note types
2558* Storing notes:: Directly get the note to where it belongs
2559@end menu
2560
2561@node Setting up remember, Remember templates, Remember, Remember
2562@subsection Setting up remember
2563
2564The following customization will tell @i{remember} to use org files as
2565target, and to create annotations compatible with Org-mode links.
2566
2567@example
2568(setq org-directory "~/path/to/my/orgfiles/")
2569(setq org-default-notes-file "~/.notes")
2570(setq remember-annotation-functions '(org-remember-annotation))
2571(setq remember-handler-functions '(org-remember-handler))
2572(add-hook 'remember-mode-hook 'org-remember-apply-template)
2573@end example
2574
2575@node Remember templates, Storing notes, Setting up remember, Remember
2576@subsection Remember templates
2577@cindex templates, for remember
2578
2579In combination with Org-mode, you can use templates to generate
2580different types of @i{remember} notes. For example, if you would like
2581to use one template to create general TODO entries, another one for
2582journal entries, and a third one for collecting random ideas, you could
2583use:
2584
2585@example
2586(setq org-remember-templates
2587 '((?t "* TODO %?\n %i\n %a" "~/org/TODO.org")
2588 (?j "* %U %?\n\n %i\n %a" "~/org/JOURNAL.org")
2589 (?i "* %^@{Title@}\n %i\n %a" "~/org/JOURNAL.org" "New Ideas")))
2590@end example
2591
2592@noindent In these entries, the character specifies how to select the
2593template. The first string specifies the template. Two more (optional)
2594strings give the file in which, and the headline under which the new
2595note should be stored. The file defaults (if not present or @code{nil})
2596to @code{org-default-notes-file}, the heading to
2597@code{org-remember-default-headline}. Both defaults help to get to the
2598storing location quickly, but you can change the location interactively
2599while storing the note.
2600
2601When you call @kbd{M-x remember} (or @kbd{M-x org-remember}) to remember
2602something, org will prompt for a key to select the template (if you have
2603more than one template) and then prepare the buffer like
2604@example
2605* TODO
2606 [[file:link to where you called remember]]
2607@end example
2608
2609@noindent or
2610
2611@example
2612* [2006-03-21 Tue 15:37]
2613
2614 [[file:link to where you called remember]]
2615@end example
2616
2617@noindent
2618During expansion of the template, special @kbd{%}-escapes allow dynamic
2619insertion of content:
2620@example
2621%^@{prompt@} @r{prompt the user for a string and replace this sequence with it.}
2622%t @r{time stamp, date only}
2623%T @r{time stamp with date and time}
2624%u, %U @r{like the above, but inactive time stamps}
2625%^t @r{like @code{%t}, but prompt for date. Similarly @code{%^T}, @code{%^u}, @code{%^U}}
2626 @r{You may define a prompt like @code{%^@{Birthday@}t}}
2627%n @r{user name (taken from @code{user-full-name})}
2628%a @r{annotation, normally the link created with @code{org-store-link}}
2629%i @r{initial content, the region when remember is called with C-u.}
2630 @r{The entire text will be indented like @code{%i} itself.}
2631%^g @r{prompt for tags, with completion on tags in target file.}
2632%^G @r{prompt for tags, with completion all tags in all agenda files.}
2633%:keyword @r{specific information for certain link types, see below}
2634@end example
2635
2636@noindent
2637For specific link types, the following keywords will be defined:
2638
2639@example
2640Link type | Available keywords
2641-------------------+----------------------------------------------
2642bbdb | %:name %:company
2643vm, wl, mh, rmail | %:type %:subject %:message-id
2644 | %:from %:fromname %:fromaddress
2645 | %:to %:toname %:toaddress
2646 | %:fromto @r{(either "to NAME" or "from NAME")@footnote{This will always be the other, not the user. See the variable @code{org-from-is-user-regexp}.}}
2647gnus | %:group, @r{for messages also all email fields}
2648w3, w3m | %:url
2649info | %:file %:node
2650calendar | %:date"
2651@end example
2652
2653@noindent
2654To place the cursor after template expansion use:
2655
2656@example
2657%? @r{After completing the template, position cursor here.}
2658@end example
2659
2660@noindent
2661If you change you mind about which template to use, call
2662@code{org-remember} in the remember buffer. You may then select a new
2663template that will be filled with the previous context information.
2664
2665@node Storing notes, , Remember templates, Remember
2666@subsection Storing notes
2667
2668When you are finished preparing a note with @i{remember}, you have to press
2669@kbd{C-c C-c} to file the note away. The handler first prompts for a
2670target file - if you press @key{RET}, the value specified for the
2671template is used. Then the command offers the headings tree of the
2672selected file, with the cursor position at the default headline (if you
2673had specified one in the template). You can either immediately press
2674@key{RET} to get the note placed there. Or you can use the following
2675keys to find a better location:
2676@example
2677@key{TAB} @r{Cycle visibility.}
2678@key{down} / @key{up} @r{Next/previous visible headline.}
2679n / p @r{Next/previous visible headline.}
2680f / b @r{Next/previous headline same level.}
2681u @r{One level up.}
2682@c 0-9 @r{Digit argument.}
2683@end example
2684@noindent
2685Pressing @key{RET} or @key{left} or @key{right}
2686then leads to the following result.
2687
2688@multitable @columnfractions 0.2 0.15 0.65
2689@item @b{Cursor position} @tab @b{Key} @tab @b{Note gets inserted}
2690@item buffer-start @tab @key{RET} @tab as level 2 heading at end of file
2691@item on headline @tab @key{RET} @tab as sublevel of the heading at cursor
2692@item @tab @key{left}/@key{right} @tab as same level, before/after current heading
2693@item not on headline @tab @key{RET}
2694 @tab at cursor position, level taken from context.
2695@end multitable
2696
2697So a fast way to store the note to its default location is to press
2698@kbd{C-c C-c @key{RET} @key{RET}}. Even shorter would be @kbd{C-u C-c
2699C-c}, which does the same without even asking for a file or showing the
2700tree.
2701
2702Before inserting the text into a tree, the function ensures that the
2703text has a headline, i.e. a first line that starts with a @samp{*}.
2704If not, a headline is constructed from the current date and some
2705additional data. If the variable @code{org-adapt-indentation} is
2706non-nil, the entire text is also indented so that it starts in the
2707same column as the headline (after the asterisks).
2708
2709
2710@node TODO items, Tags, Hyperlinks, Top
2711@chapter TODO items
2712@cindex TODO items
2713
2714Org-mode does not maintain TODO lists as a separate document. TODO
2715items are an integral part of the notes file, because TODO items
2716usually come up while taking notes! With Org-mode, you simply mark
2717any entry in a tree as being a TODO item. In this way, the
2718information is not duplicated, and the entire context from which the
2719item emerged is always present when you check.
2720
2721Of course, this technique causes TODO items to be scattered throughout
2722your file. Org-mode provides methods to give you an overview over all
2723things you have to do.
2724
2725@menu
2726* TODO basics:: Marking and displaying TODO entries
2727* TODO extensions:: Workflow and assignments
2728* Priorities:: Some things are more important than others
2729* Breaking down tasks:: Splitting a task into manageable pieces
2730* Checkboxes:: Tick-off lists
2731@end menu
2732
2733@node TODO basics, TODO extensions, TODO items, TODO items
2734@section Basic TODO functionality
2735
2736Any headline can become a TODO item by starting it with the word TODO,
2737for example:
2738
2739@example
2740*** TODO Write letter to Sam Fortune
2741@end example
2742
2743@noindent
2744The most important commands to work with TODO entries are:
2745
2746@table @kbd
2747@kindex C-c C-t
2748@cindex cycling, of TODO states
2749@item C-c C-t
2750Rotate the TODO state of the current item among
2751
2752@example
2753,-> (unmarked) -> TODO -> DONE --.
2754'--------------------------------'
2755@end example
2756
2757The same rotation can also be done ``remotely'' from the timeline and
2758agenda buffers with the @kbd{t} command key (@pxref{Agenda commands}).
2759@kindex S-@key{right}
2760@kindex S-@key{left}
2761@item S-@key{right}
2762@itemx S-@key{left}
2763Select the following/preceding TODO state, similar to cycling. Mostly
2764useful if more than two TODO states are possible (@pxref{TODO
2765extensions}).
2766@kindex C-c C-c
2767@item C-c C-c
2768Use the fast tag interface to quickly and directly select a specific
2769TODO state. For this you need to assign keys to TODO state, like this:
2770@example
2771#+SEQ_TODO: TODO(t) STARTED(s) WAITING(w) | DONE(d)
2772@end example
2773@noindent See @ref{Per file keywords} and @ref{Setting tags} for more
2774information.
2775@kindex C-c C-v
2776@cindex sparse tree, for TODO
2777@item C-c C-v
2778View TODO items in a @emph{sparse tree} (@pxref{Sparse trees}). Folds
2779the entire buffer, but shows all TODO items and the headings hierarchy
2780above them. With prefix arg, search for a specific TODO. You will be
2781prompted for the keyword, and you can also give a list of keywords like
2782@code{kwd1|kwd2|...}. With numerical prefix N, show the tree for the
2783Nth keyword in the variable @code{org-todo-keywords}. With two prefix
2784args, find all TODO and DONE entries.
2785@kindex C-c a t
2786@item C-c a t
2787Show the global TODO list. This collects the TODO items from all
2788agenda files (@pxref{Agenda views}) into a single buffer. The buffer is in
2789@code{agenda-mode}, so there are commands to examine and manipulate
2790the TODO entries directly from that buffer (@pxref{Agenda commands}).
2791@xref{Global TODO list}, for more information.
2792@kindex S-M-@key{RET}
2793@item S-M-@key{RET}
2794Insert a new TODO entry below the current one.
2795@end table
2796
2797@node TODO extensions, Priorities, TODO basics, TODO items
2798@section Extended use of TODO keywords
2799@cindex extended TODO keywords
2800
2801The default implementation of TODO entries is just two states: TODO and
2802DONE. You can use the TODO feature for more complicated things by
2803configuring the variable @code{org-todo-keywords}. With special setup,
2804the TODO keyword system can work differently in different files.
2805
2806Note that @i{tags} are another way to classify headlines in general and
2807TODO items in particular (@pxref{Tags}).
2808
2809@menu
2810* Workflow states:: From TODO to DONE in steps
2811* TODO types:: I do this, Fred the rest
2812* Multiple sets in one file:: Mixing it all, and still finding your way
2813* Per file keywords:: Different files, different requirements
2814@end menu
2815
2816@node Workflow states, TODO types, TODO extensions, TODO extensions
2817@subsection TODO keywords as workflow states
2818@cindex TODO workflow
2819@cindex workflow states as TODO keywords
2820
2821You can use TODO keywords to indicate different @emph{sequential} states
2822in the process of working on an item, for example@footnote{Changing
2823this variable only becomes effective after restarting Org-mode in a
2824buffer.}:
2825
2826@lisp
2827(setq org-todo-keywords
2828 '((sequence "TODO" "FEEDBACK" "VERIFY" "|" "DONE" "DELEGATED")))
2829@end lisp
2830
2831The vertical bar separates the TODO keywords (states that @emph{need
2832action}) from the DONE states (which need @emph{no further action}. If
2833you don't provide the separator bar, the last state is used as the DONE
2834state.
2835@cindex completion, of TODO keywords
2836With this setup, the command @kbd{C-c C-t} will cycle an entry from TODO
2837to FEEDBACK, then to VERIFY, and finally to DONE and DELEGATED. You may
2838also use a prefix argument to quickly select a specific state. For
2839example @kbd{C-3 C-c C-t} will change the state immediately to VERIFY.
2840If you define many keywords, you can use in-buffer completion (see
2841@ref{Completion}) to insert these words into the buffer. Changing a
2842todo state can be logged with a timestamp, see @ref{Tracking TODO state
2843changes} for more information.
2844
2845@node TODO types, Multiple sets in one file, Workflow states, TODO extensions
2846@subsection TODO keywords as types
2847@cindex TODO types
2848@cindex names as TODO keywords
2849@cindex types as TODO keywords
2850
2851The second possibility is to use TODO keywords to indicate different
2852@emph{types} of action items. For example, you might want to indicate
2853that items are for ``work'' or ``home''. Or, when you work with several
2854people on a single project, you might want to assign action items
2855directly to persons, by using their names as TODO keywords. This would
2856be set up like this:
2857
2858@lisp
2859(setq org-todo-keywords '((type "Fred" "Sara" "Lucy" "|" "DONE")))
2860@end lisp
2861
2862In this case, different keywords do not indicate a sequence, but rather
2863different types. So the normal work flow would be to assign a task to a
2864person, and later to mark it DONE. Org-mode supports this style by
2865adapting the workings of the command @kbd{C-c C-t}@footnote{This is also
2866true for the @kbd{t} command in the timeline and agenda buffers.}. When
2867used several times in succession, it will still cycle through all names,
2868in order to first select the right type for a task. But when you return
2869to the item after some time and execute @kbd{C-c C-t} again, it will
2870switch from any name directly to DONE. Use prefix arguments or
2871completion to quickly select a specific name. You can also review the
2872items of a specific TODO type in a sparse tree by using a numeric prefix
2873to @kbd{C-c C-v}. For example, to see all things Lucy has to do, you
2874would use @kbd{C-3 C-c C-v}. To collect Lucy's items from all agenda
2875files into a single buffer, you would use the prefix arg as well when
2876creating the global todo list: @kbd{C-3 C-c t}.
2877
2878@node Multiple sets in one file, Per file keywords, TODO types, TODO extensions
2879@subsection Multiple keyword sets in one file
2880@cindex todo keyword sets
2881
2882Sometimes you may want to use different sets of TODO keywords in
2883parallel. For example, you may want to have the basic
2884@code{TODO}/@code{DONE}, but also a workflow for bug fixing, and a
2885separate state indicating that an item has been canceled (so it is not
2886DONE, but also does not require action). Your setup would then look
2887like this:
2888
2889@lisp
2890(setq org-todo-keywords
2891 '((sequence "TODO" "|" "DONE")
2892 (sequence "REPORT" "BUG" "KNOWNCAUSE" "|" "FIXED")
2893 (sequence "|" "CANCELED")))
2894@end lisp
2895
2896The keywords should all be different, this helps Org-mode to keep track
2897of which subsequence should be used for a given entry. In this setup,
2898@kbd{C-c C-t} only operates within a subsequence, so it switches from
2899@code{DONE} to (nothing) to @code{TODO}, and from @code{FIXED} to
2900(nothing) to @code{REPORT}. Therefore you need a mechanism to initially
2901select the correct sequence. Besides the obvious ways like typing a
2902keyword or using completion, you may also apply the following commands:
2903
2904@table @kbd
2905@kindex C-S-@key{right}
2906@kindex C-S-@key{left}
2907@item C-S-@key{right}
2908@itemx C-S-@key{left}
2909These keys jump from one TODO subset to the next. In the above example,
2910@kbd{C-S-@key{right}} would jump from @code{TODO} or @code{DONE} to
2911@code{REPORT}, and any of the words in the second row to @code{CANCELED}.
2912@kindex S-@key{right}
2913@kindex S-@key{left}
2914@item S-@key{right}
2915@itemx S-@key{left}
2916@kbd{S-@key{<left>}} and @kbd{S-@key{<right>}} and walk through
2917@emph{all} keywords from all sets, so for example @kbd{S-@key{<right>}}
2918would switch from @code{DONE} to @code{REPORT} in the example above.
2919@end table
2920
2921@node Per file keywords, , Multiple sets in one file, TODO extensions
2922@subsection Setting up keywords for individual files
2923@cindex keyword options
2924@cindex per file keywords
2925
2926It can be very useful to use different aspects of the TODO mechanism in
2927different files. For file-local settings, you need to add special lines
2928to the file which set the keywords and interpretation for that file
2929only. For example, to set one of the two examples discussed above, you
2930need one of the following lines, starting in column zero anywhere in the
2931file:
2932
2933@example
2934#+SEQ_TODO: TODO FEEDBACK VERIFY | DONE CANCELED
2935@end example
2936or
2937@example
2938#+TYP_TODO: Fred Sara Lucy Mike | DONE
2939@end example
2940
2941A setup for using several sets in parallel would be:
2942
2943@example
2944#+SEQ_TODO: TODO | DONE
2945#+SEQ_TODO: REPORT BUG KNOWNCAUSE | FIXED
2946#+SEQ_TODO: | CANCELED
2947@end example
2948
2949@cindex completion, of option keywords
2950@kindex M-@key{TAB}
2951@noindent To make sure you are using the correct keyword, type
2952@samp{#+} into the buffer and then use @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} completion.
2953
2954@cindex DONE, final TODO keyword
2955Remember that the keywords after the vertical bar (or the last keyword
2956if no bar is there) must always mean that the item is DONE (although you
2957may use a different word). After changing one of these lines, use
2958@kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in the line to make the changes
2959known to Org-mode@footnote{Org-mode parses these lines only when
2960Org-mode is activated after visiting a file. @kbd{C-c C-c} with the
2961cursor in a line starting with @samp{#+} is simply restarting Org-mode
2962for the current buffer.}.
2963
2964@node Priorities, Breaking down tasks, TODO extensions, TODO items
2965@section Priorities
2966@cindex priorities
2967
2968If you use Org-mode extensively to organize your work, you may end up
2969with a number of TODO entries so large that you'd like to prioritize
2970them. This can be done by placing a @emph{priority cookie} into the
2971headline, like this
2972
2973@example
2974*** TODO [#A] Write letter to Sam Fortune
2975@end example
2976
2977@noindent
2978With its standard setup, Org-mode supports priorities @samp{A},
2979@samp{B}, and @samp{C}. @samp{A} is the highest priority. An entry
2980without a cookie is treated as priority @samp{B}. Priorities make a
2981difference only in the agenda (@pxref{Weekly/Daily agenda}).
2982
2983@table @kbd
2984@kindex @kbd{C-c ,}
2985@item @kbd{C-c ,}
2986Set the priority of the current headline. The command prompts for a
2987priority character @samp{A}, @samp{B} or @samp{C}. When you press
2988@key{SPC} instead, the priority cookie is removed from the headline.
2989The priorities can also be changed ``remotely'' from the timeline and
2990agenda buffer with the @kbd{,} command (@pxref{Agenda commands}).
2991@c
2992@kindex S-@key{up}
2993@kindex S-@key{down}
2994@item S-@key{up}
2995@itemx S-@key{down}
2996Increase/decrease priority of current headline. Note that these keys
2997are also used to modify time stamps (@pxref{Creating timestamps}).
2998Furthermore, these keys are also used by CUA-mode (@pxref{Conflicts}).
2999@end table
3000
3001You can change the range of allowed priorities by setting the variables
3002@code{org-highest-priority}, @code{org-lowest-priority}, and
3003@code{org-default-priority}. For an individual buffer, you may set
3004these values (highest, lowest, default) like this (please make sure that
3005the highest priority is earlier in the alphabet than the lowest
3006priority):
3007
3008@example
3009#+PRIORITIES: A C B
3010@end example
3011
3012@node Breaking down tasks, Checkboxes, Priorities, TODO items
3013@section Breaking tasks down into subtasks
3014@cindex tasks, breaking down
3015
3016It is often advisable to break down large tasks into smaller, manageable
3017subtasks. You can do this by creating an outline tree below a TODO
3018item, with detailed subtasks on the tree@footnote{To keep subtasks out
3019of the global TODO list, see the
3020@code{org-agenda-todo-list-sublevels}.}. Another possibility is the use
3021of checkboxes to identify (a hierarchy of) a large number of subtasks
3022(@pxref{Checkboxes}).
3023
3024
3025@node Checkboxes, , Breaking down tasks, TODO items
3026@section Checkboxes
3027@cindex checkboxes
3028
3029Every item in a plain list (@pxref{Plain lists}) can be made a checkbox
3030by starting it with the string @samp{[ ]}. This feature is similar to
3031TODO items (@pxref{TODO items}), but more lightweight. Checkboxes are
3032not included into the global TODO list, so they are often great to split
3033a task into a number of simple steps. Or you can use them in a shopping
3034list. To toggle a checkbox, use @kbd{C-c C-c}, or try Piotr Zielinski's
3035@file{org-mouse.el}. Here is an example of a checkbox list.
3036
3037@example
3038* TODO Organize party [3/6]
3039 - call people [1/3]
3040 - [ ] Peter
3041 - [X] Sarah
3042 - [ ] Sam
3043 - [X] order food
3044 - [ ] think about what music to play
3045 - [X] talk to the neighbors
3046@end example
3047
3048@cindex statistics, for checkboxes
3049@cindex checkbox statistics
3050The @samp{[3/6]} and @samp{[1/3]} in the first and second line are
3051cookies indicating how many checkboxes are present in this entry, and
3052how many of them have been checked off. This can give you an idea on
3053how many checkboxes remain, even without opening a folded entry. The
3054cookies can be placed into a headline or into (the first line of) a
3055plain list item. Each cookie covers all checkboxes structurally below
3056that headline/item. You have to insert the cookie yourself by typing
3057either @samp{[/]} or @samp{[%]}. In the first case you get an @samp{n
3058out of m} result, in the second case you get information about the
3059percentage of checkboxes checked (in the above example, this would be
3060@samp{[50%]} and @samp{[33%], respectively}).
3061
3062@noindent The following commands work with checkboxes:
3063
3064@table @kbd
3065@kindex C-c C-c
3066@item C-c C-c
3067Toggle checkbox at point. With prefix argument, set it to @samp{[-]},
3068which is considered to be an intermediate state.
3069@kindex C-c C-x C-b
3070@item C-c C-x C-b
3071Toggle checkbox at point.
3072@itemize @minus
3073@item
3074If there is an active region, toggle the first checkbox in the region
3075and set all remaining boxes to the same status as the first. If you
3076want to toggle all boxes in the region independently, use a prefix
3077argument.
3078@item
3079If the cursor is in a headline, toggle checkboxes in the region between
3080this headline and the next (so @emph{not} the entire subtree).
3081@item
3082If there is no active region, just toggle the checkbox at point.
3083@end itemize
3084@kindex M-S-@key{RET}
3085@item M-S-@key{RET}
3086Insert a new item with a checkbox.
3087This works only if the cursor is already in a plain list item
3088(@pxref{Plain lists}).
3089@kindex C-c #
3090@item C-c #
3091Update the checkbox statistics in the current outline entry. When
3092called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix, update the entire file. Checkbox
3093statistic cookies are updated automatically if you toggle checkboxes
3094with @kbd{C-c C-c} and make new ones with @kbd{M-S-@key{RET}}. If you
3095delete boxes or add/change them by hand, use this command to get things
3096back into synch. Or simply toggle any checkbox twice with @kbd{C-c C-c}.
3097@end table
3098
3099
3100@node Tags, Properties and columns, TODO items, Top
3101@chapter Tags
3102@cindex tags
3103@cindex headline tagging
3104@cindex matching, tags
3105@cindex sparse tree, tag based
3106
3107If you wish to implement a system of labels and contexts for
3108cross-correlating information, an excellent way is to assign @i{tags} to
3109headlines. Org-mode has extensive support for using tags.
3110
3111Every headline can contain a list of tags, at the end of the headline.
3112Tags are normal words containing letters, numbers, @samp{_}, and
3113@samp{@@}. Tags must be preceded and followed by a single colon; like
3114@samp{:WORK:}. Several tags can be specified like @samp{:WORK:URGENT:}.
3115
3116@menu
3117* Tag inheritance:: Tags use the tree structure of the outline
3118* Setting tags:: How to assign tags to a headline
3119* Tag searches:: Searching for combinations of tags
3120@end menu
3121
3122@node Tag inheritance, Setting tags, Tags, Tags
3123@section Tag inheritance
3124@cindex inheritance, of tags
3125@cindex sublevels, inclusion into tags match
3126
3127@i{Tags} make use of the hierarchical structure of outline trees. If a
3128heading has a certain tag, all subheadings will inherit the tag as
3129well. For example, in the list
3130
3131@example
3132* Meeting with the French group :WORK:
3133** Summary by Frank :BOSS:NOTES:
3134*** TODO Prepare slides for him :ACTION:
3135@end example
3136
3137@noindent
3138the final heading will have the tags @samp{:WORK:}, @samp{:BOSS:},
3139@samp{:NOTES:}, and @samp{:ACTION:}. When executing tag searches and
3140Org-mode finds that a certain headline matches the search criterion, it
3141will not check any sublevel headline, assuming that these likely also
3142match, and that the list of matches can become very long. This may
3143not be what you want, however, and you can influence inheritance and
3144searching using the variables @code{org-use-tag-inheritance} and
3145@code{org-tags-match-list-sublevels}.
3146
3147@node Setting tags, Tag searches, Tag inheritance, Tags
3148@section Setting tags
3149@cindex setting tags
3150@cindex tags, setting
3151
3152@kindex M-@key{TAB}
3153Tags can simply be typed into the buffer at the end of a headline.
3154After a colon, @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} offers completion on tags. There is
3155also a special command for inserting tags:
3156
3157@table @kbd
3158@kindex C-c C-c
3159@item C-c C-c
3160@cindex completion, of tags
3161Enter new tags for the current headline. Org-mode will either offer
3162completion or a special single-key interface for setting tags, see
3163below. After pressing @key{RET}, the tags will be inserted and aligned
3164to @code{org-tags-column}. When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix, all
3165tags in the current buffer will be aligned to that column, just to make
3166things look nice. TAGS are automatically realigned after promotion,
3167demotion, and TODO state changes (@pxref{TODO basics}).
3168@end table
3169
3170Org will support tag insertion based on a @emph{list of tags}. By
3171default this list is constructed dynamically, containing all tags
3172currently used in the buffer. You may also globally specify a hard list
3173of tags with the variable @code{org-tag-alist}. Finally you can set
3174the default tags for a given file with lines like
3175
3176@example
3177#+TAGS: @@WORK @@HOME @@TENNISCLUB
3178#+TAGS: Laptop Car PC Sailboat
3179@end example
3180
3181If you have globally defined your preferred set of tags using the
3182variable @code{org-tag-alist}, but would like to use a dynamic tag list
3183in a specific file: Just add an empty TAGS option line to that file:
3184
3185@example
3186#+TAGS:
3187@end example
3188
3189The default support method for entering tags is minibuffer completion.
