4 @setfilename ../../info/org
5 @settitle The Org Manual
10 @c Use proper quote and backtick for code sections in PDF output
11 @c Cf. Texinfo manual 14.2
12 @set txicodequoteundirected
13 @set txicodequotebacktick
15 @c Version and Contact Info
16 @set MAINTAINERSITE @uref{http://orgmode.org,maintainers webpage}
17 @set AUTHOR Carsten Dominik
18 @set MAINTAINER Carsten Dominik
19 @set MAINTAINEREMAIL @email{carsten at orgmode dot org}
20 @set MAINTAINERCONTACT @uref{mailto:carsten at orgmode dot org,contact the maintainer}
25 @macro orgcmd{key,command}
29 @item @kbd{\key\} @hskip 0pt plus 1filll @code{\command\}
34 @item @kbd{\key\} @tie{}@tie{}@tie{}@tie{}(@code{\command\})
44 @c @hyphenation{time-stamp time-stamps time-stamp-ing time-stamp-ed}
59 @c Subheadings inside a table.
60 @macro tsubheading{text}
70 This manual is for Org version @value{VERSION}.
72 Copyright @copyright{} 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
73 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
76 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
77 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
78 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
79 Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU Manual,''
80 and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the license
81 is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License.''
83 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have the freedom to copy and
84 modify this GNU manual. Buying copies from the FSF supports it in
85 developing GNU and promoting software freedom.''
87 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
88 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
89 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
90 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
96 * Org Mode: (org). Outline-based notes management and organizer
100 @title The Org Manual
102 @subtitle Release @value{VERSION}
103 @author by Carsten Dominik
104 with contributions by David O'Toole, Bastien Guerry, Philip Rooke, Dan Davison, Eric Schulte, and Thomas Dye
106 @c The following two commands start the copyright page.
108 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
112 @c Output the table of contents at the beginning.
116 @node Top, Introduction, (dir), (dir)
123 * Introduction:: Getting started
124 * Document Structure:: A tree works like your brain
125 * Tables:: Pure magic for quick formatting
126 * Hyperlinks:: Notes in context
127 * TODO Items:: Every tree branch can be a TODO item
128 * Tags:: Tagging headlines and matching sets of tags
129 * Properties and Columns:: Storing information about an entry
130 * Dates and Times:: Making items useful for planning
131 * Capture - Refile - Archive:: The ins and outs for projects
132 * Agenda Views:: Collecting information into views
133 * Markup:: Prepare text for rich export
134 * Exporting:: Sharing and publishing of notes
135 * Publishing:: Create a web site of linked Org files
136 * Working With Source Code:: Export, evaluate, and tangle code blocks
137 * Miscellaneous:: All the rest which did not fit elsewhere
138 * Hacking:: How to hack your way around
139 * MobileOrg:: Viewing and capture on a mobile device
140 * History and Acknowledgments:: How Org came into being
141 * Main Index:: An index of Org's concepts and features
142 * Key Index:: Key bindings and where they are described
143 * Command and Function Index:: Command names and some internal functions
144 * Variable Index:: Variables mentioned in the manual
147 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
151 * Summary:: Brief summary of what Org does
152 * Installation:: How to install a downloaded version of Org
153 * Activation:: How to activate Org for certain buffers
154 * Feedback:: Bug reports, ideas, patches etc.
155 * Conventions:: Type-setting conventions in the manual
159 * Outlines:: Org is based on Outline mode
160 * Headlines:: How to typeset Org tree headlines
161 * Visibility cycling:: Show and hide, much simplified
162 * Motion:: Jumping to other headlines
163 * Structure editing:: Changing sequence and level of headlines
164 * Sparse trees:: Matches embedded in context
165 * Plain lists:: Additional structure within an entry
166 * Drawers:: Tucking stuff away
167 * Blocks:: Folding blocks
168 * Footnotes:: How footnotes are defined in Org's syntax
169 * Orgstruct mode:: Structure editing outside Org
173 * Built-in table editor:: Simple tables
174 * Column width and alignment:: Overrule the automatic settings
175 * Column groups:: Grouping to trigger vertical lines
176 * Orgtbl mode:: The table editor as minor mode
177 * The spreadsheet:: The table editor has spreadsheet capabilities
178 * Org-Plot:: Plotting from org tables
182 * References:: How to refer to another field or range
183 * Formula syntax for Calc:: Using Calc to compute stuff
184 * Formula syntax for Lisp:: Writing formulas in Emacs Lisp
185 * Field formulas:: Formulas valid for a single field
186 * Column formulas:: Formulas valid for an entire column
187 * Editing and debugging formulas:: Fixing formulas
188 * Updating the table:: Recomputing all dependent fields
189 * Advanced features:: Field names, parameters and automatic recalc
193 * Link format:: How links in Org are formatted
194 * Internal links:: Links to other places in the current file
195 * External links:: URL-like links to the world
196 * Handling links:: Creating, inserting and following
197 * Using links outside Org:: Linking from my C source code?
198 * Link abbreviations:: Shortcuts for writing complex links
199 * Search options:: Linking to a specific location
200 * Custom searches:: When the default search is not enough
204 * Radio targets:: Make targets trigger links in plain text
208 * TODO basics:: Marking and displaying TODO entries
209 * TODO extensions:: Workflow and assignments
210 * Progress logging:: Dates and notes for progress
211 * Priorities:: Some things are more important than others
212 * Breaking down tasks:: Splitting a task into manageable pieces
213 * Checkboxes:: Tick-off lists
215 Extended use of TODO keywords
217 * Workflow states:: From TODO to DONE in steps
218 * TODO types:: I do this, Fred does the rest
219 * Multiple sets in one file:: Mixing it all, and still finding your way
220 * Fast access to TODO states:: Single letter selection of a state
221 * Per-file keywords:: Different files, different requirements
222 * Faces for TODO keywords:: Highlighting states
223 * TODO dependencies:: When one task needs to wait for others
227 * Closing items:: When was this entry marked DONE?
228 * Tracking TODO state changes:: When did the status change?
229 * Tracking your habits:: How consistent have you been?
233 * Tag inheritance:: Tags use the tree structure of the outline
234 * Setting tags:: How to assign tags to a headline
235 * Tag searches:: Searching for combinations of tags
237 Properties and columns
239 * Property syntax:: How properties are spelled out
240 * Special properties:: Access to other Org-mode features
241 * Property searches:: Matching property values
242 * Property inheritance:: Passing values down the tree
243 * Column view:: Tabular viewing and editing
244 * Property API:: Properties for Lisp programmers
248 * Defining columns:: The COLUMNS format property
249 * Using column view:: How to create and use column view
250 * Capturing column view:: A dynamic block for column view
254 * Scope of column definitions:: Where defined, where valid?
255 * Column attributes:: Appearance and content of a column
259 * Timestamps:: Assigning a time to a tree entry
260 * Creating timestamps:: Commands which insert timestamps
261 * Deadlines and scheduling:: Planning your work
262 * Clocking work time:: Tracking how long you spend on a task
263 * Resolving idle time:: Resolving time if you've been idle
264 * Effort estimates:: Planning work effort in advance
265 * Relative timer:: Notes with a running timer
269 * The date/time prompt:: How Org-mode helps you entering date and time
270 * Custom time format:: Making dates look different
272 Deadlines and scheduling
274 * Inserting deadline/schedule:: Planning items
275 * Repeated tasks:: Items that show up again and again
277 Capture - Refile - Archive
279 * Capture:: Capturing new stuff
280 * Attachments:: Add files to tasks
281 * RSS Feeds:: Getting input from RSS feeds
282 * Protocols:: External (e.g. Browser) access to Emacs and Org
283 * Refiling notes:: Moving a tree from one place to another
284 * Archiving:: What to do with finished projects
288 * Setting up capture:: Where notes will be stored
289 * Using capture:: Commands to invoke and terminate capture
290 * Capture templates:: Define the outline of different note types
294 * Template elements:: What is needed for a complete template entry
295 * Template expansion:: Filling in information about time and context
299 * Moving subtrees:: Moving a tree to an archive file
300 * Internal archiving:: Switch off a tree but keep it in the file
304 * Agenda files:: Files being searched for agenda information
305 * Agenda dispatcher:: Keyboard access to agenda views
306 * Built-in agenda views:: What is available out of the box?
307 * Presentation and sorting:: How agenda items are prepared for display
308 * Agenda commands:: Remote editing of Org trees
309 * Custom agenda views:: Defining special searches and views
310 * Exporting Agenda Views:: Writing a view to a file
311 * Agenda column view:: Using column view for collected entries
313 The built-in agenda views
315 * Weekly/daily agenda:: The calendar page with current tasks
316 * Global TODO list:: All unfinished action items
317 * Matching tags and properties:: Structured information with fine-tuned search
318 * Timeline:: Time-sorted view for single file
319 * Search view:: Find entries by searching for text
320 * Stuck projects:: Find projects you need to review
322 Presentation and sorting
324 * Categories:: Not all tasks are equal
325 * Time-of-day specifications:: How the agenda knows the time
326 * Sorting of agenda items:: The order of things
330 * Storing searches:: Type once, use often
331 * Block agenda:: All the stuff you need in a single buffer
332 * Setting Options:: Changing the rules
334 Markup for rich export
336 * Structural markup elements:: The basic structure as seen by the exporter
337 * Images and tables:: Tables and Images will be included
338 * Literal examples:: Source code examples with special formatting
339 * Include files:: Include additional files into a document
340 * Index entries:: Making an index
341 * Macro replacement:: Use macros to create complex output
342 * Embedded LaTeX:: LaTeX can be freely used inside Org documents
344 Structural markup elements
346 * Document title:: Where the title is taken from
347 * Headings and sections:: The document structure as seen by the exporter
348 * Table of contents:: The if and where of the table of contents
349 * Initial text:: Text before the first heading?
351 * Paragraphs:: Paragraphs
352 * Footnote markup:: Footnotes
353 * Emphasis and monospace:: Bold, italic, etc.
354 * Horizontal rules:: Make a line
355 * Comment lines:: What will *not* be exported
359 * Special symbols:: Greek letters and other symbols
360 * Subscripts and superscripts:: Simple syntax for raising/lowering text
361 * LaTeX fragments:: Complex formulas made easy
362 * Previewing LaTeX fragments:: What will this snippet look like?
363 * CDLaTeX mode:: Speed up entering of formulas
367 * Selective export:: Using tags to select and exclude trees
368 * Export options:: Per-file export settings
369 * The export dispatcher:: How to access exporter commands
370 * ASCII/Latin-1/UTF-8 export:: Exporting to flat files with encoding
371 * HTML export:: Exporting to HTML
372 * LaTeX and PDF export:: Exporting to La@TeX{}, and processing to PDF
373 * DocBook export:: Exporting to DocBook
374 * TaskJuggler export:: Exporting to TaskJuggler
375 * Freemind export:: Exporting to Freemind mind maps
376 * XOXO export:: Exporting to XOXO
377 * iCalendar export:: Exporting in iCalendar format
381 * HTML Export commands:: How to invoke HTML export
382 * Quoting HTML tags:: Using direct HTML in Org-mode
383 * Links in HTML export:: How links will be interpreted and formatted
384 * Tables in HTML export:: How to modify the formatting of tables
385 * Images in HTML export:: How to insert figures into HTML output
386 * Math formatting in HTML export:: Beautiful math also on the web
387 * Text areas in HTML export:: An alternative way to show an example
388 * CSS support:: Changing the appearance of the output
389 * JavaScript support:: Info and Folding in a web browser
391 La@TeX{} and PDF export
393 * LaTeX/PDF export commands:: Which key invokes which commands
394 * Header and sectioning:: Setting up the export file structure
395 * Quoting LaTeX code:: Incorporating literal La@TeX{} code
396 * Tables in LaTeX export:: Options for exporting tables to La@TeX{}
397 * Images in LaTeX export:: How to insert figures into La@TeX{} output
398 * Beamer class export:: Turning the file into a presentation
402 * DocBook export commands:: How to invoke DocBook export
403 * Quoting DocBook code:: Incorporating DocBook code in Org files
404 * Recursive sections:: Recursive sections in DocBook
405 * Tables in DocBook export:: Tables are exported as HTML tables
406 * Images in DocBook export:: How to insert figures into DocBook output
407 * Special characters:: How to handle special characters
411 * Configuration:: Defining projects
412 * Uploading files:: How to get files up on the server
413 * Sample configuration:: Example projects
414 * Triggering publication:: Publication commands
418 * Project alist:: The central configuration variable
419 * Sources and destinations:: From here to there
420 * Selecting files:: What files are part of the project?
421 * Publishing action:: Setting the function doing the publishing
422 * Publishing options:: Tweaking HTML export
423 * Publishing links:: Which links keep working after publishing?
424 * Sitemap:: Generating a list of all pages
425 * Generating an index:: An index that reaches across pages
429 * Simple example:: One-component publishing
430 * Complex example:: A multi-component publishing example
432 Working with source code
434 * Structure of code blocks:: Code block syntax described
435 * Editing source code:: Language major-mode editing
436 * Exporting code blocks:: Export contents and/or results
437 * Extracting source code:: Create pure source code files
438 * Evaluating code blocks:: Place results of evaluation in the Org-mode buffer
439 * Library of Babel:: Use and contribute to a library of useful code blocks
440 * Languages:: List of supported code block languages
441 * Header arguments:: Configure code block functionality
442 * Results of evaluation:: How evaluation results are handled
443 * Noweb reference syntax:: Literate programming in Org-mode
444 * Key bindings and useful functions:: Work quickly with code blocks
445 * Batch execution:: Call functions from the command line
449 * Using header arguments:: Different ways to set header arguments
450 * Specific header arguments:: List of header arguments
452 Using header arguments
454 * System-wide header arguments:: Set global default values
455 * Language-specific header arguments:: Set default values by language
456 * Buffer-wide header arguments:: Set default values for a specific buffer
457 * Header arguments in Org-mode properties:: Set default values for a buffer or heading
458 * Code block specific header arguments:: The most common way to set values
459 * Header arguments in function calls:: The most specific level
461 Specific header arguments
463 * var:: Pass arguments to code blocks
464 * results:: Specify the type of results and how they will
465 be collected and handled
466 * file:: Specify a path for file output
467 * dir:: Specify the default (possibly remote)
468 directory for code block execution
469 * exports:: Export code and/or results
470 * tangle:: Toggle tangling and specify file name
471 * comments:: Toggle insertion of comments in tangled
473 * no-expand:: Turn off variable assignment and noweb
474 expansion during tangling
475 * session:: Preserve the state of code evaluation
476 * noweb:: Toggle expansion of noweb references
477 * cache:: Avoid re-evaluating unchanged code blocks
478 * hlines:: Handle horizontal lines in tables
479 * colnames:: Handle column names in tables
480 * rownames:: Handle row names in tables
481 * shebang:: Make tangled files executable
482 * eval:: Limit evaluation of specific code blocks
486 * Completion:: M-TAB knows what you need
487 * Easy Templates:: Quick insertion of structural elements
488 * Speed keys:: Electric commands at the beginning of a headline
489 * Code evaluation security:: Org mode files evaluate inline code
490 * Customization:: Adapting Org to your taste
491 * In-buffer settings:: Overview of the #+KEYWORDS
492 * The very busy C-c C-c key:: When in doubt, press C-c C-c
493 * Clean view:: Getting rid of leading stars in the outline
494 * TTY keys:: Using Org on a tty
495 * Interaction:: Other Emacs packages
497 Interaction with other packages
499 * Cooperation:: Packages Org cooperates with
500 * Conflicts:: Packages that lead to conflicts
504 * Hooks:: Who to reach into Org's internals
505 * Add-on packages:: Available extensions
506 * Adding hyperlink types:: New custom link types
507 * Context-sensitive commands:: How to add functionality to such commands
508 * Tables in arbitrary syntax:: Orgtbl for La@TeX{} and other programs
509 * Dynamic blocks:: Automatically filled blocks
510 * Special agenda views:: Customized views
511 * Extracting agenda information:: Postprocessing of agenda information
512 * Using the property API:: Writing programs that use entry properties
513 * Using the mapping API:: Mapping over all or selected entries
515 Tables and lists in arbitrary syntax
517 * Radio tables:: Sending and receiving radio tables
518 * A LaTeX example:: Step by step, almost a tutorial
519 * Translator functions:: Copy and modify
520 * Radio lists:: Doing the same for lists
524 * Setting up the staging area:: Where to interact with the mobile device
525 * Pushing to MobileOrg:: Uploading Org files and agendas
526 * Pulling from MobileOrg:: Integrating captured and flagged items
531 @node Introduction, Document Structure, Top, Top
532 @chapter Introduction
536 * Summary:: Brief summary of what Org does
537 * Installation:: How to install a downloaded version of Org
538 * Activation:: How to activate Org for certain buffers
539 * Feedback:: Bug reports, ideas, patches etc.
540 * Conventions:: Type-setting conventions in the manual
543 @node Summary, Installation, Introduction, Introduction
547 Org is a mode for keeping notes, maintaining TODO lists, and doing
548 project planning with a fast and effective plain-text system.
550 Org develops organizational tasks around NOTES files that contain
551 lists or information about projects as plain text. Org is
552 implemented on top of Outline mode, which makes it possible to keep the
553 content of large files well structured. Visibility cycling and
554 structure editing help to work with the tree. Tables are easily created
555 with a built-in table editor. Org supports TODO items, deadlines,
556 timestamps, and scheduling. It dynamically compiles entries into an
557 agenda that utilizes and smoothly integrates much of the Emacs calendar
558 and diary. Plain text URL-like links connect to websites, emails,
559 Usenet messages, BBDB entries, and any files related to the projects.
560 For printing and sharing of notes, an Org file can be exported as a
561 structured ASCII file, as HTML, or (TODO and agenda items only) as an
562 iCalendar file. It can also serve as a publishing tool for a set of
565 As a project planning environment, Org works by adding metadata to outline
566 nodes. Based on this data, specific entries can be extracted in queries and
567 create dynamic @i{agenda views}.
569 Org mode contains the Org Babel environment which allows to work with
570 embedded source code block in a file, to facilitate code evaluation,
571 documentation, and tangling.
573 Org's automatic, context-sensitive table editor with spreadsheet
574 capabilities can be integrated into any major mode by activating the
575 minor Orgtbl mode. Using a translation step, it can be used to maintain
576 tables in arbitrary file types, for example in La@TeX{}. The structure
577 editing and list creation capabilities can be used outside Org with
578 the minor Orgstruct mode.
580 Org keeps simple things simple. When first fired up, it should
581 feel like a straightforward, easy to use outliner. Complexity is not
582 imposed, but a large amount of functionality is available when you need
583 it. Org is a toolbox and can be used in different ways and for different
587 @r{@bullet{} an outline extension with visibility cycling and structure editing}
588 @r{@bullet{} an ASCII system and table editor for taking structured notes}
589 @r{@bullet{} a TODO list editor}
590 @r{@bullet{} a full agenda and planner with deadlines and work scheduling}
591 @pindex GTD, Getting Things Done
592 @r{@bullet{} an environment in which to implement David Allen's GTD system}
593 @r{@bullet{} a simple hypertext system, with HTML and La@TeX{} export}
594 @r{@bullet{} a publishing tool to create a set of interlinked webpages}
595 @r{@bullet{} an environment for literate programming}
600 There is a website for Org which provides links to the newest
601 version of Org, as well as additional information, frequently asked
602 questions (FAQ), links to tutorials, etc@. This page is located at
603 @uref{http://orgmode.org}.
608 @node Installation, Activation, Summary, Introduction
609 @section Installation
613 @b{Important:} @i{If you are using a version of Org that is part of the Emacs
614 distribution or an XEmacs package, please skip this section and go directly
615 to @ref{Activation}.}
617 If you have downloaded Org from the Web, either as a distribution @file{.zip}
618 or @file{.tar} file, or as a Git archive, you must take the following steps
619 to install it: go into the unpacked Org distribution directory and edit the
620 top section of the file @file{Makefile}. You must set the name of the Emacs
621 binary (likely either @file{emacs} or @file{xemacs}), and the paths to the
622 directories where local Lisp and Info files are kept. If you don't have
623 access to the system-wide directories, you can simply run Org directly from
624 the distribution directory by adding the @file{lisp} subdirectory to the
625 Emacs load path. To do this, add the following line to @file{.emacs}:
628 (setq load-path (cons "~/path/to/orgdir/lisp" load-path))
632 If you plan to use code from the @file{contrib} subdirectory, do a similar
633 step for this directory:
636 (setq load-path (cons "~/path/to/orgdir/contrib/lisp" load-path))
639 @noindent Now byte-compile the Lisp files with the shell command:
645 @noindent If you are running Org from the distribution directory, this is
646 all. If you want to install Org into the system directories, use (as
653 Installing Info files is system dependent, because of differences in the
654 @file{install-info} program. In Debian it copies the info files into the
655 correct directory and modifies the info directory file. In many other
656 systems, the files need to be copied to the correct directory separately, and
657 @file{install-info} then only modifies the directory file. Check your system
658 documentation to find out which of the following commands you need:
662 make install-info-debian
665 Then add the following line to @file{.emacs}. It is needed so that
666 Emacs can autoload functions that are located in files not immediately loaded
667 when Org-mode starts.
669 (require 'org-install)
672 Do not forget to activate Org as described in the following section.
675 @node Activation, Feedback, Installation, Introduction
679 @cindex global key bindings
680 @cindex key bindings, global
682 Add the following lines to your @file{.emacs} file. The last three lines
683 define @emph{global} keys for the commands @command{org-store-link},
684 @command{org-agenda}, and @command{org-iswitchb}---please choose suitable
688 ;; The following lines are always needed. Choose your own keys.
689 (add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.org\\'" . org-mode))
690 (global-set-key "\C-cl" 'org-store-link)
691 (global-set-key "\C-ca" 'org-agenda)
692 (global-set-key "\C-cb" 'org-iswitchb)
695 Furthermore, you must activate @code{font-lock-mode} in Org
696 buffers, because significant functionality depends on font-locking being
697 active. You can do this with either one of the following two lines
698 (XEmacs users must use the second option):
700 (global-font-lock-mode 1) ; for all buffers
701 (add-hook 'org-mode-hook 'turn-on-font-lock) ; Org buffers only
704 @cindex Org-mode, turning on
705 With this setup, all files with extension @samp{.org} will be put
706 into Org-mode. As an alternative, make the first line of a file look
710 MY PROJECTS -*- mode: org; -*-
713 @vindex org-insert-mode-line-in-empty-file
714 @noindent which will select Org-mode for this buffer no matter what
715 the file's name is. See also the variable
716 @code{org-insert-mode-line-in-empty-file}.
718 Many commands in Org work on the region if the region is @i{active}. To make
719 use of this, you need to have @code{transient-mark-mode}
720 (@code{zmacs-regions} in XEmacs) turned on. In Emacs 23 this is the default,
721 in Emacs 22 you need to do this yourself with
723 (transient-mark-mode 1)
725 @noindent If you do not like @code{transient-mark-mode}, you can create an
726 active region by using the mouse to select a region, or pressing
727 @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} twice before moving the cursor.
729 @node Feedback, Conventions, Activation, Introduction
736 If you find problems with Org, or if you have questions, remarks, or ideas
737 about it, please mail to the Org mailing list @email{emacs-orgmode@@gnu.org}.
738 If you are not a member of the mailing list, your mail will be passed to the
739 list after a moderator has approved it@footnote{Please consider subscribing
740 to the mailing list, in order to minimize the work the mailing list
741 moderators have to do.}.
743 For bug reports, please first try to reproduce the bug with the latest
744 version of Org available - if you are running an outdated version, it is
745 quite possible that the bug has been fixed already. If the bug persists,
746 prepare a report and provide as much information as possible, including the
747 version information of Emacs (@kbd{M-x emacs-version @key{RET}}) and Org
748 (@kbd{M-x org-version @key{RET}}), as well as the Org related setup in
749 @file{.emacs}. The easiest way to do this is to use the command
751 @kbd{M-x org-submit-bug-report}
753 @noindent which will put all this information into an Emacs mail buffer so
754 that you only need to add your description. If you re not sending the Email
755 from within Emacs, please copy and paste the content into your Email program.
757 If an error occurs, a backtrace can be very useful (see below on how to
758 create one). Often a small example file helps, along with clear information
762 @item What exactly did you do?
763 @item What did you expect to happen?
764 @item What happened instead?
766 @noindent Thank you for helping to improve this program.
768 @subsubheading How to create a useful backtrace
770 @cindex backtrace of an error
771 If working with Org produces an error with a message you don't
772 understand, you may have hit a bug. The best way to report this is by
773 providing, in addition to what was mentioned above, a @emph{backtrace}.
774 This is information from the built-in debugger about where and how the
775 error occurred. Here is how to produce a useful backtrace:
779 Reload uncompiled versions of all Org-mode Lisp files. The backtrace
780 contains much more information if it is produced with uncompiled code.
783 C-u M-x org-reload RET
786 or select @code{Org -> Refresh/Reload -> Reload Org uncompiled} from the
789 Go to the @code{Options} menu and select @code{Enter Debugger on Error}
790 (XEmacs has this option in the @code{Troubleshooting} sub-menu).
792 Do whatever you have to do to hit the error. Don't forget to
793 document the steps you take.
795 When you hit the error, a @file{*Backtrace*} buffer will appear on the
796 screen. Save this buffer to a file (for example using @kbd{C-x C-w}) and
797 attach it to your bug report.
800 @node Conventions, , Feedback, Introduction
801 @section Typesetting conventions used in this manual
803 Org uses three types of keywords: TODO keywords, tags, and property
804 names. In this manual we use the following conventions:
809 TODO keywords are written with all capitals, even if they are
813 User-defined tags are written in lowercase; built-in tags with special
814 meaning are written with all capitals.
817 User-defined properties are capitalized; built-in properties with
818 special meaning are written with all capitals.
821 @node Document Structure, Tables, Introduction, Top
822 @chapter Document structure
823 @cindex document structure
824 @cindex structure of document
826 Org is based on Outline mode and provides flexible commands to
827 edit the structure of the document.
830 * Outlines:: Org is based on Outline mode
831 * Headlines:: How to typeset Org tree headlines
832 * Visibility cycling:: Show and hide, much simplified
833 * Motion:: Jumping to other headlines
834 * Structure editing:: Changing sequence and level of headlines
835 * Sparse trees:: Matches embedded in context
836 * Plain lists:: Additional structure within an entry
837 * Drawers:: Tucking stuff away
838 * Blocks:: Folding blocks
839 * Footnotes:: How footnotes are defined in Org's syntax
840 * Orgstruct mode:: Structure editing outside Org
843 @node Outlines, Headlines, Document Structure, Document Structure
848 Org is implemented on top of Outline mode. Outlines allow a
849 document to be organized in a hierarchical structure, which (at least
850 for me) is the best representation of notes and thoughts. An overview
851 of this structure is achieved by folding (hiding) large parts of the
852 document to show only the general document structure and the parts
853 currently being worked on. Org greatly simplifies the use of
854 outlines by compressing the entire show/hide functionality into a single
855 command, @command{org-cycle}, which is bound to the @key{TAB} key.
857 @node Headlines, Visibility cycling, Outlines, Document Structure
861 @vindex org-special-ctrl-a/e
862 @vindex org-special-ctrl-k
863 @vindex org-ctrl-k-protect-subtree
865 Headlines define the structure of an outline tree. The headlines in Org
866 start with one or more stars, on the left margin@footnote{See the variables
867 @code{org-special-ctrl-a/e}, @code{org-special-ctrl-k}, and
868 @code{org-ctrl-k-protect-subtree} to configure special behavior of @kbd{C-a},
869 @kbd{C-e}, and @kbd{C-k} in headlines.}. For example:
879 * Another top level headline
882 @noindent Some people find the many stars too noisy and would prefer an
883 outline that has whitespace followed by a single star as headline
884 starters. @ref{Clean view}, describes a setup to realize this.
886 @vindex org-cycle-separator-lines
887 An empty line after the end of a subtree is considered part of it and
888 will be hidden when the subtree is folded. However, if you leave at
889 least two empty lines, one empty line will remain visible after folding
890 the subtree, in order to structure the collapsed view. See the
891 variable @code{org-cycle-separator-lines} to modify this behavior.
893 @node Visibility cycling, Motion, Headlines, Document Structure
894 @section Visibility cycling
895 @cindex cycling, visibility
896 @cindex visibility cycling
897 @cindex trees, visibility
898 @cindex show hidden text
901 Outlines make it possible to hide parts of the text in the buffer.
902 Org uses just two commands, bound to @key{TAB} and
903 @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} to change the visibility in the buffer.
905 @cindex subtree visibility states
906 @cindex subtree cycling
907 @cindex folded, subtree visibility state
908 @cindex children, subtree visibility state
909 @cindex subtree, subtree visibility state
911 @orgcmd{@key{TAB},org-cycle}
912 @emph{Subtree cycling}: Rotate current subtree among the states
915 ,-> FOLDED -> CHILDREN -> SUBTREE --.
916 '-----------------------------------'
919 @vindex org-cycle-emulate-tab
920 @vindex org-cycle-global-at-bob
921 The cursor must be on a headline for this to work@footnote{see, however,
922 the option @code{org-cycle-emulate-tab}.}. When the cursor is at the
923 beginning of the buffer and the first line is not a headline, then
924 @key{TAB} actually runs global cycling (see below)@footnote{see the
925 option @code{org-cycle-global-at-bob}.}. Also when called with a prefix
926 argument (@kbd{C-u @key{TAB}}), global cycling is invoked.
928 @cindex global visibility states
929 @cindex global cycling
930 @cindex overview, global visibility state
931 @cindex contents, global visibility state
932 @cindex show all, global visibility state
933 @orgcmd{S-@key{TAB},org-global-cycle}
935 @emph{Global cycling}: Rotate the entire buffer among the states
938 ,-> OVERVIEW -> CONTENTS -> SHOW ALL --.
939 '--------------------------------------'
942 When @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} is called with a numeric prefix argument N, the
943 CONTENTS view up to headlines of level N will be shown. Note that inside
944 tables, @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} jumps to the previous field.
946 @cindex show all, command
947 @orgcmd{C-u C-u C-u @key{TAB},show-all}
948 Show all, including drawers.
949 @orgcmd{C-c C-r,org-reveal}
950 Reveal context around point, showing the current entry, the following heading
951 and the hierarchy above. Useful for working near a location that has been
952 exposed by a sparse tree command (@pxref{Sparse trees}) or an agenda command
953 (@pxref{Agenda commands}). With a prefix argument show, on each
954 level, all sibling headings. With double prefix arg, also show the entire
955 subtree of the parent.
956 @orgcmd{C-c C-k,show-branches}
957 Expose all the headings of the subtree, CONTENT view for just one subtree.
958 @orgcmd{C-c C-x b,org-tree-to-indirect-buffer}
959 Show the current subtree in an indirect buffer@footnote{The indirect
962 (@pxref{Indirect Buffers,,,emacs,GNU Emacs Manual})
965 (see the Emacs manual for more information about indirect buffers)
967 will contain the entire buffer, but will be narrowed to the current
968 tree. Editing the indirect buffer will also change the original buffer,
969 but without affecting visibility in that buffer.}. With a numeric
970 prefix argument N, go up to level N and then take that tree. If N is
971 negative then go up that many levels. With a @kbd{C-u} prefix, do not remove
972 the previously used indirect buffer.
975 @vindex org-startup-folded
976 @cindex @code{overview}, STARTUP keyword
977 @cindex @code{content}, STARTUP keyword
978 @cindex @code{showall}, STARTUP keyword
979 @cindex @code{showeverything}, STARTUP keyword
981 When Emacs first visits an Org file, the global state is set to
982 OVERVIEW, i.e. only the top level headlines are visible. This can be
983 configured through the variable @code{org-startup-folded}, or on a
984 per-file basis by adding one of the following lines anywhere in the
991 #+STARTUP: showeverything
994 @cindex property, VISIBILITY
996 Furthermore, any entries with a @samp{VISIBILITY} property (@pxref{Properties
997 and Columns}) will get their visibility adapted accordingly. Allowed values
998 for this property are @code{folded}, @code{children}, @code{content}, and
1001 @orgcmd{C-u C-u @key{TAB},org-set-startup-visibility}
1002 Switch back to the startup visibility of the buffer, i.e. whatever is
1003 requested by startup options and @samp{VISIBILITY} properties in individual
1007 @node Motion, Structure editing, Visibility cycling, Document Structure
1009 @cindex motion, between headlines
1010 @cindex jumping, to headlines
1011 @cindex headline navigation
1012 The following commands jump to other headlines in the buffer.
1015 @orgcmd{C-c C-n,outline-next-visible-heading}
1017 @orgcmd{C-c C-p,outline-previous-visible-heading}
1019 @orgcmd{C-c C-f,org-forward-same-level}
1020 Next heading same level.
1021 @orgcmd{C-c C-b,org-backward-same-level}
1022 Previous heading same level.
1023 @orgcmd{C-c C-u,outline-up-heading}
1024 Backward to higher level heading.
1025 @orgcmd{C-c C-j,org-goto}
1026 Jump to a different place without changing the current outline
1027 visibility. Shows the document structure in a temporary buffer, where
1028 you can use the following keys to find your destination:
1029 @vindex org-goto-auto-isearch
1031 @key{TAB} @r{Cycle visibility.}
1032 @key{down} / @key{up} @r{Next/previous visible headline.}
1033 @key{RET} @r{Select this location.}
1034 @kbd{/} @r{Do a Sparse-tree search}
1035 @r{The following keys work if you turn off @code{org-goto-auto-isearch}}
1036 n / p @r{Next/previous visible headline.}
1037 f / b @r{Next/previous headline same level.}
1039 0-9 @r{Digit argument.}
1042 @vindex org-goto-interface
1044 See also the variable @code{org-goto-interface}.
1047 @node Structure editing, Sparse trees, Motion, Document Structure
1048 @section Structure editing
1049 @cindex structure editing
1050 @cindex headline, promotion and demotion
1051 @cindex promotion, of subtrees
1052 @cindex demotion, of subtrees
1053 @cindex subtree, cut and paste
1054 @cindex pasting, of subtrees
1055 @cindex cutting, of subtrees
1056 @cindex copying, of subtrees
1057 @cindex sorting, of subtrees
1058 @cindex subtrees, cut and paste
1061 @orgcmd{M-@key{RET},org-insert-heading}
1062 @vindex org-M-RET-may-split-line
1063 Insert new heading with same level as current. If the cursor is in a
1064 plain list item, a new item is created (@pxref{Plain lists}). To force
1065 creation of a new headline, use a prefix argument, or first press @key{RET}
1066 to get to the beginning of the next line. When this command is used in
1067 the middle of a line, the line is split and the rest of the line becomes
1068 the new headline@footnote{If you do not want the line to be split,
1069 customize the variable @code{org-M-RET-may-split-line}.}. If the
1070 command is used at the beginning of a headline, the new headline is
1071 created before the current line. If at the beginning of any other line,
1072 the content of that line is made the new heading. If the command is
1073 used at the end of a folded subtree (i.e. behind the ellipses at the end
1074 of a headline), then a headline like the current one will be inserted
1075 after the end of the subtree.
1076 @orgcmd{C-@key{RET},org-insert-heading-respect-content}
1077 Just like @kbd{M-@key{RET}}, except when adding a new heading below the
1078 current heading, the new heading is placed after the body instead of before
1079 it. This command works from anywhere in the entry.
1080 @orgcmd{M-S-@key{RET},org-insert-todo-heading}
1081 @vindex org-treat-insert-todo-heading-as-state-change
1082 Insert new TODO entry with same level as current heading. See also the
1083 variable @code{org-treat-insert-todo-heading-as-state-change}.
1084 @orgcmd{C-S-@key{RET},org-insert-todo-heading-respect-content}
1085 Insert new TODO entry with same level as current heading. Like
1086 @kbd{C-@key{RET}}, the new headline will be inserted after the current
1088 @orgcmd{@key{TAB},org-cycle}
1089 In a new entry with no text yet, the first @key{TAB} demotes the entry to
1090 become a child of the previous one. The next @key{TAB} makes it a parent,
1091 and so on, all the way to top level. Yet another @key{TAB}, and you are back
1092 to the initial level.
1093 @orgcmd{M-@key{left},org-do-promote}
1094 Promote current heading by one level.
1095 @orgcmd{M-@key{right},org-do-demote}
1096 Demote current heading by one level.
1097 @orgcmd{M-S-@key{left},org-promote-subtree}
1098 Promote the current subtree by one level.
1099 @orgcmd{M-S-@key{right},org-demote-subtree}
1100 Demote the current subtree by one level.
1101 @orgcmd{M-S-@key{up},org-move-subtree-up}
1102 Move subtree up (swap with previous subtree of same
1104 @orgcmd{M-S-@key{down},org-move-subtree-down}
1105 Move subtree down (swap with next subtree of same level).
1106 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-w,org-cut-subtree}
1107 Kill subtree, i.e. remove it from buffer but save in kill ring.
1108 With a numeric prefix argument N, kill N sequential subtrees.
1109 @orgcmd{C-c C-x M-w,org-copy-subtree}
1110 Copy subtree to kill ring. With a numeric prefix argument N, copy the N
1111 sequential subtrees.
1112 @orgcmd{C-c C-x C-y,org-paste-subtree}
1113 Yank subtree from kill ring. This does modify the level of the subtree to
1114 make sure the tree fits in nicely at the yank position. The yank level can
1115 also be specified with a numeric prefix argument, or by yanking after a
1116 headline marker like @samp{****}.
1117 @orgcmd{C-y,org-yank}
1118 @vindex org-yank-adjusted-subtrees
1119 @vindex org-yank-folded-subtrees
1120 Depending on the variables @code{org-yank-adjusted-subtrees} and
1121 @code{org-yank-folded-subtrees}, Org's internal @code{yank} command will
1122 paste subtrees folded and in a clever way, using the same command as @kbd{C-c
1123 C-x C-y}. With the default settings, no level adjustment will take place,
1124 but the yanked tree will be folded unless doing so would swallow text
1125 previously visible. Any prefix argument to this command will force a normal
1126 @code{yank} to be executed, with the prefix passed along. A good way to
1127 force a normal yank is @kbd{C-u C-y}. If you use @code{yank-pop} after a
1128 yank, it will yank previous kill items plainly, without adjustment and
1130 @orgcmd{C-c C-x c,org-clone-subtree-with-time-shift}
1131 Clone a subtree by making a number of sibling copies of it. You will be
1132 prompted for the number of copies to make, and you can also specify if any
1133 timestamps in the entry should be shifted. This can be useful, for example,
1134 to create a number of tasks related to a series of lectures to prepare. For
1135 more details, see the docstring of the command
1136 @code{org-clone-subtree-with-time-shift}.
1137 @orgcmd{C-c C-w,org-refile}
1138 Refile entry or region to a different location. @xref{Refiling notes}.
1139 @orgcmd{C-c ^,org-sort-entries-or-items}
1140 Sort same-level entries. When there is an active region, all entries in the
1141 region will be sorted. Otherwise the children of the current headline are
1142 sorted. The command prompts for the sorting method, which can be
1143 alphabetically, numerically, by time (first timestamp with active preferred,
1144 creation time, scheduled time, deadline time), by priority, by TODO keyword
1145 (in the sequence the keywords have been defined in the setup) or by the value
1146 of a property. Reverse sorting is possible as well. You can also supply
1147 your own function to extract the sorting key. With a @kbd{C-u} prefix,
1148 sorting will be case-sensitive. With two @kbd{C-u C-u} prefixes, duplicate
1149 entries will also be removed.
1150 @orgcmd{C-x n s,org-narrow-to-subtree}
1151 Narrow buffer to current subtree.
1152 @orgcmd{C-x n w,widen}
1153 Widen buffer to remove narrowing.
1154 @orgcmd{C-c *,org-toggle-heading}
1155 Turn a normal line or plain list item into a headline (so that it becomes a
1156 subheading at its location). Also turn a headline into a normal line by
1157 removing the stars. If there is an active region, turn all lines in the
1158 region into headlines. If the first line in the region was an item, turn
1159 only the item lines into headlines. Finally, if the first line is a
1160 headline, remove the stars from all headlines in the region.
1163 @cindex region, active
1164 @cindex active region
1165 @cindex transient mark mode
1166 When there is an active region (Transient Mark mode), promotion and
1167 demotion work on all headlines in the region. To select a region of
1168 headlines, it is best to place both point and mark at the beginning of a
1169 line, mark at the beginning of the first headline, and point at the line
1170 just after the last headline to change. Note that when the cursor is
1171 inside a table (@pxref{Tables}), the Meta-Cursor keys have different
1175 @node Sparse trees, Plain lists, Structure editing, Document Structure
1176 @section Sparse trees
1177 @cindex sparse trees
1178 @cindex trees, sparse
1179 @cindex folding, sparse trees
1180 @cindex occur, command
1182 @vindex org-show-hierarchy-above
1183 @vindex org-show-following-heading
1184 @vindex org-show-siblings
1185 @vindex org-show-entry-below
1186 An important feature of Org-mode is the ability to construct @emph{sparse
1187 trees} for selected information in an outline tree, so that the entire
1188 document is folded as much as possible, but the selected information is made
1189 visible along with the headline structure above it@footnote{See also the
1190 variables @code{org-show-hierarchy-above}, @code{org-show-following-heading},
1191 @code{org-show-siblings}, and @code{org-show-entry-below} for detailed
1192 control on how much context is shown around each match.}. Just try it out
1193 and you will see immediately how it works.
1195 Org-mode contains several commands creating such trees, all these
1196 commands can be accessed through a dispatcher:
1199 @orgcmd{C-c /,org-sparse-tree}
1200 This prompts for an extra key to select a sparse-tree creating command.
1203 @vindex org-remove-highlights-with-change
1204 Occur. Prompts for a regexp and shows a sparse tree with all matches. If
1205 the match is in a headline, the headline is made visible. If the match is in
1206 the body of an entry, headline and body are made visible. In order to
1207 provide minimal context, also the full hierarchy of headlines above the match
1208 is shown, as well as the headline following the match. Each match is also
1209 highlighted; the highlights disappear when the buffer is changed by an
1210 editing command@footnote{This depends on the option
1211 @code{org-remove-highlights-with-change}}, or by pressing @kbd{C-c C-c}.
1212 When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix argument, previous highlights are kept,
1213 so several calls to this command can be stacked.
1217 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands
1218 For frequently used sparse trees of specific search strings, you can
1219 use the variable @code{org-agenda-custom-commands} to define fast
1220 keyboard access to specific sparse trees. These commands will then be
1221 accessible through the agenda dispatcher (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}).
1225 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
1226 '(("f" occur-tree "FIXME")))
1229 @noindent will define the key @kbd{C-c a f} as a shortcut for creating
1230 a sparse tree matching the string @samp{FIXME}.
1232 The other sparse tree commands select headings based on TODO keywords,
1233 tags, or properties and will be discussed later in this manual.
1236 @cindex printing sparse trees
1237 @cindex visible text, printing
1238 To print a sparse tree, you can use the Emacs command
1239 @code{ps-print-buffer-with-faces} which does not print invisible parts
1240 of the document @footnote{This does not work under XEmacs, because
1241 XEmacs uses selective display for outlining, not text properties.}.
1242 Or you can use the command @kbd{C-c C-e v} to export only the visible
1243 part of the document and print the resulting file.
1245 @node Plain lists, Drawers, Sparse trees, Document Structure
1246 @section Plain lists
1248 @cindex lists, plain
1249 @cindex lists, ordered
1250 @cindex ordered lists
1252 Within an entry of the outline tree, hand-formatted lists can provide
1253 additional structure. They also provide a way to create lists of checkboxes
1254 (@pxref{Checkboxes}). Org supports editing such lists, and every exporter
1255 (@pxref{Exporting}) can parse and format them.
1257 Org knows ordered lists, unordered lists, and description lists.
1260 @emph{Unordered} list items start with @samp{-}, @samp{+}, or
1261 @samp{*}@footnote{When using @samp{*} as a bullet, lines must be indented or
1262 they will be seen as top-level headlines. Also, when you are hiding leading
1263 stars to get a clean outline view, plain list items starting with a star are
1264 visually indistinguishable from true headlines. In short: even though
1265 @samp{*} is supported, it may be better to not use it for plain list items.}
1268 @vindex org-plain-list-ordered-item-terminator
1269 @emph{Ordered} list items start with a numeral followed by either a period or
1270 a right parenthesis@footnote{You can filter out any of them by configuring
1271 @code{org-plain-list-ordered-item-terminator}.}, such as @samp{1.} or
1272 @samp{1)}. If you want a list to start a different value (e.g. 20), start
1273 the text of the item with @code{[@@20]}@footnote{If there's a checkbox in the
1274 item, the cookie must be put @emph{before} the checkbox.}. Those constructs
1275 can be used in any item of the list in order to enforce a particular
1278 @emph{Description} list items are unordered list items, and contain the
1279 separator @samp{ :: } to separate the description @emph{term} from the
1283 Items belonging to the same list must have the same indentation on the first
1284 line. In particular, if an ordered list reaches number @samp{10.}, then the
1285 2--digit numbers must be written left-aligned with the other numbers in the
1288 @vindex org-list-ending-method
1289 @vindex org-list-end-regexp
1290 @vindex org-empty-line-terminates-plain-lists
1291 Two methods@footnote{To disable either of them, configure
1292 @code{org-list-ending-method}.} are provided to terminate lists. A list ends
1293 before the next line that is indented like the bullet/number or less, or it
1294 ends before two blank lines@footnote{See also
1295 @code{org-empty-line-terminates-plain-lists}.}. In both cases, all levels of
1296 the list are closed@footnote{So you cannot have a sublist, some text and then
1297 another sublist while still in the same top-level list item. This used to be
1298 possible, but it was only supported in the HTML exporter and difficult to
1299 manage with automatic indentation.}. For finer control, you can end lists
1300 with any pattern set in @code{org-list-end-regexp}. Here is an example:
1304 ** Lord of the Rings
1305 My favorite scenes are (in this order)
1306 1. The attack of the Rohirrim
1307 2. Eowyn's fight with the witch king
1308 + this was already my favorite scene in the book
1309 + I really like Miranda Otto.
1310 3. Peter Jackson being shot by Legolas
1311 He makes a really funny face when it happens.
1313 But in the end, no individual scenes matter but the film as a whole.
1314 Important actors in this film are:
1315 - @b{Elijah Wood} :: He plays Frodo
1316 - @b{Sean Austin} :: He plays Sam, Frodo's friend. I still remember
1317 him very well from his role as Mikey Walsh in @i{The Goonies}.
