3 @setfilename ../../info/org
4 @settitle The Org Manual
6 @include org-version.inc
8 @c Use proper quote and backtick for code sections in PDF output
9 @c Cf. Texinfo manual 14.2
10 @set txicodequoteundirected
11 @set txicodequotebacktick
13 @c Version and Contact Info
14 @set MAINTAINERSITE @uref{http://orgmode.org,maintainers web page}
15 @set AUTHOR Carsten Dominik
16 @set MAINTAINER Carsten Dominik
17 @set MAINTAINEREMAIL @email{carsten at orgmode dot org}
18 @set MAINTAINERCONTACT @uref{mailto:carsten at orgmode dot org,contact the maintainer}
23 @c -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
25 @c Macro definitions for commands and keys
26 @c =======================================
28 @c The behavior of the key/command macros will depend on the flag cmdnames
29 @c When set, commands names are shown. When clear, they are not shown.
33 @c Below we define the following macros for Org key tables:
35 @c orgkey{key} A key item
36 @c orgcmd{key,cmd} Key with command name
37 @c xorgcmd{key,cmd} Key with command name as @itemx
38 @c orgcmdnki{key,cmd} Like orgcmd, but do not index the key
39 @c orgcmdtkc{text,key,cmd} Like orgcmd,special text instead of key
40 @c orgcmdkkc{key1,key2,cmd} Two keys with one command name, use "or"
41 @c orgcmdkxkc{key1,key2,cmd} Two keys with one command name, but
42 @c different functions, so format as @itemx
43 @c orgcmdkskc{key1,key2,cmd} Same as orgcmdkkc, but use "or short"
44 @c xorgcmdkskc{key1,key2,cmd} Same as previous, but use @itemx
45 @c orgcmdkkcc{key1,key2,cmd1,cmd2} Two keys and two commands
47 @c a key but no command
59 @c one key with a command
60 @c Inserts: @item KEY COMMAND
61 @macro orgcmd{key,command}
66 @item @kbd{\key\} @hskip 0pt plus 1filll @code{\command\}
69 @item @kbd{\key\} @tie{}@tie{}@tie{}@tie{}(@code{\command\})
78 @c One key with one command, formatted using @itemx
79 @c Inserts: @itemx KEY COMMAND
80 @macro xorgcmd{key,command}
85 @itemx @kbd{\key\} @hskip 0pt plus 1filll @code{\command\}
88 @itemx @kbd{\key\} @tie{}@tie{}@tie{}@tie{}(@code{\command\})
97 @c one key with a command, bit do not index the key
98 @c Inserts: @item KEY COMMAND
99 @macro orgcmdnki{key,command}
103 @item @kbd{\key\} @hskip 0pt plus 1filll @code{\command\}
106 @item @kbd{\key\} @tie{}@tie{}@tie{}@tie{}(@code{\command\})
114 @c one key with a command, and special text to replace key in item
115 @c Inserts: @item TEXT COMMAND
116 @macro orgcmdtkc{text,key,command}
121 @item @kbd{\text\} @hskip 0pt plus 1filll @code{\command\}
124 @item @kbd{\text\} @tie{}@tie{}@tie{}@tie{}(@code{\command\})
133 @c two keys with one command
134 @c Inserts: @item KEY1 or KEY2 COMMAND
135 @macro orgcmdkkc{key1,key2,command}
141 @item @kbd{\key1\} @ @r{or} @ @kbd{\key2\} @hskip 0pt plus 1filll @code{\command\}
144 @item @kbd{\key1\} @ @r{or} @ @kbd{\key2\} @tie{}@tie{}@tie{}@tie{}(@code{\command\})
150 @item @kbd{\key1\} @ @r{or} @ @kbd{\key2\}
154 @c Two keys with one command name, but different functions, so format as
156 @c Inserts: @item KEY1
157 @c @itemx KEY2 COMMAND
158 @macro orgcmdkxkc{key1,key2,command}
165 @itemx @kbd{\key2\} @hskip 0pt plus 1filll @code{\command\}
169 @itemx @kbd{\key2\} @tie{}@tie{}@tie{}@tie{}(@code{\command\})
180 @c Same as previous, but use "or short"
181 @c Inserts: @item KEY1 or short KEY2 COMMAND
182 @macro orgcmdkskc{key1,key2,command}
188 @item @kbd{\key1\} @ @r{or short} @ @kbd{\key2\} @hskip 0pt plus 1filll @code{\command\}
191 @item @kbd{\key1\} @ @r{or short} @ @kbd{\key2\} @tie{}@tie{}@tie{}@tie{}(@code{\command\})
197 @item @kbd{\key1\} @ @r{or short} @ @kbd{\key2\}
201 @c Same as previous, but use @itemx
202 @c Inserts: @itemx KEY1 or short KEY2 COMMAND
203 @macro xorgcmdkskc{key1,key2,command}
209 @itemx @kbd{\key1\} @ @r{or short} @ @kbd{\key2\} @hskip 0pt plus 1filll @code{\command\}
212 @itemx @kbd{\key1\} @ @r{or short} @ @kbd{\key2\} @tie{}@tie{}@tie{}@tie{}(@code{\command\})
218 @itemx @kbd{\key1\} @ @r{or short} @ @kbd{\key2\}
222 @c two keys with two commands
223 @c Inserts: @item KEY1 COMMAND1
224 @c @itemx KEY2 COMMAND2
225 @macro orgcmdkkcc{key1,key2,command1,command2}
232 @item @kbd{\key1\} @hskip 0pt plus 1filll @code{\command1\}
233 @itemx @kbd{\key2\} @hskip 0pt plus 1filll @code{\command2\}
236 @item @kbd{\key1\} @tie{}@tie{}@tie{}@tie{}(@code{\command1\})
237 @itemx @kbd{\key2\} @tie{}@tie{}@tie{}@tie{}(@code{\command2\})
247 @c -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
250 @c @hyphenation{time-stamp time-stamps time-stamp-ing time-stamp-ed}
253 @c Subheadings inside a table.
254 @macro tsubheading{text}
256 @subsubheading \text\
264 This manual is for Org version @value{VERSION}.
266 Copyright @copyright{} 2004--2013 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
269 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
270 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
271 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
272 Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU Manual,''
273 and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the license
274 is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License.''
276 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have the freedom to copy and
277 modify this GNU manual.''
281 @dircategory Emacs editing modes
283 * Org Mode: (org). Outline-based notes management and organizer
287 @title The Org Manual
289 @subtitle Release @value{VERSION}
290 @author by Carsten Dominik
291 with contributions by Bastien Guerry, Nicolas Goaziou, Eric Schulte,
292 Jambunathan K, Dan Davison, Thomas Dye, David O'Toole, and Philip Rooke.
294 @c The following two commands start the copyright page.
296 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
300 @c Output the short table of contents at the beginning.
303 @c Output the table of contents at the beginning.
307 @c FIXME These hand-written next,prev,up node pointers make editing a lot
308 @c harder. There should be no need for them, makeinfo can do it
309 @c automatically for any document with a normal structure.
310 @node Top, Introduction, (dir), (dir)
317 * Introduction:: Getting started
318 * Document structure:: A tree works like your brain
319 * Tables:: Pure magic for quick formatting
320 * Hyperlinks:: Notes in context
321 * TODO items:: Every tree branch can be a TODO item
322 * Tags:: Tagging headlines and matching sets of tags
323 * Properties and columns:: Storing information about an entry
324 * Dates and times:: Making items useful for planning
325 * Capture - Refile - Archive:: The ins and outs for projects
326 * Agenda views:: Collecting information into views
327 * Markup:: Prepare text for rich export
328 * Exporting:: Sharing and publishing notes
329 * Publishing:: Create a web site of linked Org files
330 * Working with source code:: Export, evaluate, and tangle code blocks
331 * Miscellaneous:: All the rest which did not fit elsewhere
332 * Hacking:: How to hack your way around
333 * MobileOrg:: Viewing and capture on a mobile device
334 * History and acknowledgments:: How Org came into being
335 * GNU Free Documentation License:: The license for this documentation.
336 * Main Index:: An index of Org's concepts and features
337 * Key Index:: Key bindings and where they are described
338 * Command and Function Index:: Command names and some internal functions
339 * Variable Index:: Variables mentioned in the manual
342 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
346 * Summary:: Brief summary of what Org does
347 * Installation:: Installing Org
348 * Activation:: How to activate Org for certain buffers
349 * Feedback:: Bug reports, ideas, patches etc.
350 * Conventions:: Typesetting conventions in the manual
354 * Outlines:: Org is based on Outline mode
355 * Headlines:: How to typeset Org tree headlines
356 * Visibility cycling:: Show and hide, much simplified
357 * Motion:: Jumping to other headlines
358 * Structure editing:: Changing sequence and level of headlines
359 * Sparse trees:: Matches embedded in context
360 * Plain lists:: Additional structure within an entry
361 * Drawers:: Tucking stuff away
362 * Blocks:: Folding blocks
363 * Footnotes:: How footnotes are defined in Org's syntax
364 * Orgstruct mode:: Structure editing outside Org
365 * Org syntax:: Formal description of Org's syntax
369 * Global and local cycling:: Cycling through various visibility states
370 * Initial visibility:: Setting the initial visibility state
371 * Catching invisible edits:: Preventing mistakes when editing invisible parts
373 Global and local cycling
375 * Initial visibility:: Setting the initial visibility state
376 * Catching invisible edits:: Preventing mistakes when editing invisible parts
380 * Built-in table editor:: Simple tables
381 * Column width and alignment:: Overrule the automatic settings
382 * Column groups:: Grouping to trigger vertical lines
383 * Orgtbl mode:: The table editor as minor mode
384 * The spreadsheet:: The table editor has spreadsheet capabilities
385 * Org-Plot:: Plotting from org tables
389 * References:: How to refer to another field or range
390 * Formula syntax for Calc:: Using Calc to compute stuff
391 * Formula syntax for Lisp:: Writing formulas in Emacs Lisp
392 * Durations and time values:: How to compute durations and time values
393 * Field and range formulas:: Formula for specific (ranges of) fields
394 * Column formulas:: Formulas valid for an entire column
395 * Lookup functions:: Lookup functions for searching tables
396 * Editing and debugging formulas:: Fixing formulas
397 * Updating the table:: Recomputing all dependent fields
398 * Advanced features:: Field and column names, parameters and automatic recalc
402 * Link format:: How links in Org are formatted
403 * Internal links:: Links to other places in the current file
404 * External links:: URL-like links to the world
405 * Handling links:: Creating, inserting and following
406 * Using links outside Org:: Linking from my C source code?
407 * Link abbreviations:: Shortcuts for writing complex links
408 * Search options:: Linking to a specific location
409 * Custom searches:: When the default search is not enough
413 * Radio targets:: Make targets trigger links in plain text
417 * TODO basics:: Marking and displaying TODO entries
418 * TODO extensions:: Workflow and assignments
419 * Progress logging:: Dates and notes for progress
420 * Priorities:: Some things are more important than others
421 * Breaking down tasks:: Splitting a task into manageable pieces
422 * Checkboxes:: Tick-off lists
424 Extended use of TODO keywords
426 * Workflow states:: From TODO to DONE in steps
427 * TODO types:: I do this, Fred does the rest
428 * Multiple sets in one file:: Mixing it all, and still finding your way
429 * Fast access to TODO states:: Single letter selection of a state
430 * Per-file keywords:: Different files, different requirements
431 * Faces for TODO keywords:: Highlighting states
432 * TODO dependencies:: When one task needs to wait for others
436 * Closing items:: When was this entry marked DONE?
437 * Tracking TODO state changes:: When did the status change?
438 * Tracking your habits:: How consistent have you been?
442 * Tag inheritance:: Tags use the tree structure of the outline
443 * Setting tags:: How to assign tags to a headline
444 * Tag groups:: Use one tag to search for several tags
445 * Tag searches:: Searching for combinations of tags
447 Properties and columns
449 * Property syntax:: How properties are spelled out
450 * Special properties:: Access to other Org mode features
451 * Property searches:: Matching property values
452 * Property inheritance:: Passing values down the tree
453 * Column view:: Tabular viewing and editing
454 * Property API:: Properties for Lisp programmers
458 * Defining columns:: The COLUMNS format property
459 * Using column view:: How to create and use column view
460 * Capturing column view:: A dynamic block for column view
464 * Scope of column definitions:: Where defined, where valid?
465 * Column attributes:: Appearance and content of a column
469 * Timestamps:: Assigning a time to a tree entry
470 * Creating timestamps:: Commands which insert timestamps
471 * Deadlines and scheduling:: Planning your work
472 * Clocking work time:: Tracking how long you spend on a task
473 * Effort estimates:: Planning work effort in advance
474 * Relative timer:: Notes with a running timer
475 * Countdown timer:: Starting a countdown timer for a task
479 * The date/time prompt:: How Org mode helps you entering date and time
480 * Custom time format:: Making dates look different
482 Deadlines and scheduling
484 * Inserting deadline/schedule:: Planning items
485 * Repeated tasks:: Items that show up again and again
489 * Clocking commands:: Starting and stopping a clock
490 * The clock table:: Detailed reports
491 * Resolving idle time:: Resolving time when you've been idle
493 Capture - Refile - Archive
495 * Capture:: Capturing new stuff
496 * Attachments:: Add files to tasks
497 * RSS feeds:: Getting input from RSS feeds
498 * Protocols:: External (e.g., Browser) access to Emacs and Org
499 * Refile and copy:: Moving/copying a tree from one place to another
500 * Archiving:: What to do with finished projects
504 * Setting up capture:: Where notes will be stored
505 * Using capture:: Commands to invoke and terminate capture
506 * Capture templates:: Define the outline of different note types
510 * Template elements:: What is needed for a complete template entry
511 * Template expansion:: Filling in information about time and context
512 * Templates in contexts:: Only show a template in a specific context
516 * Moving subtrees:: Moving a tree to an archive file
517 * Internal archiving:: Switch off a tree but keep it in the file
521 * Agenda files:: Files being searched for agenda information
522 * Agenda dispatcher:: Keyboard access to agenda views
523 * Built-in agenda views:: What is available out of the box?
524 * Presentation and sorting:: How agenda items are prepared for display
525 * Agenda commands:: Remote editing of Org trees
526 * Custom agenda views:: Defining special searches and views
527 * Exporting agenda views:: Writing a view to a file
528 * Agenda column view:: Using column view for collected entries
530 The built-in agenda views
532 * Weekly/daily agenda:: The calendar page with current tasks
533 * Global TODO list:: All unfinished action items
534 * Matching tags and properties:: Structured information with fine-tuned search
535 * Timeline:: Time-sorted view for single file
536 * Search view:: Find entries by searching for text
537 * Stuck projects:: Find projects you need to review
539 Presentation and sorting
541 * Categories:: Not all tasks are equal
542 * Time-of-day specifications:: How the agenda knows the time
543 * Sorting agenda items:: The order of things
544 * Filtering/limiting agenda items:: Dynamically narrow the agenda
548 * Storing searches:: Type once, use often
549 * Block agenda:: All the stuff you need in a single buffer
550 * Setting options:: Changing the rules
552 Markup for rich export
554 * Structural markup elements:: The basic structure as seen by the exporter
555 * Images and tables:: Images, tables and caption mechanism
556 * Literal examples:: Source code examples with special formatting
557 * Include files:: Include additional files into a document
558 * Index entries:: Making an index
559 * Macro replacement:: Use macros to create templates
560 * Embedded @LaTeX{}:: LaTeX can be freely used inside Org documents
561 * Special blocks:: Containers targeted at export back-ends
563 Structural markup elements
565 * Document title:: Where the title is taken from
566 * Headings and sections:: The document structure as seen by the exporter
567 * Table of contents:: The if and where of the table of contents
569 * Paragraphs:: Paragraphs
570 * Footnote markup:: Footnotes
571 * Emphasis and monospace:: Bold, italic, etc.
572 * Horizontal rules:: Make a line
573 * Comment lines:: What will *not* be exported
577 * Special symbols:: Greek letters and other symbols
578 * Subscripts and superscripts:: Simple syntax for raising/lowering text
579 * @LaTeX{} fragments:: Complex formulas made easy
580 * Previewing @LaTeX{} fragments:: What will this snippet look like?
581 * CDLaTeX mode:: Speed up entering of formulas
585 * The export dispatcher:: The main exporter interface
586 * Export back-ends:: Built-in export formats
587 * Export settings:: Generic export settings
588 * ASCII/Latin-1/UTF-8 export:: Exporting to flat files with encoding
589 * Beamer export:: Exporting as a Beamer presentation
590 * HTML export:: Exporting to HTML
591 * @LaTeX{} and PDF export:: Exporting to @LaTeX{}, and processing to PDF
592 * Markdown export:: Exporting to Markdown
593 * OpenDocument text export:: Exporting to OpenDocument Text
594 * iCalendar export:: Exporting to iCalendar
595 * Other built-in back-ends:: Exporting to @code{Texinfo}, a man page, or Org
596 * Export in foreign buffers:: Author tables in lists in Org syntax
597 * Advanced configuration:: Fine-tuning the export output
601 * HTML Export commands:: How to invoke HTML export
602 * HTML doctypes:: Org can export to various (X)HTML flavors
603 * HTML preamble and postamble:: How to insert a preamble and a postamble
604 * Quoting HTML tags:: Using direct HTML in Org mode
605 * Links in HTML export:: How links will be interpreted and formatted
606 * Tables in HTML export:: How to modify the formatting of tables
607 * Images in HTML export:: How to insert figures into HTML output
608 * Math formatting in HTML export:: Beautiful math also on the web
609 * Text areas in HTML export:: An alternative way to show an example
610 * CSS support:: Changing the appearance of the output
611 * JavaScript support:: Info and Folding in a web browser
613 @LaTeX{} and PDF export
615 * @LaTeX{} export commands:: How to export to LaTeX and PDF
616 * Header and sectioning:: Setting up the export file structure
617 * Quoting @LaTeX{} code:: Incorporating literal @LaTeX{} code
618 * @LaTeX{} specific attributes:: Controlling @LaTeX{} output
620 OpenDocument text export
622 * Pre-requisites for ODT export:: What packages ODT exporter relies on
623 * ODT export commands:: How to invoke ODT export
624 * Extending ODT export:: How to produce @samp{doc}, @samp{pdf} files
625 * Applying custom styles:: How to apply custom styles to the output
626 * Links in ODT export:: How links will be interpreted and formatted
627 * Tables in ODT export:: How Tables are exported
628 * Images in ODT export:: How to insert images
629 * Math formatting in ODT export:: How @LaTeX{} fragments are formatted
630 * Labels and captions in ODT export:: How captions are rendered
631 * Literal examples in ODT export:: How source and example blocks are formatted
632 * Advanced topics in ODT export:: Read this if you are a power user
634 Math formatting in ODT export
636 * Working with @LaTeX{} math snippets:: How to embed @LaTeX{} math fragments
637 * Working with MathML or OpenDocument formula files:: How to embed equations in native format
639 Advanced topics in ODT export
641 * Configuring a document converter:: How to register a document converter
642 * Working with OpenDocument style files:: Explore the internals
643 * Creating one-off styles:: How to produce custom highlighting etc
644 * Customizing tables in ODT export:: How to define and use Table templates
645 * Validating OpenDocument XML:: How to debug corrupt OpenDocument files
649 * Configuration:: Defining projects
650 * Uploading files:: How to get files up on the server
651 * Sample configuration:: Example projects
652 * Triggering publication:: Publication commands
656 * Project alist:: The central configuration variable
657 * Sources and destinations:: From here to there
658 * Selecting files:: What files are part of the project?
659 * Publishing action:: Setting the function doing the publishing
660 * Publishing options:: Tweaking HTML/@LaTeX{} export
661 * Publishing links:: Which links keep working after publishing?
662 * Sitemap:: Generating a list of all pages
663 * Generating an index:: An index that reaches across pages
667 * Simple example:: One-component publishing
668 * Complex example:: A multi-component publishing example
670 Working with source code
672 * Structure of code blocks:: Code block syntax described
673 * Editing source code:: Language major-mode editing
674 * Exporting code blocks:: Export contents and/or results
675 * Extracting source code:: Create pure source code files
676 * Evaluating code blocks:: Place results of evaluation in the Org mode buffer
677 * Library of Babel:: Use and contribute to a library of useful code blocks
678 * Languages:: List of supported code block languages
679 * Header arguments:: Configure code block functionality
680 * Results of evaluation:: How evaluation results are handled
681 * Noweb reference syntax:: Literate programming in Org mode
682 * Key bindings and useful functions:: Work quickly with code blocks
683 * Batch execution:: Call functions from the command line
687 * Using header arguments:: Different ways to set header arguments
688 * Specific header arguments:: List of header arguments
690 Using header arguments
692 * System-wide header arguments:: Set global default values
693 * Language-specific header arguments:: Set default values by language
694 * Header arguments in Org mode properties:: Set default values for a buffer or heading
695 * Language-specific header arguments in Org mode properties:: Set language-specific default values for a buffer or heading
696 * Code block specific header arguments:: The most common way to set values
697 * Header arguments in function calls:: The most specific level
699 Specific header arguments
701 * var:: Pass arguments to code blocks
702 * Results:: Specify the type of results and how they will
703 be collected and handled
704 * file:: Specify a path for file output
705 * file-desc:: Specify a description for file results
706 * dir:: Specify the default (possibly remote)
707 directory for code block execution
708 * exports:: Export code and/or results
709 * tangle:: Toggle tangling and specify file name
710 * mkdirp:: Toggle creation of parent directories of target
711 files during tangling
712 * comments:: Toggle insertion of comments in tangled
714 * padline:: Control insertion of padding lines in tangled
716 * no-expand:: Turn off variable assignment and noweb
717 expansion during tangling
718 * session:: Preserve the state of code evaluation
719 * noweb:: Toggle expansion of noweb references
720 * noweb-ref:: Specify block's noweb reference resolution target
721 * noweb-sep:: String used to separate noweb references
722 * cache:: Avoid re-evaluating unchanged code blocks
723 * sep:: Delimiter for writing tabular results outside Org
724 * hlines:: Handle horizontal lines in tables
725 * colnames:: Handle column names in tables
726 * rownames:: Handle row names in tables
727 * shebang:: Make tangled files executable
728 * tangle-mode:: Set permission of tangled files
729 * eval:: Limit evaluation of specific code blocks
730 * wrap:: Mark source block evaluation results
731 * post:: Post processing of code block results
732 * prologue:: Text to prepend to code block body
733 * epilogue:: Text to append to code block body
737 * Completion:: M-TAB knows what you need
738 * Easy templates:: Quick insertion of structural elements
739 * Speed keys:: Electric commands at the beginning of a headline
740 * Code evaluation security:: Org mode files evaluate inline code
741 * Customization:: Adapting Org to your taste
742 * In-buffer settings:: Overview of the #+KEYWORDS
743 * The very busy C-c C-c key:: When in doubt, press C-c C-c
744 * Clean view:: Getting rid of leading stars in the outline
745 * TTY keys:: Using Org on a tty
746 * Interaction:: Other Emacs packages
747 * org-crypt:: Encrypting Org files
749 Interaction with other packages
751 * Cooperation:: Packages Org cooperates with
752 * Conflicts:: Packages that lead to conflicts
756 * Hooks:: How to reach into Org's internals
757 * Add-on packages:: Available extensions
758 * Adding hyperlink types:: New custom link types
759 * Adding export back-ends:: How to write new export back-ends
760 * Context-sensitive commands:: How to add functionality to such commands
761 * Tables in arbitrary syntax:: Orgtbl for @LaTeX{} and other programs
762 * Dynamic blocks:: Automatically filled blocks
763 * Special agenda views:: Customized views
764 * Speeding up your agendas:: Tips on how to speed up your agendas
765 * Extracting agenda information:: Post-processing of agenda information
766 * Using the property API:: Writing programs that use entry properties
767 * Using the mapping API:: Mapping over all or selected entries
769 Tables and lists in arbitrary syntax
771 * Radio tables:: Sending and receiving radio tables
772 * A @LaTeX{} example:: Step by step, almost a tutorial
773 * Translator functions:: Copy and modify
774 * Radio lists:: Sending and receiving lists
778 * Setting up the staging area:: Where to interact with the mobile device
779 * Pushing to MobileOrg:: Uploading Org files and agendas
780 * Pulling from MobileOrg:: Integrating captured and flagged items
786 @chapter Introduction
790 * Summary:: Brief summary of what Org does
791 * Installation:: Installing Org
792 * Activation:: How to activate Org for certain buffers
793 * Feedback:: Bug reports, ideas, patches etc.
794 * Conventions:: Typesetting conventions in the manual
801 Org is a mode for keeping notes, maintaining TODO lists, and project planning
802 with a fast and effective plain-text system. It also is an authoring system
803 with unique support for literate programming and reproducible research.
805 Org is implemented on top of Outline mode, which makes it possible to keep
806 the content of large files well structured. Visibility cycling and structure
807 editing help to work with the tree. Tables are easily created with a
808 built-in table editor. Plain text URL-like links connect to websites,
809 emails, Usenet messages, BBDB entries, and any files related to the projects.
811 Org develops organizational tasks around notes files that contain lists or
812 information about projects as plain text. Project planning and task
813 management makes use of metadata which is part of an outline node. Based on
814 this data, specific entries can be extracted in queries and create dynamic
815 @i{agenda views} that also integrate the Emacs calendar and diary. Org can
816 be used to implement many different project planning schemes, such as David
819 Org files can serve as a single source authoring system with export to many
820 different formats such as HTML, @LaTeX{}, Open Document, and Markdown. New
821 export backends can be derived from existing ones, or defined from scratch.
823 Org files can include source code blocks, which makes Org uniquely suited for
824 authoring technical documents with code examples. Org source code blocks are
825 fully functional; they can be evaluated in place and their results can be
826 captured in the file. This makes it possible to create a single file
827 reproducible research compendium.
829 Org keeps simple things simple. When first fired up, it should feel like a
830 straightforward, easy to use outliner. Complexity is not imposed, but a
831 large amount of functionality is available when needed. Org is a toolbox.
832 Many users usilize only a (very personal) fraction of Org's capabilities, and
833 know that there is more whenever they need it.
835 All of this is achieved with strictly plain text files, the most portable and
836 future-proof file format. Org runs in Emacs. Emacs is one of the most
837 widely ported programs, so that Org mode is available on every major
841 There is a website for Org which provides links to the newest
842 version of Org, as well as additional information, frequently asked
843 questions (FAQ), links to tutorials, etc. This page is located at
844 @uref{http://orgmode.org}.
845 @cindex print edition
847 An earlier version (7.3) of this manual is available as a
848 @uref{http://www.network-theory.co.uk/org/manual/, paperback book from
854 @section Installation
858 Org is part of recent distributions of GNU Emacs, so you normally don't need
859 to install it. If, for one reason or another, you want to install Org on top
860 of this pre-packaged version, there are three ways to do it:
863 @item By using Emacs package system.
864 @item By downloading Org as an archive.
865 @item By using Org's git repository.
868 We @b{strongly recommend} to stick to a single installation method.
870 @subsubheading Using Emacs packaging system
872 Recent Emacs distributions include a packaging system which lets you install
873 Elisp libraries. You can install Org with @kbd{M-x package-install RET org}.
874 You need to do this in a session where no @code{.org} file has been visited.
875 Then, to make sure your Org configuration is taken into account, initialize
876 the package system with @code{(package-initialize)} in your @file{.emacs}
877 before setting any Org option. If you want to use Org's package repository,
878 check out the @uref{http://orgmode.org/elpa.html, Org ELPA page}.
880 @subsubheading Downloading Org as an archive
882 You can download Org latest release from @uref{http://orgmode.org/, Org's
883 website}. In this case, make sure you set the load-path correctly in your
887 (add-to-list 'load-path "~/path/to/orgdir/lisp")
890 The downloaded archive contains contributed libraries that are not included
891 in Emacs. If you want to use them, add the @file{contrib} directory to your
895 (add-to-list 'load-path "~/path/to/orgdir/contrib/lisp" t)
898 Optionally, you can compile the files and/or install them in your system.
899 Run @code{make help} to list compilation and installation options.
901 @subsubheading Using Org's git repository
903 You can clone Org's repository and install Org like this:
907 $ git clone git://orgmode.org/org-mode.git
911 Note that in this case, @code{make autoloads} is mandatory: it defines Org's
912 version in @file{org-version.el} and Org's autoloads in
913 @file{org-loaddefs.el}.
915 Remember to add the correct load-path as described in the method above.
917 You can also compile with @code{make}, generate the documentation with
918 @code{make doc}, create a local configuration with @code{make config} and
919 install Org with @code{make install}. Please run @code{make help} to get
920 the list of compilation/installation options.
922 For more detailed explanations on Org's build system, please check the Org
923 Build System page on @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/dev/org-build-system.html,
931 @cindex global key bindings
932 @cindex key bindings, global
935 @findex org-store-link
938 Since Emacs 22.2, files with the @file{.org} extension use Org mode by
939 default. If you are using an earlier version of Emacs, add this line to your
943 (add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.org\\'" . org-mode))
946 Org mode buffers need font-lock to be turned on: this is the default in
947 Emacs@footnote{If you don't use font-lock globally, turn it on in Org buffer
948 with @code{(add-hook 'org-mode-hook 'turn-on-font-lock)}}.
950 There are compatibility issues between Org mode and some other Elisp
951 packages, please take the time to check the list (@pxref{Conflicts}).
953 The four Org commands @command{org-store-link}, @command{org-capture},
954 @command{org-agenda}, and @command{org-iswitchb} should be accessible through
955 global keys (i.e., anywhere in Emacs, not just in Org buffers). Here are
956 suggested bindings for these keys, please modify the keys to your own
959 (global-set-key "\C-cl" 'org-store-link)
960 (global-set-key "\C-ca" 'org-agenda)
961 (global-set-key "\C-cc" 'org-capture)
962 (global-set-key "\C-cb" 'org-iswitchb)
965 @cindex Org mode, turning on
966 To turn on Org mode in a file that does not have the extension @file{.org},
967 make the first line of a file look like this:
970 MY PROJECTS -*- mode: org; -*-
973 @vindex org-insert-mode-line-in-empty-file
974 @noindent which will select Org mode for this buffer no matter what
975 the file's name is. See also the variable
976 @code{org-insert-mode-line-in-empty-file}.
978 Many commands in Org work on the region if the region is @i{active}. To make
979 use of this, you need to have @code{transient-mark-mode}
980 (@code{zmacs-regions} in XEmacs) turned on. In Emacs 23 this is the default,
981 in Emacs 22 you need to do this yourself with
983 (transient-mark-mode 1)
985 @noindent If you do not like @code{transient-mark-mode}, you can create an
986 active region by using the mouse to select a region, or pressing
987 @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} twice before moving the cursor.
996 If you find problems with Org, or if you have questions, remarks, or ideas
997 about it, please mail to the Org mailing list @email{emacs-orgmode@@gnu.org}.
998 If you are not a member of the mailing list, your mail will be passed to the
999 list after a moderator has approved it@footnote{Please consider subscribing
1000 to the mailing list, in order to minimize the work the mailing list
1001 moderators have to do.}.
1003 For bug reports, please first try to reproduce the bug with the latest
1004 version of Org available---if you are running an outdated version, it is
1005 quite possible that the bug has been fixed already. If the bug persists,
1006 prepare a report and provide as much information as possible, including the
1007 version information of Emacs (@kbd{M-x emacs-version @key{RET}}) and Org
1008 (@kbd{M-x org-version RET}), as well as the Org related setup in
1009 @file{.emacs}. The easiest way to do this is to use the command
1011 @kbd{M-x org-submit-bug-report RET}
1013 @noindent which will put all this information into an Emacs mail buffer so
1014 that you only need to add your description. If you are not sending the Email
1015 from within Emacs, please copy and paste the content into your Email program.
1017 Sometimes you might face a problem due to an error in your Emacs or Org mode
1018 setup. Before reporting a bug, it is very helpful to start Emacs with minimal
1019 customizations and reproduce the problem. Doing so often helps you determine
1020 if the problem is with your customization or with Org mode itself. You can
1021 start a typical minimal session with a command like the example below.
1024 $ emacs -Q -l /path/to/minimal-org.el
1027 However if you are using Org mode as distributed with Emacs, a minimal setup
1028 is not necessary. In that case it is sufficient to start Emacs as
1029 @code{emacs -Q}. The @code{minimal-org.el} setup file can have contents as
1033 ;;; Minimal setup to load latest `org-mode'
1035 ;; activate debugging
1036 (setq debug-on-error t
1040 ;; add latest org-mode to load path
1041 (add-to-list 'load-path (expand-file-name "/path/to/org-mode/lisp"))
1042 (add-to-list 'load-path (expand-file-name "/path/to/org-mode/contrib/lisp" t))
1045 If an error occurs, a backtrace can be very useful (see below on how to
1046 create one). Often a small example file helps, along with clear information
1050 @item What exactly did you do?
1051 @item What did you expect to happen?
1052 @item What happened instead?
1054 @noindent Thank you for helping to improve this program.
1056 @subsubheading How to create a useful backtrace
1058 @cindex backtrace of an error
1059 If working with Org produces an error with a message you don't
1060 understand, you may have hit a bug. The best way to report this is by
1061 providing, in addition to what was mentioned above, a @emph{backtrace}.
1062 This is information from the built-in debugger about where and how the
1063 error occurred. Here is how to produce a useful backtrace:
1067 Reload uncompiled versions of all Org mode Lisp files. The backtrace
1068 contains much more information if it is produced with uncompiled code.
1071 @kbd{C-u M-x org-reload RET}
1074 or select @code{Org -> Refresh/Reload -> Reload Org uncompiled} from the
1077 Go to the @code{Options} menu and select @code{Enter Debugger on Error}
1078 (XEmacs has this option in the @code{Troubleshooting} sub-menu).
1080 Do whatever you have to do to hit the error. Don't forget to
1081 document the steps you take.
1083 When you hit the error, a @file{*Backtrace*} buffer will appear on the
1084 screen. Save this buffer to a file (for example using @kbd{C-x C-w}) and
1085 attach it to your bug report.
1089 @section Typesetting conventions used in this manual
1091 @subsubheading TODO keywords, tags, properties, etc.
1093 Org mainly uses three types of keywords: TODO keywords, tags and property
1094 names. In this manual we use the following conventions:
1099 TODO keywords are written with all capitals, even if they are
1103 User-defined tags are written in lowercase; built-in tags with special
1104 meaning are written with all capitals.
1107 User-defined properties are capitalized; built-in properties with
1108 special meaning are written with all capitals.
1111 Moreover, Org uses @i{option keywords} (like @code{#+TITLE} to set the title)
1112 and @i{environment keywords} (like @code{#+BEGIN_HTML} to start a @code{HTML}
1113 environment). They are written in uppercase in the manual to enhance its
1114 readability, but you can use lowercase in your Org files@footnote{Easy
1115 templates insert lowercase keywords and Babel dynamically inserts
1118 @subsubheading Keybindings and commands
1124 The manual suggests a few global keybindings, in particular @kbd{C-c a} for
1125 @code{org-agenda} and @kbd{C-c c} for @code{org-capture}. These are only
1126 suggestions, but the rest of the manual assumes that these keybindings are in
1127 place in order to list commands by key access.
1129 Also, the manual lists both the keys and the corresponding commands for
1130 accessing a functionality. Org mode often uses the same key for different
1131 functions, depending on context. The command that is bound to such keys has
1132 a generic name, like @code{org-metaright}. In the manual we will, wherever
1133 possible, give the function that is internally called by the generic command.
1134 For example, in the chapter on document structure, @kbd{M-@key{right}} will
1135 be listed to call @code{org-do-demote}, while in the chapter on tables, it
1136 will be listed to call @code{org-table-move-column-right}. If you prefer,
1137 you can compile the manual without the command names by unsetting the flag
1138 @code{cmdnames} in @file{org.texi}.
1140 @node Document structure
1141 @chapter Document structure
1142 @cindex document structure
1143 @cindex structure of document
1145 Org is based on Outline mode and provides flexible commands to
1146 edit the structure of the document.
1149 * Outlines:: Org is based on Outline mode
1150 * Headlines:: How to typeset Org tree headlines
1151 * Visibility cycling:: Show and hide, much simplified
1152 * Motion:: Jumping to other headlines
1153 * Structure editing:: Changing sequence and level of headlines
1154 * Sparse trees:: Matches embedded in context
1155 * Plain lists:: Additional structure within an entry
1156 * Drawers:: Tucking stuff away
1157 * Blocks:: Folding blocks
1158 * Footnotes:: How footnotes are defined in Org's syntax
1159 * Orgstruct mode:: Structure editing outside Org
1160 * Org syntax:: Formal description of Org's syntax
1166 @cindex Outline mode
1168 Org is implemented on top of Outline mode. Outlines allow a
1169 document to be organized in a hierarchical structure, which (at least
1170 for me) is the best representation of notes and thoughts. An overview
1171 of this structure is achieved by folding (hiding) large parts of the
1172 document to show only the general document structure and the parts
1173 currently being worked on. Org greatly simplifies the use of
1174 outlines by compressing the entire show/hide functionality into a single
1175 command, @command{org-cycle}, which is bound to the @key{TAB} key.
1180 @cindex outline tree
1181 @vindex org-special-ctrl-a/e
1182 @vindex org-special-ctrl-k
1183 @vindex org-ctrl-k-protect-subtree
1185 Headlines define the structure of an outline tree. The headlines in Org
1186 start with one or more stars, on the left margin@footnote{See the variables
1187 @code{org-special-ctrl-a/e}, @code{org-special-ctrl-k}, and
1188 @code{org-ctrl-k-protect-subtree} to configure special behavior of @kbd{C-a},
1189 @kbd{C-e}, and @kbd{C-k} in headlines.} @footnote{Clocking only works with
1190 headings indented less then 30 stars.}. For example:
1193 * Top level headline
1200 * Another top level headline
1203 @noindent Some people find the many stars too noisy and would prefer an
1204 outline that has whitespace followed by a single star as headline
1205 starters. @ref{Clean view}, describes a setup to realize this.
1207 @vindex org-cycle-separator-lines
1208 An empty line after the end of a subtree is considered part of it and
1209 will be hidden when the subtree is folded. However, if you leave at
1210 least two empty lines, one empty line will remain visible after folding
1211 the subtree, in order to structure the collapsed view. See the
1212 variable @code{org-cycle-separator-lines} to modify this behavior.
1214 @node Visibility cycling
1215 @section Visibility cycling
1216 @cindex cycling, visibility
1217 @cindex visibility cycling
1218 @cindex trees, visibility
1219 @cindex show hidden text
1223 * Global and local cycling:: Cycling through various visibility states
1224 * Initial visibility:: Setting the initial visibility state
1225 * Catching invisible edits:: Preventing mistakes when editing invisible parts
1228 @node Global and local cycling
1229 @subsection Global and local cycling
1231 Outlines make it possible to hide parts of the text in the buffer.
1232 Org uses just two commands, bound to @key{TAB} and
1233 @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} to change the visibility in the buffer.
1235 @cindex subtree visibility states
1236 @cindex subtree cycling
1237 @cindex folded, subtree visibility state
1238 @cindex children, subtree visibility state
1239 @cindex subtree, subtree visibility state
1241 @orgcmd{@key{TAB},org-cycle}
1242 @emph{Subtree cycling}: Rotate current subtree among the states
1245 ,-> FOLDED -> CHILDREN -> SUBTREE --.
1246 '-----------------------------------'
1249 @vindex org-cycle-emulate-tab
1250 @vindex org-cycle-global-at-bob
1251 The cursor must be on a headline for this to work@footnote{see, however,
1252 the option @code{org-cycle-emulate-tab}.}. When the cursor is at the
1253 beginning of the buffer and the first line is not a headline, then
1254 @key{TAB} actually runs global cycling (see below)@footnote{see the
1255 option @code{org-cycle-global-at-bob}.}. Also when called with a prefix
1256 argument (@kbd{C-u @key{TAB}}), global cycling is invoked.
1258 @cindex global visibility states
1259 @cindex global cycling
1260 @cindex overview, global visibility state
1261 @cindex contents, global visibility state
1262 @cindex show all, global visibility state
1263 @orgcmd{S-@key{TAB},org-global-cycle}
1264 @itemx C-u @key{TAB}
1265 @emph{Global cycling}: Rotate the entire buffer among the states
1268 ,-> OVERVIEW -> CONTENTS -> SHOW ALL --.
1269 '--------------------------------------'
1272 When @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} is called with a numeric prefix argument N, the
1273 CONTENTS view up to headlines of level N will be shown. Note that inside
1274 tables, @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} jumps to the previous field.
1276 @cindex show all, command
1277 @orgcmd{C-u C-u C-u @key{TAB},show-all}
1278 Show all, including drawers.
1279 @cindex revealing context
1280 @orgcmd{C-c C-r,org-reveal}
1281 Reveal context around point, showing the current entry, the following heading
1282 and the hierarchy above. Useful for working near a location that has been
1283 exposed by a sparse tree command (@pxref{Sparse trees}) or an agenda command
1284 (@pxref{Agenda commands}). With a prefix argument show, on each
1285 level, all sibling headings. With a double prefix argument, also show the
1286 entire subtree of the parent.
1287 @cindex show branches, command
1288 @orgcmd{C-c C-k,show-branches}
1289 Expose all the headings of the subtree, CONTENT view for just one subtree.
1290 @cindex show children, command
1291 @orgcmd{C-c @key{TAB},show-children}
1292 Expose all direct children of the subtree. With a numeric prefix argument N,
1293 expose all children down to level N@.
1294 @orgcmd{C-c C-x b,org-tree-to-indirect-buffer}
1295 Show the current subtree in an indirect buffer@footnote{The indirect
1298 (@pxref{Indirect Buffers,,,emacs,GNU Emacs Manual})
1301 (see the Emacs manual for more information about indirect buffers)
1303 will contain the entire buffer, but will be narrowed to the current
1304 tree. Editing the indirect buffer will also change the original buffer,
1305 but without affecting visibility in that buffer.}. With a numeric
1306 prefix argument N, go up to level N and then take that tree. If N is
1307 negative then go up that many levels. With a @kbd{C-u} prefix, do not remove
1308 the previously used indirect buffer.
1309 @orgcmd{C-c C-x v,org-copy-visible}
1310 Copy the @i{visible} text in the region into the kill ring.
1314 * Initial visibility:: Setting the initial visibility state
1315 * Catching invisible edits:: Preventing mistakes when editing invisible parts
1318 @node Initial visibility
1319 @subsection Initial visibility
1321 @cindex visibility, initialize
1322 @vindex org-startup-folded
1323 @vindex org-agenda-inhibit-startup
1324 @cindex @code{overview}, STARTUP keyword
1325 @cindex @code{content}, STARTUP keyword
1326 @cindex @code{showall}, STARTUP keyword
1327 @cindex @code{showeverything}, STARTUP keyword
1329 When Emacs first visits an Org file, the global state is set to OVERVIEW,
1330 i.e., only the top level headlines are visible@footnote{When
1331 @code{org-agenda-inhibit-startup} is non-@code{nil}, Org will not honor the default
1332 visibility state when first opening a file for the agenda (@pxref{Speeding up
1333 your agendas}).} This can be configured through the variable
1334 @code{org-startup-folded}, or on a per-file basis by adding one of the
1335 following lines anywhere in the buffer:
1341 #+STARTUP: showeverything
1344 The startup visibility options are ignored when the file is open for the
1345 first time during the agenda generation: if you want the agenda to honor
1346 the startup visibility, set @code{org-agenda-inhibit-startup} to @code{nil}.
1348 @cindex property, VISIBILITY
1350 Furthermore, any entries with a @samp{VISIBILITY} property (@pxref{Properties
1351 and columns}) will get their visibility adapted accordingly. Allowed values
1352 for this property are @code{folded}, @code{children}, @code{content}, and
1356 @orgcmd{C-u C-u @key{TAB},org-set-startup-visibility}
1357 Switch back to the startup visibility of the buffer, i.e., whatever is
1358 requested by startup options and @samp{VISIBILITY} properties in individual
1362 @node Catching invisible edits
1363 @subsection Catching invisible edits
1365 @vindex org-catch-invisible-edits
1366 @cindex edits, catching invisible
1367 Sometimes you may inadvertently edit an invisible part of the buffer and be
1368 confused on what as been edited and how to undo the mistake. Setting
1369 @code{org-catch-invisible-edits} to non-@code{nil} will help prevent this. See the
1370 docstring of this option on how Org should catch invisible edits and process
1375 @cindex motion, between headlines
1376 @cindex jumping, to headlines
1377 @cindex headline navigation
1378 The following commands jump to other headlines in the buffer.
1381 @orgcmd{C-c C-n,outline-next-visible-heading}
1383 @orgcmd{C-c C-p,outline-previous-visible-heading}
1385 @orgcmd{C-c C-f,org-forward-same-level}
1386 Next heading same level.
1387 @orgcmd{C-c C-b,org-backward-same-level}
1388 Previous heading same level.
1389 @orgcmd{C-c C-u,outline-up-heading}
1390 Backward to higher level heading.
1391 @orgcmd{C-c C-j,org-goto}
1392 Jump to a different place without changing the current outline
1393 visibility. Shows the document structure in a temporary buffer, where
1394 you can use the following keys to find your destination:
1395 @vindex org-goto-auto-isearch
1397 @key{TAB} @r{Cycle visibility.}
1398 @key{down} / @key{up} @r{Next/previous visible headline.}
1399 @key{RET} @r{Select this location.}
1400 @kbd{/} @r{Do a Sparse-tree search}
1401 @r{The following keys work if you turn off @code{org-goto-auto-isearch}}
1402 n / p @r{Next/previous visible headline.}
1403 f / b @r{Next/previous headline same level.}
1405 0-9 @r{Digit argument.}
1408 @vindex org-goto-interface
1410 See also the option @code{org-goto-interface}.
1413 @node Structure editing
1414 @section Structure editing
1415 @cindex structure editing
1416 @cindex headline, promotion and demotion
1417 @cindex promotion, of subtrees
1418 @cindex demotion, of subtrees
1419 @cindex subtree, cut and paste
1420 @cindex pasting, of subtrees
1421 @cindex cutting, of subtrees
1422 @cindex copying, of subtrees
1423 @cindex sorting, of subtrees
1424 @cindex subtrees, cut and paste
1427 @orgcmd{M-@key{RET},org-insert-heading}
1428 @vindex org-M-RET-may-split-line
1429 Insert a new heading/item with the same level as the one at point.
1430 If the cursor is in a plain list item, a new item is created
1431 (@pxref{Plain lists}). To prevent this behavior in lists, call the
1432 command with a prefix argument. When this command is used in the
1433 middle of a line, the line is split and the rest of the line becomes
1434 the new item or headline@footnote{If you do not want the line to be
1435 split, customize the variable @code{org-M-RET-may-split-line}.}. If
1436 the command is used at the @emph{beginning} of a headline, the new
1437 headline is created before the current line. If the command is used
1438 at the @emph{end} of a folded subtree (i.e., behind the ellipses at
1439 the end of a headline), then a headline will be
1440 inserted after the end of the subtree. Calling this command with
1441 @kbd{C-u C-u} will unconditionally respect the headline's content and
1442 create a new item at the end of the parent subtree.
1443 @orgcmd{C-@key{RET},org-insert-heading-respect-content}
1444 Just like @kbd{M-@key{RET}}, except when adding a new heading below the
1445 current heading, the new heading is placed after the body instead of before
1446 it. This command works from anywhere in the entry.
1447 @orgcmd{M-S-@key{RET},org-insert-todo-heading}
1448 @vindex org-treat-insert-todo-heading-as-state-change
1449 Insert new TODO entry with same level as current heading. See also the
1450 variable @code{org-treat-insert-todo-heading-as-state-change}.
1451 @orgcmd{C-S-@key{RET},org-insert-todo-heading-respect-content}
1452 Insert new TODO entry with same level as current heading. Like
1453 @kbd{C-@key{RET}}, the new headline will be inserted after the current
1455 @orgcmd{@key{TAB},org-cycle}
1456 In a new entry with no text yet, the first @key{TAB} demotes the entry to
1457 become a child of the previous one. The next @key{TAB} makes it a parent,
1458 and so on, all the way to top level. Yet another @key{TAB}, and you are back
1459 to the initial level.
1460 @orgcmd{M-@key{left},org-do-promote}
1461 Promote current heading by one level.
1462 @orgcmd{M-@key{right},org-do-demote}
1463 Demote current heading by one level.
1464 @orgcmd{M-S-@key{left},org-promote-subtree}
1465 Promote the current subtree by one level.
1466 @orgcmd{M-S-@key{right},org-demote-subtree}
1467 Demote the current subtree by one level.
1468 @orgcmd{M-S-@key{up},org-move-subtree-up}
1469 Move subtree up (swap with previous subtree of same
1471 @orgcmd{M-S-@key{down},org-move-subtree-down}
1472 Move subtree down (swap with next subtree of same level).
1473 @orgcmd{M-h,org-mark-element}
1474 Mark the element at point. Hitting repeatedly will mark subsequent elements
1475 of the one just marked. E.g., hitting @key{M-h} on a paragraph will mark it,
1476 hitting @key{M-h} immediately again will mark the next one.
1477 @orgcmd{C-c @@,org-mark-subtree}
1478 Mark the subtree at point. Hitting repeatedly will mark subsequent subtrees
1479 of the same level than the marked subtree.
1480 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-w,org-cut-subtree}
1481 Kill subtree, i.e., remove it from buffer but save in kill ring.
1482 With a numeric prefix argument N, kill N sequential subtrees.
1483 @orgcmd{C-c C-x M-w,org-copy-subtree}
1484 Copy subtree to kill ring. With a numeric prefix argument N, copy the N
1485 sequential subtrees.
1486 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-y,org-paste-subtree}
1487 Yank subtree from kill ring. This does modify the level of the subtree to
1488 make sure the tree fits in nicely at the yank position. The yank level can
1489 also be specified with a numeric prefix argument, or by yanking after a
1490 headline marker like @samp{****}.
1491 @orgcmd{C-y,org-yank}
1492 @vindex org-yank-adjusted-subtrees
1493 @vindex org-yank-folded-subtrees
1494 Depending on the options @code{org-yank-adjusted-subtrees} and
1495 @code{org-yank-folded-subtrees}, Org's internal @code{yank} command will
1496 paste subtrees folded and in a clever way, using the same command as @kbd{C-c
1497 C-x C-y}. With the default settings, no level adjustment will take place,
1498 but the yanked tree will be folded unless doing so would swallow text
1499 previously visible. Any prefix argument to this command will force a normal
1500 @code{yank} to be executed, with the prefix passed along. A good way to
1501 force a normal yank is @kbd{C-u C-y}. If you use @code{yank-pop} after a
1502 yank, it will yank previous kill items plainly, without adjustment and
1504 @orgcmd{C-c C-x c,org-clone-subtree-with-time-shift}
1505 Clone a subtree by making a number of sibling copies of it. You will be
1506 prompted for the number of copies to make, and you can also specify if any
1507 timestamps in the entry should be shifted. This can be useful, for example,
1508 to create a number of tasks related to a series of lectures to prepare. For
1509 more details, see the docstring of the command
1510 @code{org-clone-subtree-with-time-shift}.
1511 @orgcmd{C-c C-w,org-refile}
1512 Refile entry or region to a different location. @xref{Refile and copy}.
1513 @orgcmd{C-c ^,org-sort}
1514 Sort same-level entries. When there is an active region, all entries in the
1515 region will be sorted. Otherwise the children of the current headline are
1516 sorted. The command prompts for the sorting method, which can be
1517 alphabetically, numerically, by time (first timestamp with active preferred,
1518 creation time, scheduled time, deadline time), by priority, by TODO keyword
1519 (in the sequence the keywords have been defined in the setup) or by the value
1520 of a property. Reverse sorting is possible as well. You can also supply
1521 your own function to extract the sorting key. With a @kbd{C-u} prefix,
1522 sorting will be case-sensitive.
1523 @orgcmd{C-x n s,org-narrow-to-subtree}
1524 Narrow buffer to current subtree.
1525 @orgcmd{C-x n b,org-narrow-to-block}
1526 Narrow buffer to current block.
1527 @orgcmd{C-x n w,widen}
1528 Widen buffer to remove narrowing.
1529 @orgcmd{C-c *,org-toggle-heading}
1530 Turn a normal line or plain list item into a headline (so that it becomes a
1531 subheading at its location). Also turn a headline into a normal line by
1532 removing the stars. If there is an active region, turn all lines in the
1533 region into headlines. If the first line in the region was an item, turn
1534 only the item lines into headlines. Finally, if the first line is a
1535 headline, remove the stars from all headlines in the region.
1538 @cindex region, active
1539 @cindex active region
1540 @cindex transient mark mode
1541 When there is an active region (Transient Mark mode), promotion and
1542 demotion work on all headlines in the region. To select a region of
1543 headlines, it is best to place both point and mark at the beginning of a
1544 line, mark at the beginning of the first headline, and point at the line
1545 just after the last headline to change. Note that when the cursor is
1546 inside a table (@pxref{Tables}), the Meta-Cursor keys have different
1551 @section Sparse trees
1552 @cindex sparse trees
1553 @cindex trees, sparse
1554 @cindex folding, sparse trees
1555 @cindex occur, command
1557 @vindex org-show-hierarchy-above
1558 @vindex org-show-following-heading
1559 @vindex org-show-siblings
1560 @vindex org-show-entry-below
1561 An important feature of Org mode is the ability to construct @emph{sparse
1562 trees} for selected information in an outline tree, so that the entire
1563 document is folded as much as possible, but the selected information is made
1564 visible along with the headline structure above it@footnote{See also the
1565 variables @code{org-show-hierarchy-above}, @code{org-show-following-heading},
1566 @code{org-show-siblings}, and @code{org-show-entry-below} for detailed
1567 control on how much context is shown around each match.}. Just try it out
1568 and you will see immediately how it works.
1570 Org mode contains several commands for creating such trees, all these
1571 commands can be accessed through a dispatcher:
1574 @orgcmd{C-c /,org-sparse-tree}
1575 This prompts for an extra key to select a sparse-tree creating command.
1576 @orgcmd{C-c / r,org-occur}
1577 @vindex org-remove-highlights-with-change
1578 Prompts for a regexp and shows a sparse tree with all matches. If
1579 the match is in a headline, the headline is made visible. If the match is in
1580 the body of an entry, headline and body are made visible. In order to
1581 provide minimal context, also the full hierarchy of headlines above the match
1582 is shown, as well as the headline following the match. Each match is also
1583 highlighted; the highlights disappear when the buffer is changed by an
1584 editing command@footnote{This depends on the option
1585 @code{org-remove-highlights-with-change}}, or by pressing @kbd{C-c C-c}.
1586 When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix argument, previous highlights are kept,
1587 so several calls to this command can be stacked.
1588 @orgcmdkkc{M-g n,M-g M-n,next-error}
1589 Jump to the next sparse tree match in this buffer.
1590 @orgcmdkkc{M-g p,M-g M-p,previous-error}
1591 Jump to the previous sparse tree match in this buffer.
1595 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands
1596 For frequently used sparse trees of specific search strings, you can
1597 use the option @code{org-agenda-custom-commands} to define fast
1598 keyboard access to specific sparse trees. These commands will then be
1599 accessible through the agenda dispatcher (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}).
1603 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
1604 '(("f" occur-tree "FIXME")))
1607 @noindent will define the key @kbd{C-c a f} as a shortcut for creating
1608 a sparse tree matching the string @samp{FIXME}.
1610 The other sparse tree commands select headings based on TODO keywords,
1611 tags, or properties and will be discussed later in this manual.
1614 @cindex printing sparse trees
1615 @cindex visible text, printing
1616 To print a sparse tree, you can use the Emacs command
1617 @code{ps-print-buffer-with-faces} which does not print invisible parts
1618 of the document @footnote{This does not work under XEmacs, because
1619 XEmacs uses selective display for outlining, not text properties.}.
1620 Or you can use @kbd{C-c C-e C-v} to export only the visible part of
1621 the document and print the resulting file.
1624 @section Plain lists
1626 @cindex lists, plain
1627 @cindex lists, ordered
1628 @cindex ordered lists
1630 Within an entry of the outline tree, hand-formatted lists can provide
1631 additional structure. They also provide a way to create lists of checkboxes
1632 (@pxref{Checkboxes}). Org supports editing such lists, and every exporter
1633 (@pxref{Exporting}) can parse and format them.
1635 Org knows ordered lists, unordered lists, and description lists.
1638 @emph{Unordered} list items start with @samp{-}, @samp{+}, or
1639 @samp{*}@footnote{When using @samp{*} as a bullet, lines must be indented or
1640 they will be seen as top-level headlines. Also, when you are hiding leading
1641 stars to get a clean outline view, plain list items starting with a star may
1642 be hard to distinguish from true headlines. In short: even though @samp{*}
1643 is supported, it may be better to not use it for plain list items.} as
1646 @vindex org-plain-list-ordered-item-terminator
1647 @vindex org-list-allow-alphabetical
1648 @emph{Ordered} list items start with a numeral followed by either a period or
1649 a right parenthesis@footnote{You can filter out any of them by configuring
1650 @code{org-plain-list-ordered-item-terminator}.}, such as @samp{1.} or
1651 @samp{1)}@footnote{You can also get @samp{a.}, @samp{A.}, @samp{a)} and
1652 @samp{A)} by configuring @code{org-list-allow-alphabetical}. To minimize
1653 confusion with normal text, those are limited to one character only. Beyond
1654 that limit, bullets will automatically fallback to numbers.}. If you want a
1655 list to start with a different value (e.g., 20), start the text of the item
1656 with @code{[@@20]}@footnote{If there's a checkbox in the item, the cookie
1657 must be put @emph{before} the checkbox. If you have activated alphabetical
1658 lists, you can also use counters like @code{[@@b]}.}. Those constructs can
1659 be used in any item of the list in order to enforce a particular numbering.
1661 @emph{Description} list items are unordered list items, and contain the
1662 separator @samp{ :: } to distinguish the description @emph{term} from the
1666 Items belonging to the same list must have the same indentation on the first
1667 line. In particular, if an ordered list reaches number @samp{10.}, then the
1668 2--digit numbers must be written left-aligned with the other numbers in the
1669 list. An item ends before the next line that is less or equally indented
1670 than its bullet/number.
1672 @vindex org-list-empty-line-terminates-plain-lists
1673 A list ends whenever every item has ended, which means before any line less
1674 or equally indented than items at top level. It also ends before two blank
1675 lines@footnote{See also @code{org-list-empty-line-terminates-plain-lists}.}.
1676 In that case, all items are closed. Here is an example:
1680 ** Lord of the Rings
1681 My favorite scenes are (in this order)
1682 1. The attack of the Rohirrim
1683 2. Eowyn's fight with the witch king
1684 + this was already my favorite scene in the book
1685 + I really like Miranda Otto.
1686 3. Peter Jackson being shot by Legolas
1688 He makes a really funny face when it happens.
1689 But in the end, no individual scenes matter but the film as a whole.
1690 Important actors in this film are:
1691 - @b{Elijah Wood} :: He plays Frodo
1692 - @b{Sean Austin} :: He plays Sam, Frodo's friend. I still remember
1693 him very well from his role as Mikey Walsh in @i{The Goonies}.
1697 Org supports these lists by tuning filling and wrapping commands to deal with
1698 them correctly@footnote{Org only changes the filling settings for Emacs. For
1699 XEmacs, you should use Kyle E. Jones' @file{filladapt.el}. To turn this on,
1700 put into @file{.emacs}: @code{(require 'filladapt)}}, and by exporting them
1701 properly (@pxref{Exporting}). Since indentation is what governs the
1702 structure of these lists, many structural constructs like @code{#+BEGIN_...}
1703 blocks can be indented to signal that they belong to a particular item.
1705 @vindex org-list-demote-modify-bullet
1706 @vindex org-list-indent-offset
1707 If you find that using a different bullet for a sub-list (than that used for
1708 the current list-level) improves readability, customize the variable
1709 @code{org-list-demote-modify-bullet}. To get a greater difference of
1710 indentation between items and their sub-items, customize
1711 @code{org-list-indent-offset}.
1713 @vindex org-list-automatic-rules
1714 The following commands act on items when the cursor is in the first line of
1715 an item (the line with the bullet or number). Some of them imply the
1716 application of automatic rules to keep list structure intact. If some of
1717 these actions get in your way, configure @code{org-list-automatic-rules}
1718 to disable them individually.
1721 @orgcmd{@key{TAB},org-cycle}
1722 @cindex cycling, in plain lists
1723 @vindex org-cycle-include-plain-lists
1724 Items can be folded just like headline levels. Normally this works only if
1725 the cursor is on a plain list item. For more details, see the variable
1726 @code{org-cycle-include-plain-lists}. If this variable is set to
1727 @code{integrate}, plain list items will be treated like low-level
1728 headlines. The level of an item is then given by the indentation of the
1729 bullet/number. Items are always subordinate to real headlines, however; the
1730 hierarchies remain completely separated. In a new item with no text yet, the
1731 first @key{TAB} demotes the item to become a child of the previous
1732 one. Subsequent @key{TAB}s move the item to meaningful levels in the list
1733 and eventually get it back to its initial position.
1734 @orgcmd{M-@key{RET},org-insert-heading}
1735 @vindex org-M-RET-may-split-line
1736 @vindex org-list-automatic-rules
1737 Insert new item at current level. With a prefix argument, force a new
1738 heading (@pxref{Structure editing}). If this command is used in the middle
1739 of an item, that item is @emph{split} in two, and the second part becomes the
1740 new item@footnote{If you do not want the item to be split, customize the
1741 variable @code{org-M-RET-may-split-line}.}. If this command is executed
1742 @emph{before item's body}, the new item is created @emph{before} the current
1747 @kindex M-S-@key{RET}
1749 Insert a new item with a checkbox (@pxref{Checkboxes}).
1750 @kindex S-@key{down}
1753 @cindex shift-selection-mode
1754 @vindex org-support-shift-select
1755 @vindex org-list-use-circular-motion
1756 Jump to the previous/next item in the current list@footnote{If you want to
1757 cycle around items that way, you may customize
1758 @code{org-list-use-circular-motion}.}, but only if
1759 @code{org-support-shift-select} is off. If not, you can still use paragraph
1760 jumping commands like @kbd{C-@key{up}} and @kbd{C-@key{down}} to quite
1763 @kindex M-@key{down}
1766 Move the item including subitems up/down@footnote{See
1767 @code{org-list-use-circular-motion} for a cyclic behavior.} (swap with
1768 previous/next item of same indentation). If the list is ordered, renumbering
1770 @kindex M-@key{left}
1771 @kindex M-@key{right}
1774 Decrease/increase the indentation of an item, leaving children alone.
1775 @kindex M-S-@key{left}
1776 @kindex M-S-@key{right}
1777 @item M-S-@key{left}
1778 @itemx M-S-@key{right}
1779 Decrease/increase the indentation of the item, including subitems.
1780 Initially, the item tree is selected based on current indentation. When
1781 these commands are executed several times in direct succession, the initially
1782 selected region is used, even if the new indentation would imply a different
1783 hierarchy. To use the new hierarchy, break the command chain with a cursor
1786 As a special case, using this command on the very first item of a list will
1787 move the whole list. This behavior can be disabled by configuring
1788 @code{org-list-automatic-rules}. The global indentation of a list has no
1789 influence on the text @emph{after} the list.
1792 If there is a checkbox (@pxref{Checkboxes}) in the item line, toggle the
1793 state of the checkbox. In any case, verify bullets and indentation
1794 consistency in the whole list.
1796 @vindex org-plain-list-ordered-item-terminator
1798 Cycle the entire list level through the different itemize/enumerate bullets
1799 (@samp{-}, @samp{+}, @samp{*}, @samp{1.}, @samp{1)}) or a subset of them,
1800 depending on @code{org-plain-list-ordered-item-terminator}, the type of list,
1801 and its indentation. With a numeric prefix argument N, select the Nth bullet
1802 from this list. If there is an active region when calling this, selected
1803 text will be changed into an item. With a prefix argument, all lines will be
1804 converted to list items. If the first line already was a list item, any item
1805 marker will be removed from the list. Finally, even without an active
1806 region, a normal line will be converted into a list item.
1809 Turn a plain list item into a headline (so that it becomes a subheading at
1810 its location). @xref{Structure editing}, for a detailed explanation.
1813 Turn the whole plain list into a subtree of the current heading. Checkboxes
1814 (@pxref{Checkboxes}) will become TODO (resp. DONE) keywords when unchecked
1816 @kindex S-@key{left}
1817 @kindex S-@key{right}
1819 @vindex org-support-shift-select
1820 This command also cycles bullet styles when the cursor in on the bullet or
1821 anywhere in an item line, details depending on
1822 @code{org-support-shift-select}.
1824 @cindex sorting, of plain list
1826 Sort the plain list. You will be prompted for the sorting method:
1827 numerically, alphabetically, by time, by checked status for check lists,
1828 or by a custom function.
1835 @cindex visibility cycling, drawers
1838 @cindex org-insert-drawer
1840 Sometimes you want to keep information associated with an entry, but you
1841 normally don't want to see it. For this, Org mode has @emph{drawers}.
1842 Drawers need to be configured with the option @code{org-drawers}@footnote{You
1843 can define additional drawers on a per-file basis with a line like
1844 @code{#+DRAWERS: HIDDEN STATE}}. They can contain anything but a headline
1845 and another drawer. Drawers look like this:
1848 ** This is a headline
1849 Still outside the drawer
1851 This is inside the drawer.
1856 You can interactively insert drawers at point by calling
1857 @code{org-insert-drawer}, which is bound to @key{C-c C-x d}. With an active
1858 region, this command will put the region inside the drawer. With a prefix
1859 argument, this command calls @code{org-insert-property-drawer} and add a
1860 property drawer right below the current headline. Completion over drawer
1861 keywords is also possible using @key{M-TAB}.
1863 Visibility cycling (@pxref{Visibility cycling}) on the headline will hide and
1864 show the entry, but keep the drawer collapsed to a single line. In order to
1865 look inside the drawer, you need to move the cursor to the drawer line and
1866 press @key{TAB} there. Org mode uses the @code{PROPERTIES} drawer for
1867 storing properties (@pxref{Properties and columns}), and you can also arrange
1868 for state change notes (@pxref{Tracking TODO state changes}) and clock times
1869 (@pxref{Clocking work time}) to be stored in a drawer @code{LOGBOOK}. If you
1870 want to store a quick note in the LOGBOOK drawer, in a similar way to state
1876 Add a time-stamped note to the LOGBOOK drawer.
1879 @vindex org-export-with-drawers
1880 @vindex org-export-with-properties
1881 You can select the name of the drawers which should be exported with
1882 @code{org-export-with-drawers}. In that case, drawer contents will appear in
1883 export output. Property drawers are not affected by this variable: configure
1884 @code{org-export-with-properties} instead.
1889 @vindex org-hide-block-startup
1890 @cindex blocks, folding
1891 Org mode uses begin...end blocks for various purposes from including source
1892 code examples (@pxref{Literal examples}) to capturing time logging
1893 information (@pxref{Clocking work time}). These blocks can be folded and
1894 unfolded by pressing TAB in the begin line. You can also get all blocks
1895 folded at startup by configuring the option @code{org-hide-block-startup}
1896 or on a per-file basis by using
1898 @cindex @code{hideblocks}, STARTUP keyword
1899 @cindex @code{nohideblocks}, STARTUP keyword
1901 #+STARTUP: hideblocks
1902 #+STARTUP: nohideblocks
1909 Org mode supports the creation of footnotes. In contrast to the
1910 @file{footnote.el} package, Org mode's footnotes are designed for work on
1911 a larger document, not only for one-off documents like emails.
1913 A footnote is started by a footnote marker in square brackets in column 0, no
1914 indentation allowed. It ends at the next footnote definition, headline, or
1915 after two consecutive empty lines. The footnote reference is simply the
1916 marker in square brackets, inside text. For example:
1919 The Org homepage[fn:1] now looks a lot better than it used to.
1921 [fn:1] The link is: http://orgmode.org
1924 Org mode extends the number-based syntax to @emph{named} footnotes and
1925 optional inline definition. Using plain numbers as markers (as
1926 @file{footnote.el} does) is supported for backward compatibility, but not
1927 encouraged because of possible conflicts with @LaTeX{} snippets (@pxref{Embedded
1928 @LaTeX{}}). Here are the valid references:
1932 A plain numeric footnote marker. Compatible with @file{footnote.el}, but not
1933 recommended because something like @samp{[1]} could easily be part of a code
1936 A named footnote reference, where @code{name} is a unique label word, or, for
1937 simplicity of automatic creation, a number.
1938 @item [fn:: This is the inline definition of this footnote]
1939 A @LaTeX{}-like anonymous footnote where the definition is given directly at the
1941 @item [fn:name: a definition]
1942 An inline definition of a footnote, which also specifies a name for the note.
1943 Since Org allows multiple references to the same note, you can then use
1944 @code{[fn:name]} to create additional references.
1947 @vindex org-footnote-auto-label
1948 Footnote labels can be created automatically, or you can create names yourself.
1949 This is handled by the variable @code{org-footnote-auto-label} and its
1950 corresponding @code{#+STARTUP} keywords. See the docstring of that variable
1953 @noindent The following command handles footnotes:
1958 The footnote action command.
1960 When the cursor is on a footnote reference, jump to the definition. When it
1961 is at a definition, jump to the (first) reference.
1963 @vindex org-footnote-define-inline
1964 @vindex org-footnote-section
1965 @vindex org-footnote-auto-adjust
1966 Otherwise, create a new footnote. Depending on the option
1967 @code{org-footnote-define-inline}@footnote{The corresponding in-buffer
1968 setting is: @code{#+STARTUP: fninline} or @code{#+STARTUP: nofninline}}, the
1969 definition will be placed right into the text as part of the reference, or
1970 separately into the location determined by the option
1971 @code{org-footnote-section}.
1973 When this command is called with a prefix argument, a menu of additional
1976 s @r{Sort the footnote definitions by reference sequence. During editing,}
1977 @r{Org makes no effort to sort footnote definitions into a particular}
1978 @r{sequence. If you want them sorted, use this command, which will}
1979 @r{also move entries according to @code{org-footnote-section}. Automatic}
1980 @r{sorting after each insertion/deletion can be configured using the}
1981 @r{option @code{org-footnote-auto-adjust}.}
1982 r @r{Renumber the simple @code{fn:N} footnotes. Automatic renumbering}
1983 @r{after each insertion/deletion can be configured using the option}
1984 @r{@code{org-footnote-auto-adjust}.}
1985 S @r{Short for first @code{r}, then @code{s} action.}
1986 n @r{Normalize the footnotes by collecting all definitions (including}
1987 @r{inline definitions) into a special section, and then numbering them}
1988 @r{in sequence. The references will then also be numbers. This is}
1989 @r{meant to be the final step before finishing a document (e.g., sending}
1991 d @r{Delete the footnote at point, and all definitions of and references}
1994 Depending on the variable @code{org-footnote-auto-adjust}@footnote{the
1995 corresponding in-buffer options are @code{fnadjust} and @code{nofnadjust}.},
1996 renumbering and sorting footnotes can be automatic after each insertion or
2001 If the cursor is on a footnote reference, jump to the definition. If it is a
2002 the definition, jump back to the reference. When called at a footnote
2003 location with a prefix argument, offer the same menu as @kbd{C-c C-x f}.
2007 @item C-c C-o @r{or} mouse-1/2
2008 Footnote labels are also links to the corresponding definition/reference, and
2009 you can use the usual commands to follow these links.
2012 @node Orgstruct mode
2013 @section The Orgstruct minor mode
2014 @cindex Orgstruct mode
2015 @cindex minor mode for structure editing
2017 If you like the intuitive way the Org mode structure editing and list
2018 formatting works, you might want to use these commands in other modes like
2019 Text mode or Mail mode as well. The minor mode @code{orgstruct-mode} makes
2020 this possible. Toggle the mode with @kbd{M-x orgstruct-mode RET}, or
2021 turn it on by default, for example in Message mode, with one of:
2024 (add-hook 'message-mode-hook 'turn-on-orgstruct)
2025 (add-hook 'message-mode-hook 'turn-on-orgstruct++)
2028 When this mode is active and the cursor is on a line that looks to Org like a
2029 headline or the first line of a list item, most structure editing commands
2030 will work, even if the same keys normally have different functionality in the
2031 major mode you are using. If the cursor is not in one of those special
2032 lines, Orgstruct mode lurks silently in the shadows.
2034 When you use @code{orgstruct++-mode}, Org will also export indentation and
2035 autofill settings into that mode, and detect item context after the first
2038 @vindex orgstruct-heading-prefix-regexp
2039 You can also use Org structure editing to fold and unfold headlines in
2040 @emph{any} file, provided you defined @code{orgstruct-heading-prefix-regexp}:
2041 the regular expression must match the local prefix to use before Org's
2042 headlines. For example, if you set this variable to @code{";; "} in Emacs
2043 Lisp files, you will be able to fold and unfold headlines in Emacs Lisp
2044 commented lines. Some commands like @code{org-demote} are disabled when the
2045 prefix is set, but folding/unfolding will work correctly.
2051 A reference document providing a formal description of Org's syntax is
2052 available as @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/dev/org-syntax.html, a draft on
2053 Worg}, written and maintained by Nicolas Goaziou. It defines Org's core
2054 internal concepts such as @code{headlines}, @code{sections}, @code{affiliated
2055 keywords}, @code{(greater) elements} and @code{objects}. Each part of an Org
2056 file falls into one of the categories above.
2058 To explore the abstract structure of an Org buffer, run this in a buffer:
2061 M-: (org-element-parse-buffer) RET
2064 It will output a list containing the buffer's content represented as an
2065 abstract structure. The export engine relies on the information stored in
2066 this list. Most interactive commands (e.g., for structure editing) also
2067 rely on the syntactic meaning of the surrounding context.
2072 @cindex editing tables
2074 Org comes with a fast and intuitive table editor. Spreadsheet-like
2075 calculations are supported using the Emacs @file{calc} package
2076 (@pxref{Top, Calc, , calc, Gnu Emacs Calculator Manual}).
2079 * Built-in table editor:: Simple tables
2080 * Column width and alignment:: Overrule the automatic settings
2081 * Column groups:: Grouping to trigger vertical lines
2082 * Orgtbl mode:: The table editor as minor mode
2083 * The spreadsheet:: The table editor has spreadsheet capabilities
2084 * Org-Plot:: Plotting from org tables
2087 @node Built-in table editor
2088 @section The built-in table editor
2089 @cindex table editor, built-in
2091 Org makes it easy to format tables in plain ASCII@. Any line with @samp{|} as
2092 the first non-whitespace character is considered part of a table. @samp{|}
2093 is also the column separator@footnote{To insert a vertical bar into a table
2094 field, use @code{\vert} or, inside a word @code{abc\vert@{@}def}.}. A table
2095 might look like this:
2098 | Name | Phone | Age |
2099 |-------+-------+-----|
2100 | Peter | 1234 | 17 |
2101 | Anna | 4321 | 25 |
2104 A table is re-aligned automatically each time you press @key{TAB} or
2105 @key{RET} or @kbd{C-c C-c} inside the table. @key{TAB} also moves to
2106 the next field (@key{RET} to the next row) and creates new table rows
2107 at the end of the table or before horizontal lines. The indentation
2108 of the table is set by the first line. Any line starting with
2109 @samp{|-} is considered as a horizontal separator line and will be
2110 expanded on the next re-align to span the whole table width. So, to
2111 create the above table, you would only type
2118 @noindent and then press @key{TAB} to align the table and start filling in
2119 fields. Even faster would be to type @code{|Name|Phone|Age} followed by
2120 @kbd{C-c @key{RET}}.
2122 @vindex org-enable-table-editor
2123 @vindex org-table-auto-blank-field
2124 When typing text into a field, Org treats @key{DEL},
2125 @key{Backspace}, and all character keys in a special way, so that
2126 inserting and deleting avoids shifting other fields. Also, when
2127 typing @emph{immediately after the cursor was moved into a new field
2128 with @kbd{@key{TAB}}, @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} or @kbd{@key{RET}}}, the
2129 field is automatically made blank. If this behavior is too
2130 unpredictable for you, configure the options
2131 @code{org-enable-table-editor} and @code{org-table-auto-blank-field}.
2134 @tsubheading{Creation and conversion}
2135 @orgcmd{C-c |,org-table-create-or-convert-from-region}
2136 Convert the active region to a table. If every line contains at least one
2137 TAB character, the function assumes that the material is tab separated.
2138 If every line contains a comma, comma-separated values (CSV) are assumed.
2139 If not, lines are split at whitespace into fields. You can use a prefix
2140 argument to force a specific separator: @kbd{C-u} forces CSV, @kbd{C-u
2141 C-u} forces TAB, @kbd{C-u C-u C-u} will prompt for a regular expression to
2142 match the separator, and a numeric argument N indicates that at least N
2143 consecutive spaces, or alternatively a TAB will be the separator.
2145 If there is no active region, this command creates an empty Org
2146 table. But it is easier just to start typing, like
2147 @kbd{|Name|Phone|Age @key{RET} |- @key{TAB}}.
2149 @tsubheading{Re-aligning and field motion}
2150 @orgcmd{C-c C-c,org-table-align}
2151 Re-align the table and don't move to another field.
2153 @orgcmd{<TAB>,org-table-next-field}
2154 Re-align the table, move to the next field. Creates a new row if
2157 @orgcmd{S-@key{TAB},org-table-previous-field}
2158 Re-align, move to previous field.
2160 @orgcmd{@key{RET},org-table-next-row}
2161 Re-align the table and move down to next row. Creates a new row if
2162 necessary. At the beginning or end of a line, @key{RET} still does
2163 NEWLINE, so it can be used to split a table.
2165 @orgcmd{M-a,org-table-beginning-of-field}
2166 Move to beginning of the current table field, or on to the previous field.
2167 @orgcmd{M-e,org-table-end-of-field}
2168 Move to end of the current table field, or on to the next field.
2170 @tsubheading{Column and row editing}
2171 @orgcmdkkcc{M-@key{left},M-@key{right},org-table-move-column-left,org-table-move-column-right}
2172 Move the current column left/right.
2174 @orgcmd{M-S-@key{left},org-table-delete-column}
2175 Kill the current column.
2177 @orgcmd{M-S-@key{right},org-table-insert-column}
2178 Insert a new column to the left of the cursor position.
2180 @orgcmdkkcc{M-@key{up},M-@key{down},org-table-move-row-up,org-table-move-row-down}
2181 Move the current row up/down.
2183 @orgcmd{M-S-@key{up},org-table-kill-row}
2184 Kill the current row or horizontal line.
2186 @orgcmd{M-S-@key{down},org-table-insert-row}
2187 Insert a new row above the current row. With a prefix argument, the line is
2188 created below the current one.
2190 @orgcmd{C-c -,org-table-insert-hline}
2191 Insert a horizontal line below current row. With a prefix argument, the line
2192 is created above the current line.
2194 @orgcmd{C-c @key{RET},org-table-hline-and-move}
2195 Insert a horizontal line below current row, and move the cursor into the row
2198 @orgcmd{C-c ^,org-table-sort-lines}
2199 Sort the table lines in the region. The position of point indicates the
2200 column to be used for sorting, and the range of lines is the range
2201 between the nearest horizontal separator lines, or the entire table. If
2202 point is before the first column, you will be prompted for the sorting
2203 column. If there is an active region, the mark specifies the first line
2204 and the sorting column, while point should be in the last line to be
2205 included into the sorting. The command prompts for the sorting type
2206 (alphabetically, numerically, or by time). When called with a prefix
2207 argument, alphabetic sorting will be case-sensitive.
2209 @tsubheading{Regions}
2210 @orgcmd{C-c C-x M-w,org-table-copy-region}
2211 Copy a rectangular region from a table to a special clipboard. Point and
2212 mark determine edge fields of the rectangle. If there is no active region,
2213 copy just the current field. The process ignores horizontal separator lines.
2215 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-w,org-table-cut-region}
2216 Copy a rectangular region from a table to a special clipboard, and
2217 blank all fields in the rectangle. So this is the ``cut'' operation.
2219 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-y,org-table-paste-rectangle}
2220 Paste a rectangular region into a table.
2221 The upper left corner ends up in the current field. All involved fields
2222 will be overwritten. If the rectangle does not fit into the present table,
2223 the table is enlarged as needed. The process ignores horizontal separator
2226 @orgcmd{M-@key{RET},org-table-wrap-region}
2227 Split the current field at the cursor position and move the rest to the line
2228 below. If there is an active region, and both point and mark are in the same
2229 column, the text in the column is wrapped to minimum width for the given
2230 number of lines. A numeric prefix argument may be used to change the number
2231 of desired lines. If there is no region, but you specify a prefix argument,
2232 the current field is made blank, and the content is appended to the field
2235 @tsubheading{Calculations}
2236 @cindex formula, in tables
2237 @cindex calculations, in tables
2238 @cindex region, active
2239 @cindex active region
2240 @cindex transient mark mode
2241 @orgcmd{C-c +,org-table-sum}
2242 Sum the numbers in the current column, or in the rectangle defined by
2243 the active region. The result is shown in the echo area and can
2244 be inserted with @kbd{C-y}.
2246 @orgcmd{S-@key{RET},org-table-copy-down}
2247 @vindex org-table-copy-increment
2248 When current field is empty, copy from first non-empty field above. When not
2249 empty, copy current field down to next row and move cursor along with it.
2250 Depending on the option @code{org-table-copy-increment}, integer field
2251 values will be incremented during copy. Integers that are too large will not
2252 be incremented. Also, a @code{0} prefix argument temporarily disables the
2253 increment. This key is also used by shift-selection and related modes
2254 (@pxref{Conflicts}).
2256 @tsubheading{Miscellaneous}
2257 @orgcmd{C-c `,org-table-edit-field}
2258 Edit the current field in a separate window. This is useful for fields that
2259 are not fully visible (@pxref{Column width and alignment}). When called with
2260 a @kbd{C-u} prefix, just make the full field visible, so that it can be
2261 edited in place. When called with two @kbd{C-u} prefixes, make the editor
2262 window follow the cursor through the table and always show the current
2263 field. The follow mode exits automatically when the cursor leaves the table,
2264 or when you repeat this command with @kbd{C-u C-u C-c `}.
2266 @item M-x org-table-import RET
2267 Import a file as a table. The table should be TAB or whitespace
2268 separated. Use, for example, to import a spreadsheet table or data
2269 from a database, because these programs generally can write
2270 TAB-separated text files. This command works by inserting the file into
2271 the buffer and then converting the region to a table. Any prefix
2272 argument is passed on to the converter, which uses it to determine the
2274 @orgcmd{C-c |,org-table-create-or-convert-from-region}
2275 Tables can also be imported by pasting tabular text into the Org
2276 buffer, selecting the pasted text with @kbd{C-x C-x} and then using the
2277 @kbd{C-c |} command (see above under @i{Creation and conversion}).
2279 @item M-x org-table-export RET
2280 @findex org-table-export
2281 @vindex org-table-export-default-format
2282 Export the table, by default as a TAB-separated file. Use for data
2283 exchange with, for example, spreadsheet or database programs. The format
2284 used to export the file can be configured in the option
2285 @code{org-table-export-default-format}. You may also use properties
2286 @code{TABLE_EXPORT_FILE} and @code{TABLE_EXPORT_FORMAT} to specify the file
2287 name and the format for table export in a subtree. Org supports quite
2288 general formats for exported tables. The exporter format is the same as the
2289 format used by Orgtbl radio tables, see @ref{Translator functions}, for a
2290 detailed description.
2293 If you don't like the automatic table editor because it gets in your
2294 way on lines which you would like to start with @samp{|}, you can turn
2298 (setq org-enable-table-editor nil)
2301 @noindent Then the only table command that still works is
2302 @kbd{C-c C-c} to do a manual re-align.
2304 @node Column width and alignment
2305 @section Column width and alignment
2306 @cindex narrow columns in tables
2307 @cindex alignment in tables
2309 The width of columns is automatically determined by the table editor. And
2310 also the alignment of a column is determined automatically from the fraction
2311 of number-like versus non-number fields in the column.
2313 Sometimes a single field or a few fields need to carry more text, leading to
2314 inconveniently wide columns. Or maybe you want to make a table with several
2315 columns having a fixed width, regardless of content. To set@footnote{This
2316 feature does not work on XEmacs.} the width of a column, one field anywhere
2317 in the column may contain just the string @samp{<N>} where @samp{N} is an
2318 integer specifying the width of the column in characters. The next re-align
2319 will then set the width of this column to this value.