3190However, Org-mode also implements a much better method: @emph{fast tag
3191selection}. This method allows to select and deselect tags with a
3192single key per tag. To function efficiently, you should assign unique
3193keys to most tags. This can be done globally with
3194
3195@lisp
3196(setq org-tag-alist '(("@@WORK" . ?w) ("@@HOME" . ?h) ("Laptop" . ?l)))
3197@end lisp
3198
3199@noindent or on a per-file basis with
3200
3201@example
3202#+TAGS: @@WORK(w) @@HOME(h) @@TENNISCLUB(t) Laptop(l) PC(p)
3203@end example
3204
3205@noindent
3206You can also group together tags that are mutually exclusive. With
3207curly braces@footnote{In @code{org-mode-alist} use
3208@code{'(:startgroup)} and @code{'(:endgroup)}, respectively. Several
3209groups are allowed.}
3210
3211@example
3212#+TAGS: @{ @@WORK(w) @@HOME(h) @@TENNISCLUB(t) @} Laptop(l) PC(p)
3213@end example
3214
3215@noindent you indicate that at most one of @samp{@@WORK}, @samp{@@HOME},
3216and @samp{@@TENNISCLUB} should be selected.
3217
3218@noindent Don't forget to press @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor in one of
3219these lines to activate any changes.
3220
3221If at least one tag has a selection key, pressing @kbd{C-c C-c} will
3222automatically present you with a special interface, listing inherited
3223tags, the tags of the current headline, and a list of all legal tags
3224with corresponding keys@footnote{Keys will automatically be assigned to
3225tags which have no configured keys.}. In this interface, you can use
3226the following keys:
3227
3228@table @kbd
3229@item a-z...
3230Pressing keys assigned to tags will add or remove them from the list of
3231tags in the current line. Selecting a tag in a group of mutually
3232exclusive tags will turn off any other tags from that group.
3233@kindex @key{TAB}
3234@item @key{TAB}
3235Enter a tag in the minibuffer, even if the tag is not in the predefined
3236list. You will be able to complete on all tags present in the buffer.
3237@kindex @key{SPC}
3238@item @key{SPC}
3239Clear all tags for this line.
3240@kindex @key{RET}
3241@item @key{RET}
3242Accept the modified set.
3243@item C-g
3244Abort without installing changes.
3245@item q
3246If @kbd{q} is not assigned to a tag, it aborts like @kbd{C-g}.
3247@item !
3248Turn off groups of mutually exclusive tags. Use this to (as an
3249exception) assign several tags from such a group.
3250@item C-c
3251Toggle auto-exit after the next change (see below).
3252If you are using expert mode, the first @kbd{C-c} will display the
3253selection window.
3254@end table
3255
3256@noindent
3257This method lets you assign tags to a headline with very few keys. With
3258the above setup, you could clear the current tags and set @samp{@@HOME},
3259@samp{Laptop} and @samp{PC} tags with just the following keys: @kbd{C-c
3260C-c @key{SPC} h l p @key{RET}}. Switching from @samp{@@HOME} to
3261@samp{@@WORK} would be done with @kbd{C-c C-c w @key{RET}} or
3262alternatively with @kbd{C-c C-c C-c w}. Adding the non-predefined tag
3263@samp{Sarah} could be done with @kbd{C-c C-c @key{TAB} S a r a h
3264@key{RET} @key{RET}}.
3265
3266If you find that most of the time, you need only a single keypress to
3267modify your list of tags, set the variable
3268@code{org-fast-tag-selection-single-key}. Then you no longer have to
3269press @key{RET} to exit fast tag selection - it will immediately exit
3270after the first change. If you then occasionally need more keys, press
3271@kbd{C-c} to turn off auto-exit for the current tag selection process
3272(in effect: start selection with @kbd{C-c C-c C-c} instead of @kbd{C-c
3273C-c}). If you set the variable to the value @code{expert}, the special
3274window is not even shown for single-key tag selection, it comes up only
3275when you press an extra @kbd{C-c}.
3276
3277@node Tag searches, , Setting tags, Tags
3278@section Tag searches
3279@cindex tag searches
3280@cindex searching for tags
3281
3282Once a tags system has been set up, it can be used to collect related
3283information into special lists.
3284
3285@table @kbd
3286@kindex C-c \
3287@item C-c \
3288Create a sparse tree with all headlines matching a tags search. With a
3289@kbd{C-u} prefix argument, ignore headlines that are not a TODO line.
3290@kindex C-c a m
3291@item C-c a m
3292Create a global list of tag matches from all agenda files.
3293@xref{Matching tags and properties}.
3294@kindex C-c a M
3295@item C-c a M
3296Create a global list of tag matches from all agenda files, but check
3297only TODO items and force checking subitems (see variable
3298@code{org-tags-match-list-sublevels}).
3299@end table
3300
3301@cindex Boolean logic, for tag searches
3302A @i{tags} search string can use Boolean operators @samp{&} for AND and
3303@samp{|} for OR. @samp{&} binds more strongly than @samp{|}.
3304Parenthesis are currently not implemented. A tag may also be preceded
3305by @samp{-}, to select against it, and @samp{+} is syntactic sugar for
3306positive selection. The AND operator @samp{&} is optional when @samp{+}
3307or @samp{-} is present. Examples:
3308
3309@table @samp
3310@item +WORK-BOSS
3311Select headlines tagged @samp{:WORK:}, but discard those also tagged
3312@samp{:BOSS:}.
3313@item WORK|LAPTOP
3314Selects lines tagged @samp{:WORK:} or @samp{:LAPTOP:}.
3315@item WORK|LAPTOP&NIGHT
3316Like before, but require the @samp{:LAPTOP:} lines to be tagged also
3317@samp{NIGHT}.
3318@end table
3319
3320@cindex TODO keyword matching, with tags search
3321If you are using multi-state TODO keywords (@pxref{TODO extensions}), it
3322can be useful to also match on the TODO keyword. This can be done by
3323adding a condition after a slash to a tags match. The syntax is similar
3324to the tag matches, but should be applied with consideration: For
3325example, a positive selection on several TODO keywords can not
3326meaningfully be combined with boolean AND. However, @emph{negative
3327selection} combined with AND can be meaningful. To make sure that only
3328lines are checked that actually have any TODO keyword, use @kbd{C-c a
3329M}, or equivalently start the todo part after the slash with @samp{!}.
3330Examples:
3331
3332@table @samp
3333@item WORK/WAITING
3334Select @samp{:WORK:}-tagged TODO lines with the specific TODO
3335keyword @samp{WAITING}.
3336@item WORK/!-WAITING-NEXT
3337Select @samp{:WORK:}-tagged TODO lines that are neither @samp{WAITING}
3338nor @samp{NEXT}
3339@item WORK/+WAITING|+NEXT
3340Select @samp{:WORK:}-tagged TODO lines that are either @samp{WAITING} or
3341@samp{NEXT}.
3342@end table
3343
3344@cindex regular expressions, with tags search
3345Any element of the tag/todo match can be a regular expression - in this
3346case it must be enclosed in curly braces. For example,
3347@samp{WORK+@{^BOSS.*@}} matches headlines that contain the tag
3348@samp{WORK} and any tag @i{starting} with @samp{BOSS}.
3349
3350@cindex level, require for tags match
3351You can also require a headline to be of a certain level, by writing
3352instead of any TAG an expression like @samp{LEVEL=3}. For example, a
3353search @samp{+LEVEL=3+BOSS/-DONE} lists all level three headlines that
3354have the tag BOSS and are @emph{not} marked with the todo keyword DONE.
3355
3356@node Properties and columns, Timestamps, Tags, Top
3357@chapter Properties and Columns
3358@cindex properties
3359
3360Properties are a set of key-value pairs associated with an entry. There
3361are two main applications for properties in Org-mode. First, properties
3362are like tags, but with a value. For example, in a file where you
3363document bugs and plan releases of a piece of software, instead of using
3364tags like @code{:release_1:}, @code{:release_2:}, it can be more
3365efficient to use a property @code{RELEASE} with a value @code{1.0} or
3366@code{2.0}. Second, you can use properties to implement (very basic)
3367database capabilities in an Org-mode buffer, for example to create a
3368list of Music CD's you own. You can edit and view properties
3369conveniently in column view (@pxref{Column view}).
3370
3371@menu
3372* Property syntax:: How properties are spelled out
3373* Special properties:: Access to other Org-mode features
3374* Property searches:: Matching property values
3375* Column view:: Tabular viewing and editing
3376* Property API:: Properties for Lisp programmers
3377@end menu
3378
3379@node Property syntax, Special properties, Properties and columns, Properties and columns
3380@section Property Syntax
3381@cindex property syntax
3382@cindex drawer, for properties
3383
3384Properties are key-value pairs. They need to be inserted into a special
3385drawer (@pxref{Drawers}) with the name @code{PROPERTIES}. Each property
3386is specified on a single line, with the key (surrounded by colons)
3387first, and the value after it. Here is an example:
3388
3389@example
3390* CD collection
3391** Classic
3392*** Goldberg Variations
3393 :PROPERTIES:
3394 :Title: Goldberg Variations
3395 :Composer: J.S. Bach
3396 :Artist: Glen Gould
3397 :Publisher: Deutsche Grammphon
3398 :NDisks: 1
3399 :END:
3400@end example
3401
3402You may define the allowed values for a particular property @samp{XYZ}
3403by setting a property @samp{XYZ_ALL}. This special property is
3404@emph{inherited}, so if you set it in a level 1 entry, it will apply to
3405the entire tree. When allowed values are defined, setting the
3406corresponding property becomes easier and is less prone to typing
3407errors. For the example with the CD collection, we can predefine
3408publishers and the number of disks in a box like this:
3409
3410@example
3411* CD collection
3412 :PROPERTIES:
3413 :NDisks_ALL: 1 2 3 4
3414 :Publisher_ALL: "Deutsche Grammophon" Phillips EMI
3415 :END:
3416@end example
3417
3418If you want to set properties that can be inherited by any entry in a
3419file, use a line like
3420
3421@example
3422#+PROPERTY: NDisks_ALL 1 2 3 4
3423@end example
3424
3425Property values set with the global variable
3426@code{org-global-properties} can be inherited by all entries in all
3427Org-mode files.
3428
3429@noindent
3430The following commands help to work with properties:
3431
3432@table @kbd
3433@kindex M-@key{TAB}
3434@item M-@key{TAB}
3435After an initial colon in a line, complete property keys. All keys used
3436in the current file will be offered as possible completions.
3437@item M-x org-insert-property-drawer
3438Insert a property drawer into the current entry. The drawer will be
3439inserted early in the entry, but after the lines with planning
3440information like deadlines.
3441@kindex C-c C-c
3442@item C-c C-c
3443With the cursor in a property drawer, this executes property commands.
3444@item C-c C-c s
3445Set a property in the current entry. Both the property and the value
3446can be inserted using completion.
3447@kindex S-@key{right}
3448@kindex S-@key{left}
3449@item S-@key{left}/@key{right}
3450Switch property at point to the next/previous allowed value.
3451@item C-c C-c d
3452Remove a property from the current entry.
3453@item C-c C-c D
3454Globally remove a property, from all entries in the current file.
3455@end table
3456
3457@node Special properties, Property searches, Property syntax, Properties and columns
3458@section Special Properties
3459@cindex properties, special
3460
3461Special properties provide alternative access method to Org-mode
3462features discussed in the previous chapters, like the TODO state or the
3463priority of an entry. This interface exists so that you can include
3464these states into columns view (@pxref{Column view}). The following
3465property names are special and should not be used as keys in the
3466properties drawer:
3467
3468@example
3469TODO @r{The TODO keyword of the entry.}
3470TAGS @r{The tags defined directly in the headline.}
3471ALLTAGS @r{All tags, including inherited ones.}
3472PRIORITY @r{The priority of the entry, a string with a single letter.}
3473DEADLINE @r{The deadline time string, without the angular brackets.}
3474SCHEDULED @r{The scheduling time stamp, without the angular brackets.}
3475@end example
3476
3477@node Property searches, Column view, Special properties, Properties and columns
3478@section Property searches
3479@cindex properties, searching
3480
3481To create sparse trees and special lists with selection based on
3482properties, the same commands are used as for tag searches (@pxref{Tag
3483searches}), and the same logic applies. For example, a search string
3484
3485@example
3486+WORK-BOSS+PRIORITY="A"+coffee="unlimited"+with=@{Sarah\|Denny@}
3487@end example
3488
3489@noindent
3490finds entries tagged @samp{:WORK:} but not @samp{:BOSS:}, which
3491also have a priority value @samp{A}, a @samp{:coffee:} property with the
3492value @samp{unlimited}, and a @samp{:with:} property that is matched by
3493the regular expression @samp{Sarah\|Denny}.
3494
3495@node Column view, Property API, Property searches, Properties and columns
3496@section Column View
3497
3498A great way to view and edit properties in an outline tree is
3499@emph{column view}. In column view, each outline item is turned into a
3500table row. Columns in this table provide access to properties of the
3501entries. Org-mode implements columns by overlaying a tabular structure
3502over the headline of each item. While the headlines have been turned
3503into a table row, you can still change the visibility of the outline
3504tree. For example, you get a compact table by switching to CONTENTS
3505view (@kbd{S-@key{TAB} S-@key{TAB}}, or simply @kbd{c} while column view
3506is active), but you can still open, read, and edit the entry below each
3507headline. Or, you can switch to column view after executing a sparse
3508tree command and in this way get a table only for the selected items.
3509Column view also works in agenda buffers (@pxref{Agenda views}) where
3510queries have collected selected items, possibly from a number of files.
3511
3512@menu
3513* Defining columns:: The COLUMNS format property
3514* Using column view:: How to create and use column view
3515@end menu
3516
3517@node Defining columns, Using column view, Column view, Column view
3518@subsection Defining Columns
3519@cindex column view, for properties
3520@cindex properties, column view
3521
3522Setting up a column view first requires defining the columns. This is
3523done by defining a column format line.
3524
3525@menu
3526* Scope of column definitions:: Where defined, where valid?
3527* Column attributes:: Appearance and content of a column
3528@end menu
3529
3530@node Scope of column definitions, Column attributes, Defining columns, Defining columns
3531@subsubsection Scope of column definitions
3532
3533To define a column format for an entire file, use a line like
3534
3535@example
3536#+COLUMNS: %25ITEM %TAGS %PRIORITY %TODO
3537@end example
3538
3539To specify a format that only applies to a specific tree, add a COLUMNS
3540property to the top node of that tree, for example
3541@example
3542** Top node for columns view
3543 :PROPERTIES:
3544 :COLUMNS: %25ITEM %TAGS %PRIORITY %TODO
3545 :END:
3546@end example
3547
3548If a @code{COLUMNS} property is present in an entry, it defines columns
3549for the entry itself, and for the entire subtree below it. Since the
3550column definition is part of the hierarchical structure of the document,
3551you can define columns on level 1 that are general enough for all
3552sublevels, and more specific columns further down, when you edit a
3553deeper part of the tree.
3554
3555@node Column attributes, , Scope of column definitions, Defining columns
3556@subsubsection Column attributes
3557A column definition sets the attributes of a column. The general
3558definition looks like this:
3559
3560@example
3561 %[width]property[(title)][@{summary-type@}]
3562@end example
3563
3564@noindent
3565Except for the percent sign and the property name, all items are
3566optional. The individual parts have the following meaning:
3567
3568@example
3569width @r{An integer specifying the width of the column in characters.}
3570 @r{If omitted, the width will be determined automatically.}
3571property @r{The property that should be edited in this column.}
3572(title) @r{The header text for the column. If omitted, the}
3573 @r{property name is used.}
3574@{summary-type@} @r{The summary type. If specified, the column values for}
3575 @r{parent nodes are computed from the children.}
3576 @r{Supported summary types are:}
3577 @{+@} @r{Sum numbers in this column.}
3578 @{:@} @r{Sum times, HH:MM:SS, plain numbers are hours.}
3579 @{X@} @r{Checkbox status, [X] if all children are [X].}
3580@end example
3581
3582@noindent
3583Here is an example for a complete columns definition, along with allowed
3584values.
3585
3586@example
3587:COLUMNS: %20ITEM %9Approved(Approved?)@{X@} %Owner %11Status %10Time_Spent@{:@}
3588:Owner_ALL: Tammy Mark Karl Lisa Don
3589:Status_ALL: "In progress" "Not started yet" "Finished" ""
3590:Approved_ALL: "[ ]" "[X]"
3591@end example
3592
3593The first column, @samp{%25ITEM}, means the first 25 characters of the
3594item itself, i.e. of the headline. You probably always should start the
3595column definition with the ITEM specifier. The other specifiers create
3596columns @samp{Owner} with a list of names as allowed values, for
3597@samp{Status} with four different possible values, and for a checkbox
3598field @samp{Approved}. When no width is given after the @samp{%}
3599character, the column will be exactly as wide as it needs to be in order
3600to fully display all values. The @samp{Approved} column does have a
3601modified title (@samp{Approved?}, with a question mark). Summaries will
3602be created for the @samp{Time_Spent} column by adding time duration
3603expressions like HH:MM, and for the @samp{Approved} column, by providing
3604an @samp{[X]} status if all children have been checked.
3605
3606@node Using column view, , Defining columns, Column view
3607@subsection Using Column View
3608
3609@table @kbd
3610@tsubheading{Turning column view on and off}
3611@kindex C-c C-x C-c
3612@item C-c C-x C-c
3613Create the column view for the local environment. This command searches
3614the hierarchy, up from point, for a @code{COLUMNS} property that defines
3615a format. When one is found, the column view table is established for
3616the entire tree, starting from the entry that contains the @code{COLUMNS}
3617property. If none is found, the format is taken from the @code{#+COLUMNS}
3618line or from the variable @code{org-columns-default-format}, and column
3619view is established for the current entry and its subtree.
3620@kindex q
3621@item q
3622Exit column view.
3623@tsubheading{Editing values}
3624@item @key{left} @key{right} @key{up} @key{down}
3625Move through the column view from field to field.
3626@kindex S-@key{left}
3627@kindex S-@key{right}
3628@item S-@key{left}/@key{right}
3629Switch to the next/previous allowed value of the field. For this, you
3630have to have specified allowed values for a property.
3631@kindex n
3632@kindex p
3633@itemx n / p
3634Same as @kbd{S-@key{left}/@key{right}}
3635@kindex e
3636@item e
3637Edit the property at point. For the special properties, this will
3638invoke the same interface that you normally use to change that
3639property. For example, when editing a TAGS property, the tag completion
3640or fast selection interface will pop up.
3641@kindex v
3642@item v
3643View the full value of this property. This is useful if the width of
3644the column is smaller than that of the value.
3645@kindex a
3646@item a
3647Edit the list of allowed values for this property. If the list is found
3648in the hierarchy, the modified values is stored there. If no list is
3649found, the new value is stored in the first entry that is part of the
3650current column view.
3651@tsubheading{Modifying the table structure}
3652@kindex <
3653@kindex >
3654@item < / >
3655Make the column narrower/wider by one character.
3656@kindex S-M-@key{right}
3657@item S-M-@key{right}
3658Insert a new column, to the right of the current column.
3659@kindex S-M-@key{left}
3660@item S-M-@key{left}
3661Delete the current column.
3662@end table
3663
3664@node Property API, , Column view, Properties and columns
3665@section The Property API
3666@cindex properties, API
3667@cindex API, for properties
3668
3669There is a full API for accessing and changing properties. This API can
3670be used by Emacs Lisp programs to work with properties and to implement
3671features based on them. For more information see @ref{Using the
3672property API}.
3673
3674@node Timestamps, Agenda views, Properties and columns, Top
3675@chapter Timestamps
3676@cindex time stamps
3677@cindex date stamps
3678
3679Items can be labeled with timestamps to make them useful for project
3680planning.
3681
3682@menu
3683* Time stamps:: Assigning a time to a tree entry
3684* Creating timestamps:: Commands which insert timestamps
3685* Deadlines and scheduling:: Planning your work
3686* Progress logging:: Documenting when what work was done.
3687@end menu
3688
3689
3690@node Time stamps, Creating timestamps, Timestamps, Timestamps
3691@section Time stamps, deadlines and scheduling
3692@cindex time stamps
3693@cindex ranges, time
3694@cindex date stamps
3695@cindex deadlines
3696@cindex scheduling
3697
3698A time stamp is a specification of a date (possibly with time or a range
3699of times) in a special format, either @samp{<2003-09-16 Tue>} or
3700@samp{<2003-09-16 Tue 09:39>} or @samp{<2003-09-16 Tue
370112:00-12:30>}@footnote{This is the standard ISO date/time format. If
3702you cannot get used to these, see @ref{Custom time format}}. A time
3703stamp can appear anywhere in the headline or body of an org-tree entry.
3704Its presence causes entries to be shown on specific dates in the agenda
3705(@pxref{Weekly/Daily agenda}). We distinguish:
3706
3707@table @var
3708@item Plain time stamp
3709@cindex timestamp
3710A simple time stamp just assigns a date/time to an item. This is just
3711like writing down an appointment in a paper agenda, or like writing down
3712an event in a diary, when you want to take note of when something
3713happened. In the timeline and agenda displays, the headline of an entry
3714associated with a plain time stamp will be shown exactly on that date.
3715
3716@example
3717* Meet Peter at the movies <2006-11-01 Wed 19:15>
3718* Discussion on climate change <2006-11-02 Thu 20:00-22:00>
3719@end example
3720
3721@item Time stamp with repeater interval
3722@cindex timestamp, with repeater interval
3723A time stamp may contain a @emph{repeater interval}, indicating that it
3724applies not only on the given date, but again and again after a certain
3725interval of N days (d), weeks (w), months(m), or years(y). The
3726following will show up in the agenda every Wednesday:
3727
3728@example
3729* Pick up Sam at school <2007-05-16 Wed 12:30 +1w>
3730@end example
3731
3732@item Diary-style sexp entries
3733For more complex date specifications, Org-mode supports using the
3734special sexp diary entries implemented in the Emacs calendar/diary
3735package. For example
3736
3737@example
3738* The nerd meeting on every 2nd Thursday of the month
3739 <%%(diary-float t 4 2)>
3740@end example
3741
3742@item Time/Date range
3743@cindex timerange
3744@cindex date range
3745Two time stamps connected by @samp{--} denote a range. The headline
3746will be shown on the first and last day of the range, and on any dates
3747that are displayed and fall in the range. Here is an example:
3748
3749@example
3750** Meeting in Amsterdam
3751 <2004-08-23 Mon>--<2004-08-26 Thu>
3752@end example
3753
3754@item Inactive time stamp
3755@cindex timestamp, inactive
3756@cindex inactive timestamp
3757Just like a plain time stamp, but with square brackets instead of
3758angular ones. These time stamps are inactive in the sense that they do
3759@emph{not} trigger an entry to show up in the agenda.
3760
3761@example
3762* Gillian comes late for the fifth time [2006-11-01 Wed]
3763@end example
3764
3765@end table
3766
3767@node Creating timestamps, Deadlines and scheduling, Time stamps, Timestamps
3768@section Creating timestamps
3769@cindex creating timestamps
3770@cindex timestamps, creating
3771
3772For Org-mode to recognize time stamps, they need to be in the specific
3773format. All commands listed below produce time stamps in the correct
3774format.
3775
3776@table @kbd
3777@kindex C-c .
3778@item C-c .
3779Prompt for a date and insert a corresponding time stamp. When the
3780cursor is at a previously used time stamp, it is updated to NOW. When
3781this command is used twice in succession, a time range is inserted.
3782@c
3783@kindex C-u C-c .
3784@item C-u C-c .
3785Like @kbd{C-c .}, but use the alternative format which contains date
3786and time. The default time can be rounded to multiples of 5 minutes,
3787see the option @code{org-time-stamp-rounding-minutes}.
3788@c
3789@kindex C-c !
3790@item C-c !
3791Like @kbd{C-c .}, but insert an inactive time stamp that will not cause
3792an agenda entry.
3793@c
3794@kindex C-c <
3795@item C-c <
3796Insert a time stamp corresponding to the cursor date in the Calendar.
3797@c
3798@kindex C-c >
3799@item C-c >
3800Access the Emacs calendar for the current date. If there is a
3801timestamp in the current line, goto the corresponding date
3802instead.
3803@c
3804@kindex C-c C-o
3805@item C-c C-o
3806Access the agenda for the date given by the time stamp or -range at
3807point (@pxref{Weekly/Daily agenda}).
3808@c
3809@kindex S-@key{left}
3810@kindex S-@key{right}
3811@item S-@key{left}
3812@itemx S-@key{right}
3813Change date at cursor by one day. These key bindings conflict with
3814CUA-mode (@pxref{Conflicts}).
3815@c
3816@kindex S-@key{up}
3817@kindex S-@key{down}
3818@item S-@key{up}
3819@itemx S-@key{down}
3820Change the item under the cursor in a timestamp. The cursor can be on a
3821year, month, day, hour or minute. Note that if the cursor is in a
3822headline and not at a time stamp, these same keys modify the priority of
3823an item. (@pxref{Priorities}). The key bindings also conflict with
3824CUA-mode (@pxref{Conflicts}).
3825@c
3826@kindex C-c C-y
3827@cindex evaluate time range
3828@item C-c C-y
3829Evaluate a time range by computing the difference between start and
3830end. With prefix arg, insert result after the time range (in a table:
3831into the following column).
3832@end table
3833
3834
3835@menu
3836* The date/time prompt:: How org-mode helps you entering date and time
3837* Custom time format:: Making dates look differently
3838@end menu
3839
3840@node The date/time prompt, Custom time format, Creating timestamps, Creating timestamps
3841@subsection The date/time prompt
3842@cindex date, reading in minibuffer
3843@cindex time, reading in minibuffer
3844
3845When Org-mode prompts for a date/time, the prompt suggests to enter an
3846ISO date. But it will in fact accept any string containing some date
3847and/or time information. You can, for example, use @kbd{C-y} to paste a
3848(possibly multi-line) string copied from an email message. Org-mode
3849will find whatever information is in there and will replace anything not
3850specified with the current date and time. For example:
3851
3852@example
3853 3-2-5 --> 2003-02-05
3854 feb 15 --> currentyear-02-15
3855 sep 12 9 --> 2009-09-12
3856 12:45 --> today 12:45
3857 22 sept 0:34 --> currentyear-09-22 0:34
3858 12 --> currentyear-currentmonth-12
3859 Fri --> nearest Friday (today or later)
3860 +4 --> 4 days from now (if +N is the only thing given)
3861@end example
3862
3863The function understands English month and weekday abbreviations. If
3864you want to use unabbreviated names and/or other languages, configure
3865the variables @code{parse-time-months} and @code{parse-time-weekdays}.
3866
3867@cindex calendar, for selecting date
3868Parallel to the minibuffer prompt, a calendar is popped up@footnote{If
3869you don't need/want the calendar, configure the variable
3870@code{org-popup-calendar-for-date-prompt}.}. When you exit the date
3871prompt, either by clicking on a date in the calendar, or by pressing
3872@key{RET}, the date selected in the calendar will be combined with the
3873information entered at the prompt. You can control the calendar fully
3874from the minibuffer:
3875
3876@table @kbd
3877@kindex <
3878@item <
3879Scroll calendar backwards by one month.