1321 Org supports these lists by tuning filling and wrapping commands to deal with
1322 them correctly@footnote{Org only changes the filling settings for Emacs. For
1323 XEmacs, you should use Kyle E. Jones' @file{filladapt.el}. To turn this on,
1324 put into @file{.emacs}: @code{(require 'filladapt)}}, and by exporting them
1325 properly (@pxref{Exporting}). Since indentation is what governs the
1326 structure of these lists, many structural constructs like @code{#+BEGIN_...}
1327 blocks can be indented to signal that they should be considered of a list
1330 @vindex org-list-demote-modify-bullet
1331 If you find that using a different bullet for a sub-list (than that used for
1332 the current list-level) improves readability, customize the variable
1333 @code{org-list-demote-modify-bullet}.
1335 @vindex org-list-automatic-rules
1336 The following commands act on items when the cursor is in the first line of
1337 an item (the line with the bullet or number). Some of them imply the
1338 application of automatic rules to keep list structure in tact. If some of
1339 these actions get in your way, configure @code{org-list-automatic-rules}
1340 to disable them individually.
1343 @orgcmd{@key{TAB},org-cycle}
1344 @vindex org-cycle-include-plain-lists
1345 Items can be folded just like headline levels. Normally this works only if
1346 the cursor is on a plain list item. For more details, see the variable
1347 @code{org-cycle-include-plain-lists}. to @code{integrate}, plain list items
1348 will be treated like low-level. The level of an item is then given by the
1349 indentation of the bullet/number. Items are always subordinate to real
1350 headlines, however; the hierarchies remain completely separated.
1351 @orgcmd{M-@key{RET},org-insert-heading}
1352 @vindex org-M-RET-may-split-line
1353 @vindex org-list-automatic-rules
1354 Insert new item at current level. With a prefix argument, force a new
1355 heading (@pxref{Structure editing}). If this command is used in the middle
1356 of a line, the line is @emph{split} and the rest of the line becomes the new
1357 item@footnote{If you do not want the line to be split, customize the variable
1358 @code{org-M-RET-may-split-line}.}. If this command is executed @emph{before
1359 item's body}, the new item is created @emph{before} the current item. If the
1360 command is executed in the white space before the text that is part of an
1361 item but does not contain the bullet, a bullet is added to the current line.
1363 As a new item cannot be inserted in a structural construct (like an example
1364 or source code block) within a list, Org will instead insert it right before
1365 the structure, or return an error.
1366 @kindex M-S-@key{RET}
1368 Insert a new item with a checkbox (@pxref{Checkboxes}).
1369 @orgcmd{@key{TAB},org-cycle}
1370 In a new item with no text yet, the first @key{TAB} demotes the item to
1371 become a child of the previous one. Subsequents @key{TAB} move the item to
1372 meaningful levels in the list and eventually get it back to its initial
1374 @kindex S-@key{down}
1377 @cindex shift-selection-mode
1378 @vindex org-support-shift-select
1379 Jump to the previous/next item in the current list, but only if
1380 @code{org-support-shift-select} is off. If not, you can still use paragraph
1381 jumping commands like @kbd{C-@key{up}} and @kbd{C-@key{down}} to quite
1383 @kindex M-S-@key{up}
1384 @kindex M-S-@key{down}
1386 @itemx M-S-@key{down}
1387 Move the item including subitems up/down (swap with previous/next item
1388 of same indentation). If the list is ordered, renumbering is
1390 @kindex M-@key{left}
1391 @kindex M-@key{right}
1393 @itemx M-@key{right}
1394 Decrease/increase the indentation of an item, leaving children alone.
1395 @kindex M-S-@key{left}
1396 @kindex M-S-@key{right}
1397 @item M-S-@key{left}
1398 @itemx M-S-@key{right}
1399 Decrease/increase the indentation of the item, including subitems.
1400 Initially, the item tree is selected based on current indentation. When
1401 these commands are executed several times in direct succession, the initially
1402 selected region is used, even if the new indentation would imply a different
1403 hierarchy. To use the new hierarchy, break the command chain with a cursor
1406 As a special case, using this command on the very first item of a list will
1407 move the whole list. This behavior can be disabled by configuring
1408 @code{org-list-automatic-rules}. The global indentation of a list has no
1409 influence on the text @emph{after} the list.
1412 If there is a checkbox (@pxref{Checkboxes}) in the item line, toggle the
1413 state of the checkbox. Also, makes sure that all the
1414 items on this list level use the same bullet and that the numbering of list
1415 items (if applicable) is correct.
1417 @vindex org-plain-list-ordered-item-terminator
1418 @vindex org-list-automatic-rules
1420 Cycle the entire list level through the different itemize/enumerate bullets
1421 (@samp{-}, @samp{+}, @samp{*}, @samp{1.}, @samp{1)}) or a subset of them,
1422 depending on @code{org-plain-list-ordered-item-terminator}, the type of list,
1423 and its position@footnote{See @code{bullet} rule in
1424 @code{org-list-automatic-rules} for more information.}. With a numeric
1425 prefix argument N, select the Nth bullet from this list. If there is an
1426 active region when calling this, all lines will be converted to list items.
1427 If the first line already was a list item, any item markers will be removed
1428 from the list. Finally, even without an active region, a normal line will be
1429 converted into a list item.
1432 Turn a plain list item into a headline (so that it becomes a subheading at
1433 its location). @xref{Structure editing}, for a detailed explanation.
1434 @kindex S-@key{left}
1435 @kindex S-@key{right}
1436 @item S-@key{left}/@key{right}
1437 @vindex org-support-shift-select
1438 This command also cycles bullet styles when the cursor in on the bullet or
1439 anywhere in an item line, details depending on
1440 @code{org-support-shift-select}.
1443 Sort the plain list. You will be prompted for the sorting method:
1444 numerically, alphabetically, by time, or by custom function.
1447 @node Drawers, Blocks, Plain lists, Document Structure
1451 @cindex visibility cycling, drawers
1454 Sometimes you want to keep information associated with an entry, but you
1455 normally don't want to see it. For this, Org-mode has @emph{drawers}.
1456 Drawers need to be configured with the variable
1457 @code{org-drawers}@footnote{You can define drawers on a per-file basis
1458 with a line like @code{#+DRAWERS: HIDDEN PROPERTIES STATE}}. Drawers
1462 ** This is a headline
1463 Still outside the drawer
1465 This is inside the drawer.
1470 Visibility cycling (@pxref{Visibility cycling}) on the headline will hide and
1471 show the entry, but keep the drawer collapsed to a single line. In order to
1472 look inside the drawer, you need to move the cursor to the drawer line and
1473 press @key{TAB} there. Org-mode uses the @code{PROPERTIES} drawer for
1474 storing properties (@pxref{Properties and Columns}), and you can also arrange
1475 for state change notes (@pxref{Tracking TODO state changes}) and clock times
1476 (@pxref{Clocking work time}) to be stored in a drawer @code{LOGBOOK}. If you
1477 want to store a quick note in the LOGBOOK drawer, in a similar way as this is
1478 done by state changes, use
1483 Add a time-stamped note to the LOGBOOK drawer.
1486 @node Blocks, Footnotes, Drawers, Document Structure
1489 @vindex org-hide-block-startup
1490 @cindex blocks, folding
1491 Org-mode uses begin...end blocks for various purposes from including source
1492 code examples (@pxref{Literal examples}) to capturing time logging
1493 information (@pxref{Clocking work time}). These blocks can be folded and
1494 unfolded by pressing TAB in the begin line. You can also get all blocks
1495 folded at startup by configuring the variable @code{org-hide-block-startup}
1496 or on a per-file basis by using
1498 @cindex @code{hideblocks}, STARTUP keyword
1499 @cindex @code{nohideblocks}, STARTUP keyword
1501 #+STARTUP: hideblocks
1502 #+STARTUP: nohideblocks
1505 @node Footnotes, Orgstruct mode, Blocks, Document Structure
1509 Org-mode supports the creation of footnotes. In contrast to the
1510 @file{footnote.el} package, Org-mode's footnotes are designed for work on a
1511 larger document, not only for one-off documents like emails. The basic
1512 syntax is similar to the one used by @file{footnote.el}, i.e. a footnote is
1513 defined in a paragraph that is started by a footnote marker in square
1514 brackets in column 0, no indentation allowed. If you need a paragraph break
1515 inside a footnote, use the La@TeX{} idiom @samp{\par}. The footnote reference
1516 is simply the marker in square brackets, inside text. For example:
1519 The Org homepage[fn:1] now looks a lot better than it used to.
1521 [fn:1] The link is: http://orgmode.org
1524 Org-mode extends the number-based syntax to @emph{named} footnotes and
1525 optional inline definition. Using plain numbers as markers (as
1526 @file{footnote.el} does) is supported for backward compatibility, but not
1527 encouraged because of possible conflicts with La@TeX{} snippets (@pxref{Embedded
1528 LaTeX}). Here are the valid references:
1532 A plain numeric footnote marker. Compatible with @file{footnote.el}, but not
1533 recommended because something like @samp{[1]} could easily be part of a code
1536 A named footnote reference, where @code{name} is a unique label word, or, for
1537 simplicity of automatic creation, a number.
1538 @item [fn:: This is the inline definition of this footnote]
1539 A La@TeX{}-like anonymous footnote where the definition is given directly at the
1541 @item [fn:name: a definition]
1542 An inline definition of a footnote, which also specifies a name for the note.
1543 Since Org allows multiple references to the same note, you can then use
1544 @code{[fn:name]} to create additional references.
1547 @vindex org-footnote-auto-label
1548 Footnote labels can be created automatically, or you can create names yourself.
1549 This is handled by the variable @code{org-footnote-auto-label} and its
1550 corresponding @code{#+STARTUP} keywords, see the docstring of that variable
1553 @noindent The following command handles footnotes:
1558 The footnote action command.
1560 When the cursor is on a footnote reference, jump to the definition. When it
1561 is at a definition, jump to the (first) reference.
1563 @vindex org-footnote-define-inline
1564 @vindex org-footnote-section
1565 @vindex org-footnote-auto-adjust
1566 Otherwise, create a new footnote. Depending on the variable
1567 @code{org-footnote-define-inline}@footnote{The corresponding in-buffer
1568 setting is: @code{#+STARTUP: fninline} or @code{#+STARTUP: nofninline}}, the
1569 definition will be placed right into the text as part of the reference, or
1570 separately into the location determined by the variable
1571 @code{org-footnote-section}.
1573 When this command is called with a prefix argument, a menu of additional
1576 s @r{Sort the footnote definitions by reference sequence. During editing,}
1577 @r{Org makes no effort to sort footnote definitions into a particular}
1578 @r{sequence. If you want them sorted, use this command, which will}
1579 @r{also move entries according to @code{org-footnote-section}. Automatic}
1580 @r{sorting after each insertion/deletion can be configured using the}
1581 @r{variable @code{org-footnote-auto-adjust}.}
1582 r @r{Renumber the simple @code{fn:N} footnotes. Automatic renumbering}
1583 @r{after each insertion/deletion can be configured using the variable}
1584 @r{@code{org-footnote-auto-adjust}.}
1585 S @r{Short for first @code{r}, then @code{s} action.}
1586 n @r{Normalize the footnotes by collecting all definitions (including}
1587 @r{inline definitions) into a special section, and then numbering them}
1588 @r{in sequence. The references will then also be numbers. This is}
1589 @r{meant to be the final step before finishing a document (e.g. sending}
1590 @r{off an email). The exporters do this automatically, and so could}
1591 @r{something like @code{message-send-hook}.}
1592 d @r{Delete the footnote at point, and all definitions of and references}
1595 Depending on the variable @code{org-footnote-auto-adjust}@footnote{the
1596 corresponding in-buffer options are @code{fnadjust} and @code{nofnadjust}.},
1597 renumbering and sorting footnotes can be automatic after each insertion or
1602 If the cursor is on a footnote reference, jump to the definition. If it is a
1603 the definition, jump back to the reference. When called at a footnote
1604 location with a prefix argument, offer the same menu as @kbd{C-c C-x f}.
1608 @item C-c C-o @r{or} mouse-1/2
1609 Footnote labels are also links to the corresponding definition/reference, and
1610 you can use the usual commands to follow these links.
1613 @node Orgstruct mode, , Footnotes, Document Structure
1614 @section The Orgstruct minor mode
1615 @cindex Orgstruct mode
1616 @cindex minor mode for structure editing
1618 If you like the intuitive way the Org-mode structure editing and list
1619 formatting works, you might want to use these commands in other modes like
1620 Text mode or Mail mode as well. The minor mode @code{orgstruct-mode} makes
1621 this possible. Toggle the mode with @kbd{M-x orgstruct-mode}, or
1622 turn it on by default, for example in Mail mode, with one of:
1625 (add-hook 'mail-mode-hook 'turn-on-orgstruct)
1626 (add-hook 'mail-mode-hook 'turn-on-orgstruct++)
1629 When this mode is active and the cursor is on a line that looks to Org like a
1630 headline or the first line of a list item, most structure editing commands
1631 will work, even if the same keys normally have different functionality in the
1632 major mode you are using. If the cursor is not in one of those special
1633 lines, Orgstruct mode lurks silently in the shadow. When you use
1634 @code{orgstruct++-mode}, Org will also export indentation and autofill
1635 settings into that mode, and detect item context after the first line of an
1638 @node Tables, Hyperlinks, Document Structure, Top
1641 @cindex editing tables
1643 Org comes with a fast and intuitive table editor. Spreadsheet-like
1644 calculations are supported in connection with the Emacs @file{calc}
1647 (@pxref{Top,Calc,,Calc,Gnu Emacs Calculator Manual}).
1650 (see the Emacs Calculator manual for more information about the Emacs
1655 * Built-in table editor:: Simple tables
1656 * Column width and alignment:: Overrule the automatic settings
1657 * Column groups:: Grouping to trigger vertical lines
1658 * Orgtbl mode:: The table editor as minor mode
1659 * The spreadsheet:: The table editor has spreadsheet capabilities
1660 * Org-Plot:: Plotting from org tables
1663 @node Built-in table editor, Column width and alignment, Tables, Tables
1664 @section The built-in table editor
1665 @cindex table editor, built-in
1667 Org makes it easy to format tables in plain ASCII. Any line with
1668 @samp{|} as the first non-whitespace character is considered part of a
1669 table. @samp{|} is also the column separator. A table might look like
1673 | Name | Phone | Age |
1674 |-------+-------+-----|
1675 | Peter | 1234 | 17 |
1676 | Anna | 4321 | 25 |
1679 A table is re-aligned automatically each time you press @key{TAB} or
1680 @key{RET} or @kbd{C-c C-c} inside the table. @key{TAB} also moves to
1681 the next field (@key{RET} to the next row) and creates new table rows
1682 at the end of the table or before horizontal lines. The indentation
1683 of the table is set by the first line. Any line starting with
1684 @samp{|-} is considered as a horizontal separator line and will be
1685 expanded on the next re-align to span the whole table width. So, to
1686 create the above table, you would only type
1693 @noindent and then press @key{TAB} to align the table and start filling in
1694 fields. Even faster would be to type @code{|Name|Phone|Age} followed by
1695 @kbd{C-c @key{RET}}.
1697 @vindex org-enable-table-editor
1698 @vindex org-table-auto-blank-field
1699 When typing text into a field, Org treats @key{DEL},
1700 @key{Backspace}, and all character keys in a special way, so that
1701 inserting and deleting avoids shifting other fields. Also, when
1702 typing @emph{immediately after the cursor was moved into a new field
1703 with @kbd{@key{TAB}}, @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} or @kbd{@key{RET}}}, the
1704 field is automatically made blank. If this behavior is too
1705 unpredictable for you, configure the variables
1706 @code{org-enable-table-editor} and @code{org-table-auto-blank-field}.
1709 @tsubheading{Creation and conversion}
1712 Convert the active region to table. If every line contains at least one
1713 TAB character, the function assumes that the material is tab separated.
1714 If every line contains a comma, comma-separated values (CSV) are assumed.
1715 If not, lines are split at whitespace into fields. You can use a prefix
1716 argument to force a specific separator: @kbd{C-u} forces CSV, @kbd{C-u
1717 C-u} forces TAB, and a numeric argument N indicates that at least N
1718 consecutive spaces, or alternatively a TAB will be the separator.
1720 If there is no active region, this command creates an empty Org
1721 table. But it's easier just to start typing, like
1722 @kbd{|Name|Phone|Age @key{RET} |- @key{TAB}}.
1724 @tsubheading{Re-aligning and field motion}
1727 Re-align the table without moving the cursor.
1731 Re-align the table, move to the next field. Creates a new row if
1736 Re-align, move to previous field.
1740 Re-align the table and move down to next row. Creates a new row if
1741 necessary. At the beginning or end of a line, @key{RET} still does
1742 NEWLINE, so it can be used to split a table.
1746 Move to beginning of the current table field, or on to the previous field.
1749 Move to end of the current table field, or on to the next field.
1751 @tsubheading{Column and row editing}
1752 @kindex M-@key{left}
1753 @kindex M-@key{right}
1755 @itemx M-@key{right}
1756 Move the current column left/right.
1758 @kindex M-S-@key{left}
1759 @item M-S-@key{left}
1760 Kill the current column.
1762 @kindex M-S-@key{right}
1763 @item M-S-@key{right}
1764 Insert a new column to the left of the cursor position.
1767 @kindex M-@key{down}
1770 Move the current row up/down.
1772 @kindex M-S-@key{up}
1774 Kill the current row or horizontal line.
1776 @kindex M-S-@key{down}
1777 @item M-S-@key{down}
1778 Insert a new row above the current row. With a prefix argument, the line is
1779 created below the current one.
1783 Insert a horizontal line below current row. With a prefix argument, the line
1784 is created above the current line.
1786 @kindex C-c @key{RET}
1788 Insert a horizontal line below current row, and move the cursor into the row
1793 Sort the table lines in the region. The position of point indicates the
1794 column to be used for sorting, and the range of lines is the range
1795 between the nearest horizontal separator lines, or the entire table. If
1796 point is before the first column, you will be prompted for the sorting
1797 column. If there is an active region, the mark specifies the first line
1798 and the sorting column, while point should be in the last line to be
1799 included into the sorting. The command prompts for the sorting type
1800 (alphabetically, numerically, or by time). When called with a prefix
1801 argument, alphabetic sorting will be case-sensitive.
1803 @tsubheading{Regions}
1806 Copy a rectangular region from a table to a special clipboard. Point and
1807 mark determine edge fields of the rectangle. If there is no active region,
1808 copy just the current field. The process ignores horizontal separator lines.
1812 Copy a rectangular region from a table to a special clipboard, and
1813 blank all fields in the rectangle. So this is the ``cut'' operation.
1817 Paste a rectangular region into a table.
1818 The upper left corner ends up in the current field. All involved fields
1819 will be overwritten. If the rectangle does not fit into the present table,
1820 the table is enlarged as needed. The process ignores horizontal separator
1825 Wrap several fields in a column like a paragraph. If there is an active
1826 region, and both point and mark are in the same column, the text in the
1827 column is wrapped to minimum width for the given number of lines. A numeric
1828 prefix argument may be used to change the number of desired lines. If there
1829 is no region, the current field is split at the cursor position and the text
1830 fragment to the right of the cursor is prepended to the field one line
1831 down. If there is no region, but you specify a prefix argument, the current
1832 field is made blank, and the content is appended to the field above.
1834 @tsubheading{Calculations}
1835 @cindex formula, in tables
1836 @cindex calculations, in tables
1837 @cindex region, active
1838 @cindex active region
1839 @cindex transient mark mode
1842 Sum the numbers in the current column, or in the rectangle defined by
1843 the active region. The result is shown in the echo area and can
1844 be inserted with @kbd{C-y}.
1848 @vindex org-table-copy-increment
1849 When current field is empty, copy from first non-empty field above. When not
1850 empty, copy current field down to next row and move cursor along with it.
1851 Depending on the variable @code{org-table-copy-increment}, integer field
1852 values will be incremented during copy. Integers that are too large will not
1853 be incremented. Also, a @code{0} prefix argument temporarily disables the
1854 increment. This key is also used by shift-selection and related modes
1855 (@pxref{Conflicts}).
1857 @tsubheading{Miscellaneous}
1860 Edit the current field in a separate window. This is useful for fields that
1861 are not fully visible (@pxref{Column width and alignment}). When called with
1862 a @kbd{C-u} prefix, just make the full field visible, so that it can be
1865 @item M-x org-table-import
1866 Import a file as a table. The table should be TAB or whitespace
1867 separated. Use, for example, to import a spreadsheet table or data
1868 from a database, because these programs generally can write
1869 TAB-separated text files. This command works by inserting the file into
1870 the buffer and then converting the region to a table. Any prefix
1871 argument is passed on to the converter, which uses it to determine the
1874 Tables can also be imported by pasting tabular text into the Org
1875 buffer, selecting the pasted text with @kbd{C-x C-x} and then using the
1876 @kbd{C-c |} command (see above under @i{Creation and conversion}).
1878 @item M-x org-table-export
1879 @vindex org-table-export-default-format
1880 Export the table, by default as a TAB-separated file. Use for data
1881 exchange with, for example, spreadsheet or database programs. The format
1882 used to export the file can be configured in the variable
1883 @code{org-table-export-default-format}. You may also use properties
1884 @code{TABLE_EXPORT_FILE} and @code{TABLE_EXPORT_FORMAT} to specify the file
1885 name and the format for table export in a subtree. Org supports quite
1886 general formats for exported tables. The exporter format is the same as the
1887 format used by Orgtbl radio tables, see @ref{Translator functions}, for a
1888 detailed description.
1891 If you don't like the automatic table editor because it gets in your
1892 way on lines which you would like to start with @samp{|}, you can turn
1896 (setq org-enable-table-editor nil)
1899 @noindent Then the only table command that still works is
1900 @kbd{C-c C-c} to do a manual re-align.
1902 @node Column width and alignment, Column groups, Built-in table editor, Tables
1903 @section Column width and alignment
1904 @cindex narrow columns in tables
1905 @cindex alignment in tables
1907 The width of columns is automatically determined by the table editor. And
1908 also the alignment of a column is determined automatically from the fraction
1909 of number-like versus non-number fields in the column.
1911 Sometimes a single field or a few fields need to carry more text, leading to
1912 inconveniently wide columns. Or maybe you want to make a table with several
1913 columns having a fixed width, regardless of content. To set@footnote{This
1914 feature does not work on XEmacs.} the width of a column, one field anywhere
1915 in the column may contain just the string @samp{<N>} where @samp{N} is an
1916 integer specifying the width of the column in characters. The next re-align
1917 will then set the width of this column to this value.
1921 |---+------------------------------| |---+--------|
1923 | 1 | one | | 1 | one |
1924 | 2 | two | ----\ | 2 | two |
1925 | 3 | This is a long chunk of text | ----/ | 3 | This=> |
1926 | 4 | four | | 4 | four |
1927 |---+------------------------------| |---+--------|
1932 Fields that are wider become clipped and end in the string @samp{=>}.
1933 Note that the full text is still in the buffer, it is only invisible.
1934 To see the full text, hold the mouse over the field---a tool-tip window
1935 will show the full content. To edit such a field, use the command
1936 @kbd{C-c `} (that is @kbd{C-c} followed by the backquote). This will
1937 open a new window with the full field. Edit it and finish with @kbd{C-c
1940 @vindex org-startup-align-all-tables
1941 When visiting a file containing a table with narrowed columns, the
1942 necessary character hiding has not yet happened, and the table needs to
1943 be aligned before it looks nice. Setting the option
1944 @code{org-startup-align-all-tables} will realign all tables in a file
1945 upon visiting, but also slow down startup. You can also set this option
1946 on a per-file basis with:
1953 If you would like to overrule the automatic alignment of number-rich columns
1954 to the right and of string-rich column to the left, you and use @samp{<r>},
1955 @samp{c}@footnote{Centering does not work inside Emacs, but it does have an
1956 effect when exporting to HTML.} or @samp{<l>} in a similar fashion. You may
1957 also combine alignment and field width like this: @samp{<l10>}.
1959 Lines which only contain these formatting cookies will be removed
1960 automatically when exporting the document.
1962 @node Column groups, Orgtbl mode, Column width and alignment, Tables
1963 @section Column groups
1964 @cindex grouping columns in tables
1966 When Org exports tables, it does so by default without vertical
1967 lines because that is visually more satisfying in general. Occasionally
1968 however, vertical lines can be useful to structure a table into groups
1969 of columns, much like horizontal lines can do for groups of rows. In
1970 order to specify column groups, you can use a special row where the
1971 first field contains only @samp{/}. The further fields can either
1972 contain @samp{<} to indicate that this column should start a group,
1973 @samp{>} to indicate the end of a column, or @samp{<>} to make a column
1974 a group of its own. Boundaries between column groups will upon export be
1975 marked with vertical lines. Here is an example:
1978 | N | N^2 | N^3 | N^4 | sqrt(n) | sqrt[4](N) |
1979 |---+-----+-----+-----+---------+------------|
1980 | / | < | | > | < | > |
1981 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
1982 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 1.4142 | 1.1892 |
1983 | 3 | 9 | 27 | 81 | 1.7321 | 1.3161 |
1984 |---+-----+-----+-----+---------+------------|
1985 #+TBLFM: $2=$1^2::$3=$1^3::$4=$1^4::$5=sqrt($1)::$6=sqrt(sqrt(($1)))
1988 It is also sufficient to just insert the column group starters after
1989 every vertical line you would like to have:
1992 | N | N^2 | N^3 | N^4 | sqrt(n) | sqrt[4](N) |
1993 |----+-----+-----+-----+---------+------------|
1997 @node Orgtbl mode, The spreadsheet, Column groups, Tables
1998 @section The Orgtbl minor mode
2000 @cindex minor mode for tables
2002 If you like the intuitive way the Org table editor works, you
2003 might also want to use it in other modes like Text mode or Mail mode.
2004 The minor mode Orgtbl mode makes this possible. You can always toggle
2005 the mode with @kbd{M-x orgtbl-mode}. To turn it on by default, for
2006 example in mail mode, use
2009 (add-hook 'mail-mode-hook 'turn-on-orgtbl)
2012 Furthermore, with some special setup, it is possible to maintain tables
2013 in arbitrary syntax with Orgtbl mode. For example, it is possible to
2014 construct La@TeX{} tables with the underlying ease and power of
2015 Orgtbl mode, including spreadsheet capabilities. For details, see
2016 @ref{Tables in arbitrary syntax}.
2018 @node The spreadsheet, Org-Plot, Orgtbl mode, Tables
2019 @section The spreadsheet
2020 @cindex calculations, in tables
2021 @cindex spreadsheet capabilities
2022 @cindex @file{calc} package
2024 The table editor makes use of the Emacs @file{calc} package to implement
2025 spreadsheet-like capabilities. It can also evaluate Emacs Lisp forms to
2026 derive fields from other fields. While fully featured, Org's implementation
2027 is not identical to other spreadsheets. For example, Org knows the concept
2028 of a @emph{column formula} that will be applied to all non-header fields in a
2029 column without having to copy the formula to each relevant field. There is
2030 also a formula debugger, and a formula editor with features for highlighting
2031 fields in the table corresponding to the references at the point in the
2032 formula, moving these references by arrow keys
2035 * References:: How to refer to another field or range
2036 * Formula syntax for Calc:: Using Calc to compute stuff
2037 * Formula syntax for Lisp:: Writing formulas in Emacs Lisp
2038 * Field formulas:: Formulas valid for a single field
2039 * Column formulas:: Formulas valid for an entire column
2040 * Editing and debugging formulas:: Fixing formulas
2041 * Updating the table:: Recomputing all dependent fields
2042 * Advanced features:: Field names, parameters and automatic recalc
2045 @node References, Formula syntax for Calc, The spreadsheet, The spreadsheet
2046 @subsection References
2049 To compute fields in the table from other fields, formulas must
2050 reference other fields or ranges. In Org, fields can be referenced
2051 by name, by absolute coordinates, and by relative coordinates. To find
2052 out what the coordinates of a field are, press @kbd{C-c ?} in that
2053 field, or press @kbd{C-c @}} to toggle the display of a grid.
2055 @subsubheading Field references
2056 @cindex field references
2057 @cindex references, to fields
2059 Formulas can reference the value of another field in two ways. Like in
2060 any other spreadsheet, you may reference fields with a letter/number
2061 combination like @code{B3}, meaning the 2nd field in the 3rd row.
2062 @c Such references are always fixed to that field, they don't change
2063 @c when you copy and paste a formula to a different field. So
2064 @c Org's @code{B3} behaves like @code{$B$3} in other spreadsheets.
2067 Org also uses another, more general operator that looks like this:
2069 @@@var{row}$@var{column}
2073 Column references can be absolute like @samp{1}, @samp{2},...@samp{@var{N}},
2074 or relative to the current column like @samp{+1} or @samp{-2}.
2076 The row specification only counts data lines and ignores horizontal
2077 separator lines (hlines). You can use absolute row numbers
2078 @samp{1}...@samp{@var{N}}, and row numbers relative to the current row like
2079 @samp{+3} or @samp{-1}. Or specify the row relative to one of the
2080 hlines: @samp{I} refers to the first hline@footnote{Note that only
2081 hlines are counted that @emph{separate} table lines. If the table
2082 starts with a hline above the header, it does not count.}, @samp{II} to
2083 the second, etc@. @samp{-I} refers to the first such line above the
2084 current line, @samp{+I} to the first such line below the current line.
2085 You can also write @samp{III+2} which is the second data line after the
2086 third hline in the table.
2088 @samp{0} refers to the current row and column. Also, if you omit
2089 either the column or the row part of the reference, the current
2090 row/column is implied.
2092 Org's references with @emph{unsigned} numbers are fixed references
2093 in the sense that if you use the same reference in the formula for two
2094 different fields, the same field will be referenced each time.
2095 Org's references with @emph{signed} numbers are floating
2096 references because the same reference operator can reference different
2097 fields depending on the field being calculated by the formula.
2099 As a special case, references like @samp{$LR5} and @samp{$LR12} can be used
2100 to refer in a stable way to the 5th and 12th field in the last row of the
2103 Here are a few examples:
2106 @@2$3 @r{2nd row, 3rd column}
2107 C2 @r{same as previous}
2108 $5 @r{column 5 in the current row}
2109 E& @r{same as previous}
2110 @@2 @r{current column, row 2}
2111 @@-1$-3 @r{the field one row up, three columns to the left}
2112 @@-I$2 @r{field just under hline above current row, column 2}
2115 @subsubheading Range references
2116 @cindex range references
2117 @cindex references, to ranges
2119 You may reference a rectangular range of fields by specifying two field
2120 references connected by two dots @samp{..}. If both fields are in the
2121 current row, you may simply use @samp{$2..$7}, but if at least one field
2122 is in a different row, you need to use the general @code{@@row$column}
2123 format at least for the first field (i.e the reference must start with
2124 @samp{@@} in order to be interpreted correctly). Examples:
2127 $1..$3 @r{First three fields in the current row.}
2128 $P..$Q @r{Range, using column names (see under Advanced)}
2129 @@2$1..@@4$3 @r{6 fields between these two fields.}
2130 A2..C4 @r{Same as above.}
2131 @@-1$-2..@@-1 @r{3 numbers from the column to the left, 2 up to current row}
2134 @noindent Range references return a vector of values that can be fed
2135 into Calc vector functions. Empty fields in ranges are normally
2136 suppressed, so that the vector contains only the non-empty fields (but
2137 see the @samp{E} mode switch below). If there are no non-empty fields,
2138 @samp{[0]} is returned to avoid syntax errors in formulas.
2140 @subsubheading Field coordinates in formulas
2141 @cindex field coordinates
2142 @cindex coordinates, of field
2143 @cindex row, of field coordinates
2144 @cindex column, of field coordinates
2146 For Calc formulas and Lisp formulas @code{@@#} and @code{$#} can be used to
2147 get the row or column number of the field where the formula result goes.
2148 The traditional Lisp formula equivalents are @code{org-table-current-dline}
2149 and @code{org-table-current-column}. Examples:
2152 if(@@# % 2, $#, string("")) @r{column number on odd lines only}
2153 $3 = remote(FOO, @@@@#$2) @r{copy column 2 from table FOO into}
2154 @r{column 3 of the current table}
2157 @noindent For the second example, table FOO must have at least as many rows
2158 as the current table. Inefficient@footnote{The computation time scales as
2159 O(N^2) because table FOO is parsed for each field to be copied.} for large
2162 @subsubheading Named references
2163 @cindex named references
2164 @cindex references, named
2165 @cindex name, of column or field
2166 @cindex constants, in calculations
2169 @vindex org-table-formula-constants
2170 @samp{$name} is interpreted as the name of a column, parameter or
2171 constant. Constants are defined globally through the variable
2172 @code{org-table-formula-constants}, and locally (for the file) through a
2176 #+CONSTANTS: c=299792458. pi=3.14 eps=2.4e-6
2180 @vindex constants-unit-system
2181 @pindex constants.el
2182 Also properties (@pxref{Properties and Columns}) can be used as
2183 constants in table formulas: for a property @samp{:Xyz:} use the name
2184 @samp{$PROP_Xyz}, and the property will be searched in the current
2185 outline entry and in the hierarchy above it. If you have the
2186 @file{constants.el} package, it will also be used to resolve constants,
2187 including natural constants like @samp{$h} for Planck's constant, and
2188 units like @samp{$km} for kilometers@footnote{@file{constants.el} can
2189 supply the values of constants in two different unit systems, @code{SI}
2190 and @code{cgs}. Which one is used depends on the value of the variable
2191 @code{constants-unit-system}. You can use the @code{#+STARTUP} options
2192 @code{constSI} and @code{constcgs} to set this value for the current
2193 buffer.}. Column names and parameters can be specified in special table
2194 lines. These are described below, see @ref{Advanced features}. All
2195 names must start with a letter, and further consist of letters and
2198 @subsubheading Remote references
2199 @cindex remote references
2200 @cindex references, remote
2201 @cindex references, to a different table
2202 @cindex name, of column or field
2203 @cindex constants, in calculations
2206 You may also reference constants, fields and ranges from a different table,
2207 either in the current file or even in a different file. The syntax is
2210 remote(NAME-OR-ID,REF)
2214 where NAME can be the name of a table in the current file as set by a
2215 @code{#+TBLNAME: NAME} line before the table. It can also be the ID of an
2216 entry, even in a different file, and the reference then refers to the first
2217 table in that entry. REF is an absolute field or range reference as
2218 described above for example @code{@@3$3} or @code{$somename}, valid in the
2221 @node Formula syntax for Calc, Formula syntax for Lisp, References, The spreadsheet
2222 @subsection Formula syntax for Calc
2223 @cindex formula syntax, Calc
2224 @cindex syntax, of formulas
2226 A formula can be any algebraic expression understood by the Emacs
2227 @file{Calc} package. @b{Note that @file{calc} has the
2228 non-standard convention that @samp{/} has lower precedence than
2229 @samp{*}, so that @samp{a/b*c} is interpreted as @samp{a/(b*c)}.} Before
2230 evaluation by @code{calc-eval} (@pxref{Calling Calc from
2231 Your Programs,calc-eval,Calling Calc from Your Lisp Programs,Calc,GNU
2232 Emacs Calc Manual}),
2233 @c FIXME: The link to the Calc manual in HTML does not work.
2234 variable substitution takes place according to the rules described above.
2235 @cindex vectors, in table calculations
2236 The range vectors can be directly fed into the Calc vector functions
2237 like @samp{vmean} and @samp{vsum}.
2239 @cindex format specifier
2240 @cindex mode, for @file{calc}
2241 @vindex org-calc-default-modes
2242 A formula can contain an optional mode string after a semicolon. This
2243 string consists of flags to influence Calc and other modes during
2244 execution. By default, Org uses the standard Calc modes (precision
2245 12, angular units degrees, fraction and symbolic modes off). The display
2246 format, however, has been changed to @code{(float 8)} to keep tables
2247 compact. The default settings can be configured using the variable
2248 @code{org-calc-default-modes}.
2251 p20 @r{set the internal Calc calculation precision to 20 digits}
2252 n3 s3 e2 f4 @r{Normal, scientific, engineering, or fixed}
2253 @r{format of the result of Calc passed back to Org.}
2254 @r{Calc formatting is unlimited in precision as}
2255 @r{long as the Calc calculation precision is greater.}
2256 D R @r{angle modes: degrees, radians}
2257 F S @r{fraction and symbolic modes}
2258 N @r{interpret all fields as numbers, use 0 for non-numbers}
2259 T @r{force text interpretation}
2260 E @r{keep empty fields in ranges}
2265 Unless you use large integer numbers or high-precision-calculation
2266 and -display for floating point numbers you may alternatively provide a
2267 @code{printf} format specifier to reformat the Calc result after it has been
2268 passed back to Org instead of letting Calc already do the
2269 formatting@footnote{The @code{printf} reformatting is limited in precision
2270 because the value passed to it is converted into an @code{integer} or
2271 @code{double}. The @code{integer} is limited in size by truncating the
2272 signed value to 32 bits. The @code{double} is limited in precision to 64
2273 bits overall which leaves approximately 16 significant decimal digits.}.
2277 $1+$2 @r{Sum of first and second field}
2278 $1+$2;%.2f @r{Same, format result to two decimals}
2279 exp($2)+exp($1) @r{Math functions can be used}
2280 $0;%.1f @r{Reformat current cell to 1 decimal}
2281 ($3-32)*5/9 @r{Degrees F -> C conversion}
2282 $c/$1/$cm @r{Hz -> cm conversion, using @file{constants.el}}
2283 tan($1);Dp3s1 @r{Compute in degrees, precision 3, display SCI 1}
2284 sin($1);Dp3%.1e @r{Same, but use printf specifier for display}
2285 vmean($2..$7) @r{Compute column range mean, using vector function}
2286 vmean($2..$7);EN @r{Same, but treat empty fields as 0}
2287 taylor($3,x=7,2) @r{taylor series of $3, at x=7, second degree}
2290 Calc also contains a complete set of logical operations. For example
2293 if($1<20,teen,string("")) @r{``teen'' if age $1 less than 20, else empty}
2296 @node Formula syntax for Lisp, Field formulas, Formula syntax for Calc, The spreadsheet
2297 @subsection Emacs Lisp forms as formulas
2298 @cindex Lisp forms, as table formulas
2300 It is also possible to write a formula in Emacs Lisp; this can be useful
2301 for string manipulation and control structures, if Calc's
2302 functionality is not enough. If a formula starts with a single-quote
2303 followed by an opening parenthesis, then it is evaluated as a Lisp form.
2304 The evaluation should return either a string or a number. Just as with
2305 @file{calc} formulas, you can specify modes and a printf format after a
2306 semicolon. With Emacs Lisp forms, you need to be conscious about the way
2307 field references are interpolated into the form. By default, a
2308 reference will be interpolated as a Lisp string (in double-quotes)
2309 containing the field. If you provide the @samp{N} mode switch, all
2310 referenced elements will be numbers (non-number fields will be zero) and
2311 interpolated as Lisp numbers, without quotes. If you provide the
2312 @samp{L} flag, all fields will be interpolated literally, without quotes.
2313 I.e., if you want a reference to be interpreted as a string by the Lisp
2314 form, enclose the reference operator itself in double-quotes, like
2315 @code{"$3"}. Ranges are inserted as space-separated fields, so you can
2316 embed them in list or vector syntax. A few examples, note how the
2317 @samp{N} mode is used when we do computations in Lisp.
2320 @r{Swap the first two characters of the content of column 1}
2321 '(concat (substring $1 1 2) (substring $1 0 1) (substring $1 2))
2322 @r{Add columns 1 and 2, equivalent to Calc's @code{$1+$2}}
2324 @r{Compute the sum of columns 1-4, like Calc's @code{vsum($1..$4)}}
2325 '(apply '+ '($1..$4));N
2328 @node Field formulas, Column formulas, Formula syntax for Lisp, The spreadsheet
2329 @subsection Field formulas
2330 @cindex field formula
2331 @cindex formula, for individual table field
2333 To assign a formula to a particular field, type it directly into the
2334 field, preceded by @samp{:=}, for example @samp{:=$1+$2}. When you
2335 press @key{TAB} or @key{RET} or @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in
2336 the field, the formula will be stored as the formula for this field,
2337 evaluated, and the current field replaced with the result.
2340 Formulas are stored in a special line starting with @samp{#+TBLFM:}
2341 directly below the table. If you typed the equation in the 4th field of
2342 the 3rd data line in the table, the formula will look like
2343 @samp{@@3$4=$1+$2}. When inserting/deleting/swapping column and rows
2344 with the appropriate commands, @i{absolute references} (but not relative
2345 ones) in stored formulas are modified in order to still reference the
2346 same field. Of course this is not true if you edit the table structure
2347 with normal editing commands---then you must fix the equations yourself.
2348 The left-hand side of a formula may also be a named field (@pxref{Advanced
2349 features}), or a last-row reference like @samp{$LR3}.
2351 Instead of typing an equation into the field, you may also use the
2357 Install a new formula for the current field. The command prompts for a
2358 formula with default taken from the @samp{#+TBLFM:} line, applies
2359 it to the current field, and stores it.
2362 @node Column formulas, Editing and debugging formulas, Field formulas, The spreadsheet
2363 @subsection Column formulas
2364 @cindex column formula
2365 @cindex formula, for table column
2367 Often in a table, the same formula should be used for all fields in a
2368 particular column. Instead of having to copy the formula to all fields
2369 in that column, Org allows you to assign a single formula to an entire
2370 column. If the table contains horizontal separator hlines, everything
2371 before the first such line is considered part of the table @emph{header}
2372 and will not be modified by column formulas.
2374 To assign a formula to a column, type it directly into any field in the
2375 column, preceded by an equal sign, like @samp{=$1+$2}. When you press
2376 @key{TAB} or @key{RET} or @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in the field,
2377 the formula will be stored as the formula for the current column, evaluated
2378 and the current field replaced with the result. If the field contains only
2379 @samp{=}, the previously stored formula for this column is used. For each
2380 column, Org will only remember the most recently used formula. In the
2381 @samp{#+TBLFM:} line, column formulas will look like @samp{$4=$1+$2}. The left-hand
2382 side of a column formula cannot currently be the name of column, it
2383 must be the numeric column reference.
2385 Instead of typing an equation into the field, you may also use the
2391 Install a new formula for the current column and replace current field with
2392 the result of the formula. The command prompts for a formula, with default
2393 taken from the @samp{#+TBLFM} line, applies it to the current field and
2394 stores it. With a numeric prefix argument(e.g. @kbd{C-5 C-c =}) the command
2395 will apply it to that many consecutive fields in the current column.
2398 @node Editing and debugging formulas, Updating the table, Column formulas, The spreadsheet
2399 @subsection Editing and debugging formulas
2400 @cindex formula editing
2401 @cindex editing, of table formulas
2403 @vindex org-table-use-standard-references
2404 You can edit individual formulas in the minibuffer or directly in the
2405 field. Org can also prepare a special buffer with all active
2406 formulas of a table. When offering a formula for editing, Org
2407 converts references to the standard format (like @code{B3} or @code{D&})
2408 if possible. If you prefer to only work with the internal format (like
2409 @code{@@3$2} or @code{$4}), configure the variable
2410 @code{org-table-use-standard-references}.
2417 Edit the formula associated with the current column/field in the
2418 minibuffer. See @ref{Column formulas}, and @ref{Field formulas}.
2419 @kindex C-u C-u C-c =
2421 Re-insert the active formula (either a
2422 field formula, or a column formula) into the current field, so that you
2423 can edit it directly in the field. The advantage over editing in the
2424 minibuffer is that you can use the command @kbd{C-c ?}.
2427 While editing a formula in a table field, highlight the field(s)
2428 referenced by the reference at the cursor position in the formula.
2431 Toggle the display of row and column numbers for a table, using
2432 overlays. These are updated each time the table is aligned; you can
2433 force it with @kbd{C-c C-c}.
2436 Toggle the formula debugger on and off. See below.
2439 Edit all formulas for the current table in a special buffer, where the
2440 formulas will be displayed one per line. If the current field has an
2441 active formula, the cursor in the formula editor will mark it.
2442 While inside the special buffer, Org will automatically highlight
2443 any field or range reference at the cursor position. You may edit,
2444 remove and add formulas, and use the following commands:
2450 Exit the formula editor and store the modified formulas. With @kbd{C-u}
2451 prefix, also apply the new formulas to the entire table.
2454 Exit the formula editor without installing changes.
2457 Toggle all references in the formula editor between standard (like
2458 @code{B3}) and internal (like @code{@@3$2}).
2461 Pretty-print or indent Lisp formula at point. When in a line containing
2462 a Lisp formula, format the formula according to Emacs Lisp rules.
2463 Another @key{TAB} collapses the formula back again. In the open
2464 formula, @key{TAB} re-indents just like in Emacs Lisp mode.
2467 Complete Lisp symbols, just like in Emacs Lisp mode.
2469 @kindex S-@key{down}
2470 @kindex S-@key{left}
2471 @kindex S-@key{right}
2472 @item S-@key{up}/@key{down}/@key{left}/@key{right}
2473 Shift the reference at point. For example, if the reference is
2474 @code{B3} and you press @kbd{S-@key{right}}, it will become @code{C3}.
2475 This also works for relative references and for hline references.
2476 @kindex M-S-@key{up}
2477 @kindex M-S-@key{down}
2478 @item M-S-@key{up}/@key{down}
2479 Move the test line for column formulas in the Org buffer up and
2482 @kindex M-@key{down}
2483 @item M-@key{up}/@key{down}
2484 Scroll the window displaying the table.
2487 Turn the coordinate grid in the table on and off.
2491 Making a table field blank does not remove the formula associated with
2492 the field, because that is stored in a different line (the @samp{#+TBLFM}
2493 line)---during the next recalculation the field will be filled again.
2494 To remove a formula from a field, you have to give an empty reply when
2495 prompted for the formula, or to edit the @samp{#+TBLFM} line.
2498 You may edit the @samp{#+TBLFM} directly and re-apply the changed
2499 equations with @kbd{C-c C-c} in that line or with the normal
2500 recalculation commands in the table.