2323 |---+------------------------------| |---+--------|
2325 | 1 | one | | 1 | one |
2326 | 2 | two | ----\ | 2 | two |
2327 | 3 | This is a long chunk of text | ----/ | 3 | This=> |
2328 | 4 | four | | 4 | four |
2329 |---+------------------------------| |---+--------|
2334 Fields that are wider become clipped and end in the string @samp{=>}.
2335 Note that the full text is still in the buffer but is hidden.
2336 To see the full text, hold the mouse over the field---a tool-tip window
2337 will show the full content. To edit such a field, use the command
2338 @kbd{C-c `} (that is @kbd{C-c} followed by the backquote). This will
2339 open a new window with the full field. Edit it and finish with @kbd{C-c
2342 @vindex org-startup-align-all-tables
2343 When visiting a file containing a table with narrowed columns, the
2344 necessary character hiding has not yet happened, and the table needs to
2345 be aligned before it looks nice. Setting the option
2346 @code{org-startup-align-all-tables} will realign all tables in a file
2347 upon visiting, but also slow down startup. You can also set this option
2348 on a per-file basis with:
2355 If you would like to overrule the automatic alignment of number-rich columns
2356 to the right and of string-rich column to the left, you can use @samp{<r>},
2357 @samp{<c>}@footnote{Centering does not work inside Emacs, but it does have an
2358 effect when exporting to HTML.} or @samp{<l>} in a similar fashion. You may
2359 also combine alignment and field width like this: @samp{<r10>}.
2361 Lines which only contain these formatting cookies will be removed
2362 automatically when exporting the document.
2365 @section Column groups
2366 @cindex grouping columns in tables
2368 When Org exports tables, it does so by default without vertical
2369 lines because that is visually more satisfying in general. Occasionally
2370 however, vertical lines can be useful to structure a table into groups
2371 of columns, much like horizontal lines can do for groups of rows. In
2372 order to specify column groups, you can use a special row where the
2373 first field contains only @samp{/}. The further fields can either
2374 contain @samp{<} to indicate that this column should start a group,
2375 @samp{>} to indicate the end of a column, or @samp{<>} (no space between @samp{<}
2376 and @samp{>}) to make a column
2377 a group of its own. Boundaries between column groups will upon export be
2378 marked with vertical lines. Here is an example:
2381 | N | N^2 | N^3 | N^4 | sqrt(n) | sqrt[4](N) |
2382 |---+-----+-----+-----+---------+------------|
2383 | / | < | | > | < | > |
2384 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
2385 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 1.4142 | 1.1892 |
2386 | 3 | 9 | 27 | 81 | 1.7321 | 1.3161 |
2387 |---+-----+-----+-----+---------+------------|
2388 #+TBLFM: $2=$1^2::$3=$1^3::$4=$1^4::$5=sqrt($1)::$6=sqrt(sqrt(($1)))
2391 It is also sufficient to just insert the column group starters after
2392 every vertical line you would like to have:
2395 | N | N^2 | N^3 | N^4 | sqrt(n) | sqrt[4](N) |
2396 |----+-----+-----+-----+---------+------------|
2401 @section The Orgtbl minor mode
2403 @cindex minor mode for tables
2405 If you like the intuitive way the Org table editor works, you
2406 might also want to use it in other modes like Text mode or Mail mode.
2407 The minor mode Orgtbl mode makes this possible. You can always toggle
2408 the mode with @kbd{M-x orgtbl-mode RET}. To turn it on by default, for
2409 example in Message mode, use
2412 (add-hook 'message-mode-hook 'turn-on-orgtbl)
2415 Furthermore, with some special setup, it is possible to maintain tables
2416 in arbitrary syntax with Orgtbl mode. For example, it is possible to
2417 construct @LaTeX{} tables with the underlying ease and power of
2418 Orgtbl mode, including spreadsheet capabilities. For details, see
2419 @ref{Tables in arbitrary syntax}.
2421 @node The spreadsheet
2422 @section The spreadsheet
2423 @cindex calculations, in tables
2424 @cindex spreadsheet capabilities
2425 @cindex @file{calc} package
2427 The table editor makes use of the Emacs @file{calc} package to implement
2428 spreadsheet-like capabilities. It can also evaluate Emacs Lisp forms to
2429 derive fields from other fields. While fully featured, Org's implementation
2430 is not identical to other spreadsheets. For example, Org knows the concept
2431 of a @emph{column formula} that will be applied to all non-header fields in a
2432 column without having to copy the formula to each relevant field. There is
2433 also a formula debugger, and a formula editor with features for highlighting
2434 fields in the table corresponding to the references at the point in the
2435 formula, moving these references by arrow keys
2438 * References:: How to refer to another field or range
2439 * Formula syntax for Calc:: Using Calc to compute stuff
2440 * Formula syntax for Lisp:: Writing formulas in Emacs Lisp
2441 * Durations and time values:: How to compute durations and time values
2442 * Field and range formulas:: Formula for specific (ranges of) fields
2443 * Column formulas:: Formulas valid for an entire column
2444 * Lookup functions:: Lookup functions for searching tables
2445 * Editing and debugging formulas:: Fixing formulas
2446 * Updating the table:: Recomputing all dependent fields
2447 * Advanced features:: Field and column names, parameters and automatic recalc
2451 @subsection References
2454 To compute fields in the table from other fields, formulas must
2455 reference other fields or ranges. In Org, fields can be referenced
2456 by name, by absolute coordinates, and by relative coordinates. To find
2457 out what the coordinates of a field are, press @kbd{C-c ?} in that
2458 field, or press @kbd{C-c @}} to toggle the display of a grid.
2460 @subsubheading Field references
2461 @cindex field references
2462 @cindex references, to fields
2464 Formulas can reference the value of another field in two ways. Like in
2465 any other spreadsheet, you may reference fields with a letter/number
2466 combination like @code{B3}, meaning the 2nd field in the 3rd row.
2467 @vindex org-table-use-standard-references
2468 However, Org prefers@footnote{Org will understand references typed by the
2469 user as @samp{B4}, but it will not use this syntax when offering a formula
2470 for editing. You can customize this behavior using the option
2471 @code{org-table-use-standard-references}.} to use another, more general
2472 representation that looks like this:
2474 @@@var{row}$@var{column}
2477 Column specifications can be absolute like @code{$1},
2478 @code{$2},...@code{$@var{N}}, or relative to the current column (i.e., the
2479 column of the field which is being computed) like @code{$+1} or @code{$-2}.
2480 @code{$<} and @code{$>} are immutable references to the first and last
2481 column, respectively, and you can use @code{$>>>} to indicate the third
2482 column from the right.
2484 The row specification only counts data lines and ignores horizontal separator
2485 lines (hlines). Like with columns, you can use absolute row numbers
2486 @code{@@1}, @code{@@2},...@code{@@@var{N}}, and row numbers relative to the
2487 current row like @code{@@+3} or @code{@@-1}. @code{@@<} and @code{@@>} are
2488 immutable references the first and last@footnote{For backward compatibility
2489 you can also use special names like @code{$LR5} and @code{$LR12} to refer in
2490 a stable way to the 5th and 12th field in the last row of the table.
2491 However, this syntax is deprecated, it should not be used for new documents.
2492 Use @code{@@>$} instead.} row in the table, respectively. You may also
2493 specify the row relative to one of the hlines: @code{@@I} refers to the first
2494 hline, @code{@@II} to the second, etc. @code{@@-I} refers to the first such
2495 line above the current line, @code{@@+I} to the first such line below the
2496 current line. You can also write @code{@@III+2} which is the second data line
2497 after the third hline in the table.
2499 @code{@@0} and @code{$0} refer to the current row and column, respectively,
2500 i.e., to the row/column for the field being computed. Also, if you omit
2501 either the column or the row part of the reference, the current row/column is
2504 Org's references with @emph{unsigned} numbers are fixed references
2505 in the sense that if you use the same reference in the formula for two
2506 different fields, the same field will be referenced each time.
2507 Org's references with @emph{signed} numbers are floating
2508 references because the same reference operator can reference different
2509 fields depending on the field being calculated by the formula.
2511 Here are a few examples:
2514 @@2$3 @r{2nd row, 3rd column (same as @code{C2})}
2515 $5 @r{column 5 in the current row (same as @code{E&})}
2516 @@2 @r{current column, row 2}
2517 @@-1$-3 @r{the field one row up, three columns to the left}
2518 @@-I$2 @r{field just under hline above current row, column 2}
2519 @@>$5 @r{field in the last row, in column 5}
2522 @subsubheading Range references
2523 @cindex range references
2524 @cindex references, to ranges
2526 You may reference a rectangular range of fields by specifying two field
2527 references connected by two dots @samp{..}. If both fields are in the
2528 current row, you may simply use @samp{$2..$7}, but if at least one field
2529 is in a different row, you need to use the general @code{@@row$column}
2530 format at least for the first field (i.e the reference must start with
2531 @samp{@@} in order to be interpreted correctly). Examples:
2534 $1..$3 @r{first three fields in the current row}
2535 $P..$Q @r{range, using column names (see under Advanced)}
2536 $<<<..$>> @r{start in third column, continue to the last but one}
2537 @@2$1..@@4$3 @r{6 fields between these two fields (same as @code{A2..C4})}
2538 @@-1$-2..@@-1 @r{3 fields in the row above, starting from 2 columns on the left}
2539 @@I..II @r{between first and second hline, short for @code{@@I..@@II}}
2542 @noindent Range references return a vector of values that can be fed
2543 into Calc vector functions. Empty fields in ranges are normally suppressed,
2544 so that the vector contains only the non-empty fields. For other options
2545 with the mode switches @samp{E}, @samp{N} and examples @pxref{Formula syntax
2548 @subsubheading Field coordinates in formulas
2549 @cindex field coordinates
2550 @cindex coordinates, of field
2551 @cindex row, of field coordinates
2552 @cindex column, of field coordinates
2554 For Calc formulas and Lisp formulas @code{@@#} and @code{$#} can be used to
2555 get the row or column number of the field where the formula result goes.
2556 The traditional Lisp formula equivalents are @code{org-table-current-dline}
2557 and @code{org-table-current-column}. Examples:
2560 if(@@# % 2, $#, string("")) @r{column number on odd lines only}
2561 $3 = remote(FOO, @@@@#$2) @r{copy column 2 from table FOO into}
2562 @r{column 3 of the current table}
2565 @noindent For the second example, table FOO must have at least as many rows
2566 as the current table. Note that this is inefficient@footnote{The computation time scales as
2567 O(N^2) because table FOO is parsed for each field to be copied.} for large
2570 @subsubheading Named references
2571 @cindex named references
2572 @cindex references, named
2573 @cindex name, of column or field
2574 @cindex constants, in calculations
2577 @vindex org-table-formula-constants
2578 @samp{$name} is interpreted as the name of a column, parameter or
2579 constant. Constants are defined globally through the option
2580 @code{org-table-formula-constants}, and locally (for the file) through a
2584 #+CONSTANTS: c=299792458. pi=3.14 eps=2.4e-6
2588 @vindex constants-unit-system
2589 @pindex constants.el
2590 Also properties (@pxref{Properties and columns}) can be used as
2591 constants in table formulas: for a property @samp{:Xyz:} use the name
2592 @samp{$PROP_Xyz}, and the property will be searched in the current
2593 outline entry and in the hierarchy above it. If you have the
2594 @file{constants.el} package, it will also be used to resolve constants,
2595 including natural constants like @samp{$h} for Planck's constant, and
2596 units like @samp{$km} for kilometers@footnote{@file{constants.el} can
2597 supply the values of constants in two different unit systems, @code{SI}
2598 and @code{cgs}. Which one is used depends on the value of the variable
2599 @code{constants-unit-system}. You can use the @code{#+STARTUP} options
2600 @code{constSI} and @code{constcgs} to set this value for the current
2601 buffer.}. Column names and parameters can be specified in special table
2602 lines. These are described below, see @ref{Advanced features}. All
2603 names must start with a letter, and further consist of letters and
2606 @subsubheading Remote references
2607 @cindex remote references
2608 @cindex references, remote
2609 @cindex references, to a different table
2610 @cindex name, of column or field
2611 @cindex constants, in calculations
2612 @cindex #+NAME, for table
2614 You may also reference constants, fields and ranges from a different table,
2615 either in the current file or even in a different file. The syntax is
2618 remote(NAME-OR-ID,REF)
2622 where NAME can be the name of a table in the current file as set by a
2623 @code{#+NAME: Name} line before the table. It can also be the ID of an
2624 entry, even in a different file, and the reference then refers to the first
2625 table in that entry. REF is an absolute field or range reference as
2626 described above for example @code{@@3$3} or @code{$somename}, valid in the
2629 @node Formula syntax for Calc
2630 @subsection Formula syntax for Calc
2631 @cindex formula syntax, Calc
2632 @cindex syntax, of formulas
2634 A formula can be any algebraic expression understood by the Emacs @file{Calc}
2635 package. Note that @file{calc} has the non-standard convention that @samp{/}
2636 has lower precedence than @samp{*}, so that @samp{a/b*c} is interpreted as
2637 @samp{a/(b*c)}. Before evaluation by @code{calc-eval} (@pxref{Calling Calc
2638 from Your Programs, calc-eval, Calling Calc from Your Lisp Programs, calc,
2639 GNU Emacs Calc Manual}), variable substitution takes place according to the
2640 rules described above.
2641 @cindex vectors, in table calculations
2642 The range vectors can be directly fed into the Calc vector functions
2643 like @samp{vmean} and @samp{vsum}.
2645 @cindex format specifier
2646 @cindex mode, for @file{calc}
2647 @vindex org-calc-default-modes
2648 A formula can contain an optional mode string after a semicolon. This
2649 string consists of flags to influence Calc and other modes during
2650 execution. By default, Org uses the standard Calc modes (precision
2651 12, angular units degrees, fraction and symbolic modes off). The display
2652 format, however, has been changed to @code{(float 8)} to keep tables
2653 compact. The default settings can be configured using the option
2654 @code{org-calc-default-modes}.
2656 @noindent List of modes:
2660 Set the internal Calc calculation precision to 20 digits.
2661 @item @code{n3}, @code{s3}, @code{e2}, @code{f4}
2662 Normal, scientific, engineering or fixed format of the result of Calc passed
2663 back to Org. Calc formatting is unlimited in precision as long as the Calc
2664 calculation precision is greater.
2665 @item @code{D}, @code{R}
2666 Degree and radian angle modes of Calc.
2667 @item @code{F}, @code{S}
2668 Fraction and symbolic modes of Calc.
2669 @item @code{T}, @code{t}
2670 Duration computations in Calc or Lisp, @pxref{Durations and time values}.
2672 If and how to consider empty fields. Without @samp{E} empty fields in range
2673 references are suppressed so that the Calc vector or Lisp list contains only
2674 the non-empty fields. With @samp{E} the empty fields are kept. For empty
2675 fields in ranges or empty field references the value @samp{nan} (not a
2676 number) is used in Calc formulas and the empty string is used for Lisp
2677 formulas. Add @samp{N} to use 0 instead for both formula types. For the
2678 value of a field the mode @samp{N} has higher precedence than @samp{E}.
2680 Interpret all fields as numbers, use 0 for non-numbers. See the next section
2681 to see how this is essential for computations with Lisp formulas. In Calc
2682 formulas it is used only occasionally because there number strings are
2683 already interpreted as numbers without @samp{N}.
2685 Literal, for Lisp formulas only. See the next section.
2689 Unless you use large integer numbers or high-precision-calculation and
2690 -display for floating point numbers you may alternatively provide a
2691 @samp{printf} format specifier to reformat the Calc result after it has been
2692 passed back to Org instead of letting Calc already do the
2693 formatting@footnote{The @samp{printf} reformatting is limited in precision
2694 because the value passed to it is converted into an @samp{integer} or
2695 @samp{double}. The @samp{integer} is limited in size by truncating the
2696 signed value to 32 bits. The @samp{double} is limited in precision to 64
2697 bits overall which leaves approximately 16 significant decimal digits.}. A
2701 $1+$2 @r{Sum of first and second field}
2702 $1+$2;%.2f @r{Same, format result to two decimals}
2703 exp($2)+exp($1) @r{Math functions can be used}
2704 $0;%.1f @r{Reformat current cell to 1 decimal}
2705 ($3-32)*5/9 @r{Degrees F -> C conversion}
2706 $c/$1/$cm @r{Hz -> cm conversion, using @file{constants.el}}
2707 tan($1);Dp3s1 @r{Compute in degrees, precision 3, display SCI 1}
2708 sin($1);Dp3%.1e @r{Same, but use printf specifier for display}
2709 taylor($3,x=7,2) @r{Taylor series of $3, at x=7, second degree}
2712 Calc also contains a complete set of logical operations, (@pxref{Logical
2713 Operations, , Logical Operations, calc, GNU Emacs Calc Manual}). For example
2716 @item if($1 < 20, teen, string(""))
2717 "teen" if age $1 is less than 20, else the Org table result field is set to
2718 empty with the empty string.
2719 @item if("$1" == "nan" || "$2" == "nan", string(""), $1 + $2); E
2720 Sum of the first two columns. When at least one of the input fields is empty
2721 the Org table result field is set to empty.
2722 @item if(typeof(vmean($1..$7)) == 12, string(""), vmean($1..$7); E
2723 Mean value of a range unless there is any empty field. Every field in the
2724 range that is empty is replaced by @samp{nan} which lets @samp{vmean} result
2725 in @samp{nan}. Then @samp{typeof == 12} detects the @samp{nan} from
2726 @samp{vmean} and the Org table result field is set to empty. Use this when
2727 the sample set is expected to never have missing values.
2728 @item if("$1..$7" == "[]", string(""), vmean($1..$7))
2729 Mean value of a range with empty fields skipped. Every field in the range
2730 that is empty is skipped. When all fields in the range are empty the mean
2731 value is not defined and the Org table result field is set to empty. Use
2732 this when the sample set can have a variable size.
2733 @item vmean($1..$7); EN
2734 To complete the example before: Mean value of a range with empty fields
2735 counting as samples with value 0. Use this only when incomplete sample sets
2736 should be padded with 0 to the full size.
2739 You can add your own Calc functions defined in Emacs Lisp with @code{defmath}
2740 and use them in formula syntax for Calc.
2742 @node Formula syntax for Lisp
2743 @subsection Emacs Lisp forms as formulas
2744 @cindex Lisp forms, as table formulas
2746 It is also possible to write a formula in Emacs Lisp. This can be useful
2747 for string manipulation and control structures, if Calc's functionality is
2750 If a formula starts with a single-quote followed by an opening parenthesis,
2751 then it is evaluated as a Lisp form. The evaluation should return either a
2752 string or a number. Just as with @file{calc} formulas, you can specify modes
2753 and a printf format after a semicolon.
2755 With Emacs Lisp forms, you need to be conscious about the way field
2756 references are interpolated into the form. By default, a reference will be
2757 interpolated as a Lisp string (in double-quotes) containing the field. If
2758 you provide the @samp{N} mode switch, all referenced elements will be numbers
2759 (non-number fields will be zero) and interpolated as Lisp numbers, without
2760 quotes. If you provide the @samp{L} flag, all fields will be interpolated
2761 literally, without quotes. I.e., if you want a reference to be interpreted
2762 as a string by the Lisp form, enclose the reference operator itself in
2763 double-quotes, like @code{"$3"}. Ranges are inserted as space-separated
2764 fields, so you can embed them in list or vector syntax.
2766 Here are a few examples---note how the @samp{N} mode is used when we do
2767 computations in Lisp:
2770 @item '(concat (substring $1 1 2) (substring $1 0 1) (substring $1 2))
2771 Swap the first two characters of the content of column 1.
2773 Add columns 1 and 2, equivalent to Calc's @code{$1+$2}.
2774 @item '(apply '+ '($1..$4));N
2775 Compute the sum of columns 1 to 4, like Calc's @code{vsum($1..$4)}.
2778 @node Durations and time values
2779 @subsection Durations and time values
2780 @cindex Duration, computing
2781 @cindex Time, computing
2782 @vindex org-table-duration-custom-format
2784 If you want to compute time values use the @code{T} flag, either in Calc
2785 formulas or Elisp formulas:
2789 | Task 1 | Task 2 | Total |
2790 |---------+----------+----------|
2791 | 2:12 | 1:47 | 03:59:00 |
2792 | 3:02:20 | -2:07:00 | 0.92 |
2793 #+TBLFM: @@2$3=$1+$2;T::@@3$3=$1+$2;t
2797 Input duration values must be of the form @code{HH:MM[:SS]}, where seconds
2798 are optional. With the @code{T} flag, computed durations will be displayed
2799 as @code{HH:MM:SS} (see the first formula above). With the @code{t} flag,
2800 computed durations will be displayed according to the value of the option
2801 @code{org-table-duration-custom-format}, which defaults to @code{'hours} and
2802 will display the result as a fraction of hours (see the second formula in the
2805 Negative duration values can be manipulated as well, and integers will be
2806 considered as seconds in addition and subtraction.
2808 @node Field and range formulas
2809 @subsection Field and range formulas
2810 @cindex field formula
2811 @cindex range formula
2812 @cindex formula, for individual table field
2813 @cindex formula, for range of fields
2815 To assign a formula to a particular field, type it directly into the field,
2816 preceded by @samp{:=}, for example @samp{:=vsum(@@II..III)}. When you press
2817 @key{TAB} or @key{RET} or @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in the field,
2818 the formula will be stored as the formula for this field, evaluated, and the
2819 current field will be replaced with the result.
2822 Formulas are stored in a special line starting with @samp{#+TBLFM:} directly
2823 below the table. If you type the equation in the 4th field of the 3rd data
2824 line in the table, the formula will look like @samp{@@3$4=$1+$2}. When
2825 inserting/deleting/swapping columns and rows with the appropriate commands,
2826 @i{absolute references} (but not relative ones) in stored formulas are
2827 modified in order to still reference the same field. To avoid this, in
2828 particular in range references, anchor ranges at the table borders (using
2829 @code{@@<}, @code{@@>}, @code{$<}, @code{$>}), or at hlines using the
2830 @code{@@I} notation. Automatic adaptation of field references does of course
2831 not happen if you edit the table structure with normal editing
2832 commands---then you must fix the equations yourself.
2834 Instead of typing an equation into the field, you may also use the following
2838 @orgcmd{C-u C-c =,org-table-eval-formula}
2839 Install a new formula for the current field. The command prompts for a
2840 formula with default taken from the @samp{#+TBLFM:} line, applies
2841 it to the current field, and stores it.
2844 The left-hand side of a formula can also be a special expression in order to
2845 assign the formula to a number of different fields. There is no keyboard
2846 shortcut to enter such range formulas. To add them, use the formula editor
2847 (@pxref{Editing and debugging formulas}) or edit the @code{#+TBLFM:} line
2852 Column formula, valid for the entire column. This is so common that Org
2853 treats these formulas in a special way, see @ref{Column formulas}.
2855 Row formula, applies to all fields in the specified row. @code{@@>=} means
2858 Range formula, applies to all fields in the given rectangular range. This
2859 can also be used to assign a formula to some but not all fields in a row.
2861 Named field, see @ref{Advanced features}.
2864 @node Column formulas
2865 @subsection Column formulas
2866 @cindex column formula
2867 @cindex formula, for table column
2869 When you assign a formula to a simple column reference like @code{$3=}, the
2870 same formula will be used in all fields of that column, with the following
2871 very convenient exceptions: (i) If the table contains horizontal separator
2872 hlines with rows above and below, everything before the first such hline is
2873 considered part of the table @emph{header} and will not be modified by column
2874 formulas. Therefore a header is mandatory when you use column formulas and
2875 want to add hlines to group rows, like for example to separate a total row at
2876 the bottom from the summand rows above. (ii) Fields that already get a value
2877 from a field/range formula will be left alone by column formulas. These
2878 conditions make column formulas very easy to use.
2880 To assign a formula to a column, type it directly into any field in the
2881 column, preceded by an equal sign, like @samp{=$1+$2}. When you press
2882 @key{TAB} or @key{RET} or @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in the field,
2883 the formula will be stored as the formula for the current column, evaluated
2884 and the current field replaced with the result. If the field contains only
2885 @samp{=}, the previously stored formula for this column is used. For each
2886 column, Org will only remember the most recently used formula. In the
2887 @samp{#+TBLFM:} line, column formulas will look like @samp{$4=$1+$2}. The
2888 left-hand side of a column formula cannot be the name of column, it must be
2889 the numeric column reference or @code{$>}.
2891 Instead of typing an equation into the field, you may also use the
2895 @orgcmd{C-c =,org-table-eval-formula}
2896 Install a new formula for the current column and replace current field with
2897 the result of the formula. The command prompts for a formula, with default
2898 taken from the @samp{#+TBLFM} line, applies it to the current field and
2899 stores it. With a numeric prefix argument(e.g., @kbd{C-5 C-c =}) the command
2900 will apply it to that many consecutive fields in the current column.
2903 @node Lookup functions
2904 @subsection Lookup functions
2905 @cindex lookup functions in tables
2906 @cindex table lookup functions
2908 Org has three predefined Emacs Lisp functions for lookups in tables.
2910 @item (org-lookup-first VAL S-LIST R-LIST &optional PREDICATE)
2911 @findex org-lookup-first
2912 Searches for the first element @code{S} in list @code{S-LIST} for which
2916 is @code{t}; returns the value from the corresponding position in list
2917 @code{R-LIST}. The default @code{PREDICATE} is @code{equal}. Note that the
2918 parameters @code{VAL} and @code{S} are passed to @code{PREDICATE} in the same
2919 order as the corresponding parameters are in the call to
2920 @code{org-lookup-first}, where @code{VAL} precedes @code{S-LIST}. If
2921 @code{R-LIST} is @code{nil}, the matching element @code{S} of @code{S-LIST}
2923 @item (org-lookup-last VAL S-LIST R-LIST &optional PREDICATE)
2924 @findex org-lookup-last
2925 Similar to @code{org-lookup-first} above, but searches for the @i{last}
2926 element for which @code{PREDICATE} is @code{t}.
2927 @item (org-lookup-all VAL S-LIST R-LIST &optional PREDICATE)
2928 @findex org-lookup-all
2929 Similar to @code{org-lookup-first}, but searches for @i{all} elements for
2930 which @code{PREDICATE} is @code{t}, and returns @i{all} corresponding
2931 values. This function can not be used by itself in a formula, because it
2932 returns a list of values. However, powerful lookups can be built when this
2933 function is combined with other Emacs Lisp functions.
2936 If the ranges used in these functions contain empty fields, the @code{E} mode
2937 for the formula should usually be specified: otherwise empty fields will not be
2938 included in @code{S-LIST} and/or @code{R-LIST} which can, for example, result
2939 in an incorrect mapping from an element of @code{S-LIST} to the corresponding
2940 element of @code{R-LIST}.
2942 These three functions can be used to implement associative arrays, count
2943 matching cells, rank results, group data etc. For practical examples
2944 see @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-tutorials/org-lookups.html, this
2947 @node Editing and debugging formulas
2948 @subsection Editing and debugging formulas
2949 @cindex formula editing
2950 @cindex editing, of table formulas
2952 @vindex org-table-use-standard-references
2953 You can edit individual formulas in the minibuffer or directly in the field.
2954 Org can also prepare a special buffer with all active formulas of a table.
2955 When offering a formula for editing, Org converts references to the standard
2956 format (like @code{B3} or @code{D&}) if possible. If you prefer to only work
2957 with the internal format (like @code{@@3$2} or @code{$4}), configure the
2958 option @code{org-table-use-standard-references}.
2961 @orgcmdkkc{C-c =,C-u C-c =,org-table-eval-formula}
2962 Edit the formula associated with the current column/field in the
2963 minibuffer. See @ref{Column formulas}, and @ref{Field and range formulas}.
2964 @orgcmd{C-u C-u C-c =,org-table-eval-formula}
2965 Re-insert the active formula (either a
2966 field formula, or a column formula) into the current field, so that you
2967 can edit it directly in the field. The advantage over editing in the
2968 minibuffer is that you can use the command @kbd{C-c ?}.
2969 @orgcmd{C-c ?,org-table-field-info}
2970 While editing a formula in a table field, highlight the field(s)
2971 referenced by the reference at the cursor position in the formula.
2973 @findex org-table-toggle-coordinate-overlays
2975 Toggle the display of row and column numbers for a table, using overlays
2976 (@command{org-table-toggle-coordinate-overlays}). These are updated each
2977 time the table is aligned; you can force it with @kbd{C-c C-c}.
2979 @findex org-table-toggle-formula-debugger
2981 Toggle the formula debugger on and off
2982 (@command{org-table-toggle-formula-debugger}). See below.
2983 @orgcmd{C-c ',org-table-edit-formulas}
2984 Edit all formulas for the current table in a special buffer, where the
2985 formulas will be displayed one per line. If the current field has an
2986 active formula, the cursor in the formula editor will mark it.
2987 While inside the special buffer, Org will automatically highlight
2988 any field or range reference at the cursor position. You may edit,
2989 remove and add formulas, and use the following commands:
2992 @orgcmdkkc{C-c C-c,C-x C-s,org-table-fedit-finish}
2993 Exit the formula editor and store the modified formulas. With @kbd{C-u}
2994 prefix, also apply the new formulas to the entire table.
2995 @orgcmd{C-c C-q,org-table-fedit-abort}
2996 Exit the formula editor without installing changes.
2997 @orgcmd{C-c C-r,org-table-fedit-toggle-ref-type}
2998 Toggle all references in the formula editor between standard (like
2999 @code{B3}) and internal (like @code{@@3$2}).
3000 @orgcmd{@key{TAB},org-table-fedit-lisp-indent}
3001 Pretty-print or indent Lisp formula at point. When in a line containing
3002 a Lisp formula, format the formula according to Emacs Lisp rules.
3003 Another @key{TAB} collapses the formula back again. In the open
3004 formula, @key{TAB} re-indents just like in Emacs Lisp mode.
3005 @orgcmd{M-@key{TAB},lisp-complete-symbol}
3006 Complete Lisp symbols, just like in Emacs Lisp mode.
3008 @kindex S-@key{down}
3009 @kindex S-@key{left}
3010 @kindex S-@key{right}
3011 @findex org-table-fedit-ref-up
3012 @findex org-table-fedit-ref-down
3013 @findex org-table-fedit-ref-left
3014 @findex org-table-fedit-ref-right
3015 @item S-@key{up}/@key{down}/@key{left}/@key{right}
3016 Shift the reference at point. For example, if the reference is
3017 @code{B3} and you press @kbd{S-@key{right}}, it will become @code{C3}.
3018 This also works for relative references and for hline references.
3019 @orgcmdkkcc{M-S-@key{up},M-S-@key{down},org-table-fedit-line-up,org-table-fedit-line-down}
3020 Move the test line for column formulas in the Org buffer up and
3022 @orgcmdkkcc{M-@key{up},M-@key{down},org-table-fedit-scroll-down,org-table-fedit-scroll-up}
3023 Scroll the window displaying the table.
3025 @findex org-table-toggle-coordinate-overlays
3027 Turn the coordinate grid in the table on and off.
3031 Making a table field blank does not remove the formula associated with
3032 the field, because that is stored in a different line (the @samp{#+TBLFM}
3033 line)---during the next recalculation the field will be filled again.
3034 To remove a formula from a field, you have to give an empty reply when
3035 prompted for the formula, or to edit the @samp{#+TBLFM} line.
3038 You may edit the @samp{#+TBLFM} directly and re-apply the changed
3039 equations with @kbd{C-c C-c} in that line or with the normal
3040 recalculation commands in the table.
3042 @anchor{Using multiple #+TBLFM lines}
3043 @subsubheading Using multiple #+TBLFM lines
3044 @cindex #+TBLFM line, multiple
3046 @cindex #+TBLFM, switching
3049 You may apply the formula temporarily. This is useful when you
3050 switch the formula. Place multiple @samp{#+TBLFM} lines right
3051 after the table, and then press @kbd{C-c C-c} on the formula to
3052 apply. Here is an example:
3064 Pressing @kbd{C-c C-c} in the line of @samp{#+TBLFM: $2=$1*2} yields:
3076 Note: If you recalculate this table (with @kbd{C-u C-c *}, for example), you
3077 will get the following result of applying only the first @samp{#+TBLFM} line.
3088 @subsubheading Debugging formulas
3089 @cindex formula debugging
3090 @cindex debugging, of table formulas
3091 When the evaluation of a formula leads to an error, the field content
3092 becomes the string @samp{#ERROR}. If you would like see what is going
3093 on during variable substitution and calculation in order to find a bug,
3094 turn on formula debugging in the @code{Tbl} menu and repeat the
3095 calculation, for example by pressing @kbd{C-u C-u C-c = @key{RET}} in a
3096 field. Detailed information will be displayed.
3098 @node Updating the table
3099 @subsection Updating the table
3100 @cindex recomputing table fields
3101 @cindex updating, table
3103 Recalculation of a table is normally not automatic, but needs to be
3104 triggered by a command. See @ref{Advanced features}, for a way to make
3105 recalculation at least semi-automatic.
3107 In order to recalculate a line of a table or the entire table, use the
3111 @orgcmd{C-c *,org-table-recalculate}
3112 Recalculate the current row by first applying the stored column formulas
3113 from left to right, and all field/range formulas in the current row.
3119 Recompute the entire table, line by line. Any lines before the first
3120 hline are left alone, assuming that these are part of the table header.
3122 @orgcmdkkc{C-u C-u C-c *,C-u C-u C-c C-c,org-table-iterate}
3123 Iterate the table by recomputing it until no further changes occur.
3124 This may be necessary if some computed fields use the value of other
3125 fields that are computed @i{later} in the calculation sequence.
3126 @item M-x org-table-recalculate-buffer-tables RET
3127 @findex org-table-recalculate-buffer-tables
3128 Recompute all tables in the current buffer.
3129 @item M-x org-table-iterate-buffer-tables RET
3130 @findex org-table-iterate-buffer-tables
3131 Iterate all tables in the current buffer, in order to converge table-to-table
3135 @node Advanced features
3136 @subsection Advanced features
3138 If you want the recalculation of fields to happen automatically, or if you
3139 want to be able to assign @i{names}@footnote{Such names must start by an
3140 alphabetic character and use only alphanumeric/underscore characters.} to
3141 fields and columns, you need to reserve the first column of the table for
3142 special marking characters.
3145 @orgcmd{C-#,org-table-rotate-recalc-marks}
3146 Rotate the calculation mark in first column through the states @samp{ },
3147 @samp{#}, @samp{*}, @samp{!}, @samp{$}. When there is an active region,
3148 change all marks in the region.
3151 Here is an example of a table that collects exam results of students and
3152 makes use of these features:
3156 |---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
3157 | | Student | Prob 1 | Prob 2 | Prob 3 | Total | Note |
3158 |---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
3159 | ! | | P1 | P2 | P3 | Tot | |
3160 | # | Maximum | 10 | 15 | 25 | 50 | 10.0 |
3161 | ^ | | m1 | m2 | m3 | mt | |
3162 |---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
3163 | # | Peter | 10 | 8 | 23 | 41 | 8.2 |
3164 | # | Sam | 2 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 1.8 |
3165 |---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
3166 | | Average | | | | 25.0 | |
3167 | ^ | | | | | at | |
3168 | $ | max=50 | | | | | |
3169 |---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
3170 #+TBLFM: $6=vsum($P1..$P3)::$7=10*$Tot/$max;%.1f::$at=vmean(@@-II..@@-I);%.1f
3174 @noindent @b{Important}: please note that for these special tables,
3175 recalculating the table with @kbd{C-u C-c *} will only affect rows that
3176 are marked @samp{#} or @samp{*}, and fields that have a formula assigned
3177 to the field itself. The column formulas are not applied in rows with
3180 @cindex marking characters, tables
3181 The marking characters have the following meaning:
3185 The fields in this line define names for the columns, so that you may
3186 refer to a column as @samp{$Tot} instead of @samp{$6}.
3188 This row defines names for the fields @emph{above} the row. With such
3189 a definition, any formula in the table may use @samp{$m1} to refer to
3190 the value @samp{10}. Also, if you assign a formula to a names field, it
3191 will be stored as @samp{$name=...}.
3193 Similar to @samp{^}, but defines names for the fields in the row
3196 Fields in this row can define @emph{parameters} for formulas. For
3197 example, if a field in a @samp{$} row contains @samp{max=50}, then
3198 formulas in this table can refer to the value 50 using @samp{$max}.
3199 Parameters work exactly like constants, only that they can be defined on
3202 Fields in this row are automatically recalculated when pressing
3203 @key{TAB} or @key{RET} or @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} in this row. Also, this row
3204 is selected for a global recalculation with @kbd{C-u C-c *}. Unmarked
3205 lines will be left alone by this command.
3207 Selects this line for global recalculation with @kbd{C-u C-c *}, but
3208 not for automatic recalculation. Use this when automatic
3209 recalculation slows down editing too much.
3211 Unmarked lines are exempt from recalculation with @kbd{C-u C-c *}.
3212 All lines that should be recalculated should be marked with @samp{#}
3215 Do not export this line. Useful for lines that contain the narrowing
3216 @samp{<N>} markers or column group markers.
3219 Finally, just to whet your appetite for what can be done with the
3220 fantastic @file{calc.el} package, here is a table that computes the Taylor
3221 series of degree @code{n} at location @code{x} for a couple of
3226 |---+-------------+---+-----+--------------------------------------|
3227 | | Func | n | x | Result |
3228 |---+-------------+---+-----+--------------------------------------|
3229 | # | exp(x) | 1 | x | 1 + x |
3230 | # | exp(x) | 2 | x | 1 + x + x^2 / 2 |
3231 | # | exp(x) | 3 | x | 1 + x + x^2 / 2 + x^3 / 6 |
3232 | # | x^2+sqrt(x) | 2 | x=0 | x*(0.5 / 0) + x^2 (2 - 0.25 / 0) / 2 |
3233 | # | x^2+sqrt(x) | 2 | x=1 | 2 + 2.5 x - 2.5 + 0.875 (x - 1)^2 |
3234 | * | tan(x) | 3 | x | 0.0175 x + 1.77e-6 x^3 |
3235 |---+-------------+---+-----+--------------------------------------|
3236 #+TBLFM: $5=taylor($2,$4,$3);n3
3242 @cindex graph, in tables
3243 @cindex plot tables using Gnuplot
3246 Org-Plot can produce 2D and 3D graphs of information stored in org tables
3247 using @file{Gnuplot} @uref{http://www.gnuplot.info/} and @file{gnuplot-mode}
3248 @uref{http://xafs.org/BruceRavel/GnuplotMode}. To see this in action, ensure
3249 that you have both Gnuplot and Gnuplot mode installed on your system, then
3250 call @code{org-plot/gnuplot} on the following table.
3254 #+PLOT: title:"Citas" ind:1 deps:(3) type:2d with:histograms set:"yrange [0:]"
3255 | Sede | Max cites | H-index |
3256 |-----------+-----------+---------|
3257 | Chile | 257.72 | 21.39 |
3258 | Leeds | 165.77 | 19.68 |
3259 | Sao Paolo | 71.00 | 11.50 |
3260 | Stockholm | 134.19 | 14.33 |
3261 | Morelia | 257.56 | 17.67 |
3265 Notice that Org Plot is smart enough to apply the table's headers as labels.
3266 Further control over the labels, type, content, and appearance of plots can
3267 be exercised through the @code{#+PLOT:} lines preceding a table. See below
3268 for a complete list of Org-plot options. For more information and examples
3269 see the Org-plot tutorial at
3270 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-tutorials/org-plot.html}.
3272 @subsubheading Plot Options
3276 Specify any @command{gnuplot} option to be set when graphing.
3279 Specify the title of the plot.
3282 Specify which column of the table to use as the @code{x} axis.
3285 Specify the columns to graph as a Lisp style list, surrounded by parentheses
3286 and separated by spaces for example @code{dep:(3 4)} to graph the third and
3287 fourth columns (defaults to graphing all other columns aside from the @code{ind}
3291 Specify whether the plot will be @code{2d}, @code{3d}, or @code{grid}.
3294 Specify a @code{with} option to be inserted for every col being plotted
3295 (e.g., @code{lines}, @code{points}, @code{boxes}, @code{impulses}, etc...).
3296 Defaults to @code{lines}.
3299 If you want to plot to a file, specify @code{"@var{path/to/desired/output-file}"}.
3302 List of labels to be used for the @code{deps} (defaults to the column headers
3306 Specify an entire line to be inserted in the Gnuplot script.
3309 When plotting @code{3d} or @code{grid} types, set this to @code{t} to graph a
3310 flat mapping rather than a @code{3d} slope.
3313 Specify format of Org mode timestamps as they will be parsed by Gnuplot.
3314 Defaults to @samp{%Y-%m-%d-%H:%M:%S}.
3317 If you want total control, you can specify a script file (place the file name
3318 between double-quotes) which will be used to plot. Before plotting, every
3319 instance of @code{$datafile} in the specified script will be replaced with
3320 the path to the generated data file. Note: even if you set this option, you
3321 may still want to specify the plot type, as that can impact the content of
3329 Like HTML, Org provides links inside a file, external links to
3330 other files, Usenet articles, emails, and much more.
3333 * Link format:: How links in Org are formatted
3334 * Internal links:: Links to other places in the current file
3335 * External links:: URL-like links to the world
3336 * Handling links:: Creating, inserting and following
3337 * Using links outside Org:: Linking from my C source code?
3338 * Link abbreviations:: Shortcuts for writing complex links
3339 * Search options:: Linking to a specific location
3340 * Custom searches:: When the default search is not enough
3344 @section Link format
3346 @cindex format, of links
3348 Org will recognize plain URL-like links and activate them as
3349 clickable links. The general link format, however, looks like this:
3352 [[link][description]] @r{or alternatively} [[link]]
3356 Once a link in the buffer is complete (all brackets present), Org
3357 will change the display so that @samp{description} is displayed instead
3358 of @samp{[[link][description]]} and @samp{link} is displayed instead of
3359 @samp{[[link]]}. Links will be highlighted in the face @code{org-link},
3360 which by default is an underlined face. You can directly edit the
3361 visible part of a link. Note that this can be either the @samp{link}
3362 part (if there is no description) or the @samp{description} part. To
3363 edit also the invisible @samp{link} part, use @kbd{C-c C-l} with the
3366 If you place the cursor at the beginning or just behind the end of the
3367 displayed text and press @key{BACKSPACE}, you will remove the
3368 (invisible) bracket at that location. This makes the link incomplete
3369 and the internals are again displayed as plain text. Inserting the
3370 missing bracket hides the link internals again. To show the
3371 internal structure of all links, use the menu entry
3372 @code{Org->Hyperlinks->Literal links}.
3374 @node Internal links
3375 @section Internal links
3376 @cindex internal links
3377 @cindex links, internal
3378 @cindex targets, for links
3380 @cindex property, CUSTOM_ID
3381 If the link does not look like a URL, it is considered to be internal in the
3382 current file. The most important case is a link like
3383 @samp{[[#my-custom-id]]} which will link to the entry with the
3384 @code{CUSTOM_ID} property @samp{my-custom-id}. You are responsible yourself
3385 to make sure these custom IDs are unique in a file.
3387 Links such as @samp{[[My Target]]} or @samp{[[My Target][Find my target]]}
3388 lead to a text search in the current file.
3390 The link can be followed with @kbd{C-c C-o} when the cursor is on the link,
3391 or with a mouse click (@pxref{Handling links}). Links to custom IDs will
3392 point to the corresponding headline. The preferred match for a text link is
3393 a @i{dedicated target}: the same string in double angular brackets, like
3394 @samp{<<My Target>>}.
3397 If no dedicated target exists, the link will then try to match the exact name
3398 of an element within the buffer. Naming is done with the @code{#+NAME}
3399 keyword, which has to be put in the line before the element it refers to, as
3400 in the following example
3409 If none of the above succeeds, Org will search for a headline that is exactly
3410 the link text but may also include a TODO keyword and tags@footnote{To insert
3411 a link targeting a headline, in-buffer completion can be used. Just type
3412 a star followed by a few optional letters into the buffer and press
3413 @kbd{M-@key{TAB}}. All headlines in the current buffer will be offered as
3416 During export, internal links will be used to mark objects and assign them
3417 a number. Marked objects will then be referenced by links pointing to them.
3418 In particular, links without a description will appear as the number assigned
3419 to the marked object@footnote{When targeting a @code{#+NAME} keyword,
3420 @code{#+CAPTION} keyword is mandatory in order to get proper numbering
3421 (@pxref{Images and tables}).}. In the following excerpt from an Org buffer
3425 - <<target>>another item
3426 Here we refer to item [[target]].
3430 The last sentence will appear as @samp{Here we refer to item 2} when
3433 In non-Org files, the search will look for the words in the link text. In
3434 the above example the search would be for @samp{my target}.
3436 Following a link pushes a mark onto Org's own mark ring. You can
3437 return to the previous position with @kbd{C-c &}. Using this command
3438 several times in direct succession goes back to positions recorded
3442 * Radio targets:: Make targets trigger links in plain text
3446 @subsection Radio targets
3447 @cindex radio targets
3448 @cindex targets, radio
3449 @cindex links, radio targets
3451 Org can automatically turn any occurrences of certain target names
3452 in normal text into a link. So without explicitly creating a link, the
3453 text connects to the target radioing its position. Radio targets are
3454 enclosed by triple angular brackets. For example, a target @samp{<<<My
3455 Target>>>} causes each occurrence of @samp{my target} in normal text to
3456 become activated as a link. The Org file is scanned automatically
3457 for radio targets only when the file is first loaded into Emacs. To
3458 update the target list during editing, press @kbd{C-c C-c} with the
3459 cursor on or at a target.
3461 @node External links
3462 @section External links
3463 @cindex links, external
3464 @cindex external links
3472 @cindex USENET links
3477 Org supports links to files, websites, Usenet and email messages, BBDB
3478 database entries and links to both IRC conversations and their logs.
3479 External links are URL-like locators. They start with a short identifying
3480 string followed by a colon. There can be no space after the colon. The
3481 following list shows examples for each link type.
3484 http://www.astro.uva.nl/~dominik @r{on the web}
3485 doi:10.1000/182 @r{DOI for an electronic resource}
3486 file:/home/dominik/images/jupiter.jpg @r{file, absolute path}
3487 /home/dominik/images/jupiter.jpg @r{same as above}
3488 file:papers/last.pdf @r{file, relative path}
3489 ./papers/last.pdf @r{same as above}
3490 file:/myself@@some.where:papers/last.pdf @r{file, path on remote machine}
3491 /myself@@some.where:papers/last.pdf @r{same as above}
3492 file:sometextfile::NNN @r{file, jump to line number}
3493 file:projects.org @r{another Org file}
3494 file:projects.org::some words @r{text search in Org file}@footnote{
3495 The actual behavior of the search will depend on the value of
3496 the option @code{org-link-search-must-match-exact-headline}. If its value
3497 is @code{nil}, then a fuzzy text search will be done. If it is t, then only the
3498 exact headline will be matched. If the value is @code{'query-to-create},
3499 then an exact headline will be searched; if it is not found, then the user
3500 will be queried to create it.}
3501 file:projects.org::*task title @r{heading search in Org file}
3502 file+sys:/path/to/file @r{open via OS, like double-click}
3503 file+emacs:/path/to/file @r{force opening by Emacs}
3504 docview:papers/last.pdf::NNN @r{open in doc-view mode at page}
3505 id:B7423F4D-2E8A-471B-8810-C40F074717E9 @r{Link to heading by ID}
3506 news:comp.emacs @r{Usenet link}
3507 mailto:adent@@galaxy.net @r{Mail link}
3508 mhe:folder @r{MH-E folder link}
3509 mhe:folder#id @r{MH-E message link}
3510 rmail:folder @r{RMAIL folder link}
3511 rmail:folder#id @r{RMAIL message link}
3512 gnus:group @r{Gnus group link}
3513 gnus:group#id @r{Gnus article link}
3514 bbdb:R.*Stallman @r{BBDB link (with regexp)}
3515 irc:/irc.com/#emacs/bob @r{IRC link}
3516 info:org#External links @r{Info node link}
3517 shell:ls *.org @r{A shell command}
3518 elisp:org-agenda @r{Interactive Elisp command}
3519 elisp:(find-file-other-frame "Elisp.org") @r{Elisp form to evaluate}
3523 @cindex WANDERLUST links
3524 On top of these built-in link types, some are available through the
3525 @code{contrib/} directory (@pxref{Installation}). For example, these links
3526 to VM or Wanderlust messages are available when you load the corresponding
3527 libraries from the @code{contrib/} directory:
3530 vm:folder @r{VM folder link}
3531 vm:folder#id @r{VM message link}
3532 vm://myself@@some.where.org/folder#id @r{VM on remote machine}
3533 vm-imap:account:folder @r{VM IMAP folder link}
3534 vm-imap:account:folder#id @r{VM IMAP message link}
3535 wl:folder @r{WANDERLUST folder link}
3536 wl:folder#id @r{WANDERLUST message link}
3539 For customizing Org to add new link types @ref{Adding hyperlink types}.
3541 A link should be enclosed in double brackets and may contain a descriptive
3542 text to be displayed instead of the URL (@pxref{Link format}), for example:
3545 [[http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/][GNU Emacs]]
3549 If the description is a file name or URL that points to an image, HTML
3550 export (@pxref{HTML export}) will inline the image as a clickable
3551 button. If there is no description at all and the link points to an
3553 that image will be inlined into the exported HTML file.
3555 @cindex square brackets, around links
3556 @cindex plain text external links
3557 Org also finds external links in the normal text and activates them
3558 as links. If spaces must be part of the link (for example in
3559 @samp{bbdb:Richard Stallman}), or if you need to remove ambiguities
3560 about the end of the link, enclose them in square brackets.
3562 @node Handling links
3563 @section Handling links
3564 @cindex links, handling
3566 Org provides methods to create a link in the correct syntax, to
3567 insert it into an Org file, and to follow the link.
3570 @orgcmd{C-c l,org-store-link}
3571 @cindex storing links
3572 Store a link to the current location. This is a @emph{global} command (you
3573 must create the key binding yourself) which can be used in any buffer to
3574 create a link. The link will be stored for later insertion into an Org
3575 buffer (see below). What kind of link will be created depends on the current
3578 @b{Org mode buffers}@*
3579 For Org files, if there is a @samp{<<target>>} at the cursor, the link points
3580 to the target. Otherwise it points to the current headline, which will also
3581 be the description@footnote{If the headline contains a timestamp, it will be
3582 removed from the link and result in a wrong link---you should avoid putting
3583 timestamp in the headline.}.
3585 @vindex org-id-link-to-org-use-id
3586 @cindex property, CUSTOM_ID
3587 @cindex property, ID
3588 If the headline has a @code{CUSTOM_ID} property, a link to this custom ID
3589 will be stored. In addition or alternatively (depending on the value of
3590 @code{org-id-link-to-org-use-id}), a globally unique @code{ID} property will
3591 be created and/or used to construct a link@footnote{The library
3592 @file{org-id.el} must first be loaded, either through @code{org-customize} by
3593 enabling @code{org-id} in @code{org-modules}, or by adding @code{(require
3594 'org-id)} in your @file{.emacs}.}. So using this command in Org buffers will
3595 potentially create two links: a human-readable from the custom ID, and one
3596 that is globally unique and works even if the entry is moved from file to
3597 file. Later, when inserting the link, you need to decide which one to use.
3599 @b{Email/News clients: VM, Rmail, Wanderlust, MH-E, Gnus}@*
3600 Pretty much all Emacs mail clients are supported. The link will point to the
3601 current article, or, in some GNUS buffers, to the group. The description is
3602 constructed from the author and the subject.
3604 @b{Web browsers: W3 and W3M}@*
3605 Here the link will be the current URL, with the page title as description.
3607 @b{Contacts: BBDB}@*
3608 Links created in a BBDB buffer will point to the current entry.
3611 @vindex org-irc-link-to-logs
3612 For IRC links, if you set the option @code{org-irc-link-to-logs} to @code{t},
3613 a @samp{file:/} style link to the relevant point in the logs for the current
3614 conversation is created. Otherwise an @samp{irc:/} style link to the
3615 user/channel/server under the point will be stored.
3618 For any other files, the link will point to the file, with a search string
3619 (@pxref{Search options}) pointing to the contents of the current line. If
3620 there is an active region, the selected words will form the basis of the
3621 search string. If the automatically created link is not working correctly or
3622 accurately enough, you can write custom functions to select the search string
3623 and to do the search for particular file types---see @ref{Custom searches}.
3624 The key binding @kbd{C-c l} is only a suggestion---see @ref{Installation}.
3627 When the cursor is in an agenda view, the created link points to the
3628 entry referenced by the current line.
3631 @orgcmd{C-c C-l,org-insert-link}
3632 @cindex link completion
3633 @cindex completion, of links
3634 @cindex inserting links
3635 @vindex org-keep-stored-link-after-insertion
3636 Insert a link@footnote{Note that you don't have to use this command to
3637 insert a link. Links in Org are plain text, and you can type or paste them
3638 straight into the buffer. By using this command, the links are automatically
3639 enclosed in double brackets, and you will be asked for the optional
3640 descriptive text.}. This prompts for a link to be inserted into the buffer.
3641 You can just type a link, using text for an internal link, or one of the link
3642 type prefixes mentioned in the examples above. The link will be inserted
3643 into the buffer@footnote{After insertion of a stored link, the link will be
3644 removed from the list of stored links. To keep it in the list later use, use
3645 a triple @kbd{C-u} prefix argument to @kbd{C-c C-l}, or configure the option
3646 @code{org-keep-stored-link-after-insertion}.}, along with a descriptive text.
3647 If some text was selected when this command is called, the selected text
3648 becomes the default description.
3650 @b{Inserting stored links}@*
3651 All links stored during the
3652 current session are part of the history for this prompt, so you can access
3653 them with @key{up} and @key{down} (or @kbd{M-p/n}).
3655 @b{Completion support}@* Completion with @key{TAB} will help you to insert
3656 valid link prefixes like @samp{http:} or @samp{ftp:}, including the prefixes
3657 defined through link abbreviations (@pxref{Link abbreviations}). If you
3658 press @key{RET} after inserting only the @var{prefix}, Org will offer
3659 specific completion support for some link types@footnote{This works by
3660 calling a special function @code{org-PREFIX-complete-link}.} For
3661 example, if you type @kbd{file @key{RET}}, file name completion (alternative
3662 access: @kbd{C-u C-c C-l}, see below) will be offered, and after @kbd{bbdb
3663 @key{RET}} you can complete contact names.
3665 @cindex file name completion
3666 @cindex completion, of file names
3667 When @kbd{C-c C-l} is called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix argument, a link to
3668 a file will be inserted and you may use file name completion to select
3669 the name of the file. The path to the file is inserted relative to the
3670 directory of the current Org file, if the linked file is in the current
3671 directory or in a sub-directory of it, or if the path is written relative
3672 to the current directory using @samp{../}. Otherwise an absolute path
3673 is used, if possible with @samp{~/} for your home directory. You can
3674 force an absolute path with two @kbd{C-u} prefixes.
3676 @item C-c C-l @ @r{(with cursor on existing link)}
3677 When the cursor is on an existing link, @kbd{C-c C-l} allows you to edit the
3678 link and description parts of the link.
3680 @cindex following links
3681 @orgcmd{C-c C-o,org-open-at-point}
3682 @vindex org-file-apps
3683 @vindex org-link-frame-setup
3684 Open link at point. This will launch a web browser for URLs (using
3685 @command{browse-url-at-point}), run VM/MH-E/Wanderlust/Rmail/Gnus/BBDB for
3686 the corresponding links, and execute the command in a shell link. When the
3687 cursor is on an internal link, this command runs the corresponding search.
3688 When the cursor is on a TAG list in a headline, it creates the corresponding
3689 TAGS view. If the cursor is on a timestamp, it compiles the agenda for that
3690 date. Furthermore, it will visit text and remote files in @samp{file:} links
3691 with Emacs and select a suitable application for local non-text files.
3692 Classification of files is based on file extension only. See option
3693 @code{org-file-apps}. If you want to override the default application and
3694 visit the file with Emacs, use a @kbd{C-u} prefix. If you want to avoid
3695 opening in Emacs, use a @kbd{C-u C-u} prefix.@*
3696 If the cursor is on a headline, but not on a link, offer all links in the
3697 headline and entry text. If you want to setup the frame configuration for
3698 following links, customize @code{org-link-frame-setup}.
3701 @vindex org-return-follows-link
3702 When @code{org-return-follows-link} is set, @kbd{@key{RET}} will also follow
3709 On links, @kbd{mouse-2} will open the link just as @kbd{C-c C-o}
3710 would. Under Emacs 22 and later, @kbd{mouse-1} will also follow a link.
3714 @vindex org-display-internal-link-with-indirect-buffer
3715 Like @kbd{mouse-2}, but force file links to be opened with Emacs, and
3716 internal links to be displayed in another window@footnote{See the
3717 option @code{org-display-internal-link-with-indirect-buffer}}.
3719 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-v,org-toggle-inline-images}
3720 @cindex inlining images
3721 @cindex images, inlining
3722 @vindex org-startup-with-inline-images
3723 @cindex @code{inlineimages}, STARTUP keyword
3724 @cindex @code{noinlineimages}, STARTUP keyword
3725 Toggle the inline display of linked images. Normally this will only inline
3726 images that have no description part in the link, i.e., images that will also
3727 be inlined during export. When called with a prefix argument, also display
3728 images that do have a link description. You can ask for inline images to be
3729 displayed at startup by configuring the variable
3730 @code{org-startup-with-inline-images}@footnote{with corresponding
3731 @code{#+STARTUP} keywords @code{inlineimages} and @code{noinlineimages}}.
3732 @orgcmd{C-c %,org-mark-ring-push}
3734 Push the current position onto the mark ring, to be able to return
3735 easily. Commands following an internal link do this automatically.
3737 @orgcmd{C-c &,org-mark-ring-goto}
3738 @cindex links, returning to
3739 Jump back to a recorded position. A position is recorded by the
3740 commands following internal links, and by @kbd{C-c %}. Using this
3741 command several times in direct succession moves through a ring of
3742 previously recorded positions.
3744 @orgcmdkkcc{C-c C-x C-n,C-c C-x C-p,org-next-link,org-previous-link}
3745 @cindex links, finding next/previous
3746 Move forward/backward to the next link in the buffer. At the limit of
3747 the buffer, the search fails once, and then wraps around. The key
3748 bindings for this are really too long; you might want to bind this also
3749 to @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p}
3751 (add-hook 'org-load-hook
3753 (define-key org-mode-map "\C-n" 'org-next-link)
3754 (define-key org-mode-map "\C-p" 'org-previous-link)))
3758 @node Using links outside Org
3759 @section Using links outside Org
3761 You can insert and follow links that have Org syntax not only in
3762 Org, but in any Emacs buffer. For this, you should create two
3763 global commands, like this (please select suitable global keys
3767 (global-set-key "\C-c L" 'org-insert-link-global)
3768 (global-set-key "\C-c o" 'org-open-at-point-global)
3771 @node Link abbreviations
3772 @section Link abbreviations
3773 @cindex link abbreviations
3774 @cindex abbreviation, links
3776 Long URLs can be cumbersome to type, and often many similar links are
3777 needed in a document. For this you can use link abbreviations. An
3778 abbreviated link looks like this
3781 [[linkword:tag][description]]
3785 @vindex org-link-abbrev-alist
3786 where the tag is optional.
3787 The @i{linkword} must be a word, starting with a letter, followed by
3788 letters, numbers, @samp{-}, and @samp{_}. Abbreviations are resolved
3789 according to the information in the variable @code{org-link-abbrev-alist}
3790 that relates the linkwords to replacement text. Here is an example:
3794 (setq org-link-abbrev-alist
3795 '(("bugzilla" . "http://10.1.2.9/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=")
3796 ("url-to-ja" . "http://translate.google.fr/translate?sl=en&tl=ja&u=%h")
3797 ("google" . "http://www.google.com/search?q=")
3798 ("gmap" . "http://maps.google.com/maps?q=%s")
3799 ("omap" . "http://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=%s&polygon=1")
3800 ("ads" . "http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-abs_connect?author=%s&db_key=AST")))
3804 If the replacement text contains the string @samp{%s}, it will be
3805 replaced with the tag. Using @samp{%h} instead of @samp{%s} will
3806 url-encode the tag (see the example above, where we need to encode
3807 the URL parameter.) Using @samp{%(my-function)} will pass the tag
3808 to a custom function, and replace it by the resulting string.
3810 If the replacement text doesn't contain any specifier, it will simply
3811 be appended to the string in order to create the link.
3813 Instead of a string, you may also specify a function that will be
3814 called with the tag as the only argument to create the link.
3816 With the above setting, you could link to a specific bug with
3817 @code{[[bugzilla:129]]}, search the web for @samp{OrgMode} with
3818 @code{[[google:OrgMode]]}, show the map location of the Free Software
3819 Foundation @code{[[gmap:51 Franklin Street, Boston]]} or of Carsten office
3820 @code{[[omap:Science Park 904, Amsterdam, The Netherlands]]} and find out
3821 what the Org author is doing besides Emacs hacking with
3822 @code{[[ads:Dominik,C]]}.
3824 If you need special abbreviations just for a single Org buffer, you
3825 can define them in the file with
3829 #+LINK: bugzilla http://10.1.2.9/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=
3830 #+LINK: google http://www.google.com/search?q=%s
3834 In-buffer completion (@pxref{Completion}) can be used after @samp{[} to
3835 complete link abbreviations. You may also define a function
3836 @code{org-PREFIX-complete-link} that implements special (e.g., completion)
3837 support for inserting such a link with @kbd{C-c C-l}. Such a function should
3838 not accept any arguments, and return the full link with prefix.
3840 @node Search options
3841 @section Search options in file links
3842 @cindex search option in file links
3843 @cindex file links, searching
3845 File links can contain additional information to make Emacs jump to a
3846 particular location in the file when following a link. This can be a
3847 line number or a search option after a double@footnote{For backward
3848 compatibility, line numbers can also follow a single colon.} colon. For
3849 example, when the command @kbd{C-c l} creates a link (@pxref{Handling
3850 links}) to a file, it encodes the words in the current line as a search
3851 string that can be used to find this line back later when following the
3852 link with @kbd{C-c C-o}.
3854 Here is the syntax of the different ways to attach a search to a file
3855 link, together with an explanation:
3858 [[file:~/code/main.c::255]]
3859 [[file:~/xx.org::My Target]]
3860 [[file:~/xx.org::*My Target]]
3861 [[file:~/xx.org::#my-custom-id]]
3862 [[file:~/xx.org::/regexp/]]
3869 Search for a link target @samp{<<My Target>>}, or do a text search for
3870 @samp{my target}, similar to the search in internal links, see
3871 @ref{Internal links}. In HTML export (@pxref{HTML export}), such a file
3872 link will become a HTML reference to the corresponding named anchor in
3875 In an Org file, restrict search to headlines.
3877 Link to a heading with a @code{CUSTOM_ID} property
3879 Do a regular expression search for @code{regexp}. This uses the Emacs
3880 command @code{occur} to list all matches in a separate window. If the
3881 target file is in Org mode, @code{org-occur} is used to create a
3882 sparse tree with the matches.
3883 @c If the target file is a directory,
3884 @c @code{grep} will be used to search all files in the directory.
3887 As a degenerate case, a file link with an empty file name can be used
3888 to search the current file. For example, @code{[[file:::find me]]} does
3889 a search for @samp{find me} in the current file, just as
3890 @samp{[[find me]]} would.
3892 @node Custom searches
3893 @section Custom Searches
3894 @cindex custom search strings
3895 @cindex search strings, custom
3897 The default mechanism for creating search strings and for doing the
3898 actual search related to a file link may not work correctly in all
3899 cases. For example, Bib@TeX{} database files have many entries like
3900 @samp{year="1993"} which would not result in good search strings,
3901 because the only unique identification for a Bib@TeX{} entry is the
3904 @vindex org-create-file-search-functions
3905 @vindex org-execute-file-search-functions
3906 If you come across such a problem, you can write custom functions to set
3907 the right search string for a particular file type, and to do the search
3908 for the string in the file. Using @code{add-hook}, these functions need
3909 to be added to the hook variables
3910 @code{org-create-file-search-functions} and
3911 @code{org-execute-file-search-functions}. See the docstring for these
3912 variables for more information. Org actually uses this mechanism
3913 for Bib@TeX{} database files, and you can use the corresponding code as
3914 an implementation example. See the file @file{org-bibtex.el}.
3920 Org mode does not maintain TODO lists as separate documents@footnote{Of
3921 course, you can make a document that contains only long lists of TODO items,
3922 but this is not required.}. Instead, TODO items are an integral part of the
3923 notes file, because TODO items usually come up while taking notes! With Org
3924 mode, simply mark any entry in a tree as being a TODO item. In this way,
3925 information is not duplicated, and the entire context from which the TODO
3926 item emerged is always present.
3928 Of course, this technique for managing TODO items scatters them
3929 throughout your notes file. Org mode compensates for this by providing
3930 methods to give you an overview of all the things that you have to do.
3933 * TODO basics:: Marking and displaying TODO entries
3934 * TODO extensions:: Workflow and assignments
3935 * Progress logging:: Dates and notes for progress
3936 * Priorities:: Some things are more important than others
3937 * Breaking down tasks:: Splitting a task into manageable pieces
3938 * Checkboxes:: Tick-off lists
3942 @section Basic TODO functionality
3944 Any headline becomes a TODO item when it starts with the word
3945 @samp{TODO}, for example:
3948 *** TODO Write letter to Sam Fortune
3952 The most important commands to work with TODO entries are:
3955 @orgcmd{C-c C-t,org-todo}
3956 @cindex cycling, of TODO states
3957 @vindex org-use-fast-todo-selection
3959 Rotate the TODO state of the current item among
3962 ,-> (unmarked) -> TODO -> DONE --.
3963 '--------------------------------'
3966 If TODO keywords have fast access keys (see @ref{Fast access to TODO
3967 states}), you will be prompted for a TODO keyword through the fast selection
3968 interface; this is the default behavior when
3969 @code{org-use-fast-todo-selection} is non-@code{nil}.
3971 The same rotation can also be done ``remotely'' from the timeline and agenda
3972 buffers with the @kbd{t} command key (@pxref{Agenda commands}).
3974 @orgkey{C-u C-c C-t}
3975 When TODO keywords have no selection keys, select a specific keyword using
3976 completion; otherwise force cycling through TODO states with no prompt. When
3977 @code{org-use-fast-todo-selection} is set to @code{prefix}, use the fast
3978 selection interface.
3980 @kindex S-@key{right}
3981 @kindex S-@key{left}
3982 @item S-@key{right} @ @r{/} @ S-@key{left}
3983 @vindex org-treat-S-cursor-todo-selection-as-state-change
3984 Select the following/preceding TODO state, similar to cycling. Useful
3985 mostly if more than two TODO states are possible (@pxref{TODO
3986 extensions}). See also @ref{Conflicts}, for a discussion of the interaction
3987 with @code{shift-selection-mode}. See also the variable
3988 @code{org-treat-S-cursor-todo-selection-as-state-change}.
3989 @orgcmd{C-c / t,org-show-todo-tree}
3990 @cindex sparse tree, for TODO
3991 @vindex org-todo-keywords
3992 View TODO items in a @emph{sparse tree} (@pxref{Sparse trees}). Folds the
3993 entire buffer, but shows all TODO items (with not-DONE state) and the
3994 headings hierarchy above them. With a prefix argument (or by using @kbd{C-c
3995 / T}), search for a specific TODO@. You will be prompted for the keyword,
3996 and you can also give a list of keywords like @code{KWD1|KWD2|...} to list
3997 entries that match any one of these keywords. With a numeric prefix argument
3998 N, show the tree for the Nth keyword in the option @code{org-todo-keywords}.
3999 With two prefix arguments, find all TODO states, both un-done and done.
4000 @orgcmd{C-c a t,org-todo-list}
4001 Show the global TODO list. Collects the TODO items (with not-DONE states)
4002 from all agenda files (@pxref{Agenda views}) into a single buffer. The new
4003 buffer will be in @code{agenda-mode}, which provides commands to examine and
4004 manipulate the TODO entries from the new buffer (@pxref{Agenda commands}).
4005 @xref{Global TODO list}, for more information.
4006 @orgcmd{S-M-@key{RET},org-insert-todo-heading}
4007 Insert a new TODO entry below the current one.
4011 @vindex org-todo-state-tags-triggers
4012 Changing a TODO state can also trigger tag changes. See the docstring of the
4013 option @code{org-todo-state-tags-triggers} for details.
4015 @node TODO extensions
4016 @section Extended use of TODO keywords
4017 @cindex extended TODO keywords
4019 @vindex org-todo-keywords
4020 By default, marked TODO entries have one of only two states: TODO and
4021 DONE@. Org mode allows you to classify TODO items in more complex ways
4022 with @emph{TODO keywords} (stored in @code{org-todo-keywords}). With
4023 special setup, the TODO keyword system can work differently in different
4026 Note that @i{tags} are another way to classify headlines in general and
4027 TODO items in particular (@pxref{Tags}).
4030 * Workflow states:: From TODO to DONE in steps
4031 * TODO types:: I do this, Fred does the rest
4032 * Multiple sets in one file:: Mixing it all, and still finding your way
4033 * Fast access to TODO states:: Single letter selection of a state
4034 * Per-file keywords:: Different files, different requirements
4035 * Faces for TODO keywords:: Highlighting states
4036 * TODO dependencies:: When one task needs to wait for others
4039 @node Workflow states
4040 @subsection TODO keywords as workflow states
4041 @cindex TODO workflow
4042 @cindex workflow states as TODO keywords
4044 You can use TODO keywords to indicate different @emph{sequential} states
4045 in the process of working on an item, for example@footnote{Changing
4046 this variable only becomes effective after restarting Org mode in a
4050 (setq org-todo-keywords
4051 '((sequence "TODO" "FEEDBACK" "VERIFY" "|" "DONE" "DELEGATED")))
4054 The vertical bar separates the TODO keywords (states that @emph{need
4055 action}) from the DONE states (which need @emph{no further action}). If
4056 you don't provide the separator bar, the last state is used as the DONE
4058 @cindex completion, of TODO keywords
4059 With this setup, the command @kbd{C-c C-t} will cycle an entry from TODO
4060 to FEEDBACK, then to VERIFY, and finally to DONE and DELEGATED@. You may
4061 also use a numeric prefix argument to quickly select a specific state. For
4062 example @kbd{C-3 C-c C-t} will change the state immediately to VERIFY@.
4063 Or you can use @kbd{S-@key{left}} to go backward through the sequence. If you
4064 define many keywords, you can use in-buffer completion
4065 (@pxref{Completion}) or even a special one-key selection scheme
4066 (@pxref{Fast access to TODO states}) to insert these words into the
4067 buffer. Changing a TODO state can be logged with a timestamp, see
4068 @ref{Tracking TODO state changes}, for more information.
4071 @subsection TODO keywords as types
4073 @cindex names as TODO keywords
4074 @cindex types as TODO keywords
4076 The second possibility is to use TODO keywords to indicate different
4077 @emph{types} of action items. For example, you might want to indicate
4078 that items are for ``work'' or ``home''. Or, when you work with several
4079 people on a single project, you might want to assign action items
4080 directly to persons, by using their names as TODO keywords. This would
4081 be set up like this:
4084 (setq org-todo-keywords '((type "Fred" "Sara" "Lucy" "|" "DONE")))
4087 In this case, different keywords do not indicate a sequence, but rather
4088 different types. So the normal work flow would be to assign a task to a
4089 person, and later to mark it DONE@. Org mode supports this style by adapting
4090 the workings of the command @kbd{C-c C-t}@footnote{This is also true for the
4091 @kbd{t} command in the timeline and agenda buffers.}. When used several
4092 times in succession, it will still cycle through all names, in order to first
4093 select the right type for a task. But when you return to the item after some
4094 time and execute @kbd{C-c C-t} again, it will switch from any name directly
4095 to DONE@. Use prefix arguments or completion to quickly select a specific
4096 name. You can also review the items of a specific TODO type in a sparse tree
4097 by using a numeric prefix to @kbd{C-c / t}. For example, to see all things
4098 Lucy has to do, you would use @kbd{C-3 C-c / t}. To collect Lucy's items
4099 from all agenda files into a single buffer, you would use the numeric prefix
4100 argument as well when creating the global TODO list: @kbd{C-3 C-c a t}.
4102 @node Multiple sets in one file
4103 @subsection Multiple keyword sets in one file
4104 @cindex TODO keyword sets
4106 Sometimes you may want to use different sets of TODO keywords in
4107 parallel. For example, you may want to have the basic
4108 @code{TODO}/@code{DONE}, but also a workflow for bug fixing, and a
4109 separate state indicating that an item has been canceled (so it is not
4110 DONE, but also does not require action). Your setup would then look
4114 (setq org-todo-keywords
4115 '((sequence "TODO" "|" "DONE")
4116 (sequence "REPORT" "BUG" "KNOWNCAUSE" "|" "FIXED")
4117 (sequence "|" "CANCELED")))
4120 The keywords should all be different, this helps Org mode to keep track
4121 of which subsequence should be used for a given entry. In this setup,
4122 @kbd{C-c C-t} only operates within a subsequence, so it switches from
4123 @code{DONE} to (nothing) to @code{TODO}, and from @code{FIXED} to
4124 (nothing) to @code{REPORT}. Therefore you need a mechanism to initially
4125 select the correct sequence. Besides the obvious ways like typing a
4126 keyword or using completion, you may also apply the following commands:
4129 @kindex C-S-@key{right}
4130 @kindex C-S-@key{left}
4131 @kindex C-u C-u C-c C-t
4132 @item C-u C-u C-c C-t
4133 @itemx C-S-@key{right}
4134 @itemx C-S-@key{left}
4135 These keys jump from one TODO subset to the next. In the above example,
4136 @kbd{C-u C-u C-c C-t} or @kbd{C-S-@key{right}} would jump from @code{TODO} or
4137 @code{DONE} to @code{REPORT}, and any of the words in the second row to
4138 @code{CANCELED}. Note that the @kbd{C-S-} key binding conflict with
4139 @code{shift-selection-mode} (@pxref{Conflicts}).
4140 @kindex S-@key{right}
4141 @kindex S-@key{left}
4144 @kbd{S-@key{left}} and @kbd{S-@key{right}} and walk through @emph{all}
4145 keywords from all sets, so for example @kbd{S-@key{right}} would switch
4146 from @code{DONE} to @code{REPORT} in the example above. See also
4147 @ref{Conflicts}, for a discussion of the interaction with
4148 @code{shift-selection-mode}.
4151 @node Fast access to TODO states
4152 @subsection Fast access to TODO states
4154 If you would like to quickly change an entry to an arbitrary TODO state
4155 instead of cycling through the states, you can set up keys for single-letter
4156 access to the states. This is done by adding the selection character after
4157 each keyword, in parentheses@footnote{All characters are allowed except
4158 @code{@@^!}, which have a special meaning here.}. For example:
4161 (setq org-todo-keywords
4162 '((sequence "TODO(t)" "|" "DONE(d)")
4163 (sequence "REPORT(r)" "BUG(b)" "KNOWNCAUSE(k)" "|" "FIXED(f)")
4164 (sequence "|" "CANCELED(c)")))
4167 @vindex org-fast-tag-selection-include-todo
4168 If you then press @kbd{C-c C-t} followed by the selection key, the entry
4169 will be switched to this state. @kbd{SPC} can be used to remove any TODO
4170 keyword from an entry.@footnote{Check also the option
4171 @code{org-fast-tag-selection-include-todo}, it allows you to change the TODO
4172 state through the tags interface (@pxref{Setting tags}), in case you like to
4173 mingle the two concepts. Note that this means you need to come up with
4174 unique keys across both sets of keywords.}
4176 @node Per-file keywords
4177 @subsection Setting up keywords for individual files
4178 @cindex keyword options
4179 @cindex per-file keywords
4184 It can be very useful to use different aspects of the TODO mechanism in
4185 different files. For file-local settings, you need to add special lines
4186 to the file which set the keywords and interpretation for that file
4187 only. For example, to set one of the two examples discussed above, you
4188 need one of the following lines, starting in column zero anywhere in the
4192 #+TODO: TODO FEEDBACK VERIFY | DONE CANCELED
4194 @noindent (you may also write @code{#+SEQ_TODO} to be explicit about the
4195 interpretation, but it means the same as @code{#+TODO}), or
4197 #+TYP_TODO: Fred Sara Lucy Mike | DONE
4200 A setup for using several sets in parallel would be:
4204 #+TODO: REPORT BUG KNOWNCAUSE | FIXED
4208 @cindex completion, of option keywords
4210 @noindent To make sure you are using the correct keyword, type
4211 @samp{#+} into the buffer and then use @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} completion.
4213 @cindex DONE, final TODO keyword
4214 Remember that the keywords after the vertical bar (or the last keyword
4215 if no bar is there) must always mean that the item is DONE (although you
4216 may use a different word). After changing one of these lines, use
4217 @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in the line to make the changes
4218 known to Org mode@footnote{Org mode parses these lines only when
4219 Org mode is activated after visiting a file. @kbd{C-c C-c} with the
4220 cursor in a line starting with @samp{#+} is simply restarting Org mode
4221 for the current buffer.}.
4223 @node Faces for TODO keywords
4224 @subsection Faces for TODO keywords
4225 @cindex faces, for TODO keywords
4227 @vindex org-todo @r{(face)}
4228 @vindex org-done @r{(face)}
4229 @vindex org-todo-keyword-faces
4230 Org mode highlights TODO keywords with special faces: @code{org-todo}
4231 for keywords indicating that an item still has to be acted upon, and
4232 @code{org-done} for keywords indicating that an item is finished. If
4233 you are using more than 2 different states, you might want to use
4234 special faces for some of them. This can be done using the option
4235 @code{org-todo-keyword-faces}. For example:
4239 (setq org-todo-keyword-faces
4240 '(("TODO" . org-warning) ("STARTED" . "yellow")
4241 ("CANCELED" . (:foreground "blue" :weight bold))))
4245 While using a list with face properties as shown for CANCELED @emph{should}
4246 work, this does not always seem to be the case. If necessary, define a
4247 special face and use that. A string is interpreted as a color. The option
4248 @code{org-faces-easy-properties} determines if that color is interpreted as a
4249 foreground or a background color.
4251 @node TODO dependencies
4252 @subsection TODO dependencies
4253 @cindex TODO dependencies
4254 @cindex dependencies, of TODO states
4256 @vindex org-enforce-todo-dependencies
4257 @cindex property, ORDERED
4258 The structure of Org files (hierarchy and lists) makes it easy to define TODO
4259 dependencies. Usually, a parent TODO task should not be marked DONE until
4260 all subtasks (defined as children tasks) are marked as DONE@. And sometimes
4261 there is a logical sequence to a number of (sub)tasks, so that one task
4262 cannot be acted upon before all siblings above it are done. If you customize
4263 the option @code{org-enforce-todo-dependencies}, Org will block entries
4264 from changing state to DONE while they have children that are not DONE@.
4265 Furthermore, if an entry has a property @code{ORDERED}, each of its children
4266 will be blocked until all earlier siblings are marked DONE@. Here is an
4270 * TODO Blocked until (two) is done
4279 ** TODO b, needs to wait for (a)
4280 ** TODO c, needs to wait for (a) and (b)
4284 @orgcmd{C-c C-x o,org-toggle-ordered-property}
4285 @vindex org-track-ordered-property-with-tag
4286 @cindex property, ORDERED
4287 Toggle the @code{ORDERED} property of the current entry. A property is used
4288 for this behavior because this should be local to the current entry, not
4289 inherited like a tag. However, if you would like to @i{track} the value of
4290 this property with a tag for better visibility, customize the option
4291 @code{org-track-ordered-property-with-tag}.
4292 @orgkey{C-u C-u C-u C-c C-t}
4293 Change TODO state, circumventing any state blocking.
4296 @vindex org-agenda-dim-blocked-tasks
4297 If you set the option @code{org-agenda-dim-blocked-tasks}, TODO entries
4298 that cannot be closed because of such dependencies will be shown in a dimmed
4299 font or even made invisible in agenda views (@pxref{Agenda views}).
4301 @cindex checkboxes and TODO dependencies
4302 @vindex org-enforce-todo-dependencies
4303 You can also block changes of TODO states by looking at checkboxes
4304 (@pxref{Checkboxes}). If you set the option
4305 @code{org-enforce-todo-checkbox-dependencies}, an entry that has unchecked
4306 checkboxes will be blocked from switching to DONE.
4308 If you need more complex dependency structures, for example dependencies
4309 between entries in different trees or files, check out the contributed
4310 module @file{org-depend.el}.
4313 @node Progress logging
4314 @section Progress logging
4315 @cindex progress logging
4316 @cindex logging, of progress
4318 Org mode can automatically record a timestamp and possibly a note when
4319 you mark a TODO item as DONE, or even each time you change the state of
4320 a TODO item. This system is highly configurable; settings can be on a
4321 per-keyword basis and can be localized to a file or even a subtree. For
4322 information on how to clock working time for a task, see @ref{Clocking
4326 * Closing items:: When was this entry marked DONE?
4327 * Tracking TODO state changes:: When did the status change?
4328 * Tracking your habits:: How consistent have you been?
4332 @subsection Closing items
4334 The most basic logging is to keep track of @emph{when} a certain TODO
4335 item was finished. This is achieved with@footnote{The corresponding
4336 in-buffer setting is: @code{#+STARTUP: logdone}}
4339 (setq org-log-done 'time)
4342 @vindex org-closed-keep-when-no-todo
4344 Then each time you turn an entry from a TODO (not-done) state into any of the
4345 DONE states, a line @samp{CLOSED: [timestamp]} will be inserted just after
4346 the headline. If you turn the entry back into a TODO item through further
4347 state cycling, that line will be removed again. If you turn the entry back
4348 to a non-TODO state (by pressing @key{C-c C-t SPC} for example), that line
4349 will also be removed, unless you set @code{org-closed-keep-when-no-todo} to
4350 non-@code{nil}. If you want to record a note along with the timestamp,
4351 use@footnote{The corresponding in-buffer setting is: @code{#+STARTUP:
4355 (setq org-log-done 'note)
4359 You will then be prompted for a note, and that note will be stored below
4360 the entry with a @samp{Closing Note} heading.
4362 In the timeline (@pxref{Timeline}) and in the agenda
4363 (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}), you can then use the @kbd{l} key to
4364 display the TODO items with a @samp{CLOSED} timestamp on each day,
4365 giving you an overview of what has been done.
4367 @node Tracking TODO state changes
4368 @subsection Tracking TODO state changes
4369 @cindex drawer, for state change recording
4371 @vindex org-log-states-order-reversed
4372 @vindex org-log-into-drawer
4373 @cindex property, LOG_INTO_DRAWER
4374 When TODO keywords are used as workflow states (@pxref{Workflow states}), you
4375 might want to keep track of when a state change occurred and maybe take a
4376 note about this change. You can either record just a timestamp, or a
4377 time-stamped note for a change. These records will be inserted after the
4378 headline as an itemized list, newest first@footnote{See the option
4379 @code{org-log-states-order-reversed}}. When taking a lot of notes, you might
4380 want to get the notes out of the way into a drawer (@pxref{Drawers}).
4381 Customize @code{org-log-into-drawer} to get this behavior---the recommended
4382 drawer for this is called @code{LOGBOOK}@footnote{Note that the
4383 @code{LOGBOOK} drawer is unfolded when pressing @key{SPC} in the agenda to
4384 show an entry---use @key{C-u SPC} to keep it folded here}. You can also
4385 overrule the setting of this variable for a subtree by setting a
4386 @code{LOG_INTO_DRAWER} property.
4388 Since it is normally too much to record a note for every state, Org mode
4389 expects configuration on a per-keyword basis for this. This is achieved by
4390 adding special markers @samp{!} (for a timestamp) or @samp{@@} (for a note
4391 with timestamp) in parentheses after each keyword. For example, with the
4395 (setq org-todo-keywords
4396 '((sequence "TODO(t)" "WAIT(w@@/!)" "|" "DONE(d!)" "CANCELED(c@@)")))
4399 To record a timestamp without a note for TODO keywords configured with
4400 @samp{@@}, just type @kbd{C-c C-c} to enter a blank note when prompted.
4403 @vindex org-log-done
4404 You not only define global TODO keywords and fast access keys, but also
4405 request that a time is recorded when the entry is set to
4406 DONE@footnote{It is possible that Org mode will record two timestamps
4407 when you are using both @code{org-log-done} and state change logging.
4408 However, it will never prompt for two notes---if you have configured
4409 both, the state change recording note will take precedence and cancel
4410 the @samp{Closing Note}.}, and that a note is recorded when switching to
4411 WAIT or CANCELED@. The setting for WAIT is even more special: the
4412 @samp{!} after the slash means that in addition to the note taken when
4413 entering the state, a timestamp should be recorded when @i{leaving} the
4414 WAIT state, if and only if the @i{target} state does not configure
4415 logging for entering it. So it has no effect when switching from WAIT
4416 to DONE, because DONE is configured to record a timestamp only. But
4417 when switching from WAIT back to TODO, the @samp{/!} in the WAIT
4418 setting now triggers a timestamp even though TODO has no logging
4421 You can use the exact same syntax for setting logging preferences local
4424 #+TODO: TODO(t) WAIT(w@@/!) | DONE(d!) CANCELED(c@@)
4427 @cindex property, LOGGING
4428 In order to define logging settings that are local to a subtree or a
4429 single item, define a LOGGING property in this entry. Any non-empty
4430 LOGGING property resets all logging settings to @code{nil}. You may then turn
4431 on logging for this specific tree using STARTUP keywords like
4432 @code{lognotedone} or @code{logrepeat}, as well as adding state specific
4433 settings like @code{TODO(!)}. For example
4436 * TODO Log each state with only a time
4438 :LOGGING: TODO(!) WAIT(!) DONE(!) CANCELED(!)