3880@kindex >
3881@item >
3882Scroll calendar forwards by one month.
3883@kindex mouse-1
3884@item mouse-1
3885Select date by clicking on it.
3886@kindex S-@key{right}
3887@item S-@key{right}
3888One day forward.
3889@kindex S-@key{left}
3890@item S-@key{left}
3891One day back.
3892@kindex S-@key{down}
3893@item S-@key{down}
3894One week forward.
3895@kindex S-@key{up}
3896@item S-@key{up}
3897One week back.
3898@kindex M-S-@key{right}
3899@item M-S-@key{right}
3900One month forward.
3901@kindex M-S-@key{left}
3902@item M-S-@key{left}
3903One month back.
3904@kindex @key{RET}
3905@item @key{RET}
3906Choose date in calendar (only if nothing was typed into minibuffer).
3907@end table
3908
3909@node Custom time format, , The date/time prompt, Creating timestamps
3910@subsection Custom time format
3911@cindex custom date/time format
3912@cindex time format, custom
3913@cindex date format, custom
3914
3915Org-mode uses the standard ISO notation for dates and times as it is
3916defined in ISO 8601. If you cannot get used to this and require another
3917representation of date and time to keep you happy, you can get it by
3918customizing the variables @code{org-display-custom-times} and
3919@code{org-time-stamp-custom-formats}.
3920
3921@table @kbd
3922@kindex C-c C-x C-t
3923@item C-c C-x C-t
3924Toggle the display of custom formats for dates and times.
3925@end table
3926
3927@noindent
3928Org-mode needs the default format for scanning, so the custom date/time
3929format does not @emph{replace} the default format - instead it is put
3930@emph{over} the default format using text properties. This has the
3931following consequences:
3932@itemize @bullet
3933@item
3934You cannot place the cursor onto a time stamp anymore, only before or
3935after.
3936@item
3937The @kbd{S-@key{up}/@key{down}} keys can no longer be used to adjust
3938each component of a time stamp. If the cursor is at the beginning of
3939the stamp, @kbd{S-@key{up}/@key{down}} will change the stamp by one day,
3940just like @kbd{S-@key{left}/@key{right}}. At the end of the stamp, the
3941time will be changed by one minute.
3942@item
3943If the time stamp contains a range of clock times or a repeater, these
3944will not be overlayed, but remain in the buffer as they were.
3945@item
3946When you delete a time stamp character-by-character, it will only
3947disappear from the buffer after @emph{all} (invisible) characters
3948belonging to the ISO timestamp have been removed.
3949@item
3950If the custom time stamp format is longer than the default and you are
3951using dates in tables, table alignment will be messed up. If the custom
3952format is shorter, things do work as expected.
3953@end itemize
3954
3955
3956@node Deadlines and scheduling, Progress logging, Creating timestamps, Timestamps
3957@section Deadlines and Scheduling
3958
3959A time stamp may be preceded by special keywords to facilitate planning
3960of work:
3961
3962@table @var
3963@item DEADLINE
3964@cindex DEADLINE keyword
3965The task (most likely a TODO item) is supposed to be finished on that
3966date, and it will be listed then. In addition, the compilation for
3967@emph{today} will carry a warning about the approaching or missed
3968deadline, starting @code{org-deadline-warning-days} before the due date,
3969and continuing until the entry is marked DONE. An example:
3970
3971@example
3972*** TODO write article about the Earth for the Guide
3973 The editor in charge is [[bbdb:Ford Prefect]]
3974 DEADLINE: <2004-02-29 Sun>
3975@end example
3976
3977You can specify a different lead time for warnings for a specific
3978deadlines using the following syntax. Here is an example with a warning
3979period of 5 days @code{DEADLINE: <2004-02-29 Sun -5d>}.
3980
3981@item SCHEDULED
3982@cindex SCHEDULED keyword
3983You are planning to start working on that task on the given date. The
3984headline will be listed under the given date@footnote{It will still be
3985listed on that date after it has been marked DONE. If you don't like
3986this, set the variable @code{org-agenda-skip-scheduled-if-done}.}. In
3987addition, a reminder that the scheduled date has passed will be present
3988in the compilation for @emph{today}, until the entry is marked DONE.
3989I.e., the task will automatically be forwarded until completed.
3990
3991@example
3992*** TODO Call Trillian for a date on New Years Eve.
3993 SCHEDULED: <2004-12-25 Sat>
3994@end example
3995@end table
3996
3997@menu
3998* Inserting deadline/schedule:: Planning items
3999* Repeated tasks:: Items that show up again and again
4000@end menu
4001
4002@node Inserting deadline/schedule, Repeated tasks, Deadlines and scheduling, Deadlines and scheduling
4003@subsection Inserting deadline/schedule
4004
4005The following commands allow to quickly insert a deadline or to schedule
4006an item:
4007
4008@table @kbd
4009@c
4010@kindex C-c C-d
4011@item C-c C-d
4012Insert @samp{DEADLINE} keyword along with a stamp. The insertion will
4013happen in the line directly following the headline.
4014@c FIXME Any CLOSED timestamp will be removed.????????
4015@c
4016@kindex C-c C-w
4017@cindex sparse tree, for deadlines
4018@item C-c C-w
4019Create a sparse tree with all deadlines that are either past-due, or
4020which will become due within @code{org-deadline-warning-days}.
4021With @kbd{C-u} prefix, show all deadlines in the file. With a numeric
4022prefix, check that many days. For example, @kbd{C-1 C-c C-w} shows
4023all deadlines due tomorrow.
4024@c
4025@kindex C-c C-s
4026@item C-c C-s
4027Insert @samp{SCHEDULED} keyword along with a stamp. The insertion will
4028happen in the line directly following the headline. Any CLOSED
4029timestamp will be removed.
4030@end table
4031
4032@node Repeated tasks, , Inserting deadline/schedule, Deadlines and scheduling
4033@subsection Repeated Tasks
4034
4035Some tasks need to be repeated again and again, and Org-mode therefore
4036allows to use a repeater in a DEADLINE or SCHEDULED time stamp, for
4037example:
4038@example
4039** TODO Pay the rent
4040 DEADLINE: <2005-10-01 Sat +1m>
4041@end example
4042
4043Deadlines and scheduled items produce entries in the agenda when they
4044are over-due, so it is important to be able to mark such an entry as
4045completed once you have done so. When you mark a DEADLINE or a SCHEDULE
4046with the todo keyword DONE, it will no longer produce entries in the
4047agenda. The problem with this is, however, that then also the
4048@emph{next} instance of the repeated entry will not be active. Org-mode
4049deals with this in the following way: When you try to mark such an entry
4050DONE (using @kbd{C-c C-t}), it will shift the base date of the repeating
4051time stamp by the repeater interval, and immediately set the entry state
4052back to TODO. In the example above, setting the state to DONE would
4053actually switch the date like this:
4054
4055@example
4056** TODO Pay the rent
4057 DEADLINE: <2005-11-01 Tue +1m>
4058@end example
4059
4060You will also be prompted for a note that will be put under the DEADLINE
4061line to keep a record that you actually acted on the previous instance
4062of this deadline.
4063
4064As a consequence of shifting the base date, this entry will no longer be
4065visible in the agenda when checking past dates, but all future instances
4066will be visible.
4067
4068You may have both scheduling and deadline information for a specific
4069task - just make sure that the repeater intervals on both are the same.
4070
4071@node Progress logging, , Deadlines and scheduling, Timestamps
4072@section Progress Logging
4073@cindex progress logging
4074@cindex logging, of progress
4075
4076Org-mode can automatically record a time stamp when you mark a TODO item
4077as DONE, or even each time when you change the state of a TODO item.
4078You can also measure precisely the time you spent on specific items in a
4079project by starting and stopping a clock when you start and stop working
4080on an aspect of a project.
4081
4082@menu
4083* Closing items:: When was this entry marked DONE?
4084* Tracking TODO state changes:: When did the status change?
4085* Clocking work time:: When exactly did you work on this item?
4086@end menu
4087
4088@node Closing items, Tracking TODO state changes, Progress logging, Progress logging
4089@subsection Closing items
4090
4091If you want to keep track of @emph{when} a certain TODO item was
4092finished, turn on logging with@footnote{The corresponding in-buffer
4093setting is: @code{#+STARTUP: logdone}}
4094
4095@lisp
4096(setq org-log-done t)
4097@end lisp
4098
4099@noindent
4100Then each time you turn a TODO entry into DONE using either @kbd{C-c
4101C-t} in the Org-mode buffer or @kbd{t} in the agenda buffer, a line
4102@samp{CLOSED: [timestamp]} will be inserted just after the headline. If
4103you turn the entry back into a TODO item through further state cycling,
4104that line will be removed again. In the timeline (@pxref{Timeline}) and
4105in the agenda (@pxref{Weekly/Daily agenda}), you can then use the
4106@kbd{l} key to display the TODO items closed on each day, giving you an
4107overview of what has been done on a day. If you want to record a note
4108along with the timestamp, use@footnote{The corresponding in-buffer
4109setting is: @code{#+STARTUP: lognotedone}}
4110
4111@lisp
4112(setq org-log-done '(done))
4113@end lisp
4114
4115@node Tracking TODO state changes, Clocking work time, Closing items, Progress logging
4116@subsection Tracking TODO state changes
4117
4118When TODO keywords are used as workflow states (@pxref{Workflow
4119states}), you might want to keep track of when a state change occurred,
4120and you may even want to attach notes to that state change. With the
4121setting
4122
4123@lisp
4124(setq org-log-done '(state))
4125@end lisp
4126
4127@noindent
4128each state change will prompt you for a note that will be attached to
4129the current headline. Very likely you do not want this verbose tracking
4130all the time, so it is probably better to configure this behavior with
4131in-buffer options. For example, if you are tracking purchases, put
4132these into a separate file that starts with:
4133
4134@example
4135#+SEQ_TODO: TODO ORDERED INVOICE PAYED RECEIVED SENT
4136#+STARTUP: lognotestate
4137@end example
4138
4139
4140@node Clocking work time, , Tracking TODO state changes, Progress logging
4141@subsection Clocking work time
4142
4143Org-mode allows you to clock the time you spent on specific tasks in a
4144project. When you start working on an item, you can start the clock.
4145When you stop working on that task, or when you mark the task done, the
4146clock is stopped and the corresponding time interval is recorded. It
4147also computes the total time spent on each subtree of a project.
4148
4149@table @kbd
4150@kindex C-c C-x C-i
4151@item C-c C-x C-i
4152Start the clock on the current item (clock-in). This inserts the CLOCK
4153keyword together with a timestamp.
4154@kindex C-c C-x C-o
4155@item C-c C-x C-o
4156Stop the clock (clock-out). The inserts another timestamp at the same
4157location where the clock was last started. It also directly computes
4158the resulting time in inserts it after the time range as @samp{=>
4159HH:MM}. See the variable @code{org-log-done} for the possibility to
4160record an additional note together with the clock-out time
4161stamp@footnote{The corresponding in-buffer setting is: @code{#+STARTUP:
4162lognoteclock-out}}.
4163@kindex C-c C-y
4164@item C-c C-y
4165Recompute the time interval after changing one of the time stamps. This
4166is only necessary if you edit the time stamps directly. If you change
4167them with @kbd{S-@key{cursor}} keys, the update is automatic.
4168@kindex C-c C-t
4169@item C-c C-t
4170Changing the TODO state of an item to DONE automatically stops the clock
4171if it is running in this same item.
4172@kindex C-c C-x C-x
4173@item C-c C-x C-x
4174Cancel the current clock. This is useful if a clock was started by
4175mistake, or if you ended up working on something else.
4176@kindex C-c C-x C-d
4177@item C-c C-x C-d
4178Display time summaries for each subtree in the current buffer. This
4179puts overlays at the end of each headline, showing the total time
4180recorded under that heading, including the time of any subheadings. You
4181can use visibility cycling to study the tree, but the overlays disappear
4182when you change the buffer (see variable
4183@code{org-remove-highlights-with-change}) or press @kbd{C-c C-c}.
4184@kindex C-c C-x C-r
4185@item C-c C-x C-r
4186Insert a dynamic block (@pxref{Dynamic blocks}) containing a clock
4187report as an org-mode table into the current file.
4188@example
4189#+BEGIN: clocktable :maxlevel 2 :emphasize nil
4190
4191#+END: clocktable
4192@end example
4193@noindent
4194If such a block already exists, its content is replaced by the new
4195table. The @samp{BEGIN} line can specify options:
4196@example
4197:maxlevels @r{Maximum level depth to which times are listed in the table.}
4198:emphasize @r{When @code{t}, emphasize level one and level two items}
4199:block @r{The time block to consider. This block is specified relative}
4200 @r{to the current time and may be any of these keywords:}
4201 @r{@code{today}, @code{yesterday}, @code{thisweek}, @code{lastweek},}
4202 @r{@code{thismonth}, @code{lastmonth}, @code{thisyear}, or @code{lastyear}}.
4203:tstart @r{A time string specifying when to start considering times}
4204:tend @r{A time string specifying when to stop considering times}
4205@end example
4206So to get a clock summary for the current day, you could write
4207@example
4208#+BEGIN: clocktable :maxlevel 2 :block today
4209
4210#+END: clocktable
4211@end example
4212and to use a specific time range you could write@footnote{Note that all
4213parameters must be specified in a single line - the line is broken here
4214only to fit it onto the manual.}
4215@example
4216#+BEGIN: clocktable :tstart "<2006-08-10 Thu 10:00>"
4217 :tend "<2006-08-10 Thu 12:00>"
4218
4219#+END: clocktable
4220@end example
4221@kindex C-u C-c C-x C-u
4222@item C-u C-c C-x C-u
4223Update all dynamic blocks (@pxref{Dynamic blocks}). This is useful if
4224you have several clocktable blocks in a buffer.
4225@end table
4226
4227The @kbd{l} key may be used in the timeline (@pxref{Timeline}) and in
4228the agenda (@pxref{Weekly/Daily agenda}) to show which tasks have been
4229worked on or closed during a day.
4230
4231@node Agenda views, Embedded LaTeX, Timestamps, Top
4232@chapter Agenda Views
4233@cindex agenda views
4234
4235Due to the way Org-mode works, TODO items, time-stamped items, and
4236tagged headlines can be scattered throughout a file or even a number of
4237files. To get an overview over open action items, or over events that
4238are important for a particular date, this information must be collected,
4239sorted and displayed in an organized way.
4240
4241Org-mode can select items based on various criteria, and display them
4242in a separate buffer. Six different view types are provided:
4243
4244@itemize @bullet
4245@item
4246an @emph{agenda} that is like a calendar and shows information
4247for specific dates,
4248@item
4249a @emph{TODO list} that covers all unfinished
4250action items,
4251@item
4252a @emph{tags view}, showings headlines based on
4253the tags associated with them,
4254@item
4255a @emph{timeline view} that shows all events in a single Org-mode file,
4256in time-sorted view,
4257@item
4258a @emph{stuck projects view} showing projects that currently don't move
4259along, and
4260@item
4261@emph{custom views} that are special tag/keyword searches and
4262combinations of different views.
4263@end itemize
4264
4265@noindent
4266The extracted information is displayed in a special @emph{agenda
4267buffer}. This buffer is read-only, but provides commands to visit the
4268corresponding locations in the original Org-mode files, and even to
4269edit these files remotely.
4270
4271Two variables control how the agenda buffer is displayed and whether the
4272window configuration is restored when the agenda exits:
4273@code{org-agenda-window-setup} and
4274@code{org-agenda-restore-windows-after-quit}.
4275
4276@menu
4277* Agenda files:: Files being searched for agenda information
4278* Agenda dispatcher:: Keyboard access to agenda views
4279* Built-in agenda views:: What is available out of the box?
4280* Presentation and sorting:: How agenda items are prepared for display
4281* Agenda commands:: Remote editing of org trees
4282* Custom agenda views:: Defining special searches and views
4283@end menu
4284
4285@node Agenda files, Agenda dispatcher, Agenda views, Agenda views
4286@section Agenda files
4287@cindex agenda files
4288@cindex files for agenda
4289
4290The information to be shown is collected from all @emph{agenda files},
4291the files listed in the variable @code{org-agenda-files}@footnote{If the
4292value of that variable is not a list, but a single file name, then the
4293list of agenda files will be maintained in that external file.}. Thus even
4294if you only work with a single Org-mode file, this file should be put
4295into that list@footnote{When using the dispatcher, pressing @kbd{1}
4296before selecting a command will actually limit the command to the
4297current file, and ignore @code{org-agenda-files} until the next
4298dispatcher command.}. You can customize @code{org-agenda-files}, but
4299the easiest way to maintain it is through the following commands
4300
4301@cindex files, adding to agenda list
4302@table @kbd
4303@kindex C-c [
4304@item C-c [
4305Add current file to the list of agenda files. The file is added to
4306the front of the list. If it was already in the list, it is moved to
4307the front. With prefix arg, file is added/moved to the end.
4308@kindex C-c ]
4309@item C-c ]
4310Remove current file from the list of agenda files.
4311@kindex C-,
4312@kindex C-'
4313@item C-,
4314@itemx C-'
4315Cycle through agenda file list, visiting one file after the other.
4316@end table
4317
4318@noindent
4319The Org menu contains the current list of files and can be used
4320to visit any of them.
4321
4322@node Agenda dispatcher, Built-in agenda views, Agenda files, Agenda views
4323@section The agenda dispatcher
4324@cindex agenda dispatcher
4325@cindex dispatching agenda commands
4326The views are created through a dispatcher that should be bound to a
4327global key, for example @kbd{C-c a} (@pxref{Installation}). In the
4328following we will assume that @kbd{C-c a} is indeed how the dispatcher
4329is accessed and list keyboard access to commands accordingly. After
4330pressing @kbd{C-c a}, an additional letter is required to execute a
4331command. The dispatcher offers the following default commands:
4332@table @kbd
4333@item a
4334Create the calendar-like agenda (@pxref{Weekly/Daily agenda}).
4335@item t @r{/} T
4336Create a list of all TODO items (@pxref{Global TODO list}).
4337@item m @r{/} M
4338Create a list of headlines matching a TAGS expression (@pxref{Matching
4339tags and properties}).
4340@item L
4341Create the timeline view for the current buffer (@pxref{Timeline}).
4342@item # @r{/} !
4343Create a list of stuck projects (@pxref{Stuck projects}).
4344@item 1
4345Restrict an agenda command to the current buffer. After pressing
4346@kbd{1}, you still need to press the character selecting the command.
4347@item 0
4348If there is an active region, restrict the following agenda command to
4349the region. Otherwise, restrict it to the current subtree. After
4350pressing @kbd{0}, you still need to press the character selecting the
4351command.
4352@end table
4353
4354You can also define custom commands that will be accessible through the
4355dispatcher, just like the default commands. This includes the
4356possibility to create extended agenda buffers that contain several
4357blocks together, for example the weekly agenda, the global TODO list and
4358a number of special tags matches. @xref{Custom agenda views}.
4359
4360@node Built-in agenda views, Presentation and sorting, Agenda dispatcher, Agenda views
4361@section The built-in agenda views
4362
4363In this section we describe the built-in views.
4364
4365@menu
4366* Weekly/Daily agenda:: The calendar page with current tasks
4367* Global TODO list:: All unfinished action items
4368* Matching tags and properties:: Structured information with fine-tuned search
4369* Timeline:: Time-sorted view for single file
4370* Stuck projects:: Find projects you need to review
4371@end menu
4372
4373@node Weekly/Daily agenda, Global TODO list, Built-in agenda views, Built-in agenda views
4374@subsection The weekly/daily agenda
4375@cindex agenda
4376@cindex weekly agenda
4377@cindex daily agenda
4378
4379The purpose of the weekly/daily @emph{agenda} is to act like a page of a
4380paper agenda, showing all the tasks for the current week or day.
4381
4382@table @kbd
4383@cindex org-agenda, command
4384@kindex C-c a a
4385@item C-c a a
4386Compile an agenda for the current week from a list of org files. The
4387agenda shows the entries for each day. With a @kbd{C-u} prefix (or
4388when the variable @code{org-agenda-include-all-todo} is @code{t}), all
4389unfinished TODO items (including those without a date) are also listed at
4390the beginning of the buffer, before the first date.@*
4391@end table
4392
4393Remote editing from the agenda buffer means, for example, that you can
4394change the dates of deadlines and appointments from the agenda buffer.
4395The commands available in the Agenda buffer are listed in @ref{Agenda
4396commands}.
4397
4398@subsubheading Calendar/Diary integration
4399@cindex calendar integration
4400@cindex diary integration
4401
4402Emacs contains the calendar and diary by Edward M. Reingold. The
4403calendar displays a three-month calendar with holidays from different
4404countries and cultures. The diary allows you to keep track of
4405anniversaries, lunar phases, sunrise/set, recurrent appointments
4406(weekly, monthly) and more. In this way, it is quite complementary to
4407Org-mode. It can be very useful to combine output from Org-mode with
4408the diary.
4409
4410In order to include entries from the Emacs diary into Org-mode's
4411agenda, you only need to customize the variable
4412
4413@lisp
4414(setq org-agenda-include-diary t)
4415@end lisp
4416
4417@noindent After that, everything will happen automatically. All diary
4418entries including holidays, anniversaries etc will be included in the
4419agenda buffer created by Org-mode. @key{SPC}, @key{TAB}, and
4420@key{RET} can be used from the agenda buffer to jump to the diary
4421file in order to edit existing diary entries. The @kbd{i} command to
4422insert new entries for the current date works in the agenda buffer, as
4423well as the commands @kbd{S}, @kbd{M}, and @kbd{C} to display
4424Sunrise/Sunset times, show lunar phases and to convert to other
4425calendars, respectively. @kbd{c} can be used to switch back and forth
4426between calendar and agenda.
4427
4428If you are using the diary only for sexp entries and holidays, it is
4429faster to not use the above setting, but instead to copy or even move
4430the entries into an Org-mode file. Org-mode evaluates diary-style sexp
4431entries, and does it faster because there is no overhead for first
4432creating the diary display. Note that the sexp entries must start at
4433the left margin, no white space is allowed before them. For example,
4434the following segment of an Org-mode file will be processed and entries
4435will be made in the agenda:
4436
4437@example
4438* Birthdays and similar stuff
4439#+CATEGORY: Holiday
4440%%(org-calendar-holiday) ; special function for holiday names
4441#+CATEGORY: Ann
4442%%(diary-anniversary 14 5 1956) Arthur Dent is %d years old
4443%%(diary-anniversary 2 10 1869) Mahatma Gandhi would be %d years old
4444@end example
4445
4446@node Global TODO list, Matching tags and properties, Weekly/Daily agenda, Built-in agenda views
4447@subsection The global TODO list
4448@cindex global TODO list
4449@cindex TODO list, global
4450
4451The global TODO list contains all unfinished TODO items, formatted and
4452collected into a single place.
4453
4454@table @kbd
4455@kindex C-c a t
4456@item C-c a t
4457Show the global TODO list. This collects the TODO items from all
4458agenda files (@pxref{Agenda views}) into a single buffer. The buffer is in
4459@code{agenda-mode}, so there are commands to examine and manipulate
4460the TODO entries directly from that buffer (@pxref{Agenda commands}).
4461@kindex C-c a T
4462@item C-c a T
4463@cindex TODO keyword matching
4464Like the above, but allows selection of a specific TODO keyword. You
4465can also do this by specifying a prefix argument to @kbd{C-c a t}. With
4466a @kbd{C-u} prefix you are prompted for a keyword, and you may also
4467specify several keywords by separating them with @samp{|} as boolean OR
4468operator. With a numeric prefix, the Nth keyword in
4469@code{org-todo-keywords} is selected.
4470@kindex r
4471The @kbd{r} key in the agenda buffer regenerates it, and you can give
4472a prefix argument to this command to change the selected TODO keyword,
4473for example @kbd{3 r}. If you often need a search for a specific
4474keyword, define a custom command for it (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}).@*
4475Matching specific TODO keywords can also be done as part of a tags
4476search (@pxref{Tag searches}).
4477@end table
4478
4479Remote editing of TODO items means that you can change the state of a
4480TODO entry with a single key press. The commands available in the
4481TODO list are described in @ref{Agenda commands}.
4482
4483@cindex sublevels, inclusion into todo list
4484Normally the global todo list simply shows all headlines with TODO
4485keywords. This list can become very long. There are two ways to keep
4486it more compact:
4487@itemize @minus
4488@item
4489Some people view a TODO item that has been @emph{scheduled} for
4490execution (@pxref{Time stamps}) as no longer @emph{open}. Configure the
4491variable @code{org-agenda-todo-ignore-scheduled} to exclude scheduled
4492items from the global TODO list.
4493@item
4494TODO items may have sublevels to break up the task into subtasks. In
4495such cases it may be enough to list only the highest level TODO headline
4496and omit the sublevels from the global list. Configure the variable
4497@code{org-agenda-todo-list-sublevels} to get this behavior.
4498@end itemize
4499
4500@node Matching tags and properties, Timeline, Global TODO list, Built-in agenda views
4501@subsection Matching Tags and Properties
4502@cindex matching, of tags
4503@cindex matching, of properties
4504@cindex tags view
4505
4506If headlines in the agenda files are marked with @emph{tags}
4507(@pxref{Tags}), you can select headlines based on the tags that apply
4508to them and collect them into an agenda buffer.
4509
4510@table @kbd
4511@kindex C-c a m
4512@item C-c a m
4513Produce a list of all headlines that match a given set of tags. The
4514command prompts for a selection criterion, which is a boolean logic
4515expression with tags, like @samp{+WORK+URGENT-WITHBOSS} or
4516@samp{WORK|HOME} (@pxref{Tags}). If you often need a specific search,
4517define a custom command for it (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}).
4518@kindex C-c a M
4519@item C-c a M
4520Like @kbd{C-c a m}, but only select headlines that are also TODO items
4521and force checking subitems (see variable
4522@code{org-tags-match-list-sublevels}). Matching specific todo keywords
4523together with a tags match is also possible, see @ref{Tag searches}.
4524@end table
4525
4526The commands available in the tags list are described in @ref{Agenda
4527commands}.
4528
4529@node Timeline, Stuck projects, Matching tags and properties, Built-in agenda views
4530@subsection Timeline for a single file
4531@cindex timeline, single file
4532@cindex time-sorted view
4533
4534The timeline summarizes all time-stamped items from a single Org-mode
4535file in a @emph{time-sorted view}. The main purpose of this command is
4536to give an overview over events in a project.
4537
4538@table @kbd
4539@kindex C-c a L
4540@item C-c a L
4541Show a time-sorted view of the org file, with all time-stamped items.
4542When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix, all unfinished TODO entries
4543(scheduled or not) are also listed under the current date.