2502 @subsubheading Debugging formulas
2503 @cindex formula debugging
2504 @cindex debugging, of table formulas
2505 When the evaluation of a formula leads to an error, the field content
2506 becomes the string @samp{#ERROR}. If you would like see what is going
2507 on during variable substitution and calculation in order to find a bug,
2508 turn on formula debugging in the @code{Tbl} menu and repeat the
2509 calculation, for example by pressing @kbd{C-u C-u C-c = @key{RET}} in a
2510 field. Detailed information will be displayed.
2512 @node Updating the table, Advanced features, Editing and debugging formulas, The spreadsheet
2513 @subsection Updating the table
2514 @cindex recomputing table fields
2515 @cindex updating, table
2517 Recalculation of a table is normally not automatic, but needs to be
2518 triggered by a command. See @ref{Advanced features}, for a way to make
2519 recalculation at least semi-automatic.
2521 In order to recalculate a line of a table or the entire table, use the
2527 Recalculate the current row by first applying the stored column formulas
2528 from left to right, and all field formulas in the current row.
2534 Recompute the entire table, line by line. Any lines before the first
2535 hline are left alone, assuming that these are part of the table header.
2537 @kindex C-u C-u C-c *
2538 @kindex C-u C-u C-c C-c
2540 @itemx C-u C-u C-c C-c
2541 Iterate the table by recomputing it until no further changes occur.
2542 This may be necessary if some computed fields use the value of other
2543 fields that are computed @i{later} in the calculation sequence.
2544 @item M-x org-table-recalculate-buffer-tables
2545 Recompute all tables in the current buffer.
2546 @item M-x org-table-iterate-buffer-tables
2547 Iterate all tables in the current buffer, in order to converge table-to-table
2551 @node Advanced features, , Updating the table, The spreadsheet
2552 @subsection Advanced features
2554 If you want the recalculation of fields to happen automatically, or if
2555 you want to be able to assign @i{names} to fields and columns, you need
2556 to reserve the first column of the table for special marking characters.
2560 Rotate the calculation mark in first column through the states @samp{ },
2561 @samp{#}, @samp{*}, @samp{!}, @samp{$}. When there is an active region,
2562 change all marks in the region.
2565 Here is an example of a table that collects exam results of students and
2566 makes use of these features:
2570 |---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
2571 | | Student | Prob 1 | Prob 2 | Prob 3 | Total | Note |
2572 |---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
2573 | ! | | P1 | P2 | P3 | Tot | |
2574 | # | Maximum | 10 | 15 | 25 | 50 | 10.0 |
2575 | ^ | | m1 | m2 | m3 | mt | |
2576 |---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
2577 | # | Peter | 10 | 8 | 23 | 41 | 8.2 |
2578 | # | Sam | 2 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 1.8 |
2579 |---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
2580 | | Average | | | | 29.7 | |
2581 | ^ | | | | | at | |
2582 | $ | max=50 | | | | | |
2583 |---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
2584 #+TBLFM: $6=vsum($P1..$P3)::$7=10*$Tot/$max;%.1f::$at=vmean(@@-II..@@-I);%.1f
2588 @noindent @b{Important}: please note that for these special tables,
2589 recalculating the table with @kbd{C-u C-c *} will only affect rows that
2590 are marked @samp{#} or @samp{*}, and fields that have a formula assigned
2591 to the field itself. The column formulas are not applied in rows with
2594 @cindex marking characters, tables
2595 The marking characters have the following meaning:
2598 The fields in this line define names for the columns, so that you may
2599 refer to a column as @samp{$Tot} instead of @samp{$6}.
2601 This row defines names for the fields @emph{above} the row. With such
2602 a definition, any formula in the table may use @samp{$m1} to refer to
2603 the value @samp{10}. Also, if you assign a formula to a names field, it
2604 will be stored as @samp{$name=...}.
2606 Similar to @samp{^}, but defines names for the fields in the row
2609 Fields in this row can define @emph{parameters} for formulas. For
2610 example, if a field in a @samp{$} row contains @samp{max=50}, then
2611 formulas in this table can refer to the value 50 using @samp{$max}.
2612 Parameters work exactly like constants, only that they can be defined on
2615 Fields in this row are automatically recalculated when pressing
2616 @key{TAB} or @key{RET} or @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} in this row. Also, this row
2617 is selected for a global recalculation with @kbd{C-u C-c *}. Unmarked
2618 lines will be left alone by this command.
2620 Selects this line for global recalculation with @kbd{C-u C-c *}, but
2621 not for automatic recalculation. Use this when automatic
2622 recalculation slows down editing too much.
2624 Unmarked lines are exempt from recalculation with @kbd{C-u C-c *}.
2625 All lines that should be recalculated should be marked with @samp{#}
2628 Do not export this line. Useful for lines that contain the narrowing
2629 @samp{<N>} markers or column group markers.
2632 Finally, just to whet your appetite for what can be done with the
2633 fantastic @file{calc.el} package, here is a table that computes the Taylor
2634 series of degree @code{n} at location @code{x} for a couple of
2639 |---+-------------+---+-----+--------------------------------------|
2640 | | Func | n | x | Result |
2641 |---+-------------+---+-----+--------------------------------------|
2642 | # | exp(x) | 1 | x | 1 + x |
2643 | # | exp(x) | 2 | x | 1 + x + x^2 / 2 |
2644 | # | exp(x) | 3 | x | 1 + x + x^2 / 2 + x^3 / 6 |
2645 | # | x^2+sqrt(x) | 2 | x=0 | x*(0.5 / 0) + x^2 (2 - 0.25 / 0) / 2 |
2646 | # | x^2+sqrt(x) | 2 | x=1 | 2 + 2.5 x - 2.5 + 0.875 (x - 1)^2 |
2647 | * | tan(x) | 3 | x | 0.0175 x + 1.77e-6 x^3 |
2648 |---+-------------+---+-----+--------------------------------------|
2649 #+TBLFM: $5=taylor($2,$4,$3);n3
2653 @node Org-Plot, , The spreadsheet, Tables
2655 @cindex graph, in tables
2656 @cindex plot tables using Gnuplot
2659 Org-Plot can produce 2D and 3D graphs of information stored in org tables
2660 using @file{Gnuplot} @uref{http://www.gnuplot.info/} and @file{gnuplot-mode}
2661 @uref{http://cars9.uchicago.edu/~ravel/software/gnuplot-mode.html}. To see
2662 this in action, ensure that you have both Gnuplot and Gnuplot mode installed
2663 on your system, then call @code{org-plot/gnuplot} on the following table.
2667 #+PLOT: title:"Citas" ind:1 deps:(3) type:2d with:histograms set:"yrange [0:]"
2668 | Sede | Max cites | H-index |
2669 |-----------+-----------+---------|
2670 | Chile | 257.72 | 21.39 |
2671 | Leeds | 165.77 | 19.68 |
2672 | Sao Paolo | 71.00 | 11.50 |
2673 | Stockholm | 134.19 | 14.33 |
2674 | Morelia | 257.56 | 17.67 |
2678 Notice that Org Plot is smart enough to apply the table's headers as labels.
2679 Further control over the labels, type, content, and appearance of plots can
2680 be exercised through the @code{#+PLOT:} lines preceding a table. See below
2681 for a complete list of Org-plot options. For more information and examples
2682 see the Org-plot tutorial at
2683 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-tutorials/org-plot.php}.
2685 @subsubheading Plot Options
2689 Specify any @command{gnuplot} option to be set when graphing.
2692 Specify the title of the plot.
2695 Specify which column of the table to use as the @code{x} axis.
2698 Specify the columns to graph as a Lisp style list, surrounded by parentheses
2699 and separated by spaces for example @code{dep:(3 4)} to graph the third and
2700 fourth columns (defaults to graphing all other columns aside from the @code{ind}
2704 Specify whether the plot will be @code{2d}, @code{3d}, or @code{grid}.
2707 Specify a @code{with} option to be inserted for every col being plotted
2708 (e.g. @code{lines}, @code{points}, @code{boxes}, @code{impulses}, etc...).
2709 Defaults to @code{lines}.
2712 If you want to plot to a file, specify @code{"@var{path/to/desired/output-file}"}.
2715 List of labels to be used for the deps (defaults to the column headers if
2719 Specify an entire line to be inserted in the Gnuplot script.
2722 When plotting @code{3d} or @code{grid} types, set this to @code{t} to graph a
2723 flat mapping rather than a @code{3d} slope.
2726 Specify format of Org-mode timestamps as they will be parsed by Gnuplot.
2727 Defaults to @samp{%Y-%m-%d-%H:%M:%S}.
2730 If you want total control, you can specify a script file (place the file name
2731 between double-quotes) which will be used to plot. Before plotting, every
2732 instance of @code{$datafile} in the specified script will be replaced with
2733 the path to the generated data file. Note: even if you set this option, you
2734 may still want to specify the plot type, as that can impact the content of
2738 @node Hyperlinks, TODO Items, Tables, Top
2742 Like HTML, Org provides links inside a file, external links to
2743 other files, Usenet articles, emails, and much more.
2746 * Link format:: How links in Org are formatted
2747 * Internal links:: Links to other places in the current file
2748 * External links:: URL-like links to the world
2749 * Handling links:: Creating, inserting and following
2750 * Using links outside Org:: Linking from my C source code?
2751 * Link abbreviations:: Shortcuts for writing complex links
2752 * Search options:: Linking to a specific location
2753 * Custom searches:: When the default search is not enough
2756 @node Link format, Internal links, Hyperlinks, Hyperlinks
2757 @section Link format
2759 @cindex format, of links
2761 Org will recognize plain URL-like links and activate them as
2762 clickable links. The general link format, however, looks like this:
2765 [[link][description]] @r{or alternatively} [[link]]
2769 Once a link in the buffer is complete (all brackets present), Org
2770 will change the display so that @samp{description} is displayed instead
2771 of @samp{[[link][description]]} and @samp{link} is displayed instead of
2772 @samp{[[link]]}. Links will be highlighted in the face @code{org-link},
2773 which by default is an underlined face. You can directly edit the
2774 visible part of a link. Note that this can be either the @samp{link}
2775 part (if there is no description) or the @samp{description} part. To
2776 edit also the invisible @samp{link} part, use @kbd{C-c C-l} with the
2779 If you place the cursor at the beginning or just behind the end of the
2780 displayed text and press @key{BACKSPACE}, you will remove the
2781 (invisible) bracket at that location. This makes the link incomplete
2782 and the internals are again displayed as plain text. Inserting the
2783 missing bracket hides the link internals again. To show the
2784 internal structure of all links, use the menu entry
2785 @code{Org->Hyperlinks->Literal links}.
2787 @node Internal links, External links, Link format, Hyperlinks
2788 @section Internal links
2789 @cindex internal links
2790 @cindex links, internal
2791 @cindex targets, for links
2793 @cindex property, CUSTOM_ID
2794 If the link does not look like a URL, it is considered to be internal in the
2795 current file. The most important case is a link like
2796 @samp{[[#my-custom-id]]} which will link to the entry with the
2797 @code{CUSTOM_ID} property @samp{my-custom-id}. Such custom IDs are very good
2798 for HTML export (@pxref{HTML export}) where they produce pretty section
2799 links. You are responsible yourself to make sure these custom IDs are unique
2802 Links such as @samp{[[My Target]]} or @samp{[[My Target][Find my target]]}
2803 lead to a text search in the current file.
2805 The link can be followed with @kbd{C-c C-o} when the cursor is on the link,
2806 or with a mouse click (@pxref{Handling links}). Links to custom IDs will
2807 point to the corresponding headline. The preferred match for a text link is
2808 a @i{dedicated target}: the same string in double angular brackets. Targets
2809 may be located anywhere; sometimes it is convenient to put them into a
2810 comment line. For example
2816 @noindent In HTML export (@pxref{HTML export}), such targets will become
2817 named anchors for direct access through @samp{http} links@footnote{Note that
2818 text before the first headline is usually not exported, so the first such
2819 target should be after the first headline, or in the line directly before the
2822 If no dedicated target exists, Org will search for a headline that is exactly
2823 the link text but may also include a TODO keyword and tags@footnote{To insert
2824 a link targeting a headline, in-buffer completion can be used. Just type a
2825 star followed by a few optional letters into the buffer and press
2826 @kbd{M-@key{TAB}}. All headlines in the current buffer will be offered as
2827 completions.}. In non-Org files, the search will look for the words in the
2828 link text, in the above example the search would be for @samp{my target}.
2830 Following a link pushes a mark onto Org's own mark ring. You can
2831 return to the previous position with @kbd{C-c &}. Using this command
2832 several times in direct succession goes back to positions recorded
2836 * Radio targets:: Make targets trigger links in plain text
2839 @node Radio targets, , Internal links, Internal links
2840 @subsection Radio targets
2841 @cindex radio targets
2842 @cindex targets, radio
2843 @cindex links, radio targets
2845 Org can automatically turn any occurrences of certain target names
2846 in normal text into a link. So without explicitly creating a link, the
2847 text connects to the target radioing its position. Radio targets are
2848 enclosed by triple angular brackets. For example, a target @samp{<<<My
2849 Target>>>} causes each occurrence of @samp{my target} in normal text to
2850 become activated as a link. The Org file is scanned automatically
2851 for radio targets only when the file is first loaded into Emacs. To
2852 update the target list during editing, press @kbd{C-c C-c} with the
2853 cursor on or at a target.
2855 @node External links, Handling links, Internal links, Hyperlinks
2856 @section External links
2857 @cindex links, external
2858 @cindex external links
2859 @cindex links, external
2867 @cindex WANDERLUST links
2869 @cindex USENET links
2874 Org supports links to files, websites, Usenet and email messages,
2875 BBDB database entries and links to both IRC conversations and their
2876 logs. External links are URL-like locators. They start with a short
2877 identifying string followed by a colon. There can be no space after
2878 the colon. The following list shows examples for each link type.
2881 http://www.astro.uva.nl/~dominik @r{on the web}
2882 doi:10.1000/182 @r{DOI for an electronic resource}
2883 file:/home/dominik/images/jupiter.jpg @r{file, absolute path}
2884 /home/dominik/images/jupiter.jpg @r{same as above}
2885 file:papers/last.pdf @r{file, relative path}
2886 ./papers/last.pdf @r{same as above}
2887 file:/myself@@some.where:papers/last.pdf @r{file, path on remote machine}
2888 /myself@@some.where:papers/last.pdf @r{same as above}
2889 file:sometextfile::NNN @r{file with line number to jump to}
2890 file:projects.org @r{another Org file}
2891 file:projects.org::some words @r{text search in Org file}
2892 file:projects.org::*task title @r{heading search in Org file}
2893 docview:papers/last.pdf::NNN @r{open file in doc-view mode at page NNN}
2894 id:B7423F4D-2E8A-471B-8810-C40F074717E9 @r{Link to heading by ID}
2895 news:comp.emacs @r{Usenet link}
2896 mailto:adent@@galaxy.net @r{Mail link}
2897 vm:folder @r{VM folder link}
2898 vm:folder#id @r{VM message link}
2899 vm://myself@@some.where.org/folder#id @r{VM on remote machine}
2900 wl:folder @r{WANDERLUST folder link}
2901 wl:folder#id @r{WANDERLUST message link}
2902 mhe:folder @r{MH-E folder link}
2903 mhe:folder#id @r{MH-E message link}
2904 rmail:folder @r{RMAIL folder link}
2905 rmail:folder#id @r{RMAIL message link}
2906 gnus:group @r{Gnus group link}
2907 gnus:group#id @r{Gnus article link}
2908 bbdb:R.*Stallman @r{BBDB link (with regexp)}
2909 irc:/irc.com/#emacs/bob @r{IRC link}
2910 info:org:External%20links @r{Info node link (with encoded space)}
2911 shell:ls *.org @r{A shell command}
2912 elisp:org-agenda @r{Interactive Elisp command}
2913 elisp:(find-file-other-frame "Elisp.org") @r{Elisp form to evaluate}
2916 A link should be enclosed in double brackets and may contain a
2917 descriptive text to be displayed instead of the URL (@pxref{Link
2918 format}), for example:
2921 [[http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/][GNU Emacs]]
2925 If the description is a file name or URL that points to an image, HTML
2926 export (@pxref{HTML export}) will inline the image as a clickable
2927 button. If there is no description at all and the link points to an
2929 that image will be inlined into the exported HTML file.
2931 @cindex square brackets, around links
2932 @cindex plain text external links
2933 Org also finds external links in the normal text and activates them
2934 as links. If spaces must be part of the link (for example in
2935 @samp{bbdb:Richard Stallman}), or if you need to remove ambiguities
2936 about the end of the link, enclose them in square brackets.
2938 @node Handling links, Using links outside Org, External links, Hyperlinks
2939 @section Handling links
2940 @cindex links, handling
2942 Org provides methods to create a link in the correct syntax, to
2943 insert it into an Org file, and to follow the link.
2947 @cindex storing links
2949 Store a link to the current location. This is a @emph{global} command (you
2950 must create the key binding yourself) which can be used in any buffer to
2951 create a link. The link will be stored for later insertion into an Org
2952 buffer (see below). What kind of link will be created depends on the current
2955 @b{Org-mode buffers}@*
2956 For Org files, if there is a @samp{<<target>>} at the cursor, the link points
2957 to the target. Otherwise it points to the current headline, which will also
2960 @vindex org-link-to-org-use-id
2961 @cindex property, CUSTOM_ID
2962 @cindex property, ID
2963 If the headline has a @code{CUSTOM_ID} property, a link to this custom ID
2964 will be stored. In addition or alternatively (depending on the value of
2965 @code{org-link-to-org-use-id}), a globally unique @code{ID} property will be
2966 created and/or used to construct a link. So using this command in Org
2967 buffers will potentially create two links: a human-readable from the custom
2968 ID, and one that is globally unique and works even if the entry is moved from
2969 file to file. Later, when inserting the link, you need to decide which one
2972 @b{Email/News clients: VM, Rmail, Wanderlust, MH-E, Gnus}@*
2973 Pretty much all Emacs mail clients are supported. The link will point to the
2974 current article, or, in some GNUS buffers, to the group. The description is
2975 constructed from the author and the subject.
2977 @b{Web browsers: W3 and W3M}@*
2978 Here the link will be the current URL, with the page title as description.
2980 @b{Contacts: BBDB}@*
2981 Links created in a BBDB buffer will point to the current entry.
2984 @vindex org-irc-link-to-logs
2985 For IRC links, if you set the variable @code{org-irc-link-to-logs} to
2986 @code{t}, a @samp{file:/} style link to the relevant point in the logs for
2987 the current conversation is created. Otherwise an @samp{irc:/} style link to
2988 the user/channel/server under the point will be stored.
2991 For any other files, the link will point to the file, with a search string
2992 (@pxref{Search options}) pointing to the contents of the current line. If
2993 there is an active region, the selected words will form the basis of the
2994 search string. If the automatically created link is not working correctly or
2995 accurately enough, you can write custom functions to select the search string
2996 and to do the search for particular file types---see @ref{Custom searches}.
2997 The key binding @kbd{C-c l} is only a suggestion---see @ref{Installation}.
3000 When the cursor is in an agenda view, the created link points to the
3001 entry referenced by the current line.
3005 @cindex link completion
3006 @cindex completion, of links
3007 @cindex inserting links
3009 @vindex org-keep-stored-link-after-insertion
3010 Insert a link@footnote{ Note that you don't have to use this command to
3011 insert a link. Links in Org are plain text, and you can type or paste them
3012 straight into the buffer. By using this command, the links are automatically
3013 enclosed in double brackets, and you will be asked for the optional
3014 descriptive text.}. This prompts for a link to be inserted into the buffer.
3015 You can just type a link, using text for an internal link, or one of the link
3016 type prefixes mentioned in the examples above. The link will be inserted
3017 into the buffer@footnote{After insertion of a stored link, the link will be
3018 removed from the list of stored links. To keep it in the list later use, use
3019 a triple @kbd{C-u} prefix argument to @kbd{C-c C-l}, or configure the option
3020 @code{org-keep-stored-link-after-insertion}.}, along with a descriptive text.
3021 If some text was selected when this command is called, the selected text
3022 becomes the default description.
3024 @b{Inserting stored links}@*
3025 All links stored during the
3026 current session are part of the history for this prompt, so you can access
3027 them with @key{up} and @key{down} (or @kbd{M-p/n}).
3029 @b{Completion support}@* Completion with @key{TAB} will help you to insert
3030 valid link prefixes like @samp{http:} or @samp{ftp:}, including the prefixes
3031 defined through link abbreviations (@pxref{Link abbreviations}). If you
3032 press @key{RET} after inserting only the @var{prefix}, Org will offer
3033 specific completion support for some link types@footnote{This works by
3034 calling a special function @code{org-PREFIX-complete-link}.} For
3035 example, if you type @kbd{file @key{RET}}, file name completion (alternative
3036 access: @kbd{C-u C-c C-l}, see below) will be offered, and after @kbd{bbdb
3037 @key{RET}} you can complete contact names.
3039 @cindex file name completion
3040 @cindex completion, of file names
3042 When @kbd{C-c C-l} is called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix argument, a link to
3043 a file will be inserted and you may use file name completion to select
3044 the name of the file. The path to the file is inserted relative to the
3045 directory of the current Org file, if the linked file is in the current
3046 directory or in a sub-directory of it, or if the path is written relative
3047 to the current directory using @samp{../}. Otherwise an absolute path
3048 is used, if possible with @samp{~/} for your home directory. You can
3049 force an absolute path with two @kbd{C-u} prefixes.
3051 @item C-c C-l @ @r{(with cursor on existing link)}
3052 When the cursor is on an existing link, @kbd{C-c C-l} allows you to edit the
3053 link and description parts of the link.
3055 @cindex following links
3058 @item C-c C-o @ @r{(or, if @code{org-return-follows-link} is set, also} @key{RET}
3059 @vindex org-file-apps
3060 Open link at point. This will launch a web browser for URLs (using
3061 @command{browse-url-at-point}), run VM/MH-E/Wanderlust/Rmail/Gnus/BBDB for
3062 the corresponding links, and execute the command in a shell link. When the
3063 cursor is on an internal link, this command runs the corresponding search.
3064 When the cursor is on a TAG list in a headline, it creates the corresponding
3065 TAGS view. If the cursor is on a timestamp, it compiles the agenda for that
3066 date. Furthermore, it will visit text and remote files in @samp{file:} links
3067 with Emacs and select a suitable application for local non-text files.
3068 Classification of files is based on file extension only. See option
3069 @code{org-file-apps}. If you want to override the default application and
3070 visit the file with Emacs, use a @kbd{C-u} prefix. If you want to avoid
3071 opening in Emacs, use a @kbd{C-u C-u} prefix.@*
3072 If the cursor is on a headline, but not on a link, offer all links in the
3073 headline and entry text.
3079 On links, @kbd{mouse-2} will open the link just as @kbd{C-c C-o}
3080 would. Under Emacs 22, @kbd{mouse-1} will also follow a link.
3084 @vindex org-display-internal-link-with-indirect-buffer
3085 Like @kbd{mouse-2}, but force file links to be opened with Emacs, and
3086 internal links to be displayed in another window@footnote{See the
3087 variable @code{org-display-internal-link-with-indirect-buffer}}.
3089 @cindex inlining images
3090 @cindex images, inlining
3092 @vindex org-startup-with-inline-images
3093 @cindex @code{inlineimages}, STARTUP keyword
3094 @cindex @code{noinlineimages}, STARTUP keyword
3096 Toggle the inline display of linked images. Normally this will only inline
3097 images that have no description part in the link, i.e. images that will also
3098 be inlined during export. When called with a prefix argument, also display
3099 images that do have a link description. You can ask for inline images to be
3100 displayed at startup by configuring the variable
3101 @code{org-startup-with-inline-images}@footnote{with corresponding
3102 @code{#+STARTUP} keywords @code{inlineimages} and @code{inlineimages}}.
3106 Push the current position onto the mark ring, to be able to return
3107 easily. Commands following an internal link do this automatically.
3109 @cindex links, returning to
3112 Jump back to a recorded position. A position is recorded by the
3113 commands following internal links, and by @kbd{C-c %}. Using this
3114 command several times in direct succession moves through a ring of
3115 previously recorded positions.
3119 @cindex links, finding next/previous
3122 Move forward/backward to the next link in the buffer. At the limit of
3123 the buffer, the search fails once, and then wraps around. The key
3124 bindings for this are really too long, you might want to bind this also
3125 to @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p}
3127 (add-hook 'org-load-hook
3129 (define-key 'org-mode-map "\C-n" 'org-next-link)
3130 (define-key 'org-mode-map "\C-p" 'org-previous-link)))
3134 @node Using links outside Org, Link abbreviations, Handling links, Hyperlinks
3135 @section Using links outside Org
3137 You can insert and follow links that have Org syntax not only in
3138 Org, but in any Emacs buffer. For this, you should create two
3139 global commands, like this (please select suitable global keys
3143 (global-set-key "\C-c L" 'org-insert-link-global)
3144 (global-set-key "\C-c o" 'org-open-at-point-global)
3147 @node Link abbreviations, Search options, Using links outside Org, Hyperlinks
3148 @section Link abbreviations
3149 @cindex link abbreviations
3150 @cindex abbreviation, links
3152 Long URLs can be cumbersome to type, and often many similar links are
3153 needed in a document. For this you can use link abbreviations. An
3154 abbreviated link looks like this
3157 [[linkword:tag][description]]
3161 @vindex org-link-abbrev-alist
3162 where the tag is optional.
3163 The @i{linkword} must be a word, starting with a letter, followed by
3164 letters, numbers, @samp{-}, and @samp{_}. Abbreviations are resolved
3165 according to the information in the variable @code{org-link-abbrev-alist}
3166 that relates the linkwords to replacement text. Here is an example:
3170 (setq org-link-abbrev-alist
3171 '(("bugzilla" . "http://10.1.2.9/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=")
3172 ("google" . "http://www.google.com/search?q=")
3173 ("gmap" . "http://maps.google.com/maps?q=%s")
3174 ("omap" . "http://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=%s&polygon=1")
3175 ("ads" . "http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-abs_connect?author=%s&db_key=AST")))
3179 If the replacement text contains the string @samp{%s}, it will be
3180 replaced with the tag. Otherwise the tag will be appended to the string
3181 in order to create the link. You may also specify a function that will
3182 be called with the tag as the only argument to create the link.
3184 With the above setting, you could link to a specific bug with
3185 @code{[[bugzilla:129]]}, search the web for @samp{OrgMode} with
3186 @code{[[google:OrgMode]]}, show the map location of the Free Software
3187 Foundation @code{[[gmap:51 Franklin Street, Boston]]} or of Carsten office
3188 @code{[[omap:Science Park 904, Amsterdam, The Netherlands]]} and find out
3189 what the Org author is doing besides Emacs hacking with
3190 @code{[[ads:Dominik,C]]}.
3192 If you need special abbreviations just for a single Org buffer, you
3193 can define them in the file with
3197 #+LINK: bugzilla http://10.1.2.9/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=
3198 #+LINK: google http://www.google.com/search?q=%s
3202 In-buffer completion (@pxref{Completion}) can be used after @samp{[} to
3203 complete link abbreviations. You may also define a function
3204 @code{org-PREFIX-complete-link} that implements special (e.g. completion)
3205 support for inserting such a link with @kbd{C-c C-l}. Such a function should
3206 not accept any arguments, and return the full link with prefix.
3208 @node Search options, Custom searches, Link abbreviations, Hyperlinks
3209 @section Search options in file links
3210 @cindex search option in file links
3211 @cindex file links, searching
3213 File links can contain additional information to make Emacs jump to a
3214 particular location in the file when following a link. This can be a
3215 line number or a search option after a double@footnote{For backward
3216 compatibility, line numbers can also follow a single colon.} colon. For
3217 example, when the command @kbd{C-c l} creates a link (@pxref{Handling
3218 links}) to a file, it encodes the words in the current line as a search
3219 string that can be used to find this line back later when following the
3220 link with @kbd{C-c C-o}.
3222 Here is the syntax of the different ways to attach a search to a file
3223 link, together with an explanation:
3226 [[file:~/code/main.c::255]]
3227 [[file:~/xx.org::My Target]]
3228 [[file:~/xx.org::*My Target]]
3229 [[file:~/xx.org::#my-custom-id]]
3230 [[file:~/xx.org::/regexp/]]
3237 Search for a link target @samp{<<My Target>>}, or do a text search for
3238 @samp{my target}, similar to the search in internal links, see
3239 @ref{Internal links}. In HTML export (@pxref{HTML export}), such a file
3240 link will become an HTML reference to the corresponding named anchor in
3243 In an Org file, restrict search to headlines.
3245 Link to a heading with a @code{CUSTOM_ID} property
3247 Do a regular expression search for @code{regexp}. This uses the Emacs
3248 command @code{occur} to list all matches in a separate window. If the
3249 target file is in Org-mode, @code{org-occur} is used to create a
3250 sparse tree with the matches.
3251 @c If the target file is a directory,
3252 @c @code{grep} will be used to search all files in the directory.
3255 As a degenerate case, a file link with an empty file name can be used
3256 to search the current file. For example, @code{[[file:::find me]]} does
3257 a search for @samp{find me} in the current file, just as
3258 @samp{[[find me]]} would.
3260 @node Custom searches, , Search options, Hyperlinks
3261 @section Custom Searches
3262 @cindex custom search strings
3263 @cindex search strings, custom
3265 The default mechanism for creating search strings and for doing the
3266 actual search related to a file link may not work correctly in all
3267 cases. For example, Bib@TeX{} database files have many entries like
3268 @samp{year="1993"} which would not result in good search strings,
3269 because the only unique identification for a Bib@TeX{} entry is the
3272 @vindex org-create-file-search-functions
3273 @vindex org-execute-file-search-functions
3274 If you come across such a problem, you can write custom functions to set
3275 the right search string for a particular file type, and to do the search
3276 for the string in the file. Using @code{add-hook}, these functions need
3277 to be added to the hook variables
3278 @code{org-create-file-search-functions} and
3279 @code{org-execute-file-search-functions}. See the docstring for these
3280 variables for more information. Org actually uses this mechanism
3281 for Bib@TeX{} database files, and you can use the corresponding code as
3282 an implementation example. See the file @file{org-bibtex.el}.
3284 @node TODO Items, Tags, Hyperlinks, Top
3288 Org-mode does not maintain TODO lists as separate documents@footnote{Of
3289 course, you can make a document that contains only long lists of TODO items,
3290 but this is not required.}. Instead, TODO items are an integral part of the
3291 notes file, because TODO items usually come up while taking notes! With Org
3292 mode, simply mark any entry in a tree as being a TODO item. In this way,
3293 information is not duplicated, and the entire context from which the TODO
3294 item emerged is always present.
3296 Of course, this technique for managing TODO items scatters them
3297 throughout your notes file. Org-mode compensates for this by providing
3298 methods to give you an overview of all the things that you have to do.
3301 * TODO basics:: Marking and displaying TODO entries
3302 * TODO extensions:: Workflow and assignments
3303 * Progress logging:: Dates and notes for progress
3304 * Priorities:: Some things are more important than others
3305 * Breaking down tasks:: Splitting a task into manageable pieces
3306 * Checkboxes:: Tick-off lists
3309 @node TODO basics, TODO extensions, TODO Items, TODO Items
3310 @section Basic TODO functionality
3312 Any headline becomes a TODO item when it starts with the word
3313 @samp{TODO}, for example:
3316 *** TODO Write letter to Sam Fortune
3320 The most important commands to work with TODO entries are:
3324 @cindex cycling, of TODO states
3326 Rotate the TODO state of the current item among
3329 ,-> (unmarked) -> TODO -> DONE --.
3330 '--------------------------------'
3333 The same rotation can also be done ``remotely'' from the timeline and
3334 agenda buffers with the @kbd{t} command key (@pxref{Agenda commands}).
3338 Select a specific keyword using completion or (if it has been set up)
3339 the fast selection interface. For the latter, you need to assign keys
3340 to TODO states, see @ref{Per-file keywords}, and @ref{Setting tags}, for
3343 @kindex S-@key{right}
3344 @kindex S-@key{left}
3345 @vindex org-treat-S-cursor-todo-selection-as-state-change
3348 Select the following/preceding TODO state, similar to cycling. Useful
3349 mostly if more than two TODO states are possible (@pxref{TODO
3350 extensions}). See also @ref{Conflicts}, for a discussion of the interaction
3351 with @code{shift-selection-mode}. See also the variable
3352 @code{org-treat-S-cursor-todo-selection-as-state-change}.
3354 @cindex sparse tree, for TODO
3356 @vindex org-todo-keywords
3357 View TODO items in a @emph{sparse tree} (@pxref{Sparse trees}). Folds the
3358 entire buffer, but shows all TODO items (with not-DONE state) and the
3359 headings hierarchy above them. With a prefix argument (or by using @kbd{C-c
3360 / T}), search for a specific TODO. You will be prompted for the keyword, and
3361 you can also give a list of keywords like @code{KWD1|KWD2|...} to list
3362 entries that match any one of these keywords. With numeric prefix argument
3363 N, show the tree for the Nth keyword in the variable
3364 @code{org-todo-keywords}. With two prefix arguments, find all TODO states,
3365 both un-done and done.
3368 Show the global TODO list. Collects the TODO items (with not-DONE states)
3369 from all agenda files (@pxref{Agenda Views}) into a single buffer. The new
3370 buffer will be in @code{agenda-mode}, which provides commands to examine and
3371 manipulate the TODO entries from the new buffer (@pxref{Agenda commands}).
3372 @xref{Global TODO list}, for more information.
3373 @kindex S-M-@key{RET}
3375 Insert a new TODO entry below the current one.
3379 @vindex org-todo-state-tags-triggers
3380 Changing a TODO state can also trigger tag changes. See the docstring of the
3381 option @code{org-todo-state-tags-triggers} for details.
3383 @node TODO extensions, Progress logging, TODO basics, TODO Items
3384 @section Extended use of TODO keywords
3385 @cindex extended TODO keywords
3387 @vindex org-todo-keywords
3388 By default, marked TODO entries have one of only two states: TODO and
3389 DONE. Org-mode allows you to classify TODO items in more complex ways
3390 with @emph{TODO keywords} (stored in @code{org-todo-keywords}). With
3391 special setup, the TODO keyword system can work differently in different
3394 Note that @i{tags} are another way to classify headlines in general and
3395 TODO items in particular (@pxref{Tags}).
3398 * Workflow states:: From TODO to DONE in steps
3399 * TODO types:: I do this, Fred does the rest
3400 * Multiple sets in one file:: Mixing it all, and still finding your way
3401 * Fast access to TODO states:: Single letter selection of a state
3402 * Per-file keywords:: Different files, different requirements
3403 * Faces for TODO keywords:: Highlighting states
3404 * TODO dependencies:: When one task needs to wait for others
3407 @node Workflow states, TODO types, TODO extensions, TODO extensions
3408 @subsection TODO keywords as workflow states
3409 @cindex TODO workflow
3410 @cindex workflow states as TODO keywords
3412 You can use TODO keywords to indicate different @emph{sequential} states
3413 in the process of working on an item, for example@footnote{Changing
3414 this variable only becomes effective after restarting Org-mode in a
3418 (setq org-todo-keywords
3419 '((sequence "TODO" "FEEDBACK" "VERIFY" "|" "DONE" "DELEGATED")))
3422 The vertical bar separates the TODO keywords (states that @emph{need
3423 action}) from the DONE states (which need @emph{no further action}). If
3424 you don't provide the separator bar, the last state is used as the DONE
3426 @cindex completion, of TODO keywords
3427 With this setup, the command @kbd{C-c C-t} will cycle an entry from TODO
3428 to FEEDBACK, then to VERIFY, and finally to DONE and DELEGATED. You may
3429 also use a numeric prefix argument to quickly select a specific state. For
3430 example @kbd{C-3 C-c C-t} will change the state immediately to VERIFY.
3431 Or you can use @kbd{S-@key{left}} to go backward through the sequence. If you
3432 define many keywords, you can use in-buffer completion
3433 (@pxref{Completion}) or even a special one-key selection scheme
3434 (@pxref{Fast access to TODO states}) to insert these words into the
3435 buffer. Changing a TODO state can be logged with a timestamp, see
3436 @ref{Tracking TODO state changes}, for more information.
3438 @node TODO types, Multiple sets in one file, Workflow states, TODO extensions
3439 @subsection TODO keywords as types
3441 @cindex names as TODO keywords
3442 @cindex types as TODO keywords
3444 The second possibility is to use TODO keywords to indicate different
3445 @emph{types} of action items. For example, you might want to indicate
3446 that items are for ``work'' or ``home''. Or, when you work with several
3447 people on a single project, you might want to assign action items
3448 directly to persons, by using their names as TODO keywords. This would
3449 be set up like this:
3452 (setq org-todo-keywords '((type "Fred" "Sara" "Lucy" "|" "DONE")))
3455 In this case, different keywords do not indicate a sequence, but rather
3456 different types. So the normal work flow would be to assign a task to a
3457 person, and later to mark it DONE. Org-mode supports this style by adapting
3458 the workings of the command @kbd{C-c C-t}@footnote{This is also true for the
3459 @kbd{t} command in the timeline and agenda buffers.}. When used several
3460 times in succession, it will still cycle through all names, in order to first
3461 select the right type for a task. But when you return to the item after some
3462 time and execute @kbd{C-c C-t} again, it will switch from any name directly
3463 to DONE. Use prefix arguments or completion to quickly select a specific
3464 name. You can also review the items of a specific TODO type in a sparse tree
3465 by using a numeric prefix to @kbd{C-c / t}. For example, to see all things
3466 Lucy has to do, you would use @kbd{C-3 C-c / t}. To collect Lucy's items
3467 from all agenda files into a single buffer, you would use the numeric prefix
3468 argument as well when creating the global TODO list: @kbd{C-3 C-c a t}.
3470 @node Multiple sets in one file, Fast access to TODO states, TODO types, TODO extensions
3471 @subsection Multiple keyword sets in one file
3472 @cindex TODO keyword sets
3474 Sometimes you may want to use different sets of TODO keywords in
3475 parallel. For example, you may want to have the basic
3476 @code{TODO}/@code{DONE}, but also a workflow for bug fixing, and a
3477 separate state indicating that an item has been canceled (so it is not
3478 DONE, but also does not require action). Your setup would then look
3482 (setq org-todo-keywords
3483 '((sequence "TODO" "|" "DONE")
3484 (sequence "REPORT" "BUG" "KNOWNCAUSE" "|" "FIXED")
3485 (sequence "|" "CANCELED")))
3488 The keywords should all be different, this helps Org-mode to keep track
3489 of which subsequence should be used for a given entry. In this setup,
3490 @kbd{C-c C-t} only operates within a subsequence, so it switches from
3491 @code{DONE} to (nothing) to @code{TODO}, and from @code{FIXED} to
3492 (nothing) to @code{REPORT}. Therefore you need a mechanism to initially
3493 select the correct sequence. Besides the obvious ways like typing a
3494 keyword or using completion, you may also apply the following commands:
3497 @kindex C-S-@key{right}
3498 @kindex C-S-@key{left}
3499 @kindex C-u C-u C-c C-t
3500 @item C-u C-u C-c C-t
3501 @itemx C-S-@key{right}
3502 @itemx C-S-@key{left}
3503 These keys jump from one TODO subset to the next. In the above example,
3504 @kbd{C-u C-u C-c C-t} or @kbd{C-S-@key{right}} would jump from @code{TODO} or
3505 @code{DONE} to @code{REPORT}, and any of the words in the second row to
3506 @code{CANCELED}. Note that the @kbd{C-S-} key binding conflict with
3507 @code{shift-selection-mode} (@pxref{Conflicts}).
3508 @kindex S-@key{right}
3509 @kindex S-@key{left}
3512 @kbd{S-@key{<left>}} and @kbd{S-@key{<right>}} and walk through @emph{all}
3513 keywords from all sets, so for example @kbd{S-@key{<right>}} would switch
3514 from @code{DONE} to @code{REPORT} in the example above. See also
3515 @ref{Conflicts}, for a discussion of the interaction with
3516 @code{shift-selection-mode}.
3519 @node Fast access to TODO states, Per-file keywords, Multiple sets in one file, TODO extensions
3520 @subsection Fast access to TODO states
3522 If you would like to quickly change an entry to an arbitrary TODO state
3523 instead of cycling through the states, you can set up keys for
3524 single-letter access to the states. This is done by adding the section
3525 key after each keyword, in parentheses. For example:
3528 (setq org-todo-keywords
3529 '((sequence "TODO(t)" "|" "DONE(d)")
3530 (sequence "REPORT(r)" "BUG(b)" "KNOWNCAUSE(k)" "|" "FIXED(f)")
3531 (sequence "|" "CANCELED(c)")))
3534 @vindex org-fast-tag-selection-include-todo
3535 If you then press @code{C-c C-t} followed by the selection key, the entry
3536 will be switched to this state. @key{SPC} can be used to remove any TODO
3537 keyword from an entry.@footnote{Check also the variable
3538 @code{org-fast-tag-selection-include-todo}, it allows you to change the TODO
3539 state through the tags interface (@pxref{Setting tags}), in case you like to
3540 mingle the two concepts. Note that this means you need to come up with
3541 unique keys across both sets of keywords.}
3543 @node Per-file keywords, Faces for TODO keywords, Fast access to TODO states, TODO extensions
3544 @subsection Setting up keywords for individual files
3545 @cindex keyword options
3546 @cindex per-file keywords
3551 It can be very useful to use different aspects of the TODO mechanism in
3552 different files. For file-local settings, you need to add special lines
3553 to the file which set the keywords and interpretation for that file
3554 only. For example, to set one of the two examples discussed above, you
3555 need one of the following lines, starting in column zero anywhere in the
3559 #+TODO: TODO FEEDBACK VERIFY | DONE CANCELED
3561 @noindent (you may also write @code{#+SEQ_TODO} to be explicit about the
3562 interpretation, but it means the same as @code{#+TODO}), or
3564 #+TYP_TODO: Fred Sara Lucy Mike | DONE
3567 A setup for using several sets in parallel would be:
3571 #+TODO: REPORT BUG KNOWNCAUSE | FIXED
3575 @cindex completion, of option keywords
3577 @noindent To make sure you are using the correct keyword, type
3578 @samp{#+} into the buffer and then use @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} completion.
3580 @cindex DONE, final TODO keyword
3581 Remember that the keywords after the vertical bar (or the last keyword
3582 if no bar is there) must always mean that the item is DONE (although you
3583 may use a different word). After changing one of these lines, use
3584 @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in the line to make the changes
3585 known to Org-mode@footnote{Org-mode parses these lines only when
3586 Org-mode is activated after visiting a file. @kbd{C-c C-c} with the
3587 cursor in a line starting with @samp{#+} is simply restarting Org-mode
3588 for the current buffer.}.
3590 @node Faces for TODO keywords, TODO dependencies, Per-file keywords, TODO extensions
3591 @subsection Faces for TODO keywords
3592 @cindex faces, for TODO keywords
3594 @vindex org-todo @r{(face)}
3595 @vindex org-done @r{(face)}
3596 @vindex org-todo-keyword-faces
3597 Org-mode highlights TODO keywords with special faces: @code{org-todo}
3598 for keywords indicating that an item still has to be acted upon, and
3599 @code{org-done} for keywords indicating that an item is finished. If
3600 you are using more than 2 different states, you might want to use
3601 special faces for some of them. This can be done using the variable
3602 @code{org-todo-keyword-faces}. For example:
3606 (setq org-todo-keyword-faces
3607 '(("TODO" . org-warning) ("STARTED" . "yellow")
3608 ("CANCELED" . (:foreground "blue" :weight bold))))
3612 While using a list with face properties as shown for CANCELED @emph{should}
3613 work, this does not aways seem to be the case. If necessary, define a
3614 special face and use that. A string is interpreted as a color. The variable
3615 @code{org-faces-easy-properties} determines if that color is interpreted as a
3616 foreground or a background color.
3618 @node TODO dependencies, , Faces for TODO keywords, TODO extensions
3619 @subsection TODO dependencies
3620 @cindex TODO dependencies
3621 @cindex dependencies, of TODO states
3623 @vindex org-enforce-todo-dependencies
3624 @cindex property, ORDERED
3625 The structure of Org files (hierarchy and lists) makes it easy to define TODO
3626 dependencies. Usually, a parent TODO task should not be marked DONE until
3627 all subtasks (defined as children tasks) are marked as DONE. And sometimes
3628 there is a logical sequence to a number of (sub)tasks, so that one task
3629 cannot be acted upon before all siblings above it are done. If you customize
3630 the variable @code{org-enforce-todo-dependencies}, Org will block entries
3631 from changing state to DONE while they have children that are not DONE.
3632 Furthermore, if an entry has a property @code{ORDERED}, each of its children
3633 will be blocked until all earlier siblings are marked DONE. Here is an
3637 * TODO Blocked until (two) is done
3646 ** TODO b, needs to wait for (a)
3647 ** TODO c, needs to wait for (a) and (b)
3653 @vindex org-track-ordered-property-with-tag
3654 @cindex property, ORDERED
3655 Toggle the @code{ORDERED} property of the current entry. A property is used
3656 for this behavior because this should be local to the current entry, not
3657 inherited like a tag. However, if you would like to @i{track} the value of
3658 this property with a tag for better visibility, customize the variable
3659 @code{org-track-ordered-property-with-tag}.
3660 @kindex C-u C-u C-u C-c C-t
3661 @item C-u C-u C-u C-c C-t
3662 Change TODO state, circumventing any state blocking.
3665 @vindex org-agenda-dim-blocked-tasks
3666 If you set the variable @code{org-agenda-dim-blocked-tasks}, TODO entries
3667 that cannot be closed because of such dependencies will be shown in a dimmed
3668 font or even made invisible in agenda views (@pxref{Agenda Views}).
3670 @cindex checkboxes and TODO dependencies
3671 @vindex org-enforce-todo-dependencies
3672 You can also block changes of TODO states by looking at checkboxes
3673 (@pxref{Checkboxes}). If you set the variable
3674 @code{org-enforce-todo-checkbox-dependencies}, an entry that has unchecked
3675 checkboxes will be blocked from switching to DONE.
3677 If you need more complex dependency structures, for example dependencies
3678 between entries in different trees or files, check out the contributed
3679 module @file{org-depend.el}.