4440 * TODO Only log when switching to WAIT, and when repeating
4442 :LOGGING: WAIT(@@) logrepeat
4444 * TODO No logging at all
4450 @node Tracking your habits
4451 @subsection Tracking your habits
4454 Org has the ability to track the consistency of a special category of TODOs,
4455 called ``habits''. A habit has the following properties:
4459 You have enabled the @code{habits} module by customizing @code{org-modules}.
4461 The habit is a TODO item, with a TODO keyword representing an open state.
4463 The property @code{STYLE} is set to the value @code{habit}.
4465 The TODO has a scheduled date, usually with a @code{.+} style repeat
4466 interval. A @code{++} style may be appropriate for habits with time
4467 constraints, e.g., must be done on weekends, or a @code{+} style for an
4468 unusual habit that can have a backlog, e.g., weekly reports.
4470 The TODO may also have minimum and maximum ranges specified by using the
4471 syntax @samp{.+2d/3d}, which says that you want to do the task at least every
4472 three days, but at most every two days.
4474 You must also have state logging for the @code{DONE} state enabled
4475 (@pxref{Tracking TODO state changes}), in order for historical data to be
4476 represented in the consistency graph. If it is not enabled it is not an
4477 error, but the consistency graphs will be largely meaningless.
4480 To give you an idea of what the above rules look like in action, here's an
4481 actual habit with some history:
4485 SCHEDULED: <2009-10-17 Sat .+2d/4d>
4486 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-10-15 Thu]
4487 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-10-12 Mon]
4488 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-10-10 Sat]
4489 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-10-04 Sun]
4490 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-10-02 Fri]
4491 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-09-29 Tue]
4492 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-09-25 Fri]
4493 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-09-19 Sat]
4494 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-09-16 Wed]
4495 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-09-12 Sat]
4498 :LAST_REPEAT: [2009-10-19 Mon 00:36]
4502 What this habit says is: I want to shave at most every 2 days (given by the
4503 @code{SCHEDULED} date and repeat interval) and at least every 4 days. If
4504 today is the 15th, then the habit first appears in the agenda on Oct 17,
4505 after the minimum of 2 days has elapsed, and will appear overdue on Oct 19,
4506 after four days have elapsed.
4508 What's really useful about habits is that they are displayed along with a
4509 consistency graph, to show how consistent you've been at getting that task
4510 done in the past. This graph shows every day that the task was done over the
4511 past three weeks, with colors for each day. The colors used are:
4515 If the task wasn't to be done yet on that day.
4517 If the task could have been done on that day.
4519 If the task was going to be overdue the next day.
4521 If the task was overdue on that day.
4524 In addition to coloring each day, the day is also marked with an asterisk if
4525 the task was actually done that day, and an exclamation mark to show where
4526 the current day falls in the graph.
4528 There are several configuration variables that can be used to change the way
4529 habits are displayed in the agenda.
4532 @item org-habit-graph-column
4533 The buffer column at which the consistency graph should be drawn. This will
4534 overwrite any text in that column, so it is a good idea to keep your habits'
4535 titles brief and to the point.
4536 @item org-habit-preceding-days
4537 The amount of history, in days before today, to appear in consistency graphs.
4538 @item org-habit-following-days
4539 The number of days after today that will appear in consistency graphs.
4540 @item org-habit-show-habits-only-for-today
4541 If non-@code{nil}, only show habits in today's agenda view. This is set to true by
4545 Lastly, pressing @kbd{K} in the agenda buffer will cause habits to
4546 temporarily be disabled and they won't appear at all. Press @kbd{K} again to
4547 bring them back. They are also subject to tag filtering, if you have habits
4548 which should only be done in certain contexts, for example.
4554 If you use Org mode extensively, you may end up with enough TODO items that
4555 it starts to make sense to prioritize them. Prioritizing can be done by
4556 placing a @emph{priority cookie} into the headline of a TODO item, like this
4559 *** TODO [#A] Write letter to Sam Fortune
4563 @vindex org-priority-faces
4564 By default, Org mode supports three priorities: @samp{A}, @samp{B}, and
4565 @samp{C}. @samp{A} is the highest priority. An entry without a cookie is
4566 treated just like priority @samp{B}. Priorities make a difference only for
4567 sorting in the agenda (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}); outside the agenda, they
4568 have no inherent meaning to Org mode. The cookies can be highlighted with
4569 special faces by customizing @code{org-priority-faces}.
4571 Priorities can be attached to any outline node; they do not need to be TODO
4577 @findex org-priority
4578 Set the priority of the current headline (@command{org-priority}). The
4579 command prompts for a priority character @samp{A}, @samp{B} or @samp{C}.
4580 When you press @key{SPC} instead, the priority cookie is removed from the
4581 headline. The priorities can also be changed ``remotely'' from the timeline
4582 and agenda buffer with the @kbd{,} command (@pxref{Agenda commands}).
4584 @orgcmdkkcc{S-@key{up},S-@key{down},org-priority-up,org-priority-down}
4585 @vindex org-priority-start-cycle-with-default
4586 Increase/decrease priority of current headline@footnote{See also the option
4587 @code{org-priority-start-cycle-with-default}.}. Note that these keys are
4588 also used to modify timestamps (@pxref{Creating timestamps}). See also
4589 @ref{Conflicts}, for a discussion of the interaction with
4590 @code{shift-selection-mode}.
4593 @vindex org-highest-priority
4594 @vindex org-lowest-priority
4595 @vindex org-default-priority
4596 You can change the range of allowed priorities by setting the options
4597 @code{org-highest-priority}, @code{org-lowest-priority}, and
4598 @code{org-default-priority}. For an individual buffer, you may set
4599 these values (highest, lowest, default) like this (please make sure that
4600 the highest priority is earlier in the alphabet than the lowest
4603 @cindex #+PRIORITIES
4608 @node Breaking down tasks
4609 @section Breaking tasks down into subtasks
4610 @cindex tasks, breaking down
4611 @cindex statistics, for TODO items
4613 @vindex org-agenda-todo-list-sublevels
4614 It is often advisable to break down large tasks into smaller, manageable
4615 subtasks. You can do this by creating an outline tree below a TODO item,
4616 with detailed subtasks on the tree@footnote{To keep subtasks out of the
4617 global TODO list, see the @code{org-agenda-todo-list-sublevels}.}. To keep
4618 the overview over the fraction of subtasks that are already completed, insert
4619 either @samp{[/]} or @samp{[%]} anywhere in the headline. These cookies will
4620 be updated each time the TODO status of a child changes, or when pressing
4621 @kbd{C-c C-c} on the cookie. For example:
4624 * Organize Party [33%]
4625 ** TODO Call people [1/2]
4629 ** DONE Talk to neighbor
4632 @cindex property, COOKIE_DATA
4633 If a heading has both checkboxes and TODO children below it, the meaning of
4634 the statistics cookie become ambiguous. Set the property
4635 @code{COOKIE_DATA} to either @samp{checkbox} or @samp{todo} to resolve
4638 @vindex org-hierarchical-todo-statistics
4639 If you would like to have the statistics cookie count any TODO entries in the
4640 subtree (not just direct children), configure
4641 @code{org-hierarchical-todo-statistics}. To do this for a single subtree,
4642 include the word @samp{recursive} into the value of the @code{COOKIE_DATA}
4646 * Parent capturing statistics [2/20]
4648 :COOKIE_DATA: todo recursive
4652 If you would like a TODO entry to automatically change to DONE
4653 when all children are done, you can use the following setup:
4656 (defun org-summary-todo (n-done n-not-done)
4657 "Switch entry to DONE when all subentries are done, to TODO otherwise."
4658 (let (org-log-done org-log-states) ; turn off logging
4659 (org-todo (if (= n-not-done 0) "DONE" "TODO"))))
4661 (add-hook 'org-after-todo-statistics-hook 'org-summary-todo)
4665 Another possibility is the use of checkboxes to identify (a hierarchy of) a
4666 large number of subtasks (@pxref{Checkboxes}).
4673 @vindex org-list-automatic-rules
4674 Every item in a plain list@footnote{With the exception of description
4675 lists. But you can allow it by modifying @code{org-list-automatic-rules}
4676 accordingly.} (@pxref{Plain lists}) can be made into a checkbox by starting
4677 it with the string @samp{[ ]}. This feature is similar to TODO items
4678 (@pxref{TODO items}), but is more lightweight. Checkboxes are not included
4679 in the global TODO list, so they are often great to split a task into a
4680 number of simple steps. Or you can use them in a shopping list. To toggle a
4681 checkbox, use @kbd{C-c C-c}, or use the mouse (thanks to Piotr Zielinski's
4682 @file{org-mouse.el}).
4684 Here is an example of a checkbox list.
4687 * TODO Organize party [2/4]
4688 - [-] call people [1/3]
4693 - [ ] think about what music to play
4694 - [X] talk to the neighbors
4697 Checkboxes work hierarchically, so if a checkbox item has children that
4698 are checkboxes, toggling one of the children checkboxes will make the
4699 parent checkbox reflect if none, some, or all of the children are
4702 @cindex statistics, for checkboxes
4703 @cindex checkbox statistics
4704 @cindex property, COOKIE_DATA
4705 @vindex org-checkbox-hierarchical-statistics
4706 The @samp{[2/4]} and @samp{[1/3]} in the first and second line are cookies
4707 indicating how many checkboxes present in this entry have been checked off,
4708 and the total number of checkboxes present. This can give you an idea on how
4709 many checkboxes remain, even without opening a folded entry. The cookies can
4710 be placed into a headline or into (the first line of) a plain list item.
4711 Each cookie covers checkboxes of direct children structurally below the
4712 headline/item on which the cookie appears@footnote{Set the option
4713 @code{org-checkbox-hierarchical-statistics} if you want such cookies to
4714 count all checkboxes below the cookie, not just those belonging to direct
4715 children.}. You have to insert the cookie yourself by typing either
4716 @samp{[/]} or @samp{[%]}. With @samp{[/]} you get an @samp{n out of m}
4717 result, as in the examples above. With @samp{[%]} you get information about
4718 the percentage of checkboxes checked (in the above example, this would be
4719 @samp{[50%]} and @samp{[33%]}, respectively). In a headline, a cookie can
4720 count either checkboxes below the heading or TODO states of children, and it
4721 will display whatever was changed last. Set the property @code{COOKIE_DATA}
4722 to either @samp{checkbox} or @samp{todo} to resolve this issue.
4724 @cindex blocking, of checkboxes
4725 @cindex checkbox blocking
4726 @cindex property, ORDERED
4727 If the current outline node has an @code{ORDERED} property, checkboxes must
4728 be checked off in sequence, and an error will be thrown if you try to check
4729 off a box while there are unchecked boxes above it.
4731 @noindent The following commands work with checkboxes:
4734 @orgcmd{C-c C-c,org-toggle-checkbox}
4735 Toggle checkbox status or (with prefix arg) checkbox presence at point.
4736 With a single prefix argument, add an empty checkbox or remove the current
4737 one@footnote{@kbd{C-u C-c C-c} on the @emph{first} item of a list with no checkbox
4738 will add checkboxes to the rest of the list.}. With a double prefix argument, set it to @samp{[-]}, which is
4739 considered to be an intermediate state.
4740 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-b,org-toggle-checkbox}
4741 Toggle checkbox status or (with prefix arg) checkbox presence at point. With
4742 double prefix argument, set it to @samp{[-]}, which is considered to be an
4746 If there is an active region, toggle the first checkbox in the region
4747 and set all remaining boxes to the same status as the first. With a prefix
4748 arg, add or remove the checkbox for all items in the region.
4750 If the cursor is in a headline, toggle checkboxes in the region between
4751 this headline and the next (so @emph{not} the entire subtree).
4753 If there is no active region, just toggle the checkbox at point.
4755 @orgcmd{M-S-@key{RET},org-insert-todo-heading}
4756 Insert a new item with a checkbox. This works only if the cursor is already
4757 in a plain list item (@pxref{Plain lists}).
4758 @orgcmd{C-c C-x o,org-toggle-ordered-property}
4759 @vindex org-track-ordered-property-with-tag
4760 @cindex property, ORDERED
4761 Toggle the @code{ORDERED} property of the entry, to toggle if checkboxes must
4762 be checked off in sequence. A property is used for this behavior because
4763 this should be local to the current entry, not inherited like a tag.
4764 However, if you would like to @i{track} the value of this property with a tag
4765 for better visibility, customize @code{org-track-ordered-property-with-tag}.
4766 @orgcmd{C-c #,org-update-statistics-cookies}
4767 Update the statistics cookie in the current outline entry. When called with
4768 a @kbd{C-u} prefix, update the entire file. Checkbox statistic cookies are
4769 updated automatically if you toggle checkboxes with @kbd{C-c C-c} and make
4770 new ones with @kbd{M-S-@key{RET}}. TODO statistics cookies update when
4771 changing TODO states. If you delete boxes/entries or add/change them by
4772 hand, use this command to get things back into sync.
4778 @cindex headline tagging
4779 @cindex matching, tags
4780 @cindex sparse tree, tag based
4782 An excellent way to implement labels and contexts for cross-correlating
4783 information is to assign @i{tags} to headlines. Org mode has extensive
4786 @vindex org-tag-faces
4787 Every headline can contain a list of tags; they occur at the end of the
4788 headline. Tags are normal words containing letters, numbers, @samp{_}, and
4789 @samp{@@}. Tags must be preceded and followed by a single colon, e.g.,
4790 @samp{:work:}. Several tags can be specified, as in @samp{:work:urgent:}.
4791 Tags will by default be in bold face with the same color as the headline.
4792 You may specify special faces for specific tags using the option
4793 @code{org-tag-faces}, in much the same way as you can for TODO keywords
4794 (@pxref{Faces for TODO keywords}).
4797 * Tag inheritance:: Tags use the tree structure of the outline
4798 * Setting tags:: How to assign tags to a headline
4799 * Tag groups:: Use one tag to search for several tags
4800 * Tag searches:: Searching for combinations of tags
4803 @node Tag inheritance
4804 @section Tag inheritance
4805 @cindex tag inheritance
4806 @cindex inheritance, of tags
4807 @cindex sublevels, inclusion into tags match
4809 @i{Tags} make use of the hierarchical structure of outline trees. If a
4810 heading has a certain tag, all subheadings will inherit the tag as
4811 well. For example, in the list
4814 * Meeting with the French group :work:
4815 ** Summary by Frank :boss:notes:
4816 *** TODO Prepare slides for him :action:
4820 the final heading will have the tags @samp{:work:}, @samp{:boss:},
4821 @samp{:notes:}, and @samp{:action:} even though the final heading is not
4822 explicitly marked with those tags. You can also set tags that all entries in
4823 a file should inherit just as if these tags were defined in a hypothetical
4824 level zero that surrounds the entire file. Use a line like this@footnote{As
4825 with all these in-buffer settings, pressing @kbd{C-c C-c} activates any
4826 changes in the line.}:
4830 #+FILETAGS: :Peter:Boss:Secret:
4834 @vindex org-use-tag-inheritance
4835 @vindex org-tags-exclude-from-inheritance
4836 To limit tag inheritance to specific tags, use @code{org-tags-exclude-from-inheritance}.
4837 To turn it off entirely, use @code{org-use-tag-inheritance}.
4839 @vindex org-tags-match-list-sublevels
4840 When a headline matches during a tags search while tag inheritance is turned
4841 on, all the sublevels in the same tree will (for a simple match form) match
4842 as well@footnote{This is only true if the search does not involve more
4843 complex tests including properties (@pxref{Property searches}).}. The list
4844 of matches may then become very long. If you only want to see the first tags
4845 match in a subtree, configure @code{org-tags-match-list-sublevels} (not
4848 @vindex org-agenda-use-tag-inheritance
4849 Tag inheritance is relevant when the agenda search tries to match a tag,
4850 either in the @code{tags} or @code{tags-todo} agenda types. In other agenda
4851 types, @code{org-use-tag-inheritance} has no effect. Still, you may want to
4852 have your tags correctly set in the agenda, so that tag filtering works fine,
4853 with inherited tags. Set @code{org-agenda-use-tag-inheritance} to control
4854 this: the default value includes all agenda types, but setting this to @code{nil}
4855 can really speed up agenda generation.
4858 @section Setting tags
4859 @cindex setting tags
4860 @cindex tags, setting
4863 Tags can simply be typed into the buffer at the end of a headline.
4864 After a colon, @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} offers completion on tags. There is
4865 also a special command for inserting tags:
4868 @orgcmd{C-c C-q,org-set-tags-command}
4869 @cindex completion, of tags
4870 @vindex org-tags-column
4871 Enter new tags for the current headline. Org mode will either offer
4872 completion or a special single-key interface for setting tags, see
4873 below. After pressing @key{RET}, the tags will be inserted and aligned
4874 to @code{org-tags-column}. When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix, all
4875 tags in the current buffer will be aligned to that column, just to make
4876 things look nice. TAGS are automatically realigned after promotion,
4877 demotion, and TODO state changes (@pxref{TODO basics}).
4879 @orgcmd{C-c C-c,org-set-tags-command}
4880 When the cursor is in a headline, this does the same as @kbd{C-c C-q}.
4883 @vindex org-tag-alist
4884 Org supports tag insertion based on a @emph{list of tags}. By
4885 default this list is constructed dynamically, containing all tags
4886 currently used in the buffer. You may also globally specify a hard list
4887 of tags with the variable @code{org-tag-alist}. Finally you can set
4888 the default tags for a given file with lines like
4892 #+TAGS: @@work @@home @@tennisclub
4893 #+TAGS: laptop car pc sailboat
4896 If you have globally defined your preferred set of tags using the
4897 variable @code{org-tag-alist}, but would like to use a dynamic tag list
4898 in a specific file, add an empty TAGS option line to that file:
4904 @vindex org-tag-persistent-alist
4905 If you have a preferred set of tags that you would like to use in every file,
4906 in addition to those defined on a per-file basis by TAGS option lines, then
4907 you may specify a list of tags with the variable
4908 @code{org-tag-persistent-alist}. You may turn this off on a per-file basis
4909 by adding a STARTUP option line to that file:
4915 By default Org mode uses the standard minibuffer completion facilities for
4916 entering tags. However, it also implements another, quicker, tag selection
4917 method called @emph{fast tag selection}. This allows you to select and
4918 deselect tags with just a single key press. For this to work well you should
4919 assign unique letters to most of your commonly used tags. You can do this
4920 globally by configuring the variable @code{org-tag-alist} in your
4921 @file{.emacs} file. For example, you may find the need to tag many items in
4922 different files with @samp{:@@home:}. In this case you can set something
4926 (setq org-tag-alist '(("@@work" . ?w) ("@@home" . ?h) ("laptop" . ?l)))
4929 @noindent If the tag is only relevant to the file you are working on, then you
4930 can instead set the TAGS option line as:
4933 #+TAGS: @@work(w) @@home(h) @@tennisclub(t) laptop(l) pc(p)
4936 @noindent The tags interface will show the available tags in a splash
4937 window. If you want to start a new line after a specific tag, insert
4938 @samp{\n} into the tag list
4941 #+TAGS: @@work(w) @@home(h) @@tennisclub(t) \n laptop(l) pc(p)
4944 @noindent or write them in two lines:
4947 #+TAGS: @@work(w) @@home(h) @@tennisclub(t)
4948 #+TAGS: laptop(l) pc(p)
4952 You can also group together tags that are mutually exclusive by using
4956 #+TAGS: @{ @@work(w) @@home(h) @@tennisclub(t) @} laptop(l) pc(p)
4959 @noindent you indicate that at most one of @samp{@@work}, @samp{@@home},
4960 and @samp{@@tennisclub} should be selected. Multiple such groups are allowed.
4962 @noindent Don't forget to press @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor in one of
4963 these lines to activate any changes.
4966 To set these mutually exclusive groups in the variable @code{org-tag-alist},
4967 you must use the dummy tags @code{:startgroup} and @code{:endgroup} instead
4968 of the braces. Similarly, you can use @code{:newline} to indicate a line
4969 break. The previous example would be set globally by the following
4973 (setq org-tag-alist '((:startgroup . nil)
4974 ("@@work" . ?w) ("@@home" . ?h)
4975 ("@@tennisclub" . ?t)
4977 ("laptop" . ?l) ("pc" . ?p)))
4980 If at least one tag has a selection key then pressing @kbd{C-c C-c} will
4981 automatically present you with a special interface, listing inherited tags,
4982 the tags of the current headline, and a list of all valid tags with
4983 corresponding keys@footnote{Keys will automatically be assigned to tags which
4984 have no configured keys.}. In this interface, you can use the following
4989 Pressing keys assigned to tags will add or remove them from the list of
4990 tags in the current line. Selecting a tag in a group of mutually
4991 exclusive tags will turn off any other tags from that group.
4994 Enter a tag in the minibuffer, even if the tag is not in the predefined
4995 list. You will be able to complete on all tags present in the buffer.
4996 You can also add several tags: just separate them with a comma.
5000 Clear all tags for this line.
5003 Accept the modified set.
5005 Abort without installing changes.
5007 If @kbd{q} is not assigned to a tag, it aborts like @kbd{C-g}.
5009 Turn off groups of mutually exclusive tags. Use this to (as an
5010 exception) assign several tags from such a group.
5012 Toggle auto-exit after the next change (see below).
5013 If you are using expert mode, the first @kbd{C-c} will display the
5018 This method lets you assign tags to a headline with very few keys. With
5019 the above setup, you could clear the current tags and set @samp{@@home},
5020 @samp{laptop} and @samp{pc} tags with just the following keys: @kbd{C-c
5021 C-c @key{SPC} h l p @key{RET}}. Switching from @samp{@@home} to
5022 @samp{@@work} would be done with @kbd{C-c C-c w @key{RET}} or
5023 alternatively with @kbd{C-c C-c C-c w}. Adding the non-predefined tag
5024 @samp{Sarah} could be done with @kbd{C-c C-c @key{TAB} S a r a h
5025 @key{RET} @key{RET}}.
5027 @vindex org-fast-tag-selection-single-key
5028 If you find that most of the time you need only a single key press to
5029 modify your list of tags, set @code{org-fast-tag-selection-single-key}.
5030 Then you no longer have to press @key{RET} to exit fast tag selection---it
5031 will immediately exit after the first change. If you then occasionally
5032 need more keys, press @kbd{C-c} to turn off auto-exit for the current tag
5033 selection process (in effect: start selection with @kbd{C-c C-c C-c}
5034 instead of @kbd{C-c C-c}). If you set the variable to the value
5035 @code{expert}, the special window is not even shown for single-key tag
5036 selection, it comes up only when you press an extra @kbd{C-c}.
5042 @cindex tags, groups
5043 In a set of mutually exclusive tags, the first tag can be defined as a
5044 @emph{group tag}. When you search for a group tag, it will return matches
5045 for all members in the group. In an agenda view, filtering by a group tag
5046 will display headlines tagged with at least one of the members of the
5047 group. This makes tag searches and filters even more flexible.
5049 You can set group tags by inserting a colon between the group tag and other
5050 tags---beware that all whitespaces are mandatory so that Org can parse this
5054 #+TAGS: @{ @@read : @@read_book @@read_ebook @}
5057 In this example, @samp{@@read} is a @emph{group tag} for a set of three
5058 tags: @samp{@@read}, @samp{@@read_book} and @samp{@@read_ebook}.
5060 You can also use the @code{:grouptags} keyword directly when setting
5061 @code{org-tag-alist}:
5064 (setq org-tag-alist '((:startgroup . nil)
5067 ("@@read_book" . nil)
5068 ("@@read_ebook" . nil)
5072 You cannot nest group tags or use a group tag as a tag in another group.
5075 @vindex org-group-tags
5076 If you want to ignore group tags temporarily, toggle group tags support
5077 with @command{org-toggle-tags-groups}, bound to @kbd{C-c C-x q}. If you
5078 want to disable tag groups completely, set @code{org-group-tags} to @code{nil}.
5081 @section Tag searches
5082 @cindex tag searches
5083 @cindex searching for tags
5085 Once a system of tags has been set up, it can be used to collect related
5086 information into special lists.
5089 @orgcmdkkc{C-c / m,C-c \\,org-match-sparse-tree}
5090 Create a sparse tree with all headlines matching a tags/property/TODO search.
5091 With a @kbd{C-u} prefix argument, ignore headlines that are not a TODO line.
5092 @xref{Matching tags and properties}.
5093 @orgcmd{C-c a m,org-tags-view}
5094 Create a global list of tag matches from all agenda files. @xref{Matching
5095 tags and properties}.
5096 @orgcmd{C-c a M,org-tags-view}
5097 @vindex org-tags-match-list-sublevels
5098 Create a global list of tag matches from all agenda files, but check
5099 only TODO items and force checking subitems (see the option
5100 @code{org-tags-match-list-sublevels}).
5103 These commands all prompt for a match string which allows basic Boolean logic
5104 like @samp{+boss+urgent-project1}, to find entries with tags @samp{boss} and
5105 @samp{urgent}, but not @samp{project1}, or @samp{Kathy|Sally} to find entries
5106 which are tagged, like @samp{Kathy} or @samp{Sally}. The full syntax of the search
5107 string is rich and allows also matching against TODO keywords, entry levels
5108 and properties. For a complete description with many examples, see
5109 @ref{Matching tags and properties}.
5112 @node Properties and columns
5113 @chapter Properties and columns
5116 A property is a key-value pair associated with an entry. Properties can be
5117 set so they are associated with a single entry, with every entry in a tree,
5118 or with every entry in an Org mode file.
5120 There are two main applications for properties in Org mode. First,
5121 properties are like tags, but with a value. Imagine maintaining a file where
5122 you document bugs and plan releases for a piece of software. Instead of
5123 using tags like @code{:release_1:}, @code{:release_2:}, you can use a
5124 property, say @code{:Release:}, that in different subtrees has different
5125 values, such as @code{1.0} or @code{2.0}. Second, you can use properties to
5126 implement (very basic) database capabilities in an Org buffer. Imagine
5127 keeping track of your music CDs, where properties could be things such as the
5128 album, artist, date of release, number of tracks, and so on.
5130 Properties can be conveniently edited and viewed in column view
5131 (@pxref{Column view}).
5134 * Property syntax:: How properties are spelled out
5135 * Special properties:: Access to other Org mode features
5136 * Property searches:: Matching property values
5137 * Property inheritance:: Passing values down the tree
5138 * Column view:: Tabular viewing and editing
5139 * Property API:: Properties for Lisp programmers
5142 @node Property syntax
5143 @section Property syntax
5144 @cindex property syntax
5145 @cindex drawer, for properties
5147 Properties are key-value pairs. When they are associated with a single entry
5148 or with a tree they need to be inserted into a special
5149 drawer (@pxref{Drawers}) with the name @code{PROPERTIES}. Each property
5150 is specified on a single line, with the key (surrounded by colons)
5151 first, and the value after it. Here is an example:
5156 *** Goldberg Variations
5158 :Title: Goldberg Variations
5159 :Composer: J.S. Bach
5161 :Publisher: Deutsche Grammophon
5166 Depending on the value of @code{org-use-property-inheritance}, a property set
5167 this way will either be associated with a single entry, or the sub-tree
5168 defined by the entry, see @ref{Property inheritance}.
5170 You may define the allowed values for a particular property @samp{:Xyz:}
5171 by setting a property @samp{:Xyz_ALL:}. This special property is
5172 @emph{inherited}, so if you set it in a level 1 entry, it will apply to
5173 the entire tree. When allowed values are defined, setting the
5174 corresponding property becomes easier and is less prone to typing
5175 errors. For the example with the CD collection, we can predefine
5176 publishers and the number of disks in a box like this:
5181 :NDisks_ALL: 1 2 3 4
5182 :Publisher_ALL: "Deutsche Grammophon" Philips EMI
5186 If you want to set properties that can be inherited by any entry in a
5187 file, use a line like
5188 @cindex property, _ALL
5191 #+PROPERTY: NDisks_ALL 1 2 3 4
5194 Contrary to properties set from a special drawer, you have to refresh the
5195 buffer with @kbd{C-c C-c} to activate this change.
5197 If you want to add to the value of an existing property, append a @code{+} to
5198 the property name. The following results in the property @code{var} having
5199 the value ``foo=1 bar=2''.
5202 #+PROPERTY: var foo=1
5203 #+PROPERTY: var+ bar=2
5206 It is also possible to add to the values of inherited properties. The
5207 following results in the @code{genres} property having the value ``Classic
5208 Baroque'' under the @code{Goldberg Variations} subtree.
5216 *** Goldberg Variations
5218 :Title: Goldberg Variations
5219 :Composer: J.S. Bach
5221 :Publisher: Deutsche Grammophon
5226 Note that a property can only have one entry per Drawer.
5228 @vindex org-global-properties
5229 Property values set with the global variable
5230 @code{org-global-properties} can be inherited by all entries in all
5234 The following commands help to work with properties:
5237 @orgcmd{M-@key{TAB},pcomplete}
5238 After an initial colon in a line, complete property keys. All keys used
5239 in the current file will be offered as possible completions.
5240 @orgcmd{C-c C-x p,org-set-property}
5241 Set a property. This prompts for a property name and a value. If
5242 necessary, the property drawer is created as well.
5243 @item C-u M-x org-insert-drawer RET
5244 @cindex org-insert-drawer
5245 Insert a property drawer into the current entry. The drawer will be
5246 inserted early in the entry, but after the lines with planning
5247 information like deadlines.
5248 @orgcmd{C-c C-c,org-property-action}
5249 With the cursor in a property drawer, this executes property commands.
5250 @orgcmd{C-c C-c s,org-set-property}
5251 Set a property in the current entry. Both the property and the value
5252 can be inserted using completion.
5253 @orgcmdkkcc{S-@key{right},S-@key{left},org-property-next-allowed-value,org-property-previous-allowed-value}
5254 Switch property at point to the next/previous allowed value.
5255 @orgcmd{C-c C-c d,org-delete-property}
5256 Remove a property from the current entry.
5257 @orgcmd{C-c C-c D,org-delete-property-globally}
5258 Globally remove a property, from all entries in the current file.
5259 @orgcmd{C-c C-c c,org-compute-property-at-point}
5260 Compute the property at point, using the operator and scope from the
5261 nearest column format definition.
5264 @node Special properties
5265 @section Special properties
5266 @cindex properties, special
5268 Special properties provide an alternative access method to Org mode features,
5269 like the TODO state or the priority of an entry, discussed in the previous
5270 chapters. This interface exists so that you can include these states in a
5271 column view (@pxref{Column view}), or to use them in queries. The following
5272 property names are special and (except for @code{:CATEGORY:}) should not be
5273 used as keys in the properties drawer:
5275 @cindex property, special, ID
5276 @cindex property, special, TODO
5277 @cindex property, special, TAGS
5278 @cindex property, special, ALLTAGS
5279 @cindex property, special, CATEGORY
5280 @cindex property, special, PRIORITY
5281 @cindex property, special, DEADLINE
5282 @cindex property, special, SCHEDULED
5283 @cindex property, special, CLOSED
5284 @cindex property, special, TIMESTAMP
5285 @cindex property, special, TIMESTAMP_IA
5286 @cindex property, special, CLOCKSUM
5287 @cindex property, special, CLOCKSUM_T
5288 @cindex property, special, BLOCKED
5289 @c guessing that ITEM is needed in this area; also, should this list be sorted?
5290 @cindex property, special, ITEM
5291 @cindex property, special, FILE
5293 ID @r{A globally unique ID used for synchronization during}
5294 @r{iCalendar or MobileOrg export.}
5295 TODO @r{The TODO keyword of the entry.}
5296 TAGS @r{The tags defined directly in the headline.}
5297 ALLTAGS @r{All tags, including inherited ones.}
5298 CATEGORY @r{The category of an entry.}
5299 PRIORITY @r{The priority of the entry, a string with a single letter.}
5300 DEADLINE @r{The deadline time string, without the angular brackets.}
5301 SCHEDULED @r{The scheduling timestamp, without the angular brackets.}
5302 CLOSED @r{When was this entry closed?}
5303 TIMESTAMP @r{The first keyword-less timestamp in the entry.}
5304 TIMESTAMP_IA @r{The first inactive timestamp in the entry.}
5305 CLOCKSUM @r{The sum of CLOCK intervals in the subtree. @code{org-clock-sum}}
5306 @r{must be run first to compute the values in the current buffer.}
5307 CLOCKSUM_T @r{The sum of CLOCK intervals in the subtree for today.}
5308 @r{@code{org-clock-sum-today} must be run first to compute the}
5309 @r{values in the current buffer.}
5310 BLOCKED @r{"t" if task is currently blocked by children or siblings}
5311 ITEM @r{The headline of the entry.}
5312 FILE @r{The filename the entry is located in.}
5315 @node Property searches
5316 @section Property searches
5317 @cindex properties, searching
5318 @cindex searching, of properties
5320 To create sparse trees and special lists with selection based on properties,
5321 the same commands are used as for tag searches (@pxref{Tag searches}).
5324 @orgcmdkkc{C-c / m,C-c \\,org-match-sparse-tree}
5325 Create a sparse tree with all matching entries. With a
5326 @kbd{C-u} prefix argument, ignore headlines that are not a TODO line.
5327 @orgcmd{C-c a m,org-tags-view}
5328 Create a global list of tag/property matches from all agenda files.
5329 @xref{Matching tags and properties}.
5330 @orgcmd{C-c a M,org-tags-view}
5331 @vindex org-tags-match-list-sublevels
5332 Create a global list of tag matches from all agenda files, but check
5333 only TODO items and force checking of subitems (see the option
5334 @code{org-tags-match-list-sublevels}).
5337 The syntax for the search string is described in @ref{Matching tags and
5340 There is also a special command for creating sparse trees based on a
5345 Create a sparse tree based on the value of a property. This first
5346 prompts for the name of a property, and then for a value. A sparse tree
5347 is created with all entries that define this property with the given
5348 value. If you enclose the value in curly braces, it is interpreted as
5349 a regular expression and matched against the property values.
5352 @node Property inheritance
5353 @section Property Inheritance
5354 @cindex properties, inheritance
5355 @cindex inheritance, of properties
5357 @vindex org-use-property-inheritance
5358 The outline structure of Org mode documents lends itself to an
5359 inheritance model of properties: if the parent in a tree has a certain
5360 property, the children can inherit this property. Org mode does not
5361 turn this on by default, because it can slow down property searches
5362 significantly and is often not needed. However, if you find inheritance
5363 useful, you can turn it on by setting the variable
5364 @code{org-use-property-inheritance}. It may be set to @code{t} to make
5365 all properties inherited from the parent, to a list of properties
5366 that should be inherited, or to a regular expression that matches
5367 inherited properties. If a property has the value @code{nil}, this is
5368 interpreted as an explicit undefine of the property, so that inheritance
5369 search will stop at this value and return @code{nil}.
5371 Org mode has a few properties for which inheritance is hard-coded, at
5372 least for the special applications for which they are used:
5374 @cindex property, COLUMNS
5377 The @code{:COLUMNS:} property defines the format of column view
5378 (@pxref{Column view}). It is inherited in the sense that the level
5379 where a @code{:COLUMNS:} property is defined is used as the starting
5380 point for a column view table, independently of the location in the
5381 subtree from where columns view is turned on.
5383 @cindex property, CATEGORY
5384 For agenda view, a category set through a @code{:CATEGORY:} property
5385 applies to the entire subtree.
5387 @cindex property, ARCHIVE
5388 For archiving, the @code{:ARCHIVE:} property may define the archive
5389 location for the entire subtree (@pxref{Moving subtrees}).
5391 @cindex property, LOGGING
5392 The LOGGING property may define logging settings for an entry or a
5393 subtree (@pxref{Tracking TODO state changes}).
5397 @section Column view
5399 A great way to view and edit properties in an outline tree is
5400 @emph{column view}. In column view, each outline node is turned into a
5401 table row. Columns in this table provide access to properties of the
5402 entries. Org mode implements columns by overlaying a tabular structure
5403 over the headline of each item. While the headlines have been turned
5404 into a table row, you can still change the visibility of the outline
5405 tree. For example, you get a compact table by switching to CONTENTS
5406 view (@kbd{S-@key{TAB} S-@key{TAB}}, or simply @kbd{c} while column view
5407 is active), but you can still open, read, and edit the entry below each
5408 headline. Or, you can switch to column view after executing a sparse
5409 tree command and in this way get a table only for the selected items.
5410 Column view also works in agenda buffers (@pxref{Agenda views}) where
5411 queries have collected selected items, possibly from a number of files.
5414 * Defining columns:: The COLUMNS format property
5415 * Using column view:: How to create and use column view
5416 * Capturing column view:: A dynamic block for column view
5419 @node Defining columns
5420 @subsection Defining columns
5421 @cindex column view, for properties
5422 @cindex properties, column view
5424 Setting up a column view first requires defining the columns. This is
5425 done by defining a column format line.
5428 * Scope of column definitions:: Where defined, where valid?
5429 * Column attributes:: Appearance and content of a column
5432 @node Scope of column definitions
5433 @subsubsection Scope of column definitions
5435 To define a column format for an entire file, use a line like
5439 #+COLUMNS: %25ITEM %TAGS %PRIORITY %TODO
5442 To specify a format that only applies to a specific tree, add a
5443 @code{:COLUMNS:} property to the top node of that tree, for example:
5446 ** Top node for columns view
5448 :COLUMNS: %25ITEM %TAGS %PRIORITY %TODO
5452 If a @code{:COLUMNS:} property is present in an entry, it defines columns
5453 for the entry itself, and for the entire subtree below it. Since the
5454 column definition is part of the hierarchical structure of the document,
5455 you can define columns on level 1 that are general enough for all
5456 sublevels, and more specific columns further down, when you edit a
5457 deeper part of the tree.
5459 @node Column attributes
5460 @subsubsection Column attributes
5461 A column definition sets the attributes of a column. The general
5462 definition looks like this:
5465 %[@var{width}]@var{property}[(@var{title})][@{@var{summary-type}@}]
5469 Except for the percent sign and the property name, all items are
5470 optional. The individual parts have the following meaning:
5473 @var{width} @r{An integer specifying the width of the column in characters.}
5474 @r{If omitted, the width will be determined automatically.}
5475 @var{property} @r{The property that should be edited in this column.}
5476 @r{Special properties representing meta data are allowed here}
5477 @r{as well (@pxref{Special properties})}
5478 @var{title} @r{The header text for the column. If omitted, the property}
5480 @{@var{summary-type}@} @r{The summary type. If specified, the column values for}
5481 @r{parent nodes are computed from the children.}
5482 @r{Supported summary types are:}
5483 @{+@} @r{Sum numbers in this column.}
5484 @{+;%.1f@} @r{Like @samp{+}, but format result with @samp{%.1f}.}
5485 @{$@} @r{Currency, short for @samp{+;%.2f}.}
5486 @{:@} @r{Sum times, HH:MM, plain numbers are hours.}
5487 @{X@} @r{Checkbox status, @samp{[X]} if all children are @samp{[X]}.}
5488 @{X/@} @r{Checkbox status, @samp{[n/m]}.}
5489 @{X%@} @r{Checkbox status, @samp{[n%]}.}
5490 @{min@} @r{Smallest number in column.}
5491 @{max@} @r{Largest number.}
5492 @{mean@} @r{Arithmetic mean of numbers.}
5493 @{:min@} @r{Smallest time value in column.}
5494 @{:max@} @r{Largest time value.}
5495 @{:mean@} @r{Arithmetic mean of time values.}
5496 @{@@min@} @r{Minimum age (in days/hours/mins/seconds).}
5497 @{@@max@} @r{Maximum age (in days/hours/mins/seconds).}
5498 @{@@mean@} @r{Arithmetic mean of ages (in days/hours/mins/seconds).}
5499 @{est+@} @r{Add low-high estimates.}
5503 Be aware that you can only have one summary type for any property you
5504 include. Subsequent columns referencing the same property will all display the
5505 same summary information.
5507 The @code{est+} summary type requires further explanation. It is used for
5508 combining estimates, expressed as low-high ranges. For example, instead
5509 of estimating a particular task will take 5 days, you might estimate it as
5510 5--6 days if you're fairly confident you know how much work is required, or
5511 1--10 days if you don't really know what needs to be done. Both ranges
5512 average at 5.5 days, but the first represents a more predictable delivery.
5514 When combining a set of such estimates, simply adding the lows and highs
5515 produces an unrealistically wide result. Instead, @code{est+} adds the
5516 statistical mean and variance of the sub-tasks, generating a final estimate
5517 from the sum. For example, suppose you had ten tasks, each of which was
5518 estimated at 0.5 to 2 days of work. Straight addition produces an estimate
5519 of 5 to 20 days, representing what to expect if everything goes either
5520 extremely well or extremely poorly. In contrast, @code{est+} estimates the
5521 full job more realistically, at 10--15 days.
5523 Here is an example for a complete columns definition, along with allowed
5527 :COLUMNS: %25ITEM %9Approved(Approved?)@{X@} %Owner %11Status \@footnote{Please note that the COLUMNS definition must be on a single line---it is wrapped here only because of formatting constraints.}
5528 %10Time_Estimate@{:@} %CLOCKSUM %CLOCKSUM_T
5529 :Owner_ALL: Tammy Mark Karl Lisa Don
5530 :Status_ALL: "In progress" "Not started yet" "Finished" ""
5531 :Approved_ALL: "[ ]" "[X]"
5535 The first column, @samp{%25ITEM}, means the first 25 characters of the
5536 item itself, i.e., of the headline. You probably always should start the
5537 column definition with the @samp{ITEM} specifier. The other specifiers
5538 create columns @samp{Owner} with a list of names as allowed values, for
5539 @samp{Status} with four different possible values, and for a checkbox
5540 field @samp{Approved}. When no width is given after the @samp{%}
5541 character, the column will be exactly as wide as it needs to be in order
5542 to fully display all values. The @samp{Approved} column does have a
5543 modified title (@samp{Approved?}, with a question mark). Summaries will
5544 be created for the @samp{Time_Estimate} column by adding time duration
5545 expressions like HH:MM, and for the @samp{Approved} column, by providing
5546 an @samp{[X]} status if all children have been checked. The
5547 @samp{CLOCKSUM} and @samp{CLOCKSUM_T} columns are special, they lists the
5548 sums of CLOCK intervals in the subtree, either for all clocks or just for
5551 @node Using column view
5552 @subsection Using column view
5555 @tsubheading{Turning column view on and off}
5556 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-c,org-columns}
5557 @vindex org-columns-default-format
5558 Turn on column view. If the cursor is before the first headline in the file,
5559 column view is turned on for the entire file, using the @code{#+COLUMNS}
5560 definition. If the cursor is somewhere inside the outline, this command
5561 searches the hierarchy, up from point, for a @code{:COLUMNS:} property that
5562 defines a format. When one is found, the column view table is established
5563 for the tree starting at the entry that contains the @code{:COLUMNS:}
5564 property. If no such property is found, the format is taken from the
5565 @code{#+COLUMNS} line or from the variable @code{org-columns-default-format},
5566 and column view is established for the current entry and its subtree.
5567 @orgcmd{r,org-columns-redo}
5568 Recreate the column view, to include recent changes made in the buffer.
5569 @orgcmd{g,org-columns-redo}
5571 @orgcmd{q,org-columns-quit}
5573 @tsubheading{Editing values}
5574 @item @key{left} @key{right} @key{up} @key{down}
5575 Move through the column view from field to field.
5576 @kindex S-@key{left}
5577 @kindex S-@key{right}
5578 @item S-@key{left}/@key{right}
5579 Switch to the next/previous allowed value of the field. For this, you
5580 have to have specified allowed values for a property.
5582 Directly select the Nth allowed value, @kbd{0} selects the 10th value.
5583 @orgcmdkkcc{n,p,org-columns-next-allowed-value,org-columns-previous-allowed-value}
5584 Same as @kbd{S-@key{left}/@key{right}}
5585 @orgcmd{e,org-columns-edit-value}
5586 Edit the property at point. For the special properties, this will
5587 invoke the same interface that you normally use to change that
5588 property. For example, when editing a TAGS property, the tag completion
5589 or fast selection interface will pop up.
5590 @orgcmd{C-c C-c,org-columns-set-tags-or-toggle}
5591 When there is a checkbox at point, toggle it.
5592 @orgcmd{v,org-columns-show-value}
5593 View the full value of this property. This is useful if the width of
5594 the column is smaller than that of the value.
5595 @orgcmd{a,org-columns-edit-allowed}
5596 Edit the list of allowed values for this property. If the list is found
5597 in the hierarchy, the modified value is stored there. If no list is
5598 found, the new value is stored in the first entry that is part of the
5599 current column view.
5600 @tsubheading{Modifying the table structure}
5601 @orgcmdkkcc{<,>,org-columns-narrow,org-columns-widen}
5602 Make the column narrower/wider by one character.
5603 @orgcmd{S-M-@key{right},org-columns-new}
5604 Insert a new column, to the left of the current column.
5605 @orgcmd{S-M-@key{left},org-columns-delete}
5606 Delete the current column.
5609 @node Capturing column view
5610 @subsection Capturing column view
5612 Since column view is just an overlay over a buffer, it cannot be
5613 exported or printed directly. If you want to capture a column view, use
5614 a @code{columnview} dynamic block (@pxref{Dynamic blocks}). The frame
5615 of this block looks like this:
5617 @cindex #+BEGIN, columnview
5620 #+BEGIN: columnview :hlines 1 :id "label"
5625 @noindent This dynamic block has the following parameters:
5629 This is the most important parameter. Column view is a feature that is
5630 often localized to a certain (sub)tree, and the capture block might be
5631 at a different location in the file. To identify the tree whose view to
5632 capture, you can use 4 values:
5633 @cindex property, ID
5635 local @r{use the tree in which the capture block is located}
5636 global @r{make a global view, including all headings in the file}
5637 "file:@var{path-to-file}"
5638 @r{run column view at the top of this file}
5639 "@var{ID}" @r{call column view in the tree that has an @code{:ID:}}
5640 @r{property with the value @i{label}. You can use}
5641 @r{@kbd{M-x org-id-copy RET} to create a globally unique ID for}
5642 @r{the current entry and copy it to the kill-ring.}
5645 When @code{t}, insert an hline after every line. When a number @var{N}, insert
5646 an hline before each headline with level @code{<= @var{N}}.
5648 When set to @code{t}, force column groups to get vertical lines.
5650 When set to a number, don't capture entries below this level.
5651 @item :skip-empty-rows
5652 When set to @code{t}, skip rows where the only non-empty specifier of the
5653 column view is @code{ITEM}.
5658 The following commands insert or update the dynamic block:
5661 @orgcmd{C-c C-x i,org-insert-columns-dblock}
5662 Insert a dynamic block capturing a column view. You will be prompted
5663 for the scope or ID of the view.
5664 @orgcmdkkc{C-c C-c,C-c C-x C-u,org-dblock-update}
5665 Update dynamic block at point. The cursor needs to be in the
5666 @code{#+BEGIN} line of the dynamic block.
5667 @orgcmd{C-u C-c C-x C-u,org-update-all-dblocks}
5668 Update all dynamic blocks (@pxref{Dynamic blocks}). This is useful if
5669 you have several clock table blocks, column-capturing blocks or other dynamic
5673 You can add formulas to the column view table and you may add plotting
5674 instructions in front of the table---these will survive an update of the
5675 block. If there is a @code{#+TBLFM:} after the table, the table will
5676 actually be recalculated automatically after an update.
5678 An alternative way to capture and process property values into a table is
5679 provided by Eric Schulte's @file{org-collector.el} which is a contributed
5680 package@footnote{Contributed packages are not part of Emacs, but are
5681 distributed with the main distribution of Org (visit
5682 @uref{http://orgmode.org}).}. It provides a general API to collect
5683 properties from entries in a certain scope, and arbitrary Lisp expressions to
5684 process these values before inserting them into a table or a dynamic block.
5687 @section The Property API
5688 @cindex properties, API
5689 @cindex API, for properties
5691 There is a full API for accessing and changing properties. This API can
5692 be used by Emacs Lisp programs to work with properties and to implement
5693 features based on them. For more information see @ref{Using the
5696 @node Dates and times
5697 @chapter Dates and times
5703 To assist project planning, TODO items can be labeled with a date and/or
5704 a time. The specially formatted string carrying the date and time
5705 information is called a @emph{timestamp} in Org mode. This may be a
5706 little confusing because timestamp is often used to indicate when
5707 something was created or last changed. However, in Org mode this term
5708 is used in a much wider sense.
5711 * Timestamps:: Assigning a time to a tree entry
5712 * Creating timestamps:: Commands which insert timestamps
5713 * Deadlines and scheduling:: Planning your work
5714 * Clocking work time:: Tracking how long you spend on a task
5715 * Effort estimates:: Planning work effort in advance
5716 * Relative timer:: Notes with a running timer
5717 * Countdown timer:: Starting a countdown timer for a task
5722 @section Timestamps, deadlines, and scheduling
5724 @cindex ranges, time
5729 A timestamp is a specification of a date (possibly with a time or a range of
5730 times) in a special format, either @samp{<2003-09-16 Tue>}@footnote{In this
5731 simplest form, the day name is optional when you type the date yourself.
5732 However, any dates inserted or modified by Org will add that day name, for
5733 reading convenience.} or @samp{<2003-09-16 Tue 09:39>} or @samp{<2003-09-16
5734 Tue 12:00-12:30>}@footnote{This is inspired by the standard ISO 8601
5735 date/time format. To use an alternative format, see @ref{Custom time
5736 format}.}. A timestamp can appear anywhere in the headline or body of an Org
5737 tree entry. Its presence causes entries to be shown on specific dates in the
5738 agenda (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}). We distinguish:
5741 @item Plain timestamp; Event; Appointment
5744 A simple timestamp just assigns a date/time to an item. This is just
5745 like writing down an appointment or event in a paper agenda. In the
5746 timeline and agenda displays, the headline of an entry associated with a
5747 plain timestamp will be shown exactly on that date.
5750 * Meet Peter at the movies
5751 <2006-11-01 Wed 19:15>
5752 * Discussion on climate change
5753 <2006-11-02 Thu 20:00-22:00>
5756 @item Timestamp with repeater interval
5757 @cindex timestamp, with repeater interval
5758 A timestamp may contain a @emph{repeater interval}, indicating that it
5759 applies not only on the given date, but again and again after a certain
5760 interval of N days (d), weeks (w), months (m), or years (y). The
5761 following will show up in the agenda every Wednesday:
5764 * Pick up Sam at school
5765 <2007-05-16 Wed 12:30 +1w>
5768 @item Diary-style sexp entries
5769 For more complex date specifications, Org mode supports using the special
5770 sexp diary entries implemented in the Emacs calendar/diary
5771 package@footnote{When working with the standard diary sexp functions, you
5772 need to be very careful with the order of the arguments. That order depends
5773 evilly on the variable @code{calendar-date-style} (or, for older Emacs
5774 versions, @code{european-calendar-style}). For example, to specify a date
5775 December 12, 2005, the call might look like @code{(diary-date 12 1 2005)} or
5776 @code{(diary-date 1 12 2005)} or @code{(diary-date 2005 12 1)}, depending on
5777 the settings. This has been the source of much confusion. Org mode users
5778 can resort to special versions of these functions like @code{org-date} or
5779 @code{org-anniversary}. These work just like the corresponding @code{diary-}
5780 functions, but with stable ISO order of arguments (year, month, day) wherever
5781 applicable, independent of the value of @code{calendar-date-style}.}. For
5782 example with optional time
5785 * 22:00-23:00 The nerd meeting on every 2nd Thursday of the month
5786 <%%(diary-float t 4 2)>
5789 @item Time/Date range
5792 Two timestamps connected by @samp{--} denote a range. The headline
5793 will be shown on the first and last day of the range, and on any dates
5794 that are displayed and fall in the range. Here is an example:
5797 ** Meeting in Amsterdam
5798 <2004-08-23 Mon>--<2004-08-26 Thu>
5801 @item Inactive timestamp
5802 @cindex timestamp, inactive
5803 @cindex inactive timestamp
5804 Just like a plain timestamp, but with square brackets instead of
5805 angular ones. These timestamps are inactive in the sense that they do
5806 @emph{not} trigger an entry to show up in the agenda.
5809 * Gillian comes late for the fifth time
5815 @node Creating timestamps
5816 @section Creating timestamps
5817 @cindex creating timestamps
5818 @cindex timestamps, creating
5820 For Org mode to recognize timestamps, they need to be in the specific
5821 format. All commands listed below produce timestamps in the correct
5825 @orgcmd{C-c .,org-time-stamp}
5826 Prompt for a date and insert a corresponding timestamp. When the cursor is
5827 at an existing timestamp in the buffer, the command is used to modify this
5828 timestamp instead of inserting a new one. When this command is used twice in
5829 succession, a time range is inserted.
5831 @orgcmd{C-c !,org-time-stamp-inactive}
5832 Like @kbd{C-c .}, but insert an inactive timestamp that will not cause
5839 @vindex org-time-stamp-rounding-minutes
5840 Like @kbd{C-c .} and @kbd{C-c !}, but use the alternative format which
5841 contains date and time. The default time can be rounded to multiples of 5
5842 minutes, see the option @code{org-time-stamp-rounding-minutes}.
5845 Normalize timestamp, insert/fix day name if missing or wrong.
5847 @orgcmd{C-c <,org-date-from-calendar}
5848 Insert a timestamp corresponding to the cursor date in the Calendar.
5850 @orgcmd{C-c >,org-goto-calendar}
5851 Access the Emacs calendar for the current date. If there is a
5852 timestamp in the current line, go to the corresponding date
5855 @orgcmd{C-c C-o,org-open-at-point}
5856 Access the agenda for the date given by the timestamp or -range at
5857 point (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}).
5859 @orgcmdkkcc{S-@key{left},S-@key{right},org-timestamp-down-day,org-timestamp-up-day}
5860 Change date at cursor by one day. These key bindings conflict with
5861 shift-selection and related modes (@pxref{Conflicts}).
5863 @orgcmdkkcc{S-@key{up},S-@key{down},org-timestamp-up,org-timestamp-down-down}
5864 Change the item under the cursor in a timestamp. The cursor can be on a
5865 year, month, day, hour or minute. When the timestamp contains a time range
5866 like @samp{15:30-16:30}, modifying the first time will also shift the second,
5867 shifting the time block with constant length. To change the length, modify
5868 the second time. Note that if the cursor is in a headline and not at a
5869 timestamp, these same keys modify the priority of an item.
5870 (@pxref{Priorities}). The key bindings also conflict with shift-selection and
5871 related modes (@pxref{Conflicts}).
5873 @orgcmd{C-c C-y,org-evaluate-time-range}
5874 @cindex evaluate time range
5875 Evaluate a time range by computing the difference between start and end.
5876 With a prefix argument, insert result after the time range (in a table: into
5877 the following column).
5882 * The date/time prompt:: How Org mode helps you entering date and time
5883 * Custom time format:: Making dates look different
5886 @node The date/time prompt
5887 @subsection The date/time prompt
5888 @cindex date, reading in minibuffer
5889 @cindex time, reading in minibuffer
5891 @vindex org-read-date-prefer-future
5892 When Org mode prompts for a date/time, the default is shown in default
5893 date/time format, and the prompt therefore seems to ask for a specific
5894 format. But it will in fact accept date/time information in a variety of
5895 formats. Generally, the information should start at the beginning of the
5896 string. Org mode will find whatever information is in
5897 there and derive anything you have not specified from the @emph{default date
5898 and time}. The default is usually the current date and time, but when
5899 modifying an existing timestamp, or when entering the second stamp of a
5900 range, it is taken from the stamp in the buffer. When filling in
5901 information, Org mode assumes that most of the time you will want to enter a
5902 date in the future: if you omit the month/year and the given day/month is
5903 @i{before} today, it will assume that you mean a future date@footnote{See the
5904 variable @code{org-read-date-prefer-future}. You may set that variable to
5905 the symbol @code{time} to even make a time before now shift the date to
5906 tomorrow.}. If the date has been automatically shifted into the future, the
5907 time prompt will show this with @samp{(=>F).}
5909 For example, let's assume that today is @b{June 13, 2006}. Here is how
5910 various inputs will be interpreted, the items filled in by Org mode are
5914 3-2-5 @result{} 2003-02-05
5915 2/5/3 @result{} 2003-02-05
5916 14 @result{} @b{2006}-@b{06}-14
5917 12 @result{} @b{2006}-@b{07}-12
5918 2/5 @result{} @b{2007}-02-05
5919 Fri @result{} nearest Friday after the default date
5920 sep 15 @result{} @b{2006}-09-15
5921 feb 15 @result{} @b{2007}-02-15
5922 sep 12 9 @result{} 2009-09-12
5923 12:45 @result{} @b{2006}-@b{06}-@b{13} 12:45
5924 22 sept 0:34 @result{} @b{2006}-09-22 0:34
5925 w4 @result{} ISO week for of the current year @b{2006}
5926 2012 w4 fri @result{} Friday of ISO week 4 in 2012
5927 2012-w04-5 @result{} Same as above
5930 Furthermore you can specify a relative date by giving, as the @emph{first}
5931 thing in the input: a plus/minus sign, a number and a letter ([hdwmy]) to
5932 indicate change in hours, days, weeks, months, or years. With a single plus
5933 or minus, the date is always relative to today. With a double plus or minus,
5934 it is relative to the default date. If instead of a single letter, you use
5935 the abbreviation of day name, the date will be the Nth such day, e.g.:
5940 +4d @result{} four days from today
5941 +4 @result{} same as above
5942 +2w @result{} two weeks from today
5943 ++5 @result{} five days from default date
5944 +2tue @result{} second Tuesday from now
5945 -wed @result{} last Wednesday
5948 @vindex parse-time-months
5949 @vindex parse-time-weekdays
5950 The function understands English month and weekday abbreviations. If
5951 you want to use unabbreviated names and/or other languages, configure
5952 the variables @code{parse-time-months} and @code{parse-time-weekdays}.
5954 @vindex org-read-date-force-compatible-dates
5955 Not all dates can be represented in a given Emacs implementation. By default
5956 Org mode forces dates into the compatibility range 1970--2037 which works on
5957 all Emacs implementations. If you want to use dates outside of this range,
5958 read the docstring of the variable
5959 @code{org-read-date-force-compatible-dates}.
5961 You can specify a time range by giving start and end times or by giving a
5962 start time and a duration (in HH:MM format). Use one or two dash(es) as the
5963 separator in the former case and use '+' as the separator in the latter
5967 11am-1:15pm @result{} 11:00-13:15
5968 11am--1:15pm @result{} same as above
5969 11am+2:15 @result{} same as above
5972 @cindex calendar, for selecting date
5973 @vindex org-popup-calendar-for-date-prompt
5974 Parallel to the minibuffer prompt, a calendar is popped up@footnote{If
5975 you don't need/want the calendar, configure the variable
5976 @code{org-popup-calendar-for-date-prompt}.}. When you exit the date
5977 prompt, either by clicking on a date in the calendar, or by pressing
5978 @key{RET}, the date selected in the calendar will be combined with the
5979 information entered at the prompt. You can control the calendar fully
5980 from the minibuffer:
5987 @kindex S-@key{right}
5988 @kindex S-@key{left}
5989 @kindex S-@key{down}
5991 @kindex M-S-@key{right}
5992 @kindex M-S-@key{left}
5995 @key{RET} @r{Choose date at cursor in calendar.}
5996 mouse-1 @r{Select date by clicking on it.}
5997 S-@key{right}/@key{left} @r{One day forward/backward.}
5998 S-@key{down}/@key{up} @r{One week forward/backward.}
5999 M-S-@key{right}/@key{left} @r{One month forward/backward.}
6000 > / < @r{Scroll calendar forward/backward by one month.}
6001 M-v / C-v @r{Scroll calendar forward/backward by 3 months.}
6004 @vindex org-read-date-display-live
6005 The actions of the date/time prompt may seem complex, but I assure you they
6006 will grow on you, and you will start getting annoyed by pretty much any other
6007 way of entering a date/time out there. To help you understand what is going
6008 on, the current interpretation of your input will be displayed live in the
6009 minibuffer@footnote{If you find this distracting, turn the display off with
6010 @code{org-read-date-display-live}.}.
6012 @node Custom time format
6013 @subsection Custom time format
6014 @cindex custom date/time format
6015 @cindex time format, custom
6016 @cindex date format, custom
6018 @vindex org-display-custom-times
6019 @vindex org-time-stamp-custom-formats
6020 Org mode uses the standard ISO notation for dates and times as it is
6021 defined in ISO 8601. If you cannot get used to this and require another
6022 representation of date and time to keep you happy, you can get it by
6023 customizing the options @code{org-display-custom-times} and
6024 @code{org-time-stamp-custom-formats}.
6027 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-t,org-toggle-time-stamp-overlays}
6028 Toggle the display of custom formats for dates and times.
6032 Org mode needs the default format for scanning, so the custom date/time
6033 format does not @emph{replace} the default format---instead it is put
6034 @emph{over} the default format using text properties. This has the
6035 following consequences:
6038 You cannot place the cursor onto a timestamp anymore, only before or
6041 The @kbd{S-@key{up}/@key{down}} keys can no longer be used to adjust
6042 each component of a timestamp. If the cursor is at the beginning of
6043 the stamp, @kbd{S-@key{up}/@key{down}} will change the stamp by one day,
6044 just like @kbd{S-@key{left}/@key{right}}. At the end of the stamp, the
6045 time will be changed by one minute.
6047 If the timestamp contains a range of clock times or a repeater, these
6048 will not be overlaid, but remain in the buffer as they were.
6050 When you delete a timestamp character-by-character, it will only
6051 disappear from the buffer after @emph{all} (invisible) characters
6052 belonging to the ISO timestamp have been removed.
6054 If the custom timestamp format is longer than the default and you are
6055 using dates in tables, table alignment will be messed up. If the custom
6056 format is shorter, things do work as expected.
6060 @node Deadlines and scheduling
6061 @section Deadlines and scheduling
6063 A timestamp may be preceded by special keywords to facilitate planning:
6067 @cindex DEADLINE keyword
6069 Meaning: the task (most likely a TODO item, though not necessarily) is supposed
6070 to be finished on that date.
6072 @vindex org-deadline-warning-days
6073 @vindex org-agenda-skip-deadline-prewarning-if-scheduled
6074 On the deadline date, the task will be listed in the agenda. In
6075 addition, the agenda for @emph{today} will carry a warning about the
6076 approaching or missed deadline, starting
6077 @code{org-deadline-warning-days} before the due date, and continuing
6078 until the entry is marked DONE@. An example:
6081 *** TODO write article about the Earth for the Guide
6082 DEADLINE: <2004-02-29 Sun>
6083 The editor in charge is [[bbdb:Ford Prefect]]
6086 You can specify a different lead time for warnings for a specific
6087 deadline using the following syntax. Here is an example with a warning
6088 period of 5 days @code{DEADLINE: <2004-02-29 Sun -5d>}. This warning is
6089 deactivated if the task gets scheduled and you set
6090 @code{org-agenda-skip-deadline-prewarning-if-scheduled} to @code{t}.
6093 @cindex SCHEDULED keyword
6095 Meaning: you are planning to start working on that task on the given
6098 @vindex org-agenda-skip-scheduled-if-done
6099 The headline will be listed under the given date@footnote{It will still
6100 be listed on that date after it has been marked DONE@. If you don't like
6101 this, set the variable @code{org-agenda-skip-scheduled-if-done}.}. In
6102 addition, a reminder that the scheduled date has passed will be present
6103 in the compilation for @emph{today}, until the entry is marked DONE, i.e.,
6104 the task will automatically be forwarded until completed.
6107 *** TODO Call Trillian for a date on New Years Eve.
6108 SCHEDULED: <2004-12-25 Sat>
6111 @vindex org-scheduled-delay-days
6112 @vindex org-agenda-skip-scheduled-delay-if-deadline
6113 If you want to @emph{delay} the display of this task in the agenda, use
6114 @code{SCHEDULED: <2004-12-25 Sat -2d>}: the task is still scheduled on the
6115 25th but will appear two days later. In case the task contains a repeater,
6116 the delay is considered to affect all occurrences; if you want the delay to
6117 only affect the first scheduled occurrence of the task, use @code{--2d}
6118 instead. See @code{org-scheduled-delay-days} and
6119 @code{org-agenda-skip-scheduled-delay-if-deadline} for details on how to
6120 control this globally or per agenda.
6123 @b{Important:} Scheduling an item in Org mode should @i{not} be
6124 understood in the same way that we understand @i{scheduling a meeting}.
6125 Setting a date for a meeting is just a simple appointment, you should
6126 mark this entry with a simple plain timestamp, to get this item shown
6127 on the date where it applies. This is a frequent misunderstanding by
6128 Org users. In Org mode, @i{scheduling} means setting a date when you
6129 want to start working on an action item.
6132 You may use timestamps with repeaters in scheduling and deadline
6133 entries. Org mode will issue early and late warnings based on the
6134 assumption that the timestamp represents the @i{nearest instance} of
6135 the repeater. However, the use of diary sexp entries like
6137 @code{<%%(diary-float t 42)>}
6139 in scheduling and deadline timestamps is limited. Org mode does not
6140 know enough about the internals of each sexp function to issue early and
6141 late warnings. However, it will show the item on each day where the
6145 * Inserting deadline/schedule:: Planning items
6146 * Repeated tasks:: Items that show up again and again
6149 @node Inserting deadline/schedule
6150 @subsection Inserting deadlines or schedules
6152 The following commands allow you to quickly insert@footnote{The @samp{SCHEDULED} and
6153 @samp{DEADLINE} dates are inserted on the line right below the headline. Don't put
6154 any text between this line and the headline.} a deadline or to schedule
6159 @orgcmd{C-c C-d,org-deadline}
6160 Insert @samp{DEADLINE} keyword along with a stamp. The insertion will happen
6161 in the line directly following the headline. Any CLOSED timestamp will be
6162 removed. When called with a prefix arg, an existing deadline will be removed
6163 from the entry. Depending on the variable @code{org-log-redeadline}@footnote{with corresponding
6164 @code{#+STARTUP} keywords @code{logredeadline}, @code{lognoteredeadline},
6165 and @code{nologredeadline}}, a note will be taken when changing an existing
6168 @orgcmd{C-c C-s,org-schedule}
6169 Insert @samp{SCHEDULED} keyword along with a stamp. The insertion will
6170 happen in the line directly following the headline. Any CLOSED timestamp
6171 will be removed. When called with a prefix argument, remove the scheduling
6172 date from the entry. Depending on the variable
6173 @code{org-log-reschedule}@footnote{with corresponding @code{#+STARTUP}
6174 keywords @code{logreschedule}, @code{lognotereschedule}, and
6175 @code{nologreschedule}}, a note will be taken when changing an existing
6178 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-k,org-mark-entry-for-agenda-action}
6181 Mark the current entry for agenda action. After you have marked the entry
6182 like this, you can open the agenda or the calendar to find an appropriate
6183 date. With the cursor on the selected date, press @kbd{k s} or @kbd{k d} to
6184 schedule the marked item.
6186 @orgcmd{C-c / d,org-check-deadlines}
6187 @cindex sparse tree, for deadlines
6188 @vindex org-deadline-warning-days
6189 Create a sparse tree with all deadlines that are either past-due, or
6190 which will become due within @code{org-deadline-warning-days}.
6191 With @kbd{C-u} prefix, show all deadlines in the file. With a numeric
6192 prefix, check that many days. For example, @kbd{C-1 C-c / d} shows
6193 all deadlines due tomorrow.
6195 @orgcmd{C-c / b,org-check-before-date}
6196 Sparse tree for deadlines and scheduled items before a given date.
6198 @orgcmd{C-c / a,org-check-after-date}
6199 Sparse tree for deadlines and scheduled items after a given date.
6202 Note that @code{org-schedule} and @code{org-deadline} supports
6203 setting the date by indicating a relative time: e.g., +1d will set
6204 the date to the next day after today, and --1w will set the date
6205 to the previous week before any current timestamp.
6207 @node Repeated tasks
6208 @subsection Repeated tasks
6209 @cindex tasks, repeated
6210 @cindex repeated tasks
6212 Some tasks need to be repeated again and again. Org mode helps to
6213 organize such tasks using a so-called repeater in a DEADLINE, SCHEDULED,
6214 or plain timestamp. In the following example
6216 ** TODO Pay the rent
6217 DEADLINE: <2005-10-01 Sat +1m>
6220 the @code{+1m} is a repeater; the intended interpretation is that the task
6221 has a deadline on <2005-10-01> and repeats itself every (one) month starting
6222 from that time. You can use yearly, monthly, weekly, daily and hourly repeat
6223 cookies by using the @code{y/w/m/d/h} letters. If you need both a repeater
6224 and a special warning period in a deadline entry, the repeater should come
6225 first and the warning period last: @code{DEADLINE: <2005-10-01 Sat +1m -3d>}.
6227 @vindex org-todo-repeat-to-state
6228 Deadlines and scheduled items produce entries in the agenda when they are
6229 over-due, so it is important to be able to mark such an entry as completed
6230 once you have done so. When you mark a DEADLINE or a SCHEDULE with the TODO
6231 keyword DONE, it will no longer produce entries in the agenda. The problem
6232 with this is, however, that then also the @emph{next} instance of the
6233 repeated entry will not be active. Org mode deals with this in the following
6234 way: When you try to mark such an entry DONE (using @kbd{C-c C-t}), it will
6235 shift the base date of the repeating timestamp by the repeater interval, and
6236 immediately set the entry state back to TODO@footnote{In fact, the target
6237 state is taken from, in this sequence, the @code{REPEAT_TO_STATE} property or
6238 the variable @code{org-todo-repeat-to-state}. If neither of these is
6239 specified, the target state defaults to the first state of the TODO state
6240 sequence.}. In the example above, setting the state to DONE would actually
6241 switch the date like this:
6244 ** TODO Pay the rent
6245 DEADLINE: <2005-11-01 Tue +1m>
6248 @vindex org-log-repeat
6249 A timestamp@footnote{You can change this using the option
6250 @code{org-log-repeat}, or the @code{#+STARTUP} options @code{logrepeat},
6251 @code{lognoterepeat}, and @code{nologrepeat}. With @code{lognoterepeat}, you
6252 will also be prompted for a note.} will be added under the deadline, to keep
6253 a record that you actually acted on the previous instance of this deadline.
6255 As a consequence of shifting the base date, this entry will no longer be
6256 visible in the agenda when checking past dates, but all future instances
6259 With the @samp{+1m} cookie, the date shift will always be exactly one
6260 month. So if you have not paid the rent for three months, marking this
6261 entry DONE will still keep it as an overdue deadline. Depending on the
6262 task, this may not be the best way to handle it. For example, if you
6263 forgot to call your father for 3 weeks, it does not make sense to call
6264 him 3 times in a single day to make up for it. Finally, there are tasks
6265 like changing batteries which should always repeat a certain time
6266 @i{after} the last time you did it. For these tasks, Org mode has
6267 special repeaters @samp{++} and @samp{.+}. For example:
6271 DEADLINE: <2008-02-10 Sun ++1w>
6272 Marking this DONE will shift the date by at least one week,
6273 but also by as many weeks as it takes to get this date into
6274 the future. However, it stays on a Sunday, even if you called
6275 and marked it done on Saturday.
6276 ** TODO Check the batteries in the smoke detectors
6277 DEADLINE: <2005-11-01 Tue .+1m>
6278 Marking this DONE will shift the date to one month after
6282 @vindex org-agenda-skip-scheduled-if-deadline-is-shown
6283 You may have both scheduling and deadline information for a specific task.
6284 If the repeater is set for the scheduling information only, you probably want
6285 the repeater to be ignored after the deadline. If so, set the variable
6286 @code{org-agenda-skip-scheduled-if-deadline-is-shown} to
6287 @code{repeated-after-deadline}. If you want both scheduling and deadline
6288 information to repeat after the same interval, set the same repeater for both
6291 An alternative to using a repeater is to create a number of copies of a task
6292 subtree, with dates shifted in each copy. The command @kbd{C-c C-x c} was
6293 created for this purpose, it is described in @ref{Structure editing}.
6296 @node Clocking work time
6297 @section Clocking work time
6298 @cindex clocking time
6299 @cindex time clocking
6301 Org mode allows you to clock the time you spend on specific tasks in a
6302 project. When you start working on an item, you can start the clock. When
6303 you stop working on that task, or when you mark the task done, the clock is
6304 stopped and the corresponding time interval is recorded. It also computes
6305 the total time spent on each subtree@footnote{Clocking only works if all
6306 headings are indented with less than 30 stars. This is a hardcoded
6307 limitation of `lmax' in `org-clock-sum'.} of a project. And it remembers a
6308 history or tasks recently clocked, so that you can jump quickly between a
6309 number of tasks absorbing your time.
6311 To save the clock history across Emacs sessions, use
6313 (setq org-clock-persist 'history)
6314 (org-clock-persistence-insinuate)
6316 When you clock into a new task after resuming Emacs, the incomplete
6317 clock@footnote{To resume the clock under the assumption that you have worked
6318 on this task while outside Emacs, use @code{(setq org-clock-persist t)}.}
6319 will be found (@pxref{Resolving idle time}) and you will be prompted about
6323 * Clocking commands:: Starting and stopping a clock
6324 * The clock table:: Detailed reports
6325 * Resolving idle time:: Resolving time when you've been idle
6328 @node Clocking commands
6329 @subsection Clocking commands
6332 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-i,org-clock-in}
6333 @vindex org-clock-into-drawer
6334 @vindex org-clock-continuously
6335 @cindex property, LOG_INTO_DRAWER
6336 Start the clock on the current item (clock-in). This inserts the CLOCK
6337 keyword together with a timestamp. If this is not the first clocking of
6338 this item, the multiple CLOCK lines will be wrapped into a
6339 @code{:LOGBOOK:} drawer (see also the variable
6340 @code{org-clock-into-drawer}). You can also overrule
6341 the setting of this variable for a subtree by setting a
6342 @code{CLOCK_INTO_DRAWER} or @code{LOG_INTO_DRAWER} property.
6343 When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix argument,
6344 select the task from a list of recently clocked tasks. With two @kbd{C-u
6345 C-u} prefixes, clock into the task at point and mark it as the default task;
6346 the default task will then always be available with letter @kbd{d} when
6347 selecting a clocking task. With three @kbd{C-u C-u C-u} prefixes, force
6348 continuous clocking by starting the clock when the last clock stopped.@*
6349 @cindex property: CLOCK_MODELINE_TOTAL
6350 @cindex property: LAST_REPEAT
6351 @vindex org-clock-modeline-total
6352 While the clock is running, the current clocking time is shown in the mode
6353 line, along with the title of the task. The clock time shown will be all
6354 time ever clocked for this task and its children. If the task has an effort
6355 estimate (@pxref{Effort estimates}), the mode line displays the current
6356 clocking time against it@footnote{To add an effort estimate ``on the fly'',
6357 hook a function doing this to @code{org-clock-in-prepare-hook}.} If the task
6358 is a repeating one (@pxref{Repeated tasks}), only the time since the last
6359 reset of the task @footnote{as recorded by the @code{LAST_REPEAT} property}
6360 will be shown. More control over what time is shown can be exercised with
6361 the @code{CLOCK_MODELINE_TOTAL} property. It may have the values
6362 @code{current} to show only the current clocking instance, @code{today} to
6363 show all time clocked on this tasks today (see also the variable
6364 @code{org-extend-today-until}), @code{all} to include all time, or
6365 @code{auto} which is the default@footnote{See also the variable
6366 @code{org-clock-modeline-total}.}.@* Clicking with @kbd{mouse-1} onto the
6367 mode line entry will pop up a menu with clocking options.
6369 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-o,org-clock-out}
6370 @vindex org-log-note-clock-out
6371 Stop the clock (clock-out). This inserts another timestamp at the same
6372 location where the clock was last started. It also directly computes
6373 the resulting time and inserts it after the time range as @samp{=>
6374 HH:MM}. See the variable @code{org-log-note-clock-out} for the
6375 possibility to record an additional note together with the clock-out
6376 timestamp@footnote{The corresponding in-buffer setting is:
6377 @code{#+STARTUP: lognoteclock-out}}.
6378 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-x,org-clock-in-last}
6379 @vindex org-clock-continuously
6380 Reclock the last clocked task. With one @kbd{C-u} prefix argument,
6381 select the task from the clock history. With two @kbd{C-u} prefixes,
6382 force continuous clocking by starting the clock when the last clock
6384 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-e,org-clock-modify-effort-estimate}
6385 Update the effort estimate for the current clock task.
6388 @orgcmdkkc{C-c C-c,C-c C-y,org-evaluate-time-range}
6389 Recompute the time interval after changing one of the timestamps. This
6390 is only necessary if you edit the timestamps directly. If you change
6391 them with @kbd{S-@key{cursor}} keys, the update is automatic.
6392 @orgcmd{C-S-@key{up/down},org-clock-timestamps-up/down}
6393 On @code{CLOCK} log lines, increase/decrease both timestamps so that the
6394 clock duration keeps the same.
6395 @orgcmd{S-M-@key{up/down},org-timestamp-up/down}
6396 On @code{CLOCK} log lines, increase/decrease the timestamp at point and
6397 the one of the previous (or the next clock) timestamp by the same duration.
6398 For example, if you hit @kbd{S-M-@key{up}} to increase a clocked-out timestamp
6399 by five minutes, then the clocked-in timestamp of the next clock will be
6400 increased by five minutes.
6401 @orgcmd{C-c C-t,org-todo}
6402 Changing the TODO state of an item to DONE automatically stops the clock
6403 if it is running in this same item.
6404 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-q,org-clock-cancel}
6405 Cancel the current clock. This is useful if a clock was started by
6406 mistake, or if you ended up working on something else.
6407 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-j,org-clock-goto}
6408 Jump to the headline of the currently clocked in task. With a @kbd{C-u}
6409 prefix arg, select the target task from a list of recently clocked tasks.
6410 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-d,org-clock-display}
6411 @vindex org-remove-highlights-with-change
6412 Display time summaries for each subtree in the current buffer. This puts
6413 overlays at the end of each headline, showing the total time recorded under
6414 that heading, including the time of any subheadings. You can use visibility
6415 cycling to study the tree, but the overlays disappear when you change the
6416 buffer (see variable @code{org-remove-highlights-with-change}) or press
6420 The @kbd{l} key may be used in the timeline (@pxref{Timeline}) and in
6421 the agenda (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}) to show which tasks have been
6422 worked on or closed during a day.
6424 @strong{Important:} note that both @code{org-clock-out} and
6425 @code{org-clock-in-last} can have a global keybinding and will not
6426 modify the window disposition.
6428 @node The clock table
6429 @subsection The clock table
6430 @cindex clocktable, dynamic block
6431 @cindex report, of clocked time
6433 Org mode can produce quite complex reports based on the time clocking
6434 information. Such a report is called a @emph{clock table}, because it is
6435 formatted as one or several Org tables.
6438 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-r,org-clock-report}
6439 Insert a dynamic block (@pxref{Dynamic blocks}) containing a clock
6440 report as an Org mode table into the current file. When the cursor is
6441 at an existing clock table, just update it. When called with a prefix
6442 argument, jump to the first clock report in the current document and
6443 update it. The clock table always includes also trees with
6444 @code{:ARCHIVE:} tag.
6445 @orgcmdkkc{C-c C-c,C-c C-x C-u,org-dblock-update}
6446 Update dynamic block at point. The cursor needs to be in the
6447 @code{#+BEGIN} line of the dynamic block.
6448 @orgkey{C-u C-c C-x C-u}
6449 Update all dynamic blocks (@pxref{Dynamic blocks}). This is useful if
6450 you have several clock table blocks in a buffer.
6451 @orgcmdkxkc{S-@key{left},S-@key{right},org-clocktable-try-shift}
6452 Shift the current @code{:block} interval and update the table. The cursor
6453 needs to be in the @code{#+BEGIN: clocktable} line for this command. If
6454 @code{:block} is @code{today}, it will be shifted to @code{today-1} etc.
6458 Here is an example of the frame for a clock table as it is inserted into the
6459 buffer with the @kbd{C-c C-x C-r} command:
6461 @cindex #+BEGIN, clocktable
6463 #+BEGIN: clocktable :maxlevel 2 :emphasize nil :scope file
6467 @vindex org-clocktable-defaults
6468 The @samp{BEGIN} line specifies a number of options to define the scope,
6469 structure, and formatting of the report. Defaults for all these options can
6470 be configured in the variable @code{org-clocktable-defaults}.
6472 @noindent First there are options that determine which clock entries are to
6475 :maxlevel @r{Maximum level depth to which times are listed in the table.}
6476 @r{Clocks at deeper levels will be summed into the upper level.}
6477 :scope @r{The scope to consider. This can be any of the following:}
6478 nil @r{the current buffer or narrowed region}
6479 file @r{the full current buffer}
6480 subtree @r{the subtree where the clocktable is located}
6481 tree@var{N} @r{the surrounding level @var{N} tree, for example @code{tree3}}
6482 tree @r{the surrounding level 1 tree}
6483 agenda @r{all agenda files}
6484 ("file"..) @r{scan these files}
6485 file-with-archives @r{current file and its archives}
6486 agenda-with-archives @r{all agenda files, including archives}
6487 :block @r{The time block to consider. This block is specified either}
6488 @r{absolutely, or relative to the current time and may be any of}
6490 2007-12-31 @r{New year eve 2007}
6491 2007-12 @r{December 2007}
6492 2007-W50 @r{ISO-week 50 in 2007}
6493 2007-Q2 @r{2nd quarter in 2007}
6494 2007 @r{the year 2007}
6495 today, yesterday, today-@var{N} @r{a relative day}
6496 thisweek, lastweek, thisweek-@var{N} @r{a relative week}
6497 thismonth, lastmonth, thismonth-@var{N} @r{a relative month}
6498 thisyear, lastyear, thisyear-@var{N} @r{a relative year}
6499 @r{Use @kbd{S-@key{left}/@key{right}} keys to shift the time interval.}
6500 :tstart @r{A time string specifying when to start considering times.}
6501 @r{Relative times like @code{"<-2w>"} can also be used. See}
6502 @r{@ref{Matching tags and properties} for relative time syntax.}
6503 :tend @r{A time string specifying when to stop considering times.}
6504 @r{Relative times like @code{"<now>"} can also be used. See}
6505 @r{@ref{Matching tags and properties} for relative time syntax.}
6506 :wstart @r{The starting day of the week. The default is 1 for monday.}
6507 :mstart @r{The starting day of the month. The default 1 is for the first}
6508 @r{day of the month.}
6509 :step @r{@code{week} or @code{day}, to split the table into chunks.}
6510 @r{To use this, @code{:block} or @code{:tstart}, @code{:tend} are needed.}
6511 :stepskip0 @r{Do not show steps that have zero time.}
6512 :fileskip0 @r{Do not show table sections from files which did not contribute.}
6513 :tags @r{A tags match to select entries that should contribute. See}
6514 @r{@ref{Matching tags and properties} for the match syntax.}
6517 Then there are options which determine the formatting of the table. These
6518 options are interpreted by the function @code{org-clocktable-write-default},
6519 but you can specify your own function using the @code{:formatter} parameter.
6521 :emphasize @r{When @code{t}, emphasize level one and level two items.}
6522 :lang @r{Language@footnote{Language terms can be set through the variable @code{org-clock-clocktable-language-setup}.} to use for descriptive cells like "Task".}
6523 :link @r{Link the item headlines in the table to their origins.}
6524 :narrow @r{An integer to limit the width of the headline column in}
6525 @r{the org table. If you write it like @samp{50!}, then the}
6526 @r{headline will also be shortened in export.}
6527 :indent @r{Indent each headline field according to its level.}
6528 :tcolumns @r{Number of columns to be used for times. If this is smaller}
6529 @r{than @code{:maxlevel}, lower levels will be lumped into one column.}
6530 :level @r{Should a level number column be included?}
6531 :compact @r{Abbreviation for @code{:level nil :indent t :narrow 40! :tcolumns 1}}
6532 @r{All are overwritten except if there is an explicit @code{:narrow}}
6533 :timestamp @r{A timestamp for the entry, when available. Look for SCHEDULED,}
6534 @r{DEADLINE, TIMESTAMP and TIMESTAMP_IA, in this order.}
6535 :properties @r{List of properties that should be shown in the table. Each}
6536 @r{property will get its own column.}
6537 :inherit-props @r{When this flag is @code{t}, the values for @code{:properties} will be inherited.}
6538 :formula @r{Content of a @code{#+TBLFM} line to be added and evaluated.}
6539 @r{As a special case, @samp{:formula %} adds a column with % time.}
6540 @r{If you do not specify a formula here, any existing formula}
6541 @r{below the clock table will survive updates and be evaluated.}
6542 :formatter @r{A function to format clock data and insert it into the buffer.}
6544 To get a clock summary of the current level 1 tree, for the current
6545 day, you could write
6547 #+BEGIN: clocktable :maxlevel 2 :block today :scope tree1 :link t
6551 and to use a specific time range you could write@footnote{Note that all
6552 parameters must be specified in a single line---the line is broken here
6553 only to fit it into the manual.}
6555 #+BEGIN: clocktable :tstart "<2006-08-10 Thu 10:00>"
6556 :tend "<2006-08-10 Thu 12:00>"
6559 A range starting a week ago and ending right now could be written as
6561 #+BEGIN: clocktable :tstart "<-1w>" :tend "<now>"
6564 A summary of the current subtree with % times would be
6566 #+BEGIN: clocktable :scope subtree :link t :formula %
6569 A horizontally compact representation of everything clocked during last week
6572 #+BEGIN: clocktable :scope agenda :block lastweek :compact t
6576 @node Resolving idle time
6577 @subsection Resolving idle time and continuous clocking
6579 @subsubheading Resolving idle time
6580 @cindex resolve idle time
6581 @vindex org-clock-x11idle-program-name
6583 @cindex idle, resolve, dangling
6584 If you clock in on a work item, and then walk away from your
6585 computer---perhaps to take a phone call---you often need to ``resolve'' the
6586 time you were away by either subtracting it from the current clock, or
6587 applying it to another one.