4544@end table
4545
4546@noindent
4547The commands available in the timeline buffer are listed in
4548@ref{Agenda commands}.
4549
4550
4551@node Stuck projects, , Timeline, Built-in agenda views
4552@subsection Stuck projects
4553
4554If you are following a system like David Allen's GTD to organize your
4555work, one of the ``duties'' you have is a regular review to make sure
4556that all projects move along. A @emph{stuck} project is a project that
4557has no defined next actions, so it will never show up in the TODO lists
4558Org-mode produces. During the review, you need to identify such
4559projects and define next actions for them.
4560
4561@table @kbd
4562@kindex C-c a #
4563@item C-c a #
4564List projects that are stuck.
4565@kindex C-c a !
4566@item C-c a !
4567Customize the variable @code{org-stuck-projects} to define what a stuck
4568project is and how to find it.
4569@end table
4570
4571You almost certainly will have to configure this view before it will
4572work for you. The built-in default assumes that all your projects are
4573level-2 headlines, and that a project is not stuck if it has at least
4574one entry marked with a todo keyword TODO or NEXT or NEXTACTION.
4575
4576Lets assume that you, in your own way of using Org-mode, identify
4577projects with a tag PROJECT, and that you use a todo keyword MAYBE to
4578indicate a project that should not be considered yet. Lets further
4579assume that the todo keyword DONE marks finished projects, and that NEXT
4580and TODO indicate next actions. The tag @@SHOP indicates shopping and
4581is a next action even without the NEXT tag. Finally, if the project
4582contains the special word IGNORE anywhere, it should not be listed
4583either. In this case you would start by identifying eligible projects
4584with a tags/todo match @samp{+PROJECT/-MAYBE-DONE}, and then check for
4585TODO, NEXT, @@SHOP, and IGNORE in the subtree to identify projects that
4586are not stuck. The correct customization for this is
4587
4588@lisp
4589(setq org-stuck-projects
4590 '("+PROJECT/-MAYBE-DONE" ("NEXT" "TODO") ("@@SHOP")
4591 "\\<IGNORE\\>"))
4592@end lisp
4593
4594
4595@node Presentation and sorting, Agenda commands, Built-in agenda views, Agenda views
4596@section Presentation and sorting
4597@cindex presentation, of agenda items
4598
4599Before displaying items in an agenda view, Org-mode visually prepares
4600the items and sorts them. Each item occupies a single line. The line
4601starts with a @emph{prefix} that contains the @emph{category}
4602(@pxref{Categories}) of the item and other important information. You can
4603customize the prefix using the option @code{org-agenda-prefix-format}.
4604The prefix is followed by a cleaned-up version of the outline headline
4605associated with the item.
4606
4607@menu
4608* Categories:: Not all tasks are equal
4609* Time-of-day specifications:: How the agenda knows the time
4610* Sorting of agenda items:: The order of things
4611@end menu
4612
4613@node Categories, Time-of-day specifications, Presentation and sorting, Presentation and sorting
4614@subsection Categories
4615
4616@cindex category
4617The category is a broad label assigned to each agenda item. By default,
4618the category is simply derived from the file name, but you can also
4619specify it with a special line in the buffer, like this:
4620
4621@example
4622#+CATEGORY: Thesis
4623@end example
4624
4625If there are several such lines in a file, each specifies the category
4626for the text below it (but the first category also applies to any text
4627before the first CATEGORY line). The display in the agenda buffer looks
4628best if the category is not longer than 10 characters.
4629
4630@node Time-of-day specifications, Sorting of agenda items, Categories, Presentation and sorting
4631@subsection Time-of-Day Specifications
4632@cindex time-of-day specification
4633
4634Org-mode checks each agenda item for a time-of-day specification. The
4635time can be part of the time stamp that triggered inclusion into the
4636agenda, for example as in @w{@samp{<2005-05-10 Tue 19:00>}}. Time
4637ranges can be specified with two time stamps, like
4638@c
4639@w{@samp{<2005-05-10 Tue 20:30>--<2005-05-10 Tue 22:15>}}.
4640
4641In the headline of the entry itself, a time(range) may also appear as
4642plain text (like @samp{12:45} or a @samp{8:30-1pm}. If the agenda
4643integrates the Emacs diary (@pxref{Weekly/Daily agenda}), time
4644specifications in diary entries are recognized as well.
4645
4646For agenda display, Org-mode extracts the time and displays it in a
4647standard 24 hour format as part of the prefix. The example times in
4648the previous paragraphs would end up in the agenda like this:
4649
4650@example
4651 8:30-13:00 Arthur Dent lies in front of the bulldozer
4652 12:45...... Ford Prefect arrives and takes Arthur to the pub
4653 19:00...... The Vogon reads his poem
4654 20:30-22:15 Marwin escorts the Hitchhikers to the bridge
4655@end example
4656
4657@cindex time grid
4658If the agenda is in single-day mode, or for the display of today, the
4659timed entries are embedded in a time grid, like
4660
4661@example
4662 8:00...... ------------------
4663 8:30-13:00 Arthur Dent lies in front of the bulldozer
4664 10:00...... ------------------
4665 12:00...... ------------------
4666 12:45...... Ford Prefect arrives and takes Arthur to the pub
4667 14:00...... ------------------
4668 16:00...... ------------------
4669 18:00...... ------------------
4670 19:00...... The Vogon reads his poem
4671 20:00...... ------------------
4672 20:30-22:15 Marwin escorts the Hitchhikers to the bridge
4673@end example
4674
4675The time grid can be turned on and off with the variable
4676@code{org-agenda-use-time-grid}, and can be configured with
4677@code{org-agenda-time-grid}.
4678
4679@node Sorting of agenda items, , Time-of-day specifications, Presentation and sorting
4680@subsection Sorting of agenda items
4681@cindex sorting, of agenda items
4682@cindex priorities, of agenda items
4683Before being inserted into a view, the items are sorted. How this is
4684done depends on the type of view.
4685@itemize @bullet
4686@item
4687For the daily/weekly agenda, the items for each day are sorted. The
4688default order is to first collect all items containing an explicit
4689time-of-day specification. These entries will be shown at the beginning
4690of the list, as a @emph{schedule} for the day. After that, items remain
4691grouped in categories, in the sequence given by @code{org-agenda-files}.
4692Within each category, items are sorted by priority (@pxref{Priorities}),
4693which is composed of the base priority (2000 for priority @samp{A}, 1000
4694for @samp{B}, and 0 for @samp{C}), plus additional increments for
4695overdue scheduled or deadline items.
4696@item
4697For the TODO list, items remain in the order of categories, but within
4698each category, sorting takes place according to priority
4699(@pxref{Priorities}).
4700@item
4701For tags matches, items are not sorted at all, but just appear in the
4702sequence in which they are found in the agenda files.
4703@end itemize
4704
4705Sorting can be customized using the variable
4706@code{org-agenda-sorting-strategy}.
4707
4708
4709@node Agenda commands, Custom agenda views, Presentation and sorting, Agenda views
4710@section Commands in the agenda buffer
4711@cindex commands, in agenda buffer
4712
4713Entries in the agenda buffer are linked back to the org file or diary
4714file where they originate. You are not allowed to edit the agenda
4715buffer itself, but commands are provided to show and jump to the
4716original entry location, and to edit the org-files ``remotely'' from
4717the agenda buffer. In this way, all information is stored only once,
4718removing the risk that your agenda and note files may diverge.
4719
4720Some commands can be executed with mouse clicks on agenda lines. For
4721the other commands, the cursor needs to be in the desired line.
4722
4723@table @kbd
4724@tsubheading{Motion}
4725@cindex motion commands in agenda
4726@kindex n
4727@item n
4728Next line (same as @key{up}).
4729@kindex p
4730@item p
4731Previous line (same as @key{down}).
4732@tsubheading{View/GoTo org file}
4733@kindex mouse-3
4734@kindex @key{SPC}
4735@item mouse-3
4736@itemx @key{SPC}
4737Display the original location of the item in another window.
4738@c
4739@kindex L
4740@item L
4741Display original location and recenter that window.
4742@c
4743@kindex mouse-2
4744@kindex mouse-1
4745@kindex @key{TAB}
4746@item mouse-2
4747@itemx mouse-1
4748@itemx @key{TAB}
4749Go to the original location of the item in another window. Under Emacs
475022, @kbd{mouse-1} will also works for this.
4751@c
4752@kindex @key{RET}
4753@itemx @key{RET}
4754Go to the original location of the item and delete other windows.
4755@c
4756@kindex f
4757@item f
4758Toggle Follow mode. In Follow mode, as you move the cursor through
4759the agenda buffer, the other window always shows the corresponding
4760location in the org file. The initial setting for this mode in new
4761agenda buffers can be set with the variable
4762@code{org-agenda-start-with-follow-mode}.
4763@c
4764@kindex b
4765@item b
4766Display the entire subtree of the current item in an indirect buffer.
4767With numerical prefix ARG, go up to this level and then take that tree.
4768If ARG is negative, go up that many levels. With @kbd{C-u} prefix, do
4769not remove the previously used indirect buffer.
4770@c
4771@kindex l
4772@item l
4773Toggle Logbook mode. In Logbook mode, entries that where marked DONE while
4774logging was on (variable @code{org-log-done}) are shown in the agenda,
4775as are entries that have been clocked on that day.
4776
4777@tsubheading{Change display}
4778@cindex display changing, in agenda
4779@kindex o
4780@item o
4781Delete other windows.
4782@c
4783@kindex d
4784@kindex w
4785@kindex m
4786@kindex y
4787@item d w m y
4788Switch to day/week/month/year view. When switching to day or week view,
4789this setting becomes the default for subseqent agenda commands. Since
4790month and year views are slow to create, the do not become the default.
4791@c
4792@kindex D
4793@item D
4794Toggle the inclusion of diary entries. See @ref{Weekly/Daily agenda}.
4795@c
4796@kindex g
4797@item g
4798Toggle the time grid on and off. See also the variables
4799@code{org-agenda-use-time-grid} and @code{org-agenda-time-grid}.
4800@c
4801@kindex r
4802@item r
4803Recreate the agenda buffer, for example to reflect the changes
4804after modification of the time stamps of items with S-@key{left} and
4805S-@key{right}. When the buffer is the global todo list, a prefix
4806argument is interpreted to create a selective list for a specific TODO
4807keyword.
4808@c
4809@kindex s
4810@item s
4811Save all Org-mode buffers in the current Emacs session.
4812@c
4813@kindex @key{right}
4814@item @key{right}
4815Display the following @code{org-agenda-ndays} days. For example, if
4816the display covers a week, switch to the following week. With prefix
4817arg, go forward that many times @code{org-agenda-ndays} days.
4818@c
4819@kindex @key{left}
4820@item @key{left}
4821Display the previous dates.
4822@c
4823@kindex .
4824@item .
4825Goto today.
4826
4827@tsubheading{Remote editing}
4828@cindex remote editing, from agenda
4829
4830@item 0-9
4831Digit argument.
4832@c
4833@cindex undoing remote-editing events
4834@cindex remote editing, undo
4835@kindex C-_
4836@item C-_
4837Undo a change due to a remote editing command. The change is undone
4838both in the agenda buffer and in the remote buffer.
4839@c
4840@kindex t
4841@item t
4842Change the TODO state of the item, both in the agenda and in the
4843original org file.
4844@c
4845@kindex C-k
4846@item C-k
4847Delete the current agenda item along with the entire subtree belonging
4848to it in the original Org-mode file. If the text to be deleted remotely
4849is longer than one line, the kill needs to be confirmed by the user. See
4850variable @code{org-agenda-confirm-kill}.
4851@c
4852@kindex $
4853@item $
4854Archive the subtree corresponding to the current headline.
4855@c
4856@kindex T
4857@item T
4858Show all tags associated with the current item. Because of
4859inheritance, this may be more than the tags listed in the line itself.
4860@c
4861@kindex :
4862@item :
4863Set tags for the current headline.
4864@c
4865@kindex a
4866@item a
4867Toggle the ARCHIVE tag for the current headline.
4868@c
4869@kindex ,
4870@item ,
4871Set the priority for the current item. Org-mode prompts for the
4872priority character. If you reply with @key{SPC}, the priority cookie
4873is removed from the entry.
4874@c
4875@kindex P
4876@item P
4877Display weighted priority of current item.
4878@c
4879@kindex +
4880@kindex S-@key{up}
4881@item +
4882@itemx S-@key{up}
4883Increase the priority of the current item. The priority is changed in
4884the original buffer, but the agenda is not resorted. Use the @kbd{r}
4885key for this.
4886@c
4887@kindex -
4888@kindex S-@key{down}
4889@item -
4890@itemx S-@key{down}
4891Decrease the priority of the current item.
4892@c
4893@kindex C-c C-s
4894@item C-c C-s
4895Schedule this item
4896@c
4897@kindex C-c C-d
4898@item C-c C-d
4899Set a deadline for this item.
4900@c
4901@kindex S-@key{right}
4902@item S-@key{right}
4903Change the time stamp associated with the current line by one day into
4904the future. With prefix argument, change it by that many days. For
4905example, @kbd{3 6 5 S-@key{right}} will change it by a year. The
4906stamp is changed in the original org file, but the change is not
4907directly reflected in the agenda buffer. Use the
4908@kbd{r} key to update the buffer.
4909@c
4910@kindex S-@key{left}
4911@item S-@key{left}
4912Change the time stamp associated with the current line by one day
4913into the past.
4914@c
4915@kindex >
4916@item >
4917Change the time stamp associated with the current line to today.
4918The key @kbd{>} has been chosen, because it is the same as @kbd{S-.}
4919on my keyboard.
4920@c
4921@kindex I
4922@item I
4923Start the clock on the current item. If a clock is running already, it
4924is stopped first.
4925@c
4926@kindex O
4927@item O
4928Stop the previously started clock.
4929@c
4930@kindex X
4931@item X
4932Cancel the currently running clock.
4933
4934@tsubheading{Calendar commands}
4935@cindex calendar commands, from agenda
4936@kindex c
4937@item c
4938Open the Emacs calendar and move to the date at the agenda cursor.
4939@c
4940@item c
4941When in the calendar, compute and show the Org-mode agenda for the
4942date at the cursor.
4943@c
4944@cindex diary entries, creating from agenda
4945@kindex i
4946@item i
4947Insert a new entry into the diary. Prompts for the type of entry
4948(day, weekly, monthly, yearly, anniversary, cyclic) and creates a new
4949entry in the diary, just as @kbd{i d} etc. would do in the calendar.
4950The date is taken from the cursor position.
4951@c
4952@kindex M
4953@item M
4954Show the phases of the moon for the three months around current date.
4955@c
4956@kindex S
4957@item S
4958Show sunrise and sunset times. The geographical location must be set
4959with calendar variables, see documentation of the Emacs calendar.
4960@c
4961@kindex C
4962@item C
4963Convert the date at cursor into many other cultural and historic
4964calendars.
4965@c
4966@kindex H
4967@item H
4968Show holidays for three month around the cursor date.
4969@c
4970@c FIXME: This should be a different key.
4971@kindex C-c C-x C-c
4972@item C-c C-x C-c
4973Export a single iCalendar file containing entries from all agenda files.
4974
4975@tsubheading{Exporting to a file}
4976@kindex C-x C-w
4977@item C-x C-w
4978@cindex exporting agenda views
4979@cindex agenda views, exporting
4980Write the agenda view to a file. Depending on the extension of the
4981selected file name, the view will be exported as HTML (extension
4982@file{.html} or @file{.htm}), Postscript (extension @file{.ps}), or
4983plain text (any other extension). Use the variable
4984@code{org-agenda-exporter-settings} to set options for @file{ps-print}
4985and for @file{htmlize} to be used during export.
4986
4987@tsubheading{Quit and Exit}
4988@kindex q
4989@item q
4990Quit agenda, remove the agenda buffer.
4991@c
4992@kindex x
4993@cindex agenda files, removing buffers
4994@item x
4995Exit agenda, remove the agenda buffer and all buffers loaded by Emacs
4996for the compilation of the agenda. Buffers created by the user to
4997visit org files will not be removed.
4998@end table
4999
5000
5001@node Custom agenda views, , Agenda commands, Agenda views
5002@section Custom agenda views
5003@cindex custom agenda views
5004@cindex agenda views, custom
5005
5006Custom agenda commands serve two purposes: to store and quickly access
5007frequently used TODO and tags searches, and to create special composite
5008agenda buffers. Custom agenda commands will be accessible through the
5009dispatcher (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}), just like the default commands.
5010
5011@menu
5012* Storing searches:: Type once, use often
5013* Block agenda:: All the stuff you need in a single buffer
5014* Setting Options:: Changing the rules
5015* Exporting Agenda Views:: Writing agendas to files.
5016* Extracting Agenda Information for other programs::
5017@end menu
5018
5019@node Storing searches, Block agenda, Custom agenda views, Custom agenda views
5020@subsection Storing searches
5021
5022The first application of custom searches is the definition of keyboard
5023shortcuts for frequently used searches, either creating an agenda
5024buffer, or a sparse tree (the latter covering of course only the current
5025buffer).
5026@kindex C-c a C
5027Custom commands are configured in the variable
5028@code{org-agenda-custom-commands}. You can customize this variable, for
5029example by pressing @kbd{C-c a C}. You can also directly set it with
5030Emacs Lisp in @file{.emacs}. The following example contains all valid
5031search types:
5032
5033@lisp
5034@group
5035(setq org-agenda-custom-commands
5036 '(("w" todo "WAITING")
5037 ("W" todo-tree "WAITING")
5038 ("u" tags "+BOSS-URGENT")
5039 ("v" tags-todo "+BOSS-URGENT")
5040 ("U" tags-tree "+BOSS-URGENT")
5041 ("f" occur-tree "\\<FIXME\\>")))
5042@end group
5043@end lisp
5044
5045@noindent
5046The initial single-character string in each entry defines the character
5047you have to press after the dispatcher command @kbd{C-c a} in order to
5048access the command. The second parameter is the search type, followed
5049by the string or regular expression to be used for the matching. The
5050example above will therefore define:
5051
5052@table @kbd
5053@item C-c a w
5054as a global search for TODO entries with @samp{WAITING} as the TODO
5055keyword
5056@item C-c a W
5057as the same search, but only in the current buffer and displaying the
5058results as a sparse tree
5059@item C-c a u
5060as a global tags search for headlines marked @samp{:BOSS:} but not
5061@samp{:URGENT:}
5062@item C-c a v
5063as the same search as @kbd{C-c a u}, but limiting the search to
5064headlines that are also TODO items
5065@item C-c a U
5066as the same search as @kbd{C-c a u}, but only in the current buffer and
5067displaying the result as a sparse tree
5068@item C-c a f
5069to create a sparse tree (again: current buffer only) with all entries
5070containing the word @samp{FIXME}.
5071@end table
5072
5073@node Block agenda, Setting Options, Storing searches, Custom agenda views
5074@subsection Block agenda
5075@cindex block agenda
5076@cindex agenda, with block views
5077
5078Another possibility is the construction of agenda views that comprise
5079the results of @emph{several} commands, each of which creates a block in
5080the agenda buffer. The available commands include @code{agenda} for the
5081daily or weekly agenda (as created with @kbd{C-c a a}), @code{alltodo}
5082for the global todo list (as constructed with @kbd{C-c a t}), and the
5083matching commands discussed above: @code{todo}, @code{tags}, and
5084@code{tags-todo}. Here are two examples:
5085
5086@lisp
5087@group
5088(setq org-agenda-custom-commands
5089 '(("h" "Agenda and Home-related tasks"
5090 ((agenda)
5091 (tags-todo "HOME")
5092 (tags "GARDEN")))
5093 ("o" "Agenda and Office-related tasks"
5094 ((agenda)
5095 (tags-todo "WORK")
5096 (tags "OFFICE")))))
5097@end group
5098@end lisp
5099
5100@noindent
5101This will define @kbd{C-c a h} to create a multi-block view for stuff
5102you need to attend to at home. The resulting agenda buffer will contain
5103your agenda for the current week, all TODO items that carry the tag
5104@samp{HOME}, and also all lines tagged with @samp{GARDEN}. Finally the
5105command @kbd{C-c a o} provides a similar view for office tasks.
5106
5107
5108@node Setting Options, Exporting Agenda Views, Block agenda, Custom agenda views
5109@subsection Setting Options for custom commands
5110@cindex options, for custom agenda views
5111
5112Org-mode contains a number of variables regulating agenda construction
5113and display. The global variables define the behavior for all agenda
5114commands, including the custom commands. However, if you want to change
5115some settings just for a single custom view, you can do so. Setting
5116options requires inserting a list of variable names and values at the
5117right spot in @code{org-agenda-custom-commands}. For example:
5118
5119@lisp
5120@group
5121(setq org-agenda-custom-commands
5122 '(("w" todo "WAITING"
5123 ((org-agenda-sorting-strategy '(priority-down))
5124 (org-agenda-prefix-format " Mixed: ")))
5125 ("U" tags-tree "+BOSS-URGENT"
5126 ((org-show-following-heading nil)
5127 (org-show-hierarchy-above nil)))))
5128@end group
5129@end lisp
5130
5131@noindent
5132Now the @kbd{C-c a w} command will sort the collected entries only by
5133priority, and the prefix format is modified to just say @samp{ Mixed:}
5134instead of giving the category of the entry. The sparse tags tree of
5135@kbd{C-c a U} will now turn out ultra-compact, because neither the
5136headline hierarchy above the match, nor the headline following the match
5137will be shown.
5138
5139For command sets creating a block agenda,
5140@code{org-agenda-custom-commands} has two separate spots for setting
5141options. You can add options that should be valid for just a single
5142command in the set, and options that should be valid for all commands in
5143the set. The former are just added to the command entry, the latter
5144must come after the list of command entries. Going back to the block
5145agenda example (@pxref{Block agenda}), let's change the sorting strategy
5146for the @kbd{C-c a h} commands to @code{priority-down}, but let's sort
5147the results for GARDEN tags query in the opposite order,
5148@code{priority-up}. This would look like this:
5149
5150@lisp
5151@group
5152(setq org-agenda-custom-commands
5153 '(("h" "Agenda and Home-related tasks"
5154 ((agenda)
5155 (tags-todo "HOME")
5156 (tags "GARDEN"
5157 ((org-agenda-sorting-strategy '(priority-up)))))
5158 ((org-agenda-sorting-strategy '(priority-down))))
5159 ("o" "Agenda and Office-related tasks"
5160 ((agenda)
5161 (tags-todo "WORK")
5162 (tags "OFFICE")))))
5163@end group
5164@end lisp
5165
5166As you see, the values and parenthesis setting is a little complex.
5167When in doubt, use the customize interface to set this variable - it
5168fully supports its structure. Just one caveat: When setting options in
5169this interface, the @emph{values} are just lisp expressions. So if the
5170value is a string, you need to add the double quotes around the value
5171yourself.
5172
5173
5174@node Exporting Agenda Views, Extracting Agenda Information for other programs, Setting Options, Custom agenda views
5175@subsection Exporting Agenda Views
5176@cindex agenda views, exporting
5177
5178If you are away from your computer, it can be very useful to have a
5179printed version of some agenda views to carry around. Org-mode can
5180export custom agenda views as plain text, HTML@footnote{You need to
5181install Hrvoje Niksic' @file{htmlize.el}.} and postscript. If you want
5182to do this only occasionally, use the command
5183
5184@table @kbd
5185@kindex C-x C-w
5186@item C-x C-w
5187@cindex exporting agenda views
5188@cindex agenda views, exporting
5189Write the agenda view to a file. Depending on the extension of the
5190selected file name, the view will be exported as HTML (extension
5191@file{.html} or @file{.htm}), Postscript (extension @file{.ps}), or
5192plain text (any other extension). Use the variable
5193@code{org-agenda-exporter-settings} to set options for @file{ps-print}
5194and for @file{htmlize} to be used during export, for example
5195@lisp
5196(setq org-agenda-exporter-settings
5197 '((ps-number-of-columns 2)
5198 (ps-landscape-mode t)
5199 (htmlize-output-type 'css)))
5200@end lisp
5201@end table
5202
5203If you need to export certain agenda views frequently, you can associate
5204any custom agenda command with a list of output file names
5205@footnote{If you want to store standard views like the weekly agenda
5206or the global TODO list as well, you need to define custom commands for
5207them in order to be able to specify filenames.}. Here is an example
5208that first does define custom commands for the agenda and the global
5209todo list, together with a number of files to which to export them.
5210Then we define two block agenda commands and specify filenames for them
5211as well. File names can be relative to the current working directory,
5212or absolute.
5213
5214@lisp
5215@group
5216(setq org-agenda-custom-commands
5217 '(("X" agenda "" nil ("agenda.html" "agenda.ps"))
5218 ("Y" alltodo "" nil ("todo.html" "todo.txt" "todo.ps"))
5219 ("h" "Agenda and Home-related tasks"
5220 ((agenda)
5221 (tags-todo "HOME")
5222 (tags "GARDEN"))
5223 nil
5224 ("~/views/home.html"))
5225 ("o" "Agenda and Office-related tasks"
5226 ((agenda)
5227 (tags-todo "WORK")
5228 (tags "OFFICE"))
5229 nil
5230 ("~/views/office.ps"))))
5231@end group
5232@end lisp
5233
5234The extension of the file name determines the type of export. If it is
5235@file{.html}, Org-mode will use the @file{htmlize.el} package to convert
5236the buffer to HTML and save it to this file name. If the extension is
5237@file{.ps}, @code{ps-print-buffer-with-faces} is used to produce
5238postscript output. Any other extension produces a plain ASCII file.
5239
5240The export files are @emph{not} created when you use one of those
5241commands interactively. Instead, there is a special command to produce
5242@emph{all} specified files in one step:
5243
5244@table @kbd
5245@kindex C-c a e
5246@item C-c a e
5247Export all agenda views that have export filenames associated with
5248them.
5249@end table
5250
5251You can use the options section of the custom agenda commands to also
5252set options for the export commands. For example:
5253
5254@lisp
5255(setq org-agenda-custom-commands
5256 '(("X" agenda ""
5257 ((ps-number-of-columns 2)
5258 (ps-landscape-mode t)
5259 (org-agenda-prefix-format " [ ] ")
5260 (org-agenda-with-colors nil)
5261 (org-agenda-remove-tags t))
5262 ("theagenda.ps"))))
5263@end lisp
5264
5265@noindent
5266This command sets two options for the postscript exporter, to make it
5267print in two columns in landscape format - the resulting page can be cut
5268in two and then used in a paper agenda. The remaining settings modify
5269the agenda prefix to omit category and scheduling information, and
5270instead include a checkbox to check off items. We also remove the tags
5271to make the lines compact, and we don't want to use colors for the
5272black-and-white printer. Settings specified in
5273@code{org-agenda-exporter-settings} will also apply, but the settings
5274in @code{org-agenda-custom-commands} take precedence.