3682 @node Progress logging, Priorities, TODO extensions, TODO Items
3683 @section Progress logging
3684 @cindex progress logging
3685 @cindex logging, of progress
3687 Org-mode can automatically record a timestamp and possibly a note when
3688 you mark a TODO item as DONE, or even each time you change the state of
3689 a TODO item. This system is highly configurable, settings can be on a
3690 per-keyword basis and can be localized to a file or even a subtree. For
3691 information on how to clock working time for a task, see @ref{Clocking
3695 * Closing items:: When was this entry marked DONE?
3696 * Tracking TODO state changes:: When did the status change?
3697 * Tracking your habits:: How consistent have you been?
3700 @node Closing items, Tracking TODO state changes, Progress logging, Progress logging
3701 @subsection Closing items
3703 The most basic logging is to keep track of @emph{when} a certain TODO
3704 item was finished. This is achieved with@footnote{The corresponding
3705 in-buffer setting is: @code{#+STARTUP: logdone}}.
3708 (setq org-log-done 'time)
3712 Then each time you turn an entry from a TODO (not-done) state into any
3713 of the DONE states, a line @samp{CLOSED: [timestamp]} will be inserted
3714 just after the headline. If you turn the entry back into a TODO item
3715 through further state cycling, that line will be removed again. If you
3716 want to record a note along with the timestamp, use@footnote{The
3717 corresponding in-buffer setting is: @code{#+STARTUP: lognotedone}}
3720 (setq org-log-done 'note)
3724 You will then be prompted for a note, and that note will be stored below
3725 the entry with a @samp{Closing Note} heading.
3727 In the timeline (@pxref{Timeline}) and in the agenda
3728 (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}), you can then use the @kbd{l} key to
3729 display the TODO items with a @samp{CLOSED} timestamp on each day,
3730 giving you an overview of what has been done.
3732 @node Tracking TODO state changes, Tracking your habits, Closing items, Progress logging
3733 @subsection Tracking TODO state changes
3734 @cindex drawer, for state change recording
3736 @vindex org-log-states-order-reversed
3737 @vindex org-log-into-drawer
3738 @cindex property, LOG_INTO_DRAWER
3739 When TODO keywords are used as workflow states (@pxref{Workflow states}), you
3740 might want to keep track of when a state change occurred and maybe take a
3741 note about this change. You can either record just a timestamp, or a
3742 time-stamped note for a change. These records will be inserted after the
3743 headline as an itemized list, newest first@footnote{See the variable
3744 @code{org-log-states-order-reversed}}. When taking a lot of notes, you might
3745 want to get the notes out of the way into a drawer (@pxref{Drawers}).
3746 Customize the variable @code{org-log-into-drawer} to get this
3747 behavior---the recommended drawer for this is called @code{LOGBOOK}. You can
3748 also overrule the setting of this variable for a subtree by setting a
3749 @code{LOG_INTO_DRAWER} property.
3751 Since it is normally too much to record a note for every state, Org-mode
3752 expects configuration on a per-keyword basis for this. This is achieved by
3753 adding special markers @samp{!} (for a timestamp) and @samp{@@} (for a note)
3754 in parentheses after each keyword. For example, with the setting
3757 (setq org-todo-keywords
3758 '((sequence "TODO(t)" "WAIT(w@@/!)" "|" "DONE(d!)" "CANCELED(c@@)")))
3762 @vindex org-log-done
3763 you not only define global TODO keywords and fast access keys, but also
3764 request that a time is recorded when the entry is set to
3765 DONE@footnote{It is possible that Org-mode will record two timestamps
3766 when you are using both @code{org-log-done} and state change logging.
3767 However, it will never prompt for two notes---if you have configured
3768 both, the state change recording note will take precedence and cancel
3769 the @samp{Closing Note}.}, and that a note is recorded when switching to
3770 WAIT or CANCELED. The setting for WAIT is even more special: the
3771 @samp{!} after the slash means that in addition to the note taken when
3772 entering the state, a timestamp should be recorded when @i{leaving} the
3773 WAIT state, if and only if the @i{target} state does not configure
3774 logging for entering it. So it has no effect when switching from WAIT
3775 to DONE, because DONE is configured to record a timestamp only. But
3776 when switching from WAIT back to TODO, the @samp{/!} in the WAIT
3777 setting now triggers a timestamp even though TODO has no logging
3780 You can use the exact same syntax for setting logging preferences local
3783 #+TODO: TODO(t) WAIT(w@@/!) | DONE(d!) CANCELED(c@@)
3786 @cindex property, LOGGING
3787 In order to define logging settings that are local to a subtree or a
3788 single item, define a LOGGING property in this entry. Any non-empty
3789 LOGGING property resets all logging settings to nil. You may then turn
3790 on logging for this specific tree using STARTUP keywords like
3791 @code{lognotedone} or @code{logrepeat}, as well as adding state specific
3792 settings like @code{TODO(!)}. For example
3795 * TODO Log each state with only a time
3797 :LOGGING: TODO(!) WAIT(!) DONE(!) CANCELED(!)
3799 * TODO Only log when switching to WAIT, and when repeating
3801 :LOGGING: WAIT(@@) logrepeat
3803 * TODO No logging at all
3809 @node Tracking your habits, , Tracking TODO state changes, Progress logging
3810 @subsection Tracking your habits
3813 Org has the ability to track the consistency of a special category of TODOs,
3814 called ``habits''. A habit has the following properties:
3818 You have enabled the @code{habits} module by customizing the variable
3821 The habit is a TODO, with a TODO keyword representing an open state.
3823 The property @code{STYLE} is set to the value @code{habit}.
3825 The TODO has a scheduled date, usually with a @code{.+} style repeat
3826 interval. A @code{++} style may be appropriate for habits with time
3827 constraints, e.g., must be done on weekends, or a @code{+} style for an
3828 unusual habit that can have a backlog, e.g., weekly reports.
3830 The TODO may also have minimum and maximum ranges specified by using the
3831 syntax @samp{.+2d/3d}, which says that you want to do the task at least every
3832 three days, but at most every two days.
3834 You must also have state logging for the @code{DONE} state enabled, in order
3835 for historical data to be represented in the consistency graph. If it's not
3836 enabled it's not an error, but the consistency graphs will be largely
3840 To give you an idea of what the above rules look like in action, here's an
3841 actual habit with some history:
3845 SCHEDULED: <2009-10-17 Sat .+2d/4d>
3846 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-10-15 Thu]
3847 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-10-12 Mon]
3848 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-10-10 Sat]
3849 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-10-04 Sun]
3850 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-10-02 Fri]
3851 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-09-29 Tue]
3852 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-09-25 Fri]
3853 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-09-19 Sat]
3854 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-09-16 Wed]
3855 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-09-12 Sat]
3858 :LAST_REPEAT: [2009-10-19 Mon 00:36]
3862 What this habit says is: I want to shave at most every 2 days (given by the
3863 @code{SCHEDULED} date and repeat interval) and at least every 4 days. If
3864 today is the 15th, then the habit first appears in the agenda on Oct 17,
3865 after the minimum of 2 days has elapsed, and will appear overdue on Oct 19,
3866 after four days have elapsed.
3868 What's really useful about habits is that they are displayed along with a
3869 consistency graph, to show how consistent you've been at getting that task
3870 done in the past. This graph shows every day that the task was done over the
3871 past three weeks, with colors for each day. The colors used are:
3875 If the task wasn't to be done yet on that day.
3877 If the task could have been done on that day.
3879 If the task was going to be overdue the next day.
3881 If the task was overdue on that day.
3884 In addition to coloring each day, the day is also marked with an asterisk if
3885 the task was actually done that day, and an exclamation mark to show where
3886 the current day falls in the graph.
3888 There are several configuration variables that can be used to change the way
3889 habits are displayed in the agenda.
3892 @item org-habit-graph-column
3893 The buffer column at which the consistency graph should be drawn. This will
3894 overwrite any text in that column, so it's a good idea to keep your habits'
3895 titles brief and to the point.
3896 @item org-habit-preceding-days
3897 The amount of history, in days before today, to appear in consistency graphs.
3898 @item org-habit-following-days
3899 The number of days after today that will appear in consistency graphs.
3900 @item org-habit-show-habits-only-for-today
3901 If non-nil, only show habits in today's agenda view. This is set to true by
3905 Lastly, pressing @kbd{K} in the agenda buffer will cause habits to
3906 temporarily be disabled and they won't appear at all. Press @kbd{K} again to
3907 bring them back. They are also subject to tag filtering, if you have habits
3908 which should only be done in certain contexts, for example.
3910 @node Priorities, Breaking down tasks, Progress logging, TODO Items
3914 If you use Org-mode extensively, you may end up with enough TODO items that
3915 it starts to make sense to prioritize them. Prioritizing can be done by
3916 placing a @emph{priority cookie} into the headline of a TODO item, like this
3919 *** TODO [#A] Write letter to Sam Fortune
3923 @vindex org-priority-faces
3924 By default, Org-mode supports three priorities: @samp{A}, @samp{B}, and
3925 @samp{C}. @samp{A} is the highest priority. An entry without a cookie is
3926 treated just like priority @samp{B}. Priorities make a difference only for
3927 sorting in the agenda (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}); outside the agenda, they
3928 have no inherent meaning to Org-mode. The cookies can be highlighted with
3929 special faces by customizing the variable @code{org-priority-faces}.
3931 Priorities can be attached to any outline node; they do not need to be TODO
3937 Set the priority of the current headline. The command prompts for a
3938 priority character @samp{A}, @samp{B} or @samp{C}. When you press
3939 @key{SPC} instead, the priority cookie is removed from the headline.
3940 The priorities can also be changed ``remotely'' from the timeline and
3941 agenda buffer with the @kbd{,} command (@pxref{Agenda commands}).
3944 @kindex S-@key{down}
3947 @vindex org-priority-start-cycle-with-default
3948 Increase/decrease priority of current headline@footnote{See also the option
3949 @code{org-priority-start-cycle-with-default}.}. Note that these keys are
3950 also used to modify timestamps (@pxref{Creating timestamps}). See also
3951 @ref{Conflicts}, for a discussion of the interaction with
3952 @code{shift-selection-mode}.
3955 @vindex org-highest-priority
3956 @vindex org-lowest-priority
3957 @vindex org-default-priority
3958 You can change the range of allowed priorities by setting the variables
3959 @code{org-highest-priority}, @code{org-lowest-priority}, and
3960 @code{org-default-priority}. For an individual buffer, you may set
3961 these values (highest, lowest, default) like this (please make sure that
3962 the highest priority is earlier in the alphabet than the lowest
3965 @cindex #+PRIORITIES
3970 @node Breaking down tasks, Checkboxes, Priorities, TODO Items
3971 @section Breaking tasks down into subtasks
3972 @cindex tasks, breaking down
3973 @cindex statistics, for TODO items
3975 @vindex org-agenda-todo-list-sublevels
3976 It is often advisable to break down large tasks into smaller, manageable
3977 subtasks. You can do this by creating an outline tree below a TODO item,
3978 with detailed subtasks on the tree@footnote{To keep subtasks out of the
3979 global TODO list, see the @code{org-agenda-todo-list-sublevels}.}. To keep
3980 the overview over the fraction of subtasks that are already completed, insert
3981 either @samp{[/]} or @samp{[%]} anywhere in the headline. These cookies will
3982 be updated each time the TODO status of a child changes, or when pressing
3983 @kbd{C-c C-c} on the cookie. For example:
3986 * Organize Party [33%]
3987 ** TODO Call people [1/2]
3991 ** DONE Talk to neighbor
3994 @cindex property, COOKIE_DATA
3995 If a heading has both checkboxes and TODO children below it, the meaning of
3996 the statistics cookie become ambiguous. Set the property
3997 @code{COOKIE_DATA} to either @samp{checkbox} or @samp{todo} to resolve
4000 @vindex org-hierarchical-todo-statistics
4001 If you would like to have the statistics cookie count any TODO entries in the
4002 subtree (not just direct children), configure the variable
4003 @code{org-hierarchical-todo-statistics}. To do this for a single subtree,
4004 include the word @samp{recursive} into the value of the @code{COOKIE_DATA}
4008 * Parent capturing statistics [2/20]
4010 :COOKIE_DATA: todo recursive
4014 If you would like a TODO entry to automatically change to DONE
4015 when all children are done, you can use the following setup:
4018 (defun org-summary-todo (n-done n-not-done)
4019 "Switch entry to DONE when all subentries are done, to TODO otherwise."
4020 (let (org-log-done org-log-states) ; turn off logging
4021 (org-todo (if (= n-not-done 0) "DONE" "TODO"))))
4023 (add-hook 'org-after-todo-statistics-hook 'org-summary-todo)
4027 Another possibility is the use of checkboxes to identify (a hierarchy of) a
4028 large number of subtasks (@pxref{Checkboxes}).
4031 @node Checkboxes, , Breaking down tasks, TODO Items
4035 @vindex org-list-automatic-rules
4036 Every item in a plain list@footnote{With the exception of description
4037 lists. But you can allow it by modifying @code{org-list-automatic-rules}
4038 accordingly.} (@pxref{Plain lists}) can be made into a checkbox by starting
4039 it with the string @samp{[ ]}. This feature is similar to TODO items
4040 (@pxref{TODO Items}), but is more lightweight. Checkboxes are not included
4041 into the global TODO list, so they are often great to split a task into a
4042 number of simple steps. Or you can use them in a shopping list. To toggle a
4043 checkbox, use @kbd{C-c C-c}, or use the mouse (thanks to Piotr Zielinski's
4044 @file{org-mouse.el}).
4046 Here is an example of a checkbox list.
4049 * TODO Organize party [2/4]
4050 - [-] call people [1/3]
4055 - [ ] think about what music to play
4056 - [X] talk to the neighbors
4059 Checkboxes work hierarchically, so if a checkbox item has children that
4060 are checkboxes, toggling one of the children checkboxes will make the
4061 parent checkbox reflect if none, some, or all of the children are
4064 @cindex statistics, for checkboxes
4065 @cindex checkbox statistics
4066 @cindex property, COOKIE_DATA
4067 @vindex org-hierarchical-checkbox-statistics
4068 The @samp{[2/4]} and @samp{[1/3]} in the first and second line are cookies
4069 indicating how many checkboxes present in this entry have been checked off,
4070 and the total number of checkboxes present. This can give you an idea on how
4071 many checkboxes remain, even without opening a folded entry. The cookies can
4072 be placed into a headline or into (the first line of) a plain list item.
4073 Each cookie covers checkboxes of direct children structurally below the
4074 headline/item on which the cookie appears@footnote{Set the variable
4075 @code{org-hierarchical-checkbox-statistics} if you want such cookies to
4076 represent the all checkboxes below the cookie, not just the direct
4077 children.}. You have to insert the cookie yourself by typing either
4078 @samp{[/]} or @samp{[%]}. With @samp{[/]} you get an @samp{n out of m}
4079 result, as in the examples above. With @samp{[%]} you get information about
4080 the percentage of checkboxes checked (in the above example, this would be
4081 @samp{[50%]} and @samp{[33%]}, respectively). In a headline, a cookie can
4082 count either checkboxes below the heading or TODO states of children, and it
4083 will display whatever was changed last. Set the property @code{COOKIE_DATA}
4084 to either @samp{checkbox} or @samp{todo} to resolve this issue.
4086 @cindex blocking, of checkboxes
4087 @cindex checkbox blocking
4088 @cindex property, ORDERED
4089 If the current outline node has an @code{ORDERED} property, checkboxes must
4090 be checked off in sequence, and an error will be thrown if you try to check
4091 off a box while there are unchecked boxes above it.
4093 @noindent The following commands work with checkboxes:
4098 Toggle checkbox status or (with prefix arg) checkbox presence at point. With
4099 double prefix argument, set it to @samp{[-]}, which is considered to be an
4103 Toggle checkbox status or (with prefix arg) checkbox presence at point. With
4104 double prefix argument, set it to @samp{[-]}, which is considered to be an
4108 If there is an active region, toggle the first checkbox in the region
4109 and set all remaining boxes to the same status as the first. With a prefix
4110 arg, add or remove the checkbox for all items in the region.
4112 If the cursor is in a headline, toggle checkboxes in the region between
4113 this headline and the next (so @emph{not} the entire subtree).
4115 If there is no active region, just toggle the checkbox at point.
4117 @kindex M-S-@key{RET}
4119 Insert a new item with a checkbox.
4120 This works only if the cursor is already in a plain list item
4121 (@pxref{Plain lists}).
4124 @vindex org-track-ordered-property-with-tag
4125 @cindex property, ORDERED
4126 Toggle the @code{ORDERED} property of the entry, to toggle if checkboxes must
4127 be checked off in sequence. A property is used for this behavior because
4128 this should be local to the current entry, not inherited like a tag.
4129 However, if you would like to @i{track} the value of this property with a tag
4130 for better visibility, customize the variable
4131 @code{org-track-ordered-property-with-tag}.
4134 Update the statistics cookie in the current outline entry. When called with
4135 a @kbd{C-u} prefix, update the entire file. Checkbox statistic cookies are
4136 updated automatically if you toggle checkboxes with @kbd{C-c C-c} and make
4137 new ones with @kbd{M-S-@key{RET}}. TODO statistics cookies update when
4138 changing TODO states. If you delete boxes/entries or add/change them by
4139 hand, use this command to get things back into sync. Or simply toggle any
4140 entry twice (checkboxes with @kbd{C-c C-c}).
4143 @node Tags, Properties and Columns, TODO Items, Top
4146 @cindex headline tagging
4147 @cindex matching, tags
4148 @cindex sparse tree, tag based
4150 An excellent way to implement labels and contexts for cross-correlating
4151 information is to assign @i{tags} to headlines. Org-mode has extensive
4154 @vindex org-tag-faces
4155 Every headline can contain a list of tags; they occur at the end of the
4156 headline. Tags are normal words containing letters, numbers, @samp{_}, and
4157 @samp{@@}. Tags must be preceded and followed by a single colon, e.g.,
4158 @samp{:work:}. Several tags can be specified, as in @samp{:work:urgent:}.
4159 Tags will by default be in bold face with the same color as the headline.
4160 You may specify special faces for specific tags using the variable
4161 @code{org-tag-faces}, in much the same way as you can for TODO keywords
4162 (@pxref{Faces for TODO keywords}).
4165 * Tag inheritance:: Tags use the tree structure of the outline
4166 * Setting tags:: How to assign tags to a headline
4167 * Tag searches:: Searching for combinations of tags
4170 @node Tag inheritance, Setting tags, Tags, Tags
4171 @section Tag inheritance
4172 @cindex tag inheritance
4173 @cindex inheritance, of tags
4174 @cindex sublevels, inclusion into tags match
4176 @i{Tags} make use of the hierarchical structure of outline trees. If a
4177 heading has a certain tag, all subheadings will inherit the tag as
4178 well. For example, in the list
4181 * Meeting with the French group :work:
4182 ** Summary by Frank :boss:notes:
4183 *** TODO Prepare slides for him :action:
4187 the final heading will have the tags @samp{:work:}, @samp{:boss:},
4188 @samp{:notes:}, and @samp{:action:} even though the final heading is not
4189 explicitly marked with those tags. You can also set tags that all entries in
4190 a file should inherit just as if these tags were defined in a hypothetical
4191 level zero that surrounds the entire file. Use a line like this@footnote{As
4192 with all these in-buffer settings, pressing @kbd{C-c C-c} activates any
4193 changes in the line.}:
4197 #+FILETAGS: :Peter:Boss:Secret:
4201 @vindex org-use-tag-inheritance
4202 @vindex org-tags-exclude-from-inheritance
4203 To limit tag inheritance to specific tags, or to turn it off entirely, use
4204 the variables @code{org-use-tag-inheritance} and
4205 @code{org-tags-exclude-from-inheritance}.
4207 @vindex org-tags-match-list-sublevels
4208 When a headline matches during a tags search while tag inheritance is turned
4209 on, all the sublevels in the same tree will (for a simple match form) match
4210 as well@footnote{This is only true if the search does not involve more
4211 complex tests including properties (@pxref{Property searches}).}. The list
4212 of matches may then become very long. If you only want to see the first tags
4213 match in a subtree, configure the variable
4214 @code{org-tags-match-list-sublevels} (not recommended).
4216 @node Setting tags, Tag searches, Tag inheritance, Tags
4217 @section Setting tags
4218 @cindex setting tags
4219 @cindex tags, setting
4222 Tags can simply be typed into the buffer at the end of a headline.
4223 After a colon, @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} offers completion on tags. There is
4224 also a special command for inserting tags:
4229 @cindex completion, of tags
4230 @vindex org-tags-column
4231 Enter new tags for the current headline. Org-mode will either offer
4232 completion or a special single-key interface for setting tags, see
4233 below. After pressing @key{RET}, the tags will be inserted and aligned
4234 to @code{org-tags-column}. When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix, all
4235 tags in the current buffer will be aligned to that column, just to make
4236 things look nice. TAGS are automatically realigned after promotion,
4237 demotion, and TODO state changes (@pxref{TODO basics}).
4240 When the cursor is in a headline, this does the same as @kbd{C-c C-q}.
4243 @vindex org-tag-alist
4244 Org will support tag insertion based on a @emph{list of tags}. By
4245 default this list is constructed dynamically, containing all tags
4246 currently used in the buffer. You may also globally specify a hard list
4247 of tags with the variable @code{org-tag-alist}. Finally you can set
4248 the default tags for a given file with lines like
4252 #+TAGS: @@work @@home @@tennisclub
4253 #+TAGS: laptop car pc sailboat
4256 If you have globally defined your preferred set of tags using the
4257 variable @code{org-tag-alist}, but would like to use a dynamic tag list
4258 in a specific file, add an empty TAGS option line to that file:
4264 @vindex org-tag-persistent-alist
4265 If you have a preferred set of tags that you would like to use in every file,
4266 in addition to those defined on a per-file basis by TAGS option lines, then
4267 you may specify a list of tags with the variable
4268 @code{org-tag-persistent-alist}. You may turn this off on a per-file basis
4269 by adding a STARTUP option line to that file:
4275 By default Org-mode uses the standard minibuffer completion facilities for
4276 entering tags. However, it also implements another, quicker, tag selection
4277 method called @emph{fast tag selection}. This allows you to select and
4278 deselect tags with just a single key press. For this to work well you should
4279 assign unique letters to most of your commonly used tags. You can do this
4280 globally by configuring the variable @code{org-tag-alist} in your
4281 @file{.emacs} file. For example, you may find the need to tag many items in
4282 different files with @samp{:@@home:}. In this case you can set something
4286 (setq org-tag-alist '(("@@work" . ?w) ("@@home" . ?h) ("laptop" . ?l)))
4289 @noindent If the tag is only relevant to the file you are working on, then you
4290 can instead set the TAGS option line as:
4293 #+TAGS: @@work(w) @@home(h) @@tennisclub(t) laptop(l) pc(p)
4296 @noindent The tags interface will show the available tags in a splash
4297 window. If you want to start a new line after a specific tag, insert
4298 @samp{\n} into the tag list
4301 #+TAGS: @@work(w) @@home(h) @@tennisclub(t) \n laptop(l) pc(p)
4304 @noindent or write them in two lines:
4307 #+TAGS: @@work(w) @@home(h) @@tennisclub(t)
4308 #+TAGS: laptop(l) pc(p)
4312 You can also group together tags that are mutually exclusive by using
4316 #+TAGS: @{ @@work(w) @@home(h) @@tennisclub(t) @} laptop(l) pc(p)
4319 @noindent you indicate that at most one of @samp{@@work}, @samp{@@home},
4320 and @samp{@@tennisclub} should be selected. Multiple such groups are allowed.
4322 @noindent Don't forget to press @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor in one of
4323 these lines to activate any changes.
4326 To set these mutually exclusive groups in the variable @code{org-tags-alist},
4327 you must use the dummy tags @code{:startgroup} and @code{:endgroup} instead
4328 of the braces. Similarly, you can use @code{:newline} to indicate a line
4329 break. The previous example would be set globally by the following
4333 (setq org-tag-alist '((:startgroup . nil)
4334 ("@@work" . ?w) ("@@home" . ?h)
4335 ("@@tennisclub" . ?t)
4337 ("laptop" . ?l) ("pc" . ?p)))
4340 If at least one tag has a selection key then pressing @kbd{C-c C-c} will
4341 automatically present you with a special interface, listing inherited tags,
4342 the tags of the current headline, and a list of all valid tags with
4343 corresponding keys@footnote{Keys will automatically be assigned to tags which
4344 have no configured keys.}. In this interface, you can use the following
4349 Pressing keys assigned to tags will add or remove them from the list of
4350 tags in the current line. Selecting a tag in a group of mutually
4351 exclusive tags will turn off any other tags from that group.
4354 Enter a tag in the minibuffer, even if the tag is not in the predefined
4355 list. You will be able to complete on all tags present in the buffer.
4358 Clear all tags for this line.
4361 Accept the modified set.
4363 Abort without installing changes.
4365 If @kbd{q} is not assigned to a tag, it aborts like @kbd{C-g}.
4367 Turn off groups of mutually exclusive tags. Use this to (as an
4368 exception) assign several tags from such a group.
4370 Toggle auto-exit after the next change (see below).
4371 If you are using expert mode, the first @kbd{C-c} will display the
4376 This method lets you assign tags to a headline with very few keys. With
4377 the above setup, you could clear the current tags and set @samp{@@home},
4378 @samp{laptop} and @samp{pc} tags with just the following keys: @kbd{C-c
4379 C-c @key{SPC} h l p @key{RET}}. Switching from @samp{@@home} to
4380 @samp{@@work} would be done with @kbd{C-c C-c w @key{RET}} or
4381 alternatively with @kbd{C-c C-c C-c w}. Adding the non-predefined tag
4382 @samp{Sarah} could be done with @kbd{C-c C-c @key{TAB} S a r a h
4383 @key{RET} @key{RET}}.
4385 @vindex org-fast-tag-selection-single-key
4386 If you find that most of the time you need only a single key press to
4387 modify your list of tags, set the variable
4388 @code{org-fast-tag-selection-single-key}. Then you no longer have to
4389 press @key{RET} to exit fast tag selection---it will immediately exit
4390 after the first change. If you then occasionally need more keys, press
4391 @kbd{C-c} to turn off auto-exit for the current tag selection process
4392 (in effect: start selection with @kbd{C-c C-c C-c} instead of @kbd{C-c
4393 C-c}). If you set the variable to the value @code{expert}, the special
4394 window is not even shown for single-key tag selection, it comes up only
4395 when you press an extra @kbd{C-c}.
4397 @node Tag searches, , Setting tags, Tags
4398 @section Tag searches
4399 @cindex tag searches
4400 @cindex searching for tags
4402 Once a system of tags has been set up, it can be used to collect related
4403 information into special lists.
4410 Create a sparse tree with all headlines matching a tags search. With a
4411 @kbd{C-u} prefix argument, ignore headlines that are not a TODO line.
4414 Create a global list of tag matches from all agenda files.
4415 @xref{Matching tags and properties}.
4418 @vindex org-tags-match-list-sublevels
4419 Create a global list of tag matches from all agenda files, but check
4420 only TODO items and force checking subitems (see variable
4421 @code{org-tags-match-list-sublevels}).
4424 These commands all prompt for a match string which allows basic Boolean logic
4425 like @samp{+boss+urgent-project1}, to find entries with tags @samp{boss} and
4426 @samp{urgent}, but not @samp{project1}, or @samp{Kathy|Sally} to find entries
4427 which are tagged, like @samp{Kathy} or @samp{Sally}. The full syntax of the search
4428 string is rich and allows also matching against TODO keywords, entry levels
4429 and properties. For a complete description with many examples, see
4430 @ref{Matching tags and properties}.
4433 @node Properties and Columns, Dates and Times, Tags, Top
4434 @chapter Properties and columns
4437 Properties are a set of key-value pairs associated with an entry. There
4438 are two main applications for properties in Org-mode. First, properties
4439 are like tags, but with a value. Second, you can use properties to
4440 implement (very basic) database capabilities in an Org buffer. For
4441 an example of the first application, imagine maintaining a file where
4442 you document bugs and plan releases for a piece of software. Instead of
4443 using tags like @code{:release_1:}, @code{:release_2:}, one can use a
4444 property, say @code{:Release:}, that in different subtrees has different
4445 values, such as @code{1.0} or @code{2.0}. For an example of the second
4446 application of properties, imagine keeping track of your music CDs,
4447 where properties could be things such as the album, artist, date of
4448 release, number of tracks, and so on.
4450 Properties can be conveniently edited and viewed in column view
4451 (@pxref{Column view}).
4454 * Property syntax:: How properties are spelled out
4455 * Special properties:: Access to other Org-mode features
4456 * Property searches:: Matching property values
4457 * Property inheritance:: Passing values down the tree
4458 * Column view:: Tabular viewing and editing
4459 * Property API:: Properties for Lisp programmers
4462 @node Property syntax, Special properties, Properties and Columns, Properties and Columns
4463 @section Property syntax
4464 @cindex property syntax
4465 @cindex drawer, for properties
4467 Properties are key-value pairs. They need to be inserted into a special
4468 drawer (@pxref{Drawers}) with the name @code{PROPERTIES}. Each property
4469 is specified on a single line, with the key (surrounded by colons)
4470 first, and the value after it. Here is an example:
4475 *** Goldberg Variations
4477 :Title: Goldberg Variations
4478 :Composer: J.S. Bach
4480 :Publisher: Deutsche Grammophon
4485 You may define the allowed values for a particular property @samp{:Xyz:}
4486 by setting a property @samp{:Xyz_ALL:}. This special property is
4487 @emph{inherited}, so if you set it in a level 1 entry, it will apply to
4488 the entire tree. When allowed values are defined, setting the
4489 corresponding property becomes easier and is less prone to typing
4490 errors. For the example with the CD collection, we can predefine
4491 publishers and the number of disks in a box like this:
4496 :NDisks_ALL: 1 2 3 4
4497 :Publisher_ALL: "Deutsche Grammophon" Philips EMI
4501 If you want to set properties that can be inherited by any entry in a
4502 file, use a line like
4503 @cindex property, _ALL
4506 #+PROPERTY: NDisks_ALL 1 2 3 4
4509 @vindex org-global-properties
4510 Property values set with the global variable
4511 @code{org-global-properties} can be inherited by all entries in all
4515 The following commands help to work with properties:
4520 After an initial colon in a line, complete property keys. All keys used
4521 in the current file will be offered as possible completions.
4524 Set a property. This prompts for a property name and a value. If
4525 necessary, the property drawer is created as well.
4526 @item M-x org-insert-property-drawer
4527 Insert a property drawer into the current entry. The drawer will be
4528 inserted early in the entry, but after the lines with planning
4529 information like deadlines.
4532 With the cursor in a property drawer, this executes property commands.
4534 Set a property in the current entry. Both the property and the value
4535 can be inserted using completion.
4536 @kindex S-@key{right}
4537 @kindex S-@key{left}
4538 @item S-@key{left}/@key{right}
4539 Switch property at point to the next/previous allowed value.
4541 Remove a property from the current entry.
4543 Globally remove a property, from all entries in the current file.
4545 Compute the property at point, using the operator and scope from the
4546 nearest column format definition.
4549 @node Special properties, Property searches, Property syntax, Properties and Columns
4550 @section Special properties
4551 @cindex properties, special
4553 Special properties provide an alternative access method to Org-mode
4554 features, like the TODO state or the priority of an entry, discussed in the
4555 previous chapters. This interface exists so that you can include
4556 these states in a column view (@pxref{Column view}), or to use them in
4557 queries. The following property names are special and should not be
4558 used as keys in the properties drawer:
4560 @cindex property, special, TODO
4561 @cindex property, special, TAGS
4562 @cindex property, special, ALLTAGS
4563 @cindex property, special, CATEGORY
4564 @cindex property, special, PRIORITY
4565 @cindex property, special, DEADLINE
4566 @cindex property, special, SCHEDULED
4567 @cindex property, special, CLOSED
4568 @cindex property, special, TIMESTAMP
4569 @cindex property, special, TIMESTAMP_IA
4570 @cindex property, special, CLOCKSUM
4571 @cindex property, special, BLOCKED
4572 @c guessing that ITEM is needed in this area; also, should this list be sorted?
4573 @cindex property, special, ITEM
4575 TODO @r{The TODO keyword of the entry.}
4576 TAGS @r{The tags defined directly in the headline.}
4577 ALLTAGS @r{All tags, including inherited ones.}
4578 CATEGORY @r{The category of an entry.}
4579 PRIORITY @r{The priority of the entry, a string with a single letter.}
4580 DEADLINE @r{The deadline time string, without the angular brackets.}
4581 SCHEDULED @r{The scheduling timestamp, without the angular brackets.}
4582 CLOSED @r{When was this entry closed?}
4583 TIMESTAMP @r{The first keyword-less timestamp in the entry.}
4584 TIMESTAMP_IA @r{The first inactive timestamp in the entry.}
4585 CLOCKSUM @r{The sum of CLOCK intervals in the subtree. @code{org-clock-sum}}
4586 @r{must be run first to compute the values.}
4587 BLOCKED @r{"t" if task is currently blocked by children or siblings}
4588 ITEM @r{The content of the entry.}
4591 @node Property searches, Property inheritance, Special properties, Properties and Columns
4592 @section Property searches
4593 @cindex properties, searching
4594 @cindex searching, of properties
4596 To create sparse trees and special lists with selection based on properties,
4597 the same commands are used as for tag searches (@pxref{Tag searches}).
4603 Create a sparse tree with all matching entries. With a
4604 @kbd{C-u} prefix argument, ignore headlines that are not a TODO line.
4607 Create a global list of tag/property matches from all agenda files.
4608 @xref{Matching tags and properties}.
4611 @vindex org-tags-match-list-sublevels
4612 Create a global list of tag matches from all agenda files, but check
4613 only TODO items and force checking of subitems (see variable
4614 @code{org-tags-match-list-sublevels}).
4617 The syntax for the search string is described in @ref{Matching tags and
4620 There is also a special command for creating sparse trees based on a
4626 Create a sparse tree based on the value of a property. This first
4627 prompts for the name of a property, and then for a value. A sparse tree
4628 is created with all entries that define this property with the given
4629 value. If you enclose the value into curly braces, it is interpreted as
4630 a regular expression and matched against the property values.
4633 @node Property inheritance, Column view, Property searches, Properties and Columns
4634 @section Property Inheritance
4635 @cindex properties, inheritance
4636 @cindex inheritance, of properties
4638 @vindex org-use-property-inheritance
4639 The outline structure of Org-mode documents lends itself for an
4640 inheritance model of properties: if the parent in a tree has a certain
4641 property, the children can inherit this property. Org-mode does not
4642 turn this on by default, because it can slow down property searches
4643 significantly and is often not needed. However, if you find inheritance
4644 useful, you can turn it on by setting the variable
4645 @code{org-use-property-inheritance}. It may be set to @code{t} to make
4646 all properties inherited from the parent, to a list of properties
4647 that should be inherited, or to a regular expression that matches
4648 inherited properties. If a property has the value @samp{nil}, this is
4649 interpreted as an explicit undefine of he property, so that inheritance
4650 search will stop at this value and return @code{nil}.
4652 Org-mode has a few properties for which inheritance is hard-coded, at
4653 least for the special applications for which they are used:
4655 @cindex property, COLUMNS
4658 The @code{:COLUMNS:} property defines the format of column view
4659 (@pxref{Column view}). It is inherited in the sense that the level
4660 where a @code{:COLUMNS:} property is defined is used as the starting
4661 point for a column view table, independently of the location in the
4662 subtree from where columns view is turned on.
4664 @cindex property, CATEGORY
4665 For agenda view, a category set through a @code{:CATEGORY:} property
4666 applies to the entire subtree.
4668 @cindex property, ARCHIVE
4669 For archiving, the @code{:ARCHIVE:} property may define the archive
4670 location for the entire subtree (@pxref{Moving subtrees}).
4672 @cindex property, LOGGING
4673 The LOGGING property may define logging settings for an entry or a
4674 subtree (@pxref{Tracking TODO state changes}).
4677 @node Column view, Property API, Property inheritance, Properties and Columns
4678 @section Column view
4680 A great way to view and edit properties in an outline tree is
4681 @emph{column view}. In column view, each outline node is turned into a
4682 table row. Columns in this table provide access to properties of the
4683 entries. Org-mode implements columns by overlaying a tabular structure
4684 over the headline of each item. While the headlines have been turned
4685 into a table row, you can still change the visibility of the outline
4686 tree. For example, you get a compact table by switching to CONTENTS
4687 view (@kbd{S-@key{TAB} S-@key{TAB}}, or simply @kbd{c} while column view
4688 is active), but you can still open, read, and edit the entry below each
4689 headline. Or, you can switch to column view after executing a sparse
4690 tree command and in this way get a table only for the selected items.
4691 Column view also works in agenda buffers (@pxref{Agenda Views}) where
4692 queries have collected selected items, possibly from a number of files.
4695 * Defining columns:: The COLUMNS format property
4696 * Using column view:: How to create and use column view
4697 * Capturing column view:: A dynamic block for column view
4700 @node Defining columns, Using column view, Column view, Column view
4701 @subsection Defining columns
4702 @cindex column view, for properties
4703 @cindex properties, column view
4705 Setting up a column view first requires defining the columns. This is
4706 done by defining a column format line.
4709 * Scope of column definitions:: Where defined, where valid?
4710 * Column attributes:: Appearance and content of a column
4713 @node Scope of column definitions, Column attributes, Defining columns, Defining columns
4714 @subsubsection Scope of column definitions
4716 To define a column format for an entire file, use a line like
4720 #+COLUMNS: %25ITEM %TAGS %PRIORITY %TODO
4723 To specify a format that only applies to a specific tree, add a
4724 @code{:COLUMNS:} property to the top node of that tree, for example:
4727 ** Top node for columns view
4729 :COLUMNS: %25ITEM %TAGS %PRIORITY %TODO
4733 If a @code{:COLUMNS:} property is present in an entry, it defines columns
4734 for the entry itself, and for the entire subtree below it. Since the
4735 column definition is part of the hierarchical structure of the document,
4736 you can define columns on level 1 that are general enough for all
4737 sublevels, and more specific columns further down, when you edit a
4738 deeper part of the tree.
4740 @node Column attributes, , Scope of column definitions, Defining columns
4741 @subsubsection Column attributes
4742 A column definition sets the attributes of a column. The general
4743 definition looks like this:
4746 %[@var{width}]@var{property}[(@var{title})][@{@var{summary-type}@}]
4750 Except for the percent sign and the property name, all items are
4751 optional. The individual parts have the following meaning:
4754 @var{width} @r{An integer specifying the width of the column in characters.}
4755 @r{If omitted, the width will be determined automatically.}
4756 @var{property} @r{The property that should be edited in this column.}
4757 @r{Special properties representing meta data are allowed here}
4758 @r{as well (@pxref{Special properties})}
4759 @var{title} @r{The header text for the column. If omitted, the property}
4761 @{@var{summary-type}@} @r{The summary type. If specified, the column values for}
4762 @r{parent nodes are computed from the children.}
4763 @r{Supported summary types are:}
4764 @{+@} @r{Sum numbers in this column.}
4765 @{+;%.1f@} @r{Like @samp{+}, but format result with @samp{%.1f}.}
4766 @{$@} @r{Currency, short for @samp{+;%.2f}.}
4767 @{:@} @r{Sum times, HH:MM, plain numbers are hours.}
4768 @{X@} @r{Checkbox status, @samp{[X]} if all children are @samp{[X]}.}
4769 @{X/@} @r{Checkbox status, @samp{[n/m]}.}
4770 @{X%@} @r{Checkbox status, @samp{[n%]}.}
4771 @{min@} @r{Smallest number in column.}
4772 @{max@} @r{Largest number.}
4773 @{mean@} @r{Arithmetic mean of numbers.}
4774 @{:min@} @r{Smallest time value in column.}
4775 @{:max@} @r{Largest time value.}
4776 @{:mean@} @r{Arithmetic mean of time values.}
4777 @{@@min@} @r{Minimum age (in days/hours/mins/seconds).}
4778 @{@@max@} @r{Maximum age (in days/hours/mins/seconds).}
4779 @{@@mean@} @r{Arithmetic mean of ages (in days/hours/mins/seconds).}
4780 @{est+@} @r{Add low-high estimates.}
4784 Be aware that you can only have one summary type for any property you
4785 include. Subsequent columns referencing the same property will all display the
4786 same summary information.
4788 The @code{est+} summary type requires further explanation. It is used for
4789 combining estimates, expressed as low-high ranges. For example, instead
4790 of estimating a particular task will take 5 days, you might estimate it as
4791 5-6 days if you're fairly confident you know how much woark is required, or
4792 1-10 days if you don't really know what needs to be done. Both ranges
4793 average at 5.5 days, but the first represents a more predictable delivery.
4795 When combining a set of such estimates, simply adding the lows and highs
4796 produces an unrealistically wide result. Instead, @code{est+} adds the
4797 statistical mean and variance of the sub-tasks, generating a final estimate
4798 from the sum. For example, suppose you had ten tasks, each of which was
4799 estimated at 0.5 to 2 days of work. Straight addition produces an estimate
4800 of 5 to 20 days, representing what to expect if everything goes either
4801 extremely well or extremely poorly. In contrast, @code{est+} estimates the
4802 full job more realistically, at 10-15 days.
4804 Here is an example for a complete columns definition, along with allowed
4808 :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.}
4809 %10Time_Estimate@{:@} %CLOCKSUM
4810 :Owner_ALL: Tammy Mark Karl Lisa Don
4811 :Status_ALL: "In progress" "Not started yet" "Finished" ""
4812 :Approved_ALL: "[ ]" "[X]"
4816 The first column, @samp{%25ITEM}, means the first 25 characters of the
4817 item itself, i.e. of the headline. You probably always should start the
4818 column definition with the @samp{ITEM} specifier. The other specifiers
4819 create columns @samp{Owner} with a list of names as allowed values, for
4820 @samp{Status} with four different possible values, and for a checkbox
4821 field @samp{Approved}. When no width is given after the @samp{%}
4822 character, the column will be exactly as wide as it needs to be in order
4823 to fully display all values. The @samp{Approved} column does have a
4824 modified title (@samp{Approved?}, with a question mark). Summaries will
4825 be created for the @samp{Time_Estimate} column by adding time duration
4826 expressions like HH:MM, and for the @samp{Approved} column, by providing
4827 an @samp{[X]} status if all children have been checked. The
4828 @samp{CLOCKSUM} column is special, it lists the sum of CLOCK intervals
4831 @node Using column view, Capturing column view, Defining columns, Column view
4832 @subsection Using column view
4835 @tsubheading{Turning column view on and off}
4838 @vindex org-columns-default-format
4839 Turn on column view. If the cursor is before the first headline in the file,
4840 column view is turned on for the entire file, using the @code{#+COLUMNS}
4841 definition. If the cursor is somewhere inside the outline, this command
4842 searches the hierarchy, up from point, for a @code{:COLUMNS:} property that
4843 defines a format. When one is found, the column view table is established
4844 for the tree starting at the entry that contains the @code{:COLUMNS:}
4845 property. If no such property is found, the format is taken from the
4846 @code{#+COLUMNS} line or from the variable @code{org-columns-default-format},
4847 and column view is established for the current entry and its subtree.
4850 Recreate the column view, to include recent changes made in the buffer.
4857 @tsubheading{Editing values}
4858 @item @key{left} @key{right} @key{up} @key{down}
4859 Move through the column view from field to field.
4860 @kindex S-@key{left}
4861 @kindex S-@key{right}
4862 @item S-@key{left}/@key{right}
4863 Switch to the next/previous allowed value of the field. For this, you
4864 have to have specified allowed values for a property.
4866 Directly select the nth allowed value, @kbd{0} selects the 10th value.
4870 Same as @kbd{S-@key{left}/@key{right}}
4873 Edit the property at point. For the special properties, this will
4874 invoke the same interface that you normally use to change that
4875 property. For example, when editing a TAGS property, the tag completion
4876 or fast selection interface will pop up.
4879 When there is a checkbox at point, toggle it.
4882 View the full value of this property. This is useful if the width of
4883 the column is smaller than that of the value.
4886 Edit the list of allowed values for this property. If the list is found
4887 in the hierarchy, the modified values is stored there. If no list is
4888 found, the new value is stored in the first entry that is part of the
4889 current column view.
4890 @tsubheading{Modifying the table structure}
4894 Make the column narrower/wider by one character.
4895 @kindex S-M-@key{right}
4896 @item S-M-@key{right}
4897 Insert a new column, to the left of the current column.
4898 @kindex S-M-@key{left}
4899 @item S-M-@key{left}
4900 Delete the current column.
4903 @node Capturing column view, , Using column view, Column view
4904 @subsection Capturing column view
4906 Since column view is just an overlay over a buffer, it cannot be
4907 exported or printed directly. If you want to capture a column view, use
4908 a @code{columnview} dynamic block (@pxref{Dynamic blocks}). The frame
4909 of this block looks like this:
4911 @cindex #+BEGIN, columnview
4914 #+BEGIN: columnview :hlines 1 :id "label"
4919 @noindent This dynamic block has the following parameters:
4923 This is the most important parameter. Column view is a feature that is
4924 often localized to a certain (sub)tree, and the capture block might be
4925 at a different location in the file. To identify the tree whose view to
4926 capture, you can use 4 values:
4927 @cindex property, ID
4929 local @r{use the tree in which the capture block is located}
4930 global @r{make a global view, including all headings in the file}
4931 "file:@var{path-to-file}"
4932 @r{run column view at the top of this file}
4933 "@var{ID}" @r{call column view in the tree that has an @code{:ID:}}
4934 @r{property with the value @i{label}. You can use}
4935 @r{@kbd{M-x org-id-copy} to create a globally unique ID for}
4936 @r{the current entry and copy it to the kill-ring.}
4939 When @code{t}, insert an hline after every line. When a number @var{N}, insert
4940 an hline before each headline with level @code{<= @var{N}}.
4942 When set to @code{t}, force column groups to get vertical lines.
4944 When set to a number, don't capture entries below this level.
4945 @item :skip-empty-rows
4946 When set to @code{t}, skip rows where the only non-empty specifier of the
4947 column view is @code{ITEM}.
4952 The following commands insert or update the dynamic block:
4957 Insert a dynamic block capturing a column view. You will be prompted
4958 for the scope or ID of the view.
4963 Update dynamic block at point. The cursor needs to be in the
4964 @code{#+BEGIN} line of the dynamic block.
4965 @kindex C-u C-c C-x C-u
4966 @item C-u C-c C-x C-u
4967 Update all dynamic blocks (@pxref{Dynamic blocks}). This is useful if
4968 you have several clock table blocks in a buffer.