6589 @vindex org-clock-idle-time
6590 By customizing the variable @code{org-clock-idle-time} to some integer, such
6591 as 10 or 15, Emacs can alert you when you get back to your computer after
6592 being idle for that many minutes@footnote{On computers using Mac OS X,
6593 idleness is based on actual user idleness, not just Emacs' idle time. For
6594 X11, you can install a utility program @file{x11idle.c}, available in the
6595 @code{contrib/scripts} directory of the Org git distribution, or install the
6596 @file{xprintidle} package and set it to the variable
6597 @code{org-clock-x11idle-program-name} if you are running Debian, to get the
6598 same general treatment of idleness. On other systems, idle time refers to
6599 Emacs idle time only.}, and ask what you want to do with the idle time.
6600 There will be a question waiting for you when you get back, indicating how
6601 much idle time has passed (constantly updated with the current amount), as
6602 well as a set of choices to correct the discrepancy:
6606 To keep some or all of the minutes and stay clocked in, press @kbd{k}. Org
6607 will ask how many of the minutes to keep. Press @key{RET} to keep them all,
6608 effectively changing nothing, or enter a number to keep that many minutes.
6610 If you use the shift key and press @kbd{K}, it will keep however many minutes
6611 you request and then immediately clock out of that task. If you keep all of
6612 the minutes, this is the same as just clocking out of the current task.
6614 To keep none of the minutes, use @kbd{s} to subtract all the away time from
6615 the clock, and then check back in from the moment you returned.
6617 To keep none of the minutes and just clock out at the start of the away time,
6618 use the shift key and press @kbd{S}. Remember that using shift will always
6619 leave you clocked out, no matter which option you choose.
6621 To cancel the clock altogether, use @kbd{C}. Note that if instead of
6622 canceling you subtract the away time, and the resulting clock amount is less
6623 than a minute, the clock will still be canceled rather than clutter up the
6624 log with an empty entry.
6627 What if you subtracted those away minutes from the current clock, and now
6628 want to apply them to a new clock? Simply clock in to any task immediately
6629 after the subtraction. Org will notice that you have subtracted time ``on
6630 the books'', so to speak, and will ask if you want to apply those minutes to
6631 the next task you clock in on.
6633 There is one other instance when this clock resolution magic occurs. Say you
6634 were clocked in and hacking away, and suddenly your cat chased a mouse who
6635 scared a hamster that crashed into your UPS's power button! You suddenly
6636 lose all your buffers, but thanks to auto-save you still have your recent Org
6637 mode changes, including your last clock in.
6639 If you restart Emacs and clock into any task, Org will notice that you have a
6640 dangling clock which was never clocked out from your last session. Using
6641 that clock's starting time as the beginning of the unaccounted-for period,
6642 Org will ask how you want to resolve that time. The logic and behavior is
6643 identical to dealing with away time due to idleness; it is just happening due
6644 to a recovery event rather than a set amount of idle time.
6646 You can also check all the files visited by your Org agenda for dangling
6647 clocks at any time using @kbd{M-x org-resolve-clocks RET} (or @kbd{C-c C-x C-z}).
6649 @subsubheading Continuous clocking
6650 @cindex continuous clocking
6651 @vindex org-clock-continuously
6653 You may want to start clocking from the time when you clocked out the
6654 previous task. To enable this systematically, set @code{org-clock-continuously}
6655 to @code{t}. Each time you clock in, Org retrieves the clock-out time of the
6656 last clocked entry for this session, and start the new clock from there.
6658 If you only want this from time to time, use three universal prefix arguments
6659 with @code{org-clock-in} and two @kbd{C-u C-u} with @code{org-clock-in-last}.
6661 @node Effort estimates
6662 @section Effort estimates
6663 @cindex effort estimates
6665 @cindex property, Effort
6666 @vindex org-effort-property
6667 If you want to plan your work in a very detailed way, or if you need to
6668 produce offers with quotations of the estimated work effort, you may want to
6669 assign effort estimates to entries. If you are also clocking your work, you
6670 may later want to compare the planned effort with the actual working time, a
6671 great way to improve planning estimates. Effort estimates are stored in a
6672 special property @samp{Effort}@footnote{You may change the property being
6673 used with the variable @code{org-effort-property}.}. You can set the effort
6674 for an entry with the following commands:
6677 @orgcmd{C-c C-x e,org-set-effort}
6678 Set the effort estimate for the current entry. With a numeric prefix
6679 argument, set it to the Nth allowed value (see below). This command is also
6680 accessible from the agenda with the @kbd{e} key.
6681 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-e,org-clock-modify-effort-estimate}
6682 Modify the effort estimate of the item currently being clocked.
6685 Clearly the best way to work with effort estimates is through column view
6686 (@pxref{Column view}). You should start by setting up discrete values for
6687 effort estimates, and a @code{COLUMNS} format that displays these values
6688 together with clock sums (if you want to clock your time). For a specific
6692 #+PROPERTY: Effort_ALL 0 0:10 0:30 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00
6693 #+COLUMNS: %40ITEM(Task) %17Effort(Estimated Effort)@{:@} %CLOCKSUM
6697 @vindex org-global-properties
6698 @vindex org-columns-default-format
6699 or, even better, you can set up these values globally by customizing the
6700 variables @code{org-global-properties} and @code{org-columns-default-format}.
6701 In particular if you want to use this setup also in the agenda, a global
6702 setup may be advised.
6704 The way to assign estimates to individual items is then to switch to column
6705 mode, and to use @kbd{S-@key{right}} and @kbd{S-@key{left}} to change the
6706 value. The values you enter will immediately be summed up in the hierarchy.
6707 In the column next to it, any clocked time will be displayed.
6709 @vindex org-agenda-columns-add-appointments-to-effort-sum
6710 If you switch to column view in the daily/weekly agenda, the effort column
6711 will summarize the estimated work effort for each day@footnote{Please note
6712 the pitfalls of summing hierarchical data in a flat list (@pxref{Agenda
6713 column view}).}, and you can use this to find space in your schedule. To get
6714 an overview of the entire part of the day that is committed, you can set the
6715 option @code{org-agenda-columns-add-appointments-to-effort-sum}. The
6716 appointments on a day that take place over a specified time interval will
6717 then also be added to the load estimate of the day.
6719 Effort estimates can be used in secondary agenda filtering that is triggered
6720 with the @kbd{/} key in the agenda (@pxref{Agenda commands}). If you have
6721 these estimates defined consistently, two or three key presses will narrow
6722 down the list to stuff that fits into an available time slot.
6724 @node Relative timer
6725 @section Taking notes with a relative timer
6726 @cindex relative timer
6728 When taking notes during, for example, a meeting or a video viewing, it can
6729 be useful to have access to times relative to a starting time. Org provides
6730 such a relative timer and make it easy to create timed notes.
6733 @orgcmd{C-c C-x .,org-timer}
6734 Insert a relative time into the buffer. The first time you use this, the
6735 timer will be started. When called with a prefix argument, the timer is
6737 @orgcmd{C-c C-x -,org-timer-item}
6738 Insert a description list item with the current relative time. With a prefix
6739 argument, first reset the timer to 0.
6740 @orgcmd{M-@key{RET},org-insert-heading}
6741 Once the timer list is started, you can also use @kbd{M-@key{RET}} to insert
6743 @c for key sequences with a comma, command name macros fail :(
6746 Pause the timer, or continue it if it is already paused
6747 (@command{org-timer-pause-or-continue}).
6748 @c removed the sentence because it is redundant to the following item
6749 @kindex C-u C-c C-x ,
6751 Stop the timer. After this, you can only start a new timer, not continue the
6752 old one. This command also removes the timer from the mode line.
6753 @orgcmd{C-c C-x 0,org-timer-start}
6754 Reset the timer without inserting anything into the buffer. By default, the
6755 timer is reset to 0. When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix, reset the timer to
6756 specific starting offset. The user is prompted for the offset, with a
6757 default taken from a timer string at point, if any, So this can be used to
6758 restart taking notes after a break in the process. When called with a double
6759 prefix argument @kbd{C-u C-u}, change all timer strings in the active region
6760 by a certain amount. This can be used to fix timer strings if the timer was
6761 not started at exactly the right moment.
6764 @node Countdown timer
6765 @section Countdown timer
6766 @cindex Countdown timer
6770 Calling @code{org-timer-set-timer} from an Org mode buffer runs a countdown
6771 timer. Use @kbd{;} from agenda buffers, @key{C-c C-x ;} everywhere else.
6773 @code{org-timer-set-timer} prompts the user for a duration and displays a
6774 countdown timer in the modeline. @code{org-timer-default-timer} sets the
6775 default countdown value. Giving a prefix numeric argument overrides this
6778 @node Capture - Refile - Archive
6779 @chapter Capture - Refile - Archive
6782 An important part of any organization system is the ability to quickly
6783 capture new ideas and tasks, and to associate reference material with them.
6784 Org does this using a process called @i{capture}. It also can store files
6785 related to a task (@i{attachments}) in a special directory. Once in the
6786 system, tasks and projects need to be moved around. Moving completed project
6787 trees to an archive file keeps the system compact and fast.
6790 * Capture:: Capturing new stuff
6791 * Attachments:: Add files to tasks
6792 * RSS feeds:: Getting input from RSS feeds
6793 * Protocols:: External (e.g., Browser) access to Emacs and Org
6794 * Refile and copy:: Moving/copying a tree from one place to another
6795 * Archiving:: What to do with finished projects
6802 Capture lets you quickly store notes with little interruption of your work
6803 flow. Org's method for capturing new items is heavily inspired by John
6804 Wiegley excellent @file{remember.el} package. Up to version 6.36, Org
6805 used a special setup for @file{remember.el}, then replaced it with
6806 @file{org-remember.el}. As of version 8.0, @file{org-remember.el} has
6807 been completely replaced by @file{org-capture.el}.
6809 If your configuration depends on @file{org-remember.el}, you need to update
6810 it and use the setup described below. To convert your
6811 @code{org-remember-templates}, run the command
6813 @kbd{M-x org-capture-import-remember-templates RET}
6815 @noindent and then customize the new variable with @kbd{M-x
6816 customize-variable org-capture-templates}, check the result, and save the
6820 * Setting up capture:: Where notes will be stored
6821 * Using capture:: Commands to invoke and terminate capture
6822 * Capture templates:: Define the outline of different note types
6825 @node Setting up capture
6826 @subsection Setting up capture
6828 The following customization sets a default target file for notes, and defines
6829 a global key@footnote{Please select your own key, @kbd{C-c c} is only a
6830 suggestion.} for capturing new material.
6832 @vindex org-default-notes-file
6835 (setq org-default-notes-file (concat org-directory "/notes.org"))
6836 (define-key global-map "\C-cc" 'org-capture)
6841 @subsection Using capture
6844 @orgcmd{C-c c,org-capture}
6845 Call the command @code{org-capture}. Note that this keybinding is global and
6846 not active by default: you need to install it. If you have templates
6848 defined @pxref{Capture templates}, it will offer these templates for
6849 selection or use a new Org outline node as the default template. It will
6850 insert the template into the target file and switch to an indirect buffer
6851 narrowed to this new node. You may then insert the information you want.
6853 @orgcmd{C-c C-c,org-capture-finalize}
6854 Once you have finished entering information into the capture buffer, @kbd{C-c
6855 C-c} will return you to the window configuration before the capture process,
6856 so that you can resume your work without further distraction. When called
6857 with a prefix arg, finalize and then jump to the captured item.
6859 @orgcmd{C-c C-w,org-capture-refile}
6860 Finalize the capture process by refiling (@pxref{Refile and copy}) the note to
6861 a different place. Please realize that this is a normal refiling command
6862 that will be executed---so the cursor position at the moment you run this
6863 command is important. If you have inserted a tree with a parent and
6864 children, first move the cursor back to the parent. Any prefix argument
6865 given to this command will be passed on to the @code{org-refile} command.
6867 @orgcmd{C-c C-k,org-capture-kill}
6868 Abort the capture process and return to the previous state.
6872 You can also call @code{org-capture} in a special way from the agenda, using
6873 the @kbd{k c} key combination. With this access, any timestamps inserted by
6874 the selected capture template will default to the cursor date in the agenda,
6875 rather than to the current date.
6877 To find the locations of the last stored capture, use @code{org-capture} with
6882 Visit the target location of a capture template. You get to select the
6883 template in the usual way.
6884 @orgkey{C-u C-u C-c c}
6885 Visit the last stored capture item in its buffer.
6888 @vindex org-capture-bookmark
6889 @cindex org-capture-last-stored
6890 You can also jump to the bookmark @code{org-capture-last-stored}, which will
6891 automatically be created unless you set @code{org-capture-bookmark} to
6894 To insert the capture at point in an Org buffer, call @code{org-capture} with
6895 a @code{C-0} prefix argument.
6897 @node Capture templates
6898 @subsection Capture templates
6899 @cindex templates, for Capture
6901 You can use templates for different types of capture items, and
6902 for different target locations. The easiest way to create such templates is
6903 through the customize interface.
6907 Customize the variable @code{org-capture-templates}.
6910 Before we give the formal description of template definitions, let's look at
6911 an example. Say you would like to use one template to create general TODO
6912 entries, and you want to put these entries under the heading @samp{Tasks} in
6913 your file @file{~/org/gtd.org}. Also, a date tree in the file
6914 @file{journal.org} should capture journal entries. A possible configuration
6919 (setq org-capture-templates
6920 '(("t" "Todo" entry (file+headline "~/org/gtd.org" "Tasks")
6921 "* TODO %?\n %i\n %a")
6922 ("j" "Journal" entry (file+datetree "~/org/journal.org")
6923 "* %?\nEntered on %U\n %i\n %a")))
6927 @noindent If you then press @kbd{C-c c t}, Org will prepare the template
6931 [[file:@var{link to where you initiated capture}]]
6935 During expansion of the template, @code{%a} has been replaced by a link to
6936 the location from where you called the capture command. This can be
6937 extremely useful for deriving tasks from emails, for example. You fill in
6938 the task definition, press @kbd{C-c C-c} and Org returns you to the same
6939 place where you started the capture process.
6941 To define special keys to capture to a particular template without going
6942 through the interactive template selection, you can create your key binding
6946 (define-key global-map "\C-cx"
6947 (lambda () (interactive) (org-capture nil "x")))
6951 * Template elements:: What is needed for a complete template entry
6952 * Template expansion:: Filling in information about time and context
6953 * Templates in contexts:: Only show a template in a specific context
6956 @node Template elements
6957 @subsubsection Template elements
6959 Now lets look at the elements of a template definition. Each entry in
6960 @code{org-capture-templates} is a list with the following items:
6964 The keys that will select the template, as a string, characters
6965 only, for example @code{"a"} for a template to be selected with a
6966 single key, or @code{"bt"} for selection with two keys. When using
6967 several keys, keys using the same prefix key must be sequential
6968 in the list and preceded by a 2-element entry explaining the
6969 prefix key, for example
6971 ("b" "Templates for marking stuff to buy")
6973 @noindent If you do not define a template for the @kbd{C} key, this key will
6974 be used to open the customize buffer for this complex variable.
6977 A short string describing the template, which will be shown during
6981 The type of entry, a symbol. Valid values are:
6985 An Org mode node, with a headline. Will be filed as the child of the target
6986 entry or as a top-level entry. The target file should be an Org mode file.
6988 A plain list item, placed in the first plain list at the target
6989 location. Again the target file should be an Org file.
6991 A checkbox item. This only differs from the plain list item by the
6994 a new line in the first table at the target location. Where exactly the
6995 line will be inserted depends on the properties @code{:prepend} and
6996 @code{:table-line-pos} (see below).
6998 Text to be inserted as it is.
7002 @vindex org-default-notes-file
7003 Specification of where the captured item should be placed. In Org mode
7004 files, targets usually define a node. Entries will become children of this
7005 node. Other types will be added to the table or list in the body of this
7006 node. Most target specifications contain a file name. If that file name is
7007 the empty string, it defaults to @code{org-default-notes-file}. A file can
7008 also be given as a variable, function, or Emacs Lisp form.
7013 @item (file "path/to/file")
7014 Text will be placed at the beginning or end of that file.
7016 @item (id "id of existing org entry")
7017 Filing as child of this entry, or in the body of the entry.
7019 @item (file+headline "path/to/file" "node headline")
7020 Fast configuration if the target heading is unique in the file.
7022 @item (file+olp "path/to/file" "Level 1 heading" "Level 2" ...)
7023 For non-unique headings, the full path is safer.
7025 @item (file+regexp "path/to/file" "regexp to find location")
7026 Use a regular expression to position the cursor.
7028 @item (file+datetree "path/to/file")
7029 Will create a heading in a date tree for today's date@footnote{Datetree
7030 headlines for years accept tags, so if you use both @code{* 2013 :noexport:}
7031 and @code{* 2013} in your file, the capture will refile the note to the first
7034 @item (file+datetree+prompt "path/to/file")
7035 Will create a heading in a date tree, but will prompt for the date.
7037 @item (file+function "path/to/file" function-finding-location)
7038 A function to find the right location in the file.
7041 File to the entry that is currently being clocked.
7043 @item (function function-finding-location)
7044 Most general way, write your own function to find both
7049 The template for creating the capture item. If you leave this empty, an
7050 appropriate default template will be used. Otherwise this is a string with
7051 escape codes, which will be replaced depending on time and context of the
7052 capture call. The string with escapes may be loaded from a template file,
7053 using the special syntax @code{(file "path/to/template")}. See below for
7057 The rest of the entry is a property list of additional options.
7058 Recognized properties are:
7062 Normally new captured information will be appended at
7063 the target location (last child, last table line, last list item...).
7064 Setting this property will change that.
7066 @item :immediate-finish
7067 When set, do not offer to edit the information, just
7068 file it away immediately. This makes sense if the template only needs
7069 information that can be added automatically.
7072 Set this to the number of lines to insert
7073 before and after the new item. Default 0, only common other value is 1.
7076 Start the clock in this item.
7079 Keep the clock running when filing the captured entry.
7082 If starting the capture interrupted a clock, restart that clock when finished
7083 with the capture. Note that @code{:clock-keep} has precedence over
7084 @code{:clock-resume}. When setting both to @code{t}, the current clock will
7085 run and the previous one will not be resumed.
7088 Do not narrow the target buffer, simply show the full buffer. Default is to
7089 narrow it so that you only see the new material.
7091 @item :table-line-pos
7092 Specification of the location in the table where the new line should be
7093 inserted. It should be a string like @code{"II-3"} meaning that the new
7094 line should become the third line before the second horizontal separator
7098 If the target file was not yet visited when capture was invoked, kill the
7099 buffer again after capture is completed.
7103 @node Template expansion
7104 @subsubsection Template expansion
7106 In the template itself, special @kbd{%}-escapes@footnote{If you need one of
7107 these sequences literally, escape the @kbd{%} with a backslash.} allow
7108 dynamic insertion of content. The templates are expanded in the order given here:
7111 %[@var{file}] @r{Insert the contents of the file given by @var{file}.}
7112 %(@var{sexp}) @r{Evaluate Elisp @var{sexp} and replace with the result.}
7113 @r{For convenience, %:keyword (see below) placeholders}
7114 @r{within the expression will be expanded prior to this.}
7115 @r{The sexp must return a string.}
7116 %<...> @r{The result of format-time-string on the ... format specification.}
7117 %t @r{Timestamp, date only.}
7118 %T @r{Timestamp, with date and time.}
7119 %u, %U @r{Like the above, but inactive timestamps.}
7120 %i @r{Initial content, the region when capture is called while the}
7121 @r{region is active.}
7122 @r{The entire text will be indented like @code{%i} itself.}
7123 %a @r{Annotation, normally the link created with @code{org-store-link}.}
7124 %A @r{Like @code{%a}, but prompt for the description part.}
7125 %l @r{Like %a, but only insert the literal link.}
7126 %c @r{Current kill ring head.}
7127 %x @r{Content of the X clipboard.}
7128 %k @r{Title of the currently clocked task.}
7129 %K @r{Link to the currently clocked task.}
7130 %n @r{User name (taken from @code{user-full-name}).}
7131 %f @r{File visited by current buffer when org-capture was called.}
7132 %F @r{Full path of the file or directory visited by current buffer.}
7133 %:keyword @r{Specific information for certain link types, see below.}
7134 %^g @r{Prompt for tags, with completion on tags in target file.}
7135 %^G @r{Prompt for tags, with completion all tags in all agenda files.}
7136 %^t @r{Like @code{%t}, but prompt for date. Similarly @code{%^T}, @code{%^u}, @code{%^U}.}
7137 @r{You may define a prompt like @code{%^@{Birthday@}t}.}
7138 %^C @r{Interactive selection of which kill or clip to use.}
7139 %^L @r{Like @code{%^C}, but insert as link.}
7140 %^@{@var{prop}@}p @r{Prompt the user for a value for property @var{prop}.}
7141 %^@{@var{prompt}@} @r{prompt the user for a string and replace this sequence with it.}
7142 @r{You may specify a default value and a completion table with}
7143 @r{%^@{prompt|default|completion2|completion3...@}.}
7144 @r{The arrow keys access a prompt-specific history.}
7145 %\n @r{Insert the text entered at the nth %^@{@var{prompt}@}, where @code{n} is}
7146 @r{a number, starting from 1.}
7147 %? @r{After completing the template, position cursor here.}
7151 For specific link types, the following keywords will be
7152 defined@footnote{If you define your own link types (@pxref{Adding
7153 hyperlink types}), any property you store with
7154 @code{org-store-link-props} can be accessed in capture templates in a
7157 @vindex org-from-is-user-regexp
7159 Link type | Available keywords
7160 ---------------------------------+----------------------------------------------
7161 bbdb | %:name %:company
7162 irc | %:server %:port %:nick
7163 vm, vm-imap, wl, mh, mew, rmail | %:type %:subject %:message-id
7164 | %:from %:fromname %:fromaddress
7165 | %:to %:toname %:toaddress
7166 | %:date @r{(message date header field)}
7167 | %:date-timestamp @r{(date as active timestamp)}
7168 | %:date-timestamp-inactive @r{(date as inactive timestamp)}
7169 | %: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}.}}
7170 gnus | %:group, @r{for messages also all email fields}
7172 info | %:file %:node
7177 To place the cursor after template expansion use:
7180 %? @r{After completing the template, position cursor here.}
7183 @node Templates in contexts
7184 @subsubsection Templates in contexts
7186 @vindex org-capture-templates-contexts
7187 To control whether a capture template should be accessible from a specific
7188 context, you can customize @code{org-capture-templates-contexts}. Let's say
7189 for example that you have a capture template @code{"p"} for storing Gnus
7190 emails containing patches. Then you would configure this option like this:
7193 (setq org-capture-templates-contexts
7194 '(("p" (in-mode . "message-mode"))))
7197 You can also tell that the command key @code{"p"} should refer to another
7198 template. In that case, add this command key like this:
7201 (setq org-capture-templates-contexts
7202 '(("p" "q" (in-mode . "message-mode"))))
7205 See the docstring of the variable for more information.
7208 @section Attachments
7211 @vindex org-attach-directory
7212 It is often useful to associate reference material with an outline node/task.
7213 Small chunks of plain text can simply be stored in the subtree of a project.
7214 Hyperlinks (@pxref{Hyperlinks}) can establish associations with
7215 files that live elsewhere on your computer or in the cloud, like emails or
7216 source code files belonging to a project. Another method is @i{attachments},
7217 which are files located in a directory belonging to an outline node. Org
7218 uses directories named by the unique ID of each entry. These directories are
7219 located in the @file{data} directory which lives in the same directory where
7220 your Org file lives@footnote{If you move entries or Org files from one
7221 directory to another, you may want to configure @code{org-attach-directory}
7222 to contain an absolute path.}. If you initialize this directory with
7223 @code{git init}, Org will automatically commit changes when it sees them.
7224 The attachment system has been contributed to Org by John Wiegley.
7226 In cases where it seems better to do so, you can also attach a directory of your
7227 choice to an entry. You can also make children inherit the attachment
7228 directory from a parent, so that an entire subtree uses the same attached
7231 @noindent The following commands deal with attachments:
7234 @orgcmd{C-c C-a,org-attach}
7235 The dispatcher for commands related to the attachment system. After these
7236 keys, a list of commands is displayed and you must press an additional key
7237 to select a command:
7240 @orgcmdtkc{a,C-c C-a a,org-attach-attach}
7241 @vindex org-attach-method
7242 Select a file and move it into the task's attachment directory. The file
7243 will be copied, moved, or linked, depending on @code{org-attach-method}.
7244 Note that hard links are not supported on all systems.
7250 Attach a file using the copy/move/link method.
7251 Note that hard links are not supported on all systems.
7253 @orgcmdtkc{n,C-c C-a n,org-attach-new}
7254 Create a new attachment as an Emacs buffer.
7256 @orgcmdtkc{z,C-c C-a z,org-attach-sync}
7257 Synchronize the current task with its attachment directory, in case you added
7258 attachments yourself.
7260 @orgcmdtkc{o,C-c C-a o,org-attach-open}
7261 @vindex org-file-apps
7262 Open current task's attachment. If there is more than one, prompt for a
7263 file name first. Opening will follow the rules set by @code{org-file-apps}.
7264 For more details, see the information on following hyperlinks
7265 (@pxref{Handling links}).
7267 @orgcmdtkc{O,C-c C-a O,org-attach-open-in-emacs}
7268 Also open the attachment, but force opening the file in Emacs.
7270 @orgcmdtkc{f,C-c C-a f,org-attach-reveal}
7271 Open the current task's attachment directory.
7273 @orgcmdtkc{F,C-c C-a F,org-attach-reveal-in-emacs}
7274 Also open the directory, but force using @command{dired} in Emacs.
7276 @orgcmdtkc{d,C-c C-a d,org-attach-delete-one}
7277 Select and delete a single attachment.
7279 @orgcmdtkc{D,C-c C-a D,org-attach-delete-all}
7280 Delete all of a task's attachments. A safer way is to open the directory in
7281 @command{dired} and delete from there.
7283 @orgcmdtkc{s,C-c C-a s,org-attach-set-directory}
7284 @cindex property, ATTACH_DIR
7285 Set a specific directory as the entry's attachment directory. This works by
7286 putting the directory path into the @code{ATTACH_DIR} property.
7288 @orgcmdtkc{i,C-c C-a i,org-attach-set-inherit}
7289 @cindex property, ATTACH_DIR_INHERIT
7290 Set the @code{ATTACH_DIR_INHERIT} property, so that children will use the
7291 same directory for attachments as the parent does.
7300 Org can add and change entries based on information found in RSS feeds and
7301 Atom feeds. You could use this to make a task out of each new podcast in a
7302 podcast feed. Or you could use a phone-based note-creating service on the
7303 web to import tasks into Org. To access feeds, configure the variable
7304 @code{org-feed-alist}. The docstring of this variable has detailed
7305 information. Here is just an example:
7309 (setq org-feed-alist
7311 "http://rss.slashdot.org/Slashdot/slashdot"
7312 "~/txt/org/feeds.org" "Slashdot Entries")))
7317 will configure that new items from the feed provided by
7318 @code{rss.slashdot.org} will result in new entries in the file
7319 @file{~/org/feeds.org} under the heading @samp{Slashdot Entries}, whenever
7320 the following command is used:
7323 @orgcmd{C-c C-x g,org-feed-update-all}
7325 Collect items from the feeds configured in @code{org-feed-alist} and act upon
7327 @orgcmd{C-c C-x G,org-feed-goto-inbox}
7328 Prompt for a feed name and go to the inbox configured for this feed.
7331 Under the same headline, Org will create a drawer @samp{FEEDSTATUS} in which
7332 it will store information about the status of items in the feed, to avoid
7333 adding the same item several times. You should add @samp{FEEDSTATUS} to the
7334 list of drawers in that file:
7337 #+DRAWERS: LOGBOOK PROPERTIES FEEDSTATUS
7340 For more information, including how to read atom feeds, see
7341 @file{org-feed.el} and the docstring of @code{org-feed-alist}.
7344 @section Protocols for external access
7345 @cindex protocols, for external access
7348 You can set up Org for handling protocol calls from outside applications that
7349 are passed to Emacs through the @file{emacsserver}. For example, you can
7350 configure bookmarks in your web browser to send a link to the current page to
7351 Org and create a note from it using capture (@pxref{Capture}). Or you
7352 could create a bookmark that will tell Emacs to open the local source file of
7353 a remote website you are looking at with the browser. See
7354 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-contrib/org-protocol.php} for detailed
7355 documentation and setup instructions.
7357 @node Refile and copy
7358 @section Refile and copy
7359 @cindex refiling notes
7360 @cindex copying notes
7362 When reviewing the captured data, you may want to refile or to copy some of
7363 the entries into a different list, for example into a project. Cutting,
7364 finding the right location, and then pasting the note is cumbersome. To
7365 simplify this process, you can use the following special command:
7368 @orgcmd{C-c M-w,org-copy}
7370 Copying works like refiling, except that the original note is not deleted.
7371 @orgcmd{C-c C-w,org-refile}
7373 @vindex org-reverse-note-order
7374 @vindex org-refile-targets
7375 @vindex org-refile-use-outline-path
7376 @vindex org-outline-path-complete-in-steps
7377 @vindex org-refile-allow-creating-parent-nodes
7378 @vindex org-log-refile
7379 @vindex org-refile-use-cache
7380 @vindex org-refile-keep
7381 Refile the entry or region at point. This command offers possible locations
7382 for refiling the entry and lets you select one with completion. The item (or
7383 all items in the region) is filed below the target heading as a subitem.
7384 Depending on @code{org-reverse-note-order}, it will be either the first or
7386 By default, all level 1 headlines in the current buffer are considered to be
7387 targets, but you can have more complex definitions across a number of files.
7388 See the variable @code{org-refile-targets} for details. If you would like to
7389 select a location via a file-path-like completion along the outline path, see
7390 the variables @code{org-refile-use-outline-path} and
7391 @code{org-outline-path-complete-in-steps}. If you would like to be able to
7392 create new nodes as new parents for refiling on the fly, check the
7393 variable @code{org-refile-allow-creating-parent-nodes}.
7394 When the variable @code{org-log-refile}@footnote{with corresponding
7395 @code{#+STARTUP} keywords @code{logrefile}, @code{lognoterefile},
7396 and @code{nologrefile}} is set, a timestamp or a note will be
7397 recorded when an entry has been refiled.
7398 @orgkey{C-u C-c C-w}
7399 Use the refile interface to jump to a heading.
7400 @orgcmd{C-u C-u C-c C-w,org-refile-goto-last-stored}
7401 Jump to the location where @code{org-refile} last moved a tree to.
7403 Refile as the child of the item currently being clocked.
7405 Refile and keep the entry in place. Also see @code{org-refile-keep} to make
7406 this the default behavior, and beware that this may result in duplicated
7407 @code{ID} properties.
7408 @orgcmdtkc{C-0 C-c C-w @ @r{or} @ C-u C-u C-u C-c C-w,C-0 C-c C-w,org-refile-cache-clear}
7409 Clear the target cache. Caching of refile targets can be turned on by
7410 setting @code{org-refile-use-cache}. To make the command see new possible
7411 targets, you have to clear the cache with this command.
7418 When a project represented by a (sub)tree is finished, you may want
7419 to move the tree out of the way and to stop it from contributing to the
7420 agenda. Archiving is important to keep your working files compact and global
7421 searches like the construction of agenda views fast.
7424 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-a,org-archive-subtree-default}
7425 @vindex org-archive-default-command
7426 Archive the current entry using the command specified in the variable
7427 @code{org-archive-default-command}.
7431 * Moving subtrees:: Moving a tree to an archive file
7432 * Internal archiving:: Switch off a tree but keep it in the file
7435 @node Moving subtrees
7436 @subsection Moving a tree to the archive file
7437 @cindex external archiving
7439 The most common archiving action is to move a project tree to another file,
7443 @orgcmdkskc{C-c C-x C-s,C-c $,org-archive-subtree}
7444 @vindex org-archive-location
7445 Archive the subtree starting at the cursor position to the location
7446 given by @code{org-archive-location}.
7447 @orgkey{C-u C-c C-x C-s}
7448 Check if any direct children of the current headline could be moved to
7449 the archive. To do this, each subtree is checked for open TODO entries.
7450 If none are found, the command offers to move it to the archive
7451 location. If the cursor is @emph{not} on a headline when this command
7452 is invoked, the level 1 trees will be checked.
7455 @cindex archive locations
7456 The default archive location is a file in the same directory as the
7457 current file, with the name derived by appending @file{_archive} to the
7458 current file name. You can also choose what heading to file archived
7459 items under, with the possibility to add them to a datetree in a file.
7460 For information and examples on how to specify the file and the heading,
7461 see the documentation string of the variable
7462 @code{org-archive-location}.
7464 There is also an in-buffer option for setting this variable, for
7465 example@footnote{For backward compatibility, the following also works:
7466 If there are several such lines in a file, each specifies the archive
7467 location for the text below it. The first such line also applies to any
7468 text before its definition. However, using this method is
7469 @emph{strongly} deprecated as it is incompatible with the outline
7470 structure of the document. The correct method for setting multiple
7471 archive locations in a buffer is using properties.}:
7475 #+ARCHIVE: %s_done::
7478 @cindex property, ARCHIVE
7480 If you would like to have a special ARCHIVE location for a single entry
7481 or a (sub)tree, give the entry an @code{:ARCHIVE:} property with the
7482 location as the value (@pxref{Properties and columns}).
7484 @vindex org-archive-save-context-info
7485 When a subtree is moved, it receives a number of special properties that
7486 record context information like the file from where the entry came, its
7487 outline path the archiving time etc. Configure the variable
7488 @code{org-archive-save-context-info} to adjust the amount of information
7492 @node Internal archiving
7493 @subsection Internal archiving
7495 If you want to just switch off (for agenda views) certain subtrees without
7496 moving them to a different file, you can use the @code{ARCHIVE tag}.
7498 A headline that is marked with the ARCHIVE tag (@pxref{Tags}) stays at
7499 its location in the outline tree, but behaves in the following way:
7502 @vindex org-cycle-open-archived-trees
7503 It does not open when you attempt to do so with a visibility cycling
7504 command (@pxref{Visibility cycling}). You can force cycling archived
7505 subtrees with @kbd{C-@key{TAB}}, or by setting the option
7506 @code{org-cycle-open-archived-trees}. Also normal outline commands like
7507 @code{show-all} will open archived subtrees.
7509 @vindex org-sparse-tree-open-archived-trees
7510 During sparse tree construction (@pxref{Sparse trees}), matches in
7511 archived subtrees are not exposed, unless you configure the option
7512 @code{org-sparse-tree-open-archived-trees}.
7514 @vindex org-agenda-skip-archived-trees
7515 During agenda view construction (@pxref{Agenda views}), the content of
7516 archived trees is ignored unless you configure the option
7517 @code{org-agenda-skip-archived-trees}, in which case these trees will always
7518 be included. In the agenda you can press @kbd{v a} to get archives
7519 temporarily included.
7521 @vindex org-export-with-archived-trees
7522 Archived trees are not exported (@pxref{Exporting}), only the headline
7523 is. Configure the details using the variable
7524 @code{org-export-with-archived-trees}.
7526 @vindex org-columns-skip-archived-trees
7527 Archived trees are excluded from column view unless the variable
7528 @code{org-columns-skip-archived-trees} is configured to @code{nil}.
7531 The following commands help manage the ARCHIVE tag:
7534 @orgcmd{C-c C-x a,org-toggle-archive-tag}
7535 Toggle the ARCHIVE tag for the current headline. When the tag is set,
7536 the headline changes to a shadowed face, and the subtree below it is
7538 @orgkey{C-u C-c C-x a}
7539 Check if any direct children of the current headline should be archived.
7540 To do this, each subtree is checked for open TODO entries. If none are
7541 found, the command offers to set the ARCHIVE tag for the child. If the
7542 cursor is @emph{not} on a headline when this command is invoked, the
7543 level 1 trees will be checked.
7544 @orgcmd{C-@kbd{TAB},org-force-cycle-archived}
7545 Cycle a tree even if it is tagged with ARCHIVE.
7546 @orgcmd{C-c C-x A,org-archive-to-archive-sibling}
7547 Move the current entry to the @emph{Archive Sibling}. This is a sibling of
7548 the entry with the heading @samp{Archive} and the tag @samp{ARCHIVE}. The
7549 entry becomes a child of that sibling and in this way retains a lot of its
7550 original context, including inherited tags and approximate position in the
7556 @chapter Agenda views
7557 @cindex agenda views
7559 Due to the way Org works, TODO items, time-stamped items, and
7560 tagged headlines can be scattered throughout a file or even a number of
7561 files. To get an overview of open action items, or of events that are
7562 important for a particular date, this information must be collected,
7563 sorted and displayed in an organized way.
7565 Org can select items based on various criteria and display them
7566 in a separate buffer. Seven different view types are provided:
7570 an @emph{agenda} that is like a calendar and shows information
7573 a @emph{TODO list} that covers all unfinished
7576 a @emph{match view}, showings headlines based on the tags, properties, and
7577 TODO state associated with them,
7579 a @emph{timeline view} that shows all events in a single Org file,
7580 in time-sorted view,
7582 a @emph{text search view} that shows all entries from multiple files
7583 that contain specified keywords,
7585 a @emph{stuck projects view} showing projects that currently don't move
7588 @emph{custom views} that are special searches and combinations of different
7593 The extracted information is displayed in a special @emph{agenda
7594 buffer}. This buffer is read-only, but provides commands to visit the
7595 corresponding locations in the original Org files, and even to
7596 edit these files remotely.
7598 @vindex org-agenda-window-setup
7599 @vindex org-agenda-restore-windows-after-quit
7600 Two variables control how the agenda buffer is displayed and whether the
7601 window configuration is restored when the agenda exits:
7602 @code{org-agenda-window-setup} and
7603 @code{org-agenda-restore-windows-after-quit}.
7606 * Agenda files:: Files being searched for agenda information
7607 * Agenda dispatcher:: Keyboard access to agenda views
7608 * Built-in agenda views:: What is available out of the box?
7609 * Presentation and sorting:: How agenda items are prepared for display
7610 * Agenda commands:: Remote editing of Org trees
7611 * Custom agenda views:: Defining special searches and views
7612 * Exporting agenda views:: Writing a view to a file
7613 * Agenda column view:: Using column view for collected entries
7617 @section Agenda files
7618 @cindex agenda files
7619 @cindex files for agenda
7621 @vindex org-agenda-files
7622 The information to be shown is normally collected from all @emph{agenda
7623 files}, the files listed in the variable
7624 @code{org-agenda-files}@footnote{If the value of that variable is not a
7625 list, but a single file name, then the list of agenda files will be
7626 maintained in that external file.}. If a directory is part of this list,
7627 all files with the extension @file{.org} in this directory will be part
7630 Thus, even if you only work with a single Org file, that file should
7631 be put into the list@footnote{When using the dispatcher, pressing
7632 @kbd{<} before selecting a command will actually limit the command to
7633 the current file, and ignore @code{org-agenda-files} until the next
7634 dispatcher command.}. You can customize @code{org-agenda-files}, but
7635 the easiest way to maintain it is through the following commands
7637 @cindex files, adding to agenda list
7639 @orgcmd{C-c [,org-agenda-file-to-front}
7640 Add current file to the list of agenda files. The file is added to
7641 the front of the list. If it was already in the list, it is moved to
7642 the front. With a prefix argument, file is added/moved to the end.
7643 @orgcmd{C-c ],org-remove-file}
7644 Remove current file from the list of agenda files.
7646 @cindex cycling, of agenda files
7647 @orgcmd{C-',org-cycle-agenda-files}
7649 Cycle through agenda file list, visiting one file after the other.
7650 @kindex M-x org-iswitchb
7651 @item M-x org-iswitchb RET
7652 Command to use an @code{iswitchb}-like interface to switch to and between Org
7657 The Org menu contains the current list of files and can be used
7658 to visit any of them.
7660 If you would like to focus the agenda temporarily on a file not in
7661 this list, or on just one file in the list, or even on only a subtree in a
7662 file, then this can be done in different ways. For a single agenda command,
7663 you may press @kbd{<} once or several times in the dispatcher
7664 (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}). To restrict the agenda scope for an
7665 extended period, use the following commands:
7668 @orgcmd{C-c C-x <,org-agenda-set-restriction-lock}
7669 Permanently restrict the agenda to the current subtree. When with a
7670 prefix argument, or with the cursor before the first headline in a file,
7671 the agenda scope is set to the entire file. This restriction remains in
7672 effect until removed with @kbd{C-c C-x >}, or by typing either @kbd{<}
7673 or @kbd{>} in the agenda dispatcher. If there is a window displaying an
7674 agenda view, the new restriction takes effect immediately.
7675 @orgcmd{C-c C-x >,org-agenda-remove-restriction-lock}
7676 Remove the permanent restriction created by @kbd{C-c C-x <}.
7680 When working with @file{speedbar.el}, you can use the following commands in
7684 @orgcmdtkc{< @r{in the speedbar frame},<,org-speedbar-set-agenda-restriction}
7685 Permanently restrict the agenda to the item---either an Org file or a subtree
7686 in such a file---at the cursor in the Speedbar frame.
7687 If there is a window displaying an agenda view, the new restriction takes
7689 @orgcmdtkc{> @r{in the speedbar frame},>,org-agenda-remove-restriction-lock}
7690 Lift the restriction.
7693 @node Agenda dispatcher
7694 @section The agenda dispatcher
7695 @cindex agenda dispatcher
7696 @cindex dispatching agenda commands
7697 The views are created through a dispatcher, which should be bound to a
7698 global key---for example @kbd{C-c a} (@pxref{Activation}). In the
7699 following we will assume that @kbd{C-c a} is indeed how the dispatcher
7700 is accessed and list keyboard access to commands accordingly. After
7701 pressing @kbd{C-c a}, an additional letter is required to execute a
7702 command. The dispatcher offers the following default commands:
7706 Create the calendar-like agenda (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}).
7708 Create a list of all TODO items (@pxref{Global TODO list}).
7710 Create a list of headlines matching a TAGS expression (@pxref{Matching
7711 tags and properties}).
7713 Create the timeline view for the current buffer (@pxref{Timeline}).
7715 Create a list of entries selected by a boolean expression of keywords
7716 and/or regular expressions that must or must not occur in the entry.
7718 @vindex org-agenda-text-search-extra-files
7719 Search for a regular expression in all agenda files and additionally in
7720 the files listed in @code{org-agenda-text-search-extra-files}. This
7721 uses the Emacs command @code{multi-occur}. A prefix argument can be
7722 used to specify the number of context lines for each match, default is
7725 Create a list of stuck projects (@pxref{Stuck projects}).
7727 Restrict an agenda command to the current buffer@footnote{For backward
7728 compatibility, you can also press @kbd{1} to restrict to the current
7729 buffer.}. After pressing @kbd{<}, you still need to press the character
7730 selecting the command.
7732 If there is an active region, restrict the following agenda command to
7733 the region. Otherwise, restrict it to the current subtree@footnote{For
7734 backward compatibility, you can also press @kbd{0} to restrict to the
7735 current region/subtree.}. After pressing @kbd{< <}, you still need to press the
7736 character selecting the command.
7739 @vindex org-agenda-sticky
7740 Toggle sticky agenda views. By default, Org maintains only a single agenda
7741 buffer and rebuilds it each time you change the view, to make sure everything
7742 is always up to date. If you switch between views often and the build time
7743 bothers you, you can turn on sticky agenda buffers (make this the default by
7744 customizing the variable @code{org-agenda-sticky}). With sticky agendas, the
7745 dispatcher only switches to the selected view, you need to update it by hand
7746 with @kbd{r} or @kbd{g}. You can toggle sticky agenda view any time with
7747 @code{org-toggle-sticky-agenda}.
7750 You can also define custom commands that will be accessible through the
7751 dispatcher, just like the default commands. This includes the
7752 possibility to create extended agenda buffers that contain several
7753 blocks together, for example the weekly agenda, the global TODO list and
7754 a number of special tags matches. @xref{Custom agenda views}.
7756 @node Built-in agenda views
7757 @section The built-in agenda views
7759 In this section we describe the built-in views.
7762 * Weekly/daily agenda:: The calendar page with current tasks
7763 * Global TODO list:: All unfinished action items
7764 * Matching tags and properties:: Structured information with fine-tuned search
7765 * Timeline:: Time-sorted view for single file
7766 * Search view:: Find entries by searching for text
7767 * Stuck projects:: Find projects you need to review
7770 @node Weekly/daily agenda
7771 @subsection The weekly/daily agenda
7773 @cindex weekly agenda
7774 @cindex daily agenda
7776 The purpose of the weekly/daily @emph{agenda} is to act like a page of a
7777 paper agenda, showing all the tasks for the current week or day.
7780 @cindex org-agenda, command
7781 @orgcmd{C-c a a,org-agenda-list}
7782 Compile an agenda for the current week from a list of Org files. The agenda
7783 shows the entries for each day. With a numeric prefix@footnote{For backward
7784 compatibility, the universal prefix @kbd{C-u} causes all TODO entries to be
7785 listed before the agenda. This feature is deprecated, use the dedicated TODO
7786 list, or a block agenda instead (@pxref{Block agenda}).} (like @kbd{C-u 2 1
7787 C-c a a}) you may set the number of days to be displayed.
7790 @vindex org-agenda-span
7791 @vindex org-agenda-ndays
7792 @vindex org-agenda-start-day
7793 @vindex org-agenda-start-on-weekday
7794 The default number of days displayed in the agenda is set by the variable
7795 @code{org-agenda-span} (or the obsolete @code{org-agenda-ndays}). This
7796 variable can be set to any number of days you want to see by default in the
7797 agenda, or to a span name, such as @code{day}, @code{week}, @code{month} or
7798 @code{year}. For weekly agendas, the default is to start on the previous
7799 monday (see @code{org-agenda-start-on-weekday}). You can also set the start
7800 date using a date shift: @code{(setq org-agenda-start-day "+10d")} will
7801 start the agenda ten days from today in the future.
7803 Remote editing from the agenda buffer means, for example, that you can
7804 change the dates of deadlines and appointments from the agenda buffer.
7805 The commands available in the Agenda buffer are listed in @ref{Agenda
7808 @subsubheading Calendar/Diary integration
7809 @cindex calendar integration
7810 @cindex diary integration
7812 Emacs contains the calendar and diary by Edward M. Reingold. The
7813 calendar displays a three-month calendar with holidays from different
7814 countries and cultures. The diary allows you to keep track of
7815 anniversaries, lunar phases, sunrise/set, recurrent appointments
7816 (weekly, monthly) and more. In this way, it is quite complementary to
7817 Org. It can be very useful to combine output from Org with
7820 In order to include entries from the Emacs diary into Org mode's
7821 agenda, you only need to customize the variable
7824 (setq org-agenda-include-diary t)
7827 @noindent After that, everything will happen automatically. All diary
7828 entries including holidays, anniversaries, etc., will be included in the
7829 agenda buffer created by Org mode. @key{SPC}, @key{TAB}, and
7830 @key{RET} can be used from the agenda buffer to jump to the diary
7831 file in order to edit existing diary entries. The @kbd{i} command to
7832 insert new entries for the current date works in the agenda buffer, as
7833 well as the commands @kbd{S}, @kbd{M}, and @kbd{C} to display
7834 Sunrise/Sunset times, show lunar phases and to convert to other
7835 calendars, respectively. @kbd{c} can be used to switch back and forth
7836 between calendar and agenda.
7838 If you are using the diary only for sexp entries and holidays, it is
7839 faster to not use the above setting, but instead to copy or even move
7840 the entries into an Org file. Org mode evaluates diary-style sexp
7841 entries, and does it faster because there is no overhead for first
7842 creating the diary display. Note that the sexp entries must start at
7843 the left margin, no whitespace is allowed before them. For example,
7844 the following segment of an Org file will be processed and entries
7845 will be made in the agenda:
7848 * Birthdays and similar stuff
7850 %%(org-calendar-holiday) ; special function for holiday names
7852 %%(org-anniversary 1956 5 14)@footnote{@code{org-anniversary} is just like @code{diary-anniversary}, but the argument order is always according to ISO and therefore independent of the value of @code{calendar-date-style}.} Arthur Dent is %d years old
7853 %%(org-anniversary 1869 10 2) Mahatma Gandhi would be %d years old
7856 @subsubheading Anniversaries from BBDB
7857 @cindex BBDB, anniversaries
7858 @cindex anniversaries, from BBDB
7860 If you are using the Big Brothers Database to store your contacts, you will
7861 very likely prefer to store anniversaries in BBDB rather than in a
7862 separate Org or diary file. Org supports this and will show BBDB
7863 anniversaries as part of the agenda. All you need to do is to add the
7864 following to one of your agenda files:
7871 %%(org-bbdb-anniversaries)
7874 You can then go ahead and define anniversaries for a BBDB record. Basically,
7875 you need to press @kbd{C-o anniversary @key{RET}} with the cursor in a BBDB
7876 record and then add the date in the format @code{YYYY-MM-DD} or @code{MM-DD},
7877 followed by a space and the class of the anniversary (@samp{birthday} or
7878 @samp{wedding}, or a format string). If you omit the class, it will default to
7879 @samp{birthday}. Here are a few examples, the header for the file
7880 @file{org-bbdb.el} contains more detailed information.
7886 2008-04-14 %s released version 6.01 of org mode, %d years ago
7889 After a change to BBDB, or for the first agenda display during an Emacs
7890 session, the agenda display will suffer a short delay as Org updates its
7891 hash with anniversaries. However, from then on things will be very fast---much
7892 faster in fact than a long list of @samp{%%(diary-anniversary)} entries
7893 in an Org or Diary file.
7895 @subsubheading Appointment reminders
7896 @cindex @file{appt.el}
7897 @cindex appointment reminders
7901 Org can interact with Emacs appointments notification facility. To add the
7902 appointments of your agenda files, use the command @code{org-agenda-to-appt}.
7903 This command lets you filter through the list of your appointments and add
7904 only those belonging to a specific category or matching a regular expression.
7905 It also reads a @code{APPT_WARNTIME} property which will then override the
7906 value of @code{appt-message-warning-time} for this appointment. See the
7907 docstring for details.
7909 @node Global TODO list
7910 @subsection The global TODO list
7911 @cindex global TODO list
7912 @cindex TODO list, global
7914 The global TODO list contains all unfinished TODO items formatted and
7915 collected into a single place.
7918 @orgcmd{C-c a t,org-todo-list}
7919 Show the global TODO list. This collects the TODO items from all agenda
7920 files (@pxref{Agenda views}) into a single buffer. By default, this lists
7921 items with a state the is not a DONE state. The buffer is in
7922 @code{agenda-mode}, so there are commands to examine and manipulate the TODO
7923 entries directly from that buffer (@pxref{Agenda commands}).
7924 @orgcmd{C-c a T,org-todo-list}
7925 @cindex TODO keyword matching
7926 @vindex org-todo-keywords
7927 Like the above, but allows selection of a specific TODO keyword. You can
7928 also do this by specifying a prefix argument to @kbd{C-c a t}. You are
7929 prompted for a keyword, and you may also specify several keywords by
7930 separating them with @samp{|} as the boolean OR operator. With a numeric
7931 prefix, the Nth keyword in @code{org-todo-keywords} is selected.
7933 The @kbd{r} key in the agenda buffer regenerates it, and you can give
7934 a prefix argument to this command to change the selected TODO keyword,
7935 for example @kbd{3 r}. If you often need a search for a specific
7936 keyword, define a custom command for it (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}).@*
7937 Matching specific TODO keywords can also be done as part of a tags
7938 search (@pxref{Tag searches}).
7941 Remote editing of TODO items means that you can change the state of a
7942 TODO entry with a single key press. The commands available in the
7943 TODO list are described in @ref{Agenda commands}.
7945 @cindex sublevels, inclusion into TODO list
7946 Normally the global TODO list simply shows all headlines with TODO
7947 keywords. This list can become very long. There are two ways to keep
7951 @vindex org-agenda-todo-ignore-scheduled
7952 @vindex org-agenda-todo-ignore-deadlines
7953 @vindex org-agenda-todo-ignore-timestamp
7954 @vindex org-agenda-todo-ignore-with-date
7955 Some people view a TODO item that has been @emph{scheduled} for execution or
7956 have a @emph{deadline} (@pxref{Timestamps}) as no longer @emph{open}.
7957 Configure the variables @code{org-agenda-todo-ignore-scheduled},
7958 @code{org-agenda-todo-ignore-deadlines},
7959 @code{org-agenda-todo-ignore-timestamp} and/or
7960 @code{org-agenda-todo-ignore-with-date} to exclude such items from the global
7963 @vindex org-agenda-todo-list-sublevels
7964 TODO items may have sublevels to break up the task into subtasks. In
7965 such cases it may be enough to list only the highest level TODO headline
7966 and omit the sublevels from the global list. Configure the variable
7967 @code{org-agenda-todo-list-sublevels} to get this behavior.
7970 @node Matching tags and properties
7971 @subsection Matching tags and properties
7972 @cindex matching, of tags
7973 @cindex matching, of properties
7977 If headlines in the agenda files are marked with @emph{tags} (@pxref{Tags}),
7978 or have properties (@pxref{Properties and columns}), you can select headlines
7979 based on this metadata and collect them into an agenda buffer. The match
7980 syntax described here also applies when creating sparse trees with @kbd{C-c /
7984 @orgcmd{C-c a m,org-tags-view}
7985 Produce a list of all headlines that match a given set of tags. The
7986 command prompts for a selection criterion, which is a boolean logic
7987 expression with tags, like @samp{+work+urgent-withboss} or
7988 @samp{work|home} (@pxref{Tags}). If you often need a specific search,
7989 define a custom command for it (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}).
7990 @orgcmd{C-c a M,org-tags-view}
7991 @vindex org-tags-match-list-sublevels
7992 @vindex org-agenda-tags-todo-honor-ignore-options
7993 Like @kbd{C-c a m}, but only select headlines that are also TODO items in a
7994 not-DONE state and force checking subitems (see variable
7995 @code{org-tags-match-list-sublevels}). To exclude scheduled/deadline items,
7996 see the variable @code{org-agenda-tags-todo-honor-ignore-options}. Matching
7997 specific TODO keywords together with a tags match is also possible, see
8001 The commands available in the tags list are described in @ref{Agenda
8004 @subsubheading Match syntax
8006 @cindex Boolean logic, for tag/property searches
8007 A search string can use Boolean operators @samp{&} for @code{AND} and
8008 @samp{|} for @code{OR}@. @samp{&} binds more strongly than @samp{|}.
8009 Parentheses are not implemented. Each element in the search is either a
8010 tag, a regular expression matching tags, or an expression like
8011 @code{PROPERTY OPERATOR VALUE} with a comparison operator, accessing a
8012 property value. Each element may be preceded by @samp{-}, to select
8013 against it, and @samp{+} is syntactic sugar for positive selection. The
8014 @code{AND} operator @samp{&} is optional when @samp{+} or @samp{-} is
8015 present. Here are some examples, using only tags.
8019 Select headlines tagged @samp{:work:}.
8021 Select headlines tagged @samp{:work:} and @samp{:boss:}.
8023 Select headlines tagged @samp{:work:}, but discard those also tagged
8026 Selects lines tagged @samp{:work:} or @samp{:laptop:}.
8027 @item work|laptop+night
8028 Like before, but require the @samp{:laptop:} lines to be tagged also
8032 @cindex regular expressions, with tags search
8033 Instead of a tag, you may also specify a regular expression enclosed in curly
8034 braces. For example,
8035 @samp{work+@{^boss.*@}} matches headlines that contain the tag
8036 @samp{:work:} and any tag @i{starting} with @samp{boss}.
8038 @cindex group tags, as regular expressions
8039 Group tags (@pxref{Tag groups}) are expanded as regular expressions. E.g.,
8040 if @samp{:work:} is a group tag for the group @samp{:work:lab:conf:}, then
8041 searching for @samp{work} will search for @samp{@{\(?:work\|lab\|conf\)@}}
8042 and searching for @samp{-work} will search for all headlines but those with
8043 one of the tags in the group (i.e., @samp{-@{\(?:work\|lab\|conf\)@}}).
8045 @cindex TODO keyword matching, with tags search
8046 @cindex level, require for tags/property match
8047 @cindex category, require for tags/property match
8048 @vindex org-odd-levels-only
8049 You may also test for properties (@pxref{Properties and columns}) at the same
8050 time as matching tags. The properties may be real properties, or special
8051 properties that represent other metadata (@pxref{Special properties}). For
8052 example, the ``property'' @code{TODO} represents the TODO keyword of the
8053 entry and the ``propety'' @code{PRIORITY} represents the PRIORITY keyword of
8054 the entry. The ITEM special property cannot currently be used in tags/property
8055 searches@footnote{But @pxref{x-agenda-skip-entry-regexp,
8056 ,skipping entries based on regexp}.}.
8058 In addition to the @pxref{Special properties}, one other ``property'' can
8059 also be used. @code{LEVEL} represents the level of an entry. So a search
8060 @samp{+LEVEL=3+boss-TODO="DONE"} lists all level three headlines that have
8061 the tag @samp{boss} and are @emph{not} marked with the TODO keyword DONE@.
8062 In buffers with @code{org-odd-levels-only} set, @samp{LEVEL} does not count
8063 the number of stars, but @samp{LEVEL=2} will correspond to 3 stars etc.
8065 Here are more examples:
8068 @item work+TODO="WAITING"
8069 Select @samp{:work:}-tagged TODO lines with the specific TODO
8070 keyword @samp{WAITING}.
8071 @item work+TODO="WAITING"|home+TODO="WAITING"
8072 Waiting tasks both at work and at home.
8075 When matching properties, a number of different operators can be used to test
8076 the value of a property. Here is a complex example:
8079 +work-boss+PRIORITY="A"+Coffee="unlimited"+Effort<2 \
8080 +With=@{Sarah\|Denny@}+SCHEDULED>="<2008-10-11>"
8084 The type of comparison will depend on how the comparison value is written:
8087 If the comparison value is a plain number, a numerical comparison is done,
8088 and the allowed operators are @samp{<}, @samp{=}, @samp{>}, @samp{<=},
8089 @samp{>=}, and @samp{<>}.
8091 If the comparison value is enclosed in double-quotes,
8092 a string comparison is done, and the same operators are allowed.
8094 If the comparison value is enclosed in double-quotes @emph{and} angular
8095 brackets (like @samp{DEADLINE<="<2008-12-24 18:30>"}), both values are
8096 assumed to be date/time specifications in the standard Org way, and the
8097 comparison will be done accordingly. Special values that will be recognized
8098 are @code{"<now>"} for now (including time), and @code{"<today>"}, and
8099 @code{"<tomorrow>"} for these days at 0:00 hours, i.e., without a time
8100 specification. Also strings like @code{"<+5d>"} or @code{"<-2m>"} with units
8101 @code{d}, @code{w}, @code{m}, and @code{y} for day, week, month, and year,
8102 respectively, can be used.
8104 If the comparison value is enclosed
8105 in curly braces, a regexp match is performed, with @samp{=} meaning that the
8106 regexp matches the property value, and @samp{<>} meaning that it does not
8110 So the search string in the example finds entries tagged @samp{:work:} but
8111 not @samp{:boss:}, which also have a priority value @samp{A}, a
8112 @samp{:Coffee:} property with the value @samp{unlimited}, an @samp{Effort}
8113 property that is numerically smaller than 2, a @samp{:With:} property that is
8114 matched by the regular expression @samp{Sarah\|Denny}, and that are scheduled
8115 on or after October 11, 2008.
8117 Accessing TODO, LEVEL, and CATEGORY during a search is fast. Accessing any
8118 other properties will slow down the search. However, once you have paid the
8119 price by accessing one property, testing additional properties is cheap
8122 You can configure Org mode to use property inheritance during a search, but
8123 beware that this can slow down searches considerably. See @ref{Property
8124 inheritance}, for details.
8126 For backward compatibility, and also for typing speed, there is also a
8127 different way to test TODO states in a search. For this, terminate the
8128 tags/property part of the search string (which may include several terms
8129 connected with @samp{|}) with a @samp{/} and then specify a Boolean
8130 expression just for TODO keywords. The syntax is then similar to that for
8131 tags, but should be applied with care: for example, a positive selection on
8132 several TODO keywords cannot meaningfully be combined with boolean AND@.
8133 However, @emph{negative selection} combined with AND can be meaningful. To
8134 make sure that only lines are checked that actually have any TODO keyword
8135 (resulting in a speed-up), use @kbd{C-c a M}, or equivalently start the TODO
8136 part after the slash with @samp{!}. Using @kbd{C-c a M} or @samp{/!} will
8137 not match TODO keywords in a DONE state. Examples:
8141 Same as @samp{work+TODO="WAITING"}
8142 @item work/!-WAITING-NEXT
8143 Select @samp{:work:}-tagged TODO lines that are neither @samp{WAITING}
8145 @item work/!+WAITING|+NEXT
8146 Select @samp{:work:}-tagged TODO lines that are either @samp{WAITING} or
8151 @subsection Timeline for a single file
8152 @cindex timeline, single file
8153 @cindex time-sorted view
8155 The timeline summarizes all time-stamped items from a single Org mode
8156 file in a @emph{time-sorted view}. The main purpose of this command is
8157 to give an overview over events in a project.
8160 @orgcmd{C-c a L,org-timeline}
8161 Show a time-sorted view of the Org file, with all time-stamped items.
8162 When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix, all unfinished TODO entries
8163 (scheduled or not) are also listed under the current date.
8167 The commands available in the timeline buffer are listed in
8168 @ref{Agenda commands}.
8171 @subsection Search view
8174 @cindex searching, for text
8176 This agenda view is a general text search facility for Org mode entries.
8177 It is particularly useful to find notes.
8180 @orgcmd{C-c a s,org-search-view}
8181 This is a special search that lets you select entries by matching a substring
8182 or specific words using a boolean logic.
8184 For example, the search string @samp{computer equipment} will find entries
8185 that contain @samp{computer equipment} as a substring. If the two words are
8186 separated by more space or a line break, the search will still match.
8187 Search view can also search for specific keywords in the entry, using Boolean
8188 logic. The search string @samp{+computer +wifi -ethernet -@{8\.11[bg]@}}
8189 will search for note entries that contain the keywords @code{computer}
8190 and @code{wifi}, but not the keyword @code{ethernet}, and which are also
8191 not matched by the regular expression @code{8\.11[bg]}, meaning to
8192 exclude both 8.11b and 8.11g. The first @samp{+} is necessary to turn on
8193 word search, other @samp{+} characters are optional. For more details, see
8194 the docstring of the command @code{org-search-view}.
8196 @vindex org-agenda-text-search-extra-files
8197 Note that in addition to the agenda files, this command will also search
8198 the files listed in @code{org-agenda-text-search-extra-files}.
8200 @node Stuck projects
8201 @subsection Stuck projects
8202 @pindex GTD, Getting Things Done
8204 If you are following a system like David Allen's GTD to organize your
8205 work, one of the ``duties'' you have is a regular review to make sure
8206 that all projects move along. A @emph{stuck} project is a project that
8207 has no defined next actions, so it will never show up in the TODO lists
8208 Org mode produces. During the review, you need to identify such
8209 projects and define next actions for them.
8212 @orgcmd{C-c a #,org-agenda-list-stuck-projects}
8213 List projects that are stuck.
8216 @vindex org-stuck-projects
8217 Customize the variable @code{org-stuck-projects} to define what a stuck
8218 project is and how to find it.
8221 You almost certainly will have to configure this view before it will
8222 work for you. The built-in default assumes that all your projects are
8223 level-2 headlines, and that a project is not stuck if it has at least
8224 one entry marked with a TODO keyword TODO or NEXT or NEXTACTION.
8226 Let's assume that you, in your own way of using Org mode, identify
8227 projects with a tag PROJECT, and that you use a TODO keyword MAYBE to
8228 indicate a project that should not be considered yet. Let's further
8229 assume that the TODO keyword DONE marks finished projects, and that NEXT
8230 and TODO indicate next actions. The tag @@SHOP indicates shopping and
8231 is a next action even without the NEXT tag. Finally, if the project
8232 contains the special word IGNORE anywhere, it should not be listed
8233 either. In this case you would start by identifying eligible projects
8234 with a tags/todo match@footnote{@xref{Tag searches}.}
8235 @samp{+PROJECT/-MAYBE-DONE}, and then check for TODO, NEXT, @@SHOP, and
8236 IGNORE in the subtree to identify projects that are not stuck. The
8237 correct customization for this is
8240 (setq org-stuck-projects
8241 '("+PROJECT/-MAYBE-DONE" ("NEXT" "TODO") ("@@SHOP")
8245 Note that if a project is identified as non-stuck, the subtree of this entry
8246 will still be searched for stuck projects.
8248 @node Presentation and sorting
8249 @section Presentation and sorting
8250 @cindex presentation, of agenda items
8252 @vindex org-agenda-prefix-format
8253 @vindex org-agenda-tags-column
8254 Before displaying items in an agenda view, Org mode visually prepares the
8255 items and sorts them. Each item occupies a single line. The line starts
8256 with a @emph{prefix} that contains the @emph{category} (@pxref{Categories})
8257 of the item and other important information. You can customize in which
8258 column tags will be displayed through @code{org-agenda-tags-column}. You can
8259 also customize the prefix using the option @code{org-agenda-prefix-format}.
8260 This prefix is followed by a cleaned-up version of the outline headline
8261 associated with the item.
8264 * Categories:: Not all tasks are equal
8265 * Time-of-day specifications:: How the agenda knows the time
8266 * Sorting agenda items:: The order of things
8267 * Filtering/limiting agenda items:: Dynamically narrow the agenda
8271 @subsection Categories
8275 The category is a broad label assigned to each agenda item. By default,
8276 the category is simply derived from the file name, but you can also
8277 specify it with a special line in the buffer, like this@footnote{For
8278 backward compatibility, the following also works: if there are several
8279 such lines in a file, each specifies the category for the text below it.
8280 The first category also applies to any text before the first CATEGORY
8281 line. However, using this method is @emph{strongly} deprecated as it is
8282 incompatible with the outline structure of the document. The correct
8283 method for setting multiple categories in a buffer is using a
8291 @cindex property, CATEGORY
8292 If you would like to have a special CATEGORY for a single entry or a
8293 (sub)tree, give the entry a @code{:CATEGORY:} property with the
8294 special category you want to apply as the value.
8297 The display in the agenda buffer looks best if the category is not
8298 longer than 10 characters.
8301 You can set up icons for category by customizing the
8302 @code{org-agenda-category-icon-alist} variable.
8304 @node Time-of-day specifications
8305 @subsection Time-of-day specifications
8306 @cindex time-of-day specification
8308 Org mode checks each agenda item for a time-of-day specification. The
8309 time can be part of the timestamp that triggered inclusion into the
8310 agenda, for example as in @w{@samp{<2005-05-10 Tue 19:00>}}. Time
8311 ranges can be specified with two timestamps, like
8313 @w{@samp{<2005-05-10 Tue 20:30>--<2005-05-10 Tue 22:15>}}.
8315 In the headline of the entry itself, a time(range) may also appear as
8316 plain text (like @samp{12:45} or a @samp{8:30-1pm}). If the agenda
8317 integrates the Emacs diary (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}), time
8318 specifications in diary entries are recognized as well.
8320 For agenda display, Org mode extracts the time and displays it in a
8321 standard 24 hour format as part of the prefix. The example times in
8322 the previous paragraphs would end up in the agenda like this:
8325 8:30-13:00 Arthur Dent lies in front of the bulldozer
8326 12:45...... Ford Prefect arrives and takes Arthur to the pub
8327 19:00...... The Vogon reads his poem
8328 20:30-22:15 Marvin escorts the Hitchhikers to the bridge
8332 If the agenda is in single-day mode, or for the display of today, the
8333 timed entries are embedded in a time grid, like
8336 8:00...... ------------------
8337 8:30-13:00 Arthur Dent lies in front of the bulldozer
8338 10:00...... ------------------
8339 12:00...... ------------------
8340 12:45...... Ford Prefect arrives and takes Arthur to the pub
8341 14:00...... ------------------
8342 16:00...... ------------------
8343 18:00...... ------------------
8344 19:00...... The Vogon reads his poem
8345 20:00...... ------------------
8346 20:30-22:15 Marvin escorts the Hitchhikers to the bridge
8349 @vindex org-agenda-use-time-grid
8350 @vindex org-agenda-time-grid
8351 The time grid can be turned on and off with the variable
8352 @code{org-agenda-use-time-grid}, and can be configured with
8353 @code{org-agenda-time-grid}.
8355 @node Sorting agenda items
8356 @subsection Sorting agenda items
8357 @cindex sorting, of agenda items
8358 @cindex priorities, of agenda items
8359 Before being inserted into a view, the items are sorted. How this is
8360 done depends on the type of view.
8363 @vindex org-agenda-files
8364 For the daily/weekly agenda, the items for each day are sorted. The
8365 default order is to first collect all items containing an explicit
8366 time-of-day specification. These entries will be shown at the beginning
8367 of the list, as a @emph{schedule} for the day. After that, items remain
8368 grouped in categories, in the sequence given by @code{org-agenda-files}.
8369 Within each category, items are sorted by priority (@pxref{Priorities}),
8370 which is composed of the base priority (2000 for priority @samp{A}, 1000
8371 for @samp{B}, and 0 for @samp{C}), plus additional increments for
8372 overdue scheduled or deadline items.
8374 For the TODO list, items remain in the order of categories, but within
8375 each category, sorting takes place according to priority
8376 (@pxref{Priorities}). The priority used for sorting derives from the
8377 priority cookie, with additions depending on how close an item is to its due
8380 For tags matches, items are not sorted at all, but just appear in the
8381 sequence in which they are found in the agenda files.
8384 @vindex org-agenda-sorting-strategy
8385 Sorting can be customized using the variable
8386 @code{org-agenda-sorting-strategy}, and may also include criteria based on
8387 the estimated effort of an entry (@pxref{Effort estimates}).
8389 @node Filtering/limiting agenda items
8390 @subsection Filtering/limiting agenda items
8392 Agenda built-in or customized commands are statically defined. Agenda
8393 filters and limits provide two ways of dynamically narrowing down the list of
8394 agenda entries: @emph{filters} and @emph{limits}. Filters only act on the
8395 display of the items, while limits take effect before the list of agenda
8396 entries is built. Filters are more often used interactively, while limits are
8397 mostly useful when defined as local variables within custom agenda commands.
8399 @subsubheading Filtering in the agenda
8400 @cindex filtering, by tag, category, top headline and effort, in agenda
8401 @cindex tag filtering, in agenda
8402 @cindex category filtering, in agenda
8403 @cindex top headline filtering, in agenda
8404 @cindex effort filtering, in agenda
8405 @cindex query editing, in agenda
8408 @orgcmd{/,org-agenda-filter-by-tag}
8409 @vindex org-agenda-tag-filter-preset
8410 Filter the agenda view with respect to a tag and/or effort estimates. The
8411 difference between this and a custom agenda command is that filtering is very
8412 fast, so that you can switch quickly between different filters without having
8413 to recreate the agenda.@footnote{Custom commands can preset a filter by
8414 binding the variable @code{org-agenda-tag-filter-preset} as an option. This
8415 filter will then be applied to the view and persist as a basic filter through
8416 refreshes and more secondary filtering. The filter is a global property of
8417 the entire agenda view---in a block agenda, you should only set this in the
8418 global options section, not in the section of an individual block.}
8420 You will be prompted for a tag selection letter; @key{SPC} will mean any tag at
8421 all. Pressing @key{TAB} at that prompt will offer use completion to select a
8422 tag (including any tags that do not have a selection character). The command
8423 then hides all entries that do not contain or inherit this tag. When called
8424 with prefix arg, remove the entries that @emph{do} have the tag. A second
8425 @kbd{/} at the prompt will turn off the filter and unhide any hidden entries.
8426 If the first key you press is either @kbd{+} or @kbd{-}, the previous filter
8427 will be narrowed by requiring or forbidding the selected additional tag.
8428 Instead of pressing @kbd{+} or @kbd{-} after @kbd{/}, you can also
8429 immediately use the @kbd{\} command.
8431 @vindex org-sort-agenda-noeffort-is-high
8432 In order to filter for effort estimates, you should set up allowed
8433 efforts globally, for example
8435 (setq org-global-properties
8436 '(("Effort_ALL". "0 0:10 0:30 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00")))
8438 You can then filter for an effort by first typing an operator, one of
8439 @kbd{<}, @kbd{>}, and @kbd{=}, and then the one-digit index of an effort
8440 estimate in your array of allowed values, where @kbd{0} means the 10th value.
8441 The filter will then restrict to entries with effort smaller-or-equal, equal,
8442 or larger-or-equal than the selected value. If the digits 0--9 are not used
8443 as fast access keys to tags, you can also simply press the index digit
8444 directly without an operator. In this case, @kbd{<} will be assumed. For
8445 application of the operator, entries without a defined effort will be treated
8446 according to the value of @code{org-sort-agenda-noeffort-is-high}. To filter
8447 for tasks without effort definition, press @kbd{?} as the operator.
8449 Org also supports automatic, context-aware tag filtering. If the variable
8450 @code{org-agenda-auto-exclude-function} is set to a user-defined function,
8451 that function can decide which tags should be excluded from the agenda
8452 automatically. Once this is set, the @kbd{/} command then accepts @kbd{RET}
8453 as a sub-option key and runs the auto exclusion logic. For example, let's
8454 say you use a @code{Net} tag to identify tasks which need network access, an
8455 @code{Errand} tag for errands in town, and a @code{Call} tag for making phone
8456 calls. You could auto-exclude these tags based on the availability of the
8457 Internet, and outside of business hours, with something like this:
8461 (defun org-my-auto-exclude-function (tag)
8463 ((string= tag "Net")
8464 (/= 0 (call-process "/sbin/ping" nil nil nil
8465 "-c1" "-q" "-t1" "mail.gnu.org")))
8466 ((or (string= tag "Errand") (string= tag "Call"))
8467 (let ((hour (nth 2 (decode-time))))
8468 (or (< hour 8) (> hour 21)))))
8471 (setq org-agenda-auto-exclude-function 'org-my-auto-exclude-function)
8475 @orgcmd{\\,org-agenda-filter-by-tag-refine}
8476 Narrow the current agenda filter by an additional condition. When called with
8477 prefix arg, remove the entries that @emph{do} have the tag, or that do match
8478 the effort criterion. You can achieve the same effect by pressing @kbd{+} or
8479 @kbd{-} as the first key after the @kbd{/} command.
8488 @item @r{in} search view
8489 add new search words (@kbd{[} and @kbd{]}) or new regular expressions
8490 (@kbd{@{} and @kbd{@}}) to the query string. The opening bracket/brace will
8491 add a positive search term prefixed by @samp{+}, indicating that this search
8492 term @i{must} occur/match in the entry. The closing bracket/brace will add a
8493 negative search term which @i{must not} occur/match in the entry for it to be
8497 @orgcmd{<,org-agenda-filter-by-category}
8498 @vindex org-agenda-category-filter-preset
8500 Filter the current agenda view with respect to the category of the item at
8501 point. Pressing @code{<} another time will remove this filter. You can add
8502 a filter preset through the option @code{org-agenda-category-filter-preset}
8505 @orgcmd{^,org-agenda-filter-by-top-headline}
8506 Filter the current agenda view and only display the siblings and the parent
8507 headline of the one at point.
8509 @orgcmd{=,org-agenda-filter-by-regexp}
8510 @vindex org-agenda-regexp-filter-preset
8512 Filter the agenda view by a regular expression: only show agenda entries
8513 matching the regular expression the user entered. When called with a prefix
8514 argument, it will filter @emph{out} entries matching the regexp. With two
8515 universal prefix arguments, it will remove all the regexp filters, which can
8516 be accumulated. You can add a filter preset through the option
8517 @code{org-agenda-category-filter-preset} (see below.)
8519 @orgcmd{|,org-agenda-filter-remove-all}
8520 Remove all filters in the current agenda view.
8523 @subsubheading Setting limits for the agenda
8524 @cindex limits, in agenda
8525 @vindex org-agenda-max-entries
8526 @vindex org-agenda-max-effort
8527 @vindex org-agenda-max-todos
8528 @vindex org-agenda-max-tags
8530 Here is a list of options that you can set, either globally, or locally in
8531 your custom agenda views@pxref{Custom agenda views}.
8534 @item org-agenda-max-entries
8535 Limit the number of entries.
8536 @item org-agenda-max-effort
8537 Limit the duration of accumulated efforts (as minutes).
8538 @item org-agenda-max-todos
8539 Limit the number of entries with TODO keywords.
8540 @item org-agenda-max-tags
8541 Limit the number of tagged entries.
8544 When set to a positive integer, each option will exclude entries from other
8545 categories: for example, @code{(setq org-agenda-max-effort 100)} will limit
8546 the agenda to 100 minutes of effort and exclude any entry that has no effort
8547 property. If you want to include entries with no effort property, use a
8548 negative value for @code{org-agenda-max-effort}.
8550 One useful setup is to use @code{org-agenda-max-entries} locally in a custom
8551 command. For example, this custom command will display the next five entries
8552 with a @code{NEXT} TODO keyword.
8555 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
8557 ((org-agenda-max-entries 5)))))
8560 Once you mark one of these five entry as @code{DONE}, rebuilding the agenda
8561 will again the next five entries again, including the first entry that was
8564 You can also dynamically set temporary limits@footnote{Those temporary limits
8565 are lost when rebuilding the agenda.}:
8568 @orgcmd{~,org-agenda-limit-interactively}
8569 This prompts for the type of limit to apply and its value.
8572 @node Agenda commands
8573 @section Commands in the agenda buffer
8574 @cindex commands, in agenda buffer
8576 Entries in the agenda buffer are linked back to the Org file or diary
8577 file where they originate. You are not allowed to edit the agenda
8578 buffer itself, but commands are provided to show and jump to the
8579 original entry location, and to edit the Org files ``remotely'' from
8580 the agenda buffer. In this way, all information is stored only once,
8581 removing the risk that your agenda and note files may diverge.
8583 Some commands can be executed with mouse clicks on agenda lines. For
8584 the other commands, the cursor needs to be in the desired line.
8587 @tsubheading{Motion}
8588 @cindex motion commands in agenda
8589 @orgcmd{n,org-agenda-next-line}
8590 Next line (same as @key{down} and @kbd{C-n}).
8591 @orgcmd{p,org-agenda-previous-line}
8592 Previous line (same as @key{up} and @kbd{C-p}).
8593 @tsubheading{View/Go to Org file}
8594 @orgcmdkkc{@key{SPC},mouse-3,org-agenda-show-and-scroll-up}
8595 Display the original location of the item in another window.
8596 With prefix arg, make sure that the entire entry is made visible in the
8597 outline, not only the heading.
8599 @orgcmd{L,org-agenda-recenter}
8600 Display original location and recenter that window.
8602 @orgcmdkkc{@key{TAB},mouse-2,org-agenda-goto}
8603 Go to the original location of the item in another window.
8605 @orgcmd{@key{RET},org-agenda-switch-to}
8606 Go to the original location of the item and delete other windows.
8608 @orgcmd{F,org-agenda-follow-mode}
8609 @vindex org-agenda-start-with-follow-mode
8610 Toggle Follow mode. In Follow mode, as you move the cursor through
8611 the agenda buffer, the other window always shows the corresponding
8612 location in the Org file. The initial setting for this mode in new
8613 agenda buffers can be set with the variable
8614 @code{org-agenda-start-with-follow-mode}.
8616 @orgcmd{C-c C-x b,org-agenda-tree-to-indirect-buffer}
8617 Display the entire subtree of the current item in an indirect buffer. With a
8618 numeric prefix argument N, go up to level N and then take that tree. If N is
8619 negative, go up that many levels. With a @kbd{C-u} prefix, do not remove the
8620 previously used indirect buffer.
8622 @orgcmd{C-c C-o,org-agenda-open-link}
8623 Follow a link in the entry. This will offer a selection of any links in the
8624 text belonging to the referenced Org node. If there is only one link, it
8625 will be followed without a selection prompt.
8627 @tsubheading{Change display}
8628 @cindex display changing, in agenda
8631 Interactively select another agenda view and append it to the current view.
8635 Delete other windows.
8637 @orgcmdkskc{v d,d,org-agenda-day-view}
8638 @xorgcmdkskc{v w,w,org-agenda-week-view}
8639 @xorgcmd{v t,org-agenda-fortnight-view}
8640 @xorgcmd{v m,org-agenda-month-view}
8641 @xorgcmd{v y,org-agenda-year-view}
8642 @xorgcmd{v SPC,org-agenda-reset-view}
8643 @vindex org-agenda-span
8644 Switch to day/week/month/year view. When switching to day or week view, this
8645 setting becomes the default for subsequent agenda refreshes. Since month and
8646 year views are slow to create, they do not become the default. A numeric
8647 prefix argument may be used to jump directly to a specific day of the year,
8648 ISO week, month, or year, respectively. For example, @kbd{32 d} jumps to
8649 February 1st, @kbd{9 w} to ISO week number 9. When setting day, week, or
8650 month view, a year may be encoded in the prefix argument as well. For
8651 example, @kbd{200712 w} will jump to week 12 in 2007. If such a year
8652 specification has only one or two digits, it will be mapped to the interval
8653 1938--2037. @kbd{v @key{SPC}} will reset to what is set in
8654 @code{org-agenda-span}.
8656 @orgcmd{f,org-agenda-later}
8657 Go forward in time to display the following @code{org-agenda-current-span} days.
8658 For example, if the display covers a week, switch to the following week.
8659 With prefix arg, go forward that many times @code{org-agenda-current-span} days.
8661 @orgcmd{b,org-agenda-earlier}
8662 Go backward in time to display earlier dates.
8664 @orgcmd{.,org-agenda-goto-today}
8667 @orgcmd{j,org-agenda-goto-date}
8668 Prompt for a date and go there.
8670 @orgcmd{J,org-agenda-clock-goto}
8671 Go to the currently clocked-in task @i{in the agenda buffer}.
8673 @orgcmd{D,org-agenda-toggle-diary}
8674 Toggle the inclusion of diary entries. See @ref{Weekly/daily agenda}.
8676 @orgcmdkskc{v l,l,org-agenda-log-mode}
8678 @vindex org-log-done
8679 @vindex org-agenda-log-mode-items
8680 Toggle Logbook mode. In Logbook mode, entries that were marked DONE while
8681 logging was on (variable @code{org-log-done}) are shown in the agenda, as are
8682 entries that have been clocked on that day. You can configure the entry
8683 types that should be included in log mode using the variable
8684 @code{org-agenda-log-mode-items}. When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix, show
8685 all possible logbook entries, including state changes. When called with two
8686 prefix arguments @kbd{C-u C-u}, show only logging information, nothing else.
8687 @kbd{v L} is equivalent to @kbd{C-u v l}.
8689 @orgcmdkskc{v [,[,org-agenda-manipulate-query-add}
8690 Include inactive timestamps into the current view. Only for weekly/daily
8691 agenda and timeline views.
8693 @orgcmd{v a,org-agenda-archives-mode}
8694 @xorgcmd{v A,org-agenda-archives-mode 'files}
8695 Toggle Archives mode. In Archives mode, trees that are marked
8696 @code{ARCHIVED} are also scanned when producing the agenda. When you use the
8697 capital @kbd{A}, even all archive files are included. To exit archives mode,
8698 press @kbd{v a} again.
8700 @orgcmdkskc{v R,R,org-agenda-clockreport-mode}
8701 @vindex org-agenda-start-with-clockreport-mode
8702 @vindex org-clock-report-include-clocking-task
8703 Toggle Clockreport mode. In Clockreport mode, the daily/weekly agenda will
8704 always show a table with the clocked times for the time span and file scope
8705 covered by the current agenda view. The initial setting for this mode in new
8706 agenda buffers can be set with the variable
8707 @code{org-agenda-start-with-clockreport-mode}. By using a prefix argument
8708 when toggling this mode (i.e., @kbd{C-u R}), the clock table will not show
8709 contributions from entries that are hidden by agenda filtering@footnote{Only
8710 tags filtering will be respected here, effort filtering is ignored.}. See
8711 also the variable @code{org-clock-report-include-clocking-task}.