5275
5276@noindent
5277From the command line you may also use
5278@example
5279emacs -f org-batch-store-agenda-views -kill
5280@end example
5281@noindent
5282or, if you need to modify some parameters
5283@example
5284emacs -eval '(org-batch-store-agenda-views \
5285 org-agenda-ndays 30 \
5286 org-agenda-include-diary nil \
5287 org-agenda-files (quote ("~/org/project.org")))' \
5288 -kill
5289@end example
5290@noindent
5291which will create the agenda views restricted to the file
5292@file{~/org/project.org}, without diary entries and with 30 days
5293extent.
5294
5295@node Extracting Agenda Information for other programs, , Exporting Agenda Views, Custom agenda views
5296@subsection Extracting Agenda Information for other programs
5297@cindex agenda, pipe
5298@cindex Scripts, for agenda processing
5299
5300Org-mode provides commands to access agenda information for the command
5301line in emacs batch mode. This extracted information can be sent
5302directly to a printer, or it can be read by a program that does further
5303processing of the data. The first of these commands is the function
5304@code{org-batch-agenda}, that produces an agenda view and sends it as
5305ASCII text to STDOUT. The command takes a single string as parameter.
5306If the string has length 1, it is used as a key to one of the commands
5307you have configured in @code{org-agenda-custom-commands}, basically any
5308key you can use after @kbd{C-c a}. For example, to directly print the
5309current TODO list, you could use
5310
5311@example
5312emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -eval '(org-batch-agenda "t")' | lpr
5313@end example
5314
5315If the parameter is a string with 2 or more characters, it is used as a
5316tags/todo match string. For example, to print your local shopping list
5317(all items with the tag @samp{shop}, but excluding the tag
5318@samp{NewYork}), you could use
5319
5320@example
5321emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs \
5322 -eval '(org-batch-agenda "+shop-NewYork")' | lpr
5323@end example
5324
5325@noindent
5326You may also modify parameters on the fly like this:
5327
5328@example
5329emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs \
5330 -eval '(org-batch-agenda "a" \
5331 org-agenda-ndays 30 \
5332 org-agenda-include-diary nil \
5333 org-agenda-files (quote ("~/org/project.org")))' \
5334 | lpr
5335@end example
5336
5337@noindent
5338which will produce a 30 day agenda, fully restricted to the Org file
5339@file{~/org/projects.org}, not even including the diary.
5340
5341If you want to process the agenda data in more sophisticated ways, you
5342can use the command @code{org-batch-agenda-csv} to get a comma-separated
5343list of values for each agenda item. Each line in the output will
5344contain a number of fields separated by commas. The fields in a line
5345are:
5346
5347@example
5348category @r{The category of the item}
5349head @r{The headline, without TODO kwd, TAGS and PRIORITY}
5350type @r{The type of the agenda entry, can be}
5351 todo @r{selected in TODO match}
5352 tagsmatch @r{selected in tags match}
5353 diary @r{imported from diary}
5354 deadline @r{a deadline}
5355 scheduled @r{scheduled}
5356 timestamp @r{appointment, selected by timestamp}
5357 closed @r{entry was closed on date}
5358 upcoming-deadline @r{warning about nearing deadline}
5359 past-scheduled @r{forwarded scheduled item}
5360 block @r{entry has date block including date}
5361todo @r{The todo keyword, if any}
5362tags @r{All tags including inherited ones, separated by colons}
5363date @r{The relevant date, like 2007-2-14}
5364time @r{The time, like 15:00-16:50}
5365extra @r{String with extra planning info}
5366priority-l @r{The priority letter if any was given}
5367priority-n @r{The computed numerical priority}
5368@end example
5369
5370@noindent
5371Time and date will only be given if a timestamp (or deadline/scheduled)
5372lead to the selection of the item.
5373
5374A CSV list like this is very easy to use in a post processing script.
5375For example, here is a Perl program that gets the TODO list from
5376Emacs/org-mode and prints all the items, preceded by a checkbox:
5377
5378@example
5379@group
5380#!/usr/bin/perl
5381
5382# define the Emacs command to run
5383$cmd = "emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -eval '(org-batch-agenda-csv \"t\")'";
5384
5385# run it and capture the output
5386$agenda = qx@{$cmd 2>/dev/null@};
5387
5388# loop over all lines
5389foreach $line (split(/\n/,$agenda)) @{
5390
5391 # get the individual values
5392 ($category,$head,$type,$todo,$tags,$date,$time,$extra,
5393 $priority_l,$priority_n) = split(/,/,$line);
5394
5395 # proccess and print
5396 print "[ ] $head\n";
5397@}
5398@end group
5399@end example
5400
5401@node Embedded LaTeX, Exporting, Agenda views, Top
5402@chapter Embedded LaTeX
5403@cindex @TeX{} interpretation
5404@cindex La@TeX{} interpretation
5405
5406Plain ASCII is normally sufficient for almost all note taking. One
5407exception, however, are scientific notes which need to be able to
5408contain mathematical symbols and the occasional formula.
5409La@TeX{}@footnote{La@TeX{} is a macro system based on Donald E. Knuth's
5410@TeX{} system. Many of the features described here as ``La@TeX{}'' are
5411really from @TeX{}, but for simplicity I am blurring this distinction.}
5412is widely used to typeset scientific documents. Org-mode supports
5413embedding La@TeX{} code into its files, because many academics are used
5414to read La@TeX{} source code, and because it can be readily processed
5415into images for HTML production.
5416
5417It is not necessary to mark La@TeX{} macros and code in any special way.
5418If you observe a few conventions, Org-mode knows how to find it and what
5419to do with it.
5420
5421@menu
5422* Math symbols:: TeX macros for symbols and Greek letters
5423* Subscripts and Superscripts:: Simple syntax for raising/lowering text
5424* LaTeX fragments:: Complex formulas made easy
5425* Processing LaTeX fragments:: Previewing LaTeX processing
5426* CDLaTeX mode:: Speed up entering of formulas
5427@end menu
5428
5429@node Math symbols, Subscripts and Superscripts, Embedded LaTeX, Embedded LaTeX
5430@section Math symbols
5431@cindex math symbols
5432@cindex TeX macros
5433
5434You can use La@TeX{} macros to insert special symbols like @samp{\alpha}
5435to indicate the Greek letter, or @samp{\to} to indicate an arrow.
5436Completion for these macros is available, just type @samp{\} and maybe a
5437few letters, and press @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} to see possible completions.
5438Unlike La@TeX{} code, Org-mode allows these macros to be present
5439without surrounding math delimiters, for example:
5440
5441@example
5442Angles are written as Greek letters \alpha, \beta and \gamma.
5443@end example
5444
5445During HTML export (@pxref{HTML export}), these symbols are translated
5446into the proper syntax for HTML, for the above examples this is
5447@samp{&alpha;} and @samp{&rarr;}, respectively.
5448
5449@node Subscripts and Superscripts, LaTeX fragments, Math symbols, Embedded LaTeX
5450@section Subscripts and Superscripts
5451@cindex subscript
5452@cindex superscript
5453
5454Just like in La@TeX{}, @samp{^} and @samp{_} are used to indicate super-
5455and subscripts. Again, these can be used without embedding them in
5456math-mode delimiters. To increase the readability of ASCII text, it is
5457not necessary (but OK) to surround multi-character sub- and superscripts
5458with curly braces. For example
5459
5460@example
5461The mass if the sun is M_sun = 1.989 x 10^30 kg. The radius of
5462the sun is R_@{sun@} = 6.96 x 10^8 m.
5463@end example
5464
5465To avoid interpretation as raised or lowered text, you can quote
5466@samp{^} and @samp{_} with a backslash: @samp{\_} and @samp{\^}.
5467
5468During HTML export (@pxref{HTML export}), subscript and superscripts
5469are surrounded with @code{<sub>} and @code{<sup>} tags, respectively.
5470
5471@node LaTeX fragments, Processing LaTeX fragments, Subscripts and Superscripts, Embedded LaTeX
5472@section LaTeX fragments
5473@cindex LaTeX fragments
5474
5475With symbols, sub- and superscripts, HTML is pretty much at its end when
5476it comes to representing mathematical formulas@footnote{Yes, there is
5477MathML, but that is not yet fully supported by many browsers, and there
5478is no decent converter for turning La@TeX{} or ASCII representations of
5479formulas into MathML. So for the time being, converting formulas into
5480images seems the way to go.}. More complex expressions need a dedicated
5481formula processor. To this end, Org-mode can contain arbitrary La@TeX{}
5482fragments. It provides commands to preview the typeset result of these
5483fragments, and upon export to HTML, all fragments will be converted to
5484images and inlined into the HTML document@footnote{The La@TeX{} export
5485will not use images for displaying La@TeX{} fragments but include these
5486fragments directly into the La@TeX{} code.}. For this to work you
5487need to be on a system with a working La@TeX{} installation. You also
5488need the @file{dvipng} program, available at
5489@url{http://sourceforge.net/projects/dvipng/}. The La@TeX{} header that
5490will be used when processing a fragment can be configured with the
5491variable @code{org-format-latex-header}.
5492
5493La@TeX{} fragments don't need any special marking at all. The following
5494snippets will be identified as La@TeX{} source code:
5495@itemize @bullet
5496@item
5497Environments of any kind. The only requirement is that the
5498@code{\begin} statement appears on a new line, preceded by only
5499whitespace.
5500@item
5501Text within the usual La@TeX{} math delimiters. To avoid conflicts with
5502currency specifications, single @samp{$} characters are only recognized
5503as math delimiters if the enclosed text contains at most two line breaks,
5504is directly attached to the @samp{$} characters with no whitespace in
5505between, and if the closing @samp{$} is followed by whitespace or
5506punctuation. For the other delimiters, there is no such restriction, so
5507when in doubt, use @samp{\(...\)} as inline math delimiters.
5508@end itemize
5509
5510@noindent For example:
5511
5512@example
5513\begin@{equation@} % arbitrary environments,
5514x=\sqrt@{b@} % even tables, figures
5515\end@{equation@} % etc
5516
5517If $a^2=b$ and \( b=2 \), then the solution must be
5518either $$ a=+\sqrt@{2@} $$ or \[ a=-\sqrt@{2@} \].
5519@end example
5520
5521@noindent
5522If you need any of the delimiter ASCII sequences for other purposes, you
5523can configure the option @code{org-format-latex-options} to deselect the
5524ones you do not wish to have interpreted by the La@TeX{} converter.
5525
5526@node Processing LaTeX fragments, CDLaTeX mode, LaTeX fragments, Embedded LaTeX
5527@section Processing LaTeX fragments
5528@cindex LaTeX fragments, preview
5529
5530La@TeX{} fragments can be processed to produce a preview images of the
5531typeset expressions:
5532
5533@table @kbd
5534@kindex C-c C-x C-l
5535@item C-c C-x C-l
5536Produce a preview image of the La@TeX{} fragment at point and overlay it
5537over the source code. If there is no fragment at point, process all
5538fragments in the current entry (between two headlines). When called
5539with a prefix argument, process the entire subtree. When called with
5540two prefix arguments, or when the cursor is before the first headline,
5541process the entire buffer.
5542@kindex C-c C-c
5543@item C-c C-c
5544Remove the overlay preview images.
5545@end table
5546
5547During HTML export (@pxref{HTML export}), all La@TeX{} fragments are
5548converted into images and inlined into the document if the following
5549setting is active:
5550
5551@lisp
5552(setq org-export-with-LaTeX-fragments t)
5553@end lisp
5554
5555@node CDLaTeX mode, , Processing LaTeX fragments, Embedded LaTeX
5556@section Using CDLaTeX to enter math
5557@cindex CDLaTeX
5558
5559CDLaTeX-mode is a minor mode that is normally used in combination with a
5560major La@TeX{} mode like AUCTeX in order to speed-up insertion of
5561environments and math templates. Inside Org-mode, you can make use of
5562some of the features of cdlatex-mode. You need to install
5563@file{cdlatex.el} and @file{texmathp.el} (the latter comes also with
5564AUCTeX) from @url{http://www.astro.uva.nl/~dominik/Tools/cdlatex}.
5565Don't turn cdlatex-mode itself under Org-mode, but use the light
5566version @code{org-cdlatex-mode} that comes as part of Org-mode. Turn it
5567on for the current buffer with @code{M-x org-cdlatex-mode}, or for all
5568Org-mode files with
5569
5570@lisp
5571(add-hook 'org-mode-hook 'turn-on-org-cdlatex)
5572@end lisp
5573
5574When this mode is enabled, the following features are present (for more
5575details see the documentation of cdlatex-mode):
5576@itemize @bullet
5577@kindex C-c @{
5578@item
5579Environment templates can be inserted with @kbd{C-c @{}.
5580@item
5581@kindex @key{TAB}
5582The @key{TAB} key will do template expansion if the cursor is inside a
5583La@TeX{} fragment@footnote{Org-mode has a method to test if the cursor is
5584inside such a fragment, see the documentation of the function
5585@code{org-inside-LaTeX-fragment-p}.}. For example, @key{TAB} will
5586expand @code{fr} to @code{\frac@{@}@{@}} and position the cursor
5587correctly inside the first brace. Another @key{TAB} will get you into
5588the second brace. Even outside fragments, @key{TAB} will expand
5589environment abbreviations at the beginning of a line. For example, if
5590you write @samp{equ} at the beginning of a line and press @key{TAB},
5591this abbreviation will be expanded to an @code{equation} environment.
5592To get a list of all abbreviations, type @kbd{M-x cdlatex-command-help}.
5593@item
5594@kindex _
5595@kindex ^
5596Pressing @kbd{_} and @kbd{^} inside a La@TeX{} fragment will insert these
5597characters together with a pair of braces. If you use @key{TAB} to move
5598out of the braces, and if the braces surround only a single character or
5599macro, they are removed again (depending on the variable
5600@code{cdlatex-simplify-sub-super-scripts}).
5601@item
5602@kindex `
5603Pressing the backquote @kbd{`} followed by a character inserts math
5604macros, also outside La@TeX{} fragments. If you wait more than 1.5 seconds
5605after the backquote, a help window will pop up.
5606@item
5607@kindex '
5608Pressing the normal quote @kbd{'} followed by another character modifies
5609the symbol before point with an accent or a font. If you wait more than
56101.5 seconds after the backquote, a help window will pop up. Character
5611modification will work only inside La@TeX{} fragments, outside the quote
5612is normal.
5613@end itemize
5614
5615@node Exporting, Publishing, Embedded LaTeX, Top
5616@chapter Exporting
5617@cindex exporting
5618
5619Org-mode documents can be exported into a variety of other formats. For
5620printing and sharing of notes, ASCII export produces a readable and
5621simple version of an Org-mode file. HTML export allows you to publish a
5622notes file on the web, while the XOXO format provides a solid base for
5623exchange with a broad range of other applications. La@TeX{} export lets
5624you use Org-mode and its structured editing functions to easily create
5625La@TeX{} files. To incorporate entries with associated times like
5626deadlines or appointments into a desktop calendar program like iCal,
5627Org-mode can also produce extracts in the iCalendar format. Currently
5628Org-mode only supports export, not import of these different formats.
5629
5630When exporting, Org-mode uses special conventions to enrich the output
5631produced. @xref{Text interpretation}, for more details.
5632
5633@table @kbd
5634@kindex C-c C-e
5635@item C-c C-e
5636Dispatcher for export and publishing commands. Displays a help-window
5637listing the additional key(s) needed to launch an export or publishing
5638command.
5639@end table
5640
5641@menu
5642* ASCII export:: Exporting to plain ASCII
5643* HTML export:: Exporting to HTML
5644* LaTeX export:: Exporting to LaTeX
5645* XOXO export:: Exporting to XOXO
5646* iCalendar export:: Exporting in iCalendar format
5647* Text interpretation:: How the exporter looks at the file
5648@end menu
5649
5650@node ASCII export, HTML export, Exporting, Exporting
5651@section ASCII export
5652@cindex ASCII export
5653
5654ASCII export produces a simple and very readable version of an Org-mode
5655file.
5656
5657@cindex region, active
5658@cindex active region
5659@cindex transient-mark-mode
5660@table @kbd
5661@kindex C-c C-e a
5662@item C-c C-e a
5663Export as ASCII file. For an org file @file{myfile.org}, the ASCII file
5664will be @file{myfile.txt}. The file will be overwritten without
5665warning. If there is an active region, only the region will be
5666exported. If the selected region is a single tree, the tree head will
5667become the document title. If the tree head entry has or inherits an
5668EXPORT_FILE_NAME property, that name will be used for the export.
5669@kindex C-c C-e v a
5670@item C-c C-e v a
5671Export only the visible part of the document.
5672@end table
5673
5674@cindex headline levels, for exporting
5675In the exported version, the first 3 outline levels will become
5676headlines, defining a general document structure. Additional levels
5677will be exported as itemized lists. If you want that transition to occur
5678at a different level, specify it with a prefix argument. For example,
5679
5680@example
5681@kbd{C-1 C-c C-e a}
5682@end example
5683
5684@noindent
5685creates only top level headlines and does the rest as items. When
5686headlines are converted to items, the indentation of the text following
5687the headline is changed to fit nicely under the item. This is done with
5688the assumption that the first bodyline indicates the base indentation of
5689the body text. Any indentation larger than this is adjusted to preserve
5690the layout relative to the first line. Should there be lines with less
5691indentation than the first, these are left alone.
5692
5693@node HTML export, LaTeX export, ASCII export, Exporting
5694@section HTML export
5695@cindex HTML export
5696
5697Org-mode contains an HTML (XHTML 1.0 strict) exporter with extensive
5698HTML formatting, in ways similar to John Grubers @emph{markdown}
5699language, but with additional support for tables.
5700
5701@menu
5702* HTML Export commands:: How to invoke LaTeX export
5703* Quoting HTML tags:: Using direct HTML in Org-mode
5704* Links:: Transformation of links for HTML
5705* Images:: How to include images
5706* CSS support:: Changing the appearence of the output
5707@end menu
5708
5709@node HTML Export commands, Quoting HTML tags, HTML export, HTML export
5710@subsection HTML export commands
5711
5712@cindex region, active
5713@cindex active region
5714@cindex transient-mark-mode
5715@table @kbd
5716@kindex C-c C-e h
5717@item C-c C-e h
5718Export as HTML file @file{myfile.html}. For an org file
5719@file{myfile.org}, the ASCII file will be @file{myfile.html}. The file
5720will be overwritten without warning. If there is an active region, only
5721the region will be exported. If the selected region is a single tree,
5722the tree head will become the document title. If the tree head entry
5723has or inherits an EXPORT_FILE_NAME property, that name will be used for
5724the export.
5725@kindex C-c C-e b
5726@item C-c C-e b
5727Export as HTML file and immediately open it with a browser.
5728@kindex C-c C-e H
5729@item C-c C-e H
5730Export to a temporary buffer, do not create a file.
5731@kindex C-c C-e R
5732@item C-c C-e H
5733Export the active region to a temporary buffer. With prefix arg, do not
5734produce file header and foot, but just the plain HTML section for the
5735region. This is good for cut-and-paste operations.
5736@kindex C-c C-e v h
5737@kindex C-c C-e v b
5738@kindex C-c C-e v H
5739@kindex C-c C-e v R
5740@item C-c C-e v h
5741@item C-c C-e v b
5742@item C-c C-e v H
5743@item C-c C-e v R
5744Export only the visible part of the document.
5745@item M-x org-export-region-as-html
5746Convert the region to HTML under the assumption that it was org-mode
5747syntax before. This is a global command that can be invoked in any
5748buffer.
5749@item M-x org-replace-region-by-HTML
5750Replace the active region (assumed to be in Org-mode syntax) by HTML
5751code.
5752@end table
5753
5754@cindex headline levels, for exporting
5755In the exported version, the first 3 outline levels will become
5756headlines, defining a general document structure. Additional levels
5757will be exported as itemized lists. If you want that transition to occur
5758at a different level, specify it with a prefix argument. For example,
5759
5760@example
5761@kbd{C-2 C-c C-e b}
5762@end example
5763
5764@noindent
5765creates two levels of headings and does the rest as items.
5766
5767@node Quoting HTML tags, Links, HTML Export commands, HTML export
5768@subsection Quoting HTML tags
5769
5770Plain @samp{<} and @samp{>} are always transformed to @samp{&lt;} and
5771@samp{&gt;} in HTML export. If you want to include simple HTML tags
5772which should be interpreted as such, mark them with @samp{@@} as in
5773@samp{@@<b>bold text@@</b>}. Note that this really works only for
5774simple tags. For more extensive HTML that should be copied verbatim to
5775the exported file use either
5776
5777@example
5778#+HTML: Literal HTML code for export
5779@end example
5780
5781@noindent or
5782
5783@example
5784#+BEGIN_HTML
5785All lines between these markers are exported literally
5786#+END_HTML
5787@end example
5788
5789
5790@node Links, Images, Quoting HTML tags, HTML export
5791@subsection Links
5792
5793@cindex links, in HTML export
5794@cindex internal links, in HTML export
5795@cindex external links, in HTML export
5796Internal links (@pxref{Internal links}) will continue to work in HTML
5797files only if they match a dedicated @samp{<<target>>}. Automatic links
5798created by radio targets (@pxref{Radio targets}) will also work in the
5799HTML file. Links to external files will still work if the HTML file is
5800in the same directory as the Org-mode file. Links to other @file{.org}
5801files will be translated into HTML links under the assumption that an
5802HTML version also exists of the linked file. For information related to
5803linking files while publishing them to a publishing directory see
5804@ref{Publishing links}.
5805
5806@node Images, CSS support, Links, HTML export
5807@subsection Images
5808
5809@cindex images, inline in HTML
5810@cindex inlining images in HTML
5811HTML export can inline images given as links in the Org-mode file, and
5812it can make an image the clickable part of a link. By
5813default@footnote{but see the variable
5814@code{org-export-html-inline-images}}, images are inlined if a link does
5815not have a description. So @samp{[[file:myimg.jpg]]} will be inlined,
5816while @samp{[[file:myimg.jpg][the image]]} will just produce a link
5817@samp{the image} that points to the image. If the description part
5818itself is a @code{file:} link or a @code{http:} URL pointing to an
5819image, this image will be inlined and activated so that clicking on the
5820image will activate the link. For example, to include a thumbnail that
5821will link to a high resolution version of the image, you could use:
5822
5823@example
5824[[file:highres.jpg][file:thumb.jpg]]
5825@end example
5826
5827@noindent
5828and you could use @code{http} addresses just as well.
5829
5830@node CSS support, , Images, HTML export
5831@subsection CSS support
5832
5833You can also give style information for the exported file. The HTML
5834exporter assigns the following CSS classes to appropriate parts of the
5835document - your style specifications may change these:
5836@example
5837.todo @r{TODO keywords}
5838.done @r{the DONE keyword}
5839.timestamp @r{time stamp}
5840.timestamp-kwd @r{keyword associated with a time stamp, like SCHEDULED}
5841.tag @r{tag in a headline}
5842.target @r{target for links}
5843@end example
5844
5845The default style specification can be configured through the option
5846@code{org-export-html-style}. If you want to use a file-local style,
5847you may use file variables, best wrapped into a COMMENT section at the
5848end of the outline tree. For example@footnote{Under Emacs 21, the
5849continuation lines for a variable value should have no @samp{#} at the
5850start of the line.}:
5851
5852@example
5853* COMMENT html style specifications
5854
5855# Local Variables:
5856# org-export-html-style: " <style type=\"text/css\">
5857# p @{font-weight: normal; color: gray; @}
5858# h1 @{color: black; @}
5859# </style>"
5860# End:
5861@end example
5862
5863Remember to execute @kbd{M-x normal-mode} after changing this to make
5864the new style visible to Emacs. This command restarts org-mode for the
5865current buffer and forces Emacs to re-evaluate the local variables
5866section in the buffer.
5867
5868@c FIXME: More about header and footer styles
5869@c FIXME: Talk about links and targets.
5870
5871@node LaTeX export, XOXO export, HTML export, Exporting
5872@section LaTeX export
5873@cindex LaTeX export
5874
5875Org-mode contains a La@TeX{} exporter written by Bastien Guerry.
5876
5877@menu
5878* LaTeX export commands:: How to invoke LaTeX export
5879* Quoting LaTeX code:: Incorporating literal LaTeX code
5880@end menu
5881
5882@node LaTeX export commands, Quoting LaTeX code, LaTeX export, LaTeX export
5883@subsection LaTeX export commands
5884
5885@table @kbd
5886@kindex C-c C-e l
5887@item C-c C-e l
5888Export as La@TeX{} file @file{myfile.tex}.
5889@kindex C-c C-e L
5890@item C-c C-e L
5891Export to a temporary buffer, do not create a file.
5892@kindex C-c C-e v l
5893@kindex C-c C-e v L
5894@item C-c C-e v l
5895@item C-c C-e v L
5896Export only the visible part of the document.
5897@item M-x org-export-region-as-latex
5898Convert the region to La@TeX{} under the assumption that it was org-mode
5899syntax before. This is a global command that can be invoked in any
5900buffer.
5901@item M-x org-replace-region-by-latex
5902Replace the active region (assumed to be in Org-mode syntax) by La@TeX{}
5903code.
5904@end table
5905
5906@cindex headline levels, for exporting
5907In the exported version, the first 3 outline levels will become
5908headlines, defining a general document structure. Additional levels
5909will be exported as description lists. The exporter can ignore them or
5910convert them to a custom string depending on
5911@code{org-latex-low-levels}.
5912
5913If you want that transition to occur at a different level, specify it
5914with a prefix argument. For example,
5915
5916@example
5917@kbd{C-2 C-c C-e l}
5918@end example
5919
5920@noindent
5921creates two levels of headings and does the rest as items.
5922
5923@node Quoting LaTeX code, , LaTeX export commands, LaTeX export
5924@subsection Quoting LaTeX code
5925
5926Embedded La@TeX{} as described in @ref{Embedded LaTeX} will be correctly
5927inserted into the La@TeX{} file. Forthermore, you can add special code
5928that should only be present in La@TeX{} export with the following
5929constructs:
5930
5931@example
5932#+LaTeX: Literal LaTeX code for export
5933@end example
5934
5935@noindent or
5936
5937@example
5938#+BEGIN_LaTeX
5939All lines between these markers are exported literally
5940#+END_LaTeX
5941@end example
5942@node XOXO export, iCalendar export, LaTeX export, Exporting
5943@section XOXO export
5944@cindex XOXO export
5945
5946Org-mode contains an exporter that produces XOXO-style output.
5947Currently, this exporter only handles the general outline structure and
5948does not interpret any additional Org-mode features.
5949
5950@table @kbd
5951@kindex C-c C-e x
5952@item C-c C-e x
5953Export as XOXO file @file{myfile.html}.