4971 You can add formulas to the column view table and you may add plotting
4972 instructions in front of the table---these will survive an update of the
4973 block. If there is a @code{#+TBLFM:} after the table, the table will
4974 actually be recalculated automatically after an update.
4976 An alternative way to capture and process property values into a table is
4977 provided by Eric Schulte's @file{org-collector.el} which is a contributed
4978 package@footnote{Contributed packages are not part of Emacs, but are
4979 distributed with the main distribution of Org (visit
4980 @uref{http://orgmode.org}).}. It provides a general API to collect
4981 properties from entries in a certain scope, and arbitrary Lisp expressions to
4982 process these values before inserting them into a table or a dynamic block.
4984 @node Property API, , Column view, Properties and Columns
4985 @section The Property API
4986 @cindex properties, API
4987 @cindex API, for properties
4989 There is a full API for accessing and changing properties. This API can
4990 be used by Emacs Lisp programs to work with properties and to implement
4991 features based on them. For more information see @ref{Using the
4994 @node Dates and Times, Capture - Refile - Archive, Properties and Columns, Top
4995 @chapter Dates and times
5001 To assist project planning, TODO items can be labeled with a date and/or
5002 a time. The specially formatted string carrying the date and time
5003 information is called a @emph{timestamp} in Org-mode. This may be a
5004 little confusing because timestamp is often used as indicating when
5005 something was created or last changed. However, in Org-mode this term
5006 is used in a much wider sense.
5009 * Timestamps:: Assigning a time to a tree entry
5010 * Creating timestamps:: Commands which insert timestamps
5011 * Deadlines and scheduling:: Planning your work
5012 * Clocking work time:: Tracking how long you spend on a task
5013 * Resolving idle time:: Resolving time if you've been idle
5014 * Effort estimates:: Planning work effort in advance
5015 * Relative timer:: Notes with a running timer
5019 @node Timestamps, Creating timestamps, Dates and Times, Dates and Times
5020 @section Timestamps, deadlines, and scheduling
5022 @cindex ranges, time
5027 A timestamp is a specification of a date (possibly with a time or a range of
5028 times) in a special format, either @samp{<2003-09-16 Tue>} or
5029 @samp{<2003-09-16 Tue 09:39>} or @samp{<2003-09-16 Tue
5030 12:00-12:30>}@footnote{This is inspired by the standard ISO 8601 date/time
5031 format. To use an alternative format, see @ref{Custom time format}.}. A
5032 timestamp can appear anywhere in the headline or body of an Org tree entry.
5033 Its presence causes entries to be shown on specific dates in the agenda
5034 (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}). We distinguish:
5037 @item Plain timestamp; Event; Appointment
5039 A simple timestamp just assigns a date/time to an item. This is just
5040 like writing down an appointment or event in a paper agenda. In the
5041 timeline and agenda displays, the headline of an entry associated with a
5042 plain timestamp will be shown exactly on that date.
5045 * Meet Peter at the movies <2006-11-01 Wed 19:15>
5046 * Discussion on climate change <2006-11-02 Thu 20:00-22:00>
5049 @item Timestamp with repeater interval
5050 @cindex timestamp, with repeater interval
5051 A timestamp may contain a @emph{repeater interval}, indicating that it
5052 applies not only on the given date, but again and again after a certain
5053 interval of N days (d), weeks (w), months (m), or years (y). The
5054 following will show up in the agenda every Wednesday:
5057 * Pick up Sam at school <2007-05-16 Wed 12:30 +1w>
5060 @item Diary-style sexp entries
5061 For more complex date specifications, Org-mode supports using the
5062 special sexp diary entries implemented in the Emacs calendar/diary
5063 package. For example
5066 * The nerd meeting on every 2nd Thursday of the month
5067 <%%(diary-float t 4 2)>
5070 @item Time/Date range
5073 Two timestamps connected by @samp{--} denote a range. The headline
5074 will be shown on the first and last day of the range, and on any dates
5075 that are displayed and fall in the range. Here is an example:
5078 ** Meeting in Amsterdam
5079 <2004-08-23 Mon>--<2004-08-26 Thu>
5082 @item Inactive timestamp
5083 @cindex timestamp, inactive
5084 @cindex inactive timestamp
5085 Just like a plain timestamp, but with square brackets instead of
5086 angular ones. These timestamps are inactive in the sense that they do
5087 @emph{not} trigger an entry to show up in the agenda.
5090 * Gillian comes late for the fifth time [2006-11-01 Wed]
5095 @node Creating timestamps, Deadlines and scheduling, Timestamps, Dates and Times
5096 @section Creating timestamps
5097 @cindex creating timestamps
5098 @cindex timestamps, creating
5100 For Org-mode to recognize timestamps, they need to be in the specific
5101 format. All commands listed below produce timestamps in the correct
5105 @orgcmd{C-c .,org-time-stamp}
5106 Prompt for a date and insert a corresponding timestamp. When the cursor is
5107 at an existing timestamp in the buffer, the command is used to modify this
5108 timestamp instead of inserting a new one. When this command is used twice in
5109 succession, a time range is inserted.
5111 @orgcmd{C-c !,org-time-stamp-inactive}
5112 Like @kbd{C-c .}, but insert an inactive timestamp that will not cause
5119 @vindex org-time-stamp-rounding-minutes
5120 Like @kbd{C-c .} and @kbd{C-c !}, but use the alternative format which
5121 contains date and time. The default time can be rounded to multiples of 5
5122 minutes, see the option @code{org-time-stamp-rounding-minutes}.
5124 @orgcmd{C-c <,org-date-from-calendar}
5125 Insert a timestamp corresponding to the cursor date in the Calendar.
5127 @orgcmd{C-c >,org-goto-calendar}
5128 Access the Emacs calendar for the current date. If there is a
5129 timestamp in the current line, go to the corresponding date
5132 @orgcmd{C-c C-o,org-open-at-point}
5133 Access the agenda for the date given by the timestamp or -range at
5134 point (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}).
5136 @kindex S-@key{left}
5137 @kindex S-@key{right}
5139 @itemx S-@key{right}
5140 Change date at cursor by one day. These key bindings conflict with
5141 shift-selection and related modes (@pxref{Conflicts}).
5144 @kindex S-@key{down}
5147 Change the item under the cursor in a timestamp. The cursor can be on a
5148 year, month, day, hour or minute. When the timestamp contains a time range
5149 like @samp{15:30-16:30}, modifying the first time will also shift the second,
5150 shifting the time block with constant length. To change the length, modify
5151 the second time. Note that if the cursor is in a headline and not at a
5152 timestamp, these same keys modify the priority of an item.
5153 (@pxref{Priorities}). The key bindings also conflict with shift-selection and
5154 related modes (@pxref{Conflicts}).
5157 @cindex evaluate time range
5159 Evaluate a time range by computing the difference between start and end.
5160 With a prefix argument, insert result after the time range (in a table: into
5161 the following column).
5166 * The date/time prompt:: How Org-mode helps you entering date and time
5167 * Custom time format:: Making dates look different
5170 @node The date/time prompt, Custom time format, Creating timestamps, Creating timestamps
5171 @subsection The date/time prompt
5172 @cindex date, reading in minibuffer
5173 @cindex time, reading in minibuffer
5175 @vindex org-read-date-prefer-future
5176 When Org-mode prompts for a date/time, the default is shown in default
5177 date/time format, and the prompt therefore seems to ask for a specific
5178 format. But it will in fact accept any string containing some date and/or
5179 time information, and it is really smart about interpreting your input. You
5180 can, for example, use @kbd{C-y} to paste a (possibly multi-line) string
5181 copied from an email message. Org-mode will find whatever information is in
5182 there and derive anything you have not specified from the @emph{default date
5183 and time}. The default is usually the current date and time, but when
5184 modifying an existing timestamp, or when entering the second stamp of a
5185 range, it is taken from the stamp in the buffer. When filling in
5186 information, Org-mode assumes that most of the time you will want to enter a
5187 date in the future: if you omit the month/year and the given day/month is
5188 @i{before} today, it will assume that you mean a future date@footnote{See the
5189 variable @code{org-read-date-prefer-future}. You may set that variable to
5190 the symbol @code{time} to even make a time before now shift the date to
5191 tomorrow.}. If the date has been automatically shifted into the future, the
5192 time prompt will show this with @samp{(=>F).}
5194 For example, let's assume that today is @b{June 13, 2006}. Here is how
5195 various inputs will be interpreted, the items filled in by Org-mode are
5199 3-2-5 --> 2003-02-05
5200 2/5/3 --> 2003-02-05
5201 14 --> @b{2006}-@b{06}-14
5202 12 --> @b{2006}-@b{07}-12
5203 2/5 --> @b{2007}-02-05
5204 Fri --> nearest Friday (default date or later)
5205 sep 15 --> @b{2006}-09-15
5206 feb 15 --> @b{2007}-02-15
5207 sep 12 9 --> 2009-09-12
5208 12:45 --> @b{2006}-@b{06}-@b{13} 12:45
5209 22 sept 0:34 --> @b{2006}-09-22 0:34
5210 w4 --> ISO week for of the current year @b{2006}
5211 2012 w4 fri --> Friday of ISO week 4 in 2012
5212 2012-w04-5 --> Same as above
5215 Furthermore you can specify a relative date by giving, as the
5216 @emph{first} thing in the input: a plus/minus sign, a number and a
5217 letter ([dwmy]) to indicate change in days, weeks, months, or years. With a
5218 single plus or minus, the date is always relative to today. With a
5219 double plus or minus, it is relative to the default date. If instead of
5220 a single letter, you use the abbreviation of day name, the date will be
5221 the nth such day. E.g.
5226 +4d --> four days from today
5227 +4 --> same as above
5228 +2w --> two weeks from today
5229 ++5 --> five days from default date
5230 +2tue --> second Tuesday from now.
5233 @vindex parse-time-months
5234 @vindex parse-time-weekdays
5235 The function understands English month and weekday abbreviations. If
5236 you want to use unabbreviated names and/or other languages, configure
5237 the variables @code{parse-time-months} and @code{parse-time-weekdays}.
5239 You can specify a time range by giving start and end times or by giving a
5240 start time and a duration (in HH:MM format). Use '-' or '--' as the separator
5241 in the former case and use '+' as the separator in the latter case. E.g.
5244 11am-1:15pm --> 11:00-13:15
5245 11am--1:15pm --> same as above
5246 11am+2:15 --> same as above
5249 @cindex calendar, for selecting date
5250 @vindex org-popup-calendar-for-date-prompt
5251 Parallel to the minibuffer prompt, a calendar is popped up@footnote{If
5252 you don't need/want the calendar, configure the variable
5253 @code{org-popup-calendar-for-date-prompt}.}. When you exit the date
5254 prompt, either by clicking on a date in the calendar, or by pressing
5255 @key{RET}, the date selected in the calendar will be combined with the
5256 information entered at the prompt. You can control the calendar fully
5257 from the minibuffer:
5264 @kindex S-@key{right}
5265 @kindex S-@key{left}
5266 @kindex S-@key{down}
5268 @kindex M-S-@key{right}
5269 @kindex M-S-@key{left}
5272 @key{RET} @r{Choose date at cursor in calendar.}
5273 mouse-1 @r{Select date by clicking on it.}
5274 S-@key{right}/@key{left} @r{One day forward/backward.}
5275 S-@key{down}/@key{up} @r{One week forward/backward.}
5276 M-S-@key{right}/@key{left} @r{One month forward/backward.}
5277 > / < @r{Scroll calendar forward/backward by one month.}
5278 M-v / C-v @r{Scroll calendar forward/backward by 3 months.}
5281 @vindex org-read-date-display-live
5282 The actions of the date/time prompt may seem complex, but I assure you they
5283 will grow on you, and you will start getting annoyed by pretty much any other
5284 way of entering a date/time out there. To help you understand what is going
5285 on, the current interpretation of your input will be displayed live in the
5286 minibuffer@footnote{If you find this distracting, turn the display of with
5287 @code{org-read-date-display-live}.}.
5289 @node Custom time format, , The date/time prompt, Creating timestamps
5290 @subsection Custom time format
5291 @cindex custom date/time format
5292 @cindex time format, custom
5293 @cindex date format, custom
5295 @vindex org-display-custom-times
5296 @vindex org-time-stamp-custom-formats
5297 Org-mode uses the standard ISO notation for dates and times as it is
5298 defined in ISO 8601. If you cannot get used to this and require another
5299 representation of date and time to keep you happy, you can get it by
5300 customizing the variables @code{org-display-custom-times} and
5301 @code{org-time-stamp-custom-formats}.
5306 Toggle the display of custom formats for dates and times.
5310 Org-mode needs the default format for scanning, so the custom date/time
5311 format does not @emph{replace} the default format---instead it is put
5312 @emph{over} the default format using text properties. This has the
5313 following consequences:
5316 You cannot place the cursor onto a timestamp anymore, only before or
5319 The @kbd{S-@key{up}/@key{down}} keys can no longer be used to adjust
5320 each component of a timestamp. If the cursor is at the beginning of
5321 the stamp, @kbd{S-@key{up}/@key{down}} will change the stamp by one day,
5322 just like @kbd{S-@key{left}/@key{right}}. At the end of the stamp, the
5323 time will be changed by one minute.
5325 If the timestamp contains a range of clock times or a repeater, these
5326 will not be overlayed, but remain in the buffer as they were.
5328 When you delete a timestamp character-by-character, it will only
5329 disappear from the buffer after @emph{all} (invisible) characters
5330 belonging to the ISO timestamp have been removed.
5332 If the custom timestamp format is longer than the default and you are
5333 using dates in tables, table alignment will be messed up. If the custom
5334 format is shorter, things do work as expected.
5338 @node Deadlines and scheduling, Clocking work time, Creating timestamps, Dates and Times
5339 @section Deadlines and scheduling
5341 A timestamp may be preceded by special keywords to facilitate planning:
5345 @cindex DEADLINE keyword
5347 Meaning: the task (most likely a TODO item, though not necessarily) is supposed
5348 to be finished on that date.
5350 @vindex org-deadline-warning-days
5351 On the deadline date, the task will be listed in the agenda. In
5352 addition, the agenda for @emph{today} will carry a warning about the
5353 approaching or missed deadline, starting
5354 @code{org-deadline-warning-days} before the due date, and continuing
5355 until the entry is marked DONE. An example:
5358 *** TODO write article about the Earth for the Guide
5359 The editor in charge is [[bbdb:Ford Prefect]]
5360 DEADLINE: <2004-02-29 Sun>
5363 You can specify a different lead time for warnings for a specific
5364 deadlines using the following syntax. Here is an example with a warning
5365 period of 5 days @code{DEADLINE: <2004-02-29 Sun -5d>}.
5368 @cindex SCHEDULED keyword
5370 Meaning: you are planning to start working on that task on the given
5373 @vindex org-agenda-skip-scheduled-if-done
5374 The headline will be listed under the given date@footnote{It will still
5375 be listed on that date after it has been marked DONE. If you don't like
5376 this, set the variable @code{org-agenda-skip-scheduled-if-done}.}. In
5377 addition, a reminder that the scheduled date has passed will be present
5378 in the compilation for @emph{today}, until the entry is marked DONE.
5379 I.e. the task will automatically be forwarded until completed.
5382 *** TODO Call Trillian for a date on New Years Eve.
5383 SCHEDULED: <2004-12-25 Sat>
5387 @b{Important:} Scheduling an item in Org-mode should @i{not} be
5388 understood in the same way that we understand @i{scheduling a meeting}.
5389 Setting a date for a meeting is just a simple appointment, you should
5390 mark this entry with a simple plain timestamp, to get this item shown
5391 on the date where it applies. This is a frequent misunderstanding by
5392 Org users. In Org-mode, @i{scheduling} means setting a date when you
5393 want to start working on an action item.
5396 You may use timestamps with repeaters in scheduling and deadline
5397 entries. Org-mode will issue early and late warnings based on the
5398 assumption that the timestamp represents the @i{nearest instance} of
5399 the repeater. However, the use of diary sexp entries like
5401 @code{<%%(diary-float t 42)>}
5403 in scheduling and deadline timestamps is limited. Org-mode does not
5404 know enough about the internals of each sexp function to issue early and
5405 late warnings. However, it will show the item on each day where the
5409 * Inserting deadline/schedule:: Planning items
5410 * Repeated tasks:: Items that show up again and again
5413 @node Inserting deadline/schedule, Repeated tasks, Deadlines and scheduling, Deadlines and scheduling
5414 @subsection Inserting deadlines or schedules
5416 The following commands allow you to quickly insert a deadline or to schedule
5423 Insert @samp{DEADLINE} keyword along with a stamp. The insertion will happen
5424 in the line directly following the headline. When called with a prefix arg,
5425 an existing deadline will be removed from the entry. Depending on the
5426 variable @code{org-log-redeadline}@footnote{with corresponding
5427 @code{#+STARTUP} keywords @code{logredeadline}, @code{lognoteredeadline},
5428 and @code{nologredeadline}}, a note will be taken when changing an existing
5430 @c FIXME Any CLOSED timestamp will be removed.????????
5434 Insert @samp{SCHEDULED} keyword along with a stamp. The insertion will
5435 happen in the line directly following the headline. Any CLOSED timestamp
5436 will be removed. When called with a prefix argument, remove the scheduling
5437 date from the entry. Depending on the variable
5438 @code{org-log-reschedule}@footnote{with corresponding @code{#+STARTUP}
5439 keywords @code{logredeadline}, @code{lognoteredeadline}, and
5440 @code{nologredeadline}}, a note will be taken when changing an existing
5447 Mark the current entry for agenda action. After you have marked the entry
5448 like this, you can open the agenda or the calendar to find an appropriate
5449 date. With the cursor on the selected date, press @kbd{k s} or @kbd{k d} to
5450 schedule the marked item.
5453 @cindex sparse tree, for deadlines
5455 @vindex org-deadline-warning-days
5456 Create a sparse tree with all deadlines that are either past-due, or
5457 which will become due within @code{org-deadline-warning-days}.
5458 With @kbd{C-u} prefix, show all deadlines in the file. With a numeric
5459 prefix, check that many days. For example, @kbd{C-1 C-c / d} shows
5460 all deadlines due tomorrow.
5464 Sparse tree for deadlines and scheduled items before a given date.
5468 Sparse tree for deadlines and scheduled items after a given date.
5471 @node Repeated tasks, , Inserting deadline/schedule, Deadlines and scheduling
5472 @subsection Repeated tasks
5473 @cindex tasks, repeated
5474 @cindex repeated tasks
5476 Some tasks need to be repeated again and again. Org-mode helps to
5477 organize such tasks using a so-called repeater in a DEADLINE, SCHEDULED,
5478 or plain timestamp. In the following example
5480 ** TODO Pay the rent
5481 DEADLINE: <2005-10-01 Sat +1m>
5484 the @code{+1m} is a repeater; the intended interpretation is that the task
5485 has a deadline on <2005-10-01> and repeats itself every (one) month starting
5486 from that time. If you need both a repeater and a special warning period in
5487 a deadline entry, the repeater should come first and the warning period last:
5488 @code{DEADLINE: <2005-10-01 Sat +1m -3d>}.
5490 @vindex org-todo-repeat-to-state
5491 Deadlines and scheduled items produce entries in the agenda when they are
5492 over-due, so it is important to be able to mark such an entry as completed
5493 once you have done so. When you mark a DEADLINE or a SCHEDULE with the TODO
5494 keyword DONE, it will no longer produce entries in the agenda. The problem
5495 with this is, however, that then also the @emph{next} instance of the
5496 repeated entry will not be active. Org-mode deals with this in the following
5497 way: When you try to mark such an entry DONE (using @kbd{C-c C-t}), it will
5498 shift the base date of the repeating timestamp by the repeater interval, and
5499 immediately set the entry state back to TODO@footnote{In fact, the target
5500 state is taken from, in this sequence, the @code{REPEAT_TO_STATE} property or
5501 the variable @code{org-todo-repeat-to-state}. If neither of these is
5502 specified, the target state defaults to the first state of the TODO state
5503 sequence.}. In the example above, setting the state to DONE would actually
5504 switch the date like this:
5507 ** TODO Pay the rent
5508 DEADLINE: <2005-11-01 Tue +1m>
5511 @vindex org-log-repeat
5512 A timestamp@footnote{You can change this using the option
5513 @code{org-log-repeat}, or the @code{#+STARTUP} options @code{logrepeat},
5514 @code{lognoterepeat}, and @code{nologrepeat}. With @code{lognoterepeat}, you
5515 will also be prompted for a note.} will be added under the deadline, to keep
5516 a record that you actually acted on the previous instance of this deadline.
5518 As a consequence of shifting the base date, this entry will no longer be
5519 visible in the agenda when checking past dates, but all future instances
5522 With the @samp{+1m} cookie, the date shift will always be exactly one
5523 month. So if you have not paid the rent for three months, marking this
5524 entry DONE will still keep it as an overdue deadline. Depending on the
5525 task, this may not be the best way to handle it. For example, if you
5526 forgot to call you father for 3 weeks, it does not make sense to call
5527 him 3 times in a single day to make up for it. Finally, there are tasks
5528 like changing batteries which should always repeat a certain time
5529 @i{after} the last time you did it. For these tasks, Org-mode has
5530 special repeaters markers with @samp{++} and @samp{.+}. For example:
5534 DEADLINE: <2008-02-10 Sun ++1w>
5535 Marking this DONE will shift the date by at least one week,
5536 but also by as many weeks as it takes to get this date into
5537 the future. However, it stays on a Sunday, even if you called
5538 and marked it done on Saturday.
5539 ** TODO Check the batteries in the smoke detectors
5540 DEADLINE: <2005-11-01 Tue .+1m>
5541 Marking this DONE will shift the date to one month after
5545 You may have both scheduling and deadline information for a specific
5546 task---just make sure that the repeater intervals on both are the same.
5548 An alternative to using a repeater is to create a number of copies of a task
5549 subtree, with dates shifted in each copy. The command @kbd{C-c C-x c} was
5550 created for this purpose, it is described in @ref{Structure editing}.
5553 @node Clocking work time, Resolving idle time, Deadlines and scheduling, Dates and Times
5554 @section Clocking work time
5556 Org-mode allows you to clock the time you spend on specific tasks in a
5557 project. When you start working on an item, you can start the clock.
5558 When you stop working on that task, or when you mark the task done, the
5559 clock is stopped and the corresponding time interval is recorded. It
5560 also computes the total time spent on each subtree of a project. And it
5561 remembers a history or tasks recently clocked, to that you can jump quickly
5562 between a number of tasks absorbing your time.
5564 To save the clock history across Emacs sessions, use
5566 (setq org-clock-persist 'history)
5567 (org-clock-persistence-insinuate)
5569 When you clock into a new task after resuming Emacs, the incomplete
5570 clock@footnote{To resume the clock under the assumption that you have worked
5571 on this task while outside Emacs, use @code{(setq org-clock-persist t)}.}
5572 will be found (@pxref{Resolving idle time}) and you will be prompted about
5578 @vindex org-clock-into-drawer
5579 Start the clock on the current item (clock-in). This inserts the CLOCK
5580 keyword together with a timestamp. If this is not the first clocking of
5581 this item, the multiple CLOCK lines will be wrapped into a
5582 @code{:LOGBOOK:} drawer (see also the variable
5583 @code{org-clock-into-drawer}). When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix argument,
5584 select the task from a list of recently clocked tasks. With two @kbd{C-u
5585 C-u} prefixes, clock into the task at point and mark it as the default task.
5586 The default task will always be available when selecting a clocking task,
5587 with letter @kbd{d}.@*
5588 @cindex property: CLOCK_MODELINE_TOTAL
5589 @cindex property: LAST_REPEAT
5590 @vindex org-clock-modeline-total
5591 While the clock is running, the current clocking time is shown in the mode
5592 line, along with the title of the task. The clock time shown will be all
5593 time ever clocked for this task and its children. If the task has an effort
5594 estimate (@pxref{Effort estimates}), the mode line displays the current
5595 clocking time against it@footnote{To add an effort estimate ``on the fly'',
5596 hook a function doing this to @code{org-clock-in-prepare-hook}.} If the task
5597 is a repeating one (@pxref{Repeated tasks}), only the time since the last
5598 reset of the task @footnote{as recorded by the @code{LAST_REPEAT} property}
5599 will be shown. More control over what time is shown can be exercised with
5600 the @code{CLOCK_MODELINE_TOTAL} property. It may have the values
5601 @code{current} to show only the current clocking instance, @code{today} to
5602 show all time clocked on this tasks today (see also the variable
5603 @code{org-extend-today-until}), @code{all} to include all time, or
5604 @code{auto} which is the default@footnote{See also the variable
5605 @code{org-clock-modeline-total}.}.@* Clicking with @kbd{mouse-1} onto the
5606 mode line entry will pop up a menu with clocking options.
5609 @vindex org-log-note-clock-out
5610 Stop the clock (clock-out). This inserts another timestamp at the same
5611 location where the clock was last started. It also directly computes
5612 the resulting time in inserts it after the time range as @samp{=>
5613 HH:MM}. See the variable @code{org-log-note-clock-out} for the
5614 possibility to record an additional note together with the clock-out
5615 timestamp@footnote{The corresponding in-buffer setting is:
5616 @code{#+STARTUP: lognoteclock-out}}.
5619 Update the effort estimate for the current clock task.
5622 @item C-c C-y @ @ @r{or}@ @ C-c C-c
5623 Recompute the time interval after changing one of the timestamps. This
5624 is only necessary if you edit the timestamps directly. If you change
5625 them with @kbd{S-@key{cursor}} keys, the update is automatic.
5628 Changing the TODO state of an item to DONE automatically stops the clock
5629 if it is running in this same item.
5632 Cancel the current clock. This is useful if a clock was started by
5633 mistake, or if you ended up working on something else.
5636 Jump to the headline of the currently clocked in task. With a @kbd{C-u}
5637 prefix arg, select the target task from a list of recently clocked tasks.
5640 @vindex org-remove-highlights-with-change
5641 Display time summaries for each subtree in the current buffer. This
5642 puts overlays at the end of each headline, showing the total time
5643 recorded under that heading, including the time of any subheadings. You
5644 can use visibility cycling to study the tree, but the overlays disappear
5645 when you change the buffer (see variable
5646 @code{org-remove-highlights-with-change}) or press @kbd{C-c C-c}.
5649 Insert a dynamic block (@pxref{Dynamic blocks}) containing a clock
5650 report as an Org-mode table into the current file. When the cursor is
5651 at an existing clock table, just update it. When called with a prefix
5652 argument, jump to the first clock report in the current document and
5654 @cindex #+BEGIN, clocktable
5656 #+BEGIN: clocktable :maxlevel 2 :emphasize nil :scope file
5660 If such a block already exists at point, its content is replaced by the
5661 new table. The @samp{BEGIN} line can specify options:
5663 :maxlevel @r{Maximum level depth to which times are listed in the table.}
5664 :emphasize @r{When @code{t}, emphasize level one and level two items.}
5665 :scope @r{The scope to consider. This can be any of the following:}
5666 nil @r{the current buffer or narrowed region}
5667 file @r{the full current buffer}
5668 subtree @r{the subtree where the clocktable is located}
5669 tree@var{N} @r{the surrounding level @var{N} tree, for example @code{tree3}}
5670 tree @r{the surrounding level 1 tree}
5671 agenda @r{all agenda files}
5672 ("file"..) @r{scan these files}
5673 file-with-archives @r{current file and its archives}
5674 agenda-with-archives @r{all agenda files, including archives}
5675 :block @r{The time block to consider. This block is specified either}
5676 @r{absolute, or relative to the current time and may be any of}
5678 2007-12-31 @r{New year eve 2007}
5679 2007-12 @r{December 2007}
5680 2007-W50 @r{ISO-week 50 in 2007}
5681 2007 @r{the year 2007}
5682 today, yesterday, today-@var{N} @r{a relative day}
5683 thisweek, lastweek, thisweek-@var{N} @r{a relative week}
5684 thismonth, lastmonth, thismonth-@var{N} @r{a relative month}
5685 thisyear, lastyear, thisyear-@var{N} @r{a relative year}
5686 @r{Use @kbd{S-@key{left}/@key{right}} keys to shift the time interval.}
5687 :tstart @r{A time string specifying when to start considering times.}
5688 :tend @r{A time string specifying when to stop considering times.}
5689 :step @r{@code{week} or @code{day}, to split the table into chunks.}
5690 @r{To use this, @code{:block} or @code{:tstart}, @code{:tend} are needed.}
5691 :stepskip0 @r{Don't show steps that have zero time}
5692 :tags @r{A tags match to select entries that should contribute}
5693 :link @r{Link the item headlines in the table to their origins.}
5694 :formula @r{Content of a @code{#+TBLFM} line to be added and evaluated.}
5695 @r{As a special case, @samp{:formula %} adds a column with % time.}
5696 @r{If you do not specify a formula here, any existing formula.}
5697 @r{below the clock table will survive updates and be evaluated.}
5698 :timestamp @r{A timestamp for the entry, when available. Look for SCHEDULED,}
5699 @r{DEADLINE, TIMESTAMP and TIMESTAMP_IA, in this order.}
5701 To get a clock summary of the current level 1 tree, for the current
5702 day, you could write
5704 #+BEGIN: clocktable :maxlevel 2 :block today :scope tree1 :link t
5708 and to use a specific time range you could write@footnote{Note that all
5709 parameters must be specified in a single line---the line is broken here
5710 only to fit it into the manual.}
5712 #+BEGIN: clocktable :tstart "<2006-08-10 Thu 10:00>"
5713 :tend "<2006-08-10 Thu 12:00>"
5716 A summary of the current subtree with % times would be
5718 #+BEGIN: clocktable :scope subtree :link t :formula %
5725 Update dynamic block at point. The cursor needs to be in the
5726 @code{#+BEGIN} line of the dynamic block.
5727 @kindex C-u C-c C-x C-u
5728 @item C-u C-c C-x C-u
5729 Update all dynamic blocks (@pxref{Dynamic blocks}). This is useful if
5730 you have several clock table blocks in a buffer.
5731 @kindex S-@key{left}
5732 @kindex S-@key{right}
5734 @itemx S-@key{right}
5735 Shift the current @code{:block} interval and update the table. The cursor
5736 needs to be in the @code{#+BEGIN: clocktable} line for this command. If
5737 @code{:block} is @code{today}, it will be shifted to @code{today-1} etc.
5740 The @kbd{l} key may be used in the timeline (@pxref{Timeline}) and in
5741 the agenda (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}) to show which tasks have been
5742 worked on or closed during a day.
5744 @node Resolving idle time, Effort estimates, Clocking work time, Dates and Times
5745 @section Resolving idle time
5746 @cindex resolve idle time
5748 @cindex idle, resolve, dangling
5749 If you clock in on a work item, and then walk away from your
5750 computer---perhaps to take a phone call---you often need to ``resolve'' the
5751 time you were away by either subtracting it from the current clock, or
5752 applying it to another one.
5754 @vindex org-clock-idle-time
5755 By customizing the variable @code{org-clock-idle-time} to some integer, such
5756 as 10 or 15, Emacs can alert you when you get back to your computer after
5757 being idle for that many minutes@footnote{On computers using Mac OS X,
5758 idleness is based on actual user idleness, not just Emacs' idle time. For
5759 X11, you can install a utility program @file{x11idle.c}, available in the
5760 UTILITIES directory of the Org git distribution, to get the same general
5761 treatment of idleness. On other systems, idle time refers to Emacs idle time
5762 only.}, and ask what you want to do with the idle time. There will be a
5763 question waiting for you when you get back, indicating how much idle time has
5764 passed (constantly updated with the current amount), as well as a set of
5765 choices to correct the discrepancy:
5769 To keep some or all of the minutes and stay clocked in, press @kbd{k}. Org
5770 will ask how many of the minutes to keep. Press @key{RET} to keep them all,
5771 effectively changing nothing, or enter a number to keep that many minutes.
5773 If you use the shift key and press @kbd{K}, it will keep however many minutes
5774 you request and then immediately clock out of that task. If you keep all of
5775 the minutes, this is the same as just clocking out of the current task.
5777 To keep none of the minutes, use @kbd{s} to subtract all the away time from
5778 the clock, and then check back in from the moment you returned.
5780 To keep none of the minutes and just clock out at the start of the away time,
5781 use the shift key and press @kbd{S}. Remember that using shift will always
5782 leave you clocked out, no matter which option you choose.
5784 To cancel the clock altogether, use @kbd{C}. Note that if instead of
5785 canceling you subtract the away time, and the resulting clock amount is less
5786 than a minute, the clock will still be canceled rather than clutter up the
5787 log with an empty entry.
5790 What if you subtracted those away minutes from the current clock, and now
5791 want to apply them to a new clock? Simply clock in to any task immediately
5792 after the subtraction. Org will notice that you have subtracted time ``on
5793 the books'', so to speak, and will ask if you want to apply those minutes to
5794 the next task you clock in on.
5796 There is one other instance when this clock resolution magic occurs. Say you
5797 were clocked in and hacking away, and suddenly your cat chased a mouse who
5798 scared a hamster that crashed into your UPS's power button! You suddenly
5799 lose all your buffers, but thanks to auto-save you still have your recent Org
5800 mode changes, including your last clock in.
5802 If you restart Emacs and clock into any task, Org will notice that you have a
5803 dangling clock which was never clocked out from your last session. Using
5804 that clock's starting time as the beginning of the unaccounted-for period,
5805 Org will ask how you want to resolve that time. The logic and behavior is
5806 identical to dealing with away time due to idleness, it's just happening due
5807 to a recovery event rather than a set amount of idle time.
5809 You can also check all the files visited by your Org agenda for dangling
5810 clocks at any time using @kbd{M-x org-resolve-clocks}.
5812 @node Effort estimates, Relative timer, Resolving idle time, Dates and Times
5813 @section Effort estimates
5814 @cindex effort estimates
5816 @cindex property, Effort
5817 @vindex org-effort-property
5818 If you want to plan your work in a very detailed way, or if you need to
5819 produce offers with quotations of the estimated work effort, you may want to
5820 assign effort estimates to entries. If you are also clocking your work, you
5821 may later want to compare the planned effort with the actual working time, a
5822 great way to improve planning estimates. Effort estimates are stored in a
5823 special property @samp{Effort}@footnote{You may change the property being
5824 used with the variable @code{org-effort-property}.}. You can set the effort
5825 for an entry with the following commands:
5830 Set the effort estimate for the current entry. With a numeric prefix
5831 argument, set it to the NTH allowed value (see below). This command is also
5832 accessible from the agenda with the @kbd{e} key.
5835 Modify the effort estimate of the item currently being clocked.
5838 Clearly the best way to work with effort estimates is through column view
5839 (@pxref{Column view}). You should start by setting up discrete values for
5840 effort estimates, and a @code{COLUMNS} format that displays these values
5841 together with clock sums (if you want to clock your time). For a specific
5845 #+PROPERTY: Effort_ALL 0 0:10 0:30 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00 8:00
5846 #+COLUMNS: %40ITEM(Task) %17Effort(Estimated Effort)@{:@} %CLOCKSUM
5850 @vindex org-global-properties
5851 @vindex org-columns-default-format
5852 or, even better, you can set up these values globally by customizing the
5853 variables @code{org-global-properties} and @code{org-columns-default-format}.
5854 In particular if you want to use this setup also in the agenda, a global
5855 setup may be advised.
5857 The way to assign estimates to individual items is then to switch to column
5858 mode, and to use @kbd{S-@key{right}} and @kbd{S-@key{left}} to change the
5859 value. The values you enter will immediately be summed up in the hierarchy.
5860 In the column next to it, any clocked time will be displayed.
5862 @vindex org-agenda-columns-add-appointments-to-effort-sum
5863 If you switch to column view in the daily/weekly agenda, the effort column
5864 will summarize the estimated work effort for each day@footnote{Please note
5865 the pitfalls of summing hierarchical data in a flat list (@pxref{Agenda
5866 column view}).}, and you can use this to find space in your schedule. To get
5867 an overview of the entire part of the day that is committed, you can set the
5868 option @code{org-agenda-columns-add-appointments-to-effort-sum}. The
5869 appointments on a day that take place over a specified time interval will
5870 then also be added to the load estimate of the day.
5872 Effort estimates can be used in secondary agenda filtering that is triggered
5873 with the @kbd{/} key in the agenda (@pxref{Agenda commands}). If you have
5874 these estimates defined consistently, two or three key presses will narrow
5875 down the list to stuff that fits into an available time slot.
5877 @node Relative timer, Countdown timer, Effort estimates, Dates and Times
5878 @section Taking notes with a relative timer
5879 @cindex relative timer
5881 When taking notes during, for example, a meeting or a video viewing, it can
5882 be useful to have access to times relative to a starting time. Org provides
5883 such a relative timer and make it easy to create timed notes.
5888 Insert a relative time into the buffer. The first time you use this, the
5889 timer will be started. When called with a prefix argument, the timer is
5893 Insert a description list item with the current relative time. With a prefix
5894 argument, first reset the timer to 0.
5897 Once the timer list is started, you can also use @kbd{M-@key{RET}} to insert
5901 Pause the timer, or continue it if it is already paused.
5902 @c removed the sentence because it is redundant to the following item
5903 @kindex C-u C-c C-x ,
5905 Stop the timer. After this, you can only start a new timer, not continue the
5906 old one. This command also removes the timer from the mode line.
5909 Reset the timer without inserting anything into the buffer. By default, the
5910 timer is reset to 0. When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix, reset the timer to
5911 specific starting offset. The user is prompted for the offset, with a
5912 default taken from a timer string at point, if any, So this can be used to
5913 restart taking notes after a break in the process. When called with a double
5914 prefix argument @kbd{C-u C-u}, change all timer strings in the active region
5915 by a certain amount. This can be used to fix timer strings if the timer was
5916 not started at exactly the right moment.
5919 @node Countdown timer, , Relative timer, Dates and Times
5920 @section Countdown timer
5921 @cindex Countdown timer
5925 Calling @code{org-timer-set-timer} from an Org-mode buffer runs a countdown
5926 timer. Use @key{;} from agenda buffers, @key{C-c C-x ;} everwhere else.
5928 @code{org-timer-set-timer} prompts the user for a duration and displays a
5929 countdown timer in the modeline. @code{org-timer-default-timer} sets the
5930 default countdown value. Giving a prefix numeric argument overrides this
5933 @node Capture - Refile - Archive, Agenda Views, Dates and Times, Top
5934 @chapter Capture - Refile - Archive
5937 An important part of any organization system is the ability to quickly
5938 capture new ideas and tasks, and to associate reference material with them.
5939 Org does this using a process called @i{capture}. It also can store files
5940 related to a task (@i{attachments}) in a special directory. Once in the
5941 system, tasks and projects need to be moved around. Moving completed project
5942 trees to an archive file keeps the system compact and fast.
5945 * Capture:: Capturing new stuff
5946 * Attachments:: Add files to tasks
5947 * RSS Feeds:: Getting input from RSS feeds
5948 * Protocols:: External (e.g. Browser) access to Emacs and Org
5949 * Refiling notes:: Moving a tree from one place to another
5950 * Archiving:: What to do with finished projects
5953 @node Capture, Attachments, Capture - Refile - Archive, Capture - Refile - Archive
5957 Org's method for capturing new items is heavily inspired by John Wiegley
5958 excellent remember package. Up to version 6.36 Org used a special setup
5959 for @file{remember.el}. @file{org-remember.el} is still part of Org-mode for
5960 backward compatibility with existing setups. You can find the documentation
5961 for org-remember at @url{http://orgmode.org/org-remember.pdf}.
5963 The new capturing setup described here is preferred and should be used by new
5964 users. To convert your @code{org-remember-templates}, run the command
5966 @kbd{M-x org-capture-import-remember-templates @key{RET}}
5968 @noindent and then customize the new variable with @kbd{M-x
5969 customize-variable org-capture-templates}, check the result, and save the
5970 customization. You can then use both remember and capture until
5971 you are familiar with the new mechanism.
5973 Capture lets you quickly store notes with little interruption of your work
5974 flow. The basic process of capturing is very similar to remember, but Org
5975 does enhance it with templates and more.
5978 * Setting up capture:: Where notes will be stored
5979 * Using capture:: Commands to invoke and terminate capture
5980 * Capture templates:: Define the outline of different note types
5983 @node Setting up capture, Using capture, Capture, Capture
5984 @subsection Setting up capture
5986 The following customization sets a default target file for notes, and defines
5987 a global key@footnote{Please select your own key, @kbd{C-c c} is only a
5988 suggestion.} for capturing new material.
5990 @vindex org-default-notes-file
5992 (setq org-default-notes-file (concat org-directory "/notes.org"))
5993 (define-key global-map "\C-cc" 'org-capture)
5996 @node Using capture, Capture templates, Setting up capture, Capture
5997 @subsection Using capture
6002 Call the command @code{org-capture}. If you have templates defined
6003 @pxref{Capture templates}, it will offer these templates for selection or use
6004 a new Org outline node as the default template. It will insert the template
6005 into the target file and switch to an indirect buffer narrowed to this new
6006 node. You may then insert the information you want.
6010 Once you have finished entering information into the capture buffer,
6011 @kbd{C-c C-c} will return you to the window configuration before the capture
6012 process, so that you can resume your work without further distraction.
6016 Finalize the capture process by refiling (@pxref{Refiling notes}) the note to
6017 a different place. Please realize that this is a normal refiling command
6018 that will be executed - so the cursor position at the moment you run this
6019 command is important. If you have inserted a tree with a parent and
6020 children, first move the cursor back to the parent.
6024 Abort the capture process and return to the previous state.
6027 You can also call @code{org-capture} in a special way from the agenda, using
6028 the @kbd{k c} key combination. With this access, any timestamps inserted by
6029 the selected capture template will default to the cursor date in the agenda,
6030 rather than to the current date.
6032 @node Capture templates, , Using capture, Capture
6033 @subsection Capture templates
6034 @cindex templates, for Capture
6036 You can use templates for different types of capture items, and
6037 for different target locations. The easiest way to create such templates is
6038 through the customize interface.
6043 Customize the variable @code{org-capture-templates}.
6046 Before we give the formal description of template definitions, let's look at
6047 an example. Say you would like to use one template to create general TODO
6048 entries, and you want to put these entries under the heading @samp{Tasks} in
6049 your file @file{~/org/gtd.org}. Also, a date tree in the file
6050 @file{journal.org} should capture journal entries. A possible configuration
6054 (setq org-capture-templates
6055 '(("t" "Todo" entry (file+headline "~/org/gtd.org" "Tasks")
6056 "* TODO %?\n %i\n %a")
6057 ("j" "Journal" entry (file+datetree "~/org/journal.org")
6058 "* %?\nEntered on %U\n %i\n %a")))
6061 @noindent If you then press @kbd{C-c c t}, Org will prepare the template
6065 [[file:@var{link to where you initiated capture}]]
6069 During expansion of the template, @code{%a} has been replaced by a link to
6070 the location from where you called the capture command. This can be
6071 extremely useful for deriving tasks from emails, for example. You fill in
6072 the task definition, press @code{C-c C-c} and Org returns you to the same
6073 place where you started the capture process.
6077 * Template elements:: What is needed for a complete template entry
6078 * Template expansion:: Filling in information about time and context
6081 @node Template elements, Template expansion, Capture templates, Capture templates
6082 @subsubsection Template elements
6084 Now lets look at the elements of a template definition. Each entry in
6085 @code{org-capture-templates} is a list with the following items:
6089 The keys that will select the template, as a string, characters
6090 only, for example @code{"a"} for a template to be selected with a
6091 single key, or @code{"bt"} for selection with two keys. When using
6092 several keys, keys using the same prefix key must be sequential
6093 in the list and preceded by a 2-element entry explaining the
6094 prefix key, for example
6096 ("b" "Templates for marking stuff to buy")
6098 @noindent If you do not define a template for the @kbd{C} key, this key will
6099 be used to open the customize buffer for this complex variable.
6102 A short string describing the template, which will be shown during
6106 The type of entry, a symbol. Valid values are:
6109 An Org-mode node, with a headline. Will be filed as the child of the
6110 target entry or as a top-level entry. The target file should be an Org-mode
6113 A plain list item, placed in the first plain list at the target
6114 location. Again the target file should be an Org file.
6116 A checkbox item. This only differs from the plain list item by the
6119 a new line in the first table at the target location. Where exactly the
6120 line will be inserted depends on the properties @code{:prepend} and
6121 @code{:table-line-pos} (see below).
6123 Text to be inserted as it is.
6127 @vindex org-default-notes-file
6128 Specification of where the captured item should be placed. In Org-mode
6129 files, targets usually define a node. Entries will become children of this
6130 node, other types will be added to the table or list in the body of this
6131 node. Most target specifications contain a file name. If that file name is
6132 the empty string, it defaults to @code{org-default-notes-file}.
6136 @item (file "path/to/file")
6137 Text will be placed at the beginning or end of that file.
6139 @item (id "id of existing org entry")
6140 Filing as child of this entry, or in the body of the entry.
6142 @item (file+headline "path/to/file" "node headline")
6143 Fast configuration if the target heading is unique in the file.
6145 @item (file+olp "path/to/file" "Level 1 heading" "Level 2" ...)
6146 For non-unique headings, the full path is safer.
6148 @item (file+regexp "path/to/file" "regexp to find location")
6149 Use a regular expression to position the cursor.
6151 @item (file+datetree "path/to/file")
6152 Will create a heading in a date tree.
6154 @item (file+function "path/to/file" function-finding-location)
6155 A function to find the right location in the file.
6158 File to the entry that is currently being clocked.
6160 @item (function function-finding-location)
6161 Most general way, write your own function to find both
6166 The template for creating the capture item. If you leave this empty, an
6167 appropriate default template will be used. Otherwise this is a string with
6168 escape codes, which will be replaced depending on time and context of the
6169 capture call. The string with escapes may be loaded from a template file,
6170 using the special syntax @code{(file "path/to/template")}. See below for
6174 The rest of the entry is a property list of additional options.
6175 Recognized properties are:
6178 Normally new captured information will be appended at
6179 the target location (last child, last table line, last list item...).
6180 Setting this property will change that.
6182 @item :immediate-finish
6183 When set, do not offer to edit the information, just
6184 file it away immediately. This makes sense if the template only needs
6185 information that can be added automatically.