8714 @vindex org-agenda-clock-consistency-checks
8715 Show overlapping clock entries, clocking gaps, and other clocking problems in
8716 the current agenda range. You can then visit clocking lines and fix them
8717 manually. See the variable @code{org-agenda-clock-consistency-checks} for
8718 information on how to customize the definition of what constituted a clocking
8719 problem. To return to normal agenda display, press @kbd{l} to exit Logbook
8722 @orgcmdkskc{v E,E,org-agenda-entry-text-mode}
8723 @vindex org-agenda-start-with-entry-text-mode
8724 @vindex org-agenda-entry-text-maxlines
8725 Toggle entry text mode. In entry text mode, a number of lines from the Org
8726 outline node referenced by an agenda line will be displayed below the line.
8727 The maximum number of lines is given by the variable
8728 @code{org-agenda-entry-text-maxlines}. Calling this command with a numeric
8729 prefix argument will temporarily modify that number to the prefix value.
8731 @orgcmd{G,org-agenda-toggle-time-grid}
8732 @vindex org-agenda-use-time-grid
8733 @vindex org-agenda-time-grid
8734 Toggle the time grid on and off. See also the variables
8735 @code{org-agenda-use-time-grid} and @code{org-agenda-time-grid}.
8737 @orgcmd{r,org-agenda-redo}
8738 Recreate the agenda buffer, for example to reflect the changes after
8739 modification of the timestamps of items with @kbd{S-@key{left}} and
8740 @kbd{S-@key{right}}. When the buffer is the global TODO list, a prefix
8741 argument is interpreted to create a selective list for a specific TODO
8743 @orgcmd{g,org-agenda-redo}
8746 @orgcmdkskc{C-x C-s,s,org-save-all-org-buffers}
8747 Save all Org buffers in the current Emacs session, and also the locations of
8750 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-c,org-agenda-columns}
8751 @vindex org-columns-default-format
8752 Invoke column view (@pxref{Column view}) in the agenda buffer. The column
8753 view format is taken from the entry at point, or (if there is no entry at
8754 point), from the first entry in the agenda view. So whatever the format for
8755 that entry would be in the original buffer (taken from a property, from a
8756 @code{#+COLUMNS} line, or from the default variable
8757 @code{org-columns-default-format}), will be used in the agenda.
8759 @orgcmd{C-c C-x >,org-agenda-remove-restriction-lock}
8760 Remove the restriction lock on the agenda, if it is currently restricted to a
8761 file or subtree (@pxref{Agenda files}).
8763 @tsubheading{Secondary filtering and query editing}
8765 For a detailed description of these commands, see @pxref{Filtering/limiting
8768 @orgcmd{/,org-agenda-filter-by-tag}
8769 @vindex org-agenda-tag-filter-preset
8770 Filter the agenda view with respect to a tag and/or effort estimates.
8772 @orgcmd{\\,org-agenda-filter-by-tag-refine}
8773 Narrow the current agenda filter by an additional condition.
8775 @orgcmd{<,org-agenda-filter-by-category}
8776 @vindex org-agenda-category-filter-preset
8778 Filter the current agenda view with respect to the category of the item at
8779 point. Pressing @code{<} another time will remove this filter.
8781 @orgcmd{^,org-agenda-filter-by-top-headline}
8782 Filter the current agenda view and only display the siblings and the parent
8783 headline of the one at point.
8785 @orgcmd{=,org-agenda-filter-by-regexp}
8786 @vindex org-agenda-regexp-filter-preset
8788 Filter the agenda view by a regular expression: only show agenda entries
8789 matching the regular expression the user entered. When called with a prefix
8790 argument, it will filter @emph{out} entries matching the regexp. With two
8791 universal prefix arguments, it will remove all the regexp filters, which can
8792 be accumulated. You can add a filter preset through the option
8793 @code{org-agenda-category-filter-preset} (see below.)
8795 @orgcmd{|,org-agenda-filter-remove-all}
8796 Remove all filters in the current agenda view.
8798 @tsubheading{Remote editing}
8799 @cindex remote editing, from agenda
8804 @cindex undoing remote-editing events
8805 @cindex remote editing, undo
8806 @orgcmd{C-_,org-agenda-undo}
8807 Undo a change due to a remote editing command. The change is undone
8808 both in the agenda buffer and in the remote buffer.
8810 @orgcmd{t,org-agenda-todo}
8811 Change the TODO state of the item, both in the agenda and in the
8814 @orgcmd{C-S-@key{right},org-agenda-todo-nextset}
8815 @orgcmd{C-S-@key{left},org-agenda-todo-previousset}
8816 Switch to the next/previous set of TODO keywords.
8818 @orgcmd{C-k,org-agenda-kill}
8819 @vindex org-agenda-confirm-kill
8820 Delete the current agenda item along with the entire subtree belonging
8821 to it in the original Org file. If the text to be deleted remotely
8822 is longer than one line, the kill needs to be confirmed by the user. See
8823 variable @code{org-agenda-confirm-kill}.
8825 @orgcmd{C-c C-w,org-agenda-refile}
8826 Refile the entry at point.
8828 @orgcmdkskc{C-c C-x C-a,a,org-agenda-archive-default-with-confirmation}
8829 @vindex org-archive-default-command
8830 Archive the subtree corresponding to the entry at point using the default
8831 archiving command set in @code{org-archive-default-command}. When using the
8832 @code{a} key, confirmation will be required.
8834 @orgcmd{C-c C-x a,org-agenda-toggle-archive-tag}
8835 Toggle the ARCHIVE tag for the current headline.
8837 @orgcmd{C-c C-x A,org-agenda-archive-to-archive-sibling}
8838 Move the subtree corresponding to the current entry to its @emph{archive
8841 @orgcmdkskc{C-c C-x C-s,$,org-agenda-archive}
8842 Archive the subtree corresponding to the current headline. This means the
8843 entry will be moved to the configured archive location, most likely a
8846 @orgcmd{T,org-agenda-show-tags}
8847 @vindex org-agenda-show-inherited-tags
8848 Show all tags associated with the current item. This is useful if you have
8849 turned off @code{org-agenda-show-inherited-tags}, but still want to see all
8850 tags of a headline occasionally.
8852 @orgcmd{:,org-agenda-set-tags}
8853 Set tags for the current headline. If there is an active region in the
8854 agenda, change a tag for all headings in the region.
8858 Set the priority for the current item (@command{org-agenda-priority}).
8859 Org mode prompts for the priority character. If you reply with @key{SPC},
8860 the priority cookie is removed from the entry.
8862 @orgcmd{P,org-agenda-show-priority}
8863 Display weighted priority of current item.
8865 @orgcmdkkc{+,S-@key{up},org-agenda-priority-up}
8866 Increase the priority of the current item. The priority is changed in
8867 the original buffer, but the agenda is not resorted. Use the @kbd{r}
8870 @orgcmdkkc{-,S-@key{down},org-agenda-priority-down}
8871 Decrease the priority of the current item.
8873 @orgcmdkkc{z,C-c C-z,org-agenda-add-note}
8874 @vindex org-log-into-drawer
8875 Add a note to the entry. This note will be recorded, and then filed to the
8876 same location where state change notes are put. Depending on
8877 @code{org-log-into-drawer}, this may be inside a drawer.
8879 @orgcmd{C-c C-a,org-attach}
8880 Dispatcher for all command related to attachments.
8882 @orgcmd{C-c C-s,org-agenda-schedule}
8883 Schedule this item. With prefix arg remove the scheduling timestamp
8885 @orgcmd{C-c C-d,org-agenda-deadline}
8886 Set a deadline for this item. With prefix arg remove the deadline.
8888 @orgcmd{S-@key{right},org-agenda-do-date-later}
8889 Change the timestamp associated with the current line by one day into the
8890 future. If the date is in the past, the first call to this command will move
8892 With a numeric prefix argument, change it by that many days. For example,
8893 @kbd{3 6 5 S-@key{right}} will change it by a year. With a @kbd{C-u} prefix,
8894 change the time by one hour. If you immediately repeat the command, it will
8895 continue to change hours even without the prefix arg. With a double @kbd{C-u
8896 C-u} prefix, do the same for changing minutes.@*
8897 The stamp is changed in the original Org file, but the change is not directly
8898 reflected in the agenda buffer. Use @kbd{r} or @kbd{g} to update the buffer.
8900 @orgcmd{S-@key{left},org-agenda-do-date-earlier}
8901 Change the timestamp associated with the current line by one day
8904 @orgcmd{>,org-agenda-date-prompt}
8905 Change the timestamp associated with the current line. The key @kbd{>} has
8906 been chosen, because it is the same as @kbd{S-.} on my keyboard.
8908 @orgcmd{I,org-agenda-clock-in}
8909 Start the clock on the current item. If a clock is running already, it
8912 @orgcmd{O,org-agenda-clock-out}
8913 Stop the previously started clock.
8915 @orgcmd{X,org-agenda-clock-cancel}
8916 Cancel the currently running clock.
8918 @orgcmd{J,org-agenda-clock-goto}
8919 Jump to the running clock in another window.
8921 @orgcmd{k,org-agenda-capture}
8922 Like @code{org-capture}, but use the date at point as the default date for
8923 the capture template. See @code{org-capture-use-agenda-date} to make this
8924 the default behavior of @code{org-capture}.
8925 @cindex capturing, from agenda
8926 @vindex org-capture-use-agenda-date
8928 @tsubheading{Dragging agenda lines forward/backward}
8929 @cindex dragging, agenda lines
8931 @orgcmd{M-<up>,org-agenda-drag-line-backward}
8932 Drag the line at point backward one line@footnote{Moving agenda lines does
8933 not persist after an agenda refresh and does not modify the contributing
8934 @file{.org} files}. With a numeric prefix argument, drag backward by that
8937 @orgcmd{M-<down>,org-agenda-drag-line-forward}
8938 Drag the line at point forward one line. With a numeric prefix argument,
8939 drag forward by that many lines.
8941 @tsubheading{Bulk remote editing selected entries}
8942 @cindex remote editing, bulk, from agenda
8943 @vindex org-agenda-bulk-custom-functions
8945 @orgcmd{m,org-agenda-bulk-mark}
8946 Mark the entry at point for bulk action. With numeric prefix argument, mark
8947 that many successive entries.
8949 @orgcmd{*,org-agenda-bulk-mark-all}
8950 Mark all visible agenda entries for bulk action.
8952 @orgcmd{u,org-agenda-bulk-unmark}
8953 Unmark entry at point for bulk action.
8955 @orgcmd{U,org-agenda-bulk-remove-all-marks}
8956 Unmark all marked entries for bulk action.
8958 @orgcmd{M-m,org-agenda-bulk-toggle}
8959 Toggle mark of the entry at point for bulk action.
8961 @orgcmd{M-*,org-agenda-bulk-toggle-all}
8962 Toggle marks of all visible entries for bulk action.
8964 @orgcmd{%,org-agenda-bulk-mark-regexp}
8965 Mark entries matching a regular expression for bulk action.
8967 @orgcmd{B,org-agenda-bulk-action}
8968 Bulk action: act on all marked entries in the agenda. This will prompt for
8969 another key to select the action to be applied. The prefix arg to @kbd{B}
8970 will be passed through to the @kbd{s} and @kbd{d} commands, to bulk-remove
8971 these special timestamps. By default, marks are removed after the bulk. If
8972 you want them to persist, set @code{org-agenda-bulk-persistent-marks} to
8973 @code{t} or hit @kbd{p} at the prompt.
8977 Toggle persistent marks.
8979 Archive all selected entries.
8981 Archive entries by moving them to their respective archive siblings.
8983 Change TODO state. This prompts for a single TODO keyword and changes the
8984 state of all selected entries, bypassing blocking and suppressing logging
8985 notes (but not timestamps).
8987 Add a tag to all selected entries.
8989 Remove a tag from all selected entries.
8991 Schedule all items to a new date. To shift existing schedule dates by a
8992 fixed number of days, use something starting with double plus at the prompt,
8993 for example @samp{++8d} or @samp{++2w}.
8995 Set deadline to a specific date.
8997 Prompt for a single refile target and move all entries. The entries will no
8998 longer be in the agenda; refresh (@kbd{g}) to bring them back.
9000 Reschedule randomly into the coming N days. N will be prompted for. With
9001 prefix arg (@kbd{C-u B S}), scatter only across weekdays.
9003 Apply a function@footnote{You can also create persistent custom functions
9004 through @code{org-agenda-bulk-custom-functions}.} to marked entries. For
9005 example, the function below sets the CATEGORY property of the entries to web.
9009 (defun set-category ()
9011 (let* ((marker (or (org-get-at-bol 'org-hd-marker)
9012 (org-agenda-error)))
9013 (buffer (marker-buffer marker)))
9014 (with-current-buffer buffer
9019 (org-back-to-heading t)
9020 (org-set-property "CATEGORY" "web"))))))
9025 @tsubheading{Calendar commands}
9026 @cindex calendar commands, from agenda
9028 @orgcmd{c,org-agenda-goto-calendar}
9029 Open the Emacs calendar and move to the date at the agenda cursor.
9031 @orgcmd{c,org-calendar-goto-agenda}
9032 When in the calendar, compute and show the Org mode agenda for the
9035 @cindex diary entries, creating from agenda
9036 @orgcmd{i,org-agenda-diary-entry}
9037 @vindex org-agenda-diary-file
9038 Insert a new entry into the diary, using the date at the cursor and (for
9039 block entries) the date at the mark. This will add to the Emacs diary
9040 file@footnote{This file is parsed for the agenda when
9041 @code{org-agenda-include-diary} is set.}, in a way similar to the @kbd{i}
9042 command in the calendar. The diary file will pop up in another window, where
9043 you can add the entry.
9045 If you configure @code{org-agenda-diary-file} to point to an Org mode file,
9046 Org will create entries (in Org mode syntax) in that file instead. Most
9047 entries will be stored in a date-based outline tree that will later make it
9048 easy to archive appointments from previous months/years. The tree will be
9049 built under an entry with a @code{DATE_TREE} property, or else with years as
9050 top-level entries. Emacs will prompt you for the entry text---if you specify
9051 it, the entry will be created in @code{org-agenda-diary-file} without further
9052 interaction. If you directly press @key{RET} at the prompt without typing
9053 text, the target file will be shown in another window for you to finish the
9054 entry there. See also the @kbd{k r} command.
9056 @orgcmd{M,org-agenda-phases-of-moon}
9057 Show the phases of the moon for the three months around current date.
9059 @orgcmd{S,org-agenda-sunrise-sunset}
9060 Show sunrise and sunset times. The geographical location must be set
9061 with calendar variables, see the documentation for the Emacs calendar.
9063 @orgcmd{C,org-agenda-convert-date}
9064 Convert the date at cursor into many other cultural and historic
9067 @orgcmd{H,org-agenda-holidays}
9068 Show holidays for three months around the cursor date.
9070 @item M-x org-icalendar-combine-agenda-files RET
9071 Export a single iCalendar file containing entries from all agenda files.
9072 This is a globally available command, and also available in the agenda menu.
9074 @tsubheading{Exporting to a file}
9075 @orgcmd{C-x C-w,org-agenda-write}
9076 @cindex exporting agenda views
9077 @cindex agenda views, exporting
9078 @vindex org-agenda-exporter-settings
9079 Write the agenda view to a file. Depending on the extension of the selected
9080 file name, the view will be exported as HTML (@file{.html} or @file{.htm}),
9081 Postscript (@file{.ps}), PDF (@file{.pdf}), Org (@file{.org}) and plain text
9082 (any other extension). When exporting to Org, only the body of original
9083 headlines are exported, not subtrees or inherited tags. When called with a
9084 @kbd{C-u} prefix argument, immediately open the newly created file. Use the
9085 variable @code{org-agenda-exporter-settings} to set options for
9086 @file{ps-print} and for @file{htmlize} to be used during export.
9088 @tsubheading{Quit and Exit}
9089 @orgcmd{q,org-agenda-quit}
9090 Quit agenda, remove the agenda buffer.
9092 @cindex agenda files, removing buffers
9093 @orgcmd{x,org-agenda-exit}
9094 Exit agenda, remove the agenda buffer and all buffers loaded by Emacs
9095 for the compilation of the agenda. Buffers created by the user to
9096 visit Org files will not be removed.
9100 @node Custom agenda views
9101 @section Custom agenda views
9102 @cindex custom agenda views
9103 @cindex agenda views, custom
9105 Custom agenda commands serve two purposes: to store and quickly access
9106 frequently used TODO and tags searches, and to create special composite
9107 agenda buffers. Custom agenda commands will be accessible through the
9108 dispatcher (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}), just like the default commands.
9111 * Storing searches:: Type once, use often
9112 * Block agenda:: All the stuff you need in a single buffer
9113 * Setting options:: Changing the rules
9116 @node Storing searches
9117 @subsection Storing searches
9119 The first application of custom searches is the definition of keyboard
9120 shortcuts for frequently used searches, either creating an agenda
9121 buffer, or a sparse tree (the latter covering of course only the current
9124 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands
9125 @cindex agenda views, main example
9126 @cindex agenda, as an agenda views
9127 @cindex agenda*, as an agenda views
9128 @cindex tags, as an agenda view
9129 @cindex todo, as an agenda view
9135 Custom commands are configured in the variable
9136 @code{org-agenda-custom-commands}. You can customize this variable, for
9137 example by pressing @kbd{C-c a C}. You can also directly set it with Emacs
9138 Lisp in @file{.emacs}. The following example contains all valid agenda
9143 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
9146 ("w" todo "WAITING")
9147 ("W" todo-tree "WAITING")
9148 ("u" tags "+boss-urgent")
9149 ("v" tags-todo "+boss-urgent")
9150 ("U" tags-tree "+boss-urgent")
9151 ("f" occur-tree "\\<FIXME\\>")
9152 ("h" . "HOME+Name tags searches") ; description for "h" prefix
9153 ("hl" tags "+home+Lisa")
9154 ("hp" tags "+home+Peter")
9155 ("hk" tags "+home+Kim")))
9160 The initial string in each entry defines the keys you have to press
9161 after the dispatcher command @kbd{C-c a} in order to access the command.
9162 Usually this will be just a single character, but if you have many
9163 similar commands, you can also define two-letter combinations where the
9164 first character is the same in several combinations and serves as a
9165 prefix key@footnote{You can provide a description for a prefix key by
9166 inserting a cons cell with the prefix and the description.}. The second
9167 parameter is the search type, followed by the string or regular
9168 expression to be used for the matching. The example above will
9173 as a global search for agenda entries planned@footnote{@emph{Planned} means
9174 here that these entries have some planning information attached to them, like
9175 a time-stamp, a scheduled or a deadline string. See
9176 @code{org-agenda-entry-types} on how to set what planning information will be
9177 taken into account.} this week/day.
9179 as a global search for agenda entries planned this week/day, but only those
9180 with an hour specification like @code{[h]h:mm}---think of them as appointments.
9182 as a global search for TODO entries with @samp{WAITING} as the TODO
9185 as the same search, but only in the current buffer and displaying the
9186 results as a sparse tree
9188 as a global tags search for headlines marked @samp{:boss:} but not
9191 as the same search as @kbd{C-c a u}, but limiting the search to
9192 headlines that are also TODO items
9194 as the same search as @kbd{C-c a u}, but only in the current buffer and
9195 displaying the result as a sparse tree
9197 to create a sparse tree (again: current buffer only) with all entries
9198 containing the word @samp{FIXME}
9200 as a prefix command for a HOME tags search where you have to press an
9201 additional key (@kbd{l}, @kbd{p} or @kbd{k}) to select a name (Lisa,
9202 Peter, or Kim) as additional tag to match.
9205 Note that the @code{*-tree} agenda views need to be called from an
9206 Org buffer as they operate on the current buffer only.
9209 @subsection Block agenda
9210 @cindex block agenda
9211 @cindex agenda, with block views
9213 Another possibility is the construction of agenda views that comprise
9214 the results of @emph{several} commands, each of which creates a block in
9215 the agenda buffer. The available commands include @code{agenda} for the
9216 daily or weekly agenda (as created with @kbd{C-c a a}), @code{alltodo}
9217 for the global TODO list (as constructed with @kbd{C-c a t}), and the
9218 matching commands discussed above: @code{todo}, @code{tags}, and
9219 @code{tags-todo}. Here are two examples:
9223 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
9224 '(("h" "Agenda and Home-related tasks"
9228 ("o" "Agenda and Office-related tasks"
9236 This will define @kbd{C-c a h} to create a multi-block view for stuff
9237 you need to attend to at home. The resulting agenda buffer will contain
9238 your agenda for the current week, all TODO items that carry the tag
9239 @samp{home}, and also all lines tagged with @samp{garden}. Finally the
9240 command @kbd{C-c a o} provides a similar view for office tasks.
9242 @node Setting options
9243 @subsection Setting options for custom commands
9244 @cindex options, for custom agenda views
9246 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands
9247 Org mode contains a number of variables regulating agenda construction
9248 and display. The global variables define the behavior for all agenda
9249 commands, including the custom commands. However, if you want to change
9250 some settings just for a single custom view, you can do so. Setting
9251 options requires inserting a list of variable names and values at the
9252 right spot in @code{org-agenda-custom-commands}. For example:
9256 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
9257 '(("w" todo "WAITING"
9258 ((org-agenda-sorting-strategy '(priority-down))
9259 (org-agenda-prefix-format " Mixed: ")))
9260 ("U" tags-tree "+boss-urgent"
9261 ((org-show-following-heading nil)
9262 (org-show-hierarchy-above nil)))
9264 ((org-agenda-files '("~org/notes.org"))
9265 (org-agenda-text-search-extra-files nil)))))
9270 Now the @kbd{C-c a w} command will sort the collected entries only by
9271 priority, and the prefix format is modified to just say @samp{ Mixed: }
9272 instead of giving the category of the entry. The sparse tags tree of
9273 @kbd{C-c a U} will now turn out ultra-compact, because neither the
9274 headline hierarchy above the match, nor the headline following the match
9275 will be shown. The command @kbd{C-c a N} will do a text search limited
9276 to only a single file.
9278 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands
9279 For command sets creating a block agenda,
9280 @code{org-agenda-custom-commands} has two separate spots for setting
9281 options. You can add options that should be valid for just a single
9282 command in the set, and options that should be valid for all commands in
9283 the set. The former are just added to the command entry; the latter
9284 must come after the list of command entries. Going back to the block
9285 agenda example (@pxref{Block agenda}), let's change the sorting strategy
9286 for the @kbd{C-c a h} commands to @code{priority-down}, but let's sort
9287 the results for GARDEN tags query in the opposite order,
9288 @code{priority-up}. This would look like this:
9292 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
9293 '(("h" "Agenda and Home-related tasks"
9297 ((org-agenda-sorting-strategy '(priority-up)))))
9298 ((org-agenda-sorting-strategy '(priority-down))))
9299 ("o" "Agenda and Office-related tasks"
9306 As you see, the values and parentheses setting is a little complex.
9307 When in doubt, use the customize interface to set this variable---it
9308 fully supports its structure. Just one caveat: when setting options in
9309 this interface, the @emph{values} are just Lisp expressions. So if the
9310 value is a string, you need to add the double-quotes around the value
9313 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands-contexts
9314 To control whether an agenda command should be accessible from a specific
9315 context, you can customize @code{org-agenda-custom-commands-contexts}. Let's
9316 say for example that you have an agenda command @code{"o"} displaying a view
9317 that you only need when reading emails. Then you would configure this option
9321 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands-contexts
9322 '(("o" (in-mode . "message-mode"))))
9325 You can also tell that the command key @code{"o"} should refer to another
9326 command key @code{"r"}. In that case, add this command key like this:
9329 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands-contexts
9330 '(("o" "r" (in-mode . "message-mode"))))
9333 See the docstring of the variable for more information.
9335 @node Exporting agenda views
9336 @section Exporting agenda views
9337 @cindex agenda views, exporting
9339 If you are away from your computer, it can be very useful to have a printed
9340 version of some agenda views to carry around. Org mode can export custom
9341 agenda views as plain text, HTML@footnote{You need to install Hrvoje Niksic's
9342 @file{htmlize.el}.}, Postscript, PDF@footnote{To create PDF output, the
9343 ghostscript @file{ps2pdf} utility must be installed on the system. Selecting
9344 a PDF file will also create the postscript file.}, and iCalendar files. If
9345 you want to do this only occasionally, use the command
9348 @orgcmd{C-x C-w,org-agenda-write}
9349 @cindex exporting agenda views
9350 @cindex agenda views, exporting
9351 @vindex org-agenda-exporter-settings
9352 Write the agenda view to a file. Depending on the extension of the selected
9353 file name, the view will be exported as HTML (extension @file{.html} or
9354 @file{.htm}), Postscript (extension @file{.ps}), iCalendar (extension
9355 @file{.ics}), or plain text (any other extension). Use the variable
9356 @code{org-agenda-exporter-settings} to set options for @file{ps-print} and
9357 for @file{htmlize} to be used during export, for example
9359 @vindex org-agenda-add-entry-text-maxlines
9360 @vindex htmlize-output-type
9361 @vindex ps-number-of-columns
9362 @vindex ps-landscape-mode
9364 (setq org-agenda-exporter-settings
9365 '((ps-number-of-columns 2)
9366 (ps-landscape-mode t)
9367 (org-agenda-add-entry-text-maxlines 5)
9368 (htmlize-output-type 'css)))
9372 If you need to export certain agenda views frequently, you can associate
9373 any custom agenda command with a list of output file names
9374 @footnote{If you want to store standard views like the weekly agenda
9375 or the global TODO list as well, you need to define custom commands for
9376 them in order to be able to specify file names.}. Here is an example
9377 that first defines custom commands for the agenda and the global
9378 TODO list, together with a number of files to which to export them.
9379 Then we define two block agenda commands and specify file names for them
9380 as well. File names can be relative to the current working directory,
9385 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
9386 '(("X" agenda "" nil ("agenda.html" "agenda.ps"))
9387 ("Y" alltodo "" nil ("todo.html" "todo.txt" "todo.ps"))
9388 ("h" "Agenda and Home-related tasks"
9393 ("~/views/home.html"))
9394 ("o" "Agenda and Office-related tasks"
9399 ("~/views/office.ps" "~/calendars/office.ics"))))
9403 The extension of the file name determines the type of export. If it is
9404 @file{.html}, Org mode will use the @file{htmlize.el} package to convert
9405 the buffer to HTML and save it to this file name. If the extension is
9406 @file{.ps}, @code{ps-print-buffer-with-faces} is used to produce
9407 Postscript output. If the extension is @file{.ics}, iCalendar export is
9408 run export over all files that were used to construct the agenda, and
9409 limit the export to entries listed in the agenda. Any other
9410 extension produces a plain ASCII file.
9412 The export files are @emph{not} created when you use one of those
9413 commands interactively because this might use too much overhead.
9414 Instead, there is a special command to produce @emph{all} specified
9418 @orgcmd{C-c a e,org-store-agenda-views}
9419 Export all agenda views that have export file names associated with
9423 You can use the options section of the custom agenda commands to also
9424 set options for the export commands. For example:
9427 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
9429 ((ps-number-of-columns 2)
9430 (ps-landscape-mode t)
9431 (org-agenda-prefix-format " [ ] ")
9432 (org-agenda-with-colors nil)
9433 (org-agenda-remove-tags t))
9438 This command sets two options for the Postscript exporter, to make it
9439 print in two columns in landscape format---the resulting page can be cut
9440 in two and then used in a paper agenda. The remaining settings modify
9441 the agenda prefix to omit category and scheduling information, and
9442 instead include a checkbox to check off items. We also remove the tags
9443 to make the lines compact, and we don't want to use colors for the
9444 black-and-white printer. Settings specified in
9445 @code{org-agenda-exporter-settings} will also apply, but the settings
9446 in @code{org-agenda-custom-commands} take precedence.
9449 From the command line you may also use
9451 emacs -eval (org-batch-store-agenda-views) -kill
9454 or, if you need to modify some parameters@footnote{Quoting depends on the
9455 system you use, please check the FAQ for examples.}
9457 emacs -eval '(org-batch-store-agenda-views \
9458 org-agenda-span (quote month) \
9459 org-agenda-start-day "2007-11-01" \
9460 org-agenda-include-diary nil \
9461 org-agenda-files (quote ("~/org/project.org")))' \
9465 which will create the agenda views restricted to the file
9466 @file{~/org/project.org}, without diary entries and with a 30-day
9469 You can also extract agenda information in a way that allows further
9470 processing by other programs. See @ref{Extracting agenda information}, for
9474 @node Agenda column view
9475 @section Using column view in the agenda
9476 @cindex column view, in agenda
9477 @cindex agenda, column view
9479 Column view (@pxref{Column view}) is normally used to view and edit
9480 properties embedded in the hierarchical structure of an Org file. It can be
9481 quite useful to use column view also from the agenda, where entries are
9482 collected by certain criteria.
9485 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-c,org-agenda-columns}
9486 Turn on column view in the agenda.
9489 To understand how to use this properly, it is important to realize that the
9490 entries in the agenda are no longer in their proper outline environment.
9491 This causes the following issues:
9495 @vindex org-columns-default-format
9496 @vindex org-overriding-columns-format
9497 Org needs to make a decision which @code{COLUMNS} format to use. Since the
9498 entries in the agenda are collected from different files, and different files
9499 may have different @code{COLUMNS} formats, this is a non-trivial problem.
9500 Org first checks if the variable @code{org-agenda-overriding-columns-format} is
9501 currently set, and if so, takes the format from there. Otherwise it takes
9502 the format associated with the first item in the agenda, or, if that item
9503 does not have a specific format (defined in a property, or in its file), it
9504 uses @code{org-columns-default-format}.
9506 @cindex property, special, CLOCKSUM
9507 If any of the columns has a summary type defined (@pxref{Column attributes}),
9508 turning on column view in the agenda will visit all relevant agenda files and
9509 make sure that the computations of this property are up to date. This is
9510 also true for the special @code{CLOCKSUM} property. Org will then sum the
9511 values displayed in the agenda. In the daily/weekly agenda, the sums will
9512 cover a single day; in all other views they cover the entire block. It is
9513 vital to realize that the agenda may show the same entry @emph{twice} (for
9514 example as scheduled and as a deadline), and it may show two entries from the
9515 same hierarchy (for example a @emph{parent} and its @emph{child}). In these
9516 cases, the summation in the agenda will lead to incorrect results because
9517 some values will count double.
9519 When the column view in the agenda shows the @code{CLOCKSUM}, that is always
9520 the entire clocked time for this item. So even in the daily/weekly agenda,
9521 the clocksum listed in column view may originate from times outside the
9522 current view. This has the advantage that you can compare these values with
9523 a column listing the planned total effort for a task---one of the major
9524 applications for column view in the agenda. If you want information about
9525 clocked time in the displayed period use clock table mode (press @kbd{R} in
9529 @cindex property, special, CLOCKSUM_T
9530 When the column view in the agenda shows the @code{CLOCKSUM_T}, that is
9531 always today's clocked time for this item. So even in the weekly agenda,
9532 the clocksum listed in column view only originates from today. This lets
9533 you compare the time you spent on a task for today, with the time already
9534 spent (via @code{CLOCKSUM}) and with the planned total effort for it.
9539 @chapter Markup for rich export
9541 When exporting Org mode documents, the exporter tries to reflect the
9542 structure of the document as accurately as possible in the back-end. Since
9543 export targets like HTML and @LaTeX{} allow much richer formatting, Org mode has
9544 rules on how to prepare text for rich export. This section summarizes the
9545 markup rules used in an Org mode buffer.
9548 * Structural markup elements:: The basic structure as seen by the exporter
9549 * Images and tables:: Images, tables and caption mechanism
9550 * Literal examples:: Source code examples with special formatting
9551 * Include files:: Include additional files into a document
9552 * Index entries:: Making an index
9553 * Macro replacement:: Use macros to create templates
9554 * Embedded @LaTeX{}:: LaTeX can be freely used inside Org documents
9555 * Special blocks:: Containers targeted at export back-ends
9558 @node Structural markup elements
9559 @section Structural markup elements
9562 * Document title:: Where the title is taken from
9563 * Headings and sections:: The document structure as seen by the exporter
9564 * Table of contents:: The if and where of the table of contents
9566 * Paragraphs:: Paragraphs
9567 * Footnote markup:: Footnotes
9568 * Emphasis and monospace:: Bold, italic, etc.
9569 * Horizontal rules:: Make a line
9570 * Comment lines:: What will *not* be exported
9573 @node Document title
9574 @subheading Document title
9575 @cindex document title, markup rules
9578 The title of the exported document is taken from the special line
9582 #+TITLE: This is the title of the document
9586 If this line does not exist, the title will be the name of the file
9587 associated with the buffer, without extension, or the buffer name.
9589 @cindex property, EXPORT_TITLE
9590 If you are exporting only a subtree, its heading will become the title of the
9591 document. If the subtree has a property @code{EXPORT_TITLE}, that will take
9594 @node Headings and sections
9595 @subheading Headings and sections
9596 @cindex headings and sections, markup rules
9598 @vindex org-export-headline-levels
9599 The outline structure of the document as described in @ref{Document
9600 structure}, forms the basis for defining sections of the exported document.
9601 However, since the outline structure is also used for (for example) lists of
9602 tasks, only the first three outline levels will be used as headings. Deeper
9603 levels will become itemized lists. You can change the location of this
9604 switch globally by setting the variable @code{org-export-headline-levels}, or on a
9605 per-file basis with a line
9612 @node Table of contents
9613 @subheading Table of contents
9614 @cindex table of contents, markup rules
9617 @vindex org-export-with-toc
9618 The table of contents is normally inserted directly before the first headline
9619 of the file. The depth of the table is by default the same as the number of
9620 headline levels, but you can choose a smaller number, or turn off the table
9621 of contents entirely, by configuring the variable @code{org-export-with-toc},
9622 or on a per-file basis with a line like
9625 #+OPTIONS: toc:2 (only to two levels in TOC)
9626 #+OPTIONS: toc:nil (no default TOC at all)
9629 If you would like to move the table of contents to a different location, you
9630 should turn off the detault table using @code{org-export-with-toc} or
9631 @code{#+OPTIONS} and insert @code{#+TOC: headlines N} at the desired
9635 #+OPTIONS: toc:nil (no default TOC)
9637 #+TOC: headlines 2 (insert TOC here, with two headline levels)
9640 Multiple @code{#+TOC: headline} lines are allowed. The same @code{TOC}
9641 keyword can also generate a list of all tables (resp.@: all listings) with a
9642 caption in the buffer.
9645 #+TOC: listings (build a list of listings)
9646 #+TOC: tables (build a list of tables)
9649 @cindex property, ALT_TITLE
9650 The headline's title usually determines its corresponding entry in a table of
9651 contents. However, it is possible to specify an alternative title by
9652 setting @code{ALT_TITLE} property accordingly. It will then be used when
9657 @cindex lists, markup rules
9659 Plain lists as described in @ref{Plain lists}, are translated to the back-end's
9660 syntax for such lists. Most back-ends support unordered, ordered, and
9664 @subheading Paragraphs, line breaks, and quoting
9665 @cindex paragraphs, markup rules
9667 Paragraphs are separated by at least one empty line. If you need to enforce
9668 a line break within a paragraph, use @samp{\\} at the end of a line.
9670 To keep the line breaks in a region, but otherwise use normal formatting, you
9671 can use this construct, which can also be used to format poetry.
9673 @cindex #+BEGIN_VERSE
9676 Great clouds overhead
9677 Tiny black birds rise and fall
9684 When quoting a passage from another document, it is customary to format this
9685 as a paragraph that is indented on both the left and the right margin. You
9686 can include quotations in Org mode documents like this:
9688 @cindex #+BEGIN_QUOTE
9691 Everything should be made as simple as possible,
9692 but not any simpler -- Albert Einstein
9696 If you would like to center some text, do it like this:
9697 @cindex #+BEGIN_CENTER
9700 Everything should be made as simple as possible, \\
9706 @node Footnote markup
9707 @subheading Footnote markup
9708 @cindex footnotes, markup rules
9709 @cindex @file{footnote.el}
9711 Footnotes defined in the way described in @ref{Footnotes}, will be exported
9712 by all back-ends. Org allows multiple references to the same note, and
9713 multiple footnotes side by side.
9715 @node Emphasis and monospace
9716 @subheading Emphasis and monospace
9718 @cindex underlined text, markup rules
9719 @cindex bold text, markup rules
9720 @cindex italic text, markup rules
9721 @cindex verbatim text, markup rules
9722 @cindex code text, markup rules
9723 @cindex strike-through text, markup rules
9724 @vindex org-fontify-emphasized-text
9725 @vindex org-emphasis-regexp-components
9726 @vindex org-emphasis-alist
9727 You can make words @b{*bold*}, @i{/italic/}, _underlined_, @code{=code=}
9728 and @code{~verbatim~}, and, if you must, @samp{+strike-through+}. Text
9729 in the code and verbatim string is not processed for Org mode specific
9730 syntax, it is exported verbatim.
9732 To turn off fontification for marked up text, you can set
9733 @code{org-fontify-emphasized-text} to @code{nil}. To narrow down the list of
9734 available markup syntax, you can customize @code{org-emphasis-alist}. To fine
9735 tune what characters are allowed before and after the markup characters, you
9736 can tweak @code{org-emphasis-regexp-components}. Beware that changing one of
9737 the above variables will no take effect until you reload Org, for which you
9738 may need to restart Emacs.
9740 @node Horizontal rules
9741 @subheading Horizontal rules
9742 @cindex horizontal rules, markup rules
9743 A line consisting of only dashes, and at least 5 of them, will be exported as
9747 @subheading Comment lines
9748 @cindex comment lines
9749 @cindex exporting, not
9750 @cindex #+BEGIN_COMMENT
9752 Lines starting with zero or more whitespace characters followed by one
9753 @samp{#} and a whitespace are treated as comments and will never be exported.
9754 Also entire subtrees starting with the word @samp{COMMENT} will never be
9755 exported. Finally, regions surrounded by @samp{#+BEGIN_COMMENT}
9756 ... @samp{#+END_COMMENT} will not be exported.
9761 Toggle the COMMENT keyword at the beginning of an entry.
9765 @node Images and tables
9766 @section Images and Tables
9768 @cindex tables, markup rules
9771 Both the native Org mode tables (@pxref{Tables}) and tables formatted with
9772 the @file{table.el} package will be exported properly. For Org mode tables,
9773 the lines before the first horizontal separator line will become table header
9774 lines. You can use the following lines somewhere before the table to assign
9775 a caption and a label for cross references, and in the text you can refer to
9776 the object with @code{[[tab:basic-data]]} (@pxref{Internal links}):
9779 #+CAPTION: This is the caption for the next table (or link)
9780 #+NAME: tab:basic-data
9785 Optionally, the caption can take the form:
9787 #+CAPTION[Caption for list of tables]: Caption for table.
9790 @cindex inlined images, markup rules
9791 Some back-ends allow you to directly include images into the exported
9792 document. Org does this, if a link to an image files does not have
9793 a description part, for example @code{[[./img/a.jpg]]}. If you wish to
9794 define a caption for the image and maybe a label for internal cross
9795 references, make sure that the link is on a line by itself and precede it
9796 with @code{#+CAPTION} and @code{#+NAME} as follows:
9799 #+CAPTION: This is the caption for the next figure link (or table)
9800 #+NAME: fig:SED-HR4049
9805 Such images can be displayed within the buffer. @xref{Handling links,the
9806 discussion of image links}.
9808 Even though images and tables are prominent examples of captioned structures,
9809 the same caption mechanism can apply to many others (e.g., @LaTeX{}
9810 equations, source code blocks). Depending on the export back-end, those may
9811 or may not be handled.
9813 @node Literal examples
9814 @section Literal examples
9815 @cindex literal examples, markup rules
9816 @cindex code line references, markup rules
9818 You can include literal examples that should not be subjected to
9819 markup. Such examples will be typeset in monospace, so this is well suited
9820 for source code and similar examples.
9821 @cindex #+BEGIN_EXAMPLE
9825 Some example from a text file.
9829 Note that such blocks may be @i{indented} in order to align nicely with
9830 indented text and in particular with plain list structure (@pxref{Plain
9831 lists}). For simplicity when using small examples, you can also start the
9832 example lines with a colon followed by a space. There may also be additional
9833 whitespace before the colon:
9837 : Some example from a text file.
9840 @cindex formatting source code, markup rules
9841 If the example is source code from a programming language, or any other text
9842 that can be marked up by font-lock in Emacs, you can ask for the example to
9843 look like the fontified Emacs buffer@footnote{This works automatically for
9844 the HTML back-end (it requires version 1.34 of the @file{htmlize.el} package,
9845 which is distributed with Org). Fontified code chunks in @LaTeX{} can be
9846 achieved using either the listings or the
9847 @url{http://code.google.com/p/minted, minted,} package. Refer to
9848 @code{org-latex-listings} documentation for details.}. This is done
9849 with the @samp{src} block, where you also need to specify the name of the
9850 major mode that should be used to fontify the example@footnote{Code in
9851 @samp{src} blocks may also be evaluated either interactively or on export.
9852 See @pxref{Working with source code} for more information on evaluating code
9853 blocks.}, see @ref{Easy templates} for shortcuts to easily insert code
9858 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
9859 (defun org-xor (a b)
9865 Both in @code{example} and in @code{src} snippets, you can add a @code{-n}
9866 switch to the end of the @code{BEGIN} line, to get the lines of the example
9867 numbered. If you use a @code{+n} switch, the numbering from the previous
9868 numbered snippet will be continued in the current one. In literal examples,
9869 Org will interpret strings like @samp{(ref:name)} as labels, and use them as
9870 targets for special hyperlinks like @code{[[(name)]]} (i.e., the reference name
9871 enclosed in single parenthesis). In HTML, hovering the mouse over such a
9872 link will remote-highlight the corresponding code line, which is kind of
9875 You can also add a @code{-r} switch which @i{removes} the labels from the
9876 source code@footnote{Adding @code{-k} to @code{-n -r} will @i{keep} the
9877 labels in the source code while using line numbers for the links, which might
9878 be useful to explain those in an Org mode example code.}. With the @code{-n}
9879 switch, links to these references will be labeled by the line numbers from
9880 the code listing, otherwise links will use the labels with no parentheses.
9884 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp -n -r
9885 (save-excursion (ref:sc)
9886 (goto-char (point-min)) (ref:jump)
9888 In line [[(sc)]] we remember the current position. [[(jump)][Line (jump)]]
9892 @vindex org-coderef-label-format
9893 If the syntax for the label format conflicts with the language syntax, use a
9894 @code{-l} switch to change the format, for example @samp{#+BEGIN_SRC pascal
9895 -n -r -l "((%s))"}. See also the variable @code{org-coderef-label-format}.
9897 HTML export also allows examples to be published as text areas (@pxref{Text
9898 areas in HTML export}).
9900 Because the @code{#+BEGIN_...} and @code{#+END_...} patterns need to be added
9901 so often, shortcuts are provided using the Easy templates facility
9902 (@pxref{Easy templates}).
9907 Edit the source code example at point in its native mode. This works by
9908 switching to a temporary buffer with the source code. You need to exit by
9909 pressing @kbd{C-c '} again@footnote{Upon exit, lines starting with @samp{*},
9910 @samp{,*}, @samp{#+} and @samp{,#+} will get a comma prepended, to keep them
9911 from being interpreted by Org as outline nodes or special syntax. These
9912 commas will be stripped for editing with @kbd{C-c '}, and also for export.}.
9913 The edited version will then replace the old version in the Org buffer.
9914 Fixed-width regions (where each line starts with a colon followed by a space)
9915 will be edited using @code{artist-mode}@footnote{You may select
9916 a different-mode with the variable @code{org-edit-fixed-width-region-mode}.}
9917 to allow creating ASCII drawings easily. Using this command in an empty line
9918 will create a new fixed-width region.
9921 Calling @code{org-store-link} while editing a source code example in a
9922 temporary buffer created with @kbd{C-c '} will prompt for a label. Make sure
9923 that it is unique in the current buffer, and insert it with the proper
9924 formatting like @samp{(ref:label)} at the end of the current line. Then the
9925 label is stored as a link @samp{(label)}, for retrieval with @kbd{C-c C-l}.
9930 @section Include files
9931 @cindex include files, markup rules
9933 During export, you can include the content of another file. For example, to
9934 include your @file{.emacs} file, you could use:
9938 #+INCLUDE: "~/.emacs" src emacs-lisp
9942 The optional second and third parameter are the markup (e.g., @samp{quote},
9943 @samp{example}, or @samp{src}), and, if the markup is @samp{src}, the
9944 language for formatting the contents. The markup is optional; if it is not
9945 given, the text will be assumed to be in Org mode format and will be
9948 Contents of the included file will belong to the same structure (headline,
9949 item) containing the @code{INCLUDE} keyword. In particular, headlines within
9950 the file will become children of the current section. That behaviour can be
9951 changed by providing an additional keyword parameter, @code{:minlevel}. In
9952 that case, all headlines in the included file will be shifted so the one with
9953 the lowest level reaches that specified level. For example, to make a file
9954 become a sibling of the current top-level headline, use
9957 #+INCLUDE: "~/my-book/chapter2.org" :minlevel 1
9960 You can also include a portion of a file by specifying a lines range using
9961 the @code{:lines} parameter. The line at the upper end of the range will not
9962 be included. The start and/or the end of the range may be omitted to use the
9966 #+INCLUDE: "~/.emacs" :lines "5-10" @r{Include lines 5 to 10, 10 excluded}
9967 #+INCLUDE: "~/.emacs" :lines "-10" @r{Include lines 1 to 10, 10 excluded}
9968 #+INCLUDE: "~/.emacs" :lines "10-" @r{Include lines from 10 to EOF}
9974 Visit the include file at point.
9978 @section Index entries
9979 @cindex index entries, for publishing
9981 You can specify entries that will be used for generating an index during
9982 publishing. This is done by lines starting with @code{#+INDEX}. An entry
9983 the contains an exclamation mark will create a sub item. See @ref{Generating
9984 an index} for more information.
9989 #+INDEX: Application!CV
9995 @node Macro replacement
9996 @section Macro replacement
9997 @cindex macro replacement, during export
10000 You can define text snippets with
10003 #+MACRO: name replacement text $1, $2 are arguments
10006 @noindent which can be referenced in
10007 paragraphs, verse blocks, table cells and some keywords with
10008 @code{@{@{@{name(arg1,arg2)@}@}@}}@footnote{Since commas separate arguments,
10009 commas within arguments have to be escaped with a backslash character.
10010 Conversely, backslash characters before a comma, and only them, need to be
10011 escaped with another backslash character.}. In addition to defined macros,
10012 @code{@{@{@{title@}@}@}}, @code{@{@{@{author@}@}@}}, etc., will reference
10013 information set by the @code{#+TITLE:}, @code{#+AUTHOR:}, and similar lines.
10014 Also, @code{@{@{@{time(@var{FORMAT})@}@}@}} and
10015 @code{@{@{@{modification-time(@var{FORMAT})@}@}@}} refer to current date time
10016 and to the modification time of the file being exported, respectively.
10017 @var{FORMAT} should be a format string understood by
10018 @code{format-time-string}.
10020 Macro expansion takes place during export.
10023 @node Embedded @LaTeX{}
10024 @section Embedded @LaTeX{}
10025 @cindex @TeX{} interpretation
10026 @cindex @LaTeX{} interpretation
10028 Plain ASCII is normally sufficient for almost all note taking. Exceptions
10029 include scientific notes, which often require mathematical symbols and the
10030 occasional formula. @LaTeX{}@footnote{@LaTeX{} is a macro system based on
10031 Donald E. Knuth's @TeX{} system. Many of the features described here as
10032 ``@LaTeX{}'' are really from @TeX{}, but for simplicity I am blurring this
10033 distinction.} is widely used to typeset scientific documents. Org mode
10034 supports embedding @LaTeX{} code into its files, because many academics are
10035 used to writing and reading @LaTeX{} source code, and because it can be
10036 readily processed to produce pretty output for a number of export back-ends.
10039 * Special symbols:: Greek letters and other symbols
10040 * Subscripts and superscripts:: Simple syntax for raising/lowering text
10041 * @LaTeX{} fragments:: Complex formulas made easy
10042 * Previewing @LaTeX{} fragments:: What will this snippet look like?
10043 * CDLaTeX mode:: Speed up entering of formulas
10046 @node Special symbols
10047 @subsection Special symbols
10048 @cindex math symbols
10049 @cindex special symbols
10050 @cindex @TeX{} macros
10051 @cindex @LaTeX{} fragments, markup rules
10052 @cindex HTML entities
10053 @cindex @LaTeX{} entities
10055 You can use @LaTeX{}-like syntax to insert special symbols like @samp{\alpha}
10056 to indicate the Greek letter, or @samp{\to} to indicate an arrow. Completion
10057 for these symbols is available, just type @samp{\} and maybe a few letters,
10058 and press @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} to see possible completions. Unlike @LaTeX{}
10059 code, Org mode allows these symbols to be present without surrounding math
10060 delimiters, for example:
10063 Angles are written as Greek letters \alpha, \beta and \gamma.
10066 @vindex org-entities
10067 During export, these symbols will be transformed into the native format of
10068 the exporter back-end. Strings like @code{\alpha} will be exported as
10069 @code{α} in the HTML output, and as @code{$\alpha$} in the @LaTeX{}
10070 output. Similarly, @code{\nbsp} will become @code{ } in HTML and
10071 @code{~} in @LaTeX{}. If you need such a symbol inside a word, terminate it
10072 like this: @samp{\Aacute@{@}stor}.
10074 A large number of entities is provided, with names taken from both HTML and
10075 @LaTeX{}; see the variable @code{org-entities} for the complete list.
10076 @samp{\-} is treated as a shy hyphen, and @samp{--}, @samp{---}, and
10077 @samp{...} are all converted into special commands creating hyphens of
10078 different lengths or a compact set of dots.
10080 If you would like to see entities displayed as UTF-8 characters, use the
10081 following command@footnote{You can turn this on by default by setting the
10082 variable @code{org-pretty-entities}, or on a per-file base with the
10083 @code{#+STARTUP} option @code{entitiespretty}.}:
10086 @cindex @code{entitiespretty}, STARTUP keyword
10089 Toggle display of entities as UTF-8 characters. This does not change the
10090 buffer content which remains plain ASCII, but it overlays the UTF-8 character
10091 for display purposes only.
10094 @node Subscripts and superscripts
10095 @subsection Subscripts and superscripts
10097 @cindex superscript
10099 Just like in @LaTeX{}, @samp{^} and @samp{_} are used to indicate super- and
10100 subscripts. Again, these can be used without embedding them in math-mode
10101 delimiters. To increase the readability of ASCII text, it is not necessary
10102 (but OK) to surround multi-character sub- and superscripts with curly braces.
10106 The mass of the sun is M_sun = 1.989 x 10^30 kg. The radius of
10107 the sun is R_@{sun@} = 6.96 x 10^8 m.
10110 @vindex org-use-sub-superscripts
10111 To avoid interpretation as raised or lowered text, you can quote @samp{^} and
10112 @samp{_} with a backslash: @samp{\^} and @samp{\_}. If you write a text
10113 where the underscore is often used in a different context, Org's convention
10114 to always interpret these as subscripts can get in your way. Configure the
10115 variable @code{org-use-sub-superscripts} to change this convention. For
10116 example, when setting this variable to @code{@{@}}, @samp{a_b} will not be
10117 interpreted as a subscript, but @samp{a_@{b@}} will.
10122 In addition to showing entities as UTF-8 characters, this command will also
10123 format sub- and superscripts in a WYSIWYM way.
10126 @node @LaTeX{} fragments
10127 @subsection @LaTeX{} fragments
10128 @cindex @LaTeX{} fragments
10130 @vindex org-format-latex-header
10131 Going beyond symbols and sub- and superscripts, a full formula language is
10132 needed. Org mode can contain @LaTeX{} math fragments, and it supports ways
10133 to process these for several export back-ends. When exporting to @LaTeX{},
10134 the code is obviously left as it is. When exporting to HTML, Org invokes the
10135 @uref{http://www.mathjax.org, MathJax library} (@pxref{Math formatting in
10136 HTML export}) to process and display the math@footnote{If you plan to use
10137 this regularly or on pages with significant page views, you should install
10138 @file{MathJax} on your own server in order to limit the load of our server.}.
10139 Finally, it can also process the mathematical expressions into
10140 images@footnote{For this to work you need to be on a system with a working
10141 @LaTeX{} installation. You also need the @file{dvipng} program or the
10142 @file{convert}, respectively available at
10143 @url{http://sourceforge.net/projects/dvipng/} and from the @file{imagemagick}
10144 suite. The @LaTeX{} header that will be used when processing a fragment can
10145 be configured with the variable @code{org-format-latex-header}.} that can be
10146 displayed in a browser.
10148 @LaTeX{} fragments don't need any special marking at all. The following
10149 snippets will be identified as @LaTeX{} source code:
10152 Environments of any kind@footnote{When @file{MathJax} is used, only the
10153 environments recognized by @file{MathJax} will be processed. When
10154 @file{dvipng} program or @file{imagemagick} suite is used to create images,
10155 any @LaTeX{} environment will be handled.}. The only requirement is that the
10156 @code{\begin} and @code{\end} statements appear on a new line, at the
10157 beginning of the line or after whitespaces only.
10159 Text within the usual @LaTeX{} math delimiters. To avoid conflicts with
10160 currency specifications, single @samp{$} characters are only recognized as
10161 math delimiters if the enclosed text contains at most two line breaks, is
10162 directly attached to the @samp{$} characters with no whitespace in between,
10163 and if the closing @samp{$} is followed by whitespace, punctuation or a dash.
10164 For the other delimiters, there is no such restriction, so when in doubt, use
10165 @samp{\(...\)} as inline math delimiters.
10168 @noindent For example:
10175 If $a^2=b$ and \( b=2 \), then the solution must be
10176 either $$ a=+\sqrt@{2@} $$ or \[ a=-\sqrt@{2@} \].
10181 @c @vindex org-format-latex-options
10182 @c If you need any of the delimiter ASCII sequences for other purposes, you
10183 @c can configure the option @code{org-format-latex-options} to deselect the
10184 @c ones you do not wish to have interpreted by the @LaTeX{} converter.
10186 @vindex org-export-with-latex
10187 @LaTeX{} processing can be configured with the variable
10188 @code{org-export-with-latex}. The default setting is @code{t} which means
10189 @file{MathJax} for HTML, and no processing for ASCII and @LaTeX{} back-ends.
10190 You can also set this variable on a per-file basis using one of these
10194 #+OPTIONS: tex:t @r{Do the right thing automatically (MathJax)}
10195 #+OPTIONS: tex:nil @r{Do not process @LaTeX{} fragments at all}
10196 #+OPTIONS: tex:verbatim @r{Verbatim export, for jsMath or so}
10199 @node Previewing @LaTeX{} fragments
10200 @subsection Previewing @LaTeX{} fragments
10201 @cindex @LaTeX{} fragments, preview
10203 @vindex org-latex-create-formula-image-program
10204 If you have @file{dvipng} or @file{imagemagick} installed@footnote{Choose the
10205 converter by setting the variable
10206 @code{org-latex-create-formula-image-program} accordingly.}, @LaTeX{}
10207 fragments can be processed to produce preview images of the typeset
10211 @kindex C-c C-x C-l
10213 Produce a preview image of the @LaTeX{} fragment at point and overlay it
10214 over the source code. If there is no fragment at point, process all
10215 fragments in the current entry (between two headlines). When called
10216 with a prefix argument, process the entire subtree. When called with
10217 two prefix arguments, or when the cursor is before the first headline,
10218 process the entire buffer.
10221 Remove the overlay preview images.
10224 @vindex org-format-latex-options
10225 You can customize the variable @code{org-format-latex-options} to influence
10226 some aspects of the preview. In particular, the @code{:scale} (and for HTML
10227 export, @code{:html-scale}) property can be used to adjust the size of the
10230 @vindex org-startup-with-latex-preview
10231 You can turn on the previewing of all @LaTeX{} fragments in a file with
10234 #+STARTUP: latexpreview
10237 To disable it, simply use
10240 #+STARTUP: nolatexpreview
10244 @subsection Using CD@LaTeX{} to enter math
10247 CD@LaTeX{} mode is a minor mode that is normally used in combination with a
10248 major @LaTeX{} mode like AUC@TeX{} in order to speed-up insertion of
10249 environments and math templates. Inside Org mode, you can make use of
10250 some of the features of CD@LaTeX{} mode. You need to install
10251 @file{cdlatex.el} and @file{texmathp.el} (the latter comes also with
10252 AUC@TeX{}) from @url{http://www.astro.uva.nl/~dominik/Tools/cdlatex}.
10253 Don't use CD@LaTeX{} mode itself under Org mode, but use the light
10254 version @code{org-cdlatex-mode} that comes as part of Org mode. Turn it
10255 on for the current buffer with @kbd{M-x org-cdlatex-mode RET}, or for all
10259 (add-hook 'org-mode-hook 'turn-on-org-cdlatex)
10262 When this mode is enabled, the following features are present (for more
10263 details see the documentation of CD@LaTeX{} mode):
10267 Environment templates can be inserted with @kbd{C-c @{}.
10270 The @key{TAB} key will do template expansion if the cursor is inside a
10271 @LaTeX{} fragment@footnote{Org mode has a method to test if the cursor is
10272 inside such a fragment, see the documentation of the function
10273 @code{org-inside-LaTeX-fragment-p}.}. For example, @key{TAB} will
10274 expand @code{fr} to @code{\frac@{@}@{@}} and position the cursor
10275 correctly inside the first brace. Another @key{TAB} will get you into
10276 the second brace. Even outside fragments, @key{TAB} will expand
10277 environment abbreviations at the beginning of a line. For example, if
10278 you write @samp{equ} at the beginning of a line and press @key{TAB},
10279 this abbreviation will be expanded to an @code{equation} environment.
10280 To get a list of all abbreviations, type @kbd{M-x cdlatex-command-help RET}.
10284 @vindex cdlatex-simplify-sub-super-scripts
10285 Pressing @kbd{_} and @kbd{^} inside a @LaTeX{} fragment will insert these
10286 characters together with a pair of braces. If you use @key{TAB} to move
10287 out of the braces, and if the braces surround only a single character or
10288 macro, they are removed again (depending on the variable
10289 @code{cdlatex-simplify-sub-super-scripts}).
10292 Pressing the backquote @kbd{`} followed by a character inserts math
10293 macros, also outside @LaTeX{} fragments. If you wait more than 1.5 seconds
10294 after the backquote, a help window will pop up.
10297 Pressing the single-quote @kbd{'} followed by another character modifies
10298 the symbol before point with an accent or a font. If you wait more than
10299 1.5 seconds after the single-quote, a help window will pop up. Character
10300 modification will work only inside @LaTeX{} fragments; outside the quote
10304 @node Special blocks
10305 @section Special blocks
10306 @cindex Special blocks
10308 Org syntax includes pre-defined blocks (@pxref{Paragraphs} and @ref{Literal
10309 examples}). It is also possible to create blocks containing raw code
10310 targeted at a specific back-end (e.g., @samp{#+BEGIN_LATEX}).
10312 Any other block is a @emph{special block}. Each export back-end decides if
10313 they should be exported, and how. When the block is ignored, its contents
10314 are still exported, as if the block were not there. For example, when
10315 exporting a @samp{#+BEGIN_TEST} block, HTML back-end wraps its contents
10316 within @samp{<div name="test">} tag. Refer to back-end specific
10317 documentation for more information.
10323 The Org mode export facilities can be used to export Org documents or parts
10324 of Org documents to a variety of other formats. In addition, these
10325 facilities can be used with @code{orgtbl-mode} and/or @code{orgstruct-mode}
10326 in foreign buffers so you can author tables and lists in Org syntax and
10327 convert them in place to the target language.
10329 ASCII export produces a readable and simple version of an Org file for
10330 printing and sharing notes. HTML export allows you to easily publish notes
10331 on the web, or to build full-fledged websites. @LaTeX{} export lets you use
10332 Org mode and its structured editing functions to create arbitrarily complex
10333 @LaTeX{} files for any kind of document. OpenDocument Text (ODT) export
10334 allows seamless collaboration across organizational boundaries. Markdown
10335 export lets you seamlessly collaborate with other developers. Finally, iCal
10336 export can extract entries with deadlines or appointments to produce a file
10337 in the iCalendar format.
10340 * The export dispatcher:: The main exporter interface
10341 * Export back-ends:: Built-in export formats
10342 * Export settings:: Generic export settings
10343 * ASCII/Latin-1/UTF-8 export:: Exporting to flat files with encoding
10344 * Beamer export:: Exporting as a Beamer presentation
10345 * HTML export:: Exporting to HTML
10346 * @LaTeX{} and PDF export:: Exporting to @LaTeX{}, and processing to PDF
10347 * Markdown export:: Exporting to Markdown
10348 * OpenDocument text export:: Exporting to OpenDocument Text
10349 * iCalendar export:: Exporting to iCalendar
10350 * Other built-in back-ends:: Exporting to @code{Texinfo}, a man page, or Org
10351 * Export in foreign buffers:: Author tables in lists in Org syntax
10352 * Advanced configuration:: Fine-tuning the export output
10355 @node The export dispatcher
10356 @section The export dispatcher
10357 @vindex org-export-dispatch-use-expert-ui
10358 @cindex Export, dispatcher
10360 The main entry point for export related tasks is the dispatcher, a
10361 hierarchical menu from which it is possible to select an export format and
10362 toggle export options@footnote{It is also possible to use a less intrusive
10363 interface by setting @code{org-export-dispatch-use-expert-ui} to a
10364 non-@code{nil} value. In that case, only a prompt is visible from the
10365 minibuffer. From there one can still switch back to regular menu by pressing
10366 @key{?}.} from which it is possible to select an export format and to toggle
10371 @orgcmd{C-c C-e,org-export-dispatch}
10373 Dispatch for export and publishing commands. When called with a @kbd{C-u}
10374 prefix argument, repeat the last export command on the current buffer while
10375 preserving toggled options. If the current buffer hasn't changed and subtree
10376 export was activated, the command will affect that same subtree.
10380 Normally the entire buffer is exported, but if there is an active region
10381 only that part of the buffer will be exported.
10383 Several export options (@pxref{Export settings}) can be toggled from the
10384 export dispatcher with the following key combinations:
10388 @vindex org-export-async-init-file
10389 Toggle asynchronous export. Asynchronous export uses an external Emacs
10390 process that is configured with a specified initialization file.
10392 While exporting asynchronously, the output is not displayed. It is stored in
10393 a list called ``the export stack'', and can be viewed from there. The stack
10394 can be reached by calling the dispatcher with a double @kbd{C-u} prefix
10395 argument, or with @kbd{&} key from the dispatcher.
10397 @vindex org-export-in-background
10398 To make this behaviour the default, customize the variable
10399 @code{org-export-in-background}.
10402 Toggle body-only export. Its effect depends on the back-end used.
10403 Typically, if the back-end has a header section (like @code{<head>...</head>}
10404 in the HTML back-end), a body-only export will not include this header.
10407 @vindex org-export-initial-scope
10408 Toggle subtree export. The top heading becomes the document title.
10410 You can change the default state of this option by setting
10411 @code{org-export-initial-scope}.
10414 Toggle visible-only export. Only export the text that is currently
10415 visible, i.e. not hidden by outline visibility in the buffer.
10419 @vindex org-export-copy-to-kill-ring
10420 With the exception of asynchronous export, a successful export process writes
10421 its output to the kill-ring. You can configure this behavior by altering the
10422 option @code{org-export-copy-to-kill-ring}.
10424 @node Export back-ends
10425 @section Export back-ends
10426 @cindex Export, back-ends
10428 An export back-end is a library that translates Org syntax into a foreign
10429 format. An export format is not available until the proper back-end has been
10432 @vindex org-export-backends
10433 By default, the following four back-ends are loaded: @code{ascii},
10434 @code{html}, @code{icalendar} and @code{latex}. It is possible to add more
10435 (or remove some) by customizing @code{org-export-backends}.
10437 Built-in back-ends include:
10440 @item ascii (ASCII format)
10441 @item beamer (@LaTeX{} Beamer format)
10442 @item html (HTML format)
10443 @item icalendar (iCalendar format)
10444 @item latex (@LaTeX{} format)
10445 @item man (Man page format)
10446 @item md (Markdown format)
10447 @item odt (OpenDocument Text format)
10448 @item texinfo (Texinfo format)
10451 Other back-ends might be found in the @code{contrib/} directory
10452 (@pxref{Installation}).
10454 @node Export settings
10455 @section Export settings
10456 @cindex Export, settings
10459 Export options can be set: globally with variables; for an individual file by
10460 making variables buffer-local with in-buffer settings (@pxref{In-buffer
10461 settings}), by setting individual keywords, or by specifying them in a
10462 compact form with the @code{#+OPTIONS} keyword; or for a tree by setting
10463 properties (@pxref{Properties and columns}). Options set at a specific level
10464 override options set at a more general level.
10466 @cindex #+SETUPFILE
10467 In-buffer settings may appear anywhere in the file, either directly or
10468 indirectly through a file included using @samp{#+SETUPFILE: filename} syntax.
10469 Option keyword sets tailored to a particular back-end can be inserted from
10470 the export dispatcher (@pxref{The export dispatcher}) using the @code{Insert
10471 template} command by pressing @key{#}. To insert keywords individually,
10472 a good way to make sure the keyword is correct is to type @code{#+} and then
10473 to use @kbd{M-<TAB>} for completion.
10475 The export keywords available for every back-end, and their equivalent global
10476 variables, include:
10481 @vindex user-full-name
10482 The document author (@code{user-full-name}).
10486 @vindex org-export-creator-string
10487 Entity responsible for output generation (@code{org-export-creator-string}).
10491 @vindex org-export-date-timestamp-format
10492 A date or a time-stamp@footnote{The variable
10493 @code{org-export-date-timestamp-format} defines how this time-stamp will be
10497 @cindex #+DESCRIPTION
10498 The document description. Back-ends handle it as they see fit (e.g., for the
10499 XHTML meta tag), if at all. You can use several such keywords for long
10504 @vindex user-mail-address
10505 The email address (@code{user-mail-address}).
10509 The keywords defining the contents of the document. Back-ends handle it as
10510 they see fit (e.g., for the XHTML meta tag), if at all. You can use several
10511 such keywords if the list is long.
10515 @vindex org-export-default-language
10516 The language used for translating some strings
10517 (@code{org-export-default-language}). E.g., @samp{#+LANGUAGE: fr} will tell
10518 Org to translate @emph{File} (english) into @emph{Fichier} (french) in the
10522 @cindex #+SELECT_TAGS
10523 @vindex org-export-select-tags
10524 The tags that select a tree for export (@code{org-export-select-tags}). The
10525 default value is @code{:export:}. Within a subtree tagged with
10526 @code{:export:}, you can still exclude entries with @code{:noexport:} (see
10530 @cindex #+EXCLUDE_TAGS
10531 @vindex org-export-exclude-tags
10532 The tags that exclude a tree from export (@code{org-export-exclude-tags}).
10533 The default value is @code{:noexport:}. Entries with the @code{:noexport:}
10534 tag will be unconditionally excluded from the export, even if they have an
10535 @code{:export:} tag.
10539 The title to be shown (otherwise derived from buffer's name). You can use
10540 several such keywords for long titles.
10543 The @code{#+OPTIONS} keyword is a compact@footnote{If you want to configure
10544 many options this way, you can use several @code{#+OPTIONS} lines.} form that
10545 recognizes the following arguments:
10549 @vindex org-export-with-smart-quotes
10550 Toggle smart quotes (@code{org-export-with-smart-quotes}).
10553 Toggle emphasized text (@code{org-export-with-emphasize}).
10556 @vindex org-export-with-special-strings
10557 Toggle conversion of special strings
10558 (@code{org-export-with-special-strings}).
10561 @vindex org-export-with-fixed-width
10562 Toggle fixed-width sections
10563 (@code{org-export-with-fixed-width}).
10566 @vindex org-export-with-timestamps
10567 Toggle inclusion of any time/date active/inactive stamps
10568 (@code{org-export-with-timestamps}).
10571 @vindex org-export-preserve-breaks
10572 Toggle line-break-preservation (@code{org-export-preserve-breaks}).
10575 @vindex org-export-with-sub-superscripts
10576 Toggle @TeX{}-like syntax for sub- and superscripts. If you write "^:@{@}",
10577 @samp{a_@{b@}} will be interpreted, but the simple @samp{a_b} will be left as
10578 it is (@code{org-export-with-sub-superscripts}).
10581 @vindex org-export-with-archived-trees
10582 Configure export of archived trees. Can be set to @code{headline} to only
10583 process the headline, skipping its contents
10584 (@code{org-export-with-archived-trees}).
10587 @vindex org-export-with-author
10588 Toggle inclusion of author name into exported file
10589 (@code{org-export-with-author}).
10592 @vindex org-export-with-clocks
10593 Toggle inclusion of CLOCK keywords (@code{org-export-with-clocks}).
10596 @vindex org-export-with-creator
10597 Configure inclusion of creator info into exported file. It may be set to
10598 @code{comment} (@code{org-export-with-creator}).
10601 @vindex org-export-with-drawers
10602 Toggle inclusion of drawers, or list drawers to include
10603 (@code{org-export-with-drawers}).
10606 @vindex org-export-with-entities
10607 Toggle inclusion of entities (@code{org-export-with-entities}).
10610 @vindex org-export-with-email
10611 Toggle inclusion of the author's e-mail into exported file
10612 (@code{org-export-with-email}).
10615 @vindex org-export-with-footnotes
10616 Toggle the inclusion of footnotes (@code{org-export-with-footnotes}).
10619 @vindex org-export-headline-levels
10620 Set the number of headline levels for export
10621 (@code{org-export-headline-levels}). Below that level, headlines are treated
10622 differently. In most back-ends, they become list items.
10625 @vindex org-export-with-inlinetasks
10626 Toggle inclusion of inlinetasks (@code{org-export-with-inlinetasks}).
10629 @vindex org-export-with-section-numbers
10630 Toggle section-numbers (@code{org-export-with-section-numbers}). It can also
10631 be set to a number @samp{n}, so only headlines at that level or above will be
10635 @vindex org-export-with-planning
10636 Toggle export of planning information (@code{org-export-with-planning}).
10637 ``Planning information'' is the line containing the @code{SCHEDULED:}, the
10638 @code{DEADLINE:} or the @code{CLOSED:} cookies or a combination of them.
10641 @vindex org-export-with-priority
10642 Toggle inclusion of priority cookies (@code{org-export-with-priority}).
10645 @vindex org-export-with-properties
10646 Toggle inclusion of property drawers, or list properties to include
10647 (@code{org-export-with-properties}).
10650 @vindex org-export-with-statistics-cookies
10651 Toggle inclusion of statistics cookies
10652 (@code{org-export-with-statistics-cookies}).
10655 @vindex org-export-with-tags
10656 Toggle inclusion of tags, may also be @code{not-in-toc}
10657 (@code{org-export-with-tags}).
10660 @vindex org-export-with-tasks
10661 Toggle inclusion of tasks (TODO items), can be @code{nil} to remove all
10662 tasks, @code{todo} to remove DONE tasks, or a list of keywords to keep
10663 (@code{org-export-with-tasks}).
10666 @vindex org-export-with-latex
10667 Configure export of @LaTeX{} fragments and environments. It may be set to
10668 @code{verbatim} (@code{org-export-with-latex}).
10671 @vindex org-export-time-stamp-file
10672 Toggle inclusion of the creation time into exported file
10673 (@code{org-export-time-stamp-file}).
10676 @vindex org-export-with-toc
10677 Toggle inclusion of the table of contents, or set the level limit
10678 (@code{org-export-with-toc}).
10681 @vindex org-export-with-todo-keywords
10682 Toggle inclusion of TODO keywords into exported text
10683 (@code{org-export-with-todo-keywords}).
10686 @vindex org-export-with-tables
10687 Toggle inclusion of tables (@code{org-export-with-tables}).
10690 @cindex property, EXPORT_FILE_NAME
10691 When exporting only a subtree, each of the previous keywords@footnote{With
10692 the exception of @samp{SETUPFILE}.} can be overriden locally by special node
10693 properties. These begin with @samp{EXPORT_}, followed by the name of the
10694 keyword they supplant. For example, @samp{DATE} and @samp{OPTIONS} keywords
10695 become, respectively, @samp{EXPORT_DATE} and @samp{EXPORT_OPTIONS}
10696 properties. Subtree export also supports the self-explicit
10697 @samp{EXPORT_FILE_NAME} property@footnote{There is no buffer-wide equivalent
10698 for this property. The file name in this case is derived from the file
10699 associated to the buffer, if possible, or asked to the user otherwise.}.
10702 @vindex org-export-allow-bind-keywords
10703 If @code{org-export-allow-bind-keywords} is non-@code{nil}, Emacs variables
10704 can become buffer-local during export by using the BIND keyword. Its syntax
10705 is @samp{#+BIND: variable value}. This is particularly useful for in-buffer
10706 settings that cannot be changed using specific keywords.
10708 @node ASCII/Latin-1/UTF-8 export
10709 @section ASCII/Latin-1/UTF-8 export
10710 @cindex ASCII export
10711 @cindex Latin-1 export
10712 @cindex UTF-8 export
10714 ASCII export produces a simple and very readable version of an Org mode
10715 file, containing only plain ASCII@. Latin-1 and UTF-8 export augment the file
10716 with special characters and symbols available in these encodings.
10718 @vindex org-ascii-links-to-notes
10719 Links are exported in a footnote-like style, with the descriptive part in the
10720 text and the link in a note before the next heading. See the variable
10721 @code{org-ascii-links-to-notes} for details and other options.
10723 @subheading ASCII export commands
10726 @orgcmd{C-c C-e t a/l/u,org-ascii-export-to-ascii}
10727 Export as an ASCII file. For an Org file, @file{myfile.org}, the ASCII file
10728 will be @file{myfile.txt}. The file will be overwritten without warning.
10729 When the original file is @file{myfile.txt}, the resulting file becomes
10730 @file{myfile.txt.txt} in order to prevent data loss.
10731 @orgcmd{C-c C-e t A/L/U,org-ascii-export-as-ascii}
10732 Export to a temporary buffer. Do not create a file.
10735 @subheading Header and sectioning structure
10737 In the exported version, the first three outline levels become headlines,
10738 defining a general document structure. Additional levels are exported as
10739 lists. The transition can also occur at a different level (@pxref{Export
10742 @subheading Quoting ASCII text
10744 You can insert text that will only appear when using @code{ASCII} back-end
10745 with the following constructs:
10748 @cindex #+BEGIN_ASCII
10750 Text @@@@ascii:and additional text@@@@ within a paragraph.
10755 All lines in this block will appear only when using this back-end.
10759 @subheading ASCII specific attributes
10760 @cindex #+ATTR_ASCII
10761 @cindex horizontal rules, in ASCII export
10763 @code{ASCII} back-end only understands one attribute, @code{:width}, which
10764 specifies the length, in characters, of a given horizontal rule. It must be
10765 specified using an @code{ATTR_ASCII} line, directly preceding the rule.
10768 #+ATTR_ASCII: :width 10
10772 @node Beamer export
10773 @section Beamer export
10774 @cindex Beamer export
10776 The @LaTeX{} class @emph{Beamer} allows production of high quality
10777 presentations using @LaTeX{} and pdf processing. Org mode has special
10778 support for turning an Org mode file or tree into a Beamer presentation.
10780 @subheading Beamer export commands
10783 @orgcmd{C-c C-e l b,org-beamer-export-to-latex}
10784 Export as a @LaTeX{} file. For an Org file @file{myfile.org}, the @LaTeX{}
10785 file will be @file{myfile.tex}. The file will be overwritten without
10787 @orgcmd{C-c C-e l B,org-beamer-export-as-latex}
10788 Export to a temporary buffer. Do not create a file.
10789 @orgcmd{C-c C-e l P,org-beamer-export-to-pdf}
10790 Export as @LaTeX{} and then process to PDF.
10792 Export as @LaTeX{} and then process to PDF, then open the resulting PDF file.
10795 @subheading Sectioning, Frames and Blocks
10797 Any tree with not-too-deep level nesting should in principle be exportable as
10798 a Beamer presentation. Headlines fall into three categories: sectioning
10799 elements, frames and blocks.
10803 @vindex org-beamer-frame-level
10804 Headlines become frames when their level is equal to
10805 @code{org-beamer-frame-level} or @code{H} value in an @code{OPTIONS} line
10806 (@pxref{Export settings}).
10808 @cindex property, BEAMER_ENV
10809 Though, if a headline in the current tree has a @code{BEAMER_ENV} property
10810 set to either to @code{frame} or @code{fullframe}, its level overrides the
10811 variable. A @code{fullframe} is a frame with an empty (ignored) title.
10814 @vindex org-beamer-environments-default
10815 @vindex org-beamer-environments-extra
10816 All frame's children become @code{block} environments. Special block types
10817 can be enforced by setting headline's @code{BEAMER_ENV} property@footnote{If
10818 this property is set, the entry will also get a @code{:B_environment:} tag to
10819 make this visible. This tag has no semantic meaning, it is only a visual
10820 aid.} to an appropriate value (see @code{org-beamer-environments-default} for
10821 supported values and @code{org-beamer-environments-extra} for adding more).
10824 @cindex property, BEAMER_REF
10825 As a special case, if the @code{BEAMER_ENV} property is set to either
10826 @code{appendix}, @code{note}, @code{noteNH} or @code{againframe}, the
10827 headline will become, respectively, an appendix, a note (within frame or
10828 between frame, depending on its level), a note with its title ignored or an
10829 @code{\againframe} command. In the latter case, a @code{BEAMER_REF} property
10830 is mandatory in order to refer to the frame being resumed, and contents are
10833 Also, a headline with an @code{ignoreheading} environment will have its
10834 contents only inserted in the output. This special value is useful to have
10835 data between frames, or to properly close a @code{column} environment.
10838 @cindex property, BEAMER_ACT
10839 @cindex property, BEAMER_OPT
10840 Headlines also support @code{BEAMER_ACT} and @code{BEAMER_OPT} properties.
10841 The former is translated as an overlay/action specification, or a default
10842 overlay specification when enclosed within square brackets. The latter
10843 specifies options for the current frame. Though, @code{fragile} option is
10844 added automatically if it contains source code that uses any verbatim
10847 @cindex property, BEAMER_COL
10848 Moreover, headlines handle the @code{BEAMER_COL} property. Its value should
10849 be a decimal number representing the width of the column as a fraction of the
10850 total text width. If the headline has no specific environment, its title
10851 will be ignored and its contents will fill the column created. Otherwise,
10852 the block will fill the whole column and the title will be preserved. Two
10853 contiguous headlines with a non-@code{nil} @code{BEAMER_COL} value share the same
10854 @code{columns} @LaTeX{} environment. It will end before the next headline
10855 without such a property. This environment is generated automatically.
10856 Although, it can also be explicitly created, with a special @code{columns}
10857 value for @code{BEAMER_ENV} property (if it needs to be set up with some
10858 specific options, for example).
10860 @subheading Beamer specific syntax
10862 Beamer back-end is an extension of @LaTeX{} back-end. As such, all @LaTeX{}
10863 specific syntax (e.g., @samp{#+LATEX:} or @samp{#+ATTR_LATEX:}) is
10864 recognized. See @ref{@LaTeX{} and PDF export} for more information.
10866 @cindex #+BEAMER_THEME
10867 @cindex #+BEAMER_COLOR_THEME
10868 @cindex #+BEAMER_FONT_THEME
10869 @cindex #+BEAMER_INNER_THEME
10870 @cindex #+BEAMER_OUTER_THEME
10871 Beamer export introduces a number of keywords to insert code in the
10872 document's header. Four control appearance of the presentantion:
10873 @code{#+BEAMER_THEME}, @code{#+BEAMER_COLOR_THEME},
10874 @code{#+BEAMER_FONT_THEME}, @code{#+BEAMER_INNER_THEME} and
10875 @code{#+BEAMER_OUTER_THEME}. All of them accept optional arguments
10876 within square brackets. The last one, @code{#+BEAMER_HEADER}, is more
10877 generic and allows you to append any line of code in the header.
10880 #+BEAMER_THEME: Rochester [height=20pt]
10881 #+BEAMER_COLOR_THEME: spruce
10884 Table of contents generated from @code{toc:t} @code{OPTION} keyword are
10885 wrapped within a @code{frame} environment. Those generated from a @code{TOC}
10886 keyword (@pxref{Table of contents}) are not. In that case, it is also
10887 possible to specify options, enclosed within square brackets.
10890 #+TOC: headlines [currentsection]
10893 Beamer specific code can be inserted with the following constructs:
10896 @cindex #+BEGIN_BEAMER
10901 All lines in this block will appear only when using this back-end.
10904 Text @@@@beamer:some code@@@@ within a paragraph.
10907 In particular, this last example can be used to add overlay specifications to
10908 objects whose type is among @code{bold}, @code{item}, @code{link},
10909 @code{radio-target} and @code{target}, when the value is enclosed within
10910 angular brackets and put at the beginning the object.
10913 A *@@@@beamer:<2->@@@@useful* feature
10916 @cindex #+ATTR_BEAMER
10917 Eventually, every plain list has support for @code{:environment},
10918 @code{:overlay} and @code{:options} attributes through
10919 @code{ATTR_BEAMER} affiliated keyword. The first one allows the use
10920 of a different environment, the second sets overlay specifications and
10921 the last one inserts optional arguments in current list environment.
10924 #+ATTR_BEAMER: :overlay +-
10929 @subheading Editing support
10931 You can turn on a special minor mode @code{org-beamer-mode} for faster
10939 @orgcmd{C-c C-b,org-beamer-select-environment}
10940 In @code{org-beamer-mode}, this key offers fast selection of a Beamer
10941 environment or the @code{BEAMER_COL} property.
10944 Also, a template for useful in-buffer settings or properties can be inserted
10945 into the buffer with @kbd{M-x org-beamer-insert-options-template}. Among
10946 other things, this will install a column view format which is very handy for
10947 editing special properties used by Beamer.
10949 @subheading An example
10951 Here is a simple example Org document that is intended for Beamer export.
10954 #+TITLE: Example Presentation
10955 #+AUTHOR: Carsten Dominik
10957 #+LATEX_CLASS: beamer
10958 #+LATEX_CLASS_OPTIONS: [presentation]
10959 #+BEAMER_THEME: Madrid
10960 #+COLUMNS: %45ITEM %10BEAMER_ENV(Env) %10BEAMER_ACT(Act) %4BEAMER_COL(Col) %8BEAMER_OPT(Opt)
10962 * This is the first structural section
10965 *** Thanks to Eric Fraga :B_block:BMCOL:
10970 for the first viable Beamer setup in Org
10971 *** Thanks to everyone else :B_block:BMCOL:
10977 for contributing to the discussion
10978 **** This will be formatted as a beamer note :B_note:
10982 ** Frame 2 (where we will not use columns)
10984 Please test this stuff!
10988 @section HTML export
10989 @cindex HTML export
10991 Org mode contains a HTML (XHTML 1.0 strict) exporter with extensive
10992 HTML formatting, in ways similar to John Gruber's @emph{markdown}
10993 language, but with additional support for tables.
10996 * HTML Export commands:: How to invoke HTML export
10997 * HTML doctypes:: Org can export to various (X)HTML flavors
10998 * HTML preamble and postamble:: How to insert a preamble and a postamble
10999 * Quoting HTML tags:: Using direct HTML in Org mode
11000 * Links in HTML export:: How links will be interpreted and formatted
11001 * Tables in HTML export:: How to modify the formatting of tables
11002 * Images in HTML export:: How to insert figures into HTML output
11003 * Math formatting in HTML export:: Beautiful math also on the web
11004 * Text areas in HTML export:: An alternative way to show an example
11005 * CSS support:: Changing the appearance of the output
11006 * JavaScript support:: Info and Folding in a web browser
11009 @node HTML Export commands
11010 @subsection HTML export commands
11013 @orgcmd{C-c C-e h h,org-html-export-to-html}
11014 Export as a HTML file. For an Org file @file{myfile.org},
11015 the HTML file will be @file{myfile.html}. The file will be overwritten
11018 Export as a HTML file and immediately open it with a browser.
11019 @orgcmd{C-c C-e h H,org-html-export-as-html}
11020 Export to a temporary buffer. Do not create a file.
11023 @c FIXME Exporting sublevels
11024 @c @cindex headline levels, for exporting
11025 @c In the exported version, the first 3 outline levels will become headlines,
11026 @c defining a general document structure. Additional levels will be exported as
11027 @c itemized lists. If you want that transition to occur at a different level,
11028 @c specify it with a numeric prefix argument. For example,
11031 @c @kbd{C-2 C-c C-e b}
11035 @c creates two levels of headings and does the rest as items.