5954@kindex C-c C-e v
5955@item C-c C-e v x
5956Export only the visible part of the document.
5957@end table
5958
5959@node iCalendar export, Text interpretation, XOXO export, Exporting
5960@section iCalendar export
5961@cindex iCalendar export
5962
5963Some people like to use Org-mode for keeping track of projects, but
5964still prefer a standard calendar application for anniversaries and
5965appointments. In this case it can be useful to have deadlines and
5966other time-stamped items in Org-mode files show up in the calendar
5967application. Org-mode can export calendar information in the standard
5968iCalendar format. If you also want to have TODO entries included in the
5969export, configure the variable @code{org-icalendar-include-todo}.
5970
5971@table @kbd
5972@kindex C-c C-e i
5973@item C-c C-e i
5974Create iCalendar entries for the current file and store them in the same
5975directory, using a file extension @file{.ics}.
5976@kindex C-c C-e I
5977@item C-c C-e I
5978Like @kbd{C-c C-e i}, but do this for all files in
5979@code{org-agenda-files}. For each of these files, a separate iCalendar
5980file will be written.
5981@kindex C-c C-e c
5982@item C-c C-e c
5983Create a single large iCalendar file from all files in
5984@code{org-agenda-files} and write it to the file given by
5985@code{org-combined-agenda-icalendar-file}.
5986@end table
5987
5988How this calendar is best read and updated, depends on the application
5989you are using. The FAQ covers this issue.
5990
5991
5992@node Text interpretation, , iCalendar export, Exporting
5993@section Text interpretation by the exporter
5994
5995The exporter backends interpret additional structure in the Org-mode file
5996in order to produce better output.
5997
5998@menu
5999* Comment lines:: Some lines will not be exported
6000* Initial text:: Text before the first headline
6001* Footnotes:: Numbers like [1]
6002* Enhancing text:: Subscripts, symbols and more
6003* Export options:: How to influence the export settings
6004@end menu
6005
6006@node Comment lines, Initial text, Text interpretation, Text interpretation
6007@subsection Comment lines
6008@cindex comment lines
6009@cindex exporting, not
6010
6011Lines starting with @samp{#} in column zero are treated as comments
6012and will never be exported. Also entire subtrees starting with the
6013word @samp{COMMENT} will never be exported.
6014
6015@table @kbd
6016@kindex C-c ;
6017@item C-c ;
6018Toggle the COMMENT keyword at the beginning of an entry.
6019@end table
6020
6021@node Initial text, Footnotes, Comment lines, Text interpretation
6022@subsection Text before the first headline
6023
6024Org-mode normally ignores any text before the first headline when
6025exporting, leaving this region for internal links to speed up navigation
6026etc. However, in publishing-oriented files, you might want to have some
6027text before the first headline, like a small introduction, special HTML
6028code with a navigation bar, etc. You can ask to have this part of the
6029file exported as well by setting the variable
6030@code{org-export-skip-text-before-1st-heading} to @code{nil}. On a
6031per-file basis, you can get the same effect with
6032
6033@example
6034#+OPTIONS: skip:nil
6035@end example
6036
6037The text before the first headline will be fully processed
6038(@pxref{Enhancing text}), and the first non-comment line becomes the
6039title of the exported document. If you need to include literal HTML,
6040use the special constructs described in @ref{Quoting HTML tags}. The
6041table of contents is normally inserted directly before the first
6042headline of the file. If you would like to get it to a different
6043location, insert the string @code{[TABLE-OF-CONTENTS]} on a line by
6044itself at the desired location.
6045
6046Finally, if you want to use the space before the first headline for
6047internal purposes, but @emph{still} want to place something before the
6048first headline when exporting the file, you can use the @code{#+TEXT}
6049construct:
6050
6051@example
6052#+OPTIONS: skip:t
6053#+TEXT: This text will go before the *first* headline.
6054#+TEXT: We place the table of contents here:
6055#+TEXT: [TABLE-OF-CONTENTS]
6056#+TEXT: This goes between the table of contents and the first headline
6057@end example
6058
6059@node Footnotes, Enhancing text, Initial text, Text interpretation
6060@subsection Footnotes
6061@cindex footnotes
6062@cindex @file{footnote.el}
6063
6064Numbers in square brackets are treated as footnotes, so that you can use
6065the Emacs package @file{footnote.el} to create footnotes. For example:
6066
6067@example
6068The org-mode homepage[1] clearly needs help from
6069a good web designer.
6070
6071[1] The link is: http://www.astro.uva.nl/~dominik/Tools/org
6072@end example
6073
6074@noindent
6075@kindex C-c !
6076Note that the @file{footnote} package uses @kbd{C-c !} to invoke its
6077commands. This binding conflicts with the org-mode command for
6078inserting inactive time stamps. You could use the variable
6079@code{footnote-prefix} to switch footnotes commands to another key. Or,
6080if you are too used to this binding, you could use
6081@code{org-replace-disputed-keys} and @code{org-disputed-keys} to change
6082the settings in Org-mode.
6083
6084@node Enhancing text, Export options, Footnotes, Text interpretation
6085@subsection Enhancing text for export
6086@cindex enhancing text
6087@cindex richer text
6088
6089Some of the export backends of Org-mode allow for sophisticated text
6090formatting, this is true in particular for the HTML and La@TeX{}
6091backends. Org-mode has a number of typing conventions that allow to
6092produce a richly formatted output.
6093
6094@itemize @bullet
6095
6096@cindex hand-formatted lists
6097@cindex lists, hand-formatted
6098@item
6099Plain lists @samp{-}, @samp{*} or @samp{+} as bullet, or with @samp{1.}
6100or @samp{2)} as enumerator will be recognized and transformed if the
6101backend supports lists. See @xref{Plain lists}.
6102
6103@cindex underlined text
6104@cindex bold text
6105@cindex italic text
6106@item
6107You can make words @b{*bold*}, @i{/italic/}, _underlined_,
6108@code{=code=}, and even @samp{+strikethrough+}@footnote{but remember
6109that strikethrough is typographically evil and should @i{never} be
6110used.}.
6111
6112@cindex horizontal rules, in exported files
6113@item
6114A line consisting of only dashes, and at least 5 of them, will be
6115exported as a horizontal line (@samp{<hr/>} in HTML).
6116
6117@cindex LaTeX fragments, export
6118@cindex TeX macros, export
6119@item
6120Many @TeX{} macros and entire La@TeX{} fragments are converted into HTML
6121entities or images (@pxref{Embedded LaTeX}).
6122
6123@cindex tables, export
6124@item
6125Tables are transformed into native tables under the exporter, if the
6126export backend supports this. Data fields before the first horizontal
6127separator line will be formatted as table header fields.
6128
6129@cindex fixed width
6130@item
6131If a headline starts with the word @samp{QUOTE}, the text below the
6132headline will be typeset as fixed-width, to allow quoting of computer
6133codes etc. Lines starting with @samp{:} are also typeset in fixed-width
6134font.
6135@table @kbd
6136@kindex C-c :
6137@item C-c :
6138Toggle fixed-width for entry (QUOTE) or region, see below.
6139@end table
6140
6141@cindex linebreak, forced
6142@item
6143A double backslash @emph{at the end of a line} enforces a line break at
6144this position.
6145@end itemize
6146
6147If these conversions conflict with your habits of typing ASCII text,
6148they can all be turned off with corresponding variables. See the
6149customization group @code{org-export-general}, and the following section
6150which explains how to set export options with special lines in a
6151buffer.
6152
6153
6154@node Export options, , Enhancing text, Text interpretation
6155@subsection Export options
6156@cindex options, for export
6157
6158@cindex completion, of option keywords
6159The exporter recognizes special lines in the buffer which provide
6160additional information. These lines may be put anywhere in the file.
6161The whole set of lines can be inserted into the buffer with @kbd{C-c
6162C-e t}. For individual lines, a good way to make sure the keyword is
6163correct is to type @samp{#+} and then use @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} completion
6164(@pxref{Completion}).
6165
6166@table @kbd
6167@kindex C-c C-e t
6168@item C-c C-e t
6169Insert template with export options, see example below.
6170@end table
6171
6172@example
6173#+TITLE: the title to be shown (default is the buffer name)
6174#+AUTHOR: the author (default taken from @code{user-full-name})
6175#+EMAIL: his/her email address (default from @code{user-mail-address})
6176#+LANGUAGE: language for HTML, e.g. @samp{en} (@code{org-export-default-language})
6177#+TEXT: Some descriptive text to be inserted at the beginning.
6178#+TEXT: Several lines may be given.
6179#+OPTIONS: H:2 num:t toc:t \n:nil @@:t ::t |:t ^:t f:t TeX:t ...
6180@end example
6181
6182@noindent
6183The OPTIONS line is a compact form to specify export settings. Here
6184you can:
6185@cindex headline levels
6186@cindex section-numbers
6187@cindex table of contents
6188@cindex linebreak preservation
6189@cindex quoted HTML tags
6190@cindex fixed-width sections
6191@cindex tables
6192@cindex @TeX{}-like syntax for sub- and superscripts
6193@cindex footnotes
6194@cindex emphasized text
6195@cindex @TeX{} macros
6196@cindex La@TeX{} fragments
6197@cindex author info, in export
6198@cindex time info, in export
6199@example
6200H: @r{set the number of headline levels for export}
6201num: @r{turn on/off section-numbers}
6202toc: @r{turn on/off table of contents, or set level limit (integer)}
6203\n: @r{turn on/off linebreak-preservation}
6204@@: @r{turn on/off quoted HTML tags}
6205:: @r{turn on/off fixed-width sections}
6206|: @r{turn on/off tables}
6207^: @r{turn on/off @TeX{}-like syntax for sub- and superscripts. If}
6208 @r{you write "^:@{@}", @code{a_@{b@}} will be interpreted, but}
6209 @r{the simple @code{a_b} will be left as it is.}
6210f: @r{turn on/off foototes like this[1].}
6211*: @r{turn on/off emphasized text (bold, italic, underlined)}
6212TeX: @r{turn on/off simple @TeX{} macros in plain text}
6213LaTeX: @r{turn on/off La@TeX{} fragments}
6214skip: @r{turn on/off skipping the text before the first heading}
6215author: @r{turn on/off inclusion of author name/email into exported file}
6216timestamp: @r{turn on/off inclusion creation time into exported file}
6217@end example
6218
6219These options take effect in both the HTML and La@TeX{} export, except
6220for @code{TeX} and @code{LaTeX}, which are respectively @code{t} and
6221@code{nil} for the La@TeX{} export.
6222
6223@node Publishing, Miscellaneous, Exporting, Top
6224@chapter Publishing
6225@cindex publishing
6226
6227Org-mode includes@footnote{@file{org-publish.el} is not distributed with
6228Emacs 21, if you are still using Emacs 21, you need you need to download
6229this file separately.} a publishing management system that allows you to
6230configure automatic HTML conversion of @emph{projects} composed of
6231interlinked org files. This system is called @emph{org-publish}. You can
6232also configure org-publish to automatically upload your exported HTML
6233pages and related attachments, such as images and source code files, to
6234a web server. Org-publish turns org-mode into a web-site authoring tool.
6235
6236You can also use Org-publish to convert files into La@TeX{}, or even
6237combine HTML and La@TeX{} conversion so that files are available in both
6238formats on the server@footnote{Since La@TeX{} files on a server are not
6239that helpful, you surely want to perform further conversion on them --
6240e.g. convert them to @code{PDF} format.}.
6241
6242Org-publish has been contributed to Org-mode by David O'Toole.
6243
6244@menu
6245* Configuration:: Defining projects
6246* Sample configuration:: Example projects
6247* Triggering publication:: Publication commands
6248@end menu
6249
6250@node Configuration, Sample configuration, Publishing, Publishing
6251@section Configuration
6252
6253Publishing needs significant configuration to specify files, destination
6254and many other properties of a project.
6255
6256@menu
6257* Project alist:: The central configuration variable
6258* Sources and destinations:: From here to there
6259* Selecting files:: What files are part of the project?
6260* Publishing action:: Setting the function doing the publishing
6261* Publishing options:: Tweaking HTML export
6262* Publishing links:: Which links keep working after publishing?
6263* Project page index:: Publishing a list of project files
6264@end menu
6265
6266@node Project alist, Sources and destinations, Configuration, Configuration
6267@subsection The variable @code{org-publish-project-alist}
6268@cindex org-publish-project-alist
6269@cindex projects, for publishing
6270
6271Org-publish is configured almost entirely through setting the value of
6272one variable, called @code{org-publish-project-alist}.
6273Each element of the list configures one project, and may be in one of
6274the two following forms:
6275
6276@lisp
6277("project-name" :property value :property value ...)
6278
6279@r{or}
6280
6281("project-name" :components ("project-name" "project-name" ...))
6282
6283@end lisp
6284
6285In both cases, projects are configured by specifying property values.
6286A project defines the set of files that will be published, as well as
6287the publishing configuration to use when publishing those files. When
6288a project takes the second form listed above, the individual members
6289of the ``components'' property are taken to be components of the
6290project, which group together files requiring different publishing
6291options. When you publish such a ``meta-project'' all the components
6292will also publish.
6293
6294@node Sources and destinations, Selecting files, Project alist, Configuration
6295@subsection Sources and destinations for files
6296@cindex directories, for publishing
6297
6298Most properties are optional, but some should always be set. In
6299particular, org-publish needs to know where to look for source files,
6300and where to put published files.
6301
6302@multitable @columnfractions 0.3 0.7
6303@item @code{:base-directory}
6304@tab Directory containing publishing source files
6305@item @code{:publishing-directory}
6306@tab Directory (possibly remote) where output files will be published.
6307@item @code{:preparation-function}
6308@tab Function called before starting publishing process, for example to
6309run @code{make} for updating files to be published.
6310@end multitable
6311@noindent
6312
6313@node Selecting files, Publishing action, Sources and destinations, Configuration
6314@subsection Selecting files
6315@cindex files, selecting for publishing
6316
6317By default, all files with extension @file{.org} in the base directory
6318are considered part of the project. This can be modified by setting the
6319properties
6320@multitable @columnfractions 0.25 0.75
6321@item @code{:base-extension}
6322@tab Extension (without the dot!) of source files. This actually is a
6323regular expression.
6324
6325@item @code{:exclude}
6326@tab Regular expression to match file names that should not be
6327published, even though they have been selected on the basis of their
6328extension.
6329
6330@item @code{:include}
6331@tab List of files to be included regardless of @code{:base-extension}
6332and @code{:exclude}.
6333@end multitable
6334
6335@node Publishing action, Publishing options, Selecting files, Configuration
6336@subsection Publishing Action
6337@cindex action, for publishing
6338
6339Publishing means that a file is copied to the destination directory and
6340possibly transformed in the process. The default transformation is to
6341export Org-mode files as HTML files, and this is done by the function
6342@code{org-publish-org-to-html} which calls the HTML exporter
6343(@pxref{HTML export}). But you also can publish your files in La@TeX{} by
6344using the function @code{org-publish-org-to-latex} instead. Other files
6345like images only need to be copied to the publishing destination. For
6346non-Org-mode files, you need to specify the publishing function.
6347
6348
6349@multitable @columnfractions 0.3 0.7
6350@item @code{:publishing-function}
6351@tab Function executing the publication of a file. This may also be a
6352list of functions, which will all be called in turn.
6353@end multitable
6354
6355The function must accept two arguments: a property list containing at
6356least a @code{:publishing-directory} property, and the name of the file
6357to be published. It should take the specified file, make the necessary
6358transformation (if any) and place the result into the destination folder.
6359You can write your own publishing function, but @code{org-publish}
6360provides one for attachments (files that only need to be copied):
6361@code{org-publish-attachment}.
6362
6363@node Publishing options, Publishing links, Publishing action, Configuration
6364@subsection Options for the HTML/LaTeX exporters
6365@cindex options, for publishing
6366
6367The property list can be used to set many export options for the HTML
6368and La@TeX{} exporters. In most cases, these properties correspond to user
6369variables in Org-mode. The table below lists these properties along
6370with the variable they belong to. See the documentation string for the
6371respective variable for details.
6372
6373@multitable @columnfractions 0.3 0.7
6374@item @code{:language} @tab @code{org-export-default-language}
6375@item @code{:headline-levels} @tab @code{org-export-headline-levels}
6376@item @code{:section-numbers} @tab @code{org-export-with-section-numbers}
6377@item @code{:table-of-contents} @tab @code{org-export-with-toc}
6378@item @code{:archived-trees} @tab @code{org-export-with-archived-trees}
6379@item @code{:emphasize} @tab @code{org-export-with-emphasize}
6380@item @code{:sub-superscript} @tab @code{org-export-with-sub-superscripts}
6381@item @code{:TeX-macros} @tab @code{org-export-with-TeX-macros}
6382@item @code{:LaTeX-fragments} @tab @code{org-export-with-LaTeX-fragments}
6383@item @code{:fixed-width} @tab @code{org-export-with-fixed-width}
6384@item @code{:timestamps} .@tab @code{org-export-with-timestamps}
6385@item @code{:tags} .@tab @code{org-export-with-tags}
6386@item @code{:tables} @tab @code{org-export-with-tables}
6387@item @code{:table-auto-headline} @tab @code{org-export-highlight-first-table-line}
6388@item @code{:style} @tab @code{org-export-html-style}
6389@item @code{:convert-org-links} @tab @code{org-export-html-link-org-files-as-html}
6390@item @code{:inline-images} @tab @code{org-export-html-inline-images}
6391@item @code{:expand-quoted-html} @tab @code{org-export-html-expand}
6392@item @code{:timestamp} @tab @code{org-export-html-with-timestamp}
6393@item @code{:publishing-directory} @tab @code{org-export-publishing-directory}
6394@item @code{:preamble} @tab @code{org-export-html-preamble}
6395@item @code{:postamble} @tab @code{org-export-html-postamble}
6396@item @code{:auto-preamble} @tab @code{org-export-html-auto-preamble}
6397@item @code{:auto-postamble} @tab @code{org-export-html-auto-postamble}
6398@item @code{:author} @tab @code{user-full-name}
6399@item @code{:email} @tab @code{user-mail-address}
6400@end multitable
6401
6402Most of the @code{org-export-with-*} variables have the same effect in
6403both HTML and La@TeX{} exporters, except for @code{:TeX-macros} and
6404@code{:LaTeX-fragments}, respectively @code{nil} and @code{t} in the
6405La@TeX{} export.
6406
6407When a property is given a value in org-publish-project-alist, its
6408setting overrides the value of the corresponding user variable (if any)
6409during publishing. Options set within a file (@pxref{Export
6410options}), however, override everything.
6411
6412@node Publishing links, Project page index, Publishing options, Configuration
6413@subsection Links between published files
6414@cindex links, publishing
6415
6416To create a link from one Org-mode file to another, you would use
6417something like @samp{[[file:foo.org][The foo]]} or simply
6418@samp{file:foo.org.} (@pxref{Hyperlinks}). Upon publishing this link
6419becomes a link to @file{foo.html}. In this way, you can interlink the
6420pages of your "org web" project and the links will work as expected when
6421you publish them to HTML.
6422
6423You may also link to related files, such as images. Provided you are
6424careful with relative pathnames, and provided you have also configured
6425org-publish to upload the related files, these links will work
6426too. @ref{Complex example} for an example of this usage.
6427
6428Sometime an Org-mode file to be published may contain links that are
6429only valid in your production environment, but not in the publishing
6430location. In this case, use the property
6431
6432@multitable @columnfractions 0.4 0.6
6433@item @code{:link-validation-function}
6434@tab Function to validate links
6435@end multitable
6436
6437@noindent
6438to define a function for checking link validity. This function must
6439accept two arguments, the file name and a directory relative to which
6440the file name is interpreted in the production environment. If this
6441function returns @code{nil}, then the HTML generator will only insert a
6442description into the HTML file, but no link. One option for this
6443function is @code{org-publish-validate-link} which checks if the given
6444file is part of any project in @code{org-publish-project-alist}.
6445
6446@node Project page index, , Publishing links, Configuration
6447@subsection Project page index
6448@cindex index, of published pages
6449
6450The following properties may be used to control publishing of an
6451index of files or summary page for a given project.
6452
6453@multitable @columnfractions 0.25 0.75
6454@item @code{:auto-index}
6455@tab When non-nil, publish an index during org-publish-current-project or
6456org-publish-all.
6457
6458@item @code{:index-filename}
6459@tab Filename for output of index. Defaults to @file{index.org} (which
6460becomes @file{index.html}).
6461
6462@item @code{:index-title}
6463@tab Title of index page. Defaults to name of file.
6464
6465@item @code{:index-function}
6466@tab Plugin function to use for generation of index.
6467Defaults to @code{org-publish-org-index}, which generates a plain list
6468of links to all files in the project.
6469@end multitable
6470
6471@node Sample configuration, Triggering publication, Configuration, Publishing
6472@section Sample configuration
6473
6474Below we provide two example configurations. The first one is a simple
6475project publishing only a set of Org-mode files. The second example is
6476more complex, with a multi-component project.
6477
6478@menu
6479* Simple example:: One-component publishing
6480* Complex example:: A multi-component publishing example
6481@end menu
6482
6483@node Simple example, Complex example, Sample configuration, Sample configuration
6484@subsection Example: simple publishing configuration
6485
6486This example publishes a set of Org-mode files to the @file{public_html}
6487directory on the local machine.
6488
6489@lisp
6490(setq org-publish-project-alist
6491 '(("org"
6492 :base-directory "~/org/"
6493 :publishing-directory "~/public_html"
6494 :section-numbers nil
6495 :table-of-contents nil
6496 :style "<link rel=stylesheet
6497 href=\"../other/mystyle.css\"
6498 type=\"text/css\">")))
6499@end lisp
6500
6501@node Complex example, , Simple example, Sample configuration
6502@subsection Example: complex publishing configuration
6503
6504This more complicated example publishes an entire website, including
6505org files converted to HTML, image files, emacs lisp source code, and
6506stylesheets. The publishing-directory is remote and private files are
6507excluded.
6508
6509To ensure that links are preserved, care should be taken to replicate
6510your directory structure on the web server, and to use relative file
6511paths. For example, if your org files are kept in @file{~/org} and your
6512publishable images in @file{~/images}, you'd link to an image with
6513@c
6514@example
6515file:../images/myimage.png
6516@end example
6517@c
6518On the web server, the relative path to the image should be the
6519same. You can accomplish this by setting up an "images" folder in the
6520right place on the webserver, and publishing images to it.
6521
6522@lisp
6523(setq org-publish-project-alist
6524 '(("orgfiles"
6525 :base-directory "~/org/"
6526 :base-extension "org"
6527 :publishing-directory "/ssh:user@@host:~/html/notebook/"
6528 :publishing-function org-publish-org-to-html
6529 :exclude "PrivatePage.org" ;; regexp
6530 :headline-levels 3
6531 :section-numbers nil
6532 :table-of-contents nil
6533 :style "<link rel=stylesheet
6534 href=\"../other/mystyle.css\" type=\"text/css\">"
6535 :auto-preamble t
6536 :auto-postamble nil)
6537
6538 ("images"
6539 :base-directory "~/images/"
6540 :base-extension "jpg\\|gif\\|png"
6541 :publishing-directory "/ssh:user@@host:~/html/images/"
6542 :publishing-function org-publish-attachment)
6543
6544 ("other"
6545 :base-directory "~/other/"
6546 :base-extension "css\\|el"
6547 :publishing-directory "/ssh:user@@host:~/html/other/"
6548 :publishing-function org-publish-attachment)
6549 ("website" :components ("orgfiles" "images" "other"))))
6550@end lisp
6551
6552@node Triggering publication, , Sample configuration, Publishing
6553@section Triggering publication
6554
6555Once org-publish is properly configured, you can publish with the
6556following functions:
6557
6558@table @kbd
6559@item C-c C-e C
6560Prompt for a specific project and publish all files that belong to it.
6561@item C-c C-e P
6562Publish the project containing the current file.
6563@item C-c C-e F
6564Publish only the current file.
6565@item C-c C-e A
6566Publish all projects.
6567@end table
6568
6569Org uses timestamps to track when a file has changed. The above
6570functions normally only publish changed files. You can override this and
6571force publishing of all files by giving a prefix argument.
6572
6573@node Miscellaneous, Extensions and Hacking, Publishing, Top
6574@chapter Miscellaneous
6575
6576@menu
6577* Completion:: M-TAB knows what you need
6578* Customization:: Adapting Org-mode to your taste
6579* In-buffer settings:: Overview of the #+KEYWORDS
6580* The very busy C-c C-c key:: When in doubt, press C-c C-c
6581* Clean view:: Getting rid of leading stars in the outline
6582* TTY keys:: Using Org-mode on a tty
6583* Interaction:: Other Emacs packages
6584* Bugs:: Things which do not work perfectly
6585@end menu
6586
6587@node Completion, Customization, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous
6588@section Completion
6589@cindex completion, of @TeX{} symbols
6590@cindex completion, of TODO keywords
6591@cindex completion, of dictionary words
6592@cindex completion, of option keywords
6593@cindex completion, of tags
6594@cindex completion, of property keys
6595@cindex completion, of link abbreviations
6596@cindex @TeX{} symbol completion
6597@cindex TODO keywords completion
6598@cindex dictionary word completion
6599@cindex option keyword completion
6600@cindex tag completion
6601@cindex link abbreviations, completion of
6602
6603Org-mode supports in-buffer completion. This type of completion does
6604not make use of the minibuffer. You simply type a few letters into
6605the buffer and use the key to complete text right there.
6606
6607@table @kbd
6608@kindex M-@key{TAB}
6609@item M-@key{TAB}
6610Complete word at point
6611@itemize @bullet
6612@item
6613At the beginning of a headline, complete TODO keywords.
6614@item
6615After @samp{\}, complete @TeX{} symbols supported by the exporter.
6616@item
6617After @samp{*}, complete headlines in the current buffer so that they
6618can be used in search links like @samp{[[*find this headline]]}.
6619@item
6620After @samp{:} in a headline, complete tags. The list of tags is taken
6621from the variable @code{org-tag-alist} (possibly set through the
6622@samp{#+TAGS} in-buffer option, @pxref{Setting tags}), or it is created
6623dynamically from all tags used in the current buffer.
6624@item
6625After @samp{:} and not in a headline, complete property keys. The list
6626of keys is constructed dynamically from all keys used in the current
6627buffer.
6628@item
6629After @samp{[}, complete link abbreviations (@pxref{Link abbreviations}).
6630@item
6631After @samp{#+}, complete the special keywords like @samp{TYP_TODO} or
6632@samp{OPTIONS} which set file-specific options for Org-mode. When the
6633option keyword is already complete, pressing @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} again
6634will insert example settings for this keyword.