6188 Set this to the number of lines to insert
6189 before and after the new item. Default 0, only common other value is 1.
6192 Start the clock in this item.
6195 If starting the capture interrupted a clock, restart that clock when finished
6199 Do not narrow the target buffer, simply show the full buffer. Default is to
6200 narrow it so that you only see the new material.
6203 If the target file was not yet visited when capture was invoked, kill the
6204 buffer again after capture is completed.
6208 @node Template expansion, , Template elements, Capture templates
6209 @subsubsection Template expansion
6211 In the template itself, special @kbd{%}-escapes@footnote{If you need one of
6212 these sequences literally, escape the @kbd{%} with a backslash.} allow
6213 dynamic insertion of content:
6215 @comment SJE: should these sentences terminate in period?
6217 %^@{@var{prompt}@} @r{prompt the user for a string and replace this sequence with it.}
6218 @r{You may specify a default value and a completion table with}
6219 @r{%^@{prompt|default|completion2|completion3...@}}
6220 @r{The arrow keys access a prompt-specific history.}
6221 %a @r{annotation, normally the link created with @code{org-store-link}}
6222 %A @r{like @code{%a}, but prompt for the description part}
6223 %i @r{initial content, the region when capture is called while the}
6224 @r{region is active.}
6225 @r{The entire text will be indented like @code{%i} itself.}
6226 %t @r{timestamp, date only}
6227 %T @r{timestamp with date and time}
6228 %u, %U @r{like the above, but inactive timestamps}
6229 %^t @r{like @code{%t}, but prompt for date. Similarly @code{%^T}, @code{%^u}, @code{%^U}}
6230 @r{You may define a prompt like @code{%^@{Birthday@}t}}
6231 %n @r{user name (taken from @code{user-full-name})}
6232 %c @r{Current kill ring head.}
6233 %x @r{Content of the X clipboard.}
6234 %^C @r{Interactive selection of which kill or clip to use.}
6235 %^L @r{Like @code{%^C}, but insert as link.}
6236 %k @r{title of the currently clocked task}
6237 %K @r{link to the currently clocked task}
6238 %^g @r{prompt for tags, with completion on tags in target file.}
6239 %^G @r{prompt for tags, with completion all tags in all agenda files.}
6240 %^@{@var{prop}@}p @r{Prompt the user for a value for property @var{prop}}
6241 %:keyword @r{specific information for certain link types, see below}
6242 %[@var{file}] @r{insert the contents of the file given by @var{file}}
6243 %(@var{sexp}) @r{evaluate Elisp @var{sexp} and replace with the result}
6247 For specific link types, the following keywords will be
6248 defined@footnote{If you define your own link types (@pxref{Adding
6249 hyperlink types}), any property you store with
6250 @code{org-store-link-props} can be accessed in capture templates in a
6253 @vindex org-from-is-user-regexp
6255 Link type | Available keywords
6256 -------------------+----------------------------------------------
6257 bbdb | %:name %:company
6258 irc | %:server %:port %:nick
6259 vm, wl, mh, mew, rmail | %:type %:subject %:message-id
6260 | %:from %:fromname %:fromaddress
6261 | %:to %:toname %:toaddress
6262 | %:date @r{(message date header field)}
6263 | %:date-timestamp @r{(date as active timestamp)}
6264 | %:date-timestamp-inactive @r{(date as inactive timestamp)}
6265 | %: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}.}}
6266 gnus | %:group, @r{for messages also all email fields}
6268 info | %:file %:node
6273 To place the cursor after template expansion use:
6276 %? @r{After completing the template, position cursor here.}
6280 @node Attachments, RSS Feeds, Capture, Capture - Refile - Archive
6281 @section Attachments
6284 @vindex org-attach-directory
6285 It is often useful to associate reference material with an outline node/task.
6286 Small chunks of plain text can simply be stored in the subtree of a project.
6287 Hyperlinks (@pxref{Hyperlinks}) can establish associations with
6288 files that live elsewhere on your computer or in the cloud, like emails or
6289 source code files belonging to a project. Another method is @i{attachments},
6290 which are files located in a directory belonging to an outline node. Org
6291 uses directories named by the unique ID of each entry. These directories are
6292 located in the @file{data} directory which lives in the same directory where
6293 your Org file lives@footnote{If you move entries or Org files from one
6294 directory to another, you may want to configure @code{org-attach-directory}
6295 to contain an absolute path.}. If you initialize this directory with
6296 @code{git init}, Org will automatically commit changes when it sees them.
6297 The attachment system has been contributed to Org by John Wiegley.
6299 In cases where it seems better to do so, you can also attach a directory of your
6300 choice to an entry. You can also make children inherit the attachment
6301 directory from a parent, so that an entire subtree uses the same attached
6304 @noindent The following commands deal with attachments:
6310 The dispatcher for commands related to the attachment system. After these
6311 keys, a list of commands is displayed and you must press an additional key
6312 to select a command:
6317 @vindex org-attach-method
6318 Select a file and move it into the task's attachment directory. The file
6319 will be copied, moved, or linked, depending on @code{org-attach-method}.
6320 Note that hard links are not supported on all systems.
6326 Attach a file using the copy/move/link method.
6327 Note that hard links are not supported on all systems.
6331 Create a new attachment as an Emacs buffer.
6335 Synchronize the current task with its attachment directory, in case you added
6336 attachments yourself.
6340 @vindex org-file-apps
6341 Open current task's attachment. If there is more than one, prompt for a
6342 file name first. Opening will follow the rules set by @code{org-file-apps}.
6343 For more details, see the information on following hyperlinks
6344 (@pxref{Handling links}).
6348 Also open the attachment, but force opening the file in Emacs.
6352 Open the current task's attachment directory.
6356 Also open the directory, but force using @command{dired} in Emacs.
6360 Select and delete a single attachment.
6364 Delete all of a task's attachments. A safer way is to open the directory in
6365 @command{dired} and delete from there.
6369 @cindex property, ATTACH_DIR
6370 Set a specific directory as the entry's attachment directory. This works by
6371 putting the directory path into the @code{ATTACH_DIR} property.
6375 @cindex property, ATTACH_DIR_INHERIT
6376 Set the @code{ATTACH_DIR_INHERIT} property, so that children will use the
6377 same directory for attachments as the parent does.
6381 @node RSS Feeds, Protocols, Attachments, Capture - Refile - Archive
6386 Org can add and change entries based on information found in RSS feeds and
6387 Atom feeds. You could use this to make a task out of each new podcast in a
6388 podcast feed. Or you could use a phone-based note-creating service on the
6389 web to import tasks into Org. To access feeds, configure the variable
6390 @code{org-feed-alist}. The docstring of this variable has detailed
6391 information. Here is just an example:
6394 (setq org-feed-alist
6396 "http://rss.slashdot.org/Slashdot/slashdot"
6397 "~/txt/org/feeds.org" "Slashdot Entries")))
6401 will configure that new items from the feed provided by
6402 @code{rss.slashdot.org} will result in new entries in the file
6403 @file{~/org/feeds.org} under the heading @samp{Slashdot Entries}, whenever
6404 the following command is used:
6409 Collect items from the feeds configured in @code{org-feed-alist} and act upon
6413 Prompt for a feed name and go to the inbox configured for this feed.
6416 Under the same headline, Org will create a drawer @samp{FEEDSTATUS} in which
6417 it will store information about the status of items in the feed, to avoid
6418 adding the same item several times. You should add @samp{FEEDSTATUS} to the
6419 list of drawers in that file:
6422 #+DRAWERS: LOGBOOK PROPERTIES FEEDSTATUS
6425 For more information, including how to read atom feeds, see
6426 @file{org-feed.el} and the docstring of @code{org-feed-alist}.
6428 @node Protocols, Refiling notes, RSS Feeds, Capture - Refile - Archive
6429 @section Protocols for external access
6430 @cindex protocols, for external access
6433 You can set up Org for handling protocol calls from outside applications that
6434 are passed to Emacs through the @file{emacsserver}. For example, you can
6435 configure bookmarks in your web browser to send a link to the current page to
6436 Org and create a note from it using capture (@pxref{Capture}). Or you
6437 could create a bookmark that will tell Emacs to open the local source file of
6438 a remote website you are looking at with the browser. See
6439 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-contrib/org-protocol.php} for detailed
6440 documentation and setup instructions.
6442 @node Refiling notes, Archiving, Protocols, Capture - Refile - Archive
6443 @section Refiling notes
6444 @cindex refiling notes
6446 When reviewing the captured data, you may want to refile some of the entries
6447 into a different list, for example into a project. Cutting, finding the
6448 right location, and then pasting the note is cumbersome. To simplify this
6449 process, you can use the following special command:
6454 @vindex org-reverse-note-order
6455 @vindex org-refile-targets
6456 @vindex org-refile-use-outline-path
6457 @vindex org-outline-path-complete-in-steps
6458 @vindex org-refile-allow-creating-parent-nodes
6459 @vindex org-log-refile
6460 @vindex org-refile-use-cache
6461 Refile the entry or region at point. This command offers possible locations
6462 for refiling the entry and lets you select one with completion. The item (or
6463 all items in the region) is filed below the target heading as a subitem.
6464 Depending on @code{org-reverse-note-order}, it will be either the first or
6466 By default, all level 1 headlines in the current buffer are considered to be
6467 targets, but you can have more complex definitions across a number of files.
6468 See the variable @code{org-refile-targets} for details. If you would like to
6469 select a location via a file-path-like completion along the outline path, see
6470 the variables @code{org-refile-use-outline-path} and
6471 @code{org-outline-path-complete-in-steps}. If you would like to be able to
6472 create new nodes as new parents for refiling on the fly, check the
6473 variable @code{org-refile-allow-creating-parent-nodes}.
6474 When the variable @code{org-log-refile}@footnote{with corresponding
6475 @code{#+STARTUP} keywords @code{logrefile}, @code{lognoterefile},
6476 and @code{nologrefile}} is set, a time stamp or a note will be
6477 recorded when an entry has been refiled.
6480 Use the refile interface to jump to a heading.
6481 @kindex C-u C-u C-c C-w
6482 @item C-u C-u C-c C-w
6483 Jump to the location where @code{org-refile} last moved a tree to.
6485 Refile as the child of the item currently being clocked.
6486 @item C-0 C-c C-w @ @r{or} @ C-u C-u C-u C-c C-w
6487 Clear the target cache. Caching of refile targets can be turned on by
6488 setting @code{org-refile-use-cache}. To make the command seen new possible
6489 targets, you have to clear the cache with this command.
6492 @node Archiving, , Refiling notes, Capture - Refile - Archive
6496 When a project represented by a (sub)tree is finished, you may want
6497 to move the tree out of the way and to stop it from contributing to the
6498 agenda. Archiving is important to keep your working files compact and global
6499 searches like the construction of agenda views fast.
6504 @vindex org-archive-default-command
6505 Archive the current entry using the command specified in the variable
6506 @code{org-archive-default-command}.
6510 * Moving subtrees:: Moving a tree to an archive file
6511 * Internal archiving:: Switch off a tree but keep it in the file
6514 @node Moving subtrees, Internal archiving, Archiving, Archiving
6515 @subsection Moving a tree to the archive file
6516 @cindex external archiving
6518 The most common archiving action is to move a project tree to another file,
6524 @item C-c C-x C-s@ @r{or short} @ C-c $
6525 @vindex org-archive-location
6526 Archive the subtree starting at the cursor position to the location
6527 given by @code{org-archive-location}.
6528 @kindex C-u C-c C-x C-s
6529 @item C-u C-c C-x C-s
6530 Check if any direct children of the current headline could be moved to
6531 the archive. To do this, each subtree is checked for open TODO entries.
6532 If none are found, the command offers to move it to the archive
6533 location. If the cursor is @emph{not} on a headline when this command
6534 is invoked, the level 1 trees will be checked.
6537 @cindex archive locations
6538 The default archive location is a file in the same directory as the
6539 current file, with the name derived by appending @file{_archive} to the
6540 current file name. For information and examples on how to change this,
6541 see the documentation string of the variable
6542 @code{org-archive-location}. There is also an in-buffer option for
6543 setting this variable, for example@footnote{For backward compatibility,
6544 the following also works: If there are several such lines in a file,
6545 each specifies the archive location for the text below it. The first
6546 such line also applies to any text before its definition. However,
6547 using this method is @emph{strongly} deprecated as it is incompatible
6548 with the outline structure of the document. The correct method for
6549 setting multiple archive locations in a buffer is using properties.}:
6553 #+ARCHIVE: %s_done::
6556 @cindex property, ARCHIVE
6558 If you would like to have a special ARCHIVE location for a single entry
6559 or a (sub)tree, give the entry an @code{:ARCHIVE:} property with the
6560 location as the value (@pxref{Properties and Columns}).
6562 @vindex org-archive-save-context-info
6563 When a subtree is moved, it receives a number of special properties that
6564 record context information like the file from where the entry came, its
6565 outline path the archiving time etc. Configure the variable
6566 @code{org-archive-save-context-info} to adjust the amount of information
6570 @node Internal archiving, , Moving subtrees, Archiving
6571 @subsection Internal archiving
6573 If you want to just switch off (for agenda views) certain subtrees without
6574 moving them to a different file, you can use the @code{ARCHIVE tag}.
6576 A headline that is marked with the ARCHIVE tag (@pxref{Tags}) stays at
6577 its location in the outline tree, but behaves in the following way:
6580 @vindex org-cycle-open-archived-trees
6581 It does not open when you attempt to do so with a visibility cycling
6582 command (@pxref{Visibility cycling}). You can force cycling archived
6583 subtrees with @kbd{C-@key{TAB}}, or by setting the option
6584 @code{org-cycle-open-archived-trees}. Also normal outline commands like
6585 @code{show-all} will open archived subtrees.
6587 @vindex org-sparse-tree-open-archived-trees
6588 During sparse tree construction (@pxref{Sparse trees}), matches in
6589 archived subtrees are not exposed, unless you configure the option
6590 @code{org-sparse-tree-open-archived-trees}.
6592 @vindex org-agenda-skip-archived-trees
6593 During agenda view construction (@pxref{Agenda Views}), the content of
6594 archived trees is ignored unless you configure the option
6595 @code{org-agenda-skip-archived-trees}, in which case these trees will always
6596 be included. In the agenda you can press @kbd{v a} to get archives
6597 temporarily included.
6599 @vindex org-export-with-archived-trees
6600 Archived trees are not exported (@pxref{Exporting}), only the headline
6601 is. Configure the details using the variable
6602 @code{org-export-with-archived-trees}.
6604 @vindex org-columns-skip-archived-trees
6605 Archived trees are excluded from column view unless the variable
6606 @code{org-columns-skip-archived-trees} is configured to @code{nil}.
6609 The following commands help manage the ARCHIVE tag:
6614 Toggle the ARCHIVE tag for the current headline. When the tag is set,
6615 the headline changes to a shadowed face, and the subtree below it is
6617 @kindex C-u C-c C-x a
6619 Check if any direct children of the current headline should be archived.
6620 To do this, each subtree is checked for open TODO entries. If none are
6621 found, the command offers to set the ARCHIVE tag for the child. If the
6622 cursor is @emph{not} on a headline when this command is invoked, the
6623 level 1 trees will be checked.
6626 Cycle a tree even if it is tagged with ARCHIVE.
6629 Move the current entry to the @emph{Archive Sibling}. This is a sibling of
6630 the entry with the heading @samp{Archive} and the tag @samp{ARCHIVE}. The
6631 entry becomes a child of that sibling and in this way retains a lot of its
6632 original context, including inherited tags and approximate position in the
6637 @node Agenda Views, Markup, Capture - Refile - Archive, Top
6638 @chapter Agenda views
6639 @cindex agenda views
6641 Due to the way Org works, TODO items, time-stamped items, and
6642 tagged headlines can be scattered throughout a file or even a number of
6643 files. To get an overview of open action items, or of events that are
6644 important for a particular date, this information must be collected,
6645 sorted and displayed in an organized way.
6647 Org can select items based on various criteria and display them
6648 in a separate buffer. Seven different view types are provided:
6652 an @emph{agenda} that is like a calendar and shows information
6655 a @emph{TODO list} that covers all unfinished
6658 a @emph{match view}, showings headlines based on the tags, properties, and
6659 TODO state associated with them,
6661 a @emph{timeline view} that shows all events in a single Org file,
6662 in time-sorted view,
6664 a @emph{text search view} that shows all entries from multiple files
6665 that contain specified keywords,
6667 a @emph{stuck projects view} showing projects that currently don't move
6670 @emph{custom views} that are special searches and combinations of different
6675 The extracted information is displayed in a special @emph{agenda
6676 buffer}. This buffer is read-only, but provides commands to visit the
6677 corresponding locations in the original Org files, and even to
6678 edit these files remotely.
6680 @vindex org-agenda-window-setup
6681 @vindex org-agenda-restore-windows-after-quit
6682 Two variables control how the agenda buffer is displayed and whether the
6683 window configuration is restored when the agenda exits:
6684 @code{org-agenda-window-setup} and
6685 @code{org-agenda-restore-windows-after-quit}.
6688 * Agenda files:: Files being searched for agenda information
6689 * Agenda dispatcher:: Keyboard access to agenda views
6690 * Built-in agenda views:: What is available out of the box?
6691 * Presentation and sorting:: How agenda items are prepared for display
6692 * Agenda commands:: Remote editing of Org trees
6693 * Custom agenda views:: Defining special searches and views
6694 * Exporting Agenda Views:: Writing a view to a file
6695 * Agenda column view:: Using column view for collected entries
6698 @node Agenda files, Agenda dispatcher, Agenda Views, Agenda Views
6699 @section Agenda files
6700 @cindex agenda files
6701 @cindex files for agenda
6703 @vindex org-agenda-files
6704 The information to be shown is normally collected from all @emph{agenda
6705 files}, the files listed in the variable
6706 @code{org-agenda-files}@footnote{If the value of that variable is not a
6707 list, but a single file name, then the list of agenda files will be
6708 maintained in that external file.}. If a directory is part of this list,
6709 all files with the extension @file{.org} in this directory will be part
6712 Thus, even if you only work with a single Org file, that file should
6713 be put into the list@footnote{When using the dispatcher, pressing
6714 @kbd{<} before selecting a command will actually limit the command to
6715 the current file, and ignore @code{org-agenda-files} until the next
6716 dispatcher command.}. You can customize @code{org-agenda-files}, but
6717 the easiest way to maintain it is through the following commands
6719 @cindex files, adding to agenda list
6723 Add current file to the list of agenda files. The file is added to
6724 the front of the list. If it was already in the list, it is moved to
6725 the front. With a prefix argument, file is added/moved to the end.
6728 Remove current file from the list of agenda files.
6733 Cycle through agenda file list, visiting one file after the other.
6734 @kindex M-x org-iswitchb
6735 @item M-x org-iswitchb
6736 Command to use an @code{iswitchb}-like interface to switch to and between Org
6741 The Org menu contains the current list of files and can be used
6742 to visit any of them.
6744 If you would like to focus the agenda temporarily on a file not in
6745 this list, or on just one file in the list, or even on only a subtree in a
6746 file, then this can be done in different ways. For a single agenda command,
6747 you may press @kbd{<} once or several times in the dispatcher
6748 (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}). To restrict the agenda scope for an
6749 extended period, use the following commands:
6754 Permanently restrict the agenda to the current subtree. When with a
6755 prefix argument, or with the cursor before the first headline in a file,
6756 the agenda scope is set to the entire file. This restriction remains in
6757 effect until removed with @kbd{C-c C-x >}, or by typing either @kbd{<}
6758 or @kbd{>} in the agenda dispatcher. If there is a window displaying an
6759 agenda view, the new restriction takes effect immediately.
6762 Remove the permanent restriction created by @kbd{C-c C-x <}.
6766 When working with @file{speedbar.el}, you can use the following commands in
6770 @item < @r{in the speedbar frame}
6771 Permanently restrict the agenda to the item---either an Org file or a subtree
6772 in such a file---at the cursor in the Speedbar frame.
6773 If there is a window displaying an agenda view, the new restriction takes
6776 @item > @r{in the speedbar frame}
6777 Lift the restriction.
6780 @node Agenda dispatcher, Built-in agenda views, Agenda files, Agenda Views
6781 @section The agenda dispatcher
6782 @cindex agenda dispatcher
6783 @cindex dispatching agenda commands
6784 The views are created through a dispatcher, which should be bound to a
6785 global key---for example @kbd{C-c a} (@pxref{Installation}). In the
6786 following we will assume that @kbd{C-c a} is indeed how the dispatcher
6787 is accessed and list keyboard access to commands accordingly. After
6788 pressing @kbd{C-c a}, an additional letter is required to execute a
6789 command. The dispatcher offers the following default commands:
6792 Create the calendar-like agenda (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}).
6794 Create a list of all TODO items (@pxref{Global TODO list}).
6796 Create a list of headlines matching a TAGS expression (@pxref{Matching
6797 tags and properties}).
6799 Create the timeline view for the current buffer (@pxref{Timeline}).
6801 Create a list of entries selected by a boolean expression of keywords
6802 and/or regular expressions that must or must not occur in the entry.
6804 @vindex org-agenda-text-search-extra-files
6805 Search for a regular expression in all agenda files and additionally in
6806 the files listed in @code{org-agenda-text-search-extra-files}. This
6807 uses the Emacs command @code{multi-occur}. A prefix argument can be
6808 used to specify the number of context lines for each match, default is
6811 Create a list of stuck projects (@pxref{Stuck projects}).
6813 Restrict an agenda command to the current buffer@footnote{For backward
6814 compatibility, you can also press @kbd{1} to restrict to the current
6815 buffer.}. After pressing @kbd{<}, you still need to press the character
6816 selecting the command.
6818 If there is an active region, restrict the following agenda command to
6819 the region. Otherwise, restrict it to the current subtree@footnote{For
6820 backward compatibility, you can also press @kbd{0} to restrict to the
6821 current region/subtree.}. After pressing @kbd{< <}, you still need to press the
6822 character selecting the command.
6825 You can also define custom commands that will be accessible through the
6826 dispatcher, just like the default commands. This includes the
6827 possibility to create extended agenda buffers that contain several
6828 blocks together, for example the weekly agenda, the global TODO list and
6829 a number of special tags matches. @xref{Custom agenda views}.
6831 @node Built-in agenda views, Presentation and sorting, Agenda dispatcher, Agenda Views
6832 @section The built-in agenda views
6834 In this section we describe the built-in views.
6837 * Weekly/daily agenda:: The calendar page with current tasks
6838 * Global TODO list:: All unfinished action items
6839 * Matching tags and properties:: Structured information with fine-tuned search
6840 * Timeline:: Time-sorted view for single file
6841 * Search view:: Find entries by searching for text
6842 * Stuck projects:: Find projects you need to review
6845 @node Weekly/daily agenda, Global TODO list, Built-in agenda views, Built-in agenda views
6846 @subsection The weekly/daily agenda
6848 @cindex weekly agenda
6849 @cindex daily agenda
6851 The purpose of the weekly/daily @emph{agenda} is to act like a page of a
6852 paper agenda, showing all the tasks for the current week or day.
6855 @cindex org-agenda, command
6858 @vindex org-agenda-ndays
6859 Compile an agenda for the current week from a list of Org files. The agenda
6860 shows the entries for each day. With a numeric prefix@footnote{For backward
6861 compatibility, the universal prefix @kbd{C-u} causes all TODO entries to be
6862 listed before the agenda. This feature is deprecated, use the dedicated TODO
6863 list, or a block agenda instead (@pxref{Block agenda}).} (like @kbd{C-u 2 1
6864 C-c a a}) you may set the number of days to be displayed (see also the
6865 variable @code{org-agenda-ndays})
6868 Remote editing from the agenda buffer means, for example, that you can
6869 change the dates of deadlines and appointments from the agenda buffer.
6870 The commands available in the Agenda buffer are listed in @ref{Agenda
6873 @subsubheading Calendar/Diary integration
6874 @cindex calendar integration
6875 @cindex diary integration
6877 Emacs contains the calendar and diary by Edward M. Reingold. The
6878 calendar displays a three-month calendar with holidays from different
6879 countries and cultures. The diary allows you to keep track of
6880 anniversaries, lunar phases, sunrise/set, recurrent appointments
6881 (weekly, monthly) and more. In this way, it is quite complementary to
6882 Org. It can be very useful to combine output from Org with
6885 In order to include entries from the Emacs diary into Org-mode's
6886 agenda, you only need to customize the variable
6889 (setq org-agenda-include-diary t)
6892 @noindent After that, everything will happen automatically. All diary
6893 entries including holidays, anniversaries, etc., will be included in the
6894 agenda buffer created by Org-mode. @key{SPC}, @key{TAB}, and
6895 @key{RET} can be used from the agenda buffer to jump to the diary
6896 file in order to edit existing diary entries. The @kbd{i} command to
6897 insert new entries for the current date works in the agenda buffer, as
6898 well as the commands @kbd{S}, @kbd{M}, and @kbd{C} to display
6899 Sunrise/Sunset times, show lunar phases and to convert to other
6900 calendars, respectively. @kbd{c} can be used to switch back and forth
6901 between calendar and agenda.
6903 If you are using the diary only for sexp entries and holidays, it is
6904 faster to not use the above setting, but instead to copy or even move
6905 the entries into an Org file. Org-mode evaluates diary-style sexp
6906 entries, and does it faster because there is no overhead for first
6907 creating the diary display. Note that the sexp entries must start at
6908 the left margin, no whitespace is allowed before them. For example,
6909 the following segment of an Org file will be processed and entries
6910 will be made in the agenda:
6913 * Birthdays and similar stuff
6915 %%(org-calendar-holiday) ; special function for holiday names
6917 %%(diary-anniversary 5 14 1956)@footnote{Note that the order of the arguments (month, day, year) depends on the setting of @code{calendar-date-style}.} Arthur Dent is %d years old
6918 %%(diary-anniversary 10 2 1869) Mahatma Gandhi would be %d years old
6921 @subsubheading Anniversaries from BBDB
6922 @cindex BBDB, anniversaries
6923 @cindex anniversaries, from BBDB
6925 If you are using the Big Brothers Database to store your contacts, you will
6926 very likely prefer to store anniversaries in BBDB rather than in a
6927 separate Org or diary file. Org supports this and will show BBDB
6928 anniversaries as part of the agenda. All you need to do is to add the
6929 following to one your your agenda files:
6936 %%(org-bbdb-anniversaries)
6939 You can then go ahead and define anniversaries for a BBDB record. Basically,
6940 you need to press @kbd{C-o anniversary @key{RET}} with the cursor in a BBDB
6941 record and then add the date in the format @code{YYYY-MM-DD}, followed by a
6942 space and the class of the anniversary (@samp{birthday} or @samp{wedding}, or
6943 a format string). If you omit the class, it will default to @samp{birthday}.
6944 Here are a few examples, the header for the file @file{org-bbdb.el} contains
6945 more detailed information.
6950 2008-04-14 %s released version 6.01 of org-mode, %d years ago
6953 After a change to BBDB, or for the first agenda display during an Emacs
6954 session, the agenda display will suffer a short delay as Org updates its
6955 hash with anniversaries. However, from then on things will be very fast---much
6956 faster in fact than a long list of @samp{%%(diary-anniversary)} entries
6957 in an Org or Diary file.
6959 @subsubheading Appointment reminders
6960 @cindex @file{appt.el}
6961 @cindex appointment reminders
6963 Org can interact with Emacs appointments notification facility. To add all
6964 the appointments of your agenda files, use the command
6965 @code{org-agenda-to-appt}. This command also lets you filter through the
6966 list of your appointments and add only those belonging to a specific category
6967 or matching a regular expression. See the docstring for details.
6969 @node Global TODO list, Matching tags and properties, Weekly/daily agenda, Built-in agenda views
6970 @subsection The global TODO list
6971 @cindex global TODO list
6972 @cindex TODO list, global
6974 The global TODO list contains all unfinished TODO items formatted and
6975 collected into a single place.
6980 Show the global TODO list. This collects the TODO items from all agenda
6981 files (@pxref{Agenda Views}) into a single buffer. By default, this lists
6982 items with a state the is not a DONE state. The buffer is in
6983 @code{agenda-mode}, so there are commands to examine and manipulate the TODO
6984 entries directly from that buffer (@pxref{Agenda commands}).
6987 @cindex TODO keyword matching
6988 @vindex org-todo-keywords
6989 Like the above, but allows selection of a specific TODO keyword. You can
6990 also do this by specifying a prefix argument to @kbd{C-c a t}. You are
6991 prompted for a keyword, and you may also specify several keywords by
6992 separating them with @samp{|} as the boolean OR operator. With a numeric
6993 prefix, the nth keyword in @code{org-todo-keywords} is selected.
6995 The @kbd{r} key in the agenda buffer regenerates it, and you can give
6996 a prefix argument to this command to change the selected TODO keyword,
6997 for example @kbd{3 r}. If you often need a search for a specific
6998 keyword, define a custom command for it (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}).@*
6999 Matching specific TODO keywords can also be done as part of a tags
7000 search (@pxref{Tag searches}).
7003 Remote editing of TODO items means that you can change the state of a
7004 TODO entry with a single key press. The commands available in the
7005 TODO list are described in @ref{Agenda commands}.
7007 @cindex sublevels, inclusion into TODO list
7008 Normally the global TODO list simply shows all headlines with TODO
7009 keywords. This list can become very long. There are two ways to keep
7013 @vindex org-agenda-todo-ignore-scheduled
7014 @vindex org-agenda-todo-ignore-deadlines
7015 @vindex org-agenda-todo-ignore-with-date
7016 Some people view a TODO item that has been @emph{scheduled} for execution or
7017 have a @emph{deadline} (@pxref{Timestamps}) as no longer @emph{open}.
7018 Configure the variables @code{org-agenda-todo-ignore-scheduled},
7019 @code{org-agenda-todo-ignore-deadlines}, and/or
7020 @code{org-agenda-todo-ignore-with-date} to exclude such items from the
7023 @vindex org-agenda-todo-list-sublevels
7024 TODO items may have sublevels to break up the task into subtasks. In
7025 such cases it may be enough to list only the highest level TODO headline
7026 and omit the sublevels from the global list. Configure the variable
7027 @code{org-agenda-todo-list-sublevels} to get this behavior.
7030 @node Matching tags and properties, Timeline, Global TODO list, Built-in agenda views
7031 @subsection Matching tags and properties
7032 @cindex matching, of tags
7033 @cindex matching, of properties
7037 If headlines in the agenda files are marked with @emph{tags} (@pxref{Tags}),
7038 or have properties (@pxref{Properties and Columns}), you can select headlines
7039 based on this metadata and collect them into an agenda buffer. The match
7040 syntax described here also applies when creating sparse trees with @kbd{C-c /
7046 Produce a list of all headlines that match a given set of tags. The
7047 command prompts for a selection criterion, which is a boolean logic
7048 expression with tags, like @samp{+work+urgent-withboss} or
7049 @samp{work|home} (@pxref{Tags}). If you often need a specific search,
7050 define a custom command for it (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}).
7053 @vindex org-tags-match-list-sublevels
7054 @vindex org-agenda-tags-todo-honor-ignore-options
7055 Like @kbd{C-c a m}, but only select headlines that are also TODO items in a
7056 not-DONE state and force checking subitems (see variable
7057 @code{org-tags-match-list-sublevels}). To exclude scheduled/deadline items,
7058 see the variable @code{org-agenda-tags-todo-honor-ignore-options}. Matching
7059 specific TODO keywords together with a tags match is also possible, see
7063 The commands available in the tags list are described in @ref{Agenda
7066 @subsubheading Match syntax
7068 @cindex Boolean logic, for tag/property searches
7069 A search string can use Boolean operators @samp{&} for AND and @samp{|} for
7070 OR. @samp{&} binds more strongly than @samp{|}. Parentheses are currently
7071 not implemented. Each element in the search is either a tag, a regular
7072 expression matching tags, or an expression like @code{PROPERTY OPERATOR
7073 VALUE} with a comparison operator, accessing a property value. Each element
7074 may be preceded by @samp{-}, to select against it, and @samp{+} is syntactic
7075 sugar for positive selection. The AND operator @samp{&} is optional when
7076 @samp{+} or @samp{-} is present. Here are some examples, using only tags.
7080 Select headlines tagged @samp{:work:}, but discard those also tagged
7083 Selects lines tagged @samp{:work:} or @samp{:laptop:}.
7084 @item work|laptop+night
7085 Like before, but require the @samp{:laptop:} lines to be tagged also
7089 @cindex regular expressions, with tags search
7090 Instead of a tag, you may also specify a regular expression enclosed in curly
7091 braces. For example,
7092 @samp{work+@{^boss.*@}} matches headlines that contain the tag
7093 @samp{:work:} and any tag @i{starting} with @samp{boss}.
7095 @cindex TODO keyword matching, with tags search
7096 @cindex level, require for tags/property match
7097 @cindex category, require for tags/property match
7098 @vindex org-odd-levels-only
7099 You may also test for properties (@pxref{Properties and Columns}) at the same
7100 time as matching tags. The properties may be real properties, or special
7101 properties that represent other metadata (@pxref{Special properties}). For
7102 example, the ``property'' @code{TODO} represents the TODO keyword of the
7103 entry. Or, the ``property'' @code{LEVEL} represents the level of an entry.
7104 So a search @samp{+LEVEL=3+boss-TODO="DONE"} lists all level three headlines
7105 that have the tag @samp{boss} and are @emph{not} marked with the TODO keyword
7106 DONE. In buffers with @code{org-odd-levels-only} set, @samp{LEVEL} does not
7107 count the number of stars, but @samp{LEVEL=2} will correspond to 3 stars etc.
7109 Here are more examples:
7111 @item work+TODO="WAITING"
7112 Select @samp{:work:}-tagged TODO lines with the specific TODO
7113 keyword @samp{WAITING}.
7114 @item work+TODO="WAITING"|home+TODO="WAITING"
7115 Waiting tasks both at work and at home.
7118 When matching properties, a number of different operators can be used to test
7119 the value of a property. Here is a complex example:
7122 +work-boss+PRIORITY="A"+Coffee="unlimited"+Effort<2 \
7123 +With=@{Sarah\|Denny@}+SCHEDULED>="<2008-10-11>"
7127 The type of comparison will depend on how the comparison value is written:
7130 If the comparison value is a plain number, a numerical comparison is done,
7131 and the allowed operators are @samp{<}, @samp{=}, @samp{>}, @samp{<=},
7132 @samp{>=}, and @samp{<>}.
7134 If the comparison value is enclosed in double-quotes,
7135 a string comparison is done, and the same operators are allowed.
7137 If the comparison value is enclosed in double-quotes @emph{and} angular
7138 brackets (like @samp{DEADLINE<="<2008-12-24 18:30>"}), both values are
7139 assumed to be date/time specifications in the standard Org way, and the
7140 comparison will be done accordingly. Special values that will be recognized
7141 are @code{"<now>"} for now (including time), and @code{"<today>"}, and
7142 @code{"<tomorrow>"} for these days at 0:00 hours, i.e. without a time
7143 specification. Also strings like @code{"<+5d>"} or @code{"<-2m>"} with units
7144 @code{d}, @code{w}, @code{m}, and @code{y} for day, week, month, and year,
7145 respectively, can be used.
7147 If the comparison value is enclosed
7148 in curly braces, a regexp match is performed, with @samp{=} meaning that the
7149 regexp matches the property value, and @samp{<>} meaning that it does not
7153 So the search string in the example finds entries tagged @samp{:work:} but
7154 not @samp{:boss:}, which also have a priority value @samp{A}, a
7155 @samp{:Coffee:} property with the value @samp{unlimited}, an @samp{Effort}
7156 property that is numerically smaller than 2, a @samp{:With:} property that is
7157 matched by the regular expression @samp{Sarah\|Denny}, and that are scheduled
7158 on or after October 11, 2008.
7160 Accessing TODO, LEVEL, and CATEGORY during a search is fast. Accessing any
7161 other properties will slow down the search. However, once you have paid the
7162 price by accessing one property, testing additional properties is cheap
7165 You can configure Org-mode to use property inheritance during a search, but
7166 beware that this can slow down searches considerably. See @ref{Property
7167 inheritance}, for details.
7169 For backward compatibility, and also for typing speed, there is also a
7170 different way to test TODO states in a search. For this, terminate the
7171 tags/property part of the search string (which may include several terms
7172 connected with @samp{|}) with a @samp{/} and then specify a Boolean
7173 expression just for TODO keywords. The syntax is then similar to that for
7174 tags, but should be applied with care: for example, a positive selection on
7175 several TODO keywords cannot meaningfully be combined with boolean AND.
7176 However, @emph{negative selection} combined with AND can be meaningful. To
7177 make sure that only lines are checked that actually have any TODO keyword
7178 (resulting in a speed-up), use @kbd{C-c a M}, or equivalently start the TODO
7179 part after the slash with @samp{!}. Using @kbd{C-c a M} or @samp{/!} will
7180 not match TODO keywords in a DONE state. Examples:
7184 Same as @samp{work+TODO="WAITING"}
7185 @item work/!-WAITING-NEXT
7186 Select @samp{:work:}-tagged TODO lines that are neither @samp{WAITING}
7188 @item work/!+WAITING|+NEXT
7189 Select @samp{:work:}-tagged TODO lines that are either @samp{WAITING} or
7193 @node Timeline, Search view, Matching tags and properties, Built-in agenda views
7194 @subsection Timeline for a single file
7195 @cindex timeline, single file
7196 @cindex time-sorted view
7198 The timeline summarizes all time-stamped items from a single Org-mode
7199 file in a @emph{time-sorted view}. The main purpose of this command is
7200 to give an overview over events in a project.
7205 Show a time-sorted view of the Org file, with all time-stamped items.
7206 When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix, all unfinished TODO entries
7207 (scheduled or not) are also listed under the current date.
7211 The commands available in the timeline buffer are listed in
7212 @ref{Agenda commands}.
7214 @node Search view, Stuck projects, Timeline, Built-in agenda views
7215 @subsection Search view
7218 @cindex searching, for text
7220 This agenda view is a general text search facility for Org-mode entries.
7221 It is particularly useful to find notes.
7226 This is a special search that lets you select entries by matching a substring
7227 or specific words using a boolean logic.
7229 For example, the search string @samp{computer equipment} will find entries
7230 that contain @samp{computer equipment} as a substring. If the two words are
7231 separated by more space or a line break, the search will still match.
7232 Search view can also search for specific keywords in the entry, using Boolean
7233 logic. The search string @samp{+computer +wifi -ethernet -@{8\.11[bg]@}}
7234 will search for note entries that contain the keywords @code{computer}
7235 and @code{wifi}, but not the keyword @code{ethernet}, and which are also
7236 not matched by the regular expression @code{8\.11[bg]}, meaning to
7237 exclude both 8.11b and 8.11g. The first @samp{+} is necessary to turn on
7238 word search, other @samp{+} characters are optional. For more details, see
7239 the docstring of the command @code{org-search-view}.
7241 @vindex org-agenda-text-search-extra-files
7242 Note that in addition to the agenda files, this command will also search
7243 the files listed in @code{org-agenda-text-search-extra-files}.
7245 @node Stuck projects, , Search view, Built-in agenda views
7246 @subsection Stuck projects
7248 If you are following a system like David Allen's GTD to organize your
7249 work, one of the ``duties'' you have is a regular review to make sure
7250 that all projects move along. A @emph{stuck} project is a project that
7251 has no defined next actions, so it will never show up in the TODO lists
7252 Org-mode produces. During the review, you need to identify such
7253 projects and define next actions for them.
7258 List projects that are stuck.
7261 @vindex org-stuck-projects
7262 Customize the variable @code{org-stuck-projects} to define what a stuck
7263 project is and how to find it.
7266 You almost certainly will have to configure this view before it will
7267 work for you. The built-in default assumes that all your projects are
7268 level-2 headlines, and that a project is not stuck if it has at least
7269 one entry marked with a TODO keyword TODO or NEXT or NEXTACTION.
7271 Let's assume that you, in your own way of using Org-mode, identify
7272 projects with a tag PROJECT, and that you use a TODO keyword MAYBE to
7273 indicate a project that should not be considered yet. Let's further
7274 assume that the TODO keyword DONE marks finished projects, and that NEXT
7275 and TODO indicate next actions. The tag @@SHOP indicates shopping and
7276 is a next action even without the NEXT tag. Finally, if the project
7277 contains the special word IGNORE anywhere, it should not be listed
7278 either. In this case you would start by identifying eligible projects
7279 with a tags/todo match@footnote{@xref{Tag searches}.}
7280 @samp{+PROJECT/-MAYBE-DONE}, and then check for TODO, NEXT, @@SHOP, and
7281 IGNORE in the subtree to identify projects that are not stuck. The
7282 correct customization for this is
7285 (setq org-stuck-projects
7286 '("+PROJECT/-MAYBE-DONE" ("NEXT" "TODO") ("@@SHOP")
7290 Note that if a project is identified as non-stuck, the subtree of this entry
7291 will still be searched for stuck projects.
7293 @node Presentation and sorting, Agenda commands, Built-in agenda views, Agenda Views
7294 @section Presentation and sorting
7295 @cindex presentation, of agenda items
7297 @vindex org-agenda-prefix-format
7298 Before displaying items in an agenda view, Org-mode visually prepares
7299 the items and sorts them. Each item occupies a single line. The line
7300 starts with a @emph{prefix} that contains the @emph{category}
7301 (@pxref{Categories}) of the item and other important information. You can
7302 customize the prefix using the option @code{org-agenda-prefix-format}.
7303 The prefix is followed by a cleaned-up version of the outline headline
7304 associated with the item.
7307 * Categories:: Not all tasks are equal
7308 * Time-of-day specifications:: How the agenda knows the time
7309 * Sorting of agenda items:: The order of things
7312 @node Categories, Time-of-day specifications, Presentation and sorting, Presentation and sorting
7313 @subsection Categories
7317 The category is a broad label assigned to each agenda item. By default,
7318 the category is simply derived from the file name, but you can also
7319 specify it with a special line in the buffer, like this@footnote{For
7320 backward compatibility, the following also works: if there are several
7321 such lines in a file, each specifies the category for the text below it.
7322 The first category also applies to any text before the first CATEGORY
7323 line. However, using this method is @emph{strongly} deprecated as it is
7324 incompatible with the outline structure of the document. The correct
7325 method for setting multiple categories in a buffer is using a
7333 @cindex property, CATEGORY
7334 If you would like to have a special CATEGORY for a single entry or a
7335 (sub)tree, give the entry a @code{:CATEGORY:} property with the
7336 special category you want to apply as the value.
7339 The display in the agenda buffer looks best if the category is not
7340 longer than 10 characters.
7342 @node Time-of-day specifications, Sorting of agenda items, Categories, Presentation and sorting
7343 @subsection Time-of-day specifications
7344 @cindex time-of-day specification
7346 Org-mode checks each agenda item for a time-of-day specification. The
7347 time can be part of the timestamp that triggered inclusion into the
7348 agenda, for example as in @w{@samp{<2005-05-10 Tue 19:00>}}. Time
7349 ranges can be specified with two timestamps, like
7351 @w{@samp{<2005-05-10 Tue 20:30>--<2005-05-10 Tue 22:15>}}.
7353 In the headline of the entry itself, a time(range) may also appear as
7354 plain text (like @samp{12:45} or a @samp{8:30-1pm}). If the agenda
7355 integrates the Emacs diary (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}), time
7356 specifications in diary entries are recognized as well.
7358 For agenda display, Org-mode extracts the time and displays it in a
7359 standard 24 hour format as part of the prefix. The example times in
7360 the previous paragraphs would end up in the agenda like this:
7363 8:30-13:00 Arthur Dent lies in front of the bulldozer
7364 12:45...... Ford Prefect arrives and takes Arthur to the pub
7365 19:00...... The Vogon reads his poem
7366 20:30-22:15 Marvin escorts the Hitchhikers to the bridge
7370 If the agenda is in single-day mode, or for the display of today, the
7371 timed entries are embedded in a time grid, like
7374 8:00...... ------------------
7375 8:30-13:00 Arthur Dent lies in front of the bulldozer
7376 10:00...... ------------------
7377 12:00...... ------------------
7378 12:45...... Ford Prefect arrives and takes Arthur to the pub
7379 14:00...... ------------------
7380 16:00...... ------------------
7381 18:00...... ------------------
7382 19:00...... The Vogon reads his poem
7383 20:00...... ------------------
7384 20:30-22:15 Marvin escorts the Hitchhikers to the bridge
7387 @vindex org-agenda-use-time-grid
7388 @vindex org-agenda-time-grid
7389 The time grid can be turned on and off with the variable
7390 @code{org-agenda-use-time-grid}, and can be configured with
7391 @code{org-agenda-time-grid}.
7393 @node Sorting of agenda items, , Time-of-day specifications, Presentation and sorting
7394 @subsection Sorting of agenda items
7395 @cindex sorting, of agenda items
7396 @cindex priorities, of agenda items
7397 Before being inserted into a view, the items are sorted. How this is
7398 done depends on the type of view.
7401 @vindex org-agenda-files
7402 For the daily/weekly agenda, the items for each day are sorted. The
7403 default order is to first collect all items containing an explicit
7404 time-of-day specification. These entries will be shown at the beginning
7405 of the list, as a @emph{schedule} for the day. After that, items remain
7406 grouped in categories, in the sequence given by @code{org-agenda-files}.
7407 Within each category, items are sorted by priority (@pxref{Priorities}),
7408 which is composed of the base priority (2000 for priority @samp{A}, 1000
7409 for @samp{B}, and 0 for @samp{C}), plus additional increments for
7410 overdue scheduled or deadline items.
7412 For the TODO list, items remain in the order of categories, but within
7413 each category, sorting takes place according to priority
7414 (@pxref{Priorities}). The priority used for sorting derives from the
7415 priority cookie, with additions depending on how close an item is to its due
7418 For tags matches, items are not sorted at all, but just appear in the
7419 sequence in which they are found in the agenda files.
7422 @vindex org-agenda-sorting-strategy
7423 Sorting can be customized using the variable
7424 @code{org-agenda-sorting-strategy}, and may also include criteria based on
7425 the estimated effort of an entry (@pxref{Effort estimates}).