11037 @node HTML doctypes
11038 @subsection HTML doctypes
11039 @vindex org-html-doctype
11040 @vindex org-html-doctype-alist
11042 Org can export to various (X)HTML flavors.
11044 Setting the variable @code{org-html-doctype} allows you to export to different
11045 (X)HTML variants. The exported HTML will be adjusted according to the sytax
11046 requirements of that variant. You can either set this variable to a doctype
11047 string directly, in which case the exporter will try to adjust the syntax
11048 automatically, or you can use a ready-made doctype. The ready-made options
11055 ``html4-transitional''
11061 ``xhtml-transitional''
11072 See the variable @code{org-html-doctype-alist} for details. The default is
11075 @subsubheading Fancy HTML5 export
11076 @vindex org-html-html5-fancy
11077 @vindex org-html-html5-elements
11079 HTML5 introduces several new element types. By default, Org will not make
11080 use of these element types, but you can set @code{org-html-html5-fancy} to
11081 @code{t} (or set @code{html5-fancy} item in an @code{OPTIONS} line), to
11082 enable a few new block-level elements. These are created using arbitrary
11083 #+BEGIN and #+END blocks. For instance:
11102 #+ATTR_HTML: :controls controls :width 350
11104 #+HTML: <source src="movie.mp4" type="video/mp4">
11105 #+HTML: <source src="movie.ogg" type="video/ogg">
11106 Your browser does not support the video tag.
11113 <video controls="controls" width="350">
11114 <source src="movie.mp4" type="video/mp4">
11115 <source src="movie.ogg" type="video/ogg">
11116 <p>Your browser does not support the video tag.</p>
11120 Special blocks that do not correspond to HTML5 elements (see
11121 @code{org-html-html5-elements}) will revert to the usual behavior,
11122 i.e. #+BEGIN_LEDERHOSEN will still export to <div class=''lederhosen''>.
11124 Headlines cannot appear within special blocks. To wrap a headline and its
11125 contents in e.g. <section> or <article> tags, set the @code{HTML_CONTAINER}
11126 property on the headline itself.
11128 @node HTML preamble and postamble
11129 @subsection HTML preamble and postamble
11130 @vindex org-html-preamble
11131 @vindex org-html-postamble
11132 @vindex org-html-preamble-format
11133 @vindex org-html-postamble-format
11134 @vindex org-html-validation-link
11135 @vindex org-export-creator-string
11136 @vindex org-export-time-stamp-file
11138 The HTML exporter lets you define a preamble and a postamble.
11140 The default value for @code{org-html-preamble} is @code{t}, which means
11141 that the preamble is inserted depending on the relevant format string in
11142 @code{org-html-preamble-format}.
11144 Setting @code{org-html-preamble} to a string will override the default format
11145 string. If you set it to a function, it will insert the output of the
11146 function, which must be a string. Setting to @code{nil} will not insert any
11149 The default value for @code{org-html-postamble} is @code{'auto}, which means
11150 that the HTML exporter will look for information about the author, the email,
11151 the creator and the date, and build the postamble from these values. Setting
11152 @code{org-html-postamble} to @code{t} will insert the postamble from the
11153 relevant format string found in @code{org-html-postamble-format}. Setting it
11154 to @code{nil} will not insert any postamble.
11156 @node Quoting HTML tags
11157 @subsection Quoting HTML tags
11159 Plain @samp{<} and @samp{>} are always transformed to @samp{<} and
11160 @samp{>} in HTML export. If you want to include raw HTML code, which
11161 should only appear in HTML export, mark it with @samp{@@@@html:} as in
11162 @samp{@@@@html:<b>@@@@bold text@@@@html:</b>@@@@}. For more extensive HTML
11163 that should be copied verbatim to the exported file use either
11166 @cindex #+BEGIN_HTML
11168 #+HTML: Literal HTML code for export
11172 @cindex #+BEGIN_HTML
11176 All lines between these markers are exported literally
11181 @node Links in HTML export
11182 @subsection Links in HTML export
11184 @cindex links, in HTML export
11185 @cindex internal links, in HTML export
11186 @cindex external links, in HTML export
11187 Internal links (@pxref{Internal links}) will continue to work in HTML@. This
11188 includes automatic links created by radio targets (@pxref{Radio
11189 targets}). Links to external files will still work if the target file is on
11190 the same @i{relative} path as the published Org file. Links to other
11191 @file{.org} files will be translated into HTML links under the assumption
11192 that a HTML version also exists of the linked file, at the same relative
11193 path. @samp{id:} links can then be used to jump to specific entries across
11194 files. For information related to linking files while publishing them to a
11195 publishing directory see @ref{Publishing links}.
11197 If you want to specify attributes for links, you can do so using a special
11198 @code{#+ATTR_HTML} line to define attributes that will be added to the
11199 @code{<a>} or @code{<img>} tags. Here is an example that sets @code{title}
11200 and @code{style} attributes for a link:
11202 @cindex #+ATTR_HTML
11204 #+ATTR_HTML: :title The Org mode homepage :style color:red;
11205 [[http://orgmode.org]]
11208 @node Tables in HTML export
11209 @subsection Tables in HTML export
11210 @cindex tables, in HTML
11211 @vindex org-html-table-default-attributes
11213 Org mode tables are exported to HTML using the table attributes defined in
11214 @code{org-html-table-default-attributes}. The default setting makes tables
11215 without cell borders and frame. If you would like to change this for
11216 individual tables, place something like the following before the table:
11219 @cindex #+ATTR_HTML
11221 #+CAPTION: This is a table with lines around and between cells
11222 #+ATTR_HTML: :border 2 :rules all :frame border
11225 @vindex org-html-table-row-tags
11226 You can also modify the default tags used for each row by setting
11227 @code{org-html-table-row-tags}. See the docstring for an example on
11228 how to use this option.
11230 @node Images in HTML export
11231 @subsection Images in HTML export
11233 @cindex images, inline in HTML
11234 @cindex inlining images in HTML
11235 @vindex org-html-inline-images
11236 HTML export can inline images given as links in the Org file, and
11237 it can make an image the clickable part of a link. By
11238 default@footnote{But see the variable
11239 @code{org-html-inline-images}.}, images are inlined if a link does
11240 not have a description. So @samp{[[file:myimg.jpg]]} will be inlined,
11241 while @samp{[[file:myimg.jpg][the image]]} will just produce a link
11242 @samp{the image} that points to the image. If the description part
11243 itself is a @code{file:} link or a @code{http:} URL pointing to an
11244 image, this image will be inlined and activated so that clicking on the
11245 image will activate the link. For example, to include a thumbnail that
11246 will link to a high resolution version of the image, you could use:
11249 [[file:highres.jpg][file:thumb.jpg]]
11252 If you need to add attributes to an inlined image, use a @code{#+ATTR_HTML}.
11253 In the example below we specify the @code{alt} and @code{title} attributes to
11254 support text viewers and accessibility, and align it to the right.
11257 @cindex #+ATTR_HTML
11259 #+CAPTION: A black cat stalking a spider
11260 #+ATTR_HTML: :alt cat/spider image :title Action! :align right
11265 You could use @code{http} addresses just as well.
11267 @node Math formatting in HTML export
11268 @subsection Math formatting in HTML export
11271 @cindex imagemagick
11273 @LaTeX{} math snippets (@pxref{@LaTeX{} fragments}) can be displayed in two
11274 different ways on HTML pages. The default is to use the
11275 @uref{http://www.mathjax.org, MathJax system} which should work out of the
11276 box with Org mode installation because @uref{http://orgmode.org} serves
11277 @file{MathJax} for Org mode users for small applications and for testing
11278 purposes. @b{If you plan to use this regularly or on pages with significant
11279 page views, you should install@footnote{Installation instructions can be
11280 found on the MathJax website, see
11281 @uref{http://www.mathjax.org/resources/docs/?installation.html}.} MathJax on
11282 your own server in order to limit the load of our server.} To configure
11283 @file{MathJax}, use the variable @code{org-html-mathjax-options} or
11284 insert something like the following into the buffer:
11287 #+HTML_MATHJAX: align:"left" mathml:t path:"/MathJax/MathJax.js"
11290 @noindent See the docstring of the variable
11291 @code{org-html-mathjax-options} for the meaning of the parameters in
11294 If you prefer, you can also request that @LaTeX{} fragments are processed
11295 into small images that will be inserted into the browser page. Before the
11296 availability of MathJax, this was the default method for Org files. This
11297 method requires that the @file{dvipng} program or @file{imagemagick} suite is
11298 available on your system. You can still get this processing with
11301 #+OPTIONS: tex:dvipng
11307 #+OPTIONS: tex:imagemagick
11310 @node Text areas in HTML export
11311 @subsection Text areas in HTML export
11313 @cindex text areas, in HTML
11314 An alternative way to publish literal code examples in HTML is to use text
11315 areas, where the example can even be edited before pasting it into an
11316 application. It is triggered by @code{:textarea} attribute at an
11317 @code{example} or @code{src} block.
11319 You may also use @code{:height} and @code{:width} attributes to specify the
11320 height and width of the text area, which default to the number of lines in
11321 the example, and 80, respectively. For example
11324 #+ATTR_HTML: :textarea t :width 40
11326 (defun org-xor (a b)
11334 @subsection CSS support
11335 @cindex CSS, for HTML export
11336 @cindex HTML export, CSS
11338 @vindex org-html-todo-kwd-class-prefix
11339 @vindex org-html-tag-class-prefix
11340 You can modify the CSS style definitions for the exported file. The HTML
11341 exporter assigns the following special CSS classes@footnote{If the classes on
11342 TODO keywords and tags lead to conflicts, use the variables
11343 @code{org-html-todo-kwd-class-prefix} and @code{org-html-tag-class-prefix} to
11344 make them unique.} to appropriate parts of the document---your style
11345 specifications may change these, in addition to any of the standard classes
11346 like for headlines, tables, etc.
11348 p.author @r{author information, including email}
11349 p.date @r{publishing date}
11350 p.creator @r{creator info, about org mode version}
11351 .title @r{document title}
11352 .todo @r{TODO keywords, all not-done states}
11353 .done @r{the DONE keywords, all states that count as done}
11354 .WAITING @r{each TODO keyword also uses a class named after itself}
11355 .timestamp @r{timestamp}
11356 .timestamp-kwd @r{keyword associated with a timestamp, like SCHEDULED}
11357 .timestamp-wrapper @r{span around keyword plus timestamp}
11358 .tag @r{tag in a headline}
11359 ._HOME @r{each tag uses itself as a class, "@@" replaced by "_"}
11360 .target @r{target for links}
11361 .linenr @r{the line number in a code example}
11362 .code-highlighted @r{for highlighting referenced code lines}
11363 div.outline-N @r{div for outline level N (headline plus text))}
11364 div.outline-text-N @r{extra div for text at outline level N}
11365 .section-number-N @r{section number in headlines, different for each level}
11366 .figure-number @r{label like "Figure 1:"}
11367 .table-number @r{label like "Table 1:"}
11368 .listing-number @r{label like "Listing 1:"}
11369 div.figure @r{how to format an inlined image}
11370 pre.src @r{formatted source code}
11371 pre.example @r{normal example}
11372 p.verse @r{verse paragraph}
11373 div.footnotes @r{footnote section headline}
11374 p.footnote @r{footnote definition paragraph, containing a footnote}
11375 .footref @r{a footnote reference number (always a <sup>)}
11376 .footnum @r{footnote number in footnote definition (always <sup>)}
11379 @vindex org-html-style-default
11380 @vindex org-html-head-include-default-style
11381 @vindex org-html-head
11382 @vindex org-html-head-extra
11383 @cindex #+HTML_INCLUDE_STYLE
11384 Each exported file contains a compact default style that defines these
11385 classes in a basic way@footnote{This style is defined in the constant
11386 @code{org-html-style-default}, which you should not modify. To turn
11387 inclusion of these defaults off, customize
11388 @code{org-html-head-include-default-style} or set @code{html-style} to
11389 @code{nil} in an @code{OPTIONS} line.}. You may overwrite these settings, or
11390 add to them by using the variables @code{org-html-head} and
11391 @code{org-html-head-extra}. You can override the global values of these
11392 variables for each file by using these keywords:
11394 @cindex #+HTML_HEAD
11395 @cindex #+HTML_HEAD_EXTRA
11397 #+HTML_HEAD: <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="style1.css" />
11398 #+HTML_HEAD_EXTRA: <link rel="alternate stylesheet" type="text/css" href="style2.css" />
11402 For longer style definitions, you can use several such lines. You could also
11403 directly write a @code{<style>} @code{</style>} section in this way, without
11404 referring to an external file.
11406 In order to add styles to a subtree, use the @code{:HTML_CONTAINER_CLASS:}
11407 property to assign a class to the tree. In order to specify CSS styles for a
11408 particular headline, you can use the id specified in a @code{:CUSTOM_ID:}
11411 @c FIXME: More about header and footer styles
11412 @c FIXME: Talk about links and targets.
11414 @node JavaScript support
11415 @subsection JavaScript supported display of web pages
11417 @cindex Rose, Sebastian
11418 Sebastian Rose has written a JavaScript program especially designed to
11419 enhance the web viewing experience of HTML files created with Org. This
11420 program allows you to view large files in two different ways. The first one
11421 is an @emph{Info}-like mode where each section is displayed separately and
11422 navigation can be done with the @kbd{n} and @kbd{p} keys (and some other keys
11423 as well, press @kbd{?} for an overview of the available keys). The second
11424 view type is a @emph{folding} view much like Org provides inside Emacs. The
11425 script is available at @url{http://orgmode.org/org-info.js} and you can find
11426 the documentation for it at @url{http://orgmode.org/worg/code/org-info-js/}.
11427 We host the script at our site, but if you use it a lot, you might not want
11428 to be dependent on @url{http://orgmode.org} and prefer to install a local
11429 copy on your own web server.
11431 All it then takes to use this program is adding a single line to the Org
11434 @cindex #+INFOJS_OPT
11436 #+INFOJS_OPT: view:info toc:nil
11440 If this line is found, the HTML header will automatically contain the code
11441 needed to invoke the script. Using the line above, you can set the following
11445 path: @r{The path to the script. The default is to grab the script from}
11446 @r{@url{http://orgmode.org/org-info.js}, but you might want to have}
11447 @r{a local copy and use a path like @samp{../scripts/org-info.js}.}
11448 view: @r{Initial view when the website is first shown. Possible values are:}
11449 info @r{Info-like interface with one section per page.}
11450 overview @r{Folding interface, initially showing only top-level.}
11451 content @r{Folding interface, starting with all headlines visible.}
11452 showall @r{Folding interface, all headlines and text visible.}
11453 sdepth: @r{Maximum headline level that will still become an independent}
11454 @r{section for info and folding modes. The default is taken from}
11455 @r{@code{org-export-headline-levels} (= the @code{H} switch in @code{#+OPTIONS}).}
11456 @r{If this is smaller than in @code{org-export-headline-levels}, each}
11457 @r{info/folding section can still contain child headlines.}
11458 toc: @r{Should the table of contents @emph{initially} be visible?}
11459 @r{Even when @code{nil}, you can always get to the "toc" with @kbd{i}.}
11460 tdepth: @r{The depth of the table of contents. The defaults are taken from}
11461 @r{the variables @code{org-export-headline-levels} and @code{org-export-with-toc}.}
11462 ftoc: @r{Does the CSS of the page specify a fixed position for the "toc"?}
11463 @r{If yes, the toc will never be displayed as a section.}
11464 ltoc: @r{Should there be short contents (children) in each section?}
11465 @r{Make this @code{above} if the section should be above initial text.}
11466 mouse: @r{Headings are highlighted when the mouse is over them. Should be}
11467 @r{@samp{underline} (default) or a background color like @samp{#cccccc}.}
11468 buttons: @r{Should view-toggle buttons be everywhere? When @code{nil} (the}
11469 @r{default), only one such button will be present.}
11472 @vindex org-html-infojs-options
11473 @vindex org-html-use-infojs
11474 You can choose default values for these options by customizing the variable
11475 @code{org-html-infojs-options}. If you always want to apply the script to your
11476 pages, configure the variable @code{org-html-use-infojs}.
11478 @node @LaTeX{} and PDF export
11479 @section @LaTeX{} and PDF export
11480 @cindex @LaTeX{} export
11483 @LaTeX{} export can produce an arbitrarily complex LaTeX document of any
11484 standard or custom document class. With further processing@footnote{The
11485 default @LaTeX{} output is designed for processing with @code{pdftex} or
11486 @LaTeX{}. It includes packages that are not compatible with @code{xetex} and
11487 possibly @code{luatex}. The @LaTeX{} exporter can be configured to support
11488 alternative TeX engines, see the options
11489 @code{org-latex-default-packages-alist} and @code{org-latex-packages-alist}.},
11490 which the @LaTeX{} exporter is able to control, this back-end is able to
11491 produce PDF output. Because the @LaTeX{} exporter can be configured to use
11492 the @code{hyperref} package, the default setup produces fully-linked PDF
11495 As in @LaTeX{}, blank lines are meaningful for this back-end: a paragraph
11496 will not be started if two contiguous syntactical elements are not separated
11499 This back-end also offers enhanced support for footnotes. Thus, it handles
11500 nested footnotes, footnotes in tables and footnotes in a list item's
11504 * @LaTeX{} export commands:: How to export to LaTeX and PDF
11505 * Header and sectioning:: Setting up the export file structure
11506 * Quoting @LaTeX{} code:: Incorporating literal @LaTeX{} code
11507 * @LaTeX{} specific attributes:: Controlling @LaTeX{} output
11510 @node @LaTeX{} export commands
11511 @subsection @LaTeX{} export commands
11514 @orgcmd{C-c C-e l l,org-latex-export-to-latex}
11515 Export as a @LaTeX{} file. For an Org file @file{myfile.org}, the @LaTeX{}
11516 file will be @file{myfile.tex}. The file will be overwritten without
11518 @orgcmd{C-c C-e l L,org-latex-export-as-latex}
11519 Export to a temporary buffer. Do not create a file.
11520 @orgcmd{C-c C-e l p,org-latex-export-to-pdf}
11521 Export as @LaTeX{} and then process to PDF.
11523 Export as @LaTeX{} and then process to PDF, then open the resulting PDF file.
11526 @node Header and sectioning
11527 @subsection Header and sectioning structure
11528 @cindex @LaTeX{} class
11529 @cindex @LaTeX{} sectioning structure
11530 @cindex @LaTeX{} header
11531 @cindex header, for @LaTeX{} files
11532 @cindex sectioning structure, for @LaTeX{} export
11534 By default, the first three outline levels become headlines, defining a
11535 general document structure. Additional levels are exported as @code{itemize}
11536 or @code{enumerate} lists. The transition can also occur at a different
11537 level (@pxref{Export settings}).
11539 By default, the @LaTeX{} output uses the class @code{article}.
11541 @vindex org-latex-default-class
11542 @vindex org-latex-classes
11543 @vindex org-latex-default-packages-alist
11544 @vindex org-latex-packages-alist
11545 You can change this globally by setting a different value for
11546 @code{org-latex-default-class} or locally by adding an option like
11547 @code{#+LATEX_CLASS: myclass} in your file, or with
11548 a @code{EXPORT_LATEX_CLASS} property that applies when exporting a region
11549 containing only this (sub)tree. The class must be listed in
11550 @code{org-latex-classes}. This variable defines a header template for each
11551 class@footnote{Into which the values of
11552 @code{org-latex-default-packages-alist} and @code{org-latex-packages-alist}
11553 are spliced.}, and allows you to define the sectioning structure for each
11554 class. You can also define your own classes there.
11556 @cindex #+LATEX_CLASS
11557 @cindex #+LATEX_CLASS_OPTIONS
11558 @cindex property, EXPORT_LATEX_CLASS
11559 @cindex property, EXPORT_LATEX_CLASS_OPTIONS
11560 The @code{LATEX_CLASS_OPTIONS} keyword or @code{EXPORT_LATEX_CLASS_OPTIONS}
11561 property can specify the options for the @code{\documentclass} macro. These
11562 options have to be provided, as expected by @LaTeX{}, within square brackets.
11564 @cindex #+LATEX_HEADER
11565 @cindex #+LATEX_HEADER_EXTRA
11566 You can also use the @code{LATEX_HEADER} and
11567 @code{LATEX_HEADER_EXTRA}@footnote{Unlike @code{LATEX_HEADER}, contents
11568 from @code{LATEX_HEADER_EXTRA} keywords will not be loaded when previewing
11569 @LaTeX{} snippets (@pxref{Previewing @LaTeX{} fragments}).} keywords in order
11570 to add lines to the header. See the docstring of @code{org-latex-classes} for
11573 An example is shown below.
11576 #+LATEX_CLASS: article
11577 #+LATEX_CLASS_OPTIONS: [a4paper]
11578 #+LATEX_HEADER: \usepackage@{xyz@}
11584 @node Quoting @LaTeX{} code
11585 @subsection Quoting @LaTeX{} code
11587 Embedded @LaTeX{} as described in @ref{Embedded @LaTeX{}}, will be correctly
11588 inserted into the @LaTeX{} file. Furthermore, you can add special code that
11589 should only be present in @LaTeX{} export with the following constructs:
11592 @cindex #+BEGIN_LATEX
11594 Code within @@@@latex:some code@@@@ a paragraph.
11596 #+LATEX: Literal @LaTeX{} code for export
11599 All lines between these markers are exported literally
11603 @node @LaTeX{} specific attributes
11604 @subsection @LaTeX{} specific attributes
11605 @cindex #+ATTR_LATEX
11607 @LaTeX{} understands attributes specified in an @code{ATTR_LATEX} line. They
11608 affect tables, images, plain lists, special blocks and source blocks.
11610 @subsubheading Tables in @LaTeX{} export
11611 @cindex tables, in @LaTeX{} export
11613 For @LaTeX{} export of a table, you can specify a label and a caption
11614 (@pxref{Images and tables}). You can also use attributes to control table
11615 layout and contents. Valid @LaTeX{} attributes include:
11619 @vindex org-latex-default-table-mode
11620 Nature of table's contents. It can be set to @code{table}, @code{math},
11621 @code{inline-math} or @code{verbatim}. In particular, when in @code{math} or
11622 @code{inline-math} mode, every cell is exported as-is, horizontal rules are
11623 ignored and the table will be wrapped in a math environment. Also,
11624 contiguous tables sharing the same math mode will be wrapped within the same
11625 environment. Default mode is determined in
11626 @code{org-latex-default-table-mode}.
11628 @vindex org-latex-default-table-environment
11629 Environment used for the table. It can be set to any @LaTeX{} table
11630 environment, like @code{tabularx}@footnote{Requires adding the
11631 @code{tabularx} package to @code{org-latex-packages-alist}.},
11632 @code{longtable}, @code{array}, @code{tabu}@footnote{Requires adding the
11633 @code{tabu} package to @code{org-latex-packages-alist}.},
11634 @code{bmatrix}@enddots{} It defaults to
11635 @code{org-latex-default-table-environment} value.
11637 @code{#+CAPTION} keyword is the simplest way to set a caption for a table
11638 (@pxref{Images and tables}). If you need more advanced commands for that
11639 task, you can use @code{:caption} attribute instead. Its value should be raw
11640 @LaTeX{} code. It has precedence over @code{#+CAPTION}.
11643 Float environment for the table. Possible values are @code{sidewaystable},
11644 @code{multicolumn}, @code{t} and @code{nil}. When unspecified, a table with
11645 a caption will have a @code{table} environment. Moreover, @code{:placement}
11646 attribute can specify the positioning of the float.
11650 Set, respectively, the alignment string of the table, its font size and its
11651 width. They only apply on regular tables.
11653 Boolean specific to the @code{tabu} and @code{longtabu} environments, and
11654 only takes effect when used in conjunction with the @code{:width} attribute.
11655 When @code{:spread} is non-@code{nil}, the table will be spread or shrunk by the
11656 value of @code{:width}.
11660 @vindex org-latex-tables-booktabs
11661 @vindex org-latex-tables-centered
11662 They toggle, respectively, @code{booktabs} usage (assuming the package is
11663 properly loaded), table centering and removal of every horizontal rule but
11664 the first one (in a "table.el" table only). In particular,
11665 @code{org-latex-tables-booktabs} (respectively @code{org-latex-tables-centered})
11666 activates the first (respectively second) attribute globally.
11668 @itemx :math-suffix
11669 @itemx :math-arguments
11670 A string that will be inserted, respectively, before the table within the
11671 math environment, after the table within the math environment, and between
11672 the macro name and the contents of the table. The @code{:math-arguments}
11673 attribute is used for matrix macros that require more than one argument
11674 (e.g., @code{qbordermatrix}).
11677 Thus, attributes can be used in a wide array of situations, like writing
11678 a table that will span over multiple pages, or a matrix product:
11681 #+ATTR_LATEX: :environment longtable :align l|lp@{3cm@}r|l
11685 #+ATTR_LATEX: :mode math :environment bmatrix :math-suffix \times
11688 #+ATTR_LATEX: :mode math :environment bmatrix
11693 In the example below, @LaTeX{} command
11694 @code{\bicaption@{HeadingA@}@{HeadingB@}} will set the caption.
11697 #+ATTR_LATEX: :caption \bicaption@{HeadingA@}@{HeadingB@}
11703 @subsubheading Images in @LaTeX{} export
11704 @cindex images, inline in @LaTeX{}
11705 @cindex inlining images in @LaTeX{}
11707 Images that are linked to without a description part in the link, like
11708 @samp{[[file:img.jpg]]} or @samp{[[./img.jpg]]} will be inserted into the PDF
11709 output file resulting from @LaTeX{} processing. Org will use an
11710 @code{\includegraphics} macro to insert the image@footnote{In the case of
11711 TikZ (@url{http://sourceforge.net/projects/pgf/}) images, it will become an
11712 @code{\input} macro wrapped within a @code{tikzpicture} environment.}.
11714 You can specify specify image width or height with, respectively,
11715 @code{:width} and @code{:height} attributes. It is also possible to add any
11716 other option with the @code{:options} attribute, as shown in the following
11720 #+ATTR_LATEX: :width 5cm :options angle=90
11721 [[./img/sed-hr4049.pdf]]
11724 If you need a specific command for the caption, use @code{:caption}
11725 attribute. It will override standard @code{#+CAPTION} value, if any.
11728 #+ATTR_LATEX: :caption \bicaption@{HeadingA@}@{HeadingB@}
11729 [[./img/sed-hr4049.pdf]]
11732 If you have specified a caption as described in @ref{Images and tables}, the
11733 picture will be wrapped into a @code{figure} environment and thus become
11734 a floating element. You can also ask Org to export an image as a float
11735 without specifying caption by setting the @code{:float} attribute. You may
11739 @code{t}: if you want to use the standard @samp{figure} environment. It is
11740 used by default if you provide a caption to the image.
11742 @code{multicolumn}: if you wish to include an image which spans multiple
11743 columns in a page. This will export the image wrapped in a @code{figure*}
11746 @code{wrap}: if you would like to let text flow around the image. It will
11747 make the figure occupy the left half of the page.
11749 @code{nil}: if you need to avoid any floating environment, even when
11750 a caption is provided.
11753 To modify the placement option of any floating environment, set the
11754 @code{placement} attribute.
11757 #+ATTR_LATEX: :float wrap :width 0.38\textwidth :placement @{r@}@{0.4\textwidth@}
11761 If the @code{:comment-include} attribute is set to a non-@code{nil} value,
11762 the @LaTeX{} @code{\includegraphics} macro will be commented out.
11764 @subsubheading Plain lists in @LaTeX{} export
11765 @cindex plain lists, in @LaTeX{} export
11767 Plain lists accept two optional attributes: @code{:environment} and
11768 @code{:options}. The first one allows the use of a non-standard
11769 environment (e.g., @samp{inparaenum}). The second one specifies
11770 optional arguments for that environment (square brackets may be
11774 #+ATTR_LATEX: :environment compactitem :options $\circ$
11775 - you need ``paralist'' package to reproduce this example.
11778 @subsubheading Source blocks in @LaTeX{} export
11779 @cindex source blocks, in @LaTeX{} export
11781 In addition to syntax defined in @ref{Literal examples}, names and captions
11782 (@pxref{Images and tables}), source blocks also accept a @code{:float}
11783 attribute. You may set it to:
11786 @code{t}: if you want to make the source block a float. It is the default
11787 value when a caption is provided.
11789 @code{mulicolumn}: if you wish to include a source block which spans multiple
11792 @code{nil}: if you need to avoid any floating evironment, even when a caption
11793 is provided. It is useful for source code that may not fit in a single page.
11797 #+ATTR_LATEX: :float nil
11798 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
11799 Code that may not fit in a single page.
11803 @subsubheading Special blocks in @LaTeX{} export
11804 @cindex special blocks, in @LaTeX{} export
11806 In @LaTeX{} back-end, special blocks become environments of the same name.
11807 Value of @code{:options} attribute will be appended as-is to that
11808 environment's opening string. For example:
11811 #+ATTR_LATEX: :options [Proof of important theorem]
11814 Therefore, any even number greater than 2 is the sum of two primes.
11822 \begin@{proof@}[Proof of important theorem]
11824 Therefore, any even number greater than 2 is the sum of two primes.
11828 If you need to insert a specific caption command, use @code{:caption}
11829 attribute. It will override standard @code{#+CAPTION} value, if any. For
11833 #+ATTR_LATEX: :caption \MyCaption@{HeadingA@}
11839 @subsubheading Horizontal rules
11840 @cindex horizontal rules, in @LaTeX{} export
11842 Width and thickness of a given horizontal rule can be controlled with,
11843 respectively, @code{:width} and @code{:thickness} attributes:
11846 #+ATTR_LATEX: :width .6\textwidth :thickness 0.8pt
11850 @node Markdown export
11851 @section Markdown export
11852 @cindex Markdown export
11854 @code{md} export back-end generates Markdown syntax@footnote{Vanilla flavour,
11855 as defined at @url{http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/}.} for an Org
11858 It is built over HTML back-end: any construct not supported by Markdown
11859 syntax (e.g., tables) will be controlled and translated by @code{html}
11860 back-end (@pxref{HTML export}).
11862 @subheading Markdown export commands
11865 @orgcmd{C-c C-e m m,org-md-export-to-markdown}
11866 Export as a text file written in Markdown syntax. For an Org file,
11867 @file{myfile.org}, the resulting file will be @file{myfile.md}. The file
11868 will be overwritten without warning.
11869 @orgcmd{C-c C-e m M,org-md-export-as-markdown}
11870 Export to a temporary buffer. Do not create a file.
11872 Export as a text file with Markdown syntax, then open it.
11875 @subheading Header and sectioning structure
11877 @vindex org-md-headline-style
11878 Markdown export can generate both @code{atx} and @code{setext} types for
11879 headlines, according to @code{org-md-headline-style}. The former introduces
11880 a hard limit of two levels, whereas the latter pushes it to six. Headlines
11881 below that limit are exported as lists. You can also set a soft limit before
11882 that one (@pxref{Export settings}).
11884 @c begin opendocument
11886 @node OpenDocument text export
11887 @section OpenDocument text export
11889 @cindex OpenDocument
11890 @cindex export, OpenDocument
11891 @cindex LibreOffice
11893 Org mode@footnote{Versions 7.8 or later} supports export to OpenDocument Text
11894 (ODT) format. Documents created by this exporter use the
11895 @cite{OpenDocument-v1.2
11896 specification}@footnote{@url{http://docs.oasis-open.org/office/v1.2/OpenDocument-v1.2.html,
11897 Open Document Format for Office Applications (OpenDocument) Version 1.2}} and
11898 are compatible with LibreOffice 3.4.
11901 * Pre-requisites for ODT export:: What packages ODT exporter relies on
11902 * ODT export commands:: How to invoke ODT export
11903 * Extending ODT export:: How to produce @samp{doc}, @samp{pdf} files
11904 * Applying custom styles:: How to apply custom styles to the output
11905 * Links in ODT export:: How links will be interpreted and formatted
11906 * Tables in ODT export:: How Tables are exported
11907 * Images in ODT export:: How to insert images
11908 * Math formatting in ODT export:: How @LaTeX{} fragments are formatted
11909 * Labels and captions in ODT export:: How captions are rendered
11910 * Literal examples in ODT export:: How source and example blocks are formatted
11911 * Advanced topics in ODT export:: Read this if you are a power user
11914 @node Pre-requisites for ODT export
11915 @subsection Pre-requisites for ODT export
11917 The ODT exporter relies on the @file{zip} program to create the final
11918 output. Check the availability of this program before proceeding further.
11920 @node ODT export commands
11921 @subsection ODT export commands
11923 @subsubheading Exporting to ODT
11924 @anchor{x-export-to-odt}
11926 @cindex region, active
11927 @cindex active region
11928 @cindex transient-mark-mode
11930 @orgcmd{C-c C-e o o,org-odt-export-to-odt}
11931 @cindex property EXPORT_FILE_NAME
11933 Export as OpenDocument Text file.
11935 @vindex org-odt-preferred-output-format
11936 If @code{org-odt-preferred-output-format} is specified, automatically convert
11937 the exported file to that format. @xref{x-export-to-other-formats, ,
11938 Automatically exporting to other formats}.
11940 For an Org file @file{myfile.org}, the ODT file will be
11941 @file{myfile.odt}. The file will be overwritten without warning. If there
11942 is an active region,@footnote{This requires @code{transient-mark-mode} to be
11943 turned on} only the region will be exported. If the selected region is a
11944 single tree,@footnote{To select the current subtree, use @kbd{C-c @@}} the
11945 tree head will become the document title. If the tree head entry has, or
11946 inherits, an @code{EXPORT_FILE_NAME} property, that name will be used for the
11950 Export as an OpenDocument Text file and open the resulting file.
11952 @vindex org-odt-preferred-output-format
11953 If @code{org-odt-preferred-output-format} is specified, open the converted
11954 file instead. @xref{x-export-to-other-formats, , Automatically exporting to
11958 @node Extending ODT export
11959 @subsection Extending ODT export
11961 The ODT exporter can interface with a variety of document
11962 converters and supports popular converters out of the box. As a result, you
11963 can use it to export to formats like @samp{doc} or convert a document from
11964 one format (say @samp{csv}) to another format (say @samp{ods} or @samp{xls}).
11966 @cindex @file{unoconv}
11967 @cindex LibreOffice
11968 If you have a working installation of LibreOffice, a document converter is
11969 pre-configured for you and you can use it right away. If you would like to
11970 use @file{unoconv} as your preferred converter, customize the variable
11971 @code{org-odt-convert-process} to point to @code{unoconv}. You can
11972 also use your own favorite converter or tweak the default settings of the
11973 @file{LibreOffice} and @samp{unoconv} converters. @xref{Configuring a
11974 document converter}.
11976 @subsubheading Automatically exporting to other formats
11977 @anchor{x-export-to-other-formats}
11979 @vindex org-odt-preferred-output-format
11980 Very often, you will find yourself exporting to ODT format, only to
11981 immediately save the exported document to other formats like @samp{doc},
11982 @samp{docx}, @samp{rtf}, @samp{pdf} etc. In such cases, you can specify your
11983 preferred output format by customizing the variable
11984 @code{org-odt-preferred-output-format}. This way, the export commands
11985 (@pxref{x-export-to-odt,,Exporting to ODT}) can be extended to export to a
11986 format that is of immediate interest to you.
11988 @subsubheading Converting between document formats
11989 @anchor{x-convert-to-other-formats}
11991 There are many document converters in the wild which support conversion to
11992 and from various file formats, including, but not limited to the
11993 ODT format. LibreOffice converter, mentioned above, is one such
11994 converter. Once a converter is configured, you can interact with it using
11995 the following command.
11997 @vindex org-odt-convert
12000 @item M-x org-odt-convert RET
12001 Convert an existing document from one format to another. With a prefix
12002 argument, also open the newly produced file.
12005 @node Applying custom styles
12006 @subsection Applying custom styles
12007 @cindex styles, custom
12008 @cindex template, custom
12010 The ODT exporter ships with a set of OpenDocument styles
12011 (@pxref{Working with OpenDocument style files}) that ensure a well-formatted
12012 output. These factory styles, however, may not cater to your specific
12013 tastes. To customize the output, you can either modify the above styles
12014 files directly, or generate the required styles using an application like
12015 LibreOffice. The latter method is suitable for expert and non-expert
12016 users alike, and is described here.
12018 @subsubheading Applying custom styles: the easy way
12022 Create a sample @file{example.org} file with the below settings and export it
12026 #+OPTIONS: H:10 num:t
12030 Open the above @file{example.odt} using LibreOffice. Use the @file{Stylist}
12031 to locate the target styles---these typically have the @samp{Org} prefix---and
12032 modify those to your taste. Save the modified file either as an
12033 OpenDocument Text (@file{.odt}) or OpenDocument Template (@file{.ott}) file.
12036 @cindex #+ODT_STYLES_FILE
12037 @vindex org-odt-styles-file
12038 Customize the variable @code{org-odt-styles-file} and point it to the
12039 newly created file. For additional configuration options
12040 @pxref{x-overriding-factory-styles,,Overriding factory styles}.
12042 If you would like to choose a style on a per-file basis, you can use the
12043 @code{#+ODT_STYLES_FILE} option. A typical setting will look like
12046 #+ODT_STYLES_FILE: "/path/to/example.ott"
12052 #+ODT_STYLES_FILE: ("/path/to/file.ott" ("styles.xml" "image/hdr.png"))
12057 @subsubheading Using third-party styles and templates
12059 You can use third-party styles and templates for customizing your output.
12060 This will produce the desired output only if the template provides all
12061 style names that the @samp{ODT} exporter relies on. Unless this condition is
12062 met, the output is going to be less than satisfactory. So it is highly
12063 recommended that you only work with templates that are directly derived from
12064 the factory settings.
12066 @node Links in ODT export
12067 @subsection Links in ODT export
12068 @cindex links, in ODT export
12070 ODT exporter creates native cross-references for internal links. It creates
12071 Internet-style links for all other links.
12073 A link with no description and destined to a regular (un-itemized) outline
12074 heading is replaced with a cross-reference and section number of the heading.
12076 A @samp{\ref@{label@}}-style reference to an image, table etc. is replaced
12077 with a cross-reference and sequence number of the labeled entity.
12078 @xref{Labels and captions in ODT export}.
12080 @node Tables in ODT export
12081 @subsection Tables in ODT export
12082 @cindex tables, in ODT export
12084 Export of native Org mode tables (@pxref{Tables}) and simple @file{table.el}
12085 tables is supported. However, export of complex @file{table.el} tables---tables
12086 that have column or row spans---is not supported. Such tables are
12087 stripped from the exported document.
12089 By default, a table is exported with top and bottom frames and with rules
12090 separating row and column groups (@pxref{Column groups}). Furthermore, all
12091 tables are typeset to occupy the same width. If the table specifies
12092 alignment and relative width for its columns (@pxref{Column width and
12093 alignment}) then these are honored on export.@footnote{The column widths are
12094 interpreted as weighted ratios with the default weight being 1}
12097 You can control the width of the table by specifying @code{:rel-width}
12098 property using an @code{#+ATTR_ODT} line.
12100 For example, consider the following table which makes use of all the rules
12104 #+ATTR_ODT: :rel-width 50
12105 | Area/Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Sum |
12106 |---------------+-------+-------+-------+-------|
12108 | <l13> | <r5> | <r5> | <r5> | <r6> |
12109 | North America | 1 | 21 | 926 | 948 |
12110 | Middle East | 6 | 75 | 844 | 925 |
12111 | Asia Pacific | 9 | 27 | 790 | 826 |
12112 |---------------+-------+-------+-------+-------|
12113 | Sum | 16 | 123 | 2560 | 2699 |
12116 On export, the table will occupy 50% of text area. The columns will be sized
12117 (roughly) in the ratio of 13:5:5:5:6. The first column will be left-aligned
12118 and rest of the columns will be right-aligned. There will be vertical rules
12119 after separating the header and last columns from other columns. There will
12120 be horizontal rules separating the header and last rows from other rows.
12122 If you are not satisfied with the above formatting options, you can create
12123 custom table styles and associate them with a table using the
12124 @code{#+ATTR_ODT} line. @xref{Customizing tables in ODT export}.
12126 @node Images in ODT export
12127 @subsection Images in ODT export
12128 @cindex images, embedding in ODT
12129 @cindex embedding images in ODT
12131 @subsubheading Embedding images
12132 You can embed images within the exported document by providing a link to the
12133 desired image file with no link description. For example, to embed
12134 @samp{img.png} do either of the following:
12144 @subsubheading Embedding clickable images
12145 You can create clickable images by providing a link whose description is a
12146 link to an image file. For example, to embed a image
12147 @file{org-mode-unicorn.png} which when clicked jumps to
12148 @uref{http://Orgmode.org} website, do the following
12151 [[http://orgmode.org][./org-mode-unicorn.png]]
12154 @subsubheading Sizing and scaling of embedded images
12157 You can control the size and scale of the embedded images using the
12158 @code{#+ATTR_ODT} attribute.
12160 @cindex identify, ImageMagick
12161 @vindex org-odt-pixels-per-inch
12162 The exporter specifies the desired size of the image in the final document in
12163 units of centimeters. In order to scale the embedded images, the exporter
12164 queries for pixel dimensions of the images using one of a) ImageMagick's
12165 @file{identify} program or b) Emacs `create-image' and `image-size'
12166 APIs@footnote{Use of @file{ImageMagick} is only desirable. However, if you
12167 routinely produce documents that have large images or you export your Org
12168 files that has images using a Emacs batch script, then the use of
12169 @file{ImageMagick} is mandatory.}. The pixel dimensions are subsequently
12170 converted in to units of centimeters using
12171 @code{org-odt-pixels-per-inch}. The default value of this variable is
12172 set to @code{display-pixels-per-inch}. You can tweak this variable to
12173 achieve the best results.
12175 The examples below illustrate the various possibilities.
12178 @item Explicitly size the image
12179 To embed @file{img.png} as a 10 cm x 10 cm image, do the following:
12182 #+ATTR_ODT: :width 10 :height 10
12186 @item Scale the image
12187 To embed @file{img.png} at half its size, do the following:
12190 #+ATTR_ODT: :scale 0.5
12194 @item Scale the image to a specific width
12195 To embed @file{img.png} with a width of 10 cm while retaining the original
12196 height:width ratio, do the following:
12199 #+ATTR_ODT: :width 10
12203 @item Scale the image to a specific height
12204 To embed @file{img.png} with a height of 10 cm while retaining the original
12205 height:width ratio, do the following
12208 #+ATTR_ODT: :height 10
12213 @subsubheading Anchoring of images
12216 You can control the manner in which an image is anchored by setting the
12217 @code{:anchor} property of it's @code{#+ATTR_ODT} line. You can specify one
12218 of the the following three values for the @code{:anchor} property:
12219 @samp{"as-char"}, @samp{"paragraph"} and @samp{"page"}.
12221 To create an image that is anchored to a page, do the following:
12223 #+ATTR_ODT: :anchor "page"
12227 @node Math formatting in ODT export
12228 @subsection Math formatting in ODT export
12230 The ODT exporter has special support for handling math.
12233 * Working with @LaTeX{} math snippets:: How to embed @LaTeX{} math fragments
12234 * Working with MathML or OpenDocument formula files:: How to embed equations in native format
12237 @node Working with @LaTeX{} math snippets
12238 @subsubheading Working with @LaTeX{} math snippets
12240 @LaTeX{} math snippets (@pxref{@LaTeX{} fragments}) can be embedded in the ODT
12241 document in one of the following ways:
12247 This option is activated on a per-file basis with
12253 With this option, @LaTeX{} fragments are first converted into MathML
12254 fragments using an external @LaTeX{}-to-MathML converter program. The
12255 resulting MathML fragments are then embedded as an OpenDocument Formula in
12256 the exported document.
12258 @vindex org-latex-to-mathml-convert-command
12259 @vindex org-latex-to-mathml-jar-file
12261 You can specify the @LaTeX{}-to-MathML converter by customizing the variables
12262 @code{org-latex-to-mathml-convert-command} and
12263 @code{org-latex-to-mathml-jar-file}.
12265 If you prefer to use @file{MathToWeb}@footnote{See
12266 @uref{http://www.mathtoweb.com/cgi-bin/mathtoweb_home.pl, MathToWeb}} as your
12267 converter, you can configure the above variables as shown below.
12270 (setq org-latex-to-mathml-convert-command
12271 "java -jar %j -unicode -force -df %o %I"
12272 org-latex-to-mathml-jar-file
12273 "/path/to/mathtoweb.jar")
12276 You can use the following commands to quickly verify the reliability of
12277 the @LaTeX{}-to-MathML converter.
12280 @item M-x org-odt-export-as-odf RET
12281 Convert a @LaTeX{} math snippet to an OpenDocument formula (@file{.odf}) file.
12283 @item M-x org-odt-export-as-odf-and-open RET
12284 Convert a @LaTeX{} math snippet to an OpenDocument formula (@file{.odf}) file
12285 and open the formula file with the system-registered application.
12289 @cindex imagemagick
12292 This option is activated on a per-file basis with
12295 #+OPTIONS: tex:dvipng
12301 #+OPTIONS: tex:imagemagick
12304 With this option, @LaTeX{} fragments are processed into PNG images and the
12305 resulting images are embedded in the exported document. This method requires
12306 that the @file{dvipng} program or @file{imagemagick} suite be available on
12310 @node Working with MathML or OpenDocument formula files
12311 @subsubheading Working with MathML or OpenDocument formula files
12313 For various reasons, you may find embedding @LaTeX{} math snippets in an
12314 ODT document less than reliable. In that case, you can embed a
12315 math equation by linking to its MathML (@file{.mml}) source or its
12316 OpenDocument formula (@file{.odf}) file as shown below:
12328 @node Labels and captions in ODT export
12329 @subsection Labels and captions in ODT export
12331 You can label and caption various category of objects---an inline image, a
12332 table, a @LaTeX{} fragment or a Math formula---using @code{#+LABEL} and
12333 @code{#+CAPTION} lines. @xref{Images and tables}. ODT exporter enumerates
12334 each labeled or captioned object of a given category separately. As a
12335 result, each such object is assigned a sequence number based on order of it's
12336 appearance in the Org file.
12338 In the exported document, a user-provided caption is augmented with the
12339 category and sequence number. Consider the following inline image in an Org
12343 #+CAPTION: Bell curve
12344 #+LABEL: fig:SED-HR4049
12348 It could be rendered as shown below in the exported document.
12351 Figure 2: Bell curve
12354 @vindex org-odt-category-map-alist
12355 You can modify the category component of the caption by customizing the
12356 option @code{org-odt-category-map-alist}. For example, to tag all embedded
12357 images with the string @samp{Illustration} (instead of the default
12358 @samp{Figure}) use the following setting:
12361 (setq org-odt-category-map-alist
12362 (("__Figure__" "Illustration" "value" "Figure" org-odt--enumerable-image-p)))
12365 With this, previous image will be captioned as below in the exported
12369 Illustration 2: Bell curve
12372 @node Literal examples in ODT export
12373 @subsection Literal examples in ODT export
12375 Export of literal examples (@pxref{Literal examples}) with full fontification
12376 is supported. Internally, the exporter relies on @file{htmlfontify.el} to
12377 generate all style definitions needed for a fancy listing.@footnote{Your
12378 @file{htmlfontify.el} library must at least be at Emacs 24.1 levels for
12379 fontification to be turned on.} The auto-generated styles have @samp{OrgSrc}
12380 as prefix and inherit their color from the faces used by Emacs
12381 @code{font-lock} library for the source language.
12383 @vindex org-odt-fontify-srcblocks
12384 If you prefer to use your own custom styles for fontification, you can do
12385 so by customizing the option
12386 @code{org-odt-create-custom-styles-for-srcblocks}.
12388 @vindex org-odt-create-custom-styles-for-srcblocks
12389 You can turn off fontification of literal examples by customizing the
12390 option @code{org-odt-fontify-srcblocks}.
12392 @node Advanced topics in ODT export
12393 @subsection Advanced topics in ODT export
12395 If you rely heavily on ODT export, you may want to exploit the full
12396 set of features that the exporter offers. This section describes features
12397 that would be of interest to power users.
12400 * Configuring a document converter:: How to register a document converter
12401 * Working with OpenDocument style files:: Explore the internals
12402 * Creating one-off styles:: How to produce custom highlighting etc
12403 * Customizing tables in ODT export:: How to define and use Table templates
12404 * Validating OpenDocument XML:: How to debug corrupt OpenDocument files
12407 @node Configuring a document converter
12408 @subsubheading Configuring a document converter
12410 @cindex doc, docx, rtf
12413 The ODT exporter can work with popular converters with little or no
12414 extra configuration from your side. @xref{Extending ODT export}.
12415 If you are using a converter that is not supported by default or if you would
12416 like to tweak the default converter settings, proceed as below.
12419 @item Register the converter
12421 @vindex org-odt-convert-processes
12422 Name your converter and add it to the list of known converters by
12423 customizing the option @code{org-odt-convert-processes}. Also specify how
12424 the converter can be invoked via command-line to effect the conversion.
12426 @item Configure its capabilities
12428 @vindex org-odt-convert-capabilities
12429 @anchor{x-odt-converter-capabilities} Specify the set of formats the
12430 converter can handle by customizing the variable
12431 @code{org-odt-convert-capabilities}. Use the default value for this
12432 variable as a guide for configuring your converter. As suggested by the
12433 default setting, you can specify the full set of formats supported by the
12434 converter and not limit yourself to specifying formats that are related to
12435 just the OpenDocument Text format.
12437 @item Choose the converter
12439 @vindex org-odt-convert-process
12440 Select the newly added converter as the preferred one by customizing the
12441 option @code{org-odt-convert-process}.
12444 @node Working with OpenDocument style files
12445 @subsubheading Working with OpenDocument style files
12446 @cindex styles, custom
12447 @cindex template, custom
12449 This section explores the internals of the ODT exporter and the
12450 means by which it produces styled documents. Read this section if you are
12451 interested in exploring the automatic and custom OpenDocument styles used by
12454 @anchor{x-factory-styles}
12455 @subsubheading a) Factory styles
12457 The ODT exporter relies on two files for generating its output.
12458 These files are bundled with the distribution under the directory pointed to
12459 by the variable @code{org-odt-styles-dir}. The two files are:
12462 @anchor{x-orgodtstyles-xml}
12464 @file{OrgOdtStyles.xml}
12466 This file contributes to the @file{styles.xml} file of the final @samp{ODT}
12467 document. This file gets modified for the following purposes:
12471 To control outline numbering based on user settings.
12474 To add styles generated by @file{htmlfontify.el} for fontification of code
12478 @anchor{x-orgodtcontenttemplate-xml}
12480 @file{OrgOdtContentTemplate.xml}
12482 This file contributes to the @file{content.xml} file of the final @samp{ODT}
12483 document. The contents of the Org outline are inserted between the
12484 @samp{<office:text>}@dots{}@samp{</office:text>} elements of this file.
12486 Apart from serving as a template file for the final @file{content.xml}, the
12487 file serves the following purposes:
12491 It contains automatic styles for formatting of tables which are referenced by
12495 It contains @samp{<text:sequence-decl>}@dots{}@samp{</text:sequence-decl>}
12496 elements that control how various entities---tables, images, equations,
12497 etc.---are numbered.
12501 @anchor{x-overriding-factory-styles}
12502 @subsubheading b) Overriding factory styles
12503 The following two variables control the location from which the ODT
12504 exporter picks up the custom styles and content template files. You can
12505 customize these variables to override the factory styles used by the
12509 @anchor{x-org-odt-styles-file}
12511 @code{org-odt-styles-file}
12513 Use this variable to specify the @file{styles.xml} that will be used in the
12514 final output. You can specify one of the following values:
12517 @item A @file{styles.xml} file
12519 Use this file instead of the default @file{styles.xml}
12521 @item A @file{.odt} or @file{.ott} file
12523 Use the @file{styles.xml} contained in the specified OpenDocument Text or
12526 @item A @file{.odt} or @file{.ott} file and a subset of files contained within them
12528 Use the @file{styles.xml} contained in the specified OpenDocument Text or
12529 Template file. Additionally extract the specified member files and embed
12530 those within the final @samp{ODT} document.
12532 Use this option if the @file{styles.xml} file references additional files
12533 like header and footer images.
12537 Use the default @file{styles.xml}
12540 @anchor{x-org-odt-content-template-file}
12542 @code{org-odt-content-template-file}
12544 Use this variable to specify the blank @file{content.xml} that will be used
12545 in the final output.
12548 @node Creating one-off styles
12549 @subsubheading Creating one-off styles
12551 There are times when you would want one-off formatting in the exported
12552 document. You can achieve this by embedding raw OpenDocument XML in the Org
12553 file. The use of this feature is better illustrated with couple of examples.
12556 @item Embedding ODT tags as part of regular text
12558 You can include simple OpenDocument tags by prefixing them with
12559 @samp{@@}. For example, to highlight a region of text do the following:
12562 @@<text:span text:style-name="Highlight">This is a
12563 highlighted text@@</text:span>. But this is a
12567 @strong{Hint:} To see the above example in action, edit your
12568 @file{styles.xml} (@pxref{x-orgodtstyles-xml,,Factory styles}) and add a
12569 custom @samp{Highlight} style as shown below.
12572 <style:style style:name="Highlight" style:family="text">
12573 <style:text-properties fo:background-color="#ff0000"/>
12577 @item Embedding a one-line OpenDocument XML
12579 You can add a simple OpenDocument one-liner using the @code{#+ODT:}
12580 directive. For example, to force a page break do the following:
12583 #+ODT: <text:p text:style-name="PageBreak"/>
12586 @strong{Hint:} To see the above example in action, edit your
12587 @file{styles.xml} (@pxref{x-orgodtstyles-xml,,Factory styles}) and add a
12588 custom @samp{PageBreak} style as shown below.
12591 <style:style style:name="PageBreak" style:family="paragraph"
12592 style:parent-style-name="Text_20_body">
12593 <style:paragraph-properties fo:break-before="page"/>
12597 @item Embedding a block of OpenDocument XML
12599 You can add a large block of OpenDocument XML using the
12600 @code{#+BEGIN_ODT}@dots{}@code{#+END_ODT} construct.
12602 For example, to create a one-off paragraph that uses bold text, do the
12607 <text:p text:style-name="Text_20_body_20_bold">
12608 This paragraph is specially formatted and uses bold text.
12615 @node Customizing tables in ODT export
12616 @subsubheading Customizing tables in ODT export
12617 @cindex tables, in ODT export
12620 You can override the default formatting of the table by specifying a custom
12621 table style with the @code{#+ATTR_ODT} line. For a discussion on default
12622 formatting of tables @pxref{Tables in ODT export}.
12624 This feature closely mimics the way table templates are defined in the
12626 specification.@footnote{@url{http://docs.oasis-open.org/office/v1.2/OpenDocument-v1.2.html,
12627 OpenDocument-v1.2 Specification}}
12629 @vindex org-odt-table-styles
12630 To have a quick preview of this feature, install the below setting and
12631 export the table that follows:
12634 (setq org-odt-table-styles
12635 (append org-odt-table-styles
12636 '(("TableWithHeaderRowAndColumn" "Custom"
12637 ((use-first-row-styles . t)
12638 (use-first-column-styles . t)))
12639 ("TableWithFirstRowandLastRow" "Custom"
12640 ((use-first-row-styles . t)
12641 (use-last-row-styles . t))))))
12645 #+ATTR_ODT: :style "TableWithHeaderRowAndColumn"
12646 | Name | Phone | Age |
12647 | Peter | 1234 | 17 |
12648 | Anna | 4321 | 25 |
12651 In the above example, you used a template named @samp{Custom} and installed
12652 two table styles with the names @samp{TableWithHeaderRowAndColumn} and
12653 @samp{TableWithFirstRowandLastRow}. (@strong{Important:} The OpenDocument
12654 styles needed for producing the above template have been pre-defined for
12655 you. These styles are available under the section marked @samp{Custom
12656 Table Template} in @file{OrgOdtContentTemplate.xml}
12657 (@pxref{x-orgodtcontenttemplate-xml,,Factory styles}). If you need
12658 additional templates you have to define these styles yourselves.
12660 To use this feature proceed as follows:
12664 Create a table template@footnote{See the @code{<table:table-template>}
12665 element of the OpenDocument-v1.2 specification}
12667 A table template is nothing but a set of @samp{table-cell} and
12668 @samp{paragraph} styles for each of the following table cell categories:
12682 The names for the above styles must be chosen based on the name of the table
12683 template using a well-defined convention.
12685 The naming convention is better illustrated with an example. For a table
12686 template with the name @samp{Custom}, the needed style names are listed in
12687 the following table.
12689 @multitable {Table cell type} {CustomEvenColumnTableCell} {CustomEvenColumnTableParagraph}
12690 @headitem Table cell type
12691 @tab @code{table-cell} style
12692 @tab @code{paragraph} style
12697 @tab @samp{CustomTableCell}
12698 @tab @samp{CustomTableParagraph}
12700 @tab @samp{CustomFirstColumnTableCell}
12701 @tab @samp{CustomFirstColumnTableParagraph}
12703 @tab @samp{CustomLastColumnTableCell}
12704 @tab @samp{CustomLastColumnTableParagraph}
12706 @tab @samp{CustomFirstRowTableCell}
12707 @tab @samp{CustomFirstRowTableParagraph}
12709 @tab @samp{CustomLastRowTableCell}
12710 @tab @samp{CustomLastRowTableParagraph}
12712 @tab @samp{CustomEvenRowTableCell}
12713 @tab @samp{CustomEvenRowTableParagraph}
12715 @tab @samp{CustomOddRowTableCell}
12716 @tab @samp{CustomOddRowTableParagraph}
12718 @tab @samp{CustomEvenColumnTableCell}
12719 @tab @samp{CustomEvenColumnTableParagraph}
12721 @tab @samp{CustomOddColumnTableCell}
12722 @tab @samp{CustomOddColumnTableParagraph}
12725 To create a table template with the name @samp{Custom}, define the above
12727 @code{<office:automatic-styles>}...@code{</office:automatic-styles>} element
12728 of the content template file (@pxref{x-orgodtcontenttemplate-xml,,Factory
12732 Define a table style@footnote{See the attributes @code{table:template-name},
12733 @code{table:use-first-row-styles}, @code{table:use-last-row-styles},
12734 @code{table:use-first-column-styles}, @code{table:use-last-column-styles},
12735 @code{table:use-banding-rows-styles}, and
12736 @code{table:use-banding-column-styles} of the @code{<table:table>} element in
12737 the OpenDocument-v1.2 specification}
12739 @vindex org-odt-table-styles
12740 To define a table style, create an entry for the style in the variable
12741 @code{org-odt-table-styles} and specify the following:
12744 @item the name of the table template created in step (1)
12745 @item the set of cell styles in that template that are to be activated
12748 For example, the entry below defines two different table styles
12749 @samp{TableWithHeaderRowAndColumn} and @samp{TableWithFirstRowandLastRow}
12750 based on the same template @samp{Custom}. The styles achieve their intended
12751 effect by selectively activating the individual cell styles in that template.
12754 (setq org-odt-table-styles
12755 (append org-odt-table-styles
12756 '(("TableWithHeaderRowAndColumn" "Custom"
12757 ((use-first-row-styles . t)
12758 (use-first-column-styles . t)))
12759 ("TableWithFirstRowandLastRow" "Custom"
12760 ((use-first-row-styles . t)
12761 (use-last-row-styles . t))))))
12765 Associate a table with the table style
12767 To do this, specify the table style created in step (2) as part of
12768 the @code{ATTR_ODT} line as shown below.
12771 #+ATTR_ODT: :style "TableWithHeaderRowAndColumn"
12772 | Name | Phone | Age |
12773 | Peter | 1234 | 17 |
12774 | Anna | 4321 | 25 |
12778 @node Validating OpenDocument XML
12779 @subsubheading Validating OpenDocument XML
12781 Occasionally, you will discover that the document created by the
12782 ODT exporter cannot be opened by your favorite application. One of
12783 the common reasons for this is that the @file{.odt} file is corrupt. In such
12784 cases, you may want to validate the document against the OpenDocument RELAX
12785 NG Compact Syntax (RNC) schema.
12787 For de-compressing the @file{.odt} file@footnote{@file{.odt} files are
12788 nothing but @samp{zip} archives}: @inforef{File Archives,,emacs}. For
12789 general help with validation (and schema-sensitive editing) of XML files:
12790 @inforef{Introduction,,nxml-mode}.
12792 @vindex org-odt-schema-dir
12793 If you have ready access to OpenDocument @file{.rnc} files and the needed
12794 schema-locating rules in a single folder, you can customize the variable
12795 @code{org-odt-schema-dir} to point to that directory. The ODT exporter
12796 will take care of updating the @code{rng-schema-locating-files} for you.
12798 @c end opendocument
12800 @node iCalendar export
12801 @section iCalendar export
12802 @cindex iCalendar export
12804 @vindex org-icalendar-include-todo
12805 @vindex org-icalendar-use-deadline
12806 @vindex org-icalendar-use-scheduled
12807 @vindex org-icalendar-categories
12808 @vindex org-icalendar-alarm-time
12809 Some people use Org mode for keeping track of projects, but still prefer a
12810 standard calendar application for anniversaries and appointments. In this
12811 case it can be useful to show deadlines and other time-stamped items in Org
12812 files in the calendar application. Org mode can export calendar information
12813 in the standard iCalendar format. If you also want to have TODO entries
12814 included in the export, configure the variable
12815 @code{org-icalendar-include-todo}. Plain timestamps are exported as VEVENT,
12816 and TODO items as VTODO@. It will also create events from deadlines that are
12817 in non-TODO items. Deadlines and scheduling dates in TODO items will be used
12818 to set the start and due dates for the TODO entry@footnote{See the variables
12819 @code{org-icalendar-use-deadline} and @code{org-icalendar-use-scheduled}.}.
12820 As categories, it will use the tags locally defined in the heading, and the
12821 file/tree category@footnote{To add inherited tags or the TODO state,
12822 configure the variable @code{org-icalendar-categories}.}. See the variable
12823 @code{org-icalendar-alarm-time} for a way to assign alarms to entries with a
12826 @vindex org-icalendar-store-UID
12827 @cindex property, ID
12828 The iCalendar standard requires each entry to have a globally unique
12829 identifier (UID). Org creates these identifiers during export. If you set
12830 the variable @code{org-icalendar-store-UID}, the UID will be stored in the
12831 @code{:ID:} property of the entry and re-used next time you report this
12832 entry. Since a single entry can give rise to multiple iCalendar entries (as
12833 a timestamp, a deadline, a scheduled item, and as a TODO item), Org adds
12834 prefixes to the UID, depending on what triggered the inclusion of the entry.
12835 In this way the UID remains unique, but a synchronization program can still
12836 figure out from which entry all the different instances originate.
12839 @orgcmd{C-c C-e c f,org-icalendar-export-to-ics}
12840 Create iCalendar entries for the current buffer and store them in the same
12841 directory, using a file extension @file{.ics}.
12842 @orgcmd{C-c C-e c a, org-icalendar-export-agenda-files}
12843 @vindex org-agenda-files
12844 Like @kbd{C-c C-e c f}, but do this for all files in
12845 @code{org-agenda-files}. For each of these files, a separate iCalendar
12846 file will be written.
12847 @orgcmd{C-c C-e c c,org-icalendar-combine-agenda-files}
12848 @vindex org-icalendar-combined-agenda-file
12849 Create a single large iCalendar file from all files in
12850 @code{org-agenda-files} and write it to the file given by
12851 @code{org-icalendar-combined-agenda-file}.
12854 @vindex org-use-property-inheritance
12855 @vindex org-icalendar-include-body
12856 @cindex property, SUMMARY
12857 @cindex property, DESCRIPTION
12858 @cindex property, LOCATION
12859 The export will honor SUMMARY, DESCRIPTION and LOCATION@footnote{The LOCATION
12860 property can be inherited from higher in the hierarchy if you configure
12861 @code{org-use-property-inheritance} accordingly.} properties if the selected
12862 entries have them. If not, the summary will be derived from the headline,
12863 and the description from the body (limited to
12864 @code{org-icalendar-include-body} characters).
12866 How this calendar is best read and updated, depends on the application
12867 you are using. The FAQ covers this issue.
12869 @node Other built-in back-ends
12870 @section Other built-in back-ends
12871 @cindex export back-ends, built-in
12872 @vindex org-export-backends
12874 On top of the aforemetioned back-ends, Org comes with other built-in ones:
12877 @item @file{ox-man.el}: export to a man page.
12878 @item @file{ox-texinfo.el}: export to @code{Texinfo} format.
12879 @item @file{ox-org.el}: export to an Org document.
12882 To activate these export back-ends, customize @code{org-export-backends} or
12883 load them directly with e.g., @code{(require 'ox-texinfo)}. This will add
12884 new keys in the export dispatcher (@pxref{The export dispatcher}).
12886 See the comment section of these files for more information on how to use
12889 @node Export in foreign buffers
12890 @section Export in foreign buffers
12892 Most built-in back-ends come with a command to convert the selected region
12893 into a selected format and replace this region by the exported output. Here
12894 is a list of such conversion commands:
12897 @item org-html-convert-region-to-html
12898 Convert the selected region into HTML.
12899 @item org-latex-convert-region-to-latex
12900 Convert the selected region into @LaTeX{}.
12901 @item org-texinfo-convert-region-to-texinfo
12902 Convert the selected region into @code{Texinfo}.
12903 @item org-md-convert-region-to-md
12904 Convert the selected region into @code{MarkDown}.
12907 This is particularily useful for converting tables and lists in foreign
12908 buffers. E.g., in a HTML buffer, you can turn on @code{orgstruct-mode}, then
12909 use Org commands for editing a list, and finally select and convert the list
12910 with @code{M-x org-html-convert-region-to-html RET}.
12912 @node Advanced configuration
12913 @section Advanced configuration
12917 @vindex org-export-before-processing-hook
12918 @vindex org-export-before-parsing-hook
12919 Two hooks are run during the first steps of the export process. The first
12920 one, @code{org-export-before-processing-hook} is called before expanding
12921 macros, Babel code and include keywords in the buffer. The second one,
12922 @code{org-export-before-parsing-hook}, as its name suggests, happens just
12923 before parsing the buffer. Their main use is for heavy duties, that is
12924 duties involving structural modifications of the document. For example, one
12925 may want to remove every headline in the buffer during export. The following
12926 code can achieve this:
12930 (defun my-headline-removal (backend)
12931 "Remove all headlines in the current buffer.
12932 BACKEND is the export back-end being used, as a symbol."
12934 (lambda () (delete-region (point) (progn (forward-line) (point))))))
12936 (add-hook 'org-export-before-parsing-hook 'my-headline-removal)
12940 Note that functions used in these hooks require a mandatory argument,
12941 a symbol representing the back-end used.
12943 @subheading Filters
12945 @cindex Filters, exporting
12946 Filters are lists of functions applied on a specific part of the output from
12947 a given back-end. More explicitly, each time a back-end transforms an Org
12948 object or element into another language, all functions within a given filter
12949 type are called in turn on the string produced. The string returned by the
12950 last function will be the one used in the final output.
12952 There are filter sets for each type of element or object, for plain text,
12953 for the parse tree, for the export options and for the final output. They
12954 are all named after the same scheme: @code{org-export-filter-TYPE-functions},
12955 where @code{TYPE} is the type targeted by the filter. Valid types are:
12957 @multitable @columnfractions .33 .33 .33
12964 @item comment-block
12967 @item dynamic-block
12971 @tab export-snippet
12974 @tab footnote-definition
12975 @tab footnote-reference
12977 @tab horizontal-rule
12978 @tab inline-babel-call
12979 @item inline-src-block
12984 @tab latex-environment
12985 @item latex-fragment
12988 @item node-property
12995 @tab property-drawer
12997 @item quote-section
13000 @item special-block
13002 @tab statistics-cookie
13003 @item strike-through
13017 For example, the following snippet allows me to use non-breaking spaces in
13018 the Org buffer and get them translated into @LaTeX{} without using the
13019 @code{\nbsp} macro (where @code{_} stands for the non-breaking space):
13023 (defun my-latex-filter-nobreaks (text backend info)
13024 "Ensure \" \" are properly handled in LaTeX export."
13025 (when (org-export-derived-backend-p backend 'latex)
13026 (replace-regexp-in-string " " "~" text)))
13028 (add-to-list 'org-export-filter-plain-text-functions
13029 'my-latex-filter-nobreaks)
13033 Three arguments must be provided to a filter: the code being changed, the
13034 back-end used, and some information about the export process. You can safely
13035 ignore the third argument for most purposes. Note the use of
13036 @code{org-export-derived-backend-p}, which ensures that the filter will only
13037 be applied when using @code{latex} back-end or any other back-end derived
13038 from it (e.g., @code{beamer}).
13040 @subheading Defining filters for individual files
13042 You can customize the export for just a specific file by binding export
13043 filter variables using @code{#+BIND}. Here is an example where we introduce
13044 two filters, one to remove brackets from time stamps, and one to entirely
13045 remove any strike-through text. The functions doing the filtering are
13046 defined in an src block that allows the filter function definitions to exist
13047 in the file itself and ensures that the functions will be there when needed.
13050 #+BIND: org-export-filter-timestamp-functions (tmp-f-timestamp)
13051 #+BIND: org-export-filter-strike-through-functions (tmp-f-strike-through)
13052 #+begin_src emacs-lisp :exports results :results none
13053 (defun tmp-f-timestamp (s backend info)
13054 (replace-regexp-in-string "&[lg]t;\\|[][]" "" s))
13055 (defun tmp-f-strike-through (s backend info) "")
13059 @subheading Extending an existing back-end
13061 This is obviously the most powerful customization, since the changes happen
13062 at the parser level. Indeed, some export back-ends are built as extensions
13063 of other ones (e.g. Markdown back-end an extension of HTML back-end).
13065 Extending a back-end means that if an element type is not transcoded by the
13066 new back-end, it will be handled by the original one. Hence you can extend
13067 specific parts of a back-end without too much work.
13069 As an example, imagine we want the @code{ascii} back-end to display the
13070 language used in a source block, when it is available, but only when some
13071 attribute is non-@code{nil}, like the following:
13074 #+ATTR_ASCII: :language t
13077 Because that back-end is lacking in that area, we are going to create a new
13078 back-end, @code{my-ascii} that will do the job.
13082 (defun my-ascii-src-block (src-block contents info)
13083 "Transcode a SRC-BLOCK element from Org to ASCII.
13084 CONTENTS is nil. INFO is a plist used as a communication
13086 (if (not (org-export-read-attribute :attr_ascii src-block :language))
13087 (org-export-with-backend 'ascii src-block contents info)
13089 (format ",--[ %s ]--\n%s`----"
13090 (org-element-property :language src-block)
13091 (replace-regexp-in-string
13093 (org-element-normalize-string
13094 (org-export-format-code-default src-block info)))))))
13096 (org-export-define-derived-backend 'my-ascii 'ascii
13097 :translate-alist '((src-block . my-ascii-src-block)))
13101 The @code{my-ascii-src-block} function looks at the attribute above the
13102 element. If it isn’t true, it gives hand to the @code{ascii} back-end.
13103 Otherwise, it creates a box around the code, leaving room for the language.
13104 A new back-end is then created. It only changes its behaviour when
13105 translating @code{src-block} type element. Now, all it takes to use the new
13106 back-end is calling the following from an Org buffer:
13109 (org-export-to-buffer 'my-ascii "*Org MY-ASCII Export*")
13112 It is obviously possible to write an interactive function for this, install
13113 it in the export dispatcher menu, and so on.
13117 @chapter Publishing
13120 Org includes a publishing management system that allows you to configure
13121 automatic HTML conversion of @emph{projects} composed of interlinked org
13122 files. You can also configure Org to automatically upload your exported HTML
13123 pages and related attachments, such as images and source code files, to a web
13126 You can also use Org to convert files into PDF, or even combine HTML and PDF
13127 conversion so that files are available in both formats on the server.
13129 Publishing has been contributed to Org by David O'Toole.
13132 * Configuration:: Defining projects
13133 * Uploading files:: How to get files up on the server
13134 * Sample configuration:: Example projects
13135 * Triggering publication:: Publication commands
13138 @node Configuration
13139 @section Configuration
13141 Publishing needs significant configuration to specify files, destination
13142 and many other properties of a project.
13145 * Project alist:: The central configuration variable
13146 * Sources and destinations:: From here to there
13147 * Selecting files:: What files are part of the project?
13148 * Publishing action:: Setting the function doing the publishing
13149 * Publishing options:: Tweaking HTML/@LaTeX{} export
13150 * Publishing links:: Which links keep working after publishing?
13151 * Sitemap:: Generating a list of all pages
13152 * Generating an index:: An index that reaches across pages
13155 @node Project alist
13156 @subsection The variable @code{org-publish-project-alist}
13157 @cindex org-publish-project-alist
13158 @cindex projects, for publishing
13160 @vindex org-publish-project-alist
13161 Publishing is configured almost entirely through setting the value of one
13162 variable, called @code{org-publish-project-alist}. Each element of the list
13163 configures one project, and may be in one of the two following forms:
13166 ("project-name" :property value :property value ...)
13167 @r{i.e., a well-formed property list with alternating keys and values}
13169 ("project-name" :components ("project-name" "project-name" ...))
13173 In both cases, projects are configured by specifying property values. A
13174 project defines the set of files that will be published, as well as the
13175 publishing configuration to use when publishing those files. When a project
13176 takes the second form listed above, the individual members of the
13177 @code{:components} property are taken to be sub-projects, which group
13178 together files requiring different publishing options. When you publish such
13179 a ``meta-project'', all the components will also be published, in the
13182 @node Sources and destinations
13183 @subsection Sources and destinations for files
13184 @cindex directories, for publishing
13186 Most properties are optional, but some should always be set. In
13187 particular, Org needs to know where to look for source files,
13188 and where to put published files.
13190 @multitable @columnfractions 0.3 0.7
13191 @item @code{:base-directory}
13192 @tab Directory containing publishing source files
13193 @item @code{:publishing-directory}
13194 @tab Directory where output files will be published. You can directly
13195 publish to a web server using a file name syntax appropriate for
13196 the Emacs @file{tramp} package. Or you can publish to a local directory and
13197 use external tools to upload your website (@pxref{Uploading files}).
13198 @item @code{:preparation-function}
13199 @tab Function or list of functions to be called before starting the
13200 publishing process, for example, to run @code{make} for updating files to be
13201 published. The project property list is scoped into this call as the
13202 variable @code{project-plist}.
13203 @item @code{:completion-function}
13204 @tab Function or list of functions called after finishing the publishing
13205 process, for example, to change permissions of the resulting files. The
13206 project property list is scoped into this call as the variable
13207 @code{project-plist}.
13211 @node Selecting files
13212 @subsection Selecting files
13213 @cindex files, selecting for publishing
13215 By default, all files with extension @file{.org} in the base directory
13216 are considered part of the project. This can be modified by setting the
13218 @multitable @columnfractions 0.25 0.75
13219 @item @code{:base-extension}
13220 @tab Extension (without the dot!) of source files. This actually is a
13221 regular expression. Set this to the symbol @code{any} if you want to get all
13222 files in @code{:base-directory}, even without extension.
13224 @item @code{:exclude}
13225 @tab Regular expression to match file names that should not be
13226 published, even though they have been selected on the basis of their
13229 @item @code{:include}
13230 @tab List of files to be included regardless of @code{:base-extension}
13231 and @code{:exclude}.
13233 @item @code{:recursive}
13234 @tab non-@code{nil} means, check base-directory recursively for files to publish.
13237 @node Publishing action
13238 @subsection Publishing action
13239 @cindex action, for publishing
13241 Publishing means that a file is copied to the destination directory and
13242 possibly transformed in the process. The default transformation is to export
13243 Org files as HTML files, and this is done by the function
13244 @code{org-html-publish-to-html}, which calls the HTML exporter (@pxref{HTML
13245 export}). But you also can publish your content as PDF files using
13246 @code{org-latex-publish-to-pdf} or as @code{ascii}, @code{Texinfo}, etc.,
13247 using the corresponding functions.
13249 If you want to publish the Org file as an @code{.org} file but with the
13250 @i{archived}, @i{commented} and @i{tag-excluded} trees removed, use the
13251 function @code{org-org-publish-to-org}. This will produce @file{file.org}
13252 and put it in the publishing directory. If you want a htmlized version of
13253 this file, set the parameter @code{:htmlized-source} to @code{t}, it will
13254 produce @file{file.org.html} in the publishing directory@footnote{If the
13255 publishing directory is the same than the source directory, @file{file.org}
13256 will be exported as @file{file.org.org}, so probably don't want to do this.}.
13258 Other files like images only need to be copied to the publishing destination.
13259 For this you can use @code{org-publish-attachment}. For non-org files, you
13260 always need to specify the publishing function:
13262 @multitable @columnfractions 0.3 0.7
13263 @item @code{:publishing-function}
13264 @tab Function executing the publication of a file. This may also be a
13265 list of functions, which will all be called in turn.
13266 @item @code{:htmlized-source}
13267 @tab non-@code{nil} means, publish htmlized source.
13270 The function must accept three arguments: a property list containing at least
13271 a @code{:publishing-directory} property, the name of the file to be published
13272 and the path to the publishing directory of the output file. It should take
13273 the specified file, make the necessary transformation (if any) and place the
13274 result into the destination folder.
13276 @node Publishing options
13277 @subsection Options for the exporters
13278 @cindex options, for publishing
13280 The property list can be used to set many export options for the exporters.
13281 In most cases, these properties correspond to user variables in Org. The
13282 first table below lists these properties along with the variable they belong
13283 to. The second table list HTML specific properties. See the documentation
13284 string of these options for details.
13286 @vindex org-display-custom-times
13287 @vindex org-export-default-language
13288 @vindex org-export-exclude-tags
13289 @vindex org-export-headline-levels
13290 @vindex org-export-preserve-breaks
13291 @vindex org-export-publishing-directory
13292 @vindex org-export-select-tags
13293 @vindex org-export-with-archived-trees
13294 @vindex org-export-with-author
13295 @vindex org-export-with-creator
13296 @vindex org-export-with-drawers
13297 @vindex org-export-with-email
13298 @vindex org-export-with-emphasize
13299 @vindex org-export-with-fixed-width
13300 @vindex org-export-with-footnotes
13301 @vindex org-export-with-latex
13302 @vindex org-export-with-planning
13303 @vindex org-export-with-priority
13304 @vindex org-export-with-properties
13305 @vindex org-export-with-section-numbers
13306 @vindex org-export-with-special-strings
13307 @vindex org-export-with-sub-superscripts
13308 @vindex org-export-with-tables
13309 @vindex org-export-with-tags
13310 @vindex org-export-with-tasks
13311 @vindex org-export-with-timestamps
13312 @vindex org-export-with-toc
13313 @vindex org-export-with-todo-keywords
13314 @vindex user-mail-address
13315 @multitable @columnfractions 0.32 0.68
13316 @item @code{:archived-trees} @tab @code{org-export-with-archived-trees}
13317 @item @code{:exclude-tags} @tab @code{org-export-exclude-tags}
13318 @item @code{:headline-levels} @tab @code{org-export-headline-levels}
13319 @item @code{:language} @tab @code{org-export-default-language}
13320 @item @code{:preserve-breaks} @tab @code{org-export-preserve-breaks}
13321 @item @code{:publishing-directory} @tab @code{org-export-publishing-directory}
13322 @item @code{:section-numbers} @tab @code{org-export-with-section-numbers}
13323 @item @code{:select-tags} @tab @code{org-export-select-tags}
13324 @item @code{:with-author} @tab @code{org-export-with-author}
13325 @item @code{:with-creator} @tab @code{org-export-with-creator}
13326 @item @code{:with-drawers} @tab @code{org-export-with-drawers}
13327 @item @code{:with-email} @tab @code{org-export-with-email}
13328 @item @code{:with-emphasize} @tab @code{org-export-with-emphasize}
13329 @item @code{:with-fixed-width} @tab @code{org-export-with-fixed-width}
13330 @item @code{:with-footnotes} @tab @code{org-export-with-footnotes}
13331 @item @code{:with-latex} @tab @code{org-export-with-latex}
13332 @item @code{:with-planning} @tab @code{org-export-with-planning}
13333 @item @code{:with-priority} @tab @code{org-export-with-priority}
13334 @item @code{:with-properties} @tab @code{org-export-with-properties}
13335 @item @code{:with-special-strings} @tab @code{org-export-with-special-strings}
13336 @item @code{:with-sub-superscript} @tab @code{org-export-with-sub-superscripts}
13337 @item @code{:with-tables} @tab @code{org-export-with-tables}
13338 @item @code{:with-tags} @tab @code{org-export-with-tags}
13339 @item @code{:with-tasks} @tab @code{org-export-with-tasks}
13340 @item @code{:with-timestamps} @tab @code{org-export-with-timestamps}
13341 @item @code{:with-toc} @tab @code{org-export-with-toc}
13342 @item @code{:with-todo-keywords} @tab @code{org-export-with-todo-keywords}
13345 @vindex org-html-doctype
13346 @vindex org-html-xml-declaration
13347 @vindex org-html-link-up
13348 @vindex org-html-link-home
13349 @vindex org-html-link-org-files-as-html
13350 @vindex org-html-head
13351 @vindex org-html-head-extra
13352 @vindex org-html-inline-images
13353 @vindex org-html-extension
13354 @vindex org-html-preamble
13355 @vindex org-html-postamble
13356 @vindex org-html-table-default-attributes
13357 @vindex org-html-head-include-default-style
13358 @vindex org-html-head-include-scripts
13359 @multitable @columnfractions 0.32 0.68
13360 @item @code{:html-doctype} @tab @code{org-html-doctype}
13361 @item @code{:html-xml-declaration} @tab @code{org-html-xml-declaration}
13362 @item @code{:html-link-up} @tab @code{org-html-link-up}
13363 @item @code{:html-link-home} @tab @code{org-html-link-home}
13364 @item @code{:html-link-org-as-html} @tab @code{org-html-link-org-files-as-html}
13365 @item @code{:html-head} @tab @code{org-html-head}
13366 @item @code{:html-head-extra} @tab @code{org-html-head-extra}
13367 @item @code{:html-inline-images} @tab @code{org-html-inline-images}
13368 @item @code{:html-extension} @tab @code{org-html-extension}
13369 @item @code{:html-preamble} @tab @code{org-html-preamble}
13370 @item @code{:html-postamble} @tab @code{org-html-postamble}
13371 @item @code{:html-table-attributes} @tab @code{org-html-table-default-attributes}
13372 @item @code{:html-head-include-default-style} @tab @code{org-html-head-include-default-style}
13373 @item @code{:html-head-include-scripts} @tab @code{org-html-head-include-scripts}
13376 Most of the @code{org-export-with-*} variables have the same effect in each
13379 @vindex org-publish-project-alist
13380 When a property is given a value in @code{org-publish-project-alist}, its
13381 setting overrides the value of the corresponding user variable (if any)
13382 during publishing. Options set within a file (@pxref{Export settings}),
13383 however, override everything.
13385 @node Publishing links
13386 @subsection Links between published files
13387 @cindex links, publishing
13389 To create a link from one Org file to another, you would use something like
13390 @samp{[[file:foo.org][The foo]]} or simply @samp{file:foo.org.}
13391 (@pxref{Hyperlinks}). When published, this link becomes a link to
13392 @file{foo.html}. You can thus interlink the pages of your "org web" project
13393 and the links will work as expected when you publish them to HTML@. If you
13394 also publish the Org source file and want to link to it, use an @code{http:}
13395 link instead of a @code{file:} link, because @code{file:} links are converted
13396 to link to the corresponding @file{html} file.
13398 You may also link to related files, such as images. Provided you are careful
13399 with relative file names, and provided you have also configured Org to upload
13400 the related files, these links will work too. See @ref{Complex example}, for
13401 an example of this usage.
13404 @subsection Generating a sitemap
13405 @cindex sitemap, of published pages
13407 The following properties may be used to control publishing of
13408 a map of files for a given project.
13410 @multitable @columnfractions 0.35 0.65
13411 @item @code{:auto-sitemap}
13412 @tab When non-@code{nil}, publish a sitemap during @code{org-publish-current-project}
13413 or @code{org-publish-all}.
13415 @item @code{:sitemap-filename}
13416 @tab Filename for output of sitemap. Defaults to @file{sitemap.org} (which
13417 becomes @file{sitemap.html}).
13419 @item @code{:sitemap-title}
13420 @tab Title of sitemap page. Defaults to name of file.
13422 @item @code{:sitemap-function}
13423 @tab Plug-in function to use for generation of the sitemap.
13424 Defaults to @code{org-publish-org-sitemap}, which generates a plain list
13425 of links to all files in the project.
13427 @item @code{:sitemap-sort-folders}
13428 @tab Where folders should appear in the sitemap. Set this to @code{first}
13429 (default) or @code{last} to display folders first or last,
13430 respectively. Any other value will mix files and folders.
13432 @item @code{:sitemap-sort-files}
13433 @tab How the files are sorted in the site map. Set this to
13434 @code{alphabetically} (default), @code{chronologically} or
13435 @code{anti-chronologically}. @code{chronologically} sorts the files with
13436 older date first while @code{anti-chronologically} sorts the files with newer
13437 date first. @code{alphabetically} sorts the files alphabetically. The date of
13438 a file is retrieved with @code{org-publish-find-date}.
13440 @item @code{:sitemap-ignore-case}
13441 @tab Should sorting be case-sensitive? Default @code{nil}.
13443 @item @code{:sitemap-file-entry-format}
13444 @tab With this option one can tell how a sitemap's entry is formatted in the
13445 sitemap. This is a format string with some escape sequences: @code{%t} stands
13446 for the title of the file, @code{%a} stands for the author of the file and
13447 @code{%d} stands for the date of the file. The date is retrieved with the
13448 @code{org-publish-find-date} function and formatted with
13449 @code{org-publish-sitemap-date-format}. Default @code{%t}.
13451 @item @code{:sitemap-date-format}
13452 @tab Format string for the @code{format-time-string} function that tells how
13453 a sitemap entry's date is to be formatted. This property bypasses
13454 @code{org-publish-sitemap-date-format} which defaults to @code{%Y-%m-%d}.