6635@item
6636In the line after @samp{#+STARTUP: }, complete startup keywords,
6637i.e. valid keys for this line.
6638@item
6639Elsewhere, complete dictionary words using ispell.
6640@end itemize
6641@end table
6642
6643@node Customization, In-buffer settings, Completion, Miscellaneous
6644@section Customization
6645@cindex customization
6646@cindex options, for customization
6647@cindex variables, for customization
6648
6649There are more than 180 variables that can be used to customize
6650Org-mode. For the sake of compactness of the manual, I am not
6651describing the variables here. A structured overview of customization
6652variables is available with @kbd{M-x org-customize}. Or select
6653@code{Browse Org Group} from the @code{Org->Customization} menu. Many
6654settings can also be activated on a per-file basis, by putting special
6655lines into the buffer (@pxref{In-buffer settings}).
6656
6657@node In-buffer settings, The very busy C-c C-c key, Customization, Miscellaneous
6658@section Summary of in-buffer settings
6659@cindex in-buffer settings
6660@cindex special keywords
6661
6662Org-mode uses special lines in the buffer to define settings on a
6663per-file basis. These lines start with a @samp{#+} followed by a
6664keyword, a colon, and then individual words defining a setting. Several
6665setting words can be in the same line, but you can also have multiple
6666lines for the keyword. While these settings are described throughout
6667the manual, here is a summary. After changing any of those lines in the
6668buffer, press @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in the line to
6669activate the changes immediately. Otherwise they become effective only
6670when the file is visited again in a new Emacs session.
6671
6672@table @kbd
6673@item #+ARCHIVE: %s_done::
6674This line sets the archive location for the agenda file. It applies for
6675all subsequent lines until the next @samp{#+ARCHIVE} line, or the end
6676of the file. The first such line also applies to any entries before it.
6677The corresponding variable is @code{org-archive-location}.
6678@item #+CATEGORY:
6679This line sets the category for the agenda file. The category applies
6680for all subsequent lines until the next @samp{#+CATEGORY} line, or the
6681end of the file. The first such line also applies to any entries before it.
6682@item #+COLUMNS: %25ITEM .....
6683Set the default format for columns view. This format applies when
6684columns view is invoked in location where no COLUMNS property applies.
6685@item #+CONSTANTS: name1=value1 ...
6686Set file-local values for constants to be used in table formulas. This
6687line set the local variable @code{org-table-formula-constants-local}.
6688The global version of theis variable is
6689@code{org-table-formula-constants}.
6690corresponding
6691@item #+LINK: linkword replace
6692These lines (several are allowed) specify link abbreviations.
6693@xref{Link abbreviations}. The corresponding variable is
6694@code{org-link-abbrev-alist}.
6695@item #+PRIORITIES: highest lowest default
6696This line sets the limits and the default for the priorities. All three
6697must be either letters A-Z or numbers 0-9. The highest priority must
6698have a lower ASCII number that the lowest priority.
6699@item #+PROPERTY: Property_Name Value
6700This line sets a default inheritance value for entries in the current
6701buffer, most useful for specifying the allowed values of a property.
6702@item #+STARTUP:
6703This line sets options to be used at startup of Org-mode, when an
6704Org-mode file is being visited. The first set of options deals with the
6705initial visibility of the outline tree. The corresponding variable for
6706global default settings is @code{org-startup-folded}, with a default
6707value @code{t}, which means @code{overview}.
6708@cindex @code{overview}, STARTUP keyword
6709@cindex @code{content}, STARTUP keyword
6710@cindex @code{showall}, STARTUP keyword
6711@example
6712overview @r{top-level headlines only}
6713content @r{all headlines}
6714showall @r{no folding at all, show everything}
6715@end example
6716Then there are options for aligning tables upon visiting a file. This
6717is useful in files containing narrowed table columns. The corresponding
6718variable is @code{org-startup-align-all-tables}, with a default value
6719@code{nil}.
6720@cindex @code{align}, STARTUP keyword
6721@cindex @code{noalign}, STARTUP keyword
6722@example
6723align @r{align all tables}
6724noalign @r{don't align tables on startup}
6725@end example
6726Logging TODO state changes and clock intervals (variable
6727@code{org-log-done}) can be configured using these options.
6728@cindex @code{logdone}, STARTUP keyword
6729@cindex @code{nologging}, STARTUP keyword
6730@cindex @code{lognotedone}, STARTUP keyword
6731@cindex @code{lognoteclock-out}, STARTUP keyword
6732@cindex @code{lognotestate}, STARTUP keyword
6733@cindex @code{logrepeat}, STARTUP keyword
6734@cindex @code{nologrepeat}, STARTUP keyword
6735@example
6736logging @r{record a timestamp when an item is marked DONE}
6737nologging @r{don't record when items are marked DONE}
6738lognotedone @r{record timestamp and a note when DONE}
6739lognotestate @r{record timestamp and a note when TODO state changes}
6740logrepeat @r{record a note when re-instating a repeating item}
6741nologrepeat @r{do not record when re-instating repeating item}
6742lognoteclock-out @r{record timestamp and a note when clocking out}
6743@end example
6744Here are the options for hiding leading stars in outline headings. The
6745corresponding variables are @code{org-hide-leading-stars} and
6746@code{org-odd-levels-only}, both with a default setting @code{nil}
6747(meaning @code{showstars} and @code{oddeven}).
6748@cindex @code{hidestars}, STARTUP keyword
6749@cindex @code{showstars}, STARTUP keyword
6750@cindex @code{odd}, STARTUP keyword
6751@cindex @code{even}, STARTUP keyword
6752@example
6753hidestars @r{make all but one of the stars starting a headline invisible.}
6754showstars @r{show all stars starting a headline}
6755odd @r{allow only odd outline levels (1,3,...)}
6756oddeven @r{allow all outline levels}
6757@end example
6758To turn on custom format overlays over time stamps (variables
6759@code{org-put-time-stamp-overlays} and
6760@code{org-time-stamp-overlay-formats}), use
6761@cindex @code{customtime}, STARTUP keyword
6762@example
6763customtime @r{overlay custom time format}
6764@end example
6765The following options influence the table spreadsheet (variable
6766@code{constants-unit-system}).
6767@cindex @code{constcgs}, STARTUP keyword
6768@cindex @code{constSI}, STARTUP keyword
6769@example
6770constcgs @r{@file{constants.el} should use the c-g-s unit system}
6771constSI @r{@file{constants.el} should use the SI unit system}
6772@end example
6773@item #+TAGS: TAG1(c1) TAG2(c2)
6774These lines (several such lines are allowed) specify the legal tags in
6775this file, and (potentially) the corresponding @emph{fast tag selection}
6776keys. The corresponding variable is @code{org-tag-alist}.
6777@item #+TBLFM:
6778This line contains the formulas for the table directly above the line.
6779@item #+TITLE:, #+AUTHOR:, #+EMAIL:, #+LANGUAGE:, #+TEXT:, #+OPTIONS:
6780These lines provide settings for exporting files. For more details see
6781@ref{Export options}.
6782@item #+SEQ_TODO: #+TYP_TODO:
6783These lines set the TODO keywords and their interpretation in the
6784current file. The corresponding variables are @code{org-todo-keywords}
6785and @code{org-todo-interpretation}.
6786@end table
6787
6788@node The very busy C-c C-c key, Clean view, In-buffer settings, Miscellaneous
6789@section The very busy C-c C-c key
6790@kindex C-c C-c
6791@cindex C-c C-c, overview
6792
6793The key @kbd{C-c C-c} has many purposes in org-mode, which are all
6794mentioned scattered throughout this manual. One specific function of
6795this key is to add @emph{tags} to a headline (@pxref{Tags}). In many
6796other circumstances it means something like @emph{Hey Org-mode, look
6797here and update according to what you see here}. Here is a summary of
6798what this means in different contexts.
6799
6800@itemize @minus
6801@item
6802If there are highlights in the buffer from the creation of a sparse
6803tree, or from clock display, remove these highlights.
6804@item
6805If the cursor is in one of the special @code{#+KEYWORD} lines, this
6806triggers scanning the buffer for these lines and updating the
6807information.
6808@item
6809If the cursor is inside a table, realign the table. This command
6810works even if the automatic table editor has been turned off.
6811@item
6812If the cursor is on a @code{#+TBLFM} line, re-apply the formulas to
6813the entire table.
6814@item
6815If the cursor is inside a table created by the @file{table.el} package,
6816activate that table.
6817@item
6818If the current buffer is a remember buffer, close the note and file it.
6819With a prefix argument, file it, without further interaction, to the
6820default location.
6821@item
6822If the cursor is on a @code{<<<target>>>}, update radio targets and
6823corresponding links in this buffer.
6824@item
6825If the cursor is in a property line or at the start or end of a property
6826drawer, offer property commands.
6827@item
6828If the cursor is in a plain list item with a checkbox, toggle the status
6829of the checkbox.
6830@item
6831If the cursor is on a numbered item in a plain list, renumber the
6832ordered list.
6833@end itemize
6834
6835@node Clean view, TTY keys, The very busy C-c C-c key, Miscellaneous
6836@section A cleaner outline view
6837@cindex hiding leading stars
6838@cindex clean outline view
6839
6840Some people find it noisy and distracting that the Org-mode headlines
6841are starting with a potentially large number of stars. For example
6842the tree from @ref{Headlines}:
6843
6844@example
6845* Top level headline
6846** Second level
6847*** 3rd level
6848 some text
6849*** 3rd level
6850 more text
6851* Another top level headline
6852@end example
6853
6854@noindent
6855Unfortunately this is deeply ingrained into the code of Org-mode and
6856cannot be easily changed. You can, however, modify the display in such
6857a way that all leading stars become invisible and the outline more easy
6858to read. To do this, customize the variable
6859@code{org-hide-leading-stars} like this:
6860
6861@lisp
6862(setq org-hide-leading-stars t)
6863@end lisp
6864
6865@noindent
6866or change this on a per-file basis with one of the lines (anywhere in
6867the buffer)
6868
6869@example
6870#+STARTUP: showstars
6871#+STARTUP: hidestars
6872@end example
6873
6874@noindent
6875Press @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor in a @samp{STARTUP} line to activate
6876the modifications.
6877
6878With stars hidden, the tree becomes:
6879
6880@example
6881* Top level headline
6882 * Second level
6883 * 3rd level
6884 some text
6885 * 3rd level
6886 more text
6887* Another top level headline
6888@end example
6889
6890@noindent
6891Note that the leading stars are not truly replaced by whitespace, they
6892are only fontified with the face @code{org-hide} that uses the
6893background color as font color. If you are not using either white or
6894black background, you may have to customize this face to get the wanted
6895effect. Another possibility is to set this font such that the extra
6896stars are @i{almost} invisible, for example using the color
6897@code{grey90} on a white background.
6898
6899Things become cleaner still if you skip all the even levels and use only
6900odd levels 1, 3, 5..., effectively adding two stars to go from one
6901outline level to the next:
6902
6903@example
6904* Top level headline
6905 * Second level
6906 * 3rd level
6907 some text
6908 * 3rd level
6909 more text
6910* Another top level headline
6911@end example
6912
6913@noindent
6914In order to make the structure editing and export commands handle this
6915convention correctly, use
6916
6917@lisp
6918(setq org-odd-levels-only t)
6919@end lisp
6920
6921@noindent
6922or set this on a per-file basis with one of the following lines (don't
6923forget to press @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor in the startup line to
6924activate changes immediately).
6925
6926@example
6927#+STARTUP: odd
6928#+STARTUP: oddeven
6929@end example
6930
6931You can convert an Org-mode file from single-star-per-level to the
6932double-star-per-level convention with @kbd{M-x org-convert-to-odd-levels
6933RET} in that file. The reverse operation is @kbd{M-x
6934org-convert-to-oddeven-levels}.
6935
6936@node TTY keys, Interaction, Clean view, Miscellaneous
6937@section Using org-mode on a tty
6938@cindex tty keybindings
6939
6940Org-mode uses a number of keys that are not accessible on a tty. This
6941applies to most special keys like cursor keys, @key{TAB} and
6942@key{RET}, when these are combined with modifier keys like @key{Meta}
6943and/or @key{Shift}. Org-mode uses these bindings because it needs to
6944provide keys for a large number of commands, and because these keys
6945appeared particularly easy to remember. In order to still be able to
6946access the core functionality of Org-mode on a tty, alternative
6947bindings are provided. Here is a complete list of these bindings,
6948which are obviously more cumbersome to use. Note that sometimes a
6949work-around can be better. For example changing a time stamp is
6950really only fun with @kbd{S-@key{cursor}} keys. On a tty you would
6951rather use @kbd{C-c .} to re-insert the timestamp.
6952
6953@multitable @columnfractions 0.15 0.2 0.2
6954@item @b{Default} @tab @b{Alternative 1} @tab @b{Alternative 2}
6955@item @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} @tab @kbd{C-u @key{TAB}} @tab
6956@item @kbd{M-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x l} @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{left}}
6957@item @kbd{M-S-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x L} @tab
6958@item @kbd{M-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x r} @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{right}}
6959@item @kbd{M-S-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x R} @tab
6960@item @kbd{M-@key{up}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x u} @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{up}}
6961@item @kbd{M-S-@key{up}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x U} @tab
6962@item @kbd{M-@key{down}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x d} @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{down}}
6963@item @kbd{M-S-@key{down}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x D} @tab
6964@item @kbd{S-@key{RET}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x c} @tab
6965@item @kbd{M-@key{RET}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x m} @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{RET}}
6966@item @kbd{M-S-@key{RET}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x M} @tab
6967@item @kbd{S-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{left}} @tab
6968@item @kbd{S-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{right}} @tab
6969@item @kbd{S-@key{up}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{up}} @tab
6970@item @kbd{S-@key{down}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{down}} @tab
6971@item @kbd{C-S-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x @key{left}} @tab
6972@item @kbd{C-S-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x @key{right}} @tab
6973@end multitable
6974
6975@node Interaction, Bugs, TTY keys, Miscellaneous
6976@section Interaction with other packages
6977@cindex packages, interaction with other
6978Org-mode lives in the world of GNU Emacs and interacts in various ways
6979with other code out there.
6980
6981@menu
6982* Cooperation:: Packages Org-mode cooperates with
6983* Conflicts:: Packages that lead to conflicts
6984@end menu
6985
6986@node Cooperation, Conflicts, Interaction, Interaction
6987@subsection Packages that Org-mode cooperates with
6988
6989@table @asis
6990@cindex @file{calc.el}
6991@item @file{calc.el} by Dave Gillespie
6992Org-mode uses the calc package for implementing spreadsheet
6993functionality in its tables (@pxref{The spreadsheet}). Org-mode
6994checks for the availability of calc by looking for the function
6995@code{calc-eval} which should be autoloaded in your setup if calc has
6996been installed properly. As of Emacs 22, calc is part of the Emacs
6997distribution. Another possibility for interaction between the two
6998packages is using calc for embedded calculations. @xref{Embedded Mode,
6999, Embedded Mode, calc, GNU Emacs Calc Manual}.
7000@cindex @file{constants.el}
7001@item @file{constants.el} by Carsten Dominik
7002In a table formula (@pxref{The spreadsheet}), it is possible to use
7003names for natural constants or units. Instead of defining your own
7004constants in the variable @code{org-table-formula-constants}, install
7005the @file{constants} package which defines a large number of constants
7006and units, and lets you use unit prefixes like @samp{M} for
7007@samp{Mega} etc. You will need version 2.0 of this package, available
7008at @url{http://www.astro.uva.nl/~dominik/Tools}. Org-mode checks for
7009the function @code{constants-get}, which has to be autoloaded in your
7010setup. See the installation instructions in the file
7011@file{constants.el}.
7012@item @file{cdlatex.el} by Carsten Dominik
7013@cindex @file{cdlatex.el}
7014Org-mode can make use of the cdlatex package to efficiently enter
7015La@TeX{} fragments into Org-mode files. See @ref{CDLaTeX mode}.
7016@item @file{remember.el} by John Wiegley
7017@cindex @file{remember.el}
7018Org mode cooperates with remember, see @ref{Remember}.
7019@file{Remember.el} is not part of Emacs, find it on the web.
7020@cindex @file{table.el}
7021@item @file{table.el} by Takaaki Ota
7022@kindex C-c C-c
7023@cindex table editor, @file{table.el}
7024@cindex @file{table.el}
7025
7026Complex ASCII tables with automatic line wrapping, column- and
7027row-spanning, and alignment can be created using the Emacs table
7028package by Takaaki Ota (@uref{http://sourceforge.net/projects/table},
7029and also part of Emacs 22).
7030When @key{TAB} or @kbd{C-c C-c} is pressed in such a table, Org-mode
7031will call @command{table-recognize-table} and move the cursor into the
7032table. Inside a table, the keymap of Org-mode is inactive. In order
7033to execute Org-mode-related commands, leave the table.
7034
7035@table @kbd
7036@kindex C-c C-c
7037@item C-c C-c
7038Recognize @file{table.el} table. Works when the cursor is in a
7039table.el table.
7040@c
7041@kindex C-c ~
7042@item C-c ~
7043Insert a table.el table. If there is already a table at point, this
7044command converts it between the table.el format and the Org-mode
7045format. See the documentation string of the command
7046@code{org-convert-table} for the restrictions under which this is
7047possible.
7048@end table
7049@file{table.el} is part of Emacs 22.
7050@cindex @file{footnote.el}
7051@item @file{footnote.el} by Steven L. Baur
7052Org-mode recognizes numerical footnotes as provided by this package
7053(@pxref{Footnotes}).
7054@end table
7055
7056@node Conflicts, , Cooperation, Interaction
7057@subsection Packages that lead to conflicts with Org-mode
7058
7059@table @asis
7060
7061@cindex @file{allout.el}
7062@item @file{allout.el} by Ken Manheimer
7063Startup of Org-mode may fail with the error message
7064@code{(wrong-type-argument keymapp nil)} when there is an outdated
7065version @file{allout.el} on the load path, for example the version
7066distributed with Emacs 21.x. Upgrade to Emacs 22 and this problem will
7067disappear. If for some reason you cannot do this, make sure that org.el
7068is loaded @emph{before} @file{allout.el}, for example by putting
7069@code{(require 'org)} early enough into your @file{.emacs} file.
7070
7071@cindex @file{CUA.el}
7072@item @file{CUA.el} by Kim. F. Storm
7073Keybindings in Org-mode conflict with the @kbd{S-<cursor>} keys
7074used by CUA-mode (as well as pc-select-mode and s-region-mode) to
7075select and extend the region. If you want to use one of these
7076packages along with Org-mode, configure the variable
7077@code{org-CUA-compatible}. When set, Org-mode will move the following
7078keybindings in Org-mode files, and in the agenda buffer (but not
7079during date selection).
7080
7081@example
7082S-UP -> M-p S-DOWN -> M-n
7083S-LEFT -> M-- S-RIGHT -> M-+
7084@end example
7085
7086Yes, these are unfortunately more difficult to remember. If you want
7087to have other replacement keys, look at the variable
7088@code{org-disputed-keys}.
7089@item @file{windmove.el} by Hovav Shacham
7090@cindex @file{windmove.el}
7091Also this package uses the @kbd{S-<cursor>} keys, so everything written
7092in the paragraph above about CUA mode also applies here.
7093
7094@cindex @file{footnote.el}
7095@item @file{footnote.el} by Steven L. Baur
7096Org-mode supports the syntax of the footnote package, but only the
7097numerical footnote markers. Also, the default key for footnote
7098commands, @kbd{C-c !} is already used by Org-mode. You could use the
7099variable @code{footnote-prefix} to switch footnotes commands to another
7100key. Or, you could use @code{org-replace-disputed-keys} and
7101@code{org-disputed-keys} to change the settings in Org-mode.
7102
7103@end table
7104
7105
7106@node Bugs, , Interaction, Miscellaneous
7107@section Bugs
7108@cindex bugs
7109
7110Here is a list of things that should work differently, but which I
7111have found too hard to fix.
7112
7113@itemize @bullet
7114@item
7115If a table field starts with a link, and if the corresponding table
7116column is narrowed (@pxref{Narrow columns}) to a width too small to
7117display the link, the field would look entirely empty even though it is
7118not. To prevent this, Org-mode throws an error. The work-around is to
7119make the column wide enough to fit the link, or to add some text (at
7120least 2 characters) before the link in the same field.
7121@item
7122Narrowing table columns does not work on XEmacs, because the
7123@code{format} function does not transport text properties.
7124@item
7125Text in an entry protected with the @samp{QUOTE} keyword should not
7126autowrap.
7127@item
7128When the application called by @kbd{C-c C-o} to open a file link fails
7129(for example because the application does not exist or refuses to open
7130the file), it does so silently. No error message is displayed.
7131@item
7132Recalculating a table line applies the formulas from left to right.
7133If a formula uses @emph{calculated} fields further down the row,
7134multiple recalculation may be needed to get all fields consistent. You
7135may use the command @code{org-table-iterate} (@kbd{C-u C-c *}) to
7136recalculate until convergence.
7137@item
7138A single letter cannot be made bold, for example @samp{*a*}.
7139@item
7140The exporters work well, but could be made more efficient.
7141@end itemize
7142
7143
7144@node Extensions and Hacking, History and Acknowledgments, Miscellaneous, Top
7145@appendix Extensions, Hooks and Hacking
7146
7147This appendix lists extensions for Org-mode written by other authors.
7148It also covers some aspects where users can extend the functionality of
7149Org-mode.
7150
7151@menu
7152* Extensions:: Existing 3rd-part extensions
7153* Adding hyperlink types:: New custom link types
7154* Tables in arbitrary syntax:: Orgtbl for LaTeX and other programs
7155* Dynamic blocks:: Automatically filled blocks
7156* Special agenda views:: Customized views
7157* Using the property API:: Writing programs that use entry properties
7158@end menu
7159
7160@node Extensions, Adding hyperlink types, Extensions and Hacking, Extensions and Hacking
7161@section Third-party extensions for Org-mode
7162@cindex extension, third-party
7163
7164The following extensions for Org-mode have been written by other people:
7165
7166@table @asis
7167@cindex @file{org-publish.el}
7168@item @file{org-publish.el} by David O'Toole
7169This package provides facilities for publishing related sets of Org-mode
7170files together with linked files like images as webpages. It is
7171highly configurable and can be used for other publishing purposes as
7172well. As of Org-mode version 4.30, @file{org-publish.el} is part of the
7173Org-mode distribution. It is not yet part of Emacs, however, a delay
7174caused by the preparations for the 22.1 release. In the mean time,
7175@file{org-publish.el} can be downloaded from David's site:
7176@url{http://dto.freeshell.org/e/org-publish.el}.
7177@cindex @file{org-mouse.el}
7178@item @file{org-mouse.el} by Piotr Zielinski
7179This package implements extended mouse functionality for Org-mode. It
7180allows you to cycle visibility and to edit the document structure with
7181the mouse. Best of all, it provides a context-sensitive menu on
7182@key{mouse-3} that changes depending on the context of a mouse-click.
7183As of Org-mode version 4.53, @file{org-mouse.el} is part of the
7184Org-mode distribution. It is not yet part of Emacs, however, a delay
7185caused by the preparations for the 22.1 release. In the mean time,
7186@file{org-mouse.el} can be downloaded from Piotr's site:
7187@url{http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~pz215/files/org-mouse.el}.
7188@cindex @file{org-blog.el}
7189@item @file{org-blog.el} by David O'Toole
7190A blogging plug-in for @file{org-publish.el}.@*
7191@url{http://dto.freeshell.org/notebook/OrgMode.html}.
7192@cindex @file{blorg.el}
7193@item @file{blorg.el} by Bastien Guerry
7194Publish Org-mode files as
7195blogs. @url{http://www.cognition.ens.fr/~guerry/blorg.html}.
7196@cindex @file{org2rem.el}
7197@item @file{org2rem.el} by Bastien Guerry
7198Translates Org-mode files into something readable by
7199Remind. @url{http://www.cognition.ens.fr/~guerry/u/org2rem.el}.
7200@end table
7201
7202@page
7203
7204@node Adding hyperlink types, Tables in arbitrary syntax, Extensions, Extensions and Hacking
7205@section Adding hyperlink types
7206@cindex hyperlinks, adding new types
7207
7208Org-mode has a large number of hyperlink types built-in
7209(@pxref{Hyperlinks}). If you would like to add new link types, it
7210provides an interface for doing so. Lets look at an example file
7211@file{org-man.el} that will add support for creating links like
7212@samp{[[man:printf][The printf manpage]]} to show unix manual pages inside
7213emacs:
7214
7215@lisp
7216;;; org-man.el - Support for links to manpages in Org-mode
7217
7218(require 'org)
7219
7220(org-add-link-type "man" 'org-man-open)
7221(add-hook 'org-store-link-functions 'org-man-store-link)
7222
7223(defcustom org-man-command 'man
7224 "The Emacs command to be used to display a man page."
7225 :group 'org-link
7226 :type '(choice (const man) (const woman)))
7227
7228(defun org-man-open (path)
7229 "Visit the manpage on PATH.
7230PATH should be a topic that can be thrown at the man command."
7231 (funcall org-man-command path))
7232
7233(defun org-man-store-link ()
7234 "Store a link to a manpage."
7235 (when (memq major-mode '(Man-mode woman-mode))
7236 ;; This is a man page, we do make this link
7237 (let* ((page (org-man-get-page-name))
7238 (link (concat "man:" page))
7239 (description (format "Manpage for %s" page)))
7240 (org-store-link-props
7241 :type "man"
7242 :link link
7243 :description description))))
7244
7245(defun org-man-get-page-name ()
7246 "Extract the page name from the buffer name."
7247 ;; This works for both `Man-mode' and `woman-mode'.
7248 (if (string-match " \\(\\S-+\\)\\*" (buffer-name))
7249 (match-string 1 (buffer-name))
7250 (error "Cannot create link to this man page")))
7251
7252(provide 'org-man)
7253
7254;;; org-man.el ends here
7255@end lisp
7256
7257@noindent
7258You would activate this new link type in @file{.emacs} with
7259
7260@lisp
7261(require 'org-man)
7262@end lisp
7263
7264@noindent
7265Lets go through the file and see what it does.
7266@enumerate
7267@item
7268It does @code{(require 'org)} to make sure that @file{org.el} has been
7269loaded.
7270@item
7271The next line calls @code{org-add-link-type} to define a new link type
7272with prefix @samp{man}. The call also contains the name of a function
7273that will be called to follow such a link.
7274@item
7275The next line adds a function to @code{org-store-link-functions}, in
7276order to allow the command @kbd{C-c l} to record a useful link in a
7277buffer displaying a man page.
7278@end enumerate
7279
7280The rest of the file defines the necessary variables and functions.