7427 @node Agenda commands, Custom agenda views, Presentation and sorting, Agenda Views
7428 @section Commands in the agenda buffer
7429 @cindex commands, in agenda buffer
7431 Entries in the agenda buffer are linked back to the Org file or diary
7432 file where they originate. You are not allowed to edit the agenda
7433 buffer itself, but commands are provided to show and jump to the
7434 original entry location, and to edit the Org files ``remotely'' from
7435 the agenda buffer. In this way, all information is stored only once,
7436 removing the risk that your agenda and note files may diverge.
7438 Some commands can be executed with mouse clicks on agenda lines. For
7439 the other commands, the cursor needs to be in the desired line.
7442 @tsubheading{Motion}
7443 @cindex motion commands in agenda
7446 Next line (same as @key{up} and @kbd{C-p}).
7449 Previous line (same as @key{down} and @kbd{C-n}).
7450 @tsubheading{View/Go to Org file}
7455 Display the original location of the item in another window.
7456 With prefix arg, make sure that the entire entry is made visible in the
7457 outline, not only the heading.
7461 Display original location and recenter that window.
7469 Go to the original location of the item in another window. Under Emacs
7470 22, @kbd{mouse-1} will also works for this.
7474 Go to the original location of the item and delete other windows.
7478 @vindex org-agenda-start-with-follow-mode
7479 Toggle Follow mode. In Follow mode, as you move the cursor through
7480 the agenda buffer, the other window always shows the corresponding
7481 location in the Org file. The initial setting for this mode in new
7482 agenda buffers can be set with the variable
7483 @code{org-agenda-start-with-follow-mode}.
7487 Display the entire subtree of the current item in an indirect buffer. With a
7488 numeric prefix argument N, go up to level N and then take that tree. If N is
7489 negative, go up that many levels. With a @kbd{C-u} prefix, do not remove the
7490 previously used indirect buffer.
7494 Follow a link in the entry. This will offer a selection of any links in the
7495 text belonging to the referenced Org node. If there is only one link, it
7496 will be followed without a selection prompt.
7498 @tsubheading{Change display}
7499 @cindex display changing, in agenda
7502 Delete other windows.
7510 @item v d @ @r{or short} @ d
7511 @itemx v w @ @r{or short} @ w
7514 Switch to day/week/month/year view. When switching to day or week view,
7515 this setting becomes the default for subsequent agenda commands. Since
7516 month and year views are slow to create, they do not become the default.
7517 A numeric prefix argument may be used to jump directly to a specific day
7518 of the year, ISO week, month, or year, respectively. For example,
7519 @kbd{32 d} jumps to February 1st, @kbd{9 w} to ISO week number 9. When
7520 setting day, week, or month view, a year may be encoded in the prefix
7521 argument as well. For example, @kbd{200712 w} will jump to week 12 in
7522 2007. If such a year specification has only one or two digits, it will
7523 be mapped to the interval 1938-2037.
7527 @vindex org-agenda-ndays
7528 Go forward in time to display the following @code{org-agenda-ndays} days.
7529 For example, if the display covers a week, switch to the following week.
7530 With prefix arg, go forward that many times @code{org-agenda-ndays} days.
7534 Go backward in time to display earlier dates.
7542 Prompt for a date and go there.
7546 Go to the currently clocked in task in the agenda buffer.
7550 Toggle the inclusion of diary entries. See @ref{Weekly/daily agenda}.
7555 @item v l @ @r{or short} @ l
7556 @vindex org-log-done
7557 @vindex org-agenda-log-mode-items
7558 Toggle Logbook mode. In Logbook mode, entries that were marked DONE while
7559 logging was on (variable @code{org-log-done}) are shown in the agenda, as are
7560 entries that have been clocked on that day. You can configure the entry
7561 types that should be included in log mode using the variable
7562 @code{org-agenda-log-mode-items}. When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix, show
7563 all possible logbook entries, including state changes. When called with two
7564 prefix args @kbd{C-u C-u}, show only logging information, nothing else.
7565 @kbd{v L} is equivalent to @kbd{C-u v l}.
7569 @item v [ @ @r{or short} @ [
7570 Include inactive timestamps into the current view. Only for weekly/daily
7571 agenda and timeline views.
7577 Toggle Archives mode. In Archives mode, trees that are marked
7578 @code{ARCHIVED} are also scanned when producing the agenda. When you use the
7579 capital @kbd{A}, even all archive files are included. To exit archives mode,
7580 press @kbd{v a} again.
7584 @item v R @ @r{or short} @ R
7585 @vindex org-agenda-start-with-clockreport-mode
7586 Toggle Clockreport mode. In Clockreport mode, the daily/weekly agenda will
7587 always show a table with the clocked times for the timespan and file scope
7588 covered by the current agenda view. The initial setting for this mode in new
7589 agenda buffers can be set with the variable
7590 @code{org-agenda-start-with-clockreport-mode}.
7594 @item v E @ @r{or short} @ E
7595 @vindex org-agenda-start-with-entry-text-mode
7596 @vindex org-agenda-entry-text-maxlines
7597 Toggle entry text mode. In entry text mode, a number of lines from the Org
7598 outline node referenced by an agenda line will be displayed below the line.
7599 The maximum number of lines is given by the variable
7600 @code{org-agenda-entry-text-maxlines}. Calling this command with a numeric
7601 prefix argument will temporarily modify that number to the prefix value.
7605 @vindex org-agenda-use-time-grid
7606 @vindex org-agenda-time-grid
7607 Toggle the time grid on and off. See also the variables
7608 @code{org-agenda-use-time-grid} and @code{org-agenda-time-grid}.
7612 Recreate the agenda buffer, for example to reflect the changes after
7613 modification of the timestamps of items with @kbd{S-@key{left}} and
7614 @kbd{S-@key{right}}. When the buffer is the global TODO list, a prefix
7615 argument is interpreted to create a selective list for a specific TODO
7625 Save all Org buffers in the current Emacs session, and also the locations of
7630 @vindex org-columns-default-format
7631 Invoke column view (@pxref{Column view}) in the agenda buffer. The column
7632 view format is taken from the entry at point, or (if there is no entry at
7633 point), from the first entry in the agenda view. So whatever the format for
7634 that entry would be in the original buffer (taken from a property, from a
7635 @code{#+COLUMNS} line, or from the default variable
7636 @code{org-columns-default-format}), will be used in the agenda.
7640 Remove the restriction lock on the agenda, if it is currently restricted to a
7641 file or subtree (@pxref{Agenda files}).
7643 @tsubheading{Secondary filtering and query editing}
7644 @cindex filtering, by tag and effort, in agenda
7645 @cindex tag filtering, in agenda
7646 @cindex effort filtering, in agenda
7647 @cindex query editing, in agenda
7651 @vindex org-agenda-filter-preset
7652 Filter the current agenda view with respect to a tag and/or effort estimates.
7653 The difference between this and a custom agenda command is that filtering is
7654 very fast, so that you can switch quickly between different filters without
7655 having to recreate the agenda@footnote{Custom commands can preset a filter by
7656 binding the variable @code{org-agenda-filter-preset} as an option. This
7657 filter will then be applied to the view and persist as a basic filter through
7658 refreshes and more secondary filtering. The filter is a global property of
7659 the entire agenda view - in a block agenda, you should only set this in the
7660 global options section, not in the section of an individual block.}
7662 You will be prompted for a tag selection letter, SPC will mean any tag at
7663 all. Pressing @key{TAB} at that prompt will offer use completion to select a
7664 tag (including any tags that do not have a selection character). The command
7665 then hides all entries that do not contain or inherit this tag. When called
7666 with prefix arg, remove the entries that @emph{do} have the tag. A second
7667 @kbd{/} at the prompt will turn off the filter and unhide any hidden entries.
7668 If the first key you press is either @kbd{+} or @kbd{-}, the previous filter
7669 will be narrowed by requiring or forbidding the selected additional tag.
7670 Instead of pressing @kbd{+} or @kbd{-} after @kbd{/}, you can also
7671 immediately use the @kbd{\} command.
7673 @vindex org-sort-agenda-noeffort-is-high
7674 In order to filter for effort estimates, you should set-up allowed
7675 efforts globally, for example
7677 (setq org-global-properties
7678 '(("Effort_ALL". "0 0:10 0:30 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00")))
7680 You can then filter for an effort by first typing an operator, one of
7681 @kbd{<}, @kbd{>}, and @kbd{=}, and then the one-digit index of an effort
7682 estimate in your array of allowed values, where @kbd{0} means the 10th value.
7683 The filter will then restrict to entries with effort smaller-or-equal, equal,
7684 or larger-or-equal than the selected value. If the digits 0-9 are not used
7685 as fast access keys to tags, you can also simply press the index digit
7686 directly without an operator. In this case, @kbd{<} will be assumed. For
7687 application of the operator, entries without a defined effort will be treated
7688 according to the value of @code{org-sort-agenda-noeffort-is-high}. To filter
7689 for tasks without effort definition, press @kbd{?} as the operator.
7691 Org also supports automatic, context-aware tag filtering. If the variable
7692 @code{org-agenda-auto-exclude-function} is set to a user-defined function,
7693 that function can decide which tags should be excluded from the agenda
7694 automatically. Once this is set, the @kbd{/} command then accepts @kbd{RET}
7695 as a sub-option key and runs the auto exclusion logic. For example, let's
7696 say you use a @code{Net} tag to identify tasks which need network access, an
7697 @code{Errand} tag for errands in town, and a @code{Call} tag for making phone
7698 calls. You could auto-exclude these tags based on the availability of the
7699 Internet, and outside of business hours, with something like this:
7703 (defun org-my-auto-exclude-function (tag)
7705 ((string= tag "Net")
7706 (/= 0 (call-process "/sbin/ping" nil nil nil
7707 "-c1" "-q" "-t1" "mail.gnu.org")))
7708 ((or (string= tag "Errand") (string= tag "Call"))
7709 (let ((hour (nth 2 (decode-time))))
7710 (or (< hour 8) (> hour 21)))))
7713 (setq org-agenda-auto-exclude-function 'org-my-auto-exclude-function)
7719 Narrow the current agenda filter by an additional condition. When called with
7720 prefix arg, remove the entries that @emph{do} have the tag, or that do match
7721 the effort criterion. You can achieve the same effect by pressing @kbd{+} or
7722 @kbd{-} as the first key after the @kbd{/} command.
7730 @item @r{in} search view
7731 add new search words (@kbd{[} and @kbd{]}) or new regular expressions
7732 (@kbd{@{} and @kbd{@}}) to the query string. The opening bracket/brace will
7733 add a positive search term prefixed by @samp{+}, indicating that this search
7734 term @i{must} occur/match in the entry. The closing bracket/brace will add a
7735 negative search term which @i{must not} occur/match in the entry for it to be
7740 @tsubheading{Remote editing}
7741 @cindex remote editing, from agenda
7746 @cindex undoing remote-editing events
7747 @cindex remote editing, undo
7750 Undo a change due to a remote editing command. The change is undone
7751 both in the agenda buffer and in the remote buffer.
7755 Change the TODO state of the item, both in the agenda and in the
7758 @kindex C-S-@key{right}
7759 @kindex C-S-@key{left}
7760 @item C-S-@key{right}@r{/}@key{left}
7761 Switch to the next/previous set of TODO keywords.
7765 @vindex org-agenda-confirm-kill
7766 Delete the current agenda item along with the entire subtree belonging
7767 to it in the original Org file. If the text to be deleted remotely
7768 is longer than one line, the kill needs to be confirmed by the user. See
7769 variable @code{org-agenda-confirm-kill}.
7773 Refile the entry at point.
7777 @item C-c C-x C-a @ @r{or short} @ a
7778 @vindex org-archive-default-command
7779 Archive the subtree corresponding to the entry at point using the default
7780 archiving command set in @code{org-archive-default-command}. When using the
7781 @code{a} key, confirmation will be required.
7785 Toggle the ARCHIVE tag for the current headline.
7789 Move the subtree corresponding to the current entry to its @emph{archive
7794 @item C-c C-x C-s @ @r{or short} @ $
7795 Archive the subtree corresponding to the current headline. This means the
7796 entry will be moved to the configured archive location, most likely a
7801 @vindex org-agenda-show-inherited-tags
7802 Show all tags associated with the current item. This is useful if you have
7803 turned off @code{org-agenda-show-inherited-tags}, but still want to see all
7804 tags of a headline occasionally.
7808 Set tags for the current headline. If there is an active region in the
7809 agenda, change a tag for all headings in the region.
7813 Set the priority for the current item. Org-mode prompts for the
7814 priority character. If you reply with @key{SPC}, the priority cookie
7815 is removed from the entry.
7819 Display weighted priority of current item.
7825 Increase the priority of the current item. The priority is changed in
7826 the original buffer, but the agenda is not resorted. Use the @kbd{r}
7830 @kindex S-@key{down}
7833 Decrease the priority of the current item.
7837 @item z @ @r{or also} @ C-c C-z
7838 @vindex org-log-into-drawer
7839 Add a note to the entry. This note will be recorded, and then files to the
7840 same location where state change notes are put. Depending on
7841 @code{org-log-into-drawer}, this maybe inside a drawer.
7845 Dispatcher for all command related to attachments.
7849 Schedule this item, with prefix arg remove the scheduling timestamp
7853 Set a deadline for this item, with prefix arg remove the deadline.
7857 Agenda actions, to set dates for selected items to the cursor date.
7858 This command also works in the calendar! The command prompts for an
7861 m @r{Mark the entry at point for action. You can also make entries}
7862 @r{in Org files with @kbd{C-c C-x C-k}.}
7863 d @r{Set the deadline of the marked entry to the date at point.}
7864 s @r{Schedule the marked entry at the date at point.}
7865 r @r{Call @code{org-capture} with the cursor date as default date.}
7868 Press @kbd{r} afterward to refresh the agenda and see the effect of the
7871 @kindex S-@key{right}
7873 Change the timestamp associated with the current line by one day into the
7874 future. With a numeric prefix argument, change it by that many days. For
7875 example, @kbd{3 6 5 S-@key{right}} will change it by a year. With a
7876 @kbd{C-u} prefix, change the time by one hour. If you immediately repeat the
7877 command, it will continue to change hours even without the prefix arg. With
7878 a double @kbd{C-u C-u} prefix, do the same for changing minutes. The stamp
7879 is changed in the original Org file, but the change is not directly reflected
7880 in the agenda buffer. Use @kbd{r} or @kbd{g} to update the buffer.
7882 @kindex S-@key{left}
7884 Change the timestamp associated with the current line by one day
7889 Change the timestamp associated with the current line. The key @kbd{>} has
7890 been chosen, because it is the same as @kbd{S-.} on my keyboard.
7894 Start the clock on the current item. If a clock is running already, it
7899 Stop the previously started clock.
7903 Cancel the currently running clock.
7907 Jump to the running clock in another window.
7909 @tsubheading{Bulk remote editing selected entries}
7910 @cindex remote editing, bulk, from agenda
7914 Mark the entry at point for bulk action.
7918 Unmark entry for bulk action.
7922 Unmark all marked entries for bulk action.
7926 Bulk action: act on all marked entries in the agenda. This will prompt for
7927 another key to select the action to be applied. The prefix arg to @kbd{B}
7928 will be passed through to the @kbd{s} and @kbd{d} commands, to bulk-remove
7929 these special timestamps.
7931 r @r{Prompt for a single refile target and move all entries. The entries}
7932 @r{will no longer be in the agenda, refresh (@kbd{g}) to bring them back.}
7933 $ @r{Archive all selected entries.}
7934 A @r{Archive entries by moving them to their respective archive siblings.}
7935 t @r{Change TODO state. This prompts for a single TODO keyword and}
7936 @r{changes the state of all selected entries, bypassing blocking and}
7937 @r{suppressing logging notes (but not time stamps).}
7938 + @r{Add a tag to all selected entries.}
7939 - @r{Remove a tag from all selected entries.}
7940 s @r{Schedule all items to a new date. To shift existing schedule dates}
7941 @r{by a fixed number of days, use something starting with double plus}
7942 @r{at the prompt, for example @samp{++8d} or @samp{++2w}.}
7943 d @r{Set deadline to a specific date.}
7947 @tsubheading{Calendar commands}
7948 @cindex calendar commands, from agenda
7951 Open the Emacs calendar and move to the date at the agenda cursor.
7954 When in the calendar, compute and show the Org-mode agenda for the
7957 @cindex diary entries, creating from agenda
7960 @vindex org-agenda-diary-file
7961 Insert a new entry into the diary, using the date at the cursor and (for
7962 block entries) the date at the mark. This will add to the Emacs diary
7963 file@footnote{This file is parsed for the agenda when
7964 @code{org-agenda-include-diary} is set.}, in a way similar to the @kbd{i}
7965 command in the calendar. The diary file will pop up in another window, where
7966 you can add the entry.
7968 If you configure @code{org-agenda-diary-file} to point to an Org-mode file,
7969 Org will create entries (in org-mode syntax) in that file instead. Most
7970 entries will be stored in a date-based outline tree that will later make it
7971 easy to archive appointments from previous months/years. The tree will be
7972 built under an entry with a @code{DATE_TREE} property, or else with years as
7973 top-level entries. Emacs will prompt you for the entry text - if you specify
7974 it, the entry will be created in @code{org-agenda-diary-file} without further
7975 interaction. If you directly press @key{RET} at the prompt without typing
7976 text, the target file will be shown in another window for you to finish the
7977 entry there. See also the @kbd{k r} command.
7981 Show the phases of the moon for the three months around current date.
7985 Show sunrise and sunset times. The geographical location must be set
7986 with calendar variables, see the documentation for the Emacs calendar.
7990 Convert the date at cursor into many other cultural and historic
7995 Show holidays for three months around the cursor date.
7997 @item M-x org-export-icalendar-combine-agenda-files
7998 Export a single iCalendar file containing entries from all agenda files.
7999 This is a globally available command, and also available in the agenda menu.
8001 @tsubheading{Exporting to a file}
8004 @cindex exporting agenda views
8005 @cindex agenda views, exporting
8006 @vindex org-agenda-exporter-settings
8007 Write the agenda view to a file. Depending on the extension of the selected
8008 file name, the view will be exported as HTML (extension @file{.html} or
8009 @file{.htm}), Postscript (extension @file{.ps}), PDF (extension @file{.pdf}),
8010 and plain text (any other extension). When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix
8011 argument, immediately open the newly created file. Use the variable
8012 @code{org-agenda-exporter-settings} to set options for @file{ps-print} and
8013 for @file{htmlize} to be used during export.
8015 @tsubheading{Quit and Exit}
8018 Quit agenda, remove the agenda buffer.
8021 @cindex agenda files, removing buffers
8023 Exit agenda, remove the agenda buffer and all buffers loaded by Emacs
8024 for the compilation of the agenda. Buffers created by the user to
8025 visit Org files will not be removed.
8029 @node Custom agenda views, Exporting Agenda Views, Agenda commands, Agenda Views
8030 @section Custom agenda views
8031 @cindex custom agenda views
8032 @cindex agenda views, custom
8034 Custom agenda commands serve two purposes: to store and quickly access
8035 frequently used TODO and tags searches, and to create special composite
8036 agenda buffers. Custom agenda commands will be accessible through the
8037 dispatcher (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}), just like the default commands.
8040 * Storing searches:: Type once, use often
8041 * Block agenda:: All the stuff you need in a single buffer
8042 * Setting Options:: Changing the rules
8045 @node Storing searches, Block agenda, Custom agenda views, Custom agenda views
8046 @subsection Storing searches
8048 The first application of custom searches is the definition of keyboard
8049 shortcuts for frequently used searches, either creating an agenda
8050 buffer, or a sparse tree (the latter covering of course only the current
8053 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands
8054 Custom commands are configured in the variable
8055 @code{org-agenda-custom-commands}. You can customize this variable, for
8056 example by pressing @kbd{C-c a C}. You can also directly set it with
8057 Emacs Lisp in @file{.emacs}. The following example contains all valid
8062 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
8063 '(("w" todo "WAITING")
8064 ("W" todo-tree "WAITING")
8065 ("u" tags "+boss-urgent")
8066 ("v" tags-todo "+boss-urgent")
8067 ("U" tags-tree "+boss-urgent")
8068 ("f" occur-tree "\\<FIXME\\>")
8069 ("h" . "HOME+Name tags searches") ; description for "h" prefix
8070 ("hl" tags "+home+Lisa")
8071 ("hp" tags "+home+Peter")
8072 ("hk" tags "+home+Kim")))
8077 The initial string in each entry defines the keys you have to press
8078 after the dispatcher command @kbd{C-c a} in order to access the command.
8079 Usually this will be just a single character, but if you have many
8080 similar commands, you can also define two-letter combinations where the
8081 first character is the same in several combinations and serves as a
8082 prefix key@footnote{You can provide a description for a prefix key by
8083 inserting a cons cell with the prefix and the description.}. The second
8084 parameter is the search type, followed by the string or regular
8085 expression to be used for the matching. The example above will
8090 as a global search for TODO entries with @samp{WAITING} as the TODO
8093 as the same search, but only in the current buffer and displaying the
8094 results as a sparse tree
8096 as a global tags search for headlines marked @samp{:boss:} but not
8099 as the same search as @kbd{C-c a u}, but limiting the search to
8100 headlines that are also TODO items
8102 as the same search as @kbd{C-c a u}, but only in the current buffer and
8103 displaying the result as a sparse tree
8105 to create a sparse tree (again: current buffer only) with all entries
8106 containing the word @samp{FIXME}
8108 as a prefix command for a HOME tags search where you have to press an
8109 additional key (@kbd{l}, @kbd{p} or @kbd{k}) to select a name (Lisa,
8110 Peter, or Kim) as additional tag to match.
8113 @node Block agenda, Setting Options, Storing searches, Custom agenda views
8114 @subsection Block agenda
8115 @cindex block agenda
8116 @cindex agenda, with block views
8118 Another possibility is the construction of agenda views that comprise
8119 the results of @emph{several} commands, each of which creates a block in
8120 the agenda buffer. The available commands include @code{agenda} for the
8121 daily or weekly agenda (as created with @kbd{C-c a a}), @code{alltodo}
8122 for the global TODO list (as constructed with @kbd{C-c a t}), and the
8123 matching commands discussed above: @code{todo}, @code{tags}, and
8124 @code{tags-todo}. Here are two examples:
8128 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
8129 '(("h" "Agenda and Home-related tasks"
8133 ("o" "Agenda and Office-related tasks"
8141 This will define @kbd{C-c a h} to create a multi-block view for stuff
8142 you need to attend to at home. The resulting agenda buffer will contain
8143 your agenda for the current week, all TODO items that carry the tag
8144 @samp{home}, and also all lines tagged with @samp{garden}. Finally the
8145 command @kbd{C-c a o} provides a similar view for office tasks.
8147 @node Setting Options, , Block agenda, Custom agenda views
8148 @subsection Setting options for custom commands
8149 @cindex options, for custom agenda views
8151 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands
8152 Org-mode contains a number of variables regulating agenda construction
8153 and display. The global variables define the behavior for all agenda
8154 commands, including the custom commands. However, if you want to change
8155 some settings just for a single custom view, you can do so. Setting
8156 options requires inserting a list of variable names and values at the
8157 right spot in @code{org-agenda-custom-commands}. For example:
8161 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
8162 '(("w" todo "WAITING"
8163 ((org-agenda-sorting-strategy '(priority-down))
8164 (org-agenda-prefix-format " Mixed: ")))
8165 ("U" tags-tree "+boss-urgent"
8166 ((org-show-following-heading nil)
8167 (org-show-hierarchy-above nil)))
8169 ((org-agenda-files '("~org/notes.org"))
8170 (org-agenda-text-search-extra-files nil)))))
8175 Now the @kbd{C-c a w} command will sort the collected entries only by
8176 priority, and the prefix format is modified to just say @samp{ Mixed: }
8177 instead of giving the category of the entry. The sparse tags tree of
8178 @kbd{C-c a U} will now turn out ultra-compact, because neither the
8179 headline hierarchy above the match, nor the headline following the match
8180 will be shown. The command @kbd{C-c a N} will do a text search limited
8181 to only a single file.
8183 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands
8184 For command sets creating a block agenda,
8185 @code{org-agenda-custom-commands} has two separate spots for setting
8186 options. You can add options that should be valid for just a single
8187 command in the set, and options that should be valid for all commands in
8188 the set. The former are just added to the command entry, the latter
8189 must come after the list of command entries. Going back to the block
8190 agenda example (@pxref{Block agenda}), let's change the sorting strategy
8191 for the @kbd{C-c a h} commands to @code{priority-down}, but let's sort
8192 the results for GARDEN tags query in the opposite order,
8193 @code{priority-up}. This would look like this:
8197 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
8198 '(("h" "Agenda and Home-related tasks"
8202 ((org-agenda-sorting-strategy '(priority-up)))))
8203 ((org-agenda-sorting-strategy '(priority-down))))
8204 ("o" "Agenda and Office-related tasks"
8211 As you see, the values and parentheses setting is a little complex.
8212 When in doubt, use the customize interface to set this variable---it
8213 fully supports its structure. Just one caveat: when setting options in
8214 this interface, the @emph{values} are just Lisp expressions. So if the
8215 value is a string, you need to add the double-quotes around the value
8219 @node Exporting Agenda Views, Agenda column view, Custom agenda views, Agenda Views
8220 @section Exporting Agenda Views
8221 @cindex agenda views, exporting
8223 If you are away from your computer, it can be very useful to have a printed
8224 version of some agenda views to carry around. Org-mode can export custom
8225 agenda views as plain text, HTML@footnote{You need to install Hrvoje Niksic's
8226 @file{htmlize.el}.}, Postscript, PDF@footnote{To create PDF output, the
8227 ghostscript @file{ps2pdf} utility must be installed on the system. Selecting
8228 a PDF file with also create the postscript file.}, and iCalendar files. If
8229 you want to do this only occasionally, use the command
8234 @cindex exporting agenda views
8235 @cindex agenda views, exporting
8236 @vindex org-agenda-exporter-settings
8237 Write the agenda view to a file. Depending on the extension of the selected
8238 file name, the view will be exported as HTML (extension @file{.html} or
8239 @file{.htm}), Postscript (extension @file{.ps}), iCalendar (extension
8240 @file{.ics}), or plain text (any other extension). Use the variable
8241 @code{org-agenda-exporter-settings} to set options for @file{ps-print} and
8242 for @file{htmlize} to be used during export, for example
8244 @vindex org-agenda-add-entry-text-maxlines
8245 @vindex htmlize-output-type
8246 @vindex ps-number-of-columns
8247 @vindex ps-landscape-mode
8249 (setq org-agenda-exporter-settings
8250 '((ps-number-of-columns 2)
8251 (ps-landscape-mode t)
8252 (org-agenda-add-entry-text-maxlines 5)
8253 (htmlize-output-type 'css)))
8257 If you need to export certain agenda views frequently, you can associate
8258 any custom agenda command with a list of output file names
8259 @footnote{If you want to store standard views like the weekly agenda
8260 or the global TODO list as well, you need to define custom commands for
8261 them in order to be able to specify file names.}. Here is an example
8262 that first defines custom commands for the agenda and the global
8263 TODO list, together with a number of files to which to export them.
8264 Then we define two block agenda commands and specify file names for them
8265 as well. File names can be relative to the current working directory,
8270 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
8271 '(("X" agenda "" nil ("agenda.html" "agenda.ps"))
8272 ("Y" alltodo "" nil ("todo.html" "todo.txt" "todo.ps"))
8273 ("h" "Agenda and Home-related tasks"
8278 ("~/views/home.html"))
8279 ("o" "Agenda and Office-related tasks"
8284 ("~/views/office.ps" "~/calendars/office.ics"))))
8288 The extension of the file name determines the type of export. If it is
8289 @file{.html}, Org-mode will use the @file{htmlize.el} package to convert
8290 the buffer to HTML and save it to this file name. If the extension is
8291 @file{.ps}, @code{ps-print-buffer-with-faces} is used to produce
8292 Postscript output. If the extension is @file{.ics}, iCalendar export is
8293 run export over all files that were used to construct the agenda, and
8294 limit the export to entries listed in the agenda. Any other
8295 extension produces a plain ASCII file.
8297 The export files are @emph{not} created when you use one of those
8298 commands interactively because this might use too much overhead.
8299 Instead, there is a special command to produce @emph{all} specified
8305 Export all agenda views that have export file names associated with
8309 You can use the options section of the custom agenda commands to also
8310 set options for the export commands. For example:
8313 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
8315 ((ps-number-of-columns 2)
8316 (ps-landscape-mode t)
8317 (org-agenda-prefix-format " [ ] ")
8318 (org-agenda-with-colors nil)
8319 (org-agenda-remove-tags t))
8324 This command sets two options for the Postscript exporter, to make it
8325 print in two columns in landscape format---the resulting page can be cut
8326 in two and then used in a paper agenda. The remaining settings modify
8327 the agenda prefix to omit category and scheduling information, and
8328 instead include a checkbox to check off items. We also remove the tags
8329 to make the lines compact, and we don't want to use colors for the
8330 black-and-white printer. Settings specified in
8331 @code{org-agenda-exporter-settings} will also apply, but the settings
8332 in @code{org-agenda-custom-commands} take precedence.
8335 From the command line you may also use
8337 emacs -f org-batch-store-agenda-views -kill
8340 or, if you need to modify some parameters@footnote{Quoting depends on the
8341 system you use, please check the FAQ for examples.}
8343 emacs -eval '(org-batch-store-agenda-views \
8344 org-agenda-ndays 30 \
8345 org-agenda-start-day "2007-11-01" \
8346 org-agenda-include-diary nil \
8347 org-agenda-files (quote ("~/org/project.org")))' \
8351 which will create the agenda views restricted to the file
8352 @file{~/org/project.org}, without diary entries and with a 30-day
8355 You can also extract agenda information in a way that allows further
8356 processing by other programs. See @ref{Extracting agenda information}, for
8360 @node Agenda column view, , Exporting Agenda Views, Agenda Views
8361 @section Using column view in the agenda
8362 @cindex column view, in agenda
8363 @cindex agenda, column view
8365 Column view (@pxref{Column view}) is normally used to view and edit
8366 properties embedded in the hierarchical structure of an Org file. It can be
8367 quite useful to use column view also from the agenda, where entries are
8368 collected by certain criteria.
8373 Turn on column view in the agenda.
8376 To understand how to use this properly, it is important to realize that the
8377 entries in the agenda are no longer in their proper outline environment.
8378 This causes the following issues:
8382 @vindex org-columns-default-format
8383 @vindex org-overriding-columns-format
8384 Org needs to make a decision which @code{COLUMNS} format to use. Since the
8385 entries in the agenda are collected from different files, and different files
8386 may have different @code{COLUMNS} formats, this is a non-trivial problem.
8387 Org first checks if the variable @code{org-overriding-columns-format} is
8388 currently set, and if so, takes the format from there. Otherwise it takes
8389 the format associated with the first item in the agenda, or, if that item
8390 does not have a specific format (defined in a property, or in its file), it
8391 uses @code{org-columns-default-format}.
8393 @cindex property, special, CLOCKSUM
8394 If any of the columns has a summary type defined (@pxref{Column attributes}),
8395 turning on column view in the agenda will visit all relevant agenda files and
8396 make sure that the computations of this property are up to date. This is
8397 also true for the special @code{CLOCKSUM} property. Org will then sum the
8398 values displayed in the agenda. In the daily/weekly agenda, the sums will
8399 cover a single day, in all other views they cover the entire block. It is
8400 vital to realize that the agenda may show the same entry @emph{twice} (for
8401 example as scheduled and as a deadline), and it may show two entries from the
8402 same hierarchy (for example a @emph{parent} and its @emph{child}). In these
8403 cases, the summation in the agenda will lead to incorrect results because
8404 some values will count double.
8406 When the column view in the agenda shows the @code{CLOCKSUM}, that is always
8407 the entire clocked time for this item. So even in the daily/weekly agenda,
8408 the clocksum listed in column view may originate from times outside the
8409 current view. This has the advantage that you can compare these values with
8410 a column listing the planned total effort for a task---one of the major
8411 applications for column view in the agenda. If you want information about
8412 clocked time in the displayed period use clock table mode (press @kbd{R} in
8417 @node Markup, Exporting, Agenda Views, Top
8418 @chapter Markup for rich export
8420 When exporting Org-mode documents, the exporter tries to reflect the
8421 structure of the document as accurately as possible in the backend. Since
8422 export targets like HTML, La@TeX{}, or DocBook allow much richer formatting,
8423 Org-mode has rules on how to prepare text for rich export. This section
8424 summarizes the markup rules used in an Org-mode buffer.
8427 * Structural markup elements:: The basic structure as seen by the exporter
8428 * Images and tables:: Tables and Images will be included
8429 * Literal examples:: Source code examples with special formatting
8430 * Include files:: Include additional files into a document
8431 * Index entries:: Making an index
8432 * Macro replacement:: Use macros to create complex output
8433 * Embedded LaTeX:: LaTeX can be freely used inside Org documents
8436 @node Structural markup elements, Images and tables, Markup, Markup
8437 @section Structural markup elements
8440 * Document title:: Where the title is taken from
8441 * Headings and sections:: The document structure as seen by the exporter
8442 * Table of contents:: The if and where of the table of contents
8443 * Initial text:: Text before the first heading?
8445 * Paragraphs:: Paragraphs
8446 * Footnote markup:: Footnotes
8447 * Emphasis and monospace:: Bold, italic, etc.
8448 * Horizontal rules:: Make a line
8449 * Comment lines:: What will *not* be exported
8452 @node Document title, Headings and sections, Structural markup elements, Structural markup elements
8453 @subheading Document title
8454 @cindex document title, markup rules
8457 The title of the exported document is taken from the special line
8461 #+TITLE: This is the title of the document
8465 If this line does not exist, the title is derived from the first non-empty,
8466 non-comment line in the buffer. If no such line exists, or if you have
8467 turned off exporting of the text before the first headline (see below), the
8468 title will be the file name without extension.
8470 @cindex property, EXPORT_TITLE
8471 If you are exporting only a subtree by marking is as the region, the heading
8472 of the subtree will become the title of the document. If the subtree has a
8473 property @code{EXPORT_TITLE}, that will take precedence.
8475 @node Headings and sections, Table of contents, Document title, Structural markup elements
8476 @subheading Headings and sections
8477 @cindex headings and sections, markup rules
8479 @vindex org-export-headline-levels
8480 The outline structure of the document as described in @ref{Document
8481 Structure}, forms the basis for defining sections of the exported document.
8482 However, since the outline structure is also used for (for example) lists of
8483 tasks, only the first three outline levels will be used as headings. Deeper
8484 levels will become itemized lists. You can change the location of this
8485 switch globally by setting the variable @code{org-export-headline-levels}, or on a
8486 per-file basis with a line
8493 @node Table of contents, Initial text, Headings and sections, Structural markup elements
8494 @subheading Table of contents
8495 @cindex table of contents, markup rules
8497 @vindex org-export-with-toc
8498 The table of contents is normally inserted directly before the first headline
8499 of the file. If you would like to get it to a different location, insert the
8500 string @code{[TABLE-OF-CONTENTS]} on a line by itself at the desired
8501 location. The depth of the table of contents is by default the same as the
8502 number of headline levels, but you can choose a smaller number, or turn off
8503 the table of contents entirely, by configuring the variable
8504 @code{org-export-with-toc}, or on a per-file basis with a line like
8507 #+OPTIONS: toc:2 (only to two levels in TOC)
8508 #+OPTIONS: toc:nil (no TOC at all)
8511 @node Initial text, Lists, Table of contents, Structural markup elements
8512 @subheading Text before the first headline
8513 @cindex text before first headline, markup rules
8516 Org-mode normally exports the text before the first headline, and even uses
8517 the first line as the document title. The text will be fully marked up. If
8518 you need to include literal HTML, La@TeX{}, or DocBook code, use the special
8519 constructs described below in the sections for the individual exporters.
8521 @vindex org-export-skip-text-before-1st-heading
8522 Some people like to use the space before the first headline for setup and
8523 internal links and therefore would like to control the exported text before
8524 the first headline in a different way. You can do so by setting the variable
8525 @code{org-export-skip-text-before-1st-heading} to @code{t}. On a per-file
8526 basis, you can get the same effect with @samp{#+OPTIONS: skip:t}.
8529 If you still want to have some text before the first headline, use the
8530 @code{#+TEXT} construct:
8534 #+TEXT: This text will go before the *first* headline.
8535 #+TEXT: [TABLE-OF-CONTENTS]
8536 #+TEXT: This goes between the table of contents and the first headline
8539 @node Lists, Paragraphs, Initial text, Structural markup elements
8541 @cindex lists, markup rules
8543 Plain lists as described in @ref{Plain lists}, are translated to the backend's
8544 syntax for such lists. Most backends support unordered, ordered, and
8547 @node Paragraphs, Footnote markup, Lists, Structural markup elements
8548 @subheading Paragraphs, line breaks, and quoting
8549 @cindex paragraphs, markup rules
8551 Paragraphs are separated by at least one empty line. If you need to enforce
8552 a line break within a paragraph, use @samp{\\} at the end of a line.
8554 To keep the line breaks in a region, but otherwise use normal formatting, you
8555 can use this construct, which can also be used to format poetry.
8557 @cindex #+BEGIN_VERSE
8560 Great clouds overhead
8561 Tiny black birds rise and fall
8568 When quoting a passage from another document, it is customary to format this
8569 as a paragraph that is indented on both the left and the right margin. You
8570 can include quotations in Org-mode documents like this:
8572 @cindex #+BEGIN_QUOTE
8575 Everything should be made as simple as possible,
8576 but not any simpler -- Albert Einstein
8580 If you would like to center some text, do it like this:
8581 @cindex #+BEGIN_CENTER
8584 Everything should be made as simple as possible, \\
8590 @node Footnote markup, Emphasis and monospace, Paragraphs, Structural markup elements
8591 @subheading Footnote markup
8592 @cindex footnotes, markup rules
8593 @cindex @file{footnote.el}
8595 Footnotes defined in the way described in @ref{Footnotes}, will be exported by
8596 all backends. Org allows multiple references to the same note, and
8597 different backends support this to varying degrees.
8599 @node Emphasis and monospace, Horizontal rules, Footnote markup, Structural markup elements
8600 @subheading Emphasis and monospace
8602 @cindex underlined text, markup rules
8603 @cindex bold text, markup rules
8604 @cindex italic text, markup rules
8605 @cindex verbatim text, markup rules
8606 @cindex code text, markup rules
8607 @cindex strike-through text, markup rules
8608 You can make words @b{*bold*}, @i{/italic/}, _underlined_, @code{=code=}
8609 and @code{~verbatim~}, and, if you must, @samp{+strike-through+}. Text
8610 in the code and verbatim string is not processed for Org-mode specific
8611 syntax, it is exported verbatim.
8613 @node Horizontal rules, Comment lines, Emphasis and monospace, Structural markup elements
8614 @subheading Horizontal rules
8615 @cindex horizontal rules, markup rules
8616 A line consisting of only dashes, and at least 5 of them, will be
8617 exported as a horizontal line (@samp{<hr/>} in HTML).
8619 @node Comment lines, , Horizontal rules, Structural markup elements
8620 @subheading Comment lines
8621 @cindex comment lines
8622 @cindex exporting, not
8623 @cindex #+BEGIN_COMMENT
8625 Lines starting with @samp{#} in column zero are treated as comments and will
8626 never be exported. If you want an indented line to be treated as a comment,
8627 start it with @samp{#+ }. Also entire subtrees starting with the word
8628 @samp{COMMENT} will never be exported. Finally, regions surrounded by
8629 @samp{#+BEGIN_COMMENT} ... @samp{#+END_COMMENT} will not be exported.
8634 Toggle the COMMENT keyword at the beginning of an entry.
8638 @node Images and tables, Literal examples, Structural markup elements, Markup
8639 @section Images and Tables
8641 @cindex tables, markup rules
8644 Both the native Org-mode tables (@pxref{Tables}) and tables formatted with
8645 the @file{table.el} package will be exported properly. For Org-mode tables,
8646 the lines before the first horizontal separator line will become table header
8647 lines. You can use the following lines somewhere before the table to assign
8648 a caption and a label for cross references, and in the text you can refer to
8649 the object with @code{\ref@{tab:basic-data@}}:
8652 #+CAPTION: This is the caption for the next table (or link)
8653 #+LABEL: tbl:basic-data
8658 @cindex inlined images, markup rules
8659 Some backends (HTML, La@TeX{}, and DocBook) allow you to directly include
8660 images into the exported document. Org does this, if a link to an image
8661 files does not have a description part, for example @code{[[./img/a.jpg]]}.
8662 If you wish to define a caption for the image and maybe a label for internal
8663 cross references, make sure that the link is on a line by itself and precede
8664 it with @code{#+CAPTION} and @code{#+LABEL} as follows:
8667 #+CAPTION: This is the caption for the next figure link (or table)
8668 #+LABEL: fig:SED-HR4049
8672 You may also define additional attributes for the figure. As this is
8673 backend-specific, see the sections about the individual backends for more
8676 @xref{Handling links,the discussion of image links}.
8678 @node Literal examples, Include files, Images and tables, Markup
8679 @section Literal examples
8680 @cindex literal examples, markup rules
8681 @cindex code line references, markup rules
8683 You can include literal examples that should not be subjected to
8684 markup. Such examples will be typeset in monospace, so this is well suited
8685 for source code and similar examples.
8686 @cindex #+BEGIN_EXAMPLE
8690 Some example from a text file.
8694 Note that such blocks may be @i{indented} in order to align nicely with
8695 indented text and in particular with plain list structure (@pxref{Plain
8696 lists}). For simplicity when using small examples, you can also start the
8697 example lines with a colon followed by a space. There may also be additional
8698 whitespace before the colon:
8702 : Some example from a text file.
8705 @cindex formatting source code, markup rules
8706 If the example is source code from a programming language, or any other text
8707 that can be marked up by font-lock in Emacs, you can ask for the example to
8708 look like the fontified Emacs buffer@footnote{This works automatically for
8709 the HTML backend (it requires version 1.34 of the @file{htmlize.el} package,
8710 which is distributed with Org.) Fontified code chunks in LaTeX can be
8711 achieved using either the listings or the
8712 @url{http://code.google.com/p/minted, minted,} package. To use listings, turn
8713 on the variable @code{org-export-latex-listings} and ensure that the listings
8714 package is included by the LaTeX header (e.g. by configuring
8715 @code{org-export-latex-packages-alist}). See the listings documentation for
8716 configuration options, including obtaining colored output. For minted it is
8717 necessary to install the program @url{http://pygments.org, pygments}, in
8718 addition to setting @code{org-export-latex-minted}, ensuring that the minted
8719 package is included by the LaTeX header, and ensuring that the
8720 @code{-shell-escape} option is passed to @file{pdflatex} (see
8721 @code{org-latex-to-pdf-process}). See the documentation of the variables
8722 @code{org-export-latex-listings} and @code{org-export-latex-minted} for
8723 further details.}. This is done with the @samp{src} block, where you also
8724 need to specify the name of the major mode that should be used to fontify the
8729 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
8730 (defun org-xor (a b)
8736 Both in @code{example} and in @code{src} snippets, you can add a @code{-n}
8737 switch to the end of the @code{BEGIN} line, to get the lines of the example
8738 numbered. If you use a @code{+n} switch, the numbering from the previous
8739 numbered snippet will be continued in the current one. In literal examples,
8740 Org will interpret strings like @samp{(ref:name)} as labels, and use them as
8741 targets for special hyperlinks like @code{[[(name)]]} (i.e. the reference name
8742 enclosed in single parenthesis). In HTML, hovering the mouse over such a
8743 link will remote-highlight the corresponding code line, which is kind of
8746 You can also add a @code{-r} switch which @i{removes} the labels from the
8747 source code@footnote{Adding @code{-k} to @code{-n -r} will @i{keep} the
8748 labels in the source code while using line numbers for the links, which might
8749 be useful to explain those in an org-mode example code.}. With the @code{-n}
8750 switch, links to these references will be labeled by the line numbers from
8751 the code listing, otherwise links will use the labels with no parentheses.
8755 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp -n -r
8756 (save-excursion (ref:sc)
8757 (goto-char (point-min)) (ref:jump)
8759 In line [[(sc)]] we remember the current position. [[(jump)][Line (jump)]]
8763 @vindex org-coderef-label-format
8764 If the syntax for the label format conflicts with the language syntax, use a
8765 @code{-l} switch to change the format, for example @samp{#+BEGIN_SRC pascal
8766 -n -r -l "((%s))"}. See also the variable @code{org-coderef-label-format}.
8768 HTML export also allows examples to be published as text areas, @xref{Text
8769 areas in HTML export}.
8774 Edit the source code example at point in its native mode. This works by
8775 switching to a temporary buffer with the source code. You need to exit by
8776 pressing @kbd{C-c '} again@footnote{Upon exit, lines starting with @samp{*}
8777 or @samp{#} will get a comma prepended, to keep them from being interpreted
8778 by Org as outline nodes or special comments. These commas will be stripped
8779 for editing with @kbd{C-c '}, and also for export.}, the edited version will
8780 then replace the old version in the Org buffer. Fixed-width regions
8781 (where each line starts with a colon followed by a space) will be edited
8782 using @code{artist-mode}@footnote{You may select a different-mode with the
8783 variable @code{org-edit-fixed-width-region-mode}.} to allow creating ASCII
8784 drawings easily. Using this command in an empty line will create a new
8788 Calling @code{org-store-link} while editing a source code example in a
8789 temporary buffer created with @kbd{C-c '} will prompt for a label, make sure
8790 that it is unique in the current buffer, and insert it with the proper
8791 formatting like @samp{(ref:label)} at the end of the current line. Then the
8792 label is stored as a link @samp{(label)}, for retrieval with @kbd{C-c C-l}.
8796 @node Include files, Index entries, Literal examples, Markup
8797 @section Include files
8798 @cindex include files, markup rules
8800 During export, you can include the content of another file. For example, to
8801 include your @file{.emacs} file, you could use:
8805 #+INCLUDE: "~/.emacs" src emacs-lisp
8808 The optional second and third parameter are the markup (e.g. @samp{quote},
8809 @samp{example}, or @samp{src}), and, if the markup is @samp{src}, the
8810 language for formatting the contents. The markup is optional, if it is not
8811 given, the text will be assumed to be in Org-mode format and will be
8812 processed normally. The include line will also allow additional keyword
8813 parameters @code{:prefix1} and @code{:prefix} to specify prefixes for the
8814 first line and for each following line, as well as any options accepted by
8815 the selected markup. For example, to include a file as an item, use
8818 #+INCLUDE: "~/snippets/xx" :prefix1 " + " :prefix " "
8824 Visit the include file at point.
8827 @node Index entries, Macro replacement, Include files, Markup
8828 @section Index entries
8829 @cindex index entries, for publishing
8831 You can specify entries that will be used for generating an index during
8832 publishing. This is done by lines starting with @code{#+INDEX}. An entry
8833 the contains an exclamation mark will create a sub item. See @ref{Generating
8834 an index} for more information.