13456 @item @code{:sitemap-sans-extension}
13457 @tab When non-@code{nil}, remove filenames' extensions from the generated sitemap.
13458 Useful to have cool URIs (see @uref{http://www.w3.org/Provider/Style/URI}).
13459 Defaults to @code{nil}.
13463 @node Generating an index
13464 @subsection Generating an index
13465 @cindex index, in a publishing project
13467 Org mode can generate an index across the files of a publishing project.
13469 @multitable @columnfractions 0.25 0.75
13470 @item @code{:makeindex}
13471 @tab When non-@code{nil}, generate in index in the file @file{theindex.org} and
13472 publish it as @file{theindex.html}.
13475 The file will be created when first publishing a project with the
13476 @code{:makeindex} set. The file only contains a statement @code{#+INCLUDE:
13477 "theindex.inc"}. You can then build around this include statement by adding
13478 a title, style information, etc.
13480 @node Uploading files
13481 @section Uploading files
13485 For those people already utilizing third party sync tools such as
13486 @command{rsync} or @command{unison}, it might be preferable not to use the built in
13487 @i{remote} publishing facilities of Org mode which rely heavily on
13488 Tramp. Tramp, while very useful and powerful, tends not to be
13489 so efficient for multiple file transfer and has been known to cause problems
13492 Specialized synchronization utilities offer several advantages. In addition
13493 to timestamp comparison, they also do content and permissions/attribute
13494 checks. For this reason you might prefer to publish your web to a local
13495 directory (possibly even @i{in place} with your Org files) and then use
13496 @file{unison} or @file{rsync} to do the synchronization with the remote host.
13498 Since Unison (for example) can be configured as to which files to transfer to
13499 a certain remote destination, it can greatly simplify the project publishing
13500 definition. Simply keep all files in the correct location, process your Org
13501 files with @code{org-publish} and let the synchronization tool do the rest.
13502 You do not need, in this scenario, to include attachments such as @file{jpg},
13503 @file{css} or @file{gif} files in the project definition since the 3rd party
13506 Publishing to a local directory is also much faster than to a remote one, so
13507 that you can afford more easily to republish entire projects. If you set
13508 @code{org-publish-use-timestamps-flag} to @code{nil}, you gain the main
13509 benefit of re-including any changed external files such as source example
13510 files you might include with @code{#+INCLUDE:}. The timestamp mechanism in
13511 Org is not smart enough to detect if included files have been modified.
13513 @node Sample configuration
13514 @section Sample configuration
13516 Below we provide two example configurations. The first one is a simple
13517 project publishing only a set of Org files. The second example is
13518 more complex, with a multi-component project.
13521 * Simple example:: One-component publishing
13522 * Complex example:: A multi-component publishing example
13525 @node Simple example
13526 @subsection Example: simple publishing configuration
13528 This example publishes a set of Org files to the @file{public_html}
13529 directory on the local machine.
13532 (setq org-publish-project-alist
13534 :base-directory "~/org/"
13535 :publishing-directory "~/public_html"
13536 :section-numbers nil
13538 :html-head "<link rel=\"stylesheet\"
13539 href=\"../other/mystyle.css\"
13540 type=\"text/css\"/>")))
13543 @node Complex example
13544 @subsection Example: complex publishing configuration
13546 This more complicated example publishes an entire website, including
13547 Org files converted to HTML, image files, Emacs Lisp source code, and
13548 style sheets. The publishing directory is remote and private files are
13551 To ensure that links are preserved, care should be taken to replicate
13552 your directory structure on the web server, and to use relative file
13553 paths. For example, if your Org files are kept in @file{~/org} and your
13554 publishable images in @file{~/images}, you would link to an image with
13557 file:../images/myimage.png
13560 On the web server, the relative path to the image should be the
13561 same. You can accomplish this by setting up an "images" folder in the
13562 right place on the web server, and publishing images to it.
13565 (setq org-publish-project-alist
13567 :base-directory "~/org/"
13568 :base-extension "org"
13569 :publishing-directory "/ssh:user@@host:~/html/notebook/"
13570 :publishing-function org-html-publish-to-html
13571 :exclude "PrivatePage.org" ;; regexp
13573 :section-numbers nil
13575 :html-head "<link rel=\"stylesheet\"
13576 href=\"../other/mystyle.css\" type=\"text/css\"/>"
13580 :base-directory "~/images/"
13581 :base-extension "jpg\\|gif\\|png"
13582 :publishing-directory "/ssh:user@@host:~/html/images/"
13583 :publishing-function org-publish-attachment)
13586 :base-directory "~/other/"
13587 :base-extension "css\\|el"
13588 :publishing-directory "/ssh:user@@host:~/html/other/"
13589 :publishing-function org-publish-attachment)
13590 ("website" :components ("orgfiles" "images" "other"))))
13593 @node Triggering publication
13594 @section Triggering publication
13596 Once properly configured, Org can publish with the following commands:
13599 @orgcmd{C-c C-e P x,org-publish}
13600 Prompt for a specific project and publish all files that belong to it.
13601 @orgcmd{C-c C-e P p,org-publish-current-project}
13602 Publish the project containing the current file.
13603 @orgcmd{C-c C-e P f,org-publish-current-file}
13604 Publish only the current file.
13605 @orgcmd{C-c C-e P a,org-publish-all}
13606 Publish every project.
13609 @vindex org-publish-use-timestamps-flag
13610 Org uses timestamps to track when a file has changed. The above functions
13611 normally only publish changed files. You can override this and force
13612 publishing of all files by giving a prefix argument to any of the commands
13613 above, or by customizing the variable @code{org-publish-use-timestamps-flag}.
13614 This may be necessary in particular if files include other files via
13615 @code{#+SETUPFILE:} or @code{#+INCLUDE:}.
13618 @node Working with source code
13619 @chapter Working with source code
13620 @cindex Schulte, Eric
13621 @cindex Davison, Dan
13622 @cindex source code, working with
13624 Source code can be included in Org mode documents using a @samp{src} block,
13628 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
13629 (defun org-xor (a b)
13635 Org mode provides a number of features for working with live source code,
13636 including editing of code blocks in their native major-mode, evaluation of
13637 code blocks, converting code blocks into source files (known as @dfn{tangling}
13638 in literate programming), and exporting code blocks and their
13639 results in several formats. This functionality was contributed by Eric
13640 Schulte and Dan Davison, and was originally named Org-babel.
13642 The following sections describe Org mode's code block handling facilities.
13645 * Structure of code blocks:: Code block syntax described
13646 * Editing source code:: Language major-mode editing
13647 * Exporting code blocks:: Export contents and/or results
13648 * Extracting source code:: Create pure source code files
13649 * Evaluating code blocks:: Place results of evaluation in the Org mode buffer
13650 * Library of Babel:: Use and contribute to a library of useful code blocks
13651 * Languages:: List of supported code block languages
13652 * Header arguments:: Configure code block functionality
13653 * Results of evaluation:: How evaluation results are handled
13654 * Noweb reference syntax:: Literate programming in Org mode
13655 * Key bindings and useful functions:: Work quickly with code blocks
13656 * Batch execution:: Call functions from the command line
13660 @node Structure of code blocks
13661 @section Structure of code blocks
13662 @cindex code block, structure
13663 @cindex source code, block structure
13665 @cindex #+BEGIN_SRC
13667 Live code blocks can be specified with a @samp{src} block or
13668 inline.@footnote{Note that @samp{src} blocks may be inserted using Org mode's
13669 @ref{Easy templates} system} The structure of a @samp{src} block is
13673 #+BEGIN_SRC <language> <switches> <header arguments>
13678 The @code{#+NAME:} line is optional, and can be used to name the code
13679 block. Live code blocks require that a language be specified on the
13680 @code{#+BEGIN_SRC} line. Switches and header arguments are optional.
13681 @cindex source code, inline
13683 Live code blocks can also be specified inline using
13686 src_<language>@{<body>@}
13692 src_<language>[<header arguments>]@{<body>@}
13696 @item <#+NAME: name>
13697 This line associates a name with the code block. This is similar to the
13698 @code{#+NAME: Name} lines that can be used to name tables in Org mode
13699 files. Referencing the name of a code block makes it possible to evaluate
13700 the block from other places in the file, from other files, or from Org mode
13701 table formulas (see @ref{The spreadsheet}). Names are assumed to be unique
13702 and the behavior of Org mode when two or more blocks share the same name is
13706 The language of the code in the block (see @ref{Languages}).
13707 @cindex source code, language
13709 Optional switches control code block export (see the discussion of switches in
13710 @ref{Literal examples})
13711 @cindex source code, switches
13712 @item <header arguments>
13713 Optional header arguments control many aspects of evaluation, export and
13714 tangling of code blocks (see @ref{Header arguments}).
13715 Header arguments can also be set on a per-buffer or per-subtree
13716 basis using properties.
13717 @item source code, header arguments
13719 Source code in the specified language.
13723 @node Editing source code
13724 @section Editing source code
13725 @cindex code block, editing
13726 @cindex source code, editing
13728 @vindex org-edit-src-auto-save-idle-delay
13729 @vindex org-edit-src-turn-on-auto-save
13731 Use @kbd{C-c '} to edit the current code block. This brings up a language
13732 major-mode edit buffer containing the body of the code block. Manually
13733 saving this buffer with @key{C-x C-s} will write the contents back to the Org
13734 buffer. You can also set @code{org-edit-src-auto-save-idle-delay} to save the
13735 base buffer after some idle delay, or @code{org-edit-src-turn-on-auto-save}
13736 to auto-save this buffer into a separate file using @code{auto-save-mode}.
13737 Use @kbd{C-c '} again to exit.
13739 The @code{org-src-mode} minor mode will be active in the edit buffer. The
13740 following variables can be used to configure the behavior of the edit
13741 buffer. See also the customization group @code{org-edit-structure} for
13742 further configuration options.
13745 @item org-src-lang-modes
13746 If an Emacs major-mode named @code{<lang>-mode} exists, where
13747 @code{<lang>} is the language named in the header line of the code block,
13748 then the edit buffer will be placed in that major-mode. This variable
13749 can be used to map arbitrary language names to existing major modes.
13750 @item org-src-window-setup
13751 Controls the way Emacs windows are rearranged when the edit buffer is created.
13752 @item org-src-preserve-indentation
13753 This variable is especially useful for tangling languages such as
13754 Python, in which whitespace indentation in the output is critical.
13755 @item org-src-ask-before-returning-to-edit-buffer
13756 By default, Org will ask before returning to an open edit buffer. Set this
13757 variable to @code{nil} to switch without asking.
13760 To turn on native code fontification in the @emph{Org} buffer, configure the
13761 variable @code{org-src-fontify-natively}.
13764 @node Exporting code blocks
13765 @section Exporting code blocks
13766 @cindex code block, exporting
13767 @cindex source code, exporting
13769 It is possible to export the @emph{code} of code blocks, the @emph{results}
13770 of code block evaluation, @emph{both} the code and the results of code block
13771 evaluation, or @emph{none}. For most languages, the default exports code.
13772 However, for some languages (e.g., @code{ditaa}) the default exports the
13773 results of code block evaluation. For information on exporting code block
13774 bodies, see @ref{Literal examples}.
13776 The @code{:exports} header argument can be used to specify export
13779 @subsubheading Header arguments:
13782 @cindex @code{:exports}, src header argument
13783 @item :exports code
13784 The default in most languages. The body of the code block is exported, as
13785 described in @ref{Literal examples}.
13786 @item :exports results
13787 The code block will be evaluated each time to buffer is exported, and the
13788 results will be placed in the Org mode buffer for export, either updating
13789 previous results of the code block located anywhere in the buffer or, if no
13790 previous results exist, placing the results immediately after the code block.
13791 The body of the code block will not be exported.
13792 @item :exports both
13793 Both the code block and its results will be exported.
13794 @item :exports none
13795 Neither the code block nor its results will be exported.
13798 It is possible to inhibit the evaluation of code blocks during export.
13799 Setting the @code{org-export-babel-evaluate} variable to @code{nil} will
13800 ensure that no code blocks are evaluated as part of the export process. This
13801 can be useful in situations where potentially untrusted Org mode files are
13802 exported in an automated fashion, for example when Org mode is used as the
13803 markup language for a wiki. It is also possible to set this variable to
13804 @code{‘inline-only}. In that case, only inline code blocks will be
13805 evaluated, in order to insert their results. Non-inline code blocks are
13806 assumed to have their results already inserted in the buffer by manual
13807 evaluation. This setting is useful to avoid expensive recalculations during
13808 export, not to provide security.
13811 @node Extracting source code
13812 @section Extracting source code
13814 @cindex source code, extracting
13815 @cindex code block, extracting source code
13817 Creating pure source code files by extracting code from source blocks is
13818 referred to as ``tangling''---a term adopted from the literate programming
13819 community. During ``tangling'' of code blocks their bodies are expanded
13820 using @code{org-babel-expand-src-block} which can expand both variable and
13821 ``noweb'' style references (see @ref{Noweb reference syntax}).
13823 @subsubheading Header arguments
13826 @cindex @code{:tangle}, src header argument
13828 The default. The code block is not included in the tangled output.
13830 Include the code block in the tangled output. The output file name is the
13831 name of the org file with the extension @samp{.org} replaced by the extension
13832 for the block language.
13833 @item :tangle filename
13834 Include the code block in the tangled output to file @samp{filename}.
13838 @subsubheading Functions
13841 @item org-babel-tangle
13842 Tangle the current file. Bound to @kbd{C-c C-v t}.
13844 With prefix argument only tangle the current code block.
13845 @item org-babel-tangle-file
13846 Choose a file to tangle. Bound to @kbd{C-c C-v f}.
13849 @subsubheading Hooks
13852 @item org-babel-post-tangle-hook
13853 This hook is run from within code files tangled by @code{org-babel-tangle}.
13854 Example applications could include post-processing, compilation or evaluation
13855 of tangled code files.
13858 @subsubheading Jumping between code and Org
13860 When tangling code from an Org-mode buffer to a source code file, you'll
13861 frequently find yourself viewing the file of tangled source code (e.g., many
13862 debuggers point to lines of the source code file). It is useful to be able
13863 to navigate from the tangled source to the Org-mode buffer from which the
13866 The @code{org-babel-tangle-jump-to-org} function provides this jumping from
13867 code to Org-mode functionality. Two header arguments are required for
13868 jumping to work, first the @code{padline} (@ref{padline}) option must be set
13869 to true (the default setting), second the @code{comments} (@ref{comments})
13870 header argument must be set to @code{links}, which will insert comments into
13871 the source code buffer which point back to the original Org-mode file.
13873 @node Evaluating code blocks
13874 @section Evaluating code blocks
13875 @cindex code block, evaluating
13876 @cindex source code, evaluating
13879 Code blocks can be evaluated@footnote{Whenever code is evaluated there is a
13880 potential for that code to do harm. Org mode provides safeguards to ensure
13881 that code is only evaluated after explicit confirmation from the user. For
13882 information on these safeguards (and on how to disable them) see @ref{Code
13883 evaluation security}.} and the results of evaluation optionally placed in the
13884 Org mode buffer. The results of evaluation are placed following a line that
13885 begins by default with @code{#+RESULTS} and optionally a cache identifier
13886 and/or the name of the evaluated code block. The default value of
13887 @code{#+RESULTS} can be changed with the customizable variable
13888 @code{org-babel-results-keyword}.
13890 By default, the evaluation facility is only enabled for Lisp code blocks
13891 specified as @code{emacs-lisp}. However, source code blocks in many languages
13892 can be evaluated within Org mode (see @ref{Languages} for a list of supported
13893 languages and @ref{Structure of code blocks} for information on the syntax
13894 used to define a code block).
13897 There are a number of ways to evaluate code blocks. The simplest is to press
13898 @kbd{C-c C-c} or @kbd{C-c C-v e} with the point on a code block@footnote{The
13899 option @code{org-babel-no-eval-on-ctrl-c-ctrl-c} can be used to remove code
13900 evaluation from the @kbd{C-c C-c} key binding.}. This will call the
13901 @code{org-babel-execute-src-block} function to evaluate the block and insert
13902 its results into the Org mode buffer.
13905 It is also possible to evaluate named code blocks from anywhere in an Org
13906 mode buffer or an Org mode table. Live code blocks located in the current
13907 Org mode buffer or in the ``Library of Babel'' (see @ref{Library of Babel})
13908 can be executed. Named code blocks can be executed with a separate
13909 @code{#+CALL:} line or inline within a block of text.
13911 The syntax of the @code{#+CALL:} line is
13914 #+CALL: <name>(<arguments>)
13915 #+CALL: <name>[<inside header arguments>](<arguments>) <end header arguments>
13918 The syntax for inline evaluation of named code blocks is
13921 ... call_<name>(<arguments>) ...
13922 ... call_<name>[<inside header arguments>](<arguments>)[<end header arguments>] ...
13927 The name of the code block to be evaluated (see @ref{Structure of code blocks}).
13929 Arguments specified in this section will be passed to the code block. These
13930 arguments use standard function call syntax, rather than
13931 header argument syntax. For example, a @code{#+CALL:} line that passes the
13932 number four to a code block named @code{double}, which declares the header
13933 argument @code{:var n=2}, would be written as @code{#+CALL: double(n=4)}.
13934 @item <inside header arguments>
13935 Inside header arguments are passed through and applied to the named code
13936 block. These arguments use header argument syntax rather than standard
13937 function call syntax. Inside header arguments affect how the code block is
13938 evaluated. For example, @code{[:results output]} will collect the results of
13939 everything printed to @code{STDOUT} during execution of the code block.
13940 @item <end header arguments>
13941 End header arguments are applied to the calling instance and do not affect
13942 evaluation of the named code block. They affect how the results are
13943 incorporated into the Org mode buffer and how the call line is exported. For
13944 example, @code{:results html} will insert the results of the call line
13945 evaluation in the Org buffer, wrapped in a @code{BEGIN_HTML:} block.
13947 For more examples of passing header arguments to @code{#+CALL:} lines see
13948 @ref{Header arguments in function calls}.
13951 @node Library of Babel
13952 @section Library of Babel
13953 @cindex babel, library of
13954 @cindex source code, library
13955 @cindex code block, library
13957 The ``Library of Babel'' consists of code blocks that can be called from any
13958 Org mode file. Code blocks defined in the ``Library of Babel'' can be called
13959 remotely as if they were in the current Org mode buffer (see @ref{Evaluating
13960 code blocks} for information on the syntax of remote code block evaluation).
13963 The central repository of code blocks in the ``Library of Babel'' is housed
13964 in an Org mode file located in the @samp{contrib} directory of Org mode.
13966 Users can add code blocks they believe to be generally useful to their
13967 ``Library of Babel.'' The code blocks can be stored in any Org mode file and
13968 then loaded into the library with @code{org-babel-lob-ingest}.
13972 Code blocks located in any Org mode file can be loaded into the ``Library of
13973 Babel'' with the @code{org-babel-lob-ingest} function, bound to @kbd{C-c C-v
13978 @cindex babel, languages
13979 @cindex source code, languages
13980 @cindex code block, languages
13982 Code blocks in the following languages are supported.
13984 @multitable @columnfractions 0.28 0.3 0.22 0.2
13985 @item @b{Language} @tab @b{Identifier} @tab @b{Language} @tab @b{Identifier}
13986 @item Asymptote @tab asymptote @tab Awk @tab awk
13987 @item Emacs Calc @tab calc @tab C @tab C
13988 @item C++ @tab C++ @tab Clojure @tab clojure
13989 @item CSS @tab css @tab ditaa @tab ditaa
13990 @item Graphviz @tab dot @tab Emacs Lisp @tab emacs-lisp
13991 @item gnuplot @tab gnuplot @tab Haskell @tab haskell
13992 @item Java @tab java @tab @tab
13993 @item Javascript @tab js @tab LaTeX @tab latex
13994 @item Ledger @tab ledger @tab Lisp @tab lisp
13995 @item Lilypond @tab lilypond @tab MATLAB @tab matlab
13996 @item Mscgen @tab mscgen @tab Objective Caml @tab ocaml
13997 @item Octave @tab octave @tab Org mode @tab org
13998 @item Oz @tab oz @tab Perl @tab perl
13999 @item Plantuml @tab plantuml @tab Python @tab python
14000 @item R @tab R @tab Ruby @tab ruby
14001 @item Sass @tab sass @tab Scheme @tab scheme
14002 @item GNU Screen @tab screen @tab shell @tab sh
14003 @item SQL @tab sql @tab SQLite @tab sqlite
14006 Language-specific documentation is available for some languages. If
14007 available, it can be found at
14008 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-contrib/babel/languages.html}.
14010 The option @code{org-babel-load-languages} controls which languages are
14011 enabled for evaluation (by default only @code{emacs-lisp} is enabled). This
14012 variable can be set using the customization interface or by adding code like
14013 the following to your emacs configuration.
14016 The following disables @code{emacs-lisp} evaluation and enables evaluation of
14017 @code{R} code blocks.
14021 (org-babel-do-load-languages
14022 'org-babel-load-languages
14023 '((emacs-lisp . nil)
14027 It is also possible to enable support for a language by loading the related
14028 elisp file with @code{require}.
14031 The following adds support for evaluating @code{clojure} code blocks.
14035 (require 'ob-clojure)
14038 @node Header arguments
14039 @section Header arguments
14040 @cindex code block, header arguments
14041 @cindex source code, block header arguments
14043 Code block functionality can be configured with header arguments. This
14044 section provides an overview of the use of header arguments, and then
14045 describes each header argument in detail.
14048 * Using header arguments:: Different ways to set header arguments
14049 * Specific header arguments:: List of header arguments
14052 @node Using header arguments
14053 @subsection Using header arguments
14055 The values of header arguments can be set in several way. When the header
14056 arguments in each layer have been determined, they are combined in order from
14057 the first, least specific (having the lowest priority) up to the last, most
14058 specific (having the highest priority). A header argument with a higher
14059 priority replaces the same header argument specified at lower priority.
14061 * System-wide header arguments:: Set global default values
14062 * Language-specific header arguments:: Set default values by language
14063 * Header arguments in Org mode properties:: Set default values for a buffer or heading
14064 * Language-specific header arguments in Org mode properties:: Set language-specific default values for a buffer or heading
14065 * Code block specific header arguments:: The most common way to set values
14066 * Header arguments in function calls:: The most specific level
14070 @node System-wide header arguments
14071 @subsubheading System-wide header arguments
14072 @vindex org-babel-default-header-args
14073 System-wide values of header arguments can be specified by adapting the
14074 @code{org-babel-default-header-args} variable:
14076 @cindex @code{:session}, src header argument
14077 @cindex @code{:results}, src header argument
14078 @cindex @code{:exports}, src header argument
14079 @cindex @code{:cache}, src header argument
14080 @cindex @code{:noweb}, src header argument
14083 :results => "replace"
14089 For example, the following example could be used to set the default value of
14090 @code{:noweb} header arguments to @code{yes}. This would have the effect of
14091 expanding @code{:noweb} references by default when evaluating source code
14095 (setq org-babel-default-header-args
14096 (cons '(:noweb . "yes")
14097 (assq-delete-all :noweb org-babel-default-header-args)))
14100 @node Language-specific header arguments
14101 @subsubheading Language-specific header arguments
14102 Each language can define its own set of default header arguments in variable
14103 @code{org-babel-default-header-args:<lang>}, where @code{<lang>} is the name
14104 of the language. See the language-specific documentation available online at
14105 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-contrib/babel}.
14107 @node Header arguments in Org mode properties
14108 @subsubheading Header arguments in Org mode properties
14110 Buffer-wide header arguments may be specified as properties through the use
14111 of @code{#+PROPERTY:} lines placed anywhere in an Org mode file (see
14112 @ref{Property syntax}).
14114 For example the following would set @code{session} to @code{*R*} (only for R
14115 code blocks), and @code{results} to @code{silent} for every code block in the
14116 buffer, ensuring that all execution took place in the same session, and no
14117 results would be inserted into the buffer.
14120 #+PROPERTY: header-args:R :session *R*
14121 #+PROPERTY: header-args :results silent
14124 Header arguments read from Org mode properties can also be set on a
14125 per-subtree basis using property drawers (see @ref{Property syntax}).
14126 @vindex org-use-property-inheritance
14127 When properties are used to set default header arguments, they are always
14128 looked up with inheritance, regardless of the value of
14129 @code{org-use-property-inheritance}. Properties are evaluated as seen by the
14130 outermost call or source block.@footnote{The deprecated syntax for default
14131 header argument properties, using the name of the header argument as a
14132 property name directly, evaluates the property as seen by the corresponding
14133 source block definition. This behaviour has been kept for backwards
14136 In the following example the value of
14137 the @code{:cache} header argument will default to @code{yes} in all code
14138 blocks in the subtree rooted at the following heading:
14143 :header-args: :cache yes
14148 @vindex org-babel-default-header-args
14149 Properties defined in this way override the properties set in
14150 @code{org-babel-default-header-args} and are applied for all activated
14151 languages. It is convenient to use the @code{org-set-property} function
14152 bound to @kbd{C-c C-x p} to set properties in Org mode documents.
14154 @node Language-specific header arguments in Org mode properties
14155 @subsubheading Language-specific header arguments in Org mode properties
14157 Language-specific header arguments are also read from properties
14158 @code{header-args:<lang>} where @code{<lang>} is the name of the language
14159 targeted. As an example
14164 :header-args:clojure: :session *clojure-1*
14165 :header-args:R: :session *R*
14169 :header-args:clojure: :session *clojure-2*
14173 would independently set a default session header argument for R and clojure
14174 for calls and source blocks under subtree ``Heading'' and change to a
14175 different clojure setting for evaluations under subtree ``Subheading'', while
14176 the R session is inherited from ``Heading'' and therefore unchanged.
14178 @node Code block specific header arguments
14179 @subsubheading Code block specific header arguments
14181 The most common way to assign values to header arguments is at the
14182 code block level. This can be done by listing a sequence of header
14183 arguments and their values as part of the @code{#+BEGIN_SRC} line.
14184 Properties set in this way override both the values of
14185 @code{org-babel-default-header-args} and header arguments specified as
14186 properties. In the following example, the @code{:results} header argument
14187 is set to @code{silent}, meaning the results of execution will not be
14188 inserted in the buffer, and the @code{:exports} header argument is set to
14189 @code{code}, meaning only the body of the code block will be
14190 preserved on export to HTML or @LaTeX{}.
14194 #+BEGIN_SRC haskell :results silent :exports code :var n=0
14196 fac n = n * fac (n-1)
14199 Similarly, it is possible to set header arguments for inline code blocks
14202 src_haskell[:exports both]@{fac 5@}
14205 Code block header arguments can span multiple lines using @code{#+HEADER:} or
14206 @code{#+HEADERS:} lines preceding a code block or nested between the
14207 @code{#+NAME:} line and the @code{#+BEGIN_SRC} line of a named code block.
14211 Multi-line header arguments on an un-named code block:
14214 #+HEADERS: :var data1=1
14215 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp :var data2=2
14216 (message "data1:%S, data2:%S" data1 data2)
14223 Multi-line header arguments on a named code block:
14226 #+NAME: named-block
14227 #+HEADER: :var data=2
14228 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
14229 (message "data:%S" data)
14232 #+RESULTS: named-block
14236 @node Header arguments in function calls
14237 @subsubheading Header arguments in function calls
14239 At the most specific level, header arguments for ``Library of Babel'' or
14240 @code{#+CALL:} lines can be set as shown in the two examples below. For more
14241 information on the structure of @code{#+CALL:} lines see @ref{Evaluating code
14244 The following will apply the @code{:exports results} header argument to the
14245 evaluation of the @code{#+CALL:} line.
14248 #+CALL: factorial(n=5) :exports results
14251 The following will apply the @code{:session special} header argument to the
14252 evaluation of the @code{factorial} code block.
14255 #+CALL: factorial[:session special](n=5)
14258 @node Specific header arguments
14259 @subsection Specific header arguments
14260 Header arguments consist of an initial colon followed by the name of the
14261 argument in lowercase letters. The following header arguments are defined:
14264 * var:: Pass arguments to code blocks
14265 * Results:: Specify the type of results and how they will
14266 be collected and handled
14267 * file:: Specify a path for file output
14268 * file-desc:: Specify a description for file results
14269 * dir:: Specify the default (possibly remote)
14270 directory for code block execution
14271 * exports:: Export code and/or results
14272 * tangle:: Toggle tangling and specify file name
14273 * mkdirp:: Toggle creation of parent directories of target
14274 files during tangling
14275 * comments:: Toggle insertion of comments in tangled
14277 * padline:: Control insertion of padding lines in tangled
14279 * no-expand:: Turn off variable assignment and noweb
14280 expansion during tangling
14281 * session:: Preserve the state of code evaluation
14282 * noweb:: Toggle expansion of noweb references
14283 * noweb-ref:: Specify block's noweb reference resolution target
14284 * noweb-sep:: String used to separate noweb references
14285 * cache:: Avoid re-evaluating unchanged code blocks
14286 * sep:: Delimiter for writing tabular results outside Org
14287 * hlines:: Handle horizontal lines in tables
14288 * colnames:: Handle column names in tables
14289 * rownames:: Handle row names in tables
14290 * shebang:: Make tangled files executable
14291 * tangle-mode:: Set permission of tangled files
14292 * eval:: Limit evaluation of specific code blocks
14293 * wrap:: Mark source block evaluation results
14294 * post:: Post processing of code block results
14295 * prologue:: Text to prepend to code block body
14296 * epilogue:: Text to append to code block body
14299 Additional header arguments are defined on a language-specific basis, see
14303 @subsubsection @code{:var}
14304 @cindex @code{:var}, src header argument
14305 The @code{:var} header argument is used to pass arguments to code blocks.
14306 The specifics of how arguments are included in a code block vary by language;
14307 these are addressed in the language-specific documentation. However, the
14308 syntax used to specify arguments is the same across all languages. In every
14309 case, variables require a default value when they are declared.
14311 The values passed to arguments can either be literal values, references, or
14312 Emacs Lisp code (see @ref{var, Emacs Lisp evaluation of variables}).
14313 References include anything in the Org mode file that takes a @code{#+NAME:}
14314 or @code{#+RESULTS:} line: tables, lists, @code{#+BEGIN_EXAMPLE} blocks,
14315 other code blocks and the results of other code blocks.
14317 Note: When a reference is made to another code block, the referenced block
14318 will be evaluated unless it has current cached results (see @ref{cache}).
14320 Argument values can be indexed in a manner similar to arrays (see @ref{var,
14321 Indexable variable values}).
14323 The following syntax is used to pass arguments to code blocks using the
14324 @code{:var} header argument.
14330 The argument, @code{assign}, can either be a literal value, such as a string
14331 @samp{"string"} or a number @samp{9}, or a reference to a table, a list, a
14332 literal example, another code block (with or without arguments), or the
14333 results of evaluating another code block.
14335 Here are examples of passing values by reference:
14340 an Org mode table named with either a @code{#+NAME:} line
14343 #+NAME: example-table
14349 #+NAME: table-length
14350 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp :var table=example-table
14354 #+RESULTS: table-length
14359 a simple list named with a @code{#+NAME:} line (note that nesting is not
14360 carried through to the source code block)
14363 #+NAME: example-list
14369 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp :var x=example-list
14377 @item code block without arguments
14378 a code block name (from the example above), as assigned by @code{#+NAME:},
14379 optionally followed by parentheses
14382 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp :var length=table-length()
14390 @item code block with arguments
14391 a code block name, as assigned by @code{#+NAME:}, followed by parentheses and
14392 optional arguments passed within the parentheses following the
14393 code block name using standard function call syntax
14397 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp :var input=8
14405 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp :var input=double(input=1)
14413 @item literal example
14414 a literal example block named with a @code{#+NAME:} line
14417 #+NAME: literal-example
14423 #+NAME: read-literal-example
14424 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp :var x=literal-example
14425 (concatenate 'string x " for you.")
14428 #+RESULTS: read-literal-example
14429 : A literal example
14430 : on two lines for you.
14436 @subsubheading Indexable variable values
14437 It is possible to reference portions of variable values by ``indexing'' into
14438 the variables. Indexes are 0 based with negative values counting back from
14439 the end. If an index is separated by @code{,}s then each subsequent section
14440 will index into the next deepest nesting or dimension of the value. Note
14441 that this indexing occurs @emph{before} other table related header arguments
14442 like @code{:hlines}, @code{:colnames} and @code{:rownames} are applied. The
14443 following example assigns the last cell of the first row the table
14444 @code{example-table} to the variable @code{data}:
14447 #+NAME: example-table
14453 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp :var data=example-table[0,-1]
14461 Ranges of variable values can be referenced using two integers separated by a
14462 @code{:}, in which case the entire inclusive range is referenced. For
14463 example the following assigns the middle three rows of @code{example-table}
14467 #+NAME: example-table
14474 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp :var data=example-table[1:3]
14484 Additionally, an empty index, or the single character @code{*}, are both
14485 interpreted to mean the entire range and as such are equivalent to
14486 @code{0:-1}, as shown in the following example in which the entire first
14487 column is referenced.
14490 #+NAME: example-table
14496 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp :var data=example-table[,0]
14504 It is possible to index into the results of code blocks as well as tables.
14505 Any number of dimensions can be indexed. Dimensions are separated from one
14506 another by commas, as shown in the following example.
14510 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
14511 '(((1 2 3) (4 5 6) (7 8 9))
14512 ((10 11 12) (13 14 15) (16 17 18))
14513 ((19 20 21) (22 23 24) (25 26 27)))
14516 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp :var data=3D[1,,1]
14524 @subsubheading Emacs Lisp evaluation of variables
14526 Emacs lisp code can be used to initialize variable values. When a variable
14527 value starts with @code{(}, @code{[}, @code{'} or @code{`} it will be
14528 evaluated as Emacs Lisp and the result of the evaluation will be assigned as
14529 the variable value. The following example demonstrates use of this
14530 evaluation to reliably pass the file-name of the Org mode buffer to a code
14531 block---note that evaluation of header arguments is guaranteed to take place
14532 in the original Org mode file, while there is no such guarantee for
14533 evaluation of the code block body.
14536 #+BEGIN_SRC sh :var filename=(buffer-file-name) :exports both
14541 Note that values read from tables and lists will not be evaluated as
14542 Emacs Lisp, as shown in the following example.
14548 #+HEADERS: :var data=table[0,0]
14558 @subsubsection @code{:results}
14559 @cindex @code{:results}, src header argument
14561 There are four classes of @code{:results} header argument. Only one option
14562 per class may be supplied per code block.
14566 @b{collection} header arguments specify how the results should be collected
14567 from the code block
14569 @b{type} header arguments specify what type of result the code block will
14570 return---which has implications for how they will be processed before
14571 insertion into the Org mode buffer
14573 @b{format} header arguments specify what type of result the code block will
14574 return---which has implications for how they will be inserted into the
14577 @b{handling} header arguments specify how the results of evaluating the code
14578 block should be handled.
14581 @subsubheading Collection
14582 The following options are mutually exclusive, and specify how the results
14583 should be collected from the code block.
14587 This is the default. The result is the value of the last statement in the
14588 code block. This header argument places the evaluation in functional
14589 mode. Note that in some languages, e.g., Python, use of this result type
14590 requires that a @code{return} statement be included in the body of the source
14591 code block. E.g., @code{:results value}.
14592 @item @code{output}
14593 The result is the collection of everything printed to STDOUT during the
14594 execution of the code block. This header argument places the
14595 evaluation in scripting mode. E.g., @code{:results output}.
14598 @subsubheading Type
14600 The following options are mutually exclusive and specify what type of results
14601 the code block will return. By default, results are inserted as either a
14602 table or scalar depending on their value.
14605 @item @code{table}, @code{vector}
14606 The results should be interpreted as an Org mode table. If a single value is
14607 returned, it will be converted into a table with one row and one column.
14608 E.g., @code{:results value table}.
14610 The results should be interpreted as an Org mode list. If a single scalar
14611 value is returned it will be converted into a list with only one element.
14612 @item @code{scalar}, @code{verbatim}
14613 The results should be interpreted literally---they will not be
14614 converted into a table. The results will be inserted into the Org mode
14615 buffer as quoted text. E.g., @code{:results value verbatim}.
14617 The results will be interpreted as the path to a file, and will be inserted
14618 into the Org mode buffer as a file link. E.g., @code{:results value file}.
14621 @subsubheading Format
14623 The following options are mutually exclusive and specify what type of results
14624 the code block will return. By default, results are inserted according to the
14625 type as specified above.
14629 The results are interpreted as raw Org mode code and are inserted directly
14630 into the buffer. If the results look like a table they will be aligned as
14631 such by Org mode. E.g., @code{:results value raw}.
14633 The results are will be enclosed in a @code{BEGIN_SRC org} block.
14634 They are not comma-escaped by default but they will be if you hit @kbd{TAB}
14635 in the block and/or if you export the file. E.g., @code{:results value org}.
14637 Results are assumed to be HTML and will be enclosed in a @code{BEGIN_HTML}
14638 block. E.g., @code{:results value html}.
14640 Results assumed to be @LaTeX{} and are enclosed in a @code{BEGIN_LaTeX} block.
14641 E.g., @code{:results value latex}.
14643 Result are assumed to be parsable code and are enclosed in a code block.
14644 E.g., @code{:results value code}.
14646 The result is converted to pretty-printed code and is enclosed in a code
14647 block. This option currently supports Emacs Lisp, Python, and Ruby. E.g.,
14648 @code{:results value pp}.
14649 @item @code{drawer}
14650 The result is wrapped in a RESULTS drawer. This can be useful for
14651 inserting @code{raw} or @code{org} syntax results in such a way that their
14652 extent is known and they can be automatically removed or replaced.
14655 @subsubheading Handling
14656 The following results options indicate what happens with the
14657 results once they are collected.
14660 @item @code{silent}
14661 The results will be echoed in the minibuffer but will not be inserted into
14662 the Org mode buffer. E.g., @code{:results output silent}.
14663 @item @code{replace}
14664 The default value. Any existing results will be removed, and the new results
14665 will be inserted into the Org mode buffer in their place. E.g.,
14666 @code{:results output replace}.
14667 @item @code{append}
14668 If there are pre-existing results of the code block then the new results will
14669 be appended to the existing results. Otherwise the new results will be
14670 inserted as with @code{replace}.
14671 @item @code{prepend}
14672 If there are pre-existing results of the code block then the new results will
14673 be prepended to the existing results. Otherwise the new results will be
14674 inserted as with @code{replace}.
14678 @subsubsection @code{:file}
14679 @cindex @code{:file}, src header argument
14681 The header argument @code{:file} is used to specify an external file in which
14682 to save code block results. After code block evaluation an Org mode style
14683 @code{[[file:]]} link (see @ref{Link format}) to the file will be inserted
14684 into the Org mode buffer. Some languages including R, gnuplot, dot, and
14685 ditaa provide special handling of the @code{:file} header argument
14686 automatically wrapping the code block body in the boilerplate code required
14687 to save output to the specified file. This is often useful for saving
14688 graphical output of a code block to the specified file.
14690 The argument to @code{:file} should be either a string specifying the path to
14691 a file, or a list of two strings in which case the first element of the list
14692 should be the path to a file and the second a description for the link.
14695 @subsubsection @code{:file-desc}
14697 The value of the @code{:file-desc} header argument is used to provide a
14698 description for file code block results which are inserted as Org mode links
14699 (see @ref{Link format}). If the @code{:file-desc} header argument is given
14700 with no value the link path will be placed in both the ``link'' and the
14701 ``description'' portion of the Org mode link.
14704 @subsubsection @code{:dir} and remote execution
14705 @cindex @code{:dir}, src header argument
14707 While the @code{:file} header argument can be used to specify the path to the
14708 output file, @code{:dir} specifies the default directory during code block
14709 execution. If it is absent, then the directory associated with the current
14710 buffer is used. In other words, supplying @code{:dir path} temporarily has
14711 the same effect as changing the current directory with @kbd{M-x cd path RET}, and
14712 then not supplying @code{:dir}. Under the surface, @code{:dir} simply sets
14713 the value of the Emacs variable @code{default-directory}.
14715 When using @code{:dir}, you should supply a relative path for file output
14716 (e.g., @code{:file myfile.jpg} or @code{:file results/myfile.jpg}) in which
14717 case that path will be interpreted relative to the default directory.
14719 In other words, if you want your plot to go into a folder called @file{Work}
14720 in your home directory, you could use
14723 #+BEGIN_SRC R :file myplot.png :dir ~/Work
14724 matplot(matrix(rnorm(100), 10), type="l")
14728 @subsubheading Remote execution
14729 A directory on a remote machine can be specified using tramp file syntax, in
14730 which case the code will be evaluated on the remote machine. An example is
14733 #+BEGIN_SRC R :file plot.png :dir /dand@@yakuba.princeton.edu:
14734 plot(1:10, main=system("hostname", intern=TRUE))
14738 Text results will be returned to the local Org mode buffer as usual, and file
14739 output will be created on the remote machine with relative paths interpreted
14740 relative to the remote directory. An Org mode link to the remote file will be
14743 So, in the above example a plot will be created on the remote machine,
14744 and a link of the following form will be inserted in the org buffer:
14747 [[file:/scp:dand@@yakuba.princeton.edu:/home/dand/plot.png][plot.png]]
14750 Most of this functionality follows immediately from the fact that @code{:dir}
14751 sets the value of the Emacs variable @code{default-directory}, thanks to
14752 tramp. Those using XEmacs, or GNU Emacs prior to version 23 may need to
14753 install tramp separately in order for these features to work correctly.
14755 @subsubheading Further points
14759 If @code{:dir} is used in conjunction with @code{:session}, although it will
14760 determine the starting directory for a new session as expected, no attempt is
14761 currently made to alter the directory associated with an existing session.
14763 @code{:dir} should typically not be used to create files during export with
14764 @code{:exports results} or @code{:exports both}. The reason is that, in order
14765 to retain portability of exported material between machines, during export
14766 links inserted into the buffer will @emph{not} be expanded against @code{default
14767 directory}. Therefore, if @code{default-directory} is altered using
14768 @code{:dir}, it is probable that the file will be created in a location to
14769 which the link does not point.
14773 @subsubsection @code{:exports}
14774 @cindex @code{:exports}, src header argument
14776 The @code{:exports} header argument specifies what should be included in HTML
14777 or @LaTeX{} exports of the Org mode file.
14781 The default. The body of code is included into the exported file. E.g.,
14782 @code{:exports code}.
14783 @item @code{results}
14784 The result of evaluating the code is included in the exported file. E.g.,
14785 @code{:exports results}.
14787 Both the code and results are included in the exported file. E.g.,
14788 @code{:exports both}.
14790 Nothing is included in the exported file. E.g., @code{:exports none}.
14794 @subsubsection @code{:tangle}
14795 @cindex @code{:tangle}, src header argument
14797 The @code{:tangle} header argument specifies whether or not the code
14798 block should be included in tangled extraction of source code files.
14801 @item @code{tangle}
14802 The code block is exported to a source code file named after the full path
14803 (including the directory) and file name (w/o extension) of the Org mode file.
14804 E.g., @code{:tangle yes}.
14806 The default. The code block is not exported to a source code file.
14807 E.g., @code{:tangle no}.
14809 Any other string passed to the @code{:tangle} header argument is interpreted
14810 as a path (directory and file name relative to the directory of the Org mode
14811 file) to which the block will be exported. E.g., @code{:tangle path}.
14815 @subsubsection @code{:mkdirp}
14816 @cindex @code{:mkdirp}, src header argument
14818 The @code{:mkdirp} header argument can be used to create parent directories
14819 of tangled files when missing. This can be set to @code{yes} to enable
14820 directory creation or to @code{no} to inhibit directory creation.
14823 @subsubsection @code{:comments}
14824 @cindex @code{:comments}, src header argument
14825 By default code blocks are tangled to source-code files without any insertion
14826 of comments beyond those which may already exist in the body of the code
14827 block. The @code{:comments} header argument can be set as follows to control
14828 the insertion of extra comments into the tangled code file.
14832 The default. No extra comments are inserted during tangling.
14834 The code block is wrapped in comments which contain pointers back to the
14835 original Org file from which the code was tangled.
14837 A synonym for ``link'' to maintain backwards compatibility.
14839 Include text from the Org mode file as a comment.
14840 The text is picked from the leading context of the tangled code and is
14841 limited by the nearest headline or source block as the case may be.
14843 Turns on both the ``link'' and ``org'' comment options.
14845 Turns on the ``link'' comment option, and additionally wraps expanded noweb
14846 references in the code block body in link comments.
14850 @subsubsection @code{:padline}
14851 @cindex @code{:padline}, src header argument
14852 Control in insertion of padding lines around code block bodies in tangled
14853 code files. The default value is @code{yes} which results in insertion of
14854 newlines before and after each tangled code block. The following arguments
14859 Insert newlines before and after each code block body in tangled code files.
14861 Do not insert any newline padding in tangled output.
14865 @subsubsection @code{:no-expand}
14866 @cindex @code{:no-expand}, src header argument
14868 By default, code blocks are expanded with @code{org-babel-expand-src-block}
14869 during tangling. This has the effect of assigning values to variables
14870 specified with @code{:var} (see @ref{var}), and of replacing ``noweb''
14871 references (see @ref{Noweb reference syntax}) with their targets. The
14872 @code{:no-expand} header argument can be used to turn off this behavior.
14875 @subsubsection @code{:session}
14876 @cindex @code{:session}, src header argument
14878 The @code{:session} header argument starts a session for an interpreted
14879 language where state is preserved.
14881 By default, a session is not started.
14883 A string passed to the @code{:session} header argument will give the session
14884 a name. This makes it possible to run concurrent sessions for each
14885 interpreted language.
14888 @subsubsection @code{:noweb}
14889 @cindex @code{:noweb}, src header argument
14891 The @code{:noweb} header argument controls expansion of ``noweb'' syntax
14892 references (see @ref{Noweb reference syntax}) when the code block is
14893 evaluated, tangled, or exported. The @code{:noweb} header argument can have
14894 one of the five values: @code{no}, @code{yes}, @code{tangle}, or
14895 @code{no-export} @code{strip-export}.
14899 The default. ``Noweb'' syntax references in the body of the code block will
14900 not be expanded before the code block is evaluated, tangled or exported.
14902 ``Noweb'' syntax references in the body of the code block will be
14903 expanded before the code block is evaluated, tangled or exported.
14904 @item @code{tangle}
14905 ``Noweb'' syntax references in the body of the code block will be expanded
14906 before the code block is tangled. However, ``noweb'' syntax references will
14907 not be expanded when the code block is evaluated or exported.
14908 @item @code{no-export}
14909 ``Noweb'' syntax references in the body of the code block will be expanded
14910 before the block is evaluated or tangled. However, ``noweb'' syntax
14911 references will not be expanded when the code block is exported.
14912 @item @code{strip-export}
14913 ``Noweb'' syntax references in the body of the code block will be expanded
14914 before the block is evaluated or tangled. However, ``noweb'' syntax
14915 references will be removed when the code block is exported.
14917 ``Noweb'' syntax references in the body of the code block will only be
14918 expanded before the block is evaluated.
14921 @subsubheading Noweb prefix lines
14922 Noweb insertions are now placed behind the line prefix of the
14923 @code{<<reference>>}.
14924 This behavior is illustrated in the following example. Because the
14925 @code{<<example>>} noweb reference appears behind the SQL comment syntax,
14926 each line of the expanded noweb reference will be commented.
14938 -- multi-line body of example
14941 Note that noweb replacement text that does not contain any newlines will not
14942 be affected by this change, so it is still possible to use inline noweb
14946 @subsubsection @code{:noweb-ref}
14947 @cindex @code{:noweb-ref}, src header argument
14948 When expanding ``noweb'' style references the bodies of all code block with
14949 @emph{either} a block name matching the reference name @emph{or} a
14950 @code{:noweb-ref} header argument matching the reference name will be
14951 concatenated together to form the replacement text.
14953 By setting this header argument at the sub-tree or file level, simple code
14954 block concatenation may be achieved. For example, when tangling the
14955 following Org mode file, the bodies of code blocks will be concatenated into
14956 the resulting pure code file@footnote{(The example needs property inheritance
14957 to be turned on for the @code{noweb-ref} property, see @ref{Property
14961 #+BEGIN_SRC sh :tangle yes :noweb yes :shebang #!/bin/sh
14964 * the mount point of the fullest disk
14966 :noweb-ref: fullest-disk
14969 ** query all mounted disks
14974 ** strip the header row
14979 ** sort by the percent full
14981 |awk '@{print $5 " " $6@}'|sort -n |tail -1 \
14984 ** extract the mount point
14986 |awk '@{print $2@}'
14990 The @code{:noweb-sep} (see @ref{noweb-sep}) header argument holds the string
14991 used to separate accumulate noweb references like those above. By default a
14995 @subsubsection @code{:noweb-sep}
14996 @cindex @code{:noweb-sep}, src header argument
14998 The @code{:noweb-sep} header argument holds the string used to separate
14999 accumulate noweb references (see @ref{noweb-ref}). By default a newline is
15003 @subsubsection @code{:cache}
15004 @cindex @code{:cache}, src header argument
15006 The @code{:cache} header argument controls the use of in-buffer caching of
15007 the results of evaluating code blocks. It can be used to avoid re-evaluating
15008 unchanged code blocks. Note that the @code{:cache} header argument will not
15009 attempt to cache results when the @code{:session} header argument is used,
15010 because the results of the code block execution may be stored in the session
15011 outside of the Org mode buffer. The @code{:cache} header argument can have
15012 one of two values: @code{yes} or @code{no}.
15016 The default. No caching takes place, and the code block will be evaluated
15017 every time it is called.
15019 Every time the code block is run a SHA1 hash of the code and arguments
15020 passed to the block will be generated. This hash is packed into the
15021 @code{#+RESULTS:} line and will be checked on subsequent
15022 executions of the code block. If the code block has not
15023 changed since the last time it was evaluated, it will not be re-evaluated.
15026 Code block caches notice if the value of a variable argument
15027 to the code block has changed. If this is the case, the cache is
15028 invalidated and the code block is re-run. In the following example,
15029 @code{caller} will not be re-run unless the results of @code{random} have
15030 changed since it was last run.
15034 #+BEGIN_SRC R :cache yes
15038 #+RESULTS[a2a72cd647ad44515fab62e144796432793d68e1]: random
15042 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp :var x=random :cache yes
15046 #+RESULTS[bec9c8724e397d5df3b696502df3ed7892fc4f5f]: caller
15051 @subsubsection @code{:sep}
15052 @cindex @code{:sep}, src header argument
15054 The @code{:sep} header argument can be used to control the delimiter used
15055 when writing tabular results out to files external to Org mode. This is used
15056 either when opening tabular results of a code block by calling the
15057 @code{org-open-at-point} function bound to @kbd{C-c C-o} on the code block,
15058 or when writing code block results to an external file (see @ref{file})
15061 By default, when @code{:sep} is not specified output tables are tab
15065 @subsubsection @code{:hlines}
15066 @cindex @code{:hlines}, src header argument
15068 Tables are frequently represented with one or more horizontal lines, or
15069 hlines. The @code{:hlines} argument to a code block accepts the
15070 values @code{yes} or @code{no}, with a default value of @code{no}.
15074 Strips horizontal lines from the input table. In most languages this is the
15075 desired effect because an @code{hline} symbol is interpreted as an unbound
15076 variable and raises an error. Setting @code{:hlines no} or relying on the
15077 default value yields the following results.
15088 #+BEGIN_SRC python :var tab=many-cols
15092 #+RESULTS: echo-table
15099 Leaves hlines in the table. Setting @code{:hlines yes} has this effect.
15110 #+BEGIN_SRC python :var tab=many-cols :hlines yes
15114 #+RESULTS: echo-table
15124 @subsubsection @code{:colnames}
15125 @cindex @code{:colnames}, src header argument
15127 The @code{:colnames} header argument accepts the values @code{yes},
15128 @code{no}, or @code{nil} for unassigned. The default value is @code{nil}.
15129 Note that the behavior of the @code{:colnames} header argument may differ
15134 If an input table looks like it has column names
15135 (because its second row is an hline), then the column
15136 names will be removed from the table before
15137 processing, then reapplied to the results.
15146 #+NAME: echo-table-again
15147 #+BEGIN_SRC python :var tab=less-cols
15148 return [[val + '*' for val in row] for row in tab]
15151 #+RESULTS: echo-table-again
15158 Please note that column names are not removed before the table is indexed
15159 using variable indexing @xref{var, Indexable variable values}.
15162 No column name pre-processing takes place
15165 Column names are removed and reapplied as with @code{nil} even if the table
15166 does not ``look like'' it has column names (i.e., the second row is not an
15171 @subsubsection @code{:rownames}
15172 @cindex @code{:rownames}, src header argument
15174 The @code{:rownames} header argument can take on the values @code{yes} or
15175 @code{no}, with a default value of @code{no}. Note that Emacs Lisp code
15176 blocks ignore the @code{:rownames} header argument entirely given the ease
15177 with which tables with row names may be handled directly in Emacs Lisp.
15181 No row name pre-processing will take place.
15184 The first column of the table is removed from the table before processing,
15185 and is then reapplied to the results.
15188 #+NAME: with-rownames
15189 | one | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
15190 | two | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
15192 #+NAME: echo-table-once-again
15193 #+BEGIN_SRC python :var tab=with-rownames :rownames yes
15194 return [[val + 10 for val in row] for row in tab]
15197 #+RESULTS: echo-table-once-again
15198 | one | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
15199 | two | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
15202 Please note that row names are not removed before the table is indexed using
15203 variable indexing @xref{var, Indexable variable values}.
15208 @subsubsection @code{:shebang}
15209 @cindex @code{:shebang}, src header argument
15211 Setting the @code{:shebang} header argument to a string value
15212 (e.g., @code{:shebang "#!/bin/bash"}) causes the string to be inserted as the
15213 first line of any tangled file holding the code block, and the file
15214 permissions of the tangled file are set to make it executable.
15218 @subsubsection @code{:tangle-mode}
15219 @cindex @code{:tangle-mode}, src header argument
15221 The @code{tangle-mode} header argument controls the permission set on tangled
15222 files. The value of this header argument will be passed to
15223 @code{set-file-modes}. For example, to set a tangled file as read only use
15224 @code{:tangle-mode (identity #o444)}, or to set a tangled file as executable
15225 use @code{:tangle-mode (identity #o755)}. Blocks with @code{shebang}
15226 (@ref{shebang}) header arguments will automatically be made executable unless
15227 the @code{tangle-mode} header argument is also used. The behavior is
15228 undefined if multiple code blocks with different values for the
15229 @code{tangle-mode} header argument are tangled to the same file.
15232 @subsubsection @code{:eval}
15233 @cindex @code{:eval}, src header argument
15234 The @code{:eval} header argument can be used to limit the evaluation of
15235 specific code blocks. The @code{:eval} header argument can be useful for
15236 protecting against the evaluation of dangerous code blocks or to ensure that
15237 evaluation will require a query regardless of the value of the
15238 @code{org-confirm-babel-evaluate} variable. The possible values of
15239 @code{:eval} and their effects are shown below.
15243 The code block will not be evaluated under any circumstances.
15245 Evaluation of the code block will require a query.
15246 @item never-export or no-export
15247 The code block will not be evaluated during export but may still be called
15250 Evaluation of the code block during export will require a query.
15253 If this header argument is not set then evaluation is determined by the value
15254 of the @code{org-confirm-babel-evaluate} variable see @ref{Code evaluation
15258 @subsubsection @code{:wrap}
15259 @cindex @code{:wrap}, src header argument
15260 The @code{:wrap} header argument is used to mark the results of source block
15261 evaluation. The header argument can be passed a string that will be appended
15262 to @code{#+BEGIN_} and @code{#+END_}, which will then be used to wrap the
15263 results. If not string is specified then the results will be wrapped in a
15264 @code{#+BEGIN/END_RESULTS} block.
15267 @subsubsection @code{:post}
15268 @cindex @code{:post}, src header argument
15269 The @code{:post} header argument is used to post-process the results of a
15270 code block execution. When a post argument is given, the results of the code
15271 block will temporarily be bound to the @code{*this*} variable. This variable
15272 may then be included in header argument forms such as those used in @ref{var}
15273 header argument specifications allowing passing of results to other code
15274 blocks, or direct execution via Emacs Lisp.
15276 The following example illustrates the usage of the @code{:post} header
15281 #+begin_src sh :var data="" :var width="\\textwidth" :results output
15282 echo "#+ATTR_LATEX :width $width"
15286 #+header: :file /tmp/it.png
15287 #+begin_src dot :post attr_wrap(width="5cm", data=*this*) :results drawer
15297 #+ATTR_LATEX :width 5cm
15298 [[file:/tmp/it.png]]
15303 @subsubsection @code{:prologue}
15304 @cindex @code{:prologue}, src header argument
15305 The value of the @code{prologue} header argument will be prepended to the
15306 code block body before execution. For example, @code{:prologue "reset"} may
15307 be used to reset a gnuplot session before execution of a particular code
15308 block, or the following configuration may be used to do this for all gnuplot
15309 code blocks. Also see @ref{epilogue}.
15312 (add-to-list 'org-babel-default-header-args:gnuplot
15313 '((:prologue . "reset")))
15317 @subsubsection @code{:epilogue}
15318 @cindex @code{:epilogue}, src header argument
15319 The value of the @code{epilogue} header argument will be appended to the code
15320 block body before execution. Also see @ref{prologue}.
15322 @node Results of evaluation
15323 @section Results of evaluation
15324 @cindex code block, results of evaluation
15325 @cindex source code, results of evaluation
15327 The way in which results are handled depends on whether a session is invoked,
15328 as well as on whether @code{:results value} or @code{:results output} is
15329 used. The following table shows the table possibilities. For a full listing
15330 of the possible results header arguments see @ref{Results}.
15332 @multitable @columnfractions 0.26 0.33 0.41
15333 @item @tab @b{Non-session} @tab @b{Session}
15334 @item @code{:results value} @tab value of last expression @tab value of last expression
15335 @item @code{:results output} @tab contents of STDOUT @tab concatenation of interpreter output
15338 Note: With @code{:results value}, the result in both @code{:session} and
15339 non-session is returned to Org mode as a table (a one- or two-dimensional
15340 vector of strings or numbers) when appropriate.
15342 @subsection Non-session
15343 @subsubsection @code{:results value}
15344 @cindex @code{:results}, src header argument
15345 This is the default. Internally, the value is obtained by wrapping the code
15346 in a function definition in the external language, and evaluating that
15347 function. Therefore, code should be written as if it were the body of such a
15348 function. In particular, note that Python does not automatically return a
15349 value from a function unless a @code{return} statement is present, and so a
15350 @samp{return} statement will usually be required in Python.
15352 This is the only one of the four evaluation contexts in which the code is
15353 automatically wrapped in a function definition.
15355 @subsubsection @code{:results output}
15356 @cindex @code{:results}, src header argument
15357 The code is passed to the interpreter as an external process, and the
15358 contents of the standard output stream are returned as text. (In certain
15359 languages this also contains the error output stream; this is an area for
15362 @subsection Session
15363 @subsubsection @code{:results value}
15364 @cindex @code{:results}, src header argument
15365 The code is passed to an interpreter running as an interactive Emacs inferior
15366 process. Only languages which provide tools for interactive evaluation of
15367 code have session support, so some language (e.g., C and ditaa) do not
15368 support the @code{:session} header argument, and in other languages (e.g.,
15369 Python and Haskell) which have limitations on the code which may be entered
15370 into interactive sessions, those limitations apply to the code in code blocks
15371 using the @code{:session} header argument as well.
15373 Unless the @code{:results output} option is supplied (see below) the result
15374 returned is the result of the last evaluation performed by the
15375 interpreter. (This is obtained in a language-specific manner: the value of
15376 the variable @code{_} in Python and Ruby, and the value of @code{.Last.value}
15379 @subsubsection @code{:results output}
15380 @cindex @code{:results}, src header argument
15381 The code is passed to the interpreter running as an interactive Emacs
15382 inferior process. The result returned is the concatenation of the sequence of
15383 (text) output from the interactive interpreter. Notice that this is not
15384 necessarily the same as what would be sent to @code{STDOUT} if the same code
15385 were passed to a non-interactive interpreter running as an external
15386 process. For example, compare the following two blocks:
15389 #+BEGIN_SRC python :results output
15400 In non-session mode, the `2' is not printed and does not appear.
15403 #+BEGIN_SRC python :results output :session
15415 But in @code{:session} mode, the interactive interpreter receives input `2'
15416 and prints out its value, `2'. (Indeed, the other print statements are
15419 @node Noweb reference syntax
15420 @section Noweb reference syntax
15421 @cindex code block, noweb reference
15422 @cindex syntax, noweb
15423 @cindex source code, noweb reference
15425 The ``noweb'' (see @uref{http://www.cs.tufts.edu/~nr/noweb/}) Literate
15426 Programming system allows named blocks of code to be referenced by using the
15427 familiar Noweb syntax:
15430 <<code-block-name>>
15433 When a code block is tangled or evaluated, whether or not ``noweb''
15434 references are expanded depends upon the value of the @code{:noweb} header
15435 argument. If @code{:noweb yes}, then a Noweb reference is expanded before
15436 evaluation. If @code{:noweb no}, the default, then the reference is not
15437 expanded before evaluation. See the @ref{noweb-ref} header argument for
15438 a more flexible way to resolve noweb references.
15440 It is possible to include the @emph{results} of a code block rather than the
15441 body. This is done by appending parenthesis to the code block name which may
15442 optionally contain arguments to the code block as shown below.
15445 <<code-block-name(optional arguments)>>
15448 Note: the default value, @code{:noweb no}, was chosen to ensure that
15449 correct code is not broken in a language, such as Ruby, where
15450 @code{<<arg>>} is a syntactically valid construct. If @code{<<arg>>} is not
15451 syntactically valid in languages that you use, then please consider setting
15454 Note: if noweb tangling is slow in large Org mode files consider setting the
15455 @code{org-babel-use-quick-and-dirty-noweb-expansion} variable to @code{t}.
15456 This will result in faster noweb reference resolution at the expense of not
15457 correctly resolving inherited values of the @code{:noweb-ref} header
15460 @node Key bindings and useful functions
15461 @section Key bindings and useful functions
15462 @cindex code block, key bindings
15464 Many common Org mode key sequences are re-bound depending on
15467 Within a code block, the following key bindings
15470 @multitable @columnfractions 0.25 0.75
15472 @item @kbd{C-c C-c} @tab @code{org-babel-execute-src-block}
15474 @item @kbd{C-c C-o} @tab @code{org-babel-open-src-block-result}
15476 @item @kbd{C-@key{up}} @tab @code{org-babel-load-in-session}
15478 @item @kbd{M-@key{down}} @tab @code{org-babel-pop-to-session}
15481 In an Org mode buffer, the following key bindings are active:
15483 @multitable @columnfractions 0.45 0.55
15485 @kindex C-c C-v C-p
15486 @item @kbd{C-c C-v p} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-p} @tab @code{org-babel-previous-src-block}
15488 @kindex C-c C-v C-n
15489 @item @kbd{C-c C-v n} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-n} @tab @code{org-babel-next-src-block}
15491 @kindex C-c C-v C-e
15492 @item @kbd{C-c C-v e} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-e} @tab @code{org-babel-execute-maybe}
15494 @kindex C-c C-v C-o
15495 @item @kbd{C-c C-v o} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-o} @tab @code{org-babel-open-src-block-result}
15497 @kindex C-c C-v C-v
15498 @item @kbd{C-c C-v v} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-v} @tab @code{org-babel-expand-src-block}
15500 @kindex C-c C-v C-u
15501 @item @kbd{C-c C-v u} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-u} @tab @code{org-babel-goto-src-block-head}
15503 @kindex C-c C-v C-g
15504 @item @kbd{C-c C-v g} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-g} @tab @code{org-babel-goto-named-src-block}
15506 @kindex C-c C-v C-r
15507 @item @kbd{C-c C-v r} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-r} @tab @code{org-babel-goto-named-result}
15509 @kindex C-c C-v C-b
15510 @item @kbd{C-c C-v b} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-b} @tab @code{org-babel-execute-buffer}
15512 @kindex C-c C-v C-s
15513 @item @kbd{C-c C-v s} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-s} @tab @code{org-babel-execute-subtree}
15515 @kindex C-c C-v C-d
15516 @item @kbd{C-c C-v d} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-d} @tab @code{org-babel-demarcate-block}
15518 @kindex C-c C-v C-t
15519 @item @kbd{C-c C-v t} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-t} @tab @code{org-babel-tangle}
15521 @kindex C-c C-v C-f
15522 @item @kbd{C-c C-v f} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-f} @tab @code{org-babel-tangle-file}
15524 @kindex C-c C-v C-c
15525 @item @kbd{C-c C-v c} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-c} @tab @code{org-babel-check-src-block}
15527 @kindex C-c C-v C-j
15528 @item @kbd{C-c C-v j} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-j} @tab @code{org-babel-insert-header-arg}
15530 @kindex C-c C-v C-l
15531 @item @kbd{C-c C-v l} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-l} @tab @code{org-babel-load-in-session}
15533 @kindex C-c C-v C-i
15534 @item @kbd{C-c C-v i} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-i} @tab @code{org-babel-lob-ingest}
15536 @kindex C-c C-v C-I
15537 @item @kbd{C-c C-v I} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-I} @tab @code{org-babel-view-src-block-info}
15539 @kindex C-c C-v C-z
15540 @item @kbd{C-c C-v z} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-z} @tab @code{org-babel-switch-to-session-with-code}
15542 @kindex C-c C-v C-a
15543 @item @kbd{C-c C-v a} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-a} @tab @code{org-babel-sha1-hash}
15545 @kindex C-c C-v C-h
15546 @item @kbd{C-c C-v h} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-h} @tab @code{org-babel-describe-bindings}
15548 @kindex C-c C-v C-x
15549 @item @kbd{C-c C-v x} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-x} @tab @code{org-babel-do-key-sequence-in-edit-buffer}
15552 @c When possible these keybindings were extended to work when the control key is
15553 @c kept pressed, resulting in the following additional keybindings.
15555 @c @multitable @columnfractions 0.25 0.75
15556 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-a} @tab @code{org-babel-sha1-hash}
15557 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-b} @tab @code{org-babel-execute-buffer}
15558 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-f} @tab @code{org-babel-tangle-file}
15559 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-l} @tab @code{org-babel-lob-ingest}
15560 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-p} @tab @code{org-babel-expand-src-block}
15561 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-s} @tab @code{org-babel-execute-subtree}
15562 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-t} @tab @code{org-babel-tangle}
15563 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-z} @tab @code{org-babel-switch-to-session}
15566 @node Batch execution
15567 @section Batch execution
15568 @cindex code block, batch execution
15569 @cindex source code, batch execution
15571 It is possible to call functions from the command line. This shell
15572 script calls @code{org-babel-tangle} on every one of its arguments.
15574 Be sure to adjust the paths to fit your system.
15578 # -*- mode: shell-script -*-
15580 # tangle files with org-mode
15585 # wrap each argument in the code required to call tangle on it
15587 FILES="$FILES \"$i\""
15592 (add-to-list 'load-path (expand-file-name \"~/src/org/lisp/\"))
15593 (add-to-list 'load-path (expand-file-name \"~/src/org/contrib/lisp/\" t))
15594 (require 'org)(require 'org-exp)(require 'ob)(require 'ob-tangle)
15595 (mapc (lambda (file)
15596 (find-file (expand-file-name file \"$DIR\"))
15598 (kill-buffer)) '($FILES)))" 2>&1 |grep tangled
15601 @node Miscellaneous
15602 @chapter Miscellaneous
15605 * Completion:: M-TAB knows what you need
15606 * Easy templates:: Quick insertion of structural elements
15607 * Speed keys:: Electric commands at the beginning of a headline
15608 * Code evaluation security:: Org mode files evaluate inline code
15609 * Customization:: Adapting Org to your taste
15610 * In-buffer settings:: Overview of the #+KEYWORDS
15611 * The very busy C-c C-c key:: When in doubt, press C-c C-c
15612 * Clean view:: Getting rid of leading stars in the outline
15613 * TTY keys:: Using Org on a tty
15614 * Interaction:: Other Emacs packages
15615 * org-crypt:: Encrypting Org files
15620 @section Completion
15621 @cindex completion, of @TeX{} symbols
15622 @cindex completion, of TODO keywords
15623 @cindex completion, of dictionary words
15624 @cindex completion, of option keywords
15625 @cindex completion, of tags
15626 @cindex completion, of property keys
15627 @cindex completion, of link abbreviations
15628 @cindex @TeX{} symbol completion
15629 @cindex TODO keywords completion
15630 @cindex dictionary word completion
15631 @cindex option keyword completion
15632 @cindex tag completion
15633 @cindex link abbreviations, completion of
15635 Emacs would not be Emacs without completion, and Org mode uses it whenever it
15636 makes sense. If you prefer an @i{iswitchb}- or @i{ido}-like interface for
15637 some of the completion prompts, you can specify your preference by setting at
15638 most one of the variables @code{org-completion-use-iswitchb}
15639 @code{org-completion-use-ido}.
15641 Org supports in-buffer completion. This type of completion does
15642 not make use of the minibuffer. You simply type a few letters into
15643 the buffer and use the key to complete text right there.
15646 @kindex M-@key{TAB}
15648 Complete word at point
15651 At the beginning of a headline, complete TODO keywords.
15653 After @samp{\}, complete @TeX{} symbols supported by the exporter.
15655 After @samp{*}, complete headlines in the current buffer so that they
15656 can be used in search links like @samp{[[*find this headline]]}.
15658 After @samp{:} in a headline, complete tags. The list of tags is taken
15659 from the variable @code{org-tag-alist} (possibly set through the
15660 @samp{#+TAGS} in-buffer option, @pxref{Setting tags}), or it is created
15661 dynamically from all tags used in the current buffer.
15663 After @samp{:} and not in a headline, complete property keys. The list
15664 of keys is constructed dynamically from all keys used in the current
15667 After @samp{[}, complete link abbreviations (@pxref{Link abbreviations}).
15669 After @samp{#+}, complete the special keywords like @samp{TYP_TODO} or
15670 @samp{OPTIONS} which set file-specific options for Org mode. When the
15671 option keyword is already complete, pressing @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} again
15672 will insert example settings for this keyword.
15674 In the line after @samp{#+STARTUP: }, complete startup keywords,
15675 i.e., valid keys for this line.
15677 Elsewhere, complete dictionary words using Ispell.
15681 @node Easy templates
15682 @section Easy templates
15683 @cindex template insertion
15684 @cindex insertion, of templates
15686 Org mode supports insertion of empty structural elements (like
15687 @code{#+BEGIN_SRC} and @code{#+END_SRC} pairs) with just a few key
15688 strokes. This is achieved through a native template expansion mechanism.
15689 Note that Emacs has several other template mechanisms which could be used in
15690 a similar way, for example @file{yasnippet}.
15692 To insert a structural element, type a @samp{<}, followed by a template
15693 selector and @kbd{@key{TAB}}. Completion takes effect only when the above
15694 keystrokes are typed on a line by itself.
15696 The following template selectors are currently supported.
15698 @multitable @columnfractions 0.1 0.9
15699 @item @kbd{s} @tab @code{#+BEGIN_SRC ... #+END_SRC}
15700 @item @kbd{e} @tab @code{#+BEGIN_EXAMPLE ... #+END_EXAMPLE}
15701 @item @kbd{q} @tab @code{#+BEGIN_QUOTE ... #+END_QUOTE}
15702 @item @kbd{v} @tab @code{#+BEGIN_VERSE ... #+END_VERSE}
15703 @item @kbd{c} @tab @code{#+BEGIN_CENTER ... #+END_CENTER}
15704 @item @kbd{l} @tab @code{#+BEGIN_LaTeX ... #+END_LaTeX}
15705 @item @kbd{L} @tab @code{#+LaTeX:}
15706 @item @kbd{h} @tab @code{#+BEGIN_HTML ... #+END_HTML}
15707 @item @kbd{H} @tab @code{#+HTML:}
15708 @item @kbd{a} @tab @code{#+BEGIN_ASCII ... #+END_ASCII}
15709 @item @kbd{A} @tab @code{#+ASCII:}
15710 @item @kbd{i} @tab @code{#+INDEX:} line
15711 @item @kbd{I} @tab @code{#+INCLUDE:} line
15714 For example, on an empty line, typing "<e" and then pressing TAB, will expand
15715 into a complete EXAMPLE template.
15717 You can install additional templates by customizing the variable
15718 @code{org-structure-template-alist}. See the docstring of the variable for
15719 additional details.
15722 @section Speed keys
15724 @vindex org-use-speed-commands
15725 @vindex org-speed-commands-user
15727 Single keys can be made to execute commands when the cursor is at the
15728 beginning of a headline, i.e., before the first star. Configure the variable
15729 @code{org-use-speed-commands} to activate this feature. There is a
15730 pre-defined list of commands, and you can add more such commands using the
15731 variable @code{org-speed-commands-user}. Speed keys not only speed up
15732 navigation and other commands, but they also provide an alternative way to
15733 execute commands bound to keys that are not or not easily available on a TTY,
15734 or on a small mobile device with a limited keyboard.
15736 To see which commands are available, activate the feature and press @kbd{?}
15737 with the cursor at the beginning of a headline.
15739 @node Code evaluation security
15740 @section Code evaluation and security issues
15742 Org provides tools to work with code snippets, including evaluating them.
15744 Running code on your machine always comes with a security risk. Badly
15745 written or malicious code can be executed on purpose or by accident. Org has
15746 default settings which will only evaluate such code if you give explicit
15747 permission to do so, and as a casual user of these features you should leave
15748 these precautions intact.
15750 For people who regularly work with such code, the confirmation prompts can
15751 become annoying, and you might want to turn them off. This can be done, but
15752 you must be aware of the risks that are involved.
15754 Code evaluation can happen under the following circumstances:
15757 @item Source code blocks
15758 Source code blocks can be evaluated during export, or when pressing @kbd{C-c
15759 C-c} in the block. The most important thing to realize here is that Org mode
15760 files which contain code snippets are, in a certain sense, like executable
15761 files. So you should accept them and load them into Emacs only from trusted
15762 sources---just like you would do with a program you install on your computer.
15764 Make sure you know what you are doing before customizing the variables
15765 which take off the default security brakes.
15767 @defopt org-confirm-babel-evaluate
15768 When t (the default), the user is asked before every code block evaluation.
15769 When @code{nil}, the user is not asked. When set to a function, it is called with
15770 two arguments (language and body of the code block) and should return t to
15771 ask and @code{nil} not to ask.
15774 For example, here is how to execute "ditaa" code (which is considered safe)
15778 (defun my-org-confirm-babel-evaluate (lang body)
15779 (not (string= lang "ditaa"))) ; don't ask for ditaa
15780 (setq org-confirm-babel-evaluate 'my-org-confirm-babel-evaluate)
15783 @item Following @code{shell} and @code{elisp} links
15784 Org has two link types that can directly evaluate code (@pxref{External
15785 links}). These links can be problematic because the code to be evaluated is
15788 @defopt org-confirm-shell-link-function
15789 Function to queries user about shell link execution.
15791 @defopt org-confirm-elisp-link-function
15792 Functions to query user for Emacs Lisp link execution.
15795 @item Formulas in tables
15796 Formulas in tables (@pxref{The spreadsheet}) are code that is evaluated
15797 either by the @i{calc} interpreter, or by the @i{Emacs Lisp} interpreter.
15800 @node Customization
15801 @section Customization
15802 @cindex customization
15803 @cindex options, for customization
15804 @cindex variables, for customization
15806 There are more than 500 variables that can be used to customize
15807 Org. For the sake of compactness of the manual, I am not
15808 describing the variables here. A structured overview of customization
15809 variables is available with @kbd{M-x org-customize RET}. Or select
15810 @code{Browse Org Group} from the @code{Org->Customization} menu. Many
15811 settings can also be activated on a per-file basis, by putting special
15812 lines into the buffer (@pxref{In-buffer settings}).
15814 @node In-buffer settings
15815 @section Summary of in-buffer settings
15816 @cindex in-buffer settings
15817 @cindex special keywords
15819 Org mode uses special lines in the buffer to define settings on a
15820 per-file basis. These lines start with a @samp{#+} followed by a
15821 keyword, a colon, and then individual words defining a setting. Several
15822 setting words can be in the same line, but you can also have multiple
15823 lines for the keyword. While these settings are described throughout
15824 the manual, here is a summary. After changing any of these lines in the
15825 buffer, press @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in the line to
15826 activate the changes immediately. Otherwise they become effective only
15827 when the file is visited again in a new Emacs session.
15829 @vindex org-archive-location
15831 @item #+ARCHIVE: %s_done::
15832 This line sets the archive location for the agenda file. It applies for
15833 all subsequent lines until the next @samp{#+ARCHIVE} line, or the end
15834 of the file. The first such line also applies to any entries before it.
15835 The corresponding variable is @code{org-archive-location}.
15837 This line sets the category for the agenda file. The category applies
15838 for all subsequent lines until the next @samp{#+CATEGORY} line, or the
15839 end of the file. The first such line also applies to any entries before it.
15840 @item #+COLUMNS: %25ITEM .....
15841 @cindex property, COLUMNS
15842 Set the default format for columns view. This format applies when
15843 columns view is invoked in locations where no @code{COLUMNS} property
15845 @item #+CONSTANTS: name1=value1 ...
15846 @vindex org-table-formula-constants
15847 @vindex org-table-formula
15848 Set file-local values for constants to be used in table formulas. This
15849 line sets the local variable @code{org-table-formula-constants-local}.
15850 The global version of this variable is
15851 @code{org-table-formula-constants}.
15852 @item #+FILETAGS: :tag1:tag2:tag3:
15853 Set tags that can be inherited by any entry in the file, including the
15855 @item #+DRAWERS: NAME1 .....
15856 @vindex org-drawers
15857 Set the file-local set of additional drawers. The corresponding global
15858 variable is @code{org-drawers}.
15859 @item #+LINK: linkword replace
15860 @vindex org-link-abbrev-alist
15861 These lines (several are allowed) specify link abbreviations.
15862 @xref{Link abbreviations}. The corresponding variable is
15863 @code{org-link-abbrev-alist}.
15864 @item #+PRIORITIES: highest lowest default
15865 @vindex org-highest-priority
15866 @vindex org-lowest-priority
15867 @vindex org-default-priority
15868 This line sets the limits and the default for the priorities. All three
15869 must be either letters A--Z or numbers 0--9. The highest priority must
15870 have a lower ASCII number than the lowest priority.
15871 @item #+PROPERTY: Property_Name Value
15872 This line sets a default inheritance value for entries in the current
15873 buffer, most useful for specifying the allowed values of a property.
15874 @cindex #+SETUPFILE
15875 @item #+SETUPFILE: file
15876 This line defines a file that holds more in-buffer setup. Normally this is
15877 entirely ignored. Only when the buffer is parsed for option-setting lines
15878 (i.e., when starting Org mode for a file, when pressing @kbd{C-c C-c} in a
15879 settings line, or when exporting), then the contents of this file are parsed
15880 as if they had been included in the buffer. In particular, the file can be
15881 any other Org mode file with internal setup. You can visit the file the
15882 cursor is in the line with @kbd{C-c '}.
15885 This line sets options to be used at startup of Org mode, when an
15886 Org file is being visited.
15888 The first set of options deals with the initial visibility of the outline
15889 tree. The corresponding variable for global default settings is
15890 @code{org-startup-folded}, with a default value @code{t}, which means
15892 @vindex org-startup-folded
15893 @cindex @code{overview}, STARTUP keyword
15894 @cindex @code{content}, STARTUP keyword
15895 @cindex @code{showall}, STARTUP keyword
15896 @cindex @code{showeverything}, STARTUP keyword
15898 overview @r{top-level headlines only}
15899 content @r{all headlines}
15900 showall @r{no folding of any entries}
15901 showeverything @r{show even drawer contents}
15904 @vindex org-startup-indented
15905 @cindex @code{indent}, STARTUP keyword
15906 @cindex @code{noindent}, STARTUP keyword
15907 Dynamic virtual indentation is controlled by the variable
15908 @code{org-startup-indented}@footnote{Emacs 23 and Org mode 6.29 are required}
15910 indent @r{start with @code{org-indent-mode} turned on}
15911 noindent @r{start with @code{org-indent-mode} turned off}
15914 @vindex org-startup-align-all-tables
15915 Then there are options for aligning tables upon visiting a file. This
15916 is useful in files containing narrowed table columns. The corresponding
15917 variable is @code{org-startup-align-all-tables}, with a default value
15919 @cindex @code{align}, STARTUP keyword
15920 @cindex @code{noalign}, STARTUP keyword
15922 align @r{align all tables}
15923 noalign @r{don't align tables on startup}
15926 @vindex org-startup-with-inline-images
15927 When visiting a file, inline images can be automatically displayed. The
15928 corresponding variable is @code{org-startup-with-inline-images}, with a
15929 default value @code{nil} to avoid delays when visiting a file.
15930 @cindex @code{inlineimages}, STARTUP keyword
15931 @cindex @code{noinlineimages}, STARTUP keyword
15933 inlineimages @r{show inline images}
15934 noinlineimages @r{don't show inline images on startup}
15937 @vindex org-startup-with-latex-preview
15938 When visiting a file, @LaTeX{} fragments can be converted to images
15939 automatically. The variable @code{org-startup-with-latex-preview} which
15940 controls this behavior, is set to @code{nil} by default to avoid delays on
15942 @cindex @code{latexpreview}, STARTUP keyword
15943 @cindex @code{nolatexpreview}, STARTUP keyword
15945 latexpreview @r{preview @LaTeX{} fragments}
15946 nolatexpreview @r{don't preview @LaTeX{} fragments}
15949 @vindex org-log-done
15950 @vindex org-log-note-clock-out
15951 @vindex org-log-repeat
15952 Logging the closing and reopening of TODO items and clock intervals can be
15953 configured using these options (see variables @code{org-log-done},
15954 @code{org-log-note-clock-out} and @code{org-log-repeat})
15955 @cindex @code{logdone}, STARTUP keyword
15956 @cindex @code{lognotedone}, STARTUP keyword
15957 @cindex @code{nologdone}, STARTUP keyword
15958 @cindex @code{lognoteclock-out}, STARTUP keyword
15959 @cindex @code{nolognoteclock-out}, STARTUP keyword
15960 @cindex @code{logrepeat}, STARTUP keyword
15961 @cindex @code{lognoterepeat}, STARTUP keyword
15962 @cindex @code{nologrepeat}, STARTUP keyword
15963 @cindex @code{logreschedule}, STARTUP keyword
15964 @cindex @code{lognotereschedule}, STARTUP keyword
15965 @cindex @code{nologreschedule}, STARTUP keyword
15966 @cindex @code{logredeadline}, STARTUP keyword
15967 @cindex @code{lognoteredeadline}, STARTUP keyword
15968 @cindex @code{nologredeadline}, STARTUP keyword
15969 @cindex @code{logrefile}, STARTUP keyword
15970 @cindex @code{lognoterefile}, STARTUP keyword
15971 @cindex @code{nologrefile}, STARTUP keyword
15972 @cindex @code{logdrawer}, STARTUP keyword
15973 @cindex @code{nologdrawer}, STARTUP keyword
15974 @cindex @code{logstatesreversed}, STARTUP keyword
15975 @cindex @code{nologstatesreversed}, STARTUP keyword
15977 logdone @r{record a timestamp when an item is marked DONE}
15978 lognotedone @r{record timestamp and a note when DONE}
15979 nologdone @r{don't record when items are marked DONE}
15980 logrepeat @r{record a time when reinstating a repeating item}
15981 lognoterepeat @r{record a note when reinstating a repeating item}
15982 nologrepeat @r{do not record when reinstating repeating item}
15983 lognoteclock-out @r{record a note when clocking out}
15984 nolognoteclock-out @r{don't record a note when clocking out}
15985 logreschedule @r{record a timestamp when scheduling time changes}
15986 lognotereschedule @r{record a note when scheduling time changes}
15987 nologreschedule @r{do not record when a scheduling date changes}
15988 logredeadline @r{record a timestamp when deadline changes}
15989 lognoteredeadline @r{record a note when deadline changes}
15990 nologredeadline @r{do not record when a deadline date changes}
15991 logrefile @r{record a timestamp when refiling}
15992 lognoterefile @r{record a note when refiling}
15993 nologrefile @r{do not record when refiling}
15994 logdrawer @r{store log into drawer}
15995 nologdrawer @r{store log outside of drawer}
15996 logstatesreversed @r{reverse the order of states notes}
15997 nologstatesreversed @r{do not reverse the order of states notes}
16000 @vindex org-hide-leading-stars
16001 @vindex org-odd-levels-only
16002 Here are the options for hiding leading stars in outline headings, and for
16003 indenting outlines. The corresponding variables are
16004 @code{org-hide-leading-stars} and @code{org-odd-levels-only}, both with a
16005 default setting @code{nil} (meaning @code{showstars} and @code{oddeven}).