7281First there is a customization variable that determines which emacs
7282command should be used to display manpages. There are two options,
7283@code{man} and @code{woman}. Then the function to follow a link is
7284defined. It gets the link path as an argument - in this case the link
7285path is just a topic for the manual command. The function calls the
7286value of @code{org-man-command} to display the man page.
7287
7288Finally the function @code{org-man-store-link} is defined. When you try
7289to store a link with @kbd{C-c l}, also this function will be called to
7290try to make a link. The function must first decide if it is supposed to
7291create the link for this buffer type, we do this by checking the value
7292of the variable @code{major-mode}. If not, the function must exit and
7293retunr the value @code{nil}. If yes, the link is created by getting the
7294manual tpoic from the buffer name and prefixing it with the string
7295@samp{man:}. Then it must call the command @code{org-store-link-props}
7296and set the @code{:type} and @code{:link} properties. Optionally you
7297can also set the @code{:description} property to provide a default for
7298the link description when the link is later inserted into tan Org-mode
7299buffer with @kbd{C-c C-l}.
7300
7301@node Tables in arbitrary syntax, Dynamic blocks, Adding hyperlink types, Extensions and Hacking
7302@section Tables in arbitrary syntax
7303@cindex tables, in other modes
7304@cindex orgtbl-mode
7305
7306Since Orgtbl-mode can be used as a minor mode in arbitrary buffers, a
7307frequent feature request has been to make it work with native tables in
7308specific languages, for example La@TeX{}. However, this is extremely hard
7309to do in a general way, would lead to a customization nightmare, and
7310would take away much of the simplicity of the Orgtbl-mode table editor.
7311
7312This appendix describes a different approach. We keep the Orgtbl-mode
7313table in its native format (the @i{source table}), and use a custom
7314function to @i{translate} the table to the correct syntax, and to
7315@i{install} it in the right location (the @i{target table}). This puts
7316the burden of writing conversion functions on the user, but it allows
7317for a very flexible system.
7318
7319@menu
7320* Radio tables:: Sending and receiving
7321* A LaTeX example:: Step by step, almost a tutorial
7322* Translator functions:: Copy and modify
7323@end menu
7324
7325@node Radio tables, A LaTeX example, Tables in arbitrary syntax, Tables in arbitrary syntax
7326@subsection Radio tables
7327@cindex radio tables
7328
7329To define the location of the target table, you first need to create two
7330lines that are comments in the current mode, but contain magic words for
7331Orgtbl-mode to find. Orgtbl-mode will insert the translated table
7332between these lines, replacing whatever was there before. For example:
7333
7334@example
7335/* BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL table_name */
7336/* END RECEIVE ORGTBL table_name */
7337@end example
7338
7339@noindent
7340Just above the source table, we put a special line that tells
7341Orgtbl-mode how to translate this table and where to install it. For
7342example:
7343@example
7344#+ORGTBL: SEND table_name translation_function arguments....
7345@end example
7346
7347@noindent
7348@code{table_name} is the reference name for the table that is also used
7349in the receiver lines. @code{translation_function} is the Lisp function
7350that does the translation. Furthermore, the line can contain a list of
7351arguments (alternating key and value) at the end. The arguments will be
7352passed as a property list to the translation function for
7353interpretation. A few standard parameters are already recognized and
7354acted upon before the translation function is called:
7355
7356@table @code
7357@item :skip N
7358Skip the first N lines of the table. Hlines do count!
7359@item :skipcols (n1 n2 ...)
7360List of columns that should be skipped. If the table has a column with
7361calculation marks, that column is automatically discarded as well.
7362Please note that the translator function sees the table @emph{after} the
7363removal of these columns, the function never knows that there have been
7364additional columns.
7365@end table
7366
7367@noindent
7368The one problem remaining is how to keep the source table in the buffer
7369without disturbing the normal workings of the file, for example during
7370compilation of a C file or processing of a La@TeX{} file. There are a
7371number of different solutions:
7372
7373@itemize @bullet
7374@item
7375The table could be placed in a block comment if that is supported by the
7376language. For example, in C-mode you could wrap the table between
7377@samp{/*} and @samp{*/} lines.
7378@item
7379Sometimes it is possible to put the table after some kind of @i{END}
7380statement, for example @samp{\bye} in TeX and @samp{\end@{document@}}
7381in La@TeX{}.
7382@item
7383You can just comment the table line by line whenever you want to process
7384the file, and uncomment it whenever you need to edit the table. This
7385only sounds tedious - the command @kbd{M-x orgtbl-toggle-comment} does
7386make this comment-toggling very easy, in particular if you bind it to a
7387key.
7388@end itemize
7389
7390@node A LaTeX example, Translator functions, Radio tables, Tables in arbitrary syntax
7391@subsection A LaTeX example
7392@cindex LaTeX, and orgtbl-mode
7393
7394The best way to wrap the source table in La@TeX{} is to use the
7395@code{comment} environment provided by @file{comment.sty}. It has to be
7396activated by placing @code{\usepackage@{comment@}} into the document
7397header. Orgtbl-mode can insert a radio table skeleton@footnote{By
7398default this works only for La@TeX{}, HTML, and TeXInfo. Configure the
7399variable @code{orgtbl-radio-tables} to install templates for other
7400modes.} with the command @kbd{M-x orgtbl-insert-radio-table}. You will
7401be prompted for a table name, lets say we use @samp{salesfigures}. You
7402will then get the following template:
7403
7404@example
7405% BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
7406% END RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
7407\begin@{comment@}
7408#+ORGTBL: SEND salesfigures orgtbl-to-latex
7409| | |
7410\end@{comment@}
7411@end example
7412
7413@noindent
7414The @code{#+ORGTBL: SEND} line tells orgtbl-mode to use the function
7415@code{orgtbl-to-latex} to convert the table into La@TeX{} and to put it
7416into the receiver location with name @code{salesfigures}. You may now
7417fill in the table, feel free to use the spreadsheet features@footnote{If
7418the @samp{#+TBLFM} line contains an odd number of dollar characters,
7419this may cause problems with font-lock in latex-mode. As shown in the
7420example you can fix this by adding an extra line inside the
7421@code{comment} environment that is used to balance the dollar
7422expressions. If you are using AUCTeX with the font-latex library, a
7423much better solution is to add the @code{comment} environment to the
7424variable @code{LaTeX-verbatim-environments}.}:
7425
7426@example
7427% BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
7428% END RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
7429\begin@{comment@}
7430#+ORGTBL: SEND salesfigures orgtbl-to-latex
7431| Month | Days | Nr sold | per day |
7432|-------+------+---------+---------|
7433| Jan | 23 | 55 | 2.4 |
7434| Feb | 21 | 16 | 0.8 |
7435| March | 22 | 278 | 12.6 |
7436#+TBLFM: $4=$3/$2;%.1f
7437% $ (optional extra dollar to keep font-lock happy, see footnote)
7438\end@{comment@}
7439@end example
7440
7441@noindent
7442When you are done, press @kbd{C-c C-c} in the table to get the converted
7443table inserted between the two marker lines.
7444
7445Now lets assume you want to make the table header by hand, because you
7446want to control how columns are aligned etc. In this case we make sure
7447that the table translator does skip the first 2 lines of the source
7448table, and tell the command to work as a @i{splice}, i.e. to not produce
7449header and footer commands of the target table:
7450
7451@example
7452\begin@{tabular@}@{lrrr@}
7453Month & \multicolumn@{1@}@{c@}@{Days@} & Nr.\ sold & per day\\
7454% BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
7455% END RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
7456\end@{tabular@}
7457%
7458\begin@{comment@}
7459#+ORGTBL: SEND salesfigures orgtbl-to-latex :splice t :skip 2
7460| Month | Days | Nr sold | per day |
7461|-------+------+---------+---------|
7462| Jan | 23 | 55 | 2.4 |
7463| Feb | 21 | 16 | 0.8 |
7464| March | 22 | 278 | 12.6 |
7465#+TBLFM: $4=$3/$2;%.1f
7466\end@{comment@}
7467@end example
7468
7469The La@TeX{} translator function @code{orgtbl-to-latex} is already part of
7470Orgtbl-mode. It uses a @code{tabular} environment to typeset the table
7471and marks horizontal lines with @code{\hline}. Furthermore, it
7472interprets the following parameters:
7473
7474@table @code
7475@item :splice nil/t
7476When set to t, return only table body lines, don't wrap them into a
7477tabular environment. Default is nil.
7478
7479@item :fmt fmt
7480A format to be used to wrap each field, should contain @code{%s} for the
7481original field value. For example, to wrap each field value in dollars,
7482you could use @code{:fmt "$%s$"}. This may also be a property list with
7483column numbers and formats. for example @code{:fmt (2 "$%s$" 4 "%s\\%%")}.
7484
7485@item :efmt efmt
7486Use this format to print numbers with exponentials. The format should
7487have @code{%s} twice for inserting mantissa and exponent, for example
7488@code{"%s\\times10^@{%s@}"}. The default is @code{"%s\\,(%s)"}. This
7489may also be a property list with column numbers and formats, for example
7490@code{:efmt (2 "$%s\\times10^@{%s@}$" 4 "$%s\\cdot10^@{%s@}$")}. After
7491@code{efmt} has been applied to a value, @code{fmt} will also be
7492applied.
7493@end table
7494
7495@node Translator functions, , A LaTeX example, Tables in arbitrary syntax
7496@subsection Translator functions
7497@cindex HTML, and orgtbl-mode
7498@cindex translator function
7499
7500Orgtbl-mode has several translator functions built-in:
7501@code{orgtbl-to-latex}, @code{orgtbl-to-html}, and
7502@code{orgtbl-to-texinfo}. Except for @code{orgtbl-to-html}@footnote{The
7503HTML translator uses the same code that produces tables during HTML
7504export.}, these all use a generic translator, @code{orgtbl-to-generic}.
7505For example, @code{orgtbl-to-latex} itself is a very short function that
7506computes the column definitions for the @code{tabular} environment,
7507defines a few field and line separators and then hands over to the
7508generic translator. Here is the entire code:
7509
7510@lisp
7511@group
7512(defun orgtbl-to-latex (table params)
7513 "Convert the orgtbl-mode TABLE to LaTeX."
7514 (let* ((alignment (mapconcat (lambda (x) (if x "r" "l"))
7515 org-table-last-alignment ""))
7516 (params2
7517 (list
7518 :tstart (concat "\\begin@{tabular@}@{" alignment "@}")
7519 :tend "\\end@{tabular@}"
7520 :lstart "" :lend " \\\\" :sep " & "
7521 :efmt "%s\\,(%s)" :hline "\\hline")))
7522 (orgtbl-to-generic table (org-combine-plists params2 params))))
7523@end group
7524@end lisp
7525
7526As you can see, the properties passed into the function (variable
7527@var{PARAMS}) are combined with the ones newly defined in the function
7528(variable @var{PARAMS2}). The ones passed into the function (i.e. the
7529ones set by the @samp{ORGTBL SEND} line) take precedence. So if you
7530would like to use the La@TeX{} translator, but wanted the line endings to
7531be @samp{\\[2mm]} instead of the default @samp{\\}, you could just
7532overrule the default with
7533
7534@example
7535#+ORGTBL: SEND test orgtbl-to-latex :lend " \\\\[2mm]"
7536@end example
7537
7538For a new language, you can either write your own converter function in
7539analogy with the La@TeX{} translator, or you can use the generic function
7540directly. For example, if you have a language where a table is started
7541with @samp{!BTBL!}, ended with @samp{!ETBL!}, and where table lines are
7542started with @samp{!BL!}, ended with @samp{!EL!} and where the field
7543separator is a TAB, you could call the generic translator like this (on
7544a single line!):
7545
7546@example
7547#+ORGTBL: SEND test orgtbl-to-generic :tstart "!BTBL!" :tend "!ETBL!"
7548 :lstart "!BL! " :lend " !EL!" :sep "\t"
7549@end example
7550
7551@noindent
7552Please check the documentation string of the function
7553@code{orgtbl-to-generic} for a full list of parameters understood by
7554that function and remember that you can pass each of them into
7555@code{orgtbl-to-latex}, @code{orgtbl-to-texinfo}, and any other function
7556using the generic function.
7557
7558Of course you can also write a completely new function doing complicated
7559things the generic translator cannot do. A translator function takes
7560two arguments. The first argument is the table, a list of lines, each
7561line either the symbol @code{hline} or a list of fields. The second
7562argument is the property list containing all parameters specified in the
7563@samp{#+ORGTBL: SEND} line. The function must return a single string
7564containing the formatted table. If you write a generally useful
7565translator, please post it on @code{emacs-orgmode@@gnu.org} so that
7566others can benefit from your work.
7567
7568@node Dynamic blocks, Special agenda views, Tables in arbitrary syntax, Extensions and Hacking
7569@section Dynamic blocks
7570@cindex dynamic blocks
7571
7572Org-mode documents can contain @emph{dynamic blocks}. These are
7573specially marked regions that are updated by some user-written function.
7574A good example for such a block is the clock table inserted by the
7575command @kbd{C-c C-x C-r} (@pxref{Clocking work time}).
7576
7577Dynamic block are enclosed by a BEGIN-END structure that assigns a name
7578to the block and can also specify parameters for the function producing
7579the content of the block.
7580
7581@example
7582#+BEGIN: myblock :parameter1 value1 :parameter2 value2 ...
7583
7584#+END:
7585@end example
7586
7587Dynamic blocks are updated with the following commands
7588
7589@table @kbd
7590@kindex C-c C-x C-u
7591@item C-c C-x C-u
7592Update dynamic block at point.
7593@kindex C-u C-c C-x C-u
7594@item C-u C-c C-x C-u
7595Update all dynamic blocks in the current file.
7596@end table
7597
7598Updating a dynamic block means to remove all the text between BEGIN and
7599END, parse the BEGIN line for parameters and then call the specific
7600writer function for this block to insert the new content. For a block
7601with name @code{myblock}, the writer function is
7602@code{org-dblock-write:myblock} with as only parameter a property list
7603with the parameters given in the begin line. Here is a trivial example
7604of a block that keeps track of when the block update function was last
7605run:
7606
7607@example
7608#+BEGIN: block-update-time :format "on %m/%d/%Y at %H:%M"
7609
7610#+END:
7611@end example
7612
7613@noindent
7614The corresponding block writer function could look like this:
7615
7616@lisp
7617(defun org-dblock-write:block-update-time (params)
7618 (let ((fmt (or (plist-get params :format) "%d. %m. %Y")))
7619 (insert "Last block update at: "
7620 (format-time-string fmt (current-time)))))
7621@end lisp
7622
7623If you want to make sure that all dynamic blocks are always up-to-date,
7624you could add the function @code{org-update-all-dblocks} to a hook, for
7625example @code{before-save-hook}. @code{org-update-all-dblocks} is
7626written in a way that is does nothing in buffers that are not in Org-mode.
7627
7628@node Special agenda views, Using the property API, Dynamic blocks, Extensions and Hacking
7629@section Special Agenda Views
7630@cindex agenda views, user-defined
7631
7632Org-mode provides a special hook that can be used to narrow down the
7633selection made by any of the agenda views. You may specify a function
7634that is used at each match to verify if the match should indeed be part
7635of the agenda view, and if not, how much should be skipped.
7636
7637Let's say you want to produce a list of projects that contain a WAITING
7638tag anywhere in the project tree. Let's further assume that you have
7639marked all tree headings that define a project with the todo keyword
7640PROJECT. In this case you would run a todo search for the keyword
7641PROJECT, but skip the match unless there is a WAITING tag anywhere in
7642the subtree belonging to the project line.
7643
7644To achieve this, you must write a function that searches the subtree for
7645the tag. If the tag is found, the function must return @code{nil} to
7646indicate that this match should not be skipped. If there is no such
7647tag, return the location of the end of the subtree, to indicate that
7648search should continue from there.
7649
7650@lisp
7651(defun my-skip-unless-waiting ()
7652 "Skip trees that are not waiting"
7653 (let ((subtree-end (save-excursion (org-end-of-subtree t))))
7654 (if (re-search-forward ":WAITING:" subtree-end t)
7655 nil ; tag found, do not skip
7656 subtree-end))) ; tag not found, continue after end of subtree
7657@end lisp
7658
7659Now you may use this function in an agenda custom command, for example
7660like this:
7661
7662@lisp
7663(org-add-agenda-custom-command
7664 '("b" todo "PROJECT"
7665 ((org-agenda-skip-function 'my-org-waiting-projects)
7666 (org-agenda-overriding-header "Projects waiting for something: "))))
7667@end lisp
7668
7669Note that this also binds @code{org-agenda-overriding-header} to get a
7670meaningful header in the agenda view.
7671
7672You may also put a Lisp form into @code{org-agenda-skip-function}. In
7673particular, you may use the functions @code{org-agenda-skip-entry-if}
7674and @code{org-agenda-skip-subtree-if} in this form, for example:
7675
7676@table @code
7677@item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'scheduled)
7678Skip current entry if it has been scheduled.
7679@item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'notscheduled)
7680Skip current entry if it has not been scheduled.
7681@item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'deadline)
7682Skip current entry if it has a deadline.
7683@item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'scheduled 'deadline)
7684Skip current entry if it has a deadline, or if it is scheduled.
7685@item '(org-agenda-skip-entry 'regexp "regular expression")
7686Skip current entry if the regular expression contained in the variable
7687@code{org-agenda-skip-regexp} matches in the entry.
7688@item '(org-agenda-skip-subtree-if 'regexp "regular expression")
7689Same as above, but check and skip the entire subtree.
7690@end table
7691
7692Therefore we could also have written the search for WAITING projects
7693like this, even without defining a special function:
7694
7695@lisp
7696(org-add-agenda-custom-command
7697 '("b" todo "PROJECT"
7698 ((org-agenda-skip-function '(org-agenda-skip-subtree-if
7699 'regexp ":WAITING:"))
7700 (org-agenda-overriding-header "Projects waiting for something: "))))
7701@end lisp
7702
7703
7704@node Using the property API, , Special agenda views, Extensions and Hacking
7705@section Using the property API
7706@cindex API, for properties
7707@cindex properties, API
7708
7709Here is a description of the functions that can be used to work with
7710properties.
7711
7712@defun org-entry-properties &optional pom which
7713Get all properties of the entry at point-or-marker POM.
7714This includes the TODO keyword, the tags, time strings for deadline,
7715scheduled, and clocking, and any additional properties defined in the
7716entry. The return value is an alist, keys may occur multiple times
7717if the property key was used several times.
7718POM may also be nil, in which case the current entry is used.
7719If WHICH is nil or `all', get all properties. If WHICH is
7720`special' or `standard', only get that subclass.
7721@end defun
7722@defun org-entry-get pom property &optional inherit
7723Get value of PROPERTY for entry at point-or-marker POM.
7724If INHERIT is non-nil and the entry does not have the property,
7725then also check higher levels of the hierarchy.
7726@end defun
7727
7728@defun org-entry-delete pom property
7729Delete the property PROPERTY from entry at point-or-marker POM.
7730@end defun
7731
7732@defun org-entry-put pom property value
7733Set PROPERTY to VALUE for entry at point-or-marker POM.
7734@end defun
7735
7736@defun org-buffer-property-keys &optional include-specials
7737Get all property keys in the current buffer.
7738@end defun
7739
7740@defun org-insert-property-drawer
7741Insert a property drawer at point.
7742@end defun
7743
7744@node History and Acknowledgments, Index, Extensions and Hacking, Top
7745@appendix History and Acknowledgments
7746@cindex acknowledgments
7747@cindex history
7748@cindex thanks
7749
7750Org-mode was borne in 2003, out of frustration over the user interface
7751of the Emacs outline-mode. I was trying to organize my notes and
7752projects, and using Emacs seemed to be the natural way to go. However,
7753having to remember eleven different commands with two or three keys per
7754command, only to hide and unhide parts of the outline tree, that seemed
7755entirely unacceptable to me. Also, when using outlines to take notes, I
7756constantly want to restructure the tree, organizing it parallel to my
7757thoughts and plans. @emph{Visibility cycling} and @emph{structure
7758editing} were originally implemented in the package
7759@file{outline-magic.el}, but quickly moved to the more general
7760@file{org.el}. As this environment became comfortable for project
7761planning, the next step was adding @emph{TODO entries}, basic @emph{time
7762stamps}, and @emph{table support}. These areas highlight the two main
7763goals that Org-mode still has today: To create a new, outline-based,
7764plain text mode with innovative and intuitive editing features, and to
7765incorporate project planning functionality directly into a notes file.
7766
7767Since the first release, literally thousands of emails to me or on
7768@code{emacs-orgmode@@gnu.org} have provided a constant stream of bug
7769reports, feedback, new ideas, and sometimes patches and add-on code.
7770Many thanks to everyone who has helped to improve this package. I am
7771trying to keep here a list of the people who had significant influence
7772in shaping one or more aspects of Org-mode. The list may not be
7773complete, if I have forgotten someone, please accept my apologies and
7774let me know.
7775
7776@itemize @bullet
7777
7778@item
7779@i{Russel Adams} came up with the idea for drawers.
7780@item
7781@i{Thomas Baumann} contributed the code for links to the MH-E email
7782system.
7783@item
7784@i{Alex Bochannek} provided a patch for rounding time stamps.
7785@item
7786@i{Charles Cave}'s suggestion sparked the implementation of templates
7787for Remember.
7788@item
7789@i{Pavel Chalmoviansky} influenced the agenda treatment of items with
7790specified time.
7791@item
7792@i{Gregory Chernov} patched support for lisp forms into table
7793calculations and improved XEmacs compatibility, in particular by porting
7794@file{nouline.el} to XEmacs.
7795@item
7796@i{Sacha Chua} suggested to copy some linking code from Planner.
7797@item
7798@i{Eddward DeVilla} proposed and tested checkbox statistics. He also
7799came up with the idea of properties, and that there should be an API for
7800them.
7801@item
7802@i{Kees Dullemond} used to edit projects lists directly in HTML and so
7803inspired some of the early development, including HTML export. He also
7804asked for a way to narrow wide table columns.
7805@item
7806@i{Christian Egli} converted the documentation into TeXInfo format,
7807patched CSS formatting into the HTML exporter, and inspired the agenda.
7808@item
7809@i{David Emery} provided a patch for custom CSS support in exported
7810HTML agendas.
7811@item
7812@i{Nic Ferrier} contributed mailcap and XOXO support.
7813@item
7814@i{John Foerch} figured out how to make incremental search show context
7815around a match in a hidden outline tree.
7816@item
7817@i{Niels Giessen} had the idea to automatically archive DONE trees.
7818@item
7819@i{Bastien Guerry} wrote the La@TeX{} exporter and has been prolific
7820with patches, ideas, and bug reports.
7821to Org-mode.
7822@item
7823@i{Kai Grossjohann} pointed out key-binding conflicts with other packages.
7824@item
7825@i{Scott Jaderholm} proposed footnotes, control over whitespace between
7826folded entries, and column view for properties.
7827@item
7828@i{Shidai Liu} ("Leo") asked for embedded La@TeX{} and tested it. He also
7829provided frequent feedback and some patches.
7830@item
7831@i{Jason F. McBrayer} suggested agenda export to CSV format.
7832@item
7833@i{Dmitri Minaev} sent a patch to set priority limits on a per-file
7834basis.
7835@item
7836@i{Stefan Monnier} provided a patch to keep the Emacs-Lisp compiler
7837happy.
7838@item
7839@i{Rick Moynihan} proposed to allow multiple TODO sequences in a file.
7840@item
7841@i{Todd Neal} provided patches for links to Info files and elisp forms.
7842@item
7843@i{Tim O'Callaghan} suggested in-file links, search options for general
7844file links, and TAGS.
7845@item
7846@i{Takeshi Okano} translated the manual and David O'Toole's tutorial
7847into Japanese.
7848@item
7849@i{Oliver Oppitz} suggested multi-state TODO items.
7850@item
7851@i{Scott Otterson} sparked the introduction of descriptive text for
7852links, among other things.
7853@item
7854@i{Pete Phillips} helped during the development of the TAGS feature, and
7855provided frequent feedback.
7856@item
7857@i{T.V. Raman} reported bugs and suggested improvements.
7858@item
7859@i{Matthias Rempe} (Oelde) provided ideas, Windows support, and quality
7860control.
7861@item
7862@i{Kevin Rogers} contributed code to access VM files on remote hosts.
7863@item
7864@i{Frank Ruell} solved the mystery of the @code{keymapp nil} bug, a
7865conflict with @file{allout.el}.
7866@item
7867@i{Jason Riedy} sent a patch to fix a bug with export of TODO keywords.
7868@item
7869@i{Philip Rooke} created the Org-mode reference card and provided lots
7870of feedback.
7871@item
7872@i{Christian Schlauer} proposed angular brackets around links, among
7873other things.
7874@item
7875Linking to VM/BBDB/GNUS was inspired by @i{Tom Shannon}'s
7876@file{organizer-mode.el}.
7877@item
7878@i{Daniel Sinder} came up with the idea of internal archiving by locking
7879subtrees.
7880@item
7881@i{Dale Smith} proposed link abbreviations.
7882@item
7883@i{Adam Spiers} asked for global linking commands and inspired the link
7884extension system. support mairix.
7885@item
7886@i{David O'Toole} wrote @file{org-publish.el} and drafted the manual
7887chapter about publishing.
7888@item
7889@i{J@"urgen Vollmer} contributed code generating the table of contents
7890in HTML output.
7891@item
7892@i{Chris Wallace} provided a patch implementing the @samp{QUOTE}
7893keyword.
7894@item
7895@i{David Wainberg} suggested archiving, and improvements to the linking
7896system.
7897@item
7898@i{John Wiegley} wrote @file{emacs-wiki.el} and @file{planner.el}. The
7899development of Org-mode was fully independent, and both systems are
7900really different beasts in their basic ideas and implementation details.
7901I later looked at John's code, however, and learned from his
7902implementation of (i) links where the link itself is hidden and only a
7903description is shown, and (ii) popping up a calendar to select a date.
7904John has also contributed a number of great ideas directly to Org-mode.
7905@item
7906@i{Carsten Wimmer} suggested some changes and helped fix a bug in
7907linking to GNUS.
7908@item
7909@i{Roland Winkler} requested additional keybindings to make Org-mode
7910work on a tty.
7911@item
7912@i{Piotr Zielinski} wrote @file{org-mouse.el}, proposed agenda blocks
7913and contributed various ideas and code snippets.
7914@end itemize
7915
7916
7917@node Index, Key Index, History and Acknowledgments, Top
7918@unnumbered Index
7919
7920@printindex cp
7921
7922@node Key Index, , Index, Top
7923@unnumbered Key Index
7924
7925@printindex ky
7926
7927@bye
7928
7929@ignore
7930 arch-tag: 7893d1fe-cc57-4d13-b5e5-f494a1bcc7ac
7931@end ignore