16006 @cindex @code{hidestars}, STARTUP keyword
16007 @cindex @code{showstars}, STARTUP keyword
16008 @cindex @code{odd}, STARTUP keyword
16009 @cindex @code{even}, STARTUP keyword
16011 hidestars @r{make all but one of the stars starting a headline invisible.}
16012 showstars @r{show all stars starting a headline}
16013 indent @r{virtual indentation according to outline level}
16014 noindent @r{no virtual indentation according to outline level}
16015 odd @r{allow only odd outline levels (1,3,...)}
16016 oddeven @r{allow all outline levels}
16019 @vindex org-put-time-stamp-overlays
16020 @vindex org-time-stamp-overlay-formats
16021 To turn on custom format overlays over timestamps (variables
16022 @code{org-put-time-stamp-overlays} and
16023 @code{org-time-stamp-overlay-formats}), use
16024 @cindex @code{customtime}, STARTUP keyword
16026 customtime @r{overlay custom time format}
16029 @vindex constants-unit-system
16030 The following options influence the table spreadsheet (variable
16031 @code{constants-unit-system}).
16032 @cindex @code{constcgs}, STARTUP keyword
16033 @cindex @code{constSI}, STARTUP keyword
16035 constcgs @r{@file{constants.el} should use the c-g-s unit system}
16036 constSI @r{@file{constants.el} should use the SI unit system}
16039 @vindex org-footnote-define-inline
16040 @vindex org-footnote-auto-label
16041 @vindex org-footnote-auto-adjust
16042 To influence footnote settings, use the following keywords. The
16043 corresponding variables are @code{org-footnote-define-inline},
16044 @code{org-footnote-auto-label}, and @code{org-footnote-auto-adjust}.
16045 @cindex @code{fninline}, STARTUP keyword
16046 @cindex @code{nofninline}, STARTUP keyword
16047 @cindex @code{fnlocal}, STARTUP keyword
16048 @cindex @code{fnprompt}, STARTUP keyword
16049 @cindex @code{fnauto}, STARTUP keyword
16050 @cindex @code{fnconfirm}, STARTUP keyword
16051 @cindex @code{fnplain}, STARTUP keyword
16052 @cindex @code{fnadjust}, STARTUP keyword
16053 @cindex @code{nofnadjust}, STARTUP keyword
16055 fninline @r{define footnotes inline}
16056 fnnoinline @r{define footnotes in separate section}
16057 fnlocal @r{define footnotes near first reference, but not inline}
16058 fnprompt @r{prompt for footnote labels}
16059 fnauto @r{create @code{[fn:1]}-like labels automatically (default)}
16060 fnconfirm @r{offer automatic label for editing or confirmation}
16061 fnplain @r{create @code{[1]}-like labels automatically}
16062 fnadjust @r{automatically renumber and sort footnotes}
16063 nofnadjust @r{do not renumber and sort automatically}
16066 @cindex org-hide-block-startup
16067 To hide blocks on startup, use these keywords. The corresponding variable is
16068 @code{org-hide-block-startup}.
16069 @cindex @code{hideblocks}, STARTUP keyword
16070 @cindex @code{nohideblocks}, STARTUP keyword
16072 hideblocks @r{Hide all begin/end blocks on startup}
16073 nohideblocks @r{Do not hide blocks on startup}
16076 @cindex org-pretty-entities
16077 The display of entities as UTF-8 characters is governed by the variable
16078 @code{org-pretty-entities} and the keywords
16079 @cindex @code{entitiespretty}, STARTUP keyword
16080 @cindex @code{entitiesplain}, STARTUP keyword
16082 entitiespretty @r{Show entities as UTF-8 characters where possible}
16083 entitiesplain @r{Leave entities plain}
16086 @item #+TAGS: TAG1(c1) TAG2(c2)
16087 @vindex org-tag-alist
16088 These lines (several such lines are allowed) specify the valid tags in
16089 this file, and (potentially) the corresponding @emph{fast tag selection}
16090 keys. The corresponding variable is @code{org-tag-alist}.
16093 This line contains the formulas for the table directly above the line.
16095 Table can have multiple lines containing @samp{#+TBLFM:}. Note
16096 that only the first line of @samp{#+TBLFM:} will be applied when
16097 you recalculate the table. For more details see @ref{Using
16098 multiple #+TBLFM lines} in @ref{Editing and debugging formulas}.
16100 @item #+TITLE:, #+AUTHOR:, #+EMAIL:, #+LANGUAGE:, #+DATE:,
16101 @itemx #+OPTIONS:, #+BIND:,
16102 @itemx #+DESCRIPTION:, #+KEYWORDS:,
16103 @itemx #+LaTeX_HEADER:, #+LaTeX_HEADER_EXTRA:,
16104 @itemx #+HTML_HEAD:, #+HTML_HEAD_EXTRA:, #+HTML_LINK_UP:, #+HTML_LINK_HOME:,
16105 @itemx #+SELECT_TAGS:, #+EXCLUDE_TAGS:
16106 These lines provide settings for exporting files. For more details see
16107 @ref{Export settings}.
16108 @item #+TODO: #+SEQ_TODO: #+TYP_TODO:
16109 @vindex org-todo-keywords
16110 These lines set the TODO keywords and their interpretation in the
16111 current file. The corresponding variable is @code{org-todo-keywords}.
16114 @node The very busy C-c C-c key
16115 @section The very busy C-c C-c key
16117 @cindex C-c C-c, overview
16119 The key @kbd{C-c C-c} has many purposes in Org, which are all
16120 mentioned scattered throughout this manual. One specific function of
16121 this key is to add @emph{tags} to a headline (@pxref{Tags}). In many
16122 other circumstances it means something like @emph{``Hey Org, look
16123 here and update according to what you see here''}. Here is a summary of
16124 what this means in different contexts.
16128 If there are highlights in the buffer from the creation of a sparse
16129 tree, or from clock display, remove these highlights.
16131 If the cursor is in one of the special @code{#+KEYWORD} lines, this
16132 triggers scanning the buffer for these lines and updating the
16135 If the cursor is inside a table, realign the table. This command
16136 works even if the automatic table editor has been turned off.
16138 If the cursor is on a @code{#+TBLFM} line, re-apply the formulas to
16141 If the current buffer is a capture buffer, close the note and file it.
16142 With a prefix argument, file it, without further interaction, to the
16145 If the cursor is on a @code{<<<target>>>}, update radio targets and
16146 corresponding links in this buffer.
16148 If the cursor is in a property line or at the start or end of a property
16149 drawer, offer property commands.
16151 If the cursor is at a footnote reference, go to the corresponding
16152 definition, and @emph{vice versa}.
16154 If the cursor is on a statistics cookie, update it.
16156 If the cursor is in a plain list item with a checkbox, toggle the status
16159 If the cursor is on a numbered item in a plain list, renumber the
16162 If the cursor is on the @code{#+BEGIN} line of a dynamic block, the
16165 If the cursor is at a timestamp, fix the day name in the timestamp.
16169 @section A cleaner outline view
16170 @cindex hiding leading stars
16171 @cindex dynamic indentation
16172 @cindex odd-levels-only outlines
16173 @cindex clean outline view
16175 Some people find it noisy and distracting that the Org headlines start with a
16176 potentially large number of stars, and that text below the headlines is not
16177 indented. While this is no problem when writing a @emph{book-like} document
16178 where the outline headings are really section headings, in a more
16179 @emph{list-oriented} outline, indented structure is a lot cleaner:
16183 * Top level headline | * Top level headline
16184 ** Second level | * Second level
16185 *** 3rd level | * 3rd level
16186 some text | some text
16187 *** 3rd level | * 3rd level
16188 more text | more text
16189 * Another top level headline | * Another top level headline
16195 If you are using at least Emacs 23.2@footnote{Emacs 23.1 can actually crash
16196 with @code{org-indent-mode}} and version 6.29 of Org, this kind of view can
16197 be achieved dynamically at display time using @code{org-indent-mode}. In
16198 this minor mode, all lines are prefixed for display with the necessary amount
16199 of space@footnote{@code{org-indent-mode} also sets the @code{wrap-prefix}
16200 property, such that @code{visual-line-mode} (or purely setting
16201 @code{word-wrap}) wraps long lines (including headlines) correctly indented.
16202 }. Also headlines are prefixed with additional stars, so that the amount of
16203 indentation shifts by two@footnote{See the variable
16204 @code{org-indent-indentation-per-level}.} spaces per level. All headline
16205 stars but the last one are made invisible using the @code{org-hide}
16206 face@footnote{Turning on @code{org-indent-mode} sets
16207 @code{org-hide-leading-stars} to @code{t} and @code{org-adapt-indentation} to
16208 @code{nil}.}; see below under @samp{2.} for more information on how this
16209 works. You can turn on @code{org-indent-mode} for all files by customizing
16210 the variable @code{org-startup-indented}, or you can turn it on for
16211 individual files using
16217 If you want a similar effect in an earlier version of Emacs and/or Org, or if
16218 you want the indentation to be hard space characters so that the plain text
16219 file looks as similar as possible to the Emacs display, Org supports you in
16224 @emph{Indentation of text below headlines}@*
16225 You may indent text below each headline to make the left boundary line up
16226 with the headline, like
16230 more text, now indented
16233 @vindex org-adapt-indentation
16234 Org supports this with paragraph filling, line wrapping, and structure
16235 editing@footnote{See also the variable @code{org-adapt-indentation}.},
16236 preserving or adapting the indentation as appropriate.
16239 @vindex org-hide-leading-stars
16240 @emph{Hiding leading stars}@* You can modify the display in such a way that
16241 all leading stars become invisible. To do this in a global way, configure
16242 the variable @code{org-hide-leading-stars} or change this on a per-file basis
16246 #+STARTUP: hidestars
16247 #+STARTUP: showstars
16250 With hidden stars, the tree becomes:
16254 * Top level headline
16262 @vindex org-hide @r{(face)}
16263 The leading stars are not truly replaced by whitespace, they are only
16264 fontified with the face @code{org-hide} that uses the background color as
16265 font color. If you are not using either white or black background, you may
16266 have to customize this face to get the wanted effect. Another possibility is
16267 to set this font such that the extra stars are @i{almost} invisible, for
16268 example using the color @code{grey90} on a white background.
16271 @vindex org-odd-levels-only
16272 Things become cleaner still if you skip all the even levels and use only odd
16273 levels 1, 3, 5..., effectively adding two stars to go from one outline level
16274 to the next@footnote{When you need to specify a level for a property search
16275 or refile targets, @samp{LEVEL=2} will correspond to 3 stars, etc.}. In this
16276 way we get the outline view shown at the beginning of this section. In order
16277 to make the structure editing and export commands handle this convention
16278 correctly, configure the variable @code{org-odd-levels-only}, or set this on
16279 a per-file basis with one of the following lines:
16286 You can convert an Org file from single-star-per-level to the
16287 double-star-per-level convention with @kbd{M-x org-convert-to-odd-levels
16288 RET} in that file. The reverse operation is @kbd{M-x
16289 org-convert-to-oddeven-levels}.
16293 @section Using Org on a tty
16294 @cindex tty key bindings
16296 Because Org contains a large number of commands, by default many of
16297 Org's core commands are bound to keys that are generally not
16298 accessible on a tty, such as the cursor keys (@key{left}, @key{right},
16299 @key{up}, @key{down}), @key{TAB} and @key{RET}, in particular when used
16300 together with modifiers like @key{Meta} and/or @key{Shift}. To access
16301 these commands on a tty when special keys are unavailable, the following
16302 alternative bindings can be used. The tty bindings below will likely be
16303 more cumbersome; you may find for some of the bindings below that a
16304 customized workaround suits you better. For example, changing a timestamp
16305 is really only fun with @kbd{S-@key{cursor}} keys, whereas on a
16306 tty you would rather use @kbd{C-c .} to re-insert the timestamp.
16308 @multitable @columnfractions 0.15 0.2 0.1 0.2
16309 @item @b{Default} @tab @b{Alternative 1} @tab @b{Speed key} @tab @b{Alternative 2}
16310 @item @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} @tab @kbd{C-u @key{TAB}} @tab @kbd{C} @tab
16311 @item @kbd{M-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x l} @tab @kbd{l} @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{left}}
16312 @item @kbd{M-S-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x L} @tab @kbd{L} @tab
16313 @item @kbd{M-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x r} @tab @kbd{r} @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{right}}
16314 @item @kbd{M-S-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x R} @tab @kbd{R} @tab
16315 @item @kbd{M-@key{up}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x u} @tab @kbd{ } @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{up}}
16316 @item @kbd{M-S-@key{up}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x U} @tab @kbd{U} @tab
16317 @item @kbd{M-@key{down}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x d} @tab @kbd{ } @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{down}}
16318 @item @kbd{M-S-@key{down}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x D} @tab @kbd{D} @tab
16319 @item @kbd{S-@key{RET}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x c} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
16320 @item @kbd{M-@key{RET}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x m} @tab @kbd{ } @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{RET}}
16321 @item @kbd{M-S-@key{RET}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x M} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
16322 @item @kbd{S-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{left}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
16323 @item @kbd{S-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{right}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
16324 @item @kbd{S-@key{up}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{up}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
16325 @item @kbd{S-@key{down}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{down}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
16326 @item @kbd{C-S-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x @key{left}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
16327 @item @kbd{C-S-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x @key{right}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
16332 @section Interaction with other packages
16333 @cindex packages, interaction with other
16334 Org lives in the world of GNU Emacs and interacts in various ways
16335 with other code out there.
16338 * Cooperation:: Packages Org cooperates with
16339 * Conflicts:: Packages that lead to conflicts
16343 @subsection Packages that Org cooperates with
16346 @cindex @file{calc.el}
16347 @cindex Gillespie, Dave
16348 @item @file{calc.el} by Dave Gillespie
16349 Org uses the Calc package for implementing spreadsheet
16350 functionality in its tables (@pxref{The spreadsheet}). Org
16351 checks for the availability of Calc by looking for the function
16352 @code{calc-eval} which will have been autoloaded during setup if Calc has
16353 been installed properly. As of Emacs 22, Calc is part of the Emacs
16354 distribution. Another possibility for interaction between the two
16355 packages is using Calc for embedded calculations. @xref{Embedded Mode,
16356 , Embedded Mode, calc, GNU Emacs Calc Manual}.
16357 @item @file{constants.el} by Carsten Dominik
16358 @cindex @file{constants.el}
16359 @cindex Dominik, Carsten
16360 @vindex org-table-formula-constants
16361 In a table formula (@pxref{The spreadsheet}), it is possible to use
16362 names for natural constants or units. Instead of defining your own
16363 constants in the variable @code{org-table-formula-constants}, install
16364 the @file{constants} package which defines a large number of constants
16365 and units, and lets you use unit prefixes like @samp{M} for
16366 @samp{Mega}, etc. You will need version 2.0 of this package, available
16367 at @url{http://www.astro.uva.nl/~dominik/Tools}. Org checks for
16368 the function @code{constants-get}, which has to be autoloaded in your
16369 setup. See the installation instructions in the file
16370 @file{constants.el}.
16371 @item @file{cdlatex.el} by Carsten Dominik
16372 @cindex @file{cdlatex.el}
16373 @cindex Dominik, Carsten
16374 Org mode can make use of the CD@LaTeX{} package to efficiently enter
16375 @LaTeX{} fragments into Org files. See @ref{CDLaTeX mode}.
16376 @item @file{imenu.el} by Ake Stenhoff and Lars Lindberg
16377 @cindex @file{imenu.el}
16378 Imenu allows menu access to an index of items in a file. Org mode
16379 supports Imenu---all you need to do to get the index is the following:
16381 (add-hook 'org-mode-hook
16382 (lambda () (imenu-add-to-menubar "Imenu")))
16384 @vindex org-imenu-depth
16385 By default the index is two levels deep---you can modify the depth using
16386 the option @code{org-imenu-depth}.
16387 @item @file{remember.el} by John Wiegley
16388 @cindex @file{remember.el}
16389 @cindex Wiegley, John
16390 Org used to use this package for capture, but no longer does.
16391 @item @file{speedbar.el} by Eric M. Ludlam
16392 @cindex @file{speedbar.el}
16393 @cindex Ludlam, Eric M.
16394 Speedbar is a package that creates a special frame displaying files and
16395 index items in files. Org mode supports Speedbar and allows you to
16396 drill into Org files directly from the Speedbar. It also allows you to
16397 restrict the scope of agenda commands to a file or a subtree by using
16398 the command @kbd{<} in the Speedbar frame.
16399 @cindex @file{table.el}
16400 @item @file{table.el} by Takaaki Ota
16402 @cindex table editor, @file{table.el}
16403 @cindex @file{table.el}
16404 @cindex Ota, Takaaki
16406 Complex ASCII tables with automatic line wrapping, column- and row-spanning,
16407 and alignment can be created using the Emacs table package by Takaaki Ota
16408 (@uref{http://sourceforge.net/projects/table}, and also part of Emacs 22).
16409 Org mode will recognize these tables and export them properly. Because of
16410 interference with other Org mode functionality, you unfortunately cannot edit
16411 these tables directly in the buffer. Instead, you need to use the command
16412 @kbd{C-c '} to edit them, similar to source code snippets.
16415 @orgcmd{C-c ',org-edit-special}
16416 Edit a @file{table.el} table. Works when the cursor is in a table.el table.
16418 @orgcmd{C-c ~,org-table-create-with-table.el}
16419 Insert a @file{table.el} table. If there is already a table at point, this
16420 command converts it between the @file{table.el} format and the Org mode
16421 format. See the documentation string of the command
16422 @code{org-convert-table} for the restrictions under which this is
16425 @file{table.el} is part of Emacs since Emacs 22.
16426 @item @file{footnote.el} by Steven L. Baur
16427 @cindex @file{footnote.el}
16428 @cindex Baur, Steven L.
16429 Org mode recognizes numerical footnotes as provided by this package.
16430 However, Org mode also has its own footnote support (@pxref{Footnotes}),
16431 which makes using @file{footnote.el} unnecessary.
16435 @subsection Packages that lead to conflicts with Org mode
16439 @cindex @code{shift-selection-mode}
16440 @vindex org-support-shift-select
16441 In Emacs 23, @code{shift-selection-mode} is on by default, meaning that
16442 cursor motions combined with the shift key should start or enlarge regions.
16443 This conflicts with the use of @kbd{S-@key{cursor}} commands in Org to change
16444 timestamps, TODO keywords, priorities, and item bullet types if the cursor is
16445 at such a location. By default, @kbd{S-@key{cursor}} commands outside
16446 special contexts don't do anything, but you can customize the variable
16447 @code{org-support-shift-select}. Org mode then tries to accommodate shift
16448 selection by (i) using it outside of the special contexts where special
16449 commands apply, and by (ii) extending an existing active region even if the
16450 cursor moves across a special context.
16452 @item @file{CUA.el} by Kim. F. Storm
16453 @cindex @file{CUA.el}
16454 @cindex Storm, Kim. F.
16455 @vindex org-replace-disputed-keys
16456 Key bindings in Org conflict with the @kbd{S-<cursor>} keys used by CUA mode
16457 (as well as @code{pc-select-mode} and @code{s-region-mode}) to select and
16458 extend the region. In fact, Emacs 23 has this built-in in the form of
16459 @code{shift-selection-mode}, see previous paragraph. If you are using Emacs
16460 23, you probably don't want to use another package for this purpose.
16461 However, if you prefer to leave these keys to a different package while
16462 working in Org mode, configure the variable @code{org-replace-disputed-keys}.
16463 When set, Org will move the following key bindings in Org files, and in the
16464 agenda buffer (but not during date selection).
16467 S-UP @result{} M-p S-DOWN @result{} M-n
16468 S-LEFT @result{} M-- S-RIGHT @result{} M-+
16469 C-S-LEFT @result{} M-S-- C-S-RIGHT @result{} M-S-+
16472 @vindex org-disputed-keys
16473 Yes, these are unfortunately more difficult to remember. If you want
16474 to have other replacement keys, look at the variable
16475 @code{org-disputed-keys}.
16477 @item @file{ecomplete.el} by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen @email{larsi@@gnus.org}
16478 @cindex @file{ecomplete.el}
16480 Ecomplete provides ``electric'' address completion in address header
16481 lines in message buffers. Sadly Orgtbl mode cuts ecompletes power
16482 supply: No completion happens when Orgtbl mode is enabled in message
16483 buffers while entering text in address header lines. If one wants to
16484 use ecomplete one should @emph{not} follow the advice to automagically
16485 turn on Orgtbl mode in message buffers (see @ref{Orgtbl mode}), but
16486 instead---after filling in the message headers---turn on Orgtbl mode
16487 manually when needed in the messages body.
16489 @item @file{filladapt.el} by Kyle Jones
16490 @cindex @file{filladapt.el}
16492 Org mode tries to do the right thing when filling paragraphs, list items and
16493 other elements. Many users reported they had problems using both
16494 @file{filladapt.el} and Org mode, so a safe thing to do is to disable it like
16498 (add-hook 'org-mode-hook 'turn-off-filladapt-mode)
16501 @item @file{yasnippet.el}
16502 @cindex @file{yasnippet.el}
16503 The way Org mode binds the @key{TAB} key (binding to @code{[tab]} instead of
16504 @code{"\t"}) overrules YASnippet's access to this key. The following code
16505 fixed this problem:
16508 (add-hook 'org-mode-hook
16510 (org-set-local 'yas/trigger-key [tab])
16511 (define-key yas/keymap [tab] 'yas/next-field-or-maybe-expand)))
16514 The latest version of yasnippet doesn't play well with Org mode. If the
16515 above code does not fix the conflict, start by defining the following
16519 (defun yas/org-very-safe-expand ()
16520 (let ((yas/fallback-behavior 'return-nil)) (yas/expand)))
16523 Then, tell Org mode what to do with the new function:
16526 (add-hook 'org-mode-hook
16528 (make-variable-buffer-local 'yas/trigger-key)
16529 (setq yas/trigger-key [tab])
16530 (add-to-list 'org-tab-first-hook 'yas/org-very-safe-expand)
16531 (define-key yas/keymap [tab] 'yas/next-field)))
16534 @item @file{windmove.el} by Hovav Shacham
16535 @cindex @file{windmove.el}
16536 This package also uses the @kbd{S-<cursor>} keys, so everything written
16537 in the paragraph above about CUA mode also applies here. If you want make
16538 the windmove function active in locations where Org mode does not have
16539 special functionality on @kbd{S-@key{cursor}}, add this to your
16543 ;; Make windmove work in org-mode:
16544 (add-hook 'org-shiftup-final-hook 'windmove-up)
16545 (add-hook 'org-shiftleft-final-hook 'windmove-left)
16546 (add-hook 'org-shiftdown-final-hook 'windmove-down)
16547 (add-hook 'org-shiftright-final-hook 'windmove-right)
16550 @item @file{viper.el} by Michael Kifer
16551 @cindex @file{viper.el}
16553 Viper uses @kbd{C-c /} and therefore makes this key not access the
16554 corresponding Org mode command @code{org-sparse-tree}. You need to find
16555 another key for this command, or override the key in
16556 @code{viper-vi-global-user-map} with
16559 (define-key viper-vi-global-user-map "C-c /" 'org-sparse-tree)
16567 @section org-crypt.el
16568 @cindex @file{org-crypt.el}
16569 @cindex @code{org-decrypt-entry}
16571 Org-crypt will encrypt the text of an entry, but not the headline, or
16572 properties. Org-crypt uses the Emacs EasyPG library to encrypt and decrypt
16575 Any text below a headline that has a @samp{:crypt:} tag will be automatically
16576 be encrypted when the file is saved. If you want to use a different tag just
16577 customize the @code{org-crypt-tag-matcher} setting.
16579 To use org-crypt it is suggested that you have the following in your
16583 (require 'org-crypt)
16584 (org-crypt-use-before-save-magic)
16585 (setq org-tags-exclude-from-inheritance (quote ("crypt")))
16587 (setq org-crypt-key nil)
16588 ;; GPG key to use for encryption
16589 ;; Either the Key ID or set to nil to use symmetric encryption.
16591 (setq auto-save-default nil)
16592 ;; Auto-saving does not cooperate with org-crypt.el: so you need
16593 ;; to turn it off if you plan to use org-crypt.el quite often.
16594 ;; Otherwise, you'll get an (annoying) message each time you
16597 ;; To turn it off only locally, you can insert this:
16599 ;; # -*- buffer-auto-save-file-name: nil; -*-
16602 Excluding the crypt tag from inheritance prevents already encrypted text
16603 being encrypted again.
16609 This appendix covers some areas where users can extend the functionality of
16613 * Hooks:: How to reach into Org's internals
16614 * Add-on packages:: Available extensions
16615 * Adding hyperlink types:: New custom link types
16616 * Adding export back-ends:: How to write new export back-ends
16617 * Context-sensitive commands:: How to add functionality to such commands
16618 * Tables in arbitrary syntax:: Orgtbl for @LaTeX{} and other programs
16619 * Dynamic blocks:: Automatically filled blocks
16620 * Special agenda views:: Customized views
16621 * Speeding up your agendas:: Tips on how to speed up your agendas
16622 * Extracting agenda information:: Post-processing of agenda information
16623 * Using the property API:: Writing programs that use entry properties
16624 * Using the mapping API:: Mapping over all or selected entries
16631 Org has a large number of hook variables that can be used to add
16632 functionality. This appendix about hacking is going to illustrate the
16633 use of some of them. A complete list of all hooks with documentation is
16634 maintained by the Worg project and can be found at
16635 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-configs/org-hooks.php}.
16637 @node Add-on packages
16638 @section Add-on packages
16639 @cindex add-on packages
16641 A large number of add-on packages have been written by various authors.
16643 These packages are not part of Emacs, but they are distributed as contributed
16644 packages with the separate release available at @uref{http://orgmode.org}.
16645 See the @file{contrib/README} file in the source code directory for a list of
16646 contributed files. You may also find some more information on the Worg page:
16647 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-contrib/}.
16649 @node Adding hyperlink types
16650 @section Adding hyperlink types
16651 @cindex hyperlinks, adding new types
16653 Org has a large number of hyperlink types built-in
16654 (@pxref{Hyperlinks}). If you would like to add new link types, Org
16655 provides an interface for doing so. Let's look at an example file,
16656 @file{org-man.el}, that will add support for creating links like
16657 @samp{[[man:printf][The printf manpage]]} to show Unix manual pages inside
16661 ;;; org-man.el - Support for links to manpages in Org
16665 (org-add-link-type "man" 'org-man-open)
16666 (add-hook 'org-store-link-functions 'org-man-store-link)
16668 (defcustom org-man-command 'man
16669 "The Emacs command to be used to display a man page."
16671 :type '(choice (const man) (const woman)))
16673 (defun org-man-open (path)
16674 "Visit the manpage on PATH.
16675 PATH should be a topic that can be thrown at the man command."
16676 (funcall org-man-command path))
16678 (defun org-man-store-link ()
16679 "Store a link to a manpage."
16680 (when (memq major-mode '(Man-mode woman-mode))
16681 ;; This is a man page, we do make this link
16682 (let* ((page (org-man-get-page-name))
16683 (link (concat "man:" page))
16684 (description (format "Manpage for %s" page)))
16685 (org-store-link-props
16688 :description description))))
16690 (defun org-man-get-page-name ()
16691 "Extract the page name from the buffer name."
16692 ;; This works for both `Man-mode' and `woman-mode'.
16693 (if (string-match " \\(\\S-+\\)\\*" (buffer-name))
16694 (match-string 1 (buffer-name))
16695 (error "Cannot create link to this man page")))
16699 ;;; org-man.el ends here
16703 You would activate this new link type in @file{.emacs} with
16710 Let's go through the file and see what it does.
16713 It does @code{(require 'org)} to make sure that @file{org.el} has been
16716 The next line calls @code{org-add-link-type} to define a new link type
16717 with prefix @samp{man}. The call also contains the name of a function
16718 that will be called to follow such a link.
16720 @vindex org-store-link-functions
16721 The next line adds a function to @code{org-store-link-functions}, in
16722 order to allow the command @kbd{C-c l} to record a useful link in a
16723 buffer displaying a man page.
16726 The rest of the file defines the necessary variables and functions.
16727 First there is a customization variable that determines which Emacs
16728 command should be used to display man pages. There are two options,
16729 @code{man} and @code{woman}. Then the function to follow a link is
16730 defined. It gets the link path as an argument---in this case the link
16731 path is just a topic for the manual command. The function calls the
16732 value of @code{org-man-command} to display the man page.
16734 Finally the function @code{org-man-store-link} is defined. When you try
16735 to store a link with @kbd{C-c l}, this function will be called to
16736 try to make a link. The function must first decide if it is supposed to
16737 create the link for this buffer type; we do this by checking the value
16738 of the variable @code{major-mode}. If not, the function must exit and
16739 return the value @code{nil}. If yes, the link is created by getting the
16740 manual topic from the buffer name and prefixing it with the string
16741 @samp{man:}. Then it must call the command @code{org-store-link-props}
16742 and set the @code{:type} and @code{:link} properties. Optionally you
16743 can also set the @code{:description} property to provide a default for
16744 the link description when the link is later inserted into an Org
16745 buffer with @kbd{C-c C-l}.
16747 When it makes sense for your new link type, you may also define a function
16748 @code{org-PREFIX-complete-link} that implements special (e.g., completion)
16749 support for inserting such a link with @kbd{C-c C-l}. Such a function should
16750 not accept any arguments, and return the full link with prefix.
16752 @node Adding export back-ends
16753 @section Adding export back-ends
16754 @cindex Export, writing back-ends
16756 Org 8.0 comes with a completely rewritten export engine which makes it easy
16757 to write new export back-ends, either from scratch, or by deriving them
16758 from existing ones.
16760 Your two entry points are respectively @code{org-export-define-backend} and
16761 @code{org-export-define-derived-backend}. To grok these functions, you
16762 should first have a look at @file{ox-latex.el} (for how to define a new
16763 back-end from scratch) and @file{ox-beamer.el} (for how to derive a new
16764 back-end from an existing one.
16766 When creating a new back-end from scratch, the basic idea is to set the name
16767 of the back-end (as a symbol) and an an alist of elements and export
16768 functions. On top of this, you will need to set additional keywords like
16769 @code{:menu-entry} (to display the back-end in the export dispatcher),
16770 @code{:export-block} (to specify what blocks should not be exported by this
16771 back-end), and @code{:options-alist} (to let the user set export options that
16772 are specific to this back-end.)
16774 Deriving a new back-end is similar, except that you need to set
16775 @code{:translate-alist} to an alist of export functions that should be used
16776 instead of the parent back-end functions.
16778 For a complete reference documentation, see
16779 @url{http://orgmode.org/worg/dev/org-export-reference.html, the Org Export
16780 Reference on Worg}.
16782 @node Context-sensitive commands
16783 @section Context-sensitive commands
16784 @cindex context-sensitive commands, hooks
16785 @cindex add-ons, context-sensitive commands
16786 @vindex org-ctrl-c-ctrl-c-hook
16788 Org has several commands that act differently depending on context. The most
16789 important example is the @kbd{C-c C-c} (@pxref{The very busy C-c C-c key}).
16790 Also the @kbd{M-cursor} and @kbd{M-S-cursor} keys have this property.
16792 Add-ons can tap into this functionality by providing a function that detects
16793 special context for that add-on and executes functionality appropriate for
16794 the context. Here is an example from Dan Davison's @file{org-R.el} which
16795 allows you to evaluate commands based on the @file{R} programming language
16796 @footnote{@file{org-R.el} has been replaced by the Org mode functionality
16797 described in @ref{Working with source code} and is now obsolete.}. For this
16798 package, special contexts are lines that start with @code{#+R:} or
16802 (defun org-R-apply-maybe ()
16803 "Detect if this is context for org-R and execute R commands."
16804 (if (save-excursion
16805 (beginning-of-line 1)
16806 (looking-at "#\\+RR?:"))
16807 (progn (call-interactively 'org-R-apply)
16808 t) ;; to signal that we took action
16809 nil)) ;; to signal that we did not
16811 (add-hook 'org-ctrl-c-ctrl-c-hook 'org-R-apply-maybe)
16814 The function first checks if the cursor is in such a line. If that is the
16815 case, @code{org-R-apply} is called and the function returns @code{t} to
16816 signal that action was taken, and @kbd{C-c C-c} will stop looking for other
16817 contexts. If the function finds it should do nothing locally, it returns
16818 @code{nil} so that other, similar functions can have a try.
16821 @node Tables in arbitrary syntax
16822 @section Tables and lists in arbitrary syntax
16823 @cindex tables, in other modes
16824 @cindex lists, in other modes
16825 @cindex Orgtbl mode
16827 Since Orgtbl mode can be used as a minor mode in arbitrary buffers, a
16828 frequent feature request has been to make it work with native tables in
16829 specific languages, for example @LaTeX{}. However, this is extremely
16830 hard to do in a general way, would lead to a customization nightmare,
16831 and would take away much of the simplicity of the Orgtbl mode table
16834 This appendix describes a different approach. We keep the Orgtbl mode
16835 table in its native format (the @i{source table}), and use a custom
16836 function to @i{translate} the table to the correct syntax, and to
16837 @i{install} it in the right location (the @i{target table}). This puts
16838 the burden of writing conversion functions on the user, but it allows
16839 for a very flexible system.
16841 Bastien added the ability to do the same with lists, in Orgstruct mode. You
16842 can use Org's facilities to edit and structure lists by turning
16843 @code{orgstruct-mode} on, then locally exporting such lists in another format
16844 (HTML, @LaTeX{} or Texinfo.)
16848 * Radio tables:: Sending and receiving radio tables
16849 * A @LaTeX{} example:: Step by step, almost a tutorial
16850 * Translator functions:: Copy and modify
16851 * Radio lists:: Sending and receiving lists
16855 @subsection Radio tables
16856 @cindex radio tables
16858 To define the location of the target table, you first need to create two
16859 lines that are comments in the current mode, but contain magic words
16860 @code{BEGIN/END RECEIVE ORGTBL} for Orgtbl mode to find. Orgtbl mode will
16861 insert the translated table between these lines, replacing whatever was there
16862 before. For example in C mode where comments are between @code{/* ... */}:
16865 /* BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL table_name */
16866 /* END RECEIVE ORGTBL table_name */
16870 Just above the source table, we put a special line that tells
16871 Orgtbl mode how to translate this table and where to install it. For
16875 #+ORGTBL: SEND table_name translation_function arguments....
16879 @code{table_name} is the reference name for the table that is also used
16880 in the receiver lines. @code{translation_function} is the Lisp function
16881 that does the translation. Furthermore, the line can contain a list of
16882 arguments (alternating key and value) at the end. The arguments will be
16883 passed as a property list to the translation function for
16884 interpretation. A few standard parameters are already recognized and
16885 acted upon before the translation function is called:
16889 Skip the first N lines of the table. Hlines do count as separate lines for
16892 @item :skipcols (n1 n2 ...)
16893 List of columns that should be skipped. If the table has a column with
16894 calculation marks, that column is automatically discarded as well.
16895 Please note that the translator function sees the table @emph{after} the
16896 removal of these columns, the function never knows that there have been
16897 additional columns.
16900 When non-@code{nil}, do not escape special characters @code{&%#_^} when exporting
16901 the table. The default value is @code{nil}.
16905 The one problem remaining is how to keep the source table in the buffer
16906 without disturbing the normal workings of the file, for example during
16907 compilation of a C file or processing of a @LaTeX{} file. There are a
16908 number of different solutions:
16912 The table could be placed in a block comment if that is supported by the
16913 language. For example, in C mode you could wrap the table between
16914 @samp{/*} and @samp{*/} lines.
16916 Sometimes it is possible to put the table after some kind of @i{END}
16917 statement, for example @samp{\bye} in @TeX{} and @samp{\end@{document@}}
16920 You can just comment the table line-by-line whenever you want to process
16921 the file, and uncomment it whenever you need to edit the table. This
16922 only sounds tedious---the command @kbd{M-x orgtbl-toggle-comment RET}
16923 makes this comment-toggling very easy, in particular if you bind it to a
16927 @node A @LaTeX{} example
16928 @subsection A @LaTeX{} example of radio tables
16929 @cindex @LaTeX{}, and Orgtbl mode
16931 The best way to wrap the source table in @LaTeX{} is to use the
16932 @code{comment} environment provided by @file{comment.sty}. It has to be
16933 activated by placing @code{\usepackage@{comment@}} into the document
16934 header. Orgtbl mode can insert a radio table skeleton@footnote{By
16935 default this works only for @LaTeX{}, HTML, and Texinfo. Configure the
16936 variable @code{orgtbl-radio-table-templates} to install templates for other
16937 modes.} with the command @kbd{M-x orgtbl-insert-radio-table RET}. You will
16938 be prompted for a table name, let's say we use @samp{salesfigures}. You
16939 will then get the following template:
16941 @cindex #+ORGTBL, SEND
16943 % BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
16944 % END RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
16946 #+ORGTBL: SEND salesfigures orgtbl-to-latex
16952 @vindex @LaTeX{}-verbatim-environments
16953 The @code{#+ORGTBL: SEND} line tells Orgtbl mode to use the function
16954 @code{orgtbl-to-latex} to convert the table into @LaTeX{} and to put it
16955 into the receiver location with name @code{salesfigures}. You may now
16956 fill in the table---feel free to use the spreadsheet features@footnote{If
16957 the @samp{#+TBLFM} line contains an odd number of dollar characters,
16958 this may cause problems with font-lock in @LaTeX{} mode. As shown in the
16959 example you can fix this by adding an extra line inside the
16960 @code{comment} environment that is used to balance the dollar
16961 expressions. If you are using AUC@TeX{} with the font-latex library, a
16962 much better solution is to add the @code{comment} environment to the
16963 variable @code{LaTeX-verbatim-environments}.}:
16966 % BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
16967 % END RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
16969 #+ORGTBL: SEND salesfigures orgtbl-to-latex
16970 | Month | Days | Nr sold | per day |
16971 |-------+------+---------+---------|
16972 | Jan | 23 | 55 | 2.4 |
16973 | Feb | 21 | 16 | 0.8 |
16974 | March | 22 | 278 | 12.6 |
16975 #+TBLFM: $4=$3/$2;%.1f
16976 % $ (optional extra dollar to keep font-lock happy, see footnote)
16981 When you are done, press @kbd{C-c C-c} in the table to get the converted
16982 table inserted between the two marker lines.
16984 Now let's assume you want to make the table header by hand, because you
16985 want to control how columns are aligned, etc. In this case we make sure
16986 that the table translator skips the first 2 lines of the source
16987 table, and tell the command to work as a @i{splice}, i.e., to not produce
16988 header and footer commands of the target table:
16991 \begin@{tabular@}@{lrrr@}
16992 Month & \multicolumn@{1@}@{c@}@{Days@} & Nr.\ sold & per day\\
16993 % BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
16994 % END RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
16998 #+ORGTBL: SEND salesfigures orgtbl-to-latex :splice t :skip 2
16999 | Month | Days | Nr sold | per day |
17000 |-------+------+---------+---------|
17001 | Jan | 23 | 55 | 2.4 |
17002 | Feb | 21 | 16 | 0.8 |
17003 | March | 22 | 278 | 12.6 |
17004 #+TBLFM: $4=$3/$2;%.1f
17008 The @LaTeX{} translator function @code{orgtbl-to-latex} is already part of
17009 Orgtbl mode. It uses a @code{tabular} environment to typeset the table
17010 and marks horizontal lines with @code{\hline}. Furthermore, it
17011 interprets the following parameters (see also @pxref{Translator functions}):
17014 @item :splice nil/t
17015 When set to t, return only table body lines, don't wrap them into a
17016 tabular environment. Default is @code{nil}.
17019 A format to be used to wrap each field, it should contain @code{%s} for the
17020 original field value. For example, to wrap each field value in dollars,
17021 you could use @code{:fmt "$%s$"}. This may also be a property list with
17022 column numbers and formats, for example @code{:fmt (2 "$%s$" 4 "%s\\%%")}.
17023 A function of one argument can be used in place of the strings; the
17024 function must return a formatted string.
17027 Use this format to print numbers with exponentials. The format should
17028 have @code{%s} twice for inserting mantissa and exponent, for example
17029 @code{"%s\\times10^@{%s@}"}. The default is @code{"%s\\,(%s)"}. This
17030 may also be a property list with column numbers and formats, for example
17031 @code{:efmt (2 "$%s\\times10^@{%s@}$" 4 "$%s\\cdot10^@{%s@}$")}. After
17032 @code{efmt} has been applied to a value, @code{fmt} will also be
17033 applied. Similar to @code{fmt}, functions of two arguments can be
17034 supplied instead of strings.
17037 @node Translator functions
17038 @subsection Translator functions
17039 @cindex HTML, and Orgtbl mode
17040 @cindex translator function
17042 Orgtbl mode has several translator functions built-in: @code{orgtbl-to-csv}
17043 (comma-separated values), @code{orgtbl-to-tsv} (TAB-separated values)
17044 @code{orgtbl-to-latex}, @code{orgtbl-to-html}, and @code{orgtbl-to-texinfo}.
17045 Except for @code{orgtbl-to-html}@footnote{The HTML translator uses the same
17046 code that produces tables during HTML export.}, these all use a generic
17047 translator, @code{orgtbl-to-generic}. For example, @code{orgtbl-to-latex}
17048 itself is a very short function that computes the column definitions for the
17049 @code{tabular} environment, defines a few field and line separators and then
17050 hands processing over to the generic translator. Here is the entire code:
17054 (defun orgtbl-to-latex (table params)
17055 "Convert the Orgtbl mode TABLE to LaTeX."
17056 (let* ((alignment (mapconcat (lambda (x) (if x "r" "l"))
17057 org-table-last-alignment ""))
17060 :tstart (concat "\\begin@{tabular@}@{" alignment "@}")
17061 :tend "\\end@{tabular@}"
17062 :lstart "" :lend " \\\\" :sep " & "
17063 :efmt "%s\\,(%s)" :hline "\\hline")))
17064 (orgtbl-to-generic table (org-combine-plists params2 params))))
17068 As you can see, the properties passed into the function (variable
17069 @var{PARAMS}) are combined with the ones newly defined in the function
17070 (variable @var{PARAMS2}). The ones passed into the function (i.e., the
17071 ones set by the @samp{ORGTBL SEND} line) take precedence. So if you
17072 would like to use the @LaTeX{} translator, but wanted the line endings to
17073 be @samp{\\[2mm]} instead of the default @samp{\\}, you could just
17074 overrule the default with
17077 #+ORGTBL: SEND test orgtbl-to-latex :lend " \\\\[2mm]"
17080 For a new language, you can either write your own converter function in
17081 analogy with the @LaTeX{} translator, or you can use the generic function
17082 directly. For example, if you have a language where a table is started
17083 with @samp{!BTBL!}, ended with @samp{!ETBL!}, and where table lines are
17084 started with @samp{!BL!}, ended with @samp{!EL!}, and where the field
17085 separator is a TAB, you could call the generic translator like this (on
17089 #+ORGTBL: SEND test orgtbl-to-generic :tstart "!BTBL!" :tend "!ETBL!"
17090 :lstart "!BL! " :lend " !EL!" :sep "\t"
17094 Please check the documentation string of the function
17095 @code{orgtbl-to-generic} for a full list of parameters understood by
17096 that function, and remember that you can pass each of them into
17097 @code{orgtbl-to-latex}, @code{orgtbl-to-texinfo}, and any other function
17098 using the generic function.
17100 Of course you can also write a completely new function doing complicated
17101 things the generic translator cannot do. A translator function takes
17102 two arguments. The first argument is the table, a list of lines, each
17103 line either the symbol @code{hline} or a list of fields. The second
17104 argument is the property list containing all parameters specified in the
17105 @samp{#+ORGTBL: SEND} line. The function must return a single string
17106 containing the formatted table. If you write a generally useful
17107 translator, please post it on @email{emacs-orgmode@@gnu.org} so that
17108 others can benefit from your work.
17111 @subsection Radio lists
17112 @cindex radio lists
17113 @cindex org-list-insert-radio-list
17115 Sending and receiving radio lists works exactly the same way as sending and
17116 receiving radio tables (@pxref{Radio tables}). As for radio tables, you can
17117 insert radio list templates in HTML, @LaTeX{} and Texinfo modes by calling
17118 @code{org-list-insert-radio-list}.
17120 Here are the differences with radio tables:
17124 Orgstruct mode must be active.
17126 Use the @code{ORGLST} keyword instead of @code{ORGTBL}.
17128 The available translation functions for radio lists don't take
17131 @kbd{C-c C-c} will work when pressed on the first item of the list.
17134 Here is a @LaTeX{} example. Let's say that you have this in your
17139 % BEGIN RECEIVE ORGLST to-buy
17140 % END RECEIVE ORGLST to-buy
17142 #+ORGLST: SEND to-buy org-list-to-latex
17151 Pressing @kbd{C-c C-c} on @code{a new house} and will insert the converted
17152 @LaTeX{} list between the two marker lines.
17154 @node Dynamic blocks
17155 @section Dynamic blocks
17156 @cindex dynamic blocks
17158 Org documents can contain @emph{dynamic blocks}. These are
17159 specially marked regions that are updated by some user-written function.
17160 A good example for such a block is the clock table inserted by the
17161 command @kbd{C-c C-x C-r} (@pxref{Clocking work time}).
17163 Dynamic blocks are enclosed by a BEGIN-END structure that assigns a name
17164 to the block and can also specify parameters for the function producing
17165 the content of the block.
17167 @cindex #+BEGIN:dynamic block
17169 #+BEGIN: myblock :parameter1 value1 :parameter2 value2 ...
17174 Dynamic blocks are updated with the following commands
17177 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-u,org-dblock-update}
17178 Update dynamic block at point.
17179 @orgkey{C-u C-c C-x C-u}
17180 Update all dynamic blocks in the current file.
17183 Updating a dynamic block means to remove all the text between BEGIN and
17184 END, parse the BEGIN line for parameters and then call the specific
17185 writer function for this block to insert the new content. If you want
17186 to use the original content in the writer function, you can use the
17187 extra parameter @code{:content}.
17189 For a block with name @code{myblock}, the writer function is
17190 @code{org-dblock-write:myblock} with as only parameter a property list
17191 with the parameters given in the begin line. Here is a trivial example
17192 of a block that keeps track of when the block update function was last
17196 #+BEGIN: block-update-time :format "on %m/%d/%Y at %H:%M"
17202 The corresponding block writer function could look like this:
17205 (defun org-dblock-write:block-update-time (params)
17206 (let ((fmt (or (plist-get params :format) "%d. %m. %Y")))
17207 (insert "Last block update at: "
17208 (format-time-string fmt (current-time)))))
17211 If you want to make sure that all dynamic blocks are always up-to-date,
17212 you could add the function @code{org-update-all-dblocks} to a hook, for
17213 example @code{before-save-hook}. @code{org-update-all-dblocks} is
17214 written in a way such that it does nothing in buffers that are not in
17217 You can narrow the current buffer to the current dynamic block (like any
17218 other block) with @code{org-narrow-to-block}.
17220 @node Special agenda views
17221 @section Special agenda views
17222 @cindex agenda views, user-defined
17224 @vindex org-agenda-skip-function
17225 @vindex org-agenda-skip-function-global
17226 Org provides a special hook that can be used to narrow down the selection
17227 made by these agenda views: @code{agenda}, @code{agenda*}@footnote{The
17228 @code{agenda*} view is the same as @code{agenda} except that it only
17229 considers @emph{appointments}, i.e., scheduled and deadline items that have a
17230 time specification @code{[h]h:mm} in their time-stamps.}, @code{todo},
17231 @code{alltodo}, @code{tags}, @code{tags-todo}, @code{tags-tree}. You may
17232 specify a function that is used at each match to verify if the match should
17233 indeed be part of the agenda view, and if not, how much should be skipped.
17234 You can specify a global condition that will be applied to all agenda views,
17235 this condition would be stored in the variable
17236 @code{org-agenda-skip-function-global}. More commonly, such a definition is
17237 applied only to specific custom searches, using
17238 @code{org-agenda-skip-function}.
17240 Let's say you want to produce a list of projects that contain a WAITING
17241 tag anywhere in the project tree. Let's further assume that you have
17242 marked all tree headings that define a project with the TODO keyword
17243 PROJECT@. In this case you would run a TODO search for the keyword
17244 PROJECT, but skip the match unless there is a WAITING tag anywhere in
17245 the subtree belonging to the project line.
17247 To achieve this, you must write a function that searches the subtree for
17248 the tag. If the tag is found, the function must return @code{nil} to
17249 indicate that this match should not be skipped. If there is no such
17250 tag, return the location of the end of the subtree, to indicate that
17251 search should continue from there.
17254 (defun my-skip-unless-waiting ()
17255 "Skip trees that are not waiting"
17256 (let ((subtree-end (save-excursion (org-end-of-subtree t))))
17257 (if (re-search-forward ":waiting:" subtree-end t)
17258 nil ; tag found, do not skip
17259 subtree-end))) ; tag not found, continue after end of subtree
17262 Now you may use this function in an agenda custom command, for example
17266 (org-add-agenda-custom-command
17267 '("b" todo "PROJECT"
17268 ((org-agenda-skip-function 'my-skip-unless-waiting)
17269 (org-agenda-overriding-header "Projects waiting for something: "))))
17272 @vindex org-agenda-overriding-header
17273 Note that this also binds @code{org-agenda-overriding-header} to get a
17274 meaningful header in the agenda view.
17276 @vindex org-odd-levels-only
17277 @vindex org-agenda-skip-function
17278 A general way to create custom searches is to base them on a search for
17279 entries with a certain level limit. If you want to study all entries with
17280 your custom search function, simply do a search for
17281 @samp{LEVEL>0}@footnote{Note that, when using @code{org-odd-levels-only}, a
17282 level number corresponds to order in the hierarchy, not to the number of
17283 stars.}, and then use @code{org-agenda-skip-function} to select the entries
17284 you really want to have.
17286 You may also put a Lisp form into @code{org-agenda-skip-function}. In
17287 particular, you may use the functions @code{org-agenda-skip-entry-if}
17288 and @code{org-agenda-skip-subtree-if} in this form, for example:
17291 @item (org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'scheduled)
17292 Skip current entry if it has been scheduled.
17293 @item (org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'notscheduled)
17294 Skip current entry if it has not been scheduled.
17295 @item (org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'deadline)
17296 Skip current entry if it has a deadline.
17297 @item (org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'scheduled 'deadline)
17298 Skip current entry if it has a deadline, or if it is scheduled.
17299 @item (org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'todo '("TODO" "WAITING"))
17300 Skip current entry if the TODO keyword is TODO or WAITING.
17301 @item (org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'todo 'done)
17302 Skip current entry if the TODO keyword marks a DONE state.
17303 @item (org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'timestamp)
17304 Skip current entry if it has any timestamp, may also be deadline or scheduled.
17305 @anchor{x-agenda-skip-entry-regexp}
17306 @item (org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'regexp "regular expression")
17307 Skip current entry if the regular expression matches in the entry.
17308 @item (org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'notregexp "regular expression")
17309 Skip current entry unless the regular expression matches.
17310 @item (org-agenda-skip-subtree-if 'regexp "regular expression")
17311 Same as above, but check and skip the entire subtree.
17314 Therefore we could also have written the search for WAITING projects
17315 like this, even without defining a special function:
17318 (org-add-agenda-custom-command
17319 '("b" todo "PROJECT"
17320 ((org-agenda-skip-function '(org-agenda-skip-subtree-if
17321 'regexp ":waiting:"))
17322 (org-agenda-overriding-header "Projects waiting for something: "))))
17325 @node Speeding up your agendas
17326 @section Speeding up your agendas
17327 @cindex agenda views, optimization
17329 When your Org files grow in both number and size, agenda commands may start
17330 to become slow. Below are some tips on how to speed up the agenda commands.
17334 Reduce the number of Org agenda files: this will reduce the slowdown caused
17335 by accessing a hard drive.
17337 Reduce the number of DONE and archived headlines: this way the agenda does
17338 not need to skip them.
17340 @vindex org-agenda-dim-blocked-tasks
17341 Inhibit the dimming of blocked tasks:
17343 (setq org-agenda-dim-blocked-tasks nil)
17346 @vindex org-startup-folded
17347 @vindex org-agenda-inhibit-startup
17348 Inhibit agenda files startup options:
17350 (setq org-agenda-inhibit-startup nil)
17353 @vindex org-agenda-show-inherited-tags
17354 @vindex org-agenda-use-tag-inheritance
17355 Disable tag inheritance in agenda:
17357 (setq org-agenda-use-tag-inheritance nil)
17361 You can set these options for specific agenda views only. See the docstrings
17362 of these variables for details on why they affect the agenda generation, and
17363 this @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/agenda-optimization.html, dedicated Worg
17364 page} for further explanations.
17366 @node Extracting agenda information
17367 @section Extracting agenda information
17368 @cindex agenda, pipe
17369 @cindex Scripts, for agenda processing
17371 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands
17372 Org provides commands to access agenda information for the command
17373 line in Emacs batch mode. This extracted information can be sent
17374 directly to a printer, or it can be read by a program that does further
17375 processing of the data. The first of these commands is the function
17376 @code{org-batch-agenda}, that produces an agenda view and sends it as
17377 ASCII text to STDOUT@. The command takes a single string as parameter.
17378 If the string has length 1, it is used as a key to one of the commands
17379 you have configured in @code{org-agenda-custom-commands}, basically any
17380 key you can use after @kbd{C-c a}. For example, to directly print the
17381 current TODO list, you could use
17384 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -eval '(org-batch-agenda "t")' | lpr
17387 If the parameter is a string with 2 or more characters, it is used as a
17388 tags/TODO match string. For example, to print your local shopping list
17389 (all items with the tag @samp{shop}, but excluding the tag
17390 @samp{NewYork}), you could use
17393 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs \
17394 -eval '(org-batch-agenda "+shop-NewYork")' | lpr
17398 You may also modify parameters on the fly like this:
17401 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs \
17402 -eval '(org-batch-agenda "a" \
17403 org-agenda-span (quote month) \
17404 org-agenda-include-diary nil \
17405 org-agenda-files (quote ("~/org/project.org")))' \
17410 which will produce a 30-day agenda, fully restricted to the Org file
17411 @file{~/org/projects.org}, not even including the diary.
17413 If you want to process the agenda data in more sophisticated ways, you
17414 can use the command @code{org-batch-agenda-csv} to get a comma-separated
17415 list of values for each agenda item. Each line in the output will
17416 contain a number of fields separated by commas. The fields in a line
17420 category @r{The category of the item}
17421 head @r{The headline, without TODO keyword, TAGS and PRIORITY}
17422 type @r{The type of the agenda entry, can be}
17423 todo @r{selected in TODO match}
17424 tagsmatch @r{selected in tags match}
17425 diary @r{imported from diary}
17426 deadline @r{a deadline}
17427 scheduled @r{scheduled}
17428 timestamp @r{appointment, selected by timestamp}
17429 closed @r{entry was closed on date}
17430 upcoming-deadline @r{warning about nearing deadline}
17431 past-scheduled @r{forwarded scheduled item}
17432 block @r{entry has date block including date}
17433 todo @r{The TODO keyword, if any}
17434 tags @r{All tags including inherited ones, separated by colons}
17435 date @r{The relevant date, like 2007-2-14}
17436 time @r{The time, like 15:00-16:50}
17437 extra @r{String with extra planning info}
17438 priority-l @r{The priority letter if any was given}
17439 priority-n @r{The computed numerical priority}
17443 Time and date will only be given if a timestamp (or deadline/scheduled)
17444 led to the selection of the item.
17446 A CSV list like this is very easy to use in a post-processing script.
17447 For example, here is a Perl program that gets the TODO list from
17448 Emacs/Org and prints all the items, preceded by a checkbox:
17453 # define the Emacs command to run
17454 $cmd = "emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -eval '(org-batch-agenda-csv \"t\")'";
17456 # run it and capture the output
17457 $agenda = qx@{$cmd 2>/dev/null@};
17459 # loop over all lines
17460 foreach $line (split(/\n/,$agenda)) @{
17461 # get the individual values
17462 ($category,$head,$type,$todo,$tags,$date,$time,$extra,
17463 $priority_l,$priority_n) = split(/,/,$line);
17464 # process and print
17465 print "[ ] $head\n";
17469 @node Using the property API
17470 @section Using the property API
17471 @cindex API, for properties
17472 @cindex properties, API
17474 Here is a description of the functions that can be used to work with
17477 @defun org-entry-properties &optional pom which
17478 Get all properties of the entry at point-or-marker POM.@*
17479 This includes the TODO keyword, the tags, time strings for deadline,
17480 scheduled, and clocking, and any additional properties defined in the
17481 entry. The return value is an alist. Keys may occur multiple times
17482 if the property key was used several times.@*
17483 POM may also be @code{nil}, in which case the current entry is used.
17484 If WHICH is @code{nil} or `all', get all properties. If WHICH is
17485 `special' or `standard', only get that subclass.
17487 @vindex org-use-property-inheritance
17488 @findex org-insert-property-drawer
17489 @defun org-entry-get pom property &optional inherit
17490 Get value of @code{PROPERTY} for entry at point-or-marker @code{POM}@. By default,
17491 this only looks at properties defined locally in the entry. If @code{INHERIT}
17492 is non-@code{nil} and the entry does not have the property, then also check
17493 higher levels of the hierarchy. If @code{INHERIT} is the symbol
17494 @code{selective}, use inheritance if and only if the setting of
17495 @code{org-use-property-inheritance} selects @code{PROPERTY} for inheritance.
17498 @defun org-entry-delete pom property
17499 Delete the property @code{PROPERTY} from entry at point-or-marker POM.
17502 @defun org-entry-put pom property value
17503 Set @code{PROPERTY} to @code{VALUE} for entry at point-or-marker POM.
17506 @defun org-buffer-property-keys &optional include-specials
17507 Get all property keys in the current buffer.
17510 @defun org-insert-property-drawer
17511 Insert a property drawer for the current entry. Also
17514 @defun org-entry-put-multivalued-property pom property &rest values
17515 Set @code{PROPERTY} at point-or-marker @code{POM} to @code{VALUES}@.
17516 @code{VALUES} should be a list of strings. They will be concatenated, with
17517 spaces as separators.
17520 @defun org-entry-get-multivalued-property pom property
17521 Treat the value of the property @code{PROPERTY} as a whitespace-separated
17522 list of values and return the values as a list of strings.
17525 @defun org-entry-add-to-multivalued-property pom property value
17526 Treat the value of the property @code{PROPERTY} as a whitespace-separated
17527 list of values and make sure that @code{VALUE} is in this list.
17530 @defun org-entry-remove-from-multivalued-property pom property value
17531 Treat the value of the property @code{PROPERTY} as a whitespace-separated
17532 list of values and make sure that @code{VALUE} is @emph{not} in this list.
17535 @defun org-entry-member-in-multivalued-property pom property value
17536 Treat the value of the property @code{PROPERTY} as a whitespace-separated
17537 list of values and check if @code{VALUE} is in this list.
17540 @defopt org-property-allowed-value-functions
17541 Hook for functions supplying allowed values for a specific property.
17542 The functions must take a single argument, the name of the property, and
17543 return a flat list of allowed values. If @samp{:ETC} is one of
17544 the values, use the values as completion help, but allow also other values
17545 to be entered. The functions must return @code{nil} if they are not
17546 responsible for this property.
17549 @node Using the mapping API
17550 @section Using the mapping API
17551 @cindex API, for mapping
17552 @cindex mapping entries, API
17554 Org has sophisticated mapping capabilities to find all entries satisfying
17555 certain criteria. Internally, this functionality is used to produce agenda
17556 views, but there is also an API that can be used to execute arbitrary
17557 functions for each or selected entries. The main entry point for this API
17560 @defun org-map-entries func &optional match scope &rest skip
17561 Call @code{FUNC} at each headline selected by @code{MATCH} in @code{SCOPE}.
17563 @code{FUNC} is a function or a Lisp form. The function will be called
17564 without arguments, with the cursor positioned at the beginning of the
17565 headline. The return values of all calls to the function will be collected
17566 and returned as a list.
17568 The call to @code{FUNC} will be wrapped into a save-excursion form, so
17569 @code{FUNC} does not need to preserve point. After evaluation, the cursor
17570 will be moved to the end of the line (presumably of the headline of the
17571 processed entry) and search continues from there. Under some circumstances,
17572 this may not produce the wanted results. For example, if you have removed
17573 (e.g., archived) the current (sub)tree it could mean that the next entry will
17574 be skipped entirely. In such cases, you can specify the position from where
17575 search should continue by making @code{FUNC} set the variable
17576 @code{org-map-continue-from} to the desired buffer position.
17578 @code{MATCH} is a tags/property/todo match as it is used in the agenda match
17579 view. Only headlines that are matched by this query will be considered
17580 during the iteration. When @code{MATCH} is @code{nil} or @code{t}, all
17581 headlines will be visited by the iteration.
17583 @code{SCOPE} determines the scope of this command. It can be any of:
17586 nil @r{the current buffer, respecting the restriction if any}
17587 tree @r{the subtree started with the entry at point}
17588 region @r{The entries within the active region, if any}
17589 file @r{the current buffer, without restriction}
17591 @r{the current buffer, and any archives associated with it}
17592 agenda @r{all agenda files}
17593 agenda-with-archives
17594 @r{all agenda files with any archive files associated with them}
17596 @r{if this is a list, all files in the list will be scanned}
17599 The remaining args are treated as settings for the skipping facilities of
17600 the scanner. The following items can be given here:
17602 @vindex org-agenda-skip-function
17604 archive @r{skip trees with the archive tag}
17605 comment @r{skip trees with the COMMENT keyword}
17606 function or Lisp form
17607 @r{will be used as value for @code{org-agenda-skip-function},}
17608 @r{so whenever the function returns t, FUNC}
17609 @r{will not be called for that entry and search will}
17610 @r{continue from the point where the function leaves it}
17614 The function given to that mapping routine can really do anything you like.
17615 It can use the property API (@pxref{Using the property API}) to gather more
17616 information about the entry, or in order to change metadata in the entry.
17617 Here are a couple of functions that might be handy:
17619 @defun org-todo &optional arg
17620 Change the TODO state of the entry. See the docstring of the functions for
17621 the many possible values for the argument @code{ARG}.
17624 @defun org-priority &optional action
17625 Change the priority of the entry. See the docstring of this function for the
17626 possible values for @code{ACTION}.
17629 @defun org-toggle-tag tag &optional onoff
17630 Toggle the tag @code{TAG} in the current entry. Setting @code{ONOFF} to
17631 either @code{on} or @code{off} will not toggle tag, but ensure that it is
17636 Promote the current entry.
17640 Demote the current entry.
17643 Here is a simple example that will turn all entries in the current file with
17644 a tag @code{TOMORROW} into TODO entries with the keyword @code{UPCOMING}.
17645 Entries in comment trees and in archive trees will be ignored.
17649 '(org-todo "UPCOMING")
17650 "+TOMORROW" 'file 'archive 'comment)
17653 The following example counts the number of entries with TODO keyword
17654 @code{WAITING}, in all agenda files.
17657 (length (org-map-entries t "/+WAITING" 'agenda))
17661 @appendix MobileOrg
17665 @i{MobileOrg} is the name of the mobile companion app for Org mode, currently
17666 available for iOS and for Android. @i{MobileOrg} offers offline viewing and
17667 capture support for an Org mode system rooted on a ``real'' computer. It
17668 also allows you to record changes to existing entries. The
17669 @uref{https://github.com/MobileOrg/, iOS implementation} for the
17670 @i{iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad} series of devices, was started by Richard Moreland
17671 and is now in the hands Sean Escriva. Android users should check out
17672 @uref{http://wiki.github.com/matburt/mobileorg-android/, MobileOrg Android}
17673 by Matt Jones. The two implementations are not identical but offer similar
17676 This appendix describes the support Org has for creating agenda views in a
17677 format that can be displayed by @i{MobileOrg}, and for integrating notes
17678 captured and changes made by @i{MobileOrg} into the main system.
17680 For changing tags and TODO states in MobileOrg, you should have set up the
17681 customization variables @code{org-todo-keywords} and @code{org-tag-alist} to
17682 cover all important tags and TODO keywords, even if individual files use only
17683 part of these. MobileOrg will also offer you states and tags set up with
17684 in-buffer settings, but it will understand the logistics of TODO state
17685 @i{sets} (@pxref{Per-file keywords}) and @i{mutually exclusive} tags
17686 (@pxref{Setting tags}) only for those set in these variables.
17689 * Setting up the staging area:: Where to interact with the mobile device
17690 * Pushing to MobileOrg:: Uploading Org files and agendas
17691 * Pulling from MobileOrg:: Integrating captured and flagged items
17694 @node Setting up the staging area
17695 @section Setting up the staging area
17697 MobileOrg needs to interact with Emacs through a directory on a server. If
17698 you are using a public server, you should consider encrypting the files that
17699 are uploaded to the server. This can be done with Org mode 7.02 and with
17700 @i{MobileOrg 1.5} (iPhone version), and you need an @file{openssl}
17701 installation on your system. To turn on encryption, set a password in
17702 @i{MobileOrg} and, on the Emacs side, configure the variable
17703 @code{org-mobile-use-encryption}@footnote{If you can safely store the
17704 password in your Emacs setup, you might also want to configure
17705 @code{org-mobile-encryption-password}. Please read the docstring of that
17706 variable. Note that encryption will apply only to the contents of the
17707 @file{.org} files. The file names themselves will remain visible.}.
17709 The easiest way to create that directory is to use a free
17710 @uref{http://dropbox.com,Dropbox.com} account@footnote{If you cannot use
17711 Dropbox, or if your version of MobileOrg does not support it, you can use a
17712 webdav server. For more information, check out the documentation of MobileOrg and also this
17713 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-faq.html#mobileorg_webdav, FAQ entry}.}.
17714 When MobileOrg first connects to your Dropbox, it will create a directory
17715 @i{MobileOrg} inside the Dropbox. After the directory has been created, tell
17719 (setq org-mobile-directory "~/Dropbox/MobileOrg")
17722 Org mode has commands to put files for @i{MobileOrg} into that directory,
17723 and to read captured notes from there.
17725 @node Pushing to MobileOrg
17726 @section Pushing to MobileOrg
17728 This operation copies all files currently listed in @code{org-mobile-files}
17729 to the directory @code{org-mobile-directory}. By default this list contains
17730 all agenda files (as listed in @code{org-agenda-files}), but additional files
17731 can be included by customizing @code{org-mobile-files}. File names will be
17732 staged with paths relative to @code{org-directory}, so all files should be
17733 inside this directory@footnote{Symbolic links in @code{org-directory} need to
17734 have the same name as their targets.}.
17736 The push operation also creates a special Org file @file{agendas.org} with
17737 all custom agenda view defined by the user@footnote{While creating the
17738 agendas, Org mode will force ID properties on all referenced entries, so that
17739 these entries can be uniquely identified if @i{MobileOrg} flags them for
17740 further action. If you do not want to get these properties in so many
17741 entries, you can set the variable @code{org-mobile-force-id-on-agenda-items}
17742 to @code{nil}. Org mode will then rely on outline paths, in the hope that
17743 these will be unique enough.}.
17745 Finally, Org writes the file @file{index.org}, containing links to all other
17746 files. @i{MobileOrg} first reads this file from the server, and then
17747 downloads all agendas and Org files listed in it. To speed up the download,
17748 MobileOrg will only read files whose checksums@footnote{Checksums are stored
17749 automatically in the file @file{checksums.dat}} have changed.
17751 @node Pulling from MobileOrg
17752 @section Pulling from MobileOrg
17754 When @i{MobileOrg} synchronizes with the server, it not only pulls the Org
17755 files for viewing. It also appends captured entries and pointers to flagged
17756 and changed entries to the file @file{mobileorg.org} on the server. Org has
17757 a @emph{pull} operation that integrates this information into an inbox file
17758 and operates on the pointers to flagged entries. Here is how it works:
17762 Org moves all entries found in
17763 @file{mobileorg.org}@footnote{@file{mobileorg.org} will be empty after this
17764 operation.} and appends them to the file pointed to by the variable
17765 @code{org-mobile-inbox-for-pull}. Each captured entry and each editing event
17766 will be a top-level entry in the inbox file.
17768 After moving the entries, Org will attempt to implement the changes made in
17769 @i{MobileOrg}. Some changes are applied directly and without user
17770 interaction. Examples are all changes to tags, TODO state, headline and body
17771 text that can be cleanly applied. Entries that have been flagged for further
17772 action will receive a tag @code{:FLAGGED:}, so that they can be easily found
17773 again. When there is a problem finding an entry or applying the change, the
17774 pointer entry will remain in the inbox and will be marked with an error
17775 message. You need to later resolve these issues by hand.
17777 Org will then generate an agenda view with all flagged entries. The user
17778 should then go through these entries and do whatever actions are necessary.
17779 If a note has been stored while flagging an entry in @i{MobileOrg}, that note
17780 will be displayed in the echo area when the cursor is on the corresponding
17786 Pressing @kbd{?} in that special agenda will display the full flagging note in
17787 another window and also push it onto the kill ring. So you could use @kbd{?
17788 z C-y C-c C-c} to store that flagging note as a normal note in the entry.
17789 Pressing @kbd{?} twice in succession will offer to remove the
17790 @code{:FLAGGED:} tag along with the recorded flagging note (which is stored
17791 in a property). In this way you indicate that the intended processing for
17792 this flagged entry is finished.
17797 If you are not able to process all flagged entries directly, you can always
17798 return to this agenda view@footnote{Note, however, that there is a subtle
17799 difference. The view created automatically by @kbd{M-x org-mobile-pull RET}
17800 is guaranteed to search all files that have been addressed by the last pull.
17801 This might include a file that is not currently in your list of agenda files.
17802 If you later use @kbd{C-c a ?} to regenerate the view, only the current
17803 agenda files will be searched.} using @kbd{C-c a ?}.
17805 @node History and acknowledgments
17806 @appendix History and acknowledgments
17807 @cindex acknowledgments
17811 @section From Carsten
17813 Org was born in 2003, out of frustration over the user interface of the Emacs
17814 Outline mode. I was trying to organize my notes and projects, and using
17815 Emacs seemed to be the natural way to go. However, having to remember eleven
17816 different commands with two or three keys per command, only to hide and show
17817 parts of the outline tree, that seemed entirely unacceptable to me. Also,
17818 when using outlines to take notes, I constantly wanted to restructure the
17819 tree, organizing it parallel to my thoughts and plans. @emph{Visibility
17820 cycling} and @emph{structure editing} were originally implemented in the
17821 package @file{outline-magic.el}, but quickly moved to the more general
17822 @file{org.el}. As this environment became comfortable for project planning,
17823 the next step was adding @emph{TODO entries}, basic @emph{timestamps}, and
17824 @emph{table support}. These areas highlighted the two main goals that Org
17825 still has today: to be a new, outline-based, plain text mode with innovative
17826 and intuitive editing features, and to incorporate project planning
17827 functionality directly into a notes file.
17829 Since the first release, literally thousands of emails to me or to
17830 @email{emacs-orgmode@@gnu.org} have provided a constant stream of bug
17831 reports, feedback, new ideas, and sometimes patches and add-on code.
17832 Many thanks to everyone who has helped to improve this package. I am
17833 trying to keep here a list of the people who had significant influence
17834 in shaping one or more aspects of Org. The list may not be
17835 complete, if I have forgotten someone, please accept my apologies and
17838 Before I get to this list, a few special mentions are in order:
17841 @item Bastien Guerry
17842 Bastien has written a large number of extensions to Org (most of them
17843 integrated into the core by now), including the @LaTeX{} exporter and the
17844 plain list parser. His support during the early days was central to the
17845 success of this project. Bastien also invented Worg, helped establishing the
17846 Web presence of Org, and sponsored hosting costs for the orgmode.org website.
17847 Bastien stepped in as maintainer of Org between 2011 and 2013, at a time when
17848 I desparately needed a break.
17849 @item Eric Schulte and Dan Davison
17850 Eric and Dan are jointly responsible for the Org-babel system, which turns
17851 Org into a multi-language environment for evaluating code and doing literate
17852 programming and reproducible research. This has become one of Org's killer
17853 features that define what Org is today.
17855 John has contributed a number of great ideas and patches directly to Org,
17856 including the attachment system (@file{org-attach.el}), integration with
17857 Apple Mail (@file{org-mac-message.el}), hierarchical dependencies of TODO
17858 items, habit tracking (@file{org-habits.el}), and encryption
17859 (@file{org-crypt.el}). Also, the capture system is really an extended copy
17860 of his great @file{remember.el}.
17861 @item Sebastian Rose
17862 Without Sebastian, the HTML/XHTML publishing of Org would be the pitiful work
17863 of an ignorant amateur. Sebastian has pushed this part of Org onto a much
17864 higher level. He also wrote @file{org-info.js}, a Java script for displaying
17865 web pages derived from Org using an Info-like or a folding interface with
17866 single-key navigation.
17869 @noindent See below for the full list of contributions! Again, please
17870 let me know what I am missing here!
17872 @section From Bastien
17874 I (Bastien) have been maintaining Org between 2011 and 2013. This appendix
17875 would not be complete without adding a few more acknowledgements and thanks.
17877 I am first grateful to Carsten for his trust while handing me over the
17878 maintainership of Org. His unremitting support is what really helped me
17879 getting more confident over time, with both the community and the code.
17881 When I took over maintainership, I knew I would have to make Org more
17882 collaborative than ever, as I would have to rely on people that are more
17883 knowledgeable than I am on many parts of the code. Here is a list of the
17884 persons I could rely on, they should really be considered co-maintainers,
17885 either of the code or the community:
17889 Eric is maintaining the Babel parts of Org. His reactivity here kept me away
17890 from worrying about possible bugs here and let me focus on other parts.
17892 @item Nicolas Goaziou
17893 Nicolas is maintaining the consistency of the deepest parts of Org. His work
17894 on @file{org-element.el} and @file{ox.el} has been outstanding, and it opened
17895 the doors for many new ideas and features. He rewrote many of the old
17896 exporters to use the new export engine, and helped with documenting this
17897 major change. More importantly (if that's possible), he has been more than
17898 reliable during all the work done for Org 8.0, and always very reactive on
17902 Achim rewrote the building process of Org, turning some @emph{ad hoc} tools
17903 into a flexible and conceptually clean process. He patiently coped with the
17904 many hiccups that such a change can create for users.
17907 The Org mode mailing list would not be such a nice place without Nick, who
17908 patiently helped users so many times. It is impossible to overestimate such
17909 a great help, and the list would not be so active without him.
17912 I received support from so many users that it is clearly impossible to be
17913 fair when shortlisting a few of them, but Org's history would not be
17914 complete if the ones above were not mentioned in this manual.
17916 @section List of contributions
17921 @i{Russel Adams} came up with the idea for drawers.
17923 @i{Suvayu Ali} has steadily helped on the mailing list, providing useful
17924 feedback on many features and several patches.
17926 @i{Luis Anaya} wrote @file{ox-man.el}.
17928 @i{Thomas Baumann} wrote @file{org-bbdb.el} and @file{org-mhe.el}.
17930 @i{Michael Brand} helped by reporting many bugs and testing many features.
17931 He also implemented the distinction between empty fields and 0-value fields
17932 in Org's spreadsheets.
17934 @i{Christophe Bataillon} created the great unicorn logo that we use on the
17937 @i{Alex Bochannek} provided a patch for rounding timestamps.
17939 @i{Jan Böcker} wrote @file{org-docview.el}.
17941 @i{Brad Bozarth} showed how to pull RSS feed data into Org mode files.
17943 @i{Tom Breton} wrote @file{org-choose.el}.
17945 @i{Charles Cave}'s suggestion sparked the implementation of templates
17946 for Remember, which are now templates for capture.
17948 @i{Pavel Chalmoviansky} influenced the agenda treatment of items with
17951 @i{Gregory Chernov} patched support for Lisp forms into table
17952 calculations and improved XEmacs compatibility, in particular by porting
17953 @file{nouline.el} to XEmacs.
17955 @i{Sacha Chua} suggested copying some linking code from Planner, and helped
17956 make Org pupular through her blog.
17958 @i{Toby S. Cubitt} contributed to the code for clock formats.
17960 @i{Baoqiu Cui} contributed the first DocBook exporter. In Org 8.0, we go a
17961 different route: you can now export to Texinfo and export the @file{.texi}
17962 file to DocBook using @code{makeinfo}.
17964 @i{Eddward DeVilla} proposed and tested checkbox statistics. He also
17965 came up with the idea of properties, and that there should be an API for
17968 @i{Nick Dokos} tracked down several nasty bugs.
17970 @i{Kees Dullemond} used to edit projects lists directly in HTML and so
17971 inspired some of the early development, including HTML export. He also
17972 asked for a way to narrow wide table columns.
17974 @i{Jason Dunsmore} has been maintaining the Org-Mode server at Rackspace for
17975 several years now. He also sponsered the hosting costs until Rackspace
17976 started to host us for free.
17978 @i{Thomas S. Dye} contributed documentation on Worg and helped integrating
17979 the Org-Babel documentation into the manual.
17981 @i{Christian Egli} converted the documentation into Texinfo format, inspired
17982 the agenda, patched CSS formatting into the HTML exporter, and wrote
17983 @file{org-taskjuggler.el}, which has been rewritten by Nicolas Goaziou as
17984 @file{ox-taskjuggler.el} for Org 8.0.
17986 @i{David Emery} provided a patch for custom CSS support in exported
17989 @i{Sean Escriva} took over MobileOrg development on the iPhone platform.
17991 @i{Nic Ferrier} contributed mailcap and XOXO support.
17993 @i{Miguel A. Figueroa-Villanueva} implemented hierarchical checkboxes.
17995 @i{John Foerch} figured out how to make incremental search show context
17996 around a match in a hidden outline tree.
17998 @i{Raimar Finken} wrote @file{org-git-line.el}.
18000 @i{Mikael Fornius} works as a mailing list moderator.
18002 @i{Austin Frank} works as a mailing list moderator.
18004 @i{Eric Fraga} drove the development of BEAMER export with ideas and
18007 @i{Barry Gidden} did proofreading the manual in preparation for the book
18008 publication through Network Theory Ltd.
18010 @i{Niels Giesen} had the idea to automatically archive DONE trees.
18012 @i{Nicolas Goaziou} rewrote much of the plain list code. He also wrote
18013 @file{org-element.el} and @file{org-export.el}, which was a huge step forward
18014 in implementing a clean framework for Org exporters.
18016 @i{Kai Grossjohann} pointed out key-binding conflicts with other packages.
18018 @i{Brian Gough} of Network Theory Ltd publishes the Org mode manual as a
18021 @i{Bernt Hansen} has driven much of the support for auto-repeating tasks,
18022 task state change logging, and the clocktable. His clear explanations have
18023 been critical when we started to adopt the Git version control system.
18025 @i{Manuel Hermenegildo} has contributed various ideas, small fixes and
18028 @i{Phil Jackson} wrote @file{org-irc.el}.
18030 @i{Scott Jaderholm} proposed footnotes, control over whitespace between
18031 folded entries, and column view for properties.
18033 @i{Matt Jones} wrote @i{MobileOrg Android}.
18035 @i{Tokuya Kameshima} wrote @file{org-wl.el} and @file{org-mew.el}.
18037 @i{Jonathan Leech-Pepin} wrote @file{ox-texinfo.el}.
18039 @i{Shidai Liu} ("Leo") asked for embedded @LaTeX{} and tested it. He also
18040 provided frequent feedback and some patches.
18042 @i{Matt Lundin} has proposed last-row references for table formulas and named
18043 invisible anchors. He has also worked a lot on the FAQ.
18045 @i{David Maus} wrote @file{org-atom.el}, maintains the issues file for Org,
18046 and is a prolific contributor on the mailing list with competent replies,
18047 small fixes and patches.
18049 @i{Jason F. McBrayer} suggested agenda export to CSV format.
18051 @i{Max Mikhanosha} came up with the idea of refiling and sticky agendas.
18053 @i{Dmitri Minaev} sent a patch to set priority limits on a per-file
18056 @i{Stefan Monnier} provided a patch to keep the Emacs-Lisp compiler
18059 @i{Richard Moreland} wrote @i{MobileOrg} for the iPhone.
18061 @i{Rick Moynihan} proposed allowing multiple TODO sequences in a file
18062 and being able to quickly restrict the agenda to a subtree.
18064 @i{Todd Neal} provided patches for links to Info files and Elisp forms.
18066 @i{Greg Newman} refreshed the unicorn logo into its current form.
18068 @i{Tim O'Callaghan} suggested in-file links, search options for general
18069 file links, and TAGS.
18071 @i{Osamu Okano} wrote @file{orgcard2ref.pl}, a Perl program to create a text
18072 version of the reference card.
18074 @i{Takeshi Okano} translated the manual and David O'Toole's tutorial
18077 @i{Oliver Oppitz} suggested multi-state TODO items.
18079 @i{Scott Otterson} sparked the introduction of descriptive text for
18080 links, among other things.
18082 @i{Pete Phillips} helped during the development of the TAGS feature, and
18083 provided frequent feedback.
18085 @i{Francesco Pizzolante} provided patches that helped speeding up the agenda
18088 @i{Martin Pohlack} provided the code snippet to bundle character insertion
18089 into bundles of 20 for undo.
18091 @i{Rackspace.com} is hosting our website for free. Thank you Rackspace!
18093 @i{T.V. Raman} reported bugs and suggested improvements.
18095 @i{Matthias Rempe} (Oelde) provided ideas, Windows support, and quality
18098 @i{Paul Rivier} provided the basic implementation of named footnotes. He
18099 also acted as mailing list moderator for some time.
18101 @i{Kevin Rogers} contributed code to access VM files on remote hosts.
18103 @i{Frank Ruell} solved the mystery of the @code{keymapp nil} bug, a
18104 conflict with @file{allout.el}.
18106 @i{Jason Riedy} generalized the send-receive mechanism for Orgtbl tables with
18109 @i{Philip Rooke} created the Org reference card, provided lots
18110 of feedback, developed and applied standards to the Org documentation.
18112 @i{Christian Schlauer} proposed angular brackets around links, among
18115 @i{Christopher Schmidt} reworked @code{orgstruct-mode} so that users can
18116 enjoy folding in non-org buffers by using Org headlines in comments.
18118 @i{Paul Sexton} wrote @file{org-ctags.el}.
18120 Linking to VM/BBDB/Gnus was first inspired by @i{Tom Shannon}'s
18121 @file{organizer-mode.el}.
18123 @i{Ilya Shlyakhter} proposed the Archive Sibling, line numbering in literal
18124 examples, and remote highlighting for referenced code lines.
18126 @i{Stathis Sideris} wrote the @file{ditaa.jar} ASCII to PNG converter that is
18127 now packaged into Org's @file{contrib} directory.
18129 @i{Daniel Sinder} came up with the idea of internal archiving by locking
18132 @i{Dale Smith} proposed link abbreviations.
18134 @i{James TD Smith} has contributed a large number of patches for useful
18135 tweaks and features.
18137 @i{Adam Spiers} asked for global linking commands, inspired the link
18138 extension system, added support for mairix, and proposed the mapping API.
18140 @i{Ulf Stegemann} created the table to translate special symbols to HTML,
18141 @LaTeX{}, UTF-8, Latin-1 and ASCII.
18143 @i{Andy Stewart} contributed code to @file{org-w3m.el}, to copy HTML content
18144 with links transformation to Org syntax.
18146 @i{David O'Toole} wrote @file{org-publish.el} and drafted the manual
18147 chapter about publishing.
18149 @i{Jambunathan K} contributed the ODT exporter and rewrote the HTML exporter.
18151 @i{Sebastien Vauban} reported many issues with @LaTeX{} and BEAMER export and
18152 enabled source code highlighting in Gnus.
18154 @i{Stefan Vollmar} organized a video-recorded talk at the
18155 Max-Planck-Institute for Neurology. He also inspired the creation of a
18156 concept index for HTML export.
18158 @i{J@"urgen Vollmer} contributed code generating the table of contents
18161 @i{Samuel Wales} has provided important feedback and bug reports.
18163 @i{Chris Wallace} provided a patch implementing the @samp{QUOTE}
18166 @i{David Wainberg} suggested archiving, and improvements to the linking
18169 @i{Carsten Wimmer} suggested some changes and helped fix a bug in
18172 @i{Roland Winkler} requested additional key bindings to make Org
18175 @i{Piotr Zielinski} wrote @file{org-mouse.el}, proposed agenda blocks
18176 and contributed various ideas and code snippets.
18180 @node GNU Free Documentation License
18181 @appendix GNU Free Documentation License
18182 @include doclicense.texi
18186 @unnumbered Concept index
18191 @unnumbered Key index
18195 @node Command and Function Index
18196 @unnumbered Command and function index
18200 @node Variable Index
18201 @unnumbered Variable index
18203 This is not a complete index of variables and faces, only the ones that are
18204 mentioned in the manual. For a more complete list, use @kbd{M-x
18205 org-customize @key{RET}} and then click yourself through the tree.
18211 @c Local variables:
18213 @c indent-tabs-mode: nil
18214 @c paragraph-start: "
\b\\|^@[a-zA-Z]*[ \n]\\|^@x?org\\(key\\|cmd\\)\\|\f\\|[ ]*$"
18215 @c paragraph-separate: "
\b\\|^@[a-zA-Z]*[ \n]\\|^@x?org\\(key\\|cmd\\)\\|[ \f]*$"
18219 @c LocalWords: webdavhost pre