8839 #+INDEX: Application!CV
8845 @node Macro replacement, Embedded LaTeX, Index entries, Markup
8846 @section Macro replacement
8847 @cindex macro replacement, during export
8850 You can define text snippets with
8853 #+MACRO: name replacement text $1, $2 are arguments
8856 @noindent which can be referenced anywhere in the document (even in
8857 code examples) with @code{@{@{@{name(arg1,arg2)@}@}@}}. In addition to
8858 defined macros, @code{@{@{@{title@}@}@}}, @code{@{@{@{author@}@}@}}, etc.,
8859 will reference information set by the @code{#+TITLE:}, @code{#+AUTHOR:}, and
8860 similar lines. Also, @code{@{@{@{date(@var{FORMAT})@}@}@}} and
8861 @code{@{@{@{modification-time(@var{FORMAT})@}@}@}} refer to current date time
8862 and to the modification time of the file being exported, respectively.
8863 @var{FORMAT} should be a format string understood by
8864 @code{format-time-string}.
8866 Macro expansion takes place during export, and some people use it to
8867 construct complex HTML code.
8870 @node Embedded LaTeX, , Macro replacement, Markup
8871 @section Embedded La@TeX{}
8872 @cindex @TeX{} interpretation
8873 @cindex La@TeX{} interpretation
8875 Plain ASCII is normally sufficient for almost all note taking. One
8876 exception, however, are scientific notes which need to be able to contain
8877 mathematical symbols and the occasional formula. La@TeX{}@footnote{La@TeX{}
8878 is a macro system based on Donald E. Knuth's @TeX{} system. Many of the
8879 features described here as ``La@TeX{}'' are really from @TeX{}, but for
8880 simplicity I am blurring this distinction.} is widely used to typeset
8881 scientific documents. Org-mode supports embedding La@TeX{} code into its
8882 files, because many academics are used to writing and reading La@TeX{} source
8883 code, and because it can be readily processed to produce pretty output for a
8884 number of export backends.
8887 * Special symbols:: Greek letters and other symbols
8888 * Subscripts and superscripts:: Simple syntax for raising/lowering text
8889 * LaTeX fragments:: Complex formulas made easy
8890 * Previewing LaTeX fragments:: What will this snippet look like?
8891 * CDLaTeX mode:: Speed up entering of formulas
8894 @node Special symbols, Subscripts and superscripts, Embedded LaTeX, Embedded LaTeX
8895 @subsection Special symbols
8896 @cindex math symbols
8897 @cindex special symbols
8898 @cindex @TeX{} macros
8899 @cindex La@TeX{} fragments, markup rules
8900 @cindex HTML entities
8901 @cindex La@TeX{} entities
8903 You can use La@TeX{} macros to insert special symbols like @samp{\alpha} to
8904 indicate the Greek letter, or @samp{\to} to indicate an arrow. Completion
8905 for these macros is available, just type @samp{\} and maybe a few letters,
8906 and press @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} to see possible completions. Unlike La@TeX{}
8907 code, Org-mode allows these macros to be present without surrounding math
8908 delimiters, for example:
8911 Angles are written as Greek letters \alpha, \beta and \gamma.
8914 @vindex org-entities
8915 During export, these symbols will be transformed into the native format of
8916 the exporter backend. Strings like @code{\alpha} will be exported as
8917 @code{α} in the HTML output, and as @code{$\alpha$} in the La@TeX{}
8918 output. Similarly, @code{\nbsp} will become @code{ } in HTML and
8919 @code{~} in La@TeX{}. If you need such a symbol inside a word, terminate it
8920 like this: @samp{\Aacute@{@}stor}.
8922 A large number of entities is provided, with names taken from both HTML and
8923 La@TeX{}, see the variable @code{org-entities} for the complete list.
8924 @samp{\-} is treated as a shy hyphen, and @samp{--}, @samp{---}, and
8925 @samp{...} are all converted into special commands creating hyphens of
8926 different lengths or a compact set of dots.
8928 If you would like to see entities displayed as UTF8 characters, use the
8929 following command@footnote{You can turn this on by default by setting the
8930 variable @code{org-pretty-entities}, or on a per-file base with the
8931 @code{#+STARTUP} option @code{entitiespretty}.}:
8936 Toggle display of entities as UTF8 characters. This does not change the
8937 buffer content which remains plain ASCII, but it overlays the UTF8 character
8938 for display purposes only.
8941 @node Subscripts and superscripts, LaTeX fragments, Special symbols, Embedded LaTeX
8942 @subsection Subscripts and superscripts
8946 Just like in La@TeX{}, @samp{^} and @samp{_} are used to indicate super-
8947 and subscripts. Again, these can be used without embedding them in
8948 math-mode delimiters. To increase the readability of ASCII text, it is
8949 not necessary (but OK) to surround multi-character sub- and superscripts
8950 with curly braces. For example
8953 The mass if the sun is M_sun = 1.989 x 10^30 kg. The radius of
8954 the sun is R_@{sun@} = 6.96 x 10^8 m.
8957 @vindex org-export-with-sub-superscripts
8958 To avoid interpretation as raised or lowered text, you can quote @samp{^} and
8959 @samp{_} with a backslash: @samp{\^} and @samp{\_}. If you write a text
8960 where the underscore is often used in a different context, Org's convention
8961 to always interpret these as subscripts can get in your way. Configure the
8962 variable @code{org-export-with-sub-superscripts} to globally change this
8963 convention, or use, on a per-file basis:
8969 @noindent With this setting, @samp{a_b} will not be interpreted as a
8970 subscript, but @samp{a_@{b@}} will.
8975 In addition to showing entities as UTF8 characters, this command will also
8976 format sub- and superscripts in a WYSIWYM way.
8979 @node LaTeX fragments, Previewing LaTeX fragments, Subscripts and superscripts, Embedded LaTeX
8980 @subsection La@TeX{} fragments
8981 @cindex La@TeX{} fragments
8983 @vindex org-format-latex-header
8984 Going beyond symbols and sub- and superscripts, a full formula language is
8985 needed. Org-mode can contain La@TeX{} math fragments, and it supports ways
8986 to process these for several export backends. When exporting to La@TeX{},
8987 the code is obviously left as it is. When exporting to HTML, Org invokes the
8988 @uref{http://www.mathjax.org, MathJax library} (@pxref{Math formatting in
8989 HTML export}) to process and display the math@footnote{If you plan to use
8990 this regularly or on pages with significant page views, you should install
8991 @file{MathJax} on your own server in order to limit the load of our server.}.
8992 Finally, it can also process the mathematical expressions into
8993 images@footnote{For this to work you need to be on a system with a working
8994 La@TeX{} installation. You also need the @file{dvipng} program, available at
8995 @url{http://sourceforge.net/projects/dvipng/}. The La@TeX{} header that will
8996 be used when processing a fragment can be configured with the variable
8997 @code{org-format-latex-header}.} that can be displayed in a browser or in
9000 La@TeX{} fragments don't need any special marking at all. The following
9001 snippets will be identified as La@TeX{} source code:
9004 Environments of any kind@footnote{When @file{MathJax} is used, only the
9005 environment recognized by @file{MathJax} will be processed. When dvipng is
9006 used to create images, any La@TeX{} environments will be handled.}. The only
9007 requirement is that the @code{\begin} statement appears on a new line,
9008 preceded by only whitespace.
9010 Text within the usual La@TeX{} math delimiters. To avoid conflicts with
9011 currency specifications, single @samp{$} characters are only recognized as
9012 math delimiters if the enclosed text contains at most two line breaks, is
9013 directly attached to the @samp{$} characters with no whitespace in between,
9014 and if the closing @samp{$} is followed by whitespace, punctuation or a dash.
9015 For the other delimiters, there is no such restriction, so when in doubt, use
9016 @samp{\(...\)} as inline math delimiters.
9019 @noindent For example:
9022 \begin@{equation@} % arbitrary environments,
9023 x=\sqrt@{b@} % even tables, figures
9024 \end@{equation@} % etc
9026 If $a^2=b$ and \( b=2 \), then the solution must be
9027 either $$ a=+\sqrt@{2@} $$ or \[ a=-\sqrt@{2@} \].
9031 @vindex org-format-latex-options
9032 If you need any of the delimiter ASCII sequences for other purposes, you
9033 can configure the option @code{org-format-latex-options} to deselect the
9034 ones you do not wish to have interpreted by the La@TeX{} converter.
9036 @vindex org-export-with-LaTeX-fragments
9037 LaTeX processing can be configured with the variable
9038 @code{org-export-with-LaTeX-fragments}. The default setting is @code{t}
9039 which means @file{MathJax} for HTML, and no processing for DocBook, ASCII and
9040 LaTeX backends. You can also set this variable on a per-file basis using one
9044 #+OPTIONS: LaTeX:t @r{Do the right thing automatically (MathJax)}
9045 #+OPTIONS: LaTeX:dvipng @r{Force using dvipng images}
9046 #+OPTIONS: LaTeX:nil @r{Do not process La@TeX{} fragments at all}
9047 #+OPTIONS: LaTeX:verbatim @r{Verbatim export, for jsMath or so}
9050 @node Previewing LaTeX fragments, CDLaTeX mode, LaTeX fragments, Embedded LaTeX
9051 @subsection Previewing LaTeX fragments
9052 @cindex LaTeX fragments, preview
9054 If you have @file{dvipng} installed, La@TeX{} fragments can be processed to
9055 produce preview images of the typeset expressions:
9060 Produce a preview image of the La@TeX{} fragment at point and overlay it
9061 over the source code. If there is no fragment at point, process all
9062 fragments in the current entry (between two headlines). When called
9063 with a prefix argument, process the entire subtree. When called with
9064 two prefix arguments, or when the cursor is before the first headline,
9065 process the entire buffer.
9068 Remove the overlay preview images.
9071 @vindex org-format-latex-options
9072 You can customize the variable @code{org-format-latex-options} to influence
9073 some aspects of the preview. In particular, the @code{:scale} (and for HTML
9074 export, @code{:html-scale}) property can be used to adjust the size of the
9077 @node CDLaTeX mode, , Previewing LaTeX fragments, Embedded LaTeX
9078 @subsection Using CDLa@TeX{} to enter math
9081 CDLa@TeX{} mode is a minor mode that is normally used in combination with a
9082 major La@TeX{} mode like AUC@TeX{} in order to speed-up insertion of
9083 environments and math templates. Inside Org-mode, you can make use of
9084 some of the features of CDLa@TeX{} mode. You need to install
9085 @file{cdlatex.el} and @file{texmathp.el} (the latter comes also with
9086 AUC@TeX{}) from @url{http://www.astro.uva.nl/~dominik/Tools/cdlatex}.
9087 Don't use CDLa@TeX{} mode itself under Org-mode, but use the light
9088 version @code{org-cdlatex-mode} that comes as part of Org-mode. Turn it
9089 on for the current buffer with @code{M-x org-cdlatex-mode}, or for all
9093 (add-hook 'org-mode-hook 'turn-on-org-cdlatex)
9096 When this mode is enabled, the following features are present (for more
9097 details see the documentation of CDLa@TeX{} mode):
9101 Environment templates can be inserted with @kbd{C-c @{}.
9104 The @key{TAB} key will do template expansion if the cursor is inside a
9105 La@TeX{} fragment@footnote{Org-mode has a method to test if the cursor is
9106 inside such a fragment, see the documentation of the function
9107 @code{org-inside-LaTeX-fragment-p}.}. For example, @key{TAB} will
9108 expand @code{fr} to @code{\frac@{@}@{@}} and position the cursor
9109 correctly inside the first brace. Another @key{TAB} will get you into
9110 the second brace. Even outside fragments, @key{TAB} will expand
9111 environment abbreviations at the beginning of a line. For example, if
9112 you write @samp{equ} at the beginning of a line and press @key{TAB},
9113 this abbreviation will be expanded to an @code{equation} environment.
9114 To get a list of all abbreviations, type @kbd{M-x cdlatex-command-help}.
9118 @vindex cdlatex-simplify-sub-super-scripts
9119 Pressing @kbd{_} and @kbd{^} inside a La@TeX{} fragment will insert these
9120 characters together with a pair of braces. If you use @key{TAB} to move
9121 out of the braces, and if the braces surround only a single character or
9122 macro, they are removed again (depending on the variable
9123 @code{cdlatex-simplify-sub-super-scripts}).
9126 Pressing the backquote @kbd{`} followed by a character inserts math
9127 macros, also outside La@TeX{} fragments. If you wait more than 1.5 seconds
9128 after the backquote, a help window will pop up.
9131 Pressing the single-quote @kbd{'} followed by another character modifies
9132 the symbol before point with an accent or a font. If you wait more than
9133 1.5 seconds after the backquote, a help window will pop up. Character
9134 modification will work only inside La@TeX{} fragments, outside the quote
9138 @node Exporting, Publishing, Markup, Top
9142 Org-mode documents can be exported into a variety of other formats. For
9143 printing and sharing of notes, ASCII export produces a readable and simple
9144 version of an Org file. HTML export allows you to publish a notes file on
9145 the web, while the XOXO format provides a solid base for exchange with a
9146 broad range of other applications. La@TeX{} export lets you use Org-mode and
9147 its structured editing functions to easily create La@TeX{} files. DocBook
9148 export makes it possible to convert Org files to many other formats using
9149 DocBook tools. For project management you can create gantt and resource
9150 charts by using TaskJuggler export. To incorporate entries with associated
9151 times like deadlines or appointments into a desktop calendar program like
9152 iCal, Org-mode can also produce extracts in the iCalendar format. Currently
9153 Org-mode only supports export, not import of these different formats.
9155 Org supports export of selected regions when @code{transient-mark-mode} is
9156 enabled (default in Emacs 23).
9159 * Selective export:: Using tags to select and exclude trees
9160 * Export options:: Per-file export settings
9161 * The export dispatcher:: How to access exporter commands
9162 * ASCII/Latin-1/UTF-8 export:: Exporting to flat files with encoding
9163 * HTML export:: Exporting to HTML
9164 * LaTeX and PDF export:: Exporting to La@TeX{}, and processing to PDF
9165 * DocBook export:: Exporting to DocBook
9166 * TaskJuggler export:: Exporting to TaskJuggler
9167 * Freemind export:: Exporting to Freemind mind maps
9168 * XOXO export:: Exporting to XOXO
9169 * iCalendar export:: Exporting in iCalendar format
9172 @node Selective export, Export options, Exporting, Exporting
9173 @section Selective export
9174 @cindex export, selective by tags
9176 @vindex org-export-select-tags
9177 @vindex org-export-exclude-tags
9178 You may use tags to select the parts of a document that should be exported,
9179 or to exclude parts from export. This behavior is governed by two variables:
9180 @code{org-export-select-tags} and @code{org-export-exclude-tags}.
9182 Org first checks if any of the @emph{select} tags is present in the buffer.
9183 If yes, all trees that do not carry one of these tags will be excluded. If a
9184 selected tree is a subtree, the heading hierarchy above it will also be
9185 selected for export, but not the text below those headings.
9188 If none of the select tags is found, the whole buffer will be selected for
9192 Finally, all subtrees that are marked by any of the @emph{exclude} tags will
9193 be removed from the export buffer.
9195 @node Export options, The export dispatcher, Selective export, Exporting
9196 @section Export options
9197 @cindex options, for export
9199 @cindex completion, of option keywords
9200 The exporter recognizes special lines in the buffer which provide
9201 additional information. These lines may be put anywhere in the file.
9202 The whole set of lines can be inserted into the buffer with @kbd{C-c
9203 C-e t}. For individual lines, a good way to make sure the keyword is
9204 correct is to type @samp{#+} and then use @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} completion
9205 (@pxref{Completion}). For a summary of other in-buffer settings not
9206 specifically related to export, see @ref{In-buffer settings}.
9207 In particular, note that you can place commonly-used (export) options in
9208 a separate file which can be included using @code{#+SETUPFILE}.
9213 Insert template with export options, see example below.
9220 @cindex #+DESCRIPTION
9228 @cindex #+EXPORT_SELECT_TAGS
9229 @cindex #+EXPORT_EXCLUDE_TAGS
9231 @cindex #+LATEX_HEADER
9232 @vindex user-full-name
9233 @vindex user-mail-address
9234 @vindex org-export-default-language
9236 #+TITLE: the title to be shown (default is the buffer name)
9237 #+AUTHOR: the author (default taken from @code{user-full-name})
9238 #+DATE: a date, fixed, of a format string for @code{format-time-string}
9239 #+EMAIL: his/her email address (default from @code{user-mail-address})
9240 #+DESCRIPTION: the page description, e.g. for the XHTML meta tag
9241 #+KEYWORDS: the page keywords, e.g. for the XHTML meta tag
9242 #+LANGUAGE: language for HTML, e.g. @samp{en} (@code{org-export-default-language})
9243 #+TEXT: Some descriptive text to be inserted at the beginning.
9244 #+TEXT: Several lines may be given.
9245 #+OPTIONS: H:2 num:t toc:t \n:nil @@:t ::t |:t ^:t f:t TeX:t ...
9246 #+BIND: lisp-var lisp-val, e.g.: org-export-latex-low-levels itemize
9247 @r{You need to confirm using these, or configure @code{org-export-allow-BIND}}
9248 #+LINK_UP: the ``up'' link of an exported page
9249 #+LINK_HOME: the ``home'' link of an exported page
9250 #+LATEX_HEADER: extra line(s) for the LaTeX header, like \usepackage@{xyz@}
9251 #+EXPORT_SELECT_TAGS: Tags that select a tree for export
9252 #+EXPORT_EXCLUDE_TAGS: Tags that exclude a tree from export
9253 #+XSLT: the XSLT stylesheet used by DocBook exporter to generate FO file
9257 The OPTIONS line is a compact@footnote{If you want to configure many options
9258 this way, you can use several OPTIONS lines.} form to specify export settings. Here
9260 @cindex headline levels
9261 @cindex section-numbers
9262 @cindex table of contents
9263 @cindex line-break preservation
9264 @cindex quoted HTML tags
9265 @cindex fixed-width sections
9267 @cindex @TeX{}-like syntax for sub- and superscripts
9269 @cindex special strings
9270 @cindex emphasized text
9271 @cindex @TeX{} macros
9272 @cindex La@TeX{} fragments
9273 @cindex author info, in export
9274 @cindex time info, in export
9276 H: @r{set the number of headline levels for export}
9277 num: @r{turn on/off section-numbers}
9278 toc: @r{turn on/off table of contents, or set level limit (integer)}
9279 \n: @r{turn on/off line-break-preservation (DOES NOT WORK)}
9280 @@: @r{turn on/off quoted HTML tags}
9281 :: @r{turn on/off fixed-width sections}
9282 |: @r{turn on/off tables}
9283 ^: @r{turn on/off @TeX{}-like syntax for sub- and superscripts. If}
9284 @r{you write "^:@{@}", @code{a_@{b@}} will be interpreted, but}
9285 @r{the simple @code{a_b} will be left as it is.}
9286 -: @r{turn on/off conversion of special strings.}
9287 f: @r{turn on/off footnotes like this[1].}
9288 todo: @r{turn on/off inclusion of TODO keywords into exported text}
9289 pri: @r{turn on/off priority cookies}
9290 tags: @r{turn on/off inclusion of tags, may also be @code{not-in-toc}}
9291 <: @r{turn on/off inclusion of any time/date stamps like DEADLINES}
9292 *: @r{turn on/off emphasized text (bold, italic, underlined)}
9293 TeX: @r{turn on/off simple @TeX{} macros in plain text}
9294 LaTeX: @r{configure export of La@TeX{} fragments. Default @code{auto}}
9295 skip: @r{turn on/off skipping the text before the first heading}
9296 author: @r{turn on/off inclusion of author name/email into exported file}
9297 email: @r{turn on/off inclusion of author email into exported file}
9298 creator: @r{turn on/off inclusion of creator info into exported file}
9299 timestamp: @r{turn on/off inclusion creation time into exported file}
9300 d: @r{turn on/off inclusion of drawers}
9303 These options take effect in both the HTML and La@TeX{} export, except
9304 for @code{TeX} and @code{LaTeX}, which are respectively @code{t} and
9305 @code{nil} for the La@TeX{} export.
9307 When exporting only a single subtree by selecting it with @kbd{C-c @@} before
9308 calling an export command, the subtree can overrule some of the file's export
9309 settings with properties @code{EXPORT_FILE_NAME}, @code{EXPORT_TITLE},
9310 @code{EXPORT_TEXT}, @code{EXPORT_AUTHOR}, @code{EXPORT_DATE}, and
9311 @code{EXPORT_OPTIONS}.
9313 @node The export dispatcher, ASCII/Latin-1/UTF-8 export, Export options, Exporting
9314 @section The export dispatcher
9315 @cindex dispatcher, for export commands
9317 All export commands can be reached using the export dispatcher, which is a
9318 prefix key that prompts for an additional key specifying the command.
9319 Normally the entire file is exported, but if there is an active region that
9320 contains one outline tree, the first heading is used as document title and
9321 the subtrees are exported.
9326 @vindex org-export-run-in-background
9327 Dispatcher for export and publishing commands. Displays a help-window
9328 listing the additional key(s) needed to launch an export or publishing
9329 command. The prefix arg is passed through to the exporter. A double prefix
9330 @kbd{C-u C-u} causes most commands to be executed in the background, in a
9331 separate Emacs process@footnote{To make this behavior the default, customize
9332 the variable @code{org-export-run-in-background}.}.
9335 Like @kbd{C-c C-e}, but only export the text that is currently visible
9336 (i.e. not hidden by outline visibility).
9337 @kindex C-u C-u C-c C-e
9338 @item C-u C-u C-c C-e
9339 @vindex org-export-run-in-background
9340 Call an the exporter, but reverse the setting of
9341 @code{org-export-run-in-background}, i.e. request background processing if
9342 not set, or force processing in the current Emacs process if set.
9345 @node ASCII/Latin-1/UTF-8 export, HTML export, The export dispatcher, Exporting
9346 @section ASCII/Latin-1/UTF-8 export
9347 @cindex ASCII export
9348 @cindex Latin-1 export
9349 @cindex UTF-8 export
9351 ASCII export produces a simple and very readable version of an Org-mode
9352 file, containing only plain ASCII. Latin-1 and UTF-8 export augment the file
9353 with special characters and symbols available in these encodings.
9355 @cindex region, active
9356 @cindex active region
9357 @cindex transient-mark-mode
9361 @cindex property, EXPORT_FILE_NAME
9362 Export as ASCII file. For an Org file, @file{myfile.org}, the ASCII file
9363 will be @file{myfile.txt}. The file will be overwritten without
9364 warning. If there is an active region@footnote{This requires
9365 @code{transient-mark-mode} be turned on.}, only the region will be
9366 exported. If the selected region is a single tree@footnote{To select the
9367 current subtree, use @kbd{C-c @@}.}, the tree head will
9368 become the document title. If the tree head entry has or inherits an
9369 @code{EXPORT_FILE_NAME} property, that name will be used for the
9373 Export to a temporary buffer, do not create a file.
9376 @item C-c C-e n @ @ @r{and} @ @ C-c C-e N
9377 Like the above commands, but use Latin-1 encoding.
9380 @item C-c C-e u @ @ @r{and} @ @ C-c C-e U
9381 Like the above commands, but use UTF-8 encoding.
9385 @item C-c C-e v a @ @ @r{and} @ @ C-c C-e v n @ @ @r{and} @ @ C-c C-e v u
9386 Export only the visible part of the document.
9389 @cindex headline levels, for exporting
9390 In the exported version, the first 3 outline levels will become
9391 headlines, defining a general document structure. Additional levels
9392 will be exported as itemized lists. If you want that transition to occur
9393 at a different level, specify it with a prefix argument. For example,
9400 creates only top level headlines and does the rest as items. When
9401 headlines are converted to items, the indentation of the text following
9402 the headline is changed to fit nicely under the item. This is done with
9403 the assumption that the first body line indicates the base indentation of
9404 the body text. Any indentation larger than this is adjusted to preserve
9405 the layout relative to the first line. Should there be lines with less
9406 indentation than the first, these are left alone.
9408 @vindex org-export-ascii-links-to-notes
9409 Links will be exported in a footnote-like style, with the descriptive part in
9410 the text and the link in a note before the next heading. See the variable
9411 @code{org-export-ascii-links-to-notes} for details and other options.
9413 @node HTML export, LaTeX and PDF export, ASCII/Latin-1/UTF-8 export, Exporting
9414 @section HTML export
9417 Org-mode contains an HTML (XHTML 1.0 strict) exporter with extensive
9418 HTML formatting, in ways similar to John Gruber's @emph{markdown}
9419 language, but with additional support for tables.
9422 * HTML Export commands:: How to invoke HTML export
9423 * Quoting HTML tags:: Using direct HTML in Org-mode
9424 * Links in HTML export:: How links will be interpreted and formatted
9425 * Tables in HTML export:: How to modify the formatting of tables
9426 * Images in HTML export:: How to insert figures into HTML output
9427 * Math formatting in HTML export:: Beautiful math also on the web
9428 * Text areas in HTML export:: An alternative way to show an example
9429 * CSS support:: Changing the appearance of the output
9430 * JavaScript support:: Info and Folding in a web browser
9433 @node HTML Export commands, Quoting HTML tags, HTML export, HTML export
9434 @subsection HTML export commands
9436 @cindex region, active
9437 @cindex active region
9438 @cindex transient-mark-mode
9442 @cindex property, EXPORT_FILE_NAME
9443 Export as HTML file @file{myfile.html}. For an Org file @file{myfile.org},
9444 the ASCII file will be @file{myfile.html}. The file will be overwritten
9445 without warning. If there is an active region@footnote{This requires
9446 @code{transient-mark-mode} be turned on.}, only the region will be
9447 exported. If the selected region is a single tree@footnote{To select the
9448 current subtree, use @kbd{C-c @@}.}, the tree head will become the document
9449 title. If the tree head entry has, or inherits, an @code{EXPORT_FILE_NAME}
9450 property, that name will be used for the export.
9453 Export as HTML file and immediately open it with a browser.
9456 Export to a temporary buffer, do not create a file.
9459 Export the active region to a temporary buffer. With a prefix argument, do
9460 not produce the file header and footer, but just the plain HTML section for
9461 the region. This is good for cut-and-paste operations.
9470 Export only the visible part of the document.
9471 @item M-x org-export-region-as-html
9472 Convert the region to HTML under the assumption that it was Org-mode
9473 syntax before. This is a global command that can be invoked in any
9475 @item M-x org-replace-region-by-HTML
9476 Replace the active region (assumed to be in Org-mode syntax) by HTML
9480 @cindex headline levels, for exporting
9481 In the exported version, the first 3 outline levels will become headlines,
9482 defining a general document structure. Additional levels will be exported as
9483 itemized lists. If you want that transition to occur at a different level,
9484 specify it with a numeric prefix argument. For example,
9491 creates two levels of headings and does the rest as items.
9493 @node Quoting HTML tags, Links in HTML export, HTML Export commands, HTML export
9494 @subsection Quoting HTML tags
9496 Plain @samp{<} and @samp{>} are always transformed to @samp{<} and
9497 @samp{>} in HTML export. If you want to include simple HTML tags
9498 which should be interpreted as such, mark them with @samp{@@} as in
9499 @samp{@@<b>bold text@@</b>}. Note that this really works only for
9500 simple tags. For more extensive HTML that should be copied verbatim to
9501 the exported file use either
9504 @cindex #+BEGIN_HTML
9506 #+HTML: Literal HTML code for export
9510 @cindex #+BEGIN_HTML
9514 All lines between these markers are exported literally
9519 @node Links in HTML export, Tables in HTML export, Quoting HTML tags, HTML export
9520 @subsection Links in HTML export
9522 @cindex links, in HTML export
9523 @cindex internal links, in HTML export
9524 @cindex external links, in HTML export
9525 Internal links (@pxref{Internal links}) will continue to work in HTML. This
9526 includes automatic links created by radio targets (@pxref{Radio
9527 targets}). Links to external files will still work if the target file is on
9528 the same @i{relative} path as the published Org file. Links to other
9529 @file{.org} files will be translated into HTML links under the assumption
9530 that an HTML version also exists of the linked file, at the same relative
9531 path. @samp{id:} links can then be used to jump to specific entries across
9532 files. For information related to linking files while publishing them to a
9533 publishing directory see @ref{Publishing links}.
9535 If you want to specify attributes for links, you can do so using a special
9536 @code{#+ATTR_HTML} line to define attributes that will be added to the
9537 @code{<a>} or @code{<img>} tags. Here is an example that sets @code{title}
9538 and @code{style} attributes for a link:
9542 #+ATTR_HTML: title="The Org-mode homepage" style="color:red;"
9543 [[http://orgmode.org]]
9546 @node Tables in HTML export, Images in HTML export, Links in HTML export, HTML export
9548 @cindex tables, in HTML
9549 @vindex org-export-html-table-tag
9551 Org-mode tables are exported to HTML using the table tag defined in
9552 @code{org-export-html-table-tag}. The default setting makes tables without
9553 cell borders and frame. If you would like to change this for individual
9554 tables, place something like the following before the table:
9559 #+CAPTION: This is a table with lines around and between cells
9560 #+ATTR_HTML: border="2" rules="all" frame="all"
9563 @node Images in HTML export, Math formatting in HTML export, Tables in HTML export, HTML export
9564 @subsection Images in HTML export
9566 @cindex images, inline in HTML
9567 @cindex inlining images in HTML
9568 @vindex org-export-html-inline-images
9569 HTML export can inline images given as links in the Org file, and
9570 it can make an image the clickable part of a link. By
9571 default@footnote{But see the variable
9572 @code{org-export-html-inline-images}.}, images are inlined if a link does
9573 not have a description. So @samp{[[file:myimg.jpg]]} will be inlined,
9574 while @samp{[[file:myimg.jpg][the image]]} will just produce a link
9575 @samp{the image} that points to the image. If the description part
9576 itself is a @code{file:} link or a @code{http:} URL pointing to an
9577 image, this image will be inlined and activated so that clicking on the
9578 image will activate the link. For example, to include a thumbnail that
9579 will link to a high resolution version of the image, you could use:
9582 [[file:highres.jpg][file:thumb.jpg]]
9585 If you need to add attributes to an inlined image, use a @code{#+ATTR_HTML}.
9586 In the example below we specify the @code{alt} and @code{title} attributes to
9587 support text viewers and accessibility, and align it to the right.
9592 #+CAPTION: A black cat stalking a spider
9593 #+ATTR_HTML: alt="cat/spider image" title="Action!" align="right"
9598 and you could use @code{http} addresses just as well.
9600 @node Math formatting in HTML export, Text areas in HTML export, Images in HTML export, HTML export
9601 @subsection Math formatting in HTML export
9605 La@TeX{} math snippets (@pxref{LaTeX fragments}) can be displayed in two
9606 different ways on HTML pages. The default is to use the
9607 @uref{http://www.mathjax.org, MathJax system} which should work out of the
9608 box with Org mode installation because @code{http://orgmode.org} serves
9609 @file{MathJax} for Org-mode users for small applications and for testing
9610 purposes. @b{If you plan to use this regularly or on pages with significant
9611 page views, you should install MathJax on your own server in order to limit
9612 the load of our server.} To configure @file{MathJax}, use the variable
9613 @code{org-export-html-mathjax-options} or insert something like the following
9617 #+MATHJAX: align:"left" mathml:t path:"/MathJax/MathJax.js"
9620 @noindent See the docstring of the variable
9621 @code{org-export-html-mathjax-options} for the meaning of the parameters in
9624 If you prefer, you can also request that La@TeX{} are processed into small
9625 images that will be inserted into the browser page. Before the availability
9626 of MathJax, this was the default method for Org files. This method requires
9627 that the @file{dvipng} program is available on your system. You can still
9628 get this processing with
9631 #+OPTIONS: LaTeX:dvipng
9634 @node Text areas in HTML export, CSS support, Math formatting in HTML export, HTML export
9635 @subsection Text areas in HTML export
9637 @cindex text areas, in HTML
9638 An alternative way to publish literal code examples in HTML is to use text
9639 areas, where the example can even be edited before pasting it into an
9640 application. It is triggered by a @code{-t} switch at an @code{example} or
9641 @code{src} block. Using this switch disables any options for syntax and
9642 label highlighting, and line numbering, which may be present. You may also
9643 use @code{-h} and @code{-w} switches to specify the height and width of the
9644 text area, which default to the number of lines in the example, and 80,
9645 respectively. For example
9648 #+BEGIN_EXAMPLE -t -w 40
9649 (defun org-xor (a b)
9656 @node CSS support, JavaScript support, Text areas in HTML export, HTML export
9657 @subsection CSS support
9658 @cindex CSS, for HTML export
9659 @cindex HTML export, CSS
9661 @vindex org-export-html-todo-kwd-class-prefix
9662 @vindex org-export-html-tag-class-prefix
9663 You can also give style information for the exported file. The HTML exporter
9664 assigns the following special CSS classes@footnote{If the classes on TODO
9665 keywords and tags lead to conflicts, use the variables
9666 @code{org-export-html-todo-kwd-class-prefix} and
9667 @code{org-export-html-tag-class-prefix} to make them unique.} to appropriate
9668 parts of the document---your style specifications may change these, in
9669 addition to any of the standard classes like for headlines, tables, etc.
9671 p.author @r{author information, including email}
9672 p.date @r{publishing date}
9673 p.creator @r{creator info, about org-mode version}
9674 .title @r{document title}
9675 .todo @r{TODO keywords, all not-done states}
9676 .done @r{the DONE keywords, all stated the count as done}
9677 .WAITING @r{each TODO keyword also uses a class named after itself}
9678 .timestamp @r{timestamp}
9679 .timestamp-kwd @r{keyword associated with a timestamp, like SCHEDULED}
9680 .timestamp-wrapper @r{span around keyword plus timestamp}
9681 .tag @r{tag in a headline}
9682 ._HOME @r{each tag uses itself as a class, "@@" replaced by "_"}
9683 .target @r{target for links}
9684 .linenr @r{the line number in a code example}
9685 .code-highlighted @r{for highlighting referenced code lines}
9686 div.outline-N @r{div for outline level N (headline plus text))}
9687 div.outline-text-N @r{extra div for text at outline level N}
9688 .section-number-N @r{section number in headlines, different for each level}
9689 div.figure @r{how to format an inlined image}
9690 pre.src @r{formatted source code}
9691 pre.example @r{normal example}
9692 p.verse @r{verse paragraph}
9693 div.footnotes @r{footnote section headline}
9694 p.footnote @r{footnote definition paragraph, containing a footnote}
9695 .footref @r{a footnote reference number (always a <sup>)}
9696 .footnum @r{footnote number in footnote definition (always <sup>)}
9699 @vindex org-export-html-style-default
9700 @vindex org-export-html-style-include-default
9701 @vindex org-export-html-style
9702 @vindex org-export-html-extra
9703 @vindex org-export-html-style-default
9704 Each exported file contains a compact default style that defines these
9705 classes in a basic way@footnote{This style is defined in the constant
9706 @code{org-export-html-style-default}, which you should not modify. To turn
9707 inclusion of these defaults off, customize
9708 @code{org-export-html-style-include-default}}. You may overwrite these
9709 settings, or add to them by using the variables @code{org-export-html-style}
9710 (for Org-wide settings) and @code{org-export-html-style-extra} (for more
9711 granular settings, like file-local settings). To set the latter variable
9712 individually for each file, you can use
9716 #+STYLE: <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet.css" />
9720 For longer style definitions, you can use several such lines. You could also
9721 directly write a @code{<style>} @code{</style>} section in this way, without
9722 referring to an external file.
9724 In order to add styles to a subtree, use the @code{:HTML_CONTAINER_CLASS:}
9725 property to assign a class to the tree. In order to specify CSS styles for a
9726 particular headline, you can use the id specified in a @code{:CUSTOM_ID:}
9729 @c FIXME: More about header and footer styles
9730 @c FIXME: Talk about links and targets.
9732 @node JavaScript support, , CSS support, HTML export
9733 @subsection JavaScript supported display of web pages
9735 @cindex Rose, Sebastian
9736 Sebastian Rose has written a JavaScript program especially designed to
9737 enhance the web viewing experience of HTML files created with Org. This
9738 program allows you to view large files in two different ways. The first one
9739 is an @emph{Info}-like mode where each section is displayed separately and
9740 navigation can be done with the @kbd{n} and @kbd{p} keys (and some other keys
9741 as well, press @kbd{?} for an overview of the available keys). The second
9742 view type is a @emph{folding} view much like Org provides inside Emacs. The
9743 script is available at @url{http://orgmode.org/org-info.js} and you can find
9744 the documentation for it at @url{http://orgmode.org/worg/code/org-info-js/}.
9745 We host the script at our site, but if you use it a lot, you might
9746 not want to be dependent on @url{orgmode.org} and prefer to install a local
9747 copy on your own web server.
9749 To use the script, you need to make sure that the @file{org-jsinfo.el} module
9750 gets loaded. It should be loaded by default, but you can try @kbd{M-x
9751 customize-variable @key{RET} org-modules @key{RET}} to convince yourself that
9752 this is indeed the case. All it then takes to make use of the program is
9753 adding a single line to the Org file:
9755 @cindex #+INFOJS_OPT
9757 #+INFOJS_OPT: view:info toc:nil
9761 If this line is found, the HTML header will automatically contain the code
9762 needed to invoke the script. Using the line above, you can set the following
9766 path: @r{The path to the script. The default is to grab the script from}
9767 @r{@url{http://orgmode.org/org-info.js}, but you might want to have}
9768 @r{a local copy and use a path like @samp{../scripts/org-info.js}.}
9769 view: @r{Initial view when website is first shown. Possible values are:}
9770 info @r{Info-like interface with one section per page.}
9771 overview @r{Folding interface, initially showing only top-level.}
9772 content @r{Folding interface, starting with all headlines visible.}
9773 showall @r{Folding interface, all headlines and text visible.}
9774 sdepth: @r{Maximum headline level that will still become an independent}
9775 @r{section for info and folding modes. The default is taken from}
9776 @r{@code{org-export-headline-levels} (= the @code{H} switch in @code{#+OPTIONS}).}
9777 @r{If this is smaller than in @code{org-export-headline-levels}, each}
9778 @r{info/folding section can still contain child headlines.}
9779 toc: @r{Should the table of content @emph{initially} be visible?}
9780 @r{Even when @code{nil}, you can always get to the "toc" with @kbd{i}.}
9781 tdepth: @r{The depth of the table of contents. The defaults are taken from}
9782 @r{the variables @code{org-export-headline-levels} and @code{org-export-with-toc}.}
9783 ftoc: @r{Does the css of the page specify a fixed position for the "toc"?}
9784 @r{If yes, the toc will never be displayed as a section.}
9785 ltoc: @r{Should there be short contents (children) in each section?}
9786 @r{Make this @code{above} if the section should be above initial text.}
9787 mouse: @r{Headings are highlighted when the mouse is over them. Should be}
9788 @r{@samp{underline} (default) or a background color like @samp{#cccccc}.}
9789 buttons: @r{Should view-toggle buttons be everywhere? When @code{nil} (the}
9790 @r{default), only one such button will be present.}
9793 @vindex org-infojs-options
9794 @vindex org-export-html-use-infojs
9795 You can choose default values for these options by customizing the variable
9796 @code{org-infojs-options}. If you always want to apply the script to your
9797 pages, configure the variable @code{org-export-html-use-infojs}.
9799 @node LaTeX and PDF export, DocBook export, HTML export, Exporting
9800 @section La@TeX{} and PDF export
9801 @cindex La@TeX{} export
9803 @cindex Guerry, Bastien
9805 Org-mode contains a La@TeX{} exporter written by Bastien Guerry. With
9806 further processing@footnote{The default LaTeX output is designed for
9807 processing with pdftex or latex. It includes packages that are not
9808 compatible with xetex and possibly luatex. See the variables
9809 @code{org-export-latex-default-packages-alist} and
9810 @code{org-export-latex-packages-alist}.}, this backend is also used to
9811 produce PDF output. Since the La@TeX{} output uses @file{hyperref} to
9812 implement links and cross references, the PDF output file will be fully
9816 * LaTeX/PDF export commands:: Which key invokes which commands
9817 * Header and sectioning:: Setting up the export file structure
9818 * Quoting LaTeX code:: Incorporating literal La@TeX{} code
9819 * Tables in LaTeX export:: Options for exporting tables to La@TeX{}
9820 * Images in LaTeX export:: How to insert figures into La@TeX{} output
9821 * Beamer class export:: Turning the file into a presentation
9824 @node LaTeX/PDF export commands, Header and sectioning, LaTeX and PDF export, LaTeX and PDF export
9825 @subsection La@TeX{} export commands
9827 @cindex region, active
9828 @cindex active region
9829 @cindex transient-mark-mode
9833 @cindex property EXPORT_FILE_NAME
9834 Export as La@TeX{} file @file{myfile.tex}. For an Org file
9835 @file{myfile.org}, the ASCII file will be @file{myfile.tex}. The file will
9836 be overwritten without warning. If there is an active region@footnote{This
9837 requires @code{transient-mark-mode} be turned on.}, only the region will be
9838 exported. If the selected region is a single tree@footnote{To select the
9839 current subtree, use @kbd{C-c @@}.}, the tree head will become the document
9840 title. If the tree head entry has or inherits an @code{EXPORT_FILE_NAME}
9841 property, that name will be used for the export.
9844 Export to a temporary buffer, do not create a file.
9849 Export only the visible part of the document.
9850 @item M-x org-export-region-as-latex
9851 Convert the region to La@TeX{} under the assumption that it was Org-mode
9852 syntax before. This is a global command that can be invoked in any
9854 @item M-x org-replace-region-by-latex
9855 Replace the active region (assumed to be in Org-mode syntax) by La@TeX{}
9859 Export as La@TeX{} and then process to PDF.
9862 Export as La@TeX{} and then process to PDF, then open the resulting PDF file.
9865 @cindex headline levels, for exporting
9866 @vindex org-latex-low-levels
9867 In the exported version, the first 3 outline levels will become
9868 headlines, defining a general document structure. Additional levels
9869 will be exported as description lists. The exporter can ignore them or
9870 convert them to a custom string depending on
9871 @code{org-latex-low-levels}.
9873 If you want that transition to occur at a different level, specify it
9874 with a numeric prefix argument. For example,
9881 creates two levels of headings and does the rest as items.
9883 @node Header and sectioning, Quoting LaTeX code, LaTeX/PDF export commands, LaTeX and PDF export
9884 @subsection Header and sectioning structure
9885 @cindex La@TeX{} class
9886 @cindex La@TeX{} sectioning structure
9887 @cindex La@TeX{} header
9888 @cindex header, for LaTeX files
9889 @cindex sectioning structure, for LaTeX export
9891 By default, the La@TeX{} output uses the class @code{article}.
9893 @vindex org-export-latex-default-class
9894 @vindex org-export-latex-classes
9895 @vindex org-export-latex-default-packages-alist
9896 @vindex org-export-latex-packages-alist
9897 @cindex #+LATEX_HEADER
9898 @cindex #+LATEX_CLASS
9899 @cindex #+LATEX_CLASS_OPTIONS
9900 @cindex property, LATEX_CLASS
9901 @cindex property, LATEX_CLASS_OPTIONS
9902 You can change this globally by setting a different value for
9903 @code{org-export-latex-default-class} or locally by adding an option like
9904 @code{#+LaTeX_CLASS: myclass} in your file, or with a @code{:LaTeX_CLASS:}
9905 property that applies when exporting a region containing only this (sub)tree.
9906 The class must be listed in @code{org-export-latex-classes}. This variable
9907 defines a header template for each class@footnote{Into which the values of
9908 @code{org-export-latex-default-packages-alist} and
9909 @code{org-export-latex-packages-alist} are spliced.}, and allows you to
9910 define the sectioning structure for each class. You can also define your own
9911 classes there. @code{#+LaTeX_CLASS_OPTIONS} or a @code{LaTeX_CLASS_OPTIONS}
9912 property can specify the options for the @code{\documentclass} macro. You
9913 can also use @code{#+LATEX_HEADER: \usepackage@{xyz@}} to add lines to the
9914 header. See the docstring of @code{org-export-latex-classes} for more
9917 @node Quoting LaTeX code, Tables in LaTeX export, Header and sectioning, LaTeX and PDF export
9918 @subsection Quoting La@TeX{} code
9920 Embedded La@TeX{} as described in @ref{Embedded LaTeX}, will be correctly
9921 inserted into the La@TeX{} file. This includes simple macros like
9922 @samp{\ref@{LABEL@}} to create a cross reference to a figure. Furthermore,
9923 you can add special code that should only be present in La@TeX{} export with
9924 the following constructs:
9927 @cindex #+BEGIN_LaTeX
9929 #+LaTeX: Literal LaTeX code for export
9933 @cindex #+BEGIN_LaTeX
9937 All lines between these markers are exported literally
9942 @node Tables in LaTeX export, Images in LaTeX export, Quoting LaTeX code, LaTeX and PDF export
9943 @subsection Tables in La@TeX{} export
9944 @cindex tables, in La@TeX{} export
9946 For La@TeX{} export of a table, you can specify a label and a caption
9947 (@pxref{Images and tables}). You can also use the @code{ATTR_LaTeX} line to
9948 request a @code{longtable} environment for the table, so that it may span
9949 several pages, or provide the @code{multicolumn} keyword that will make the
9950 table span the page in a multicolumn environment (@code{table*} environment).
9951 Finally, you can set the alignment string:
9955 @cindex #+ATTR_LaTeX
9957 #+CAPTION: A long table
9959 #+ATTR_LaTeX: longtable align=l|lp@{3cm@}r|l
9965 @node Images in LaTeX export, Beamer class export, Tables in LaTeX export, LaTeX and PDF export
9966 @subsection Images in La@TeX{} export
9967 @cindex images, inline in La@TeX{}
9968 @cindex inlining images in La@TeX{}
9970 Images that are linked to without a description part in the link, like
9971 @samp{[[file:img.jpg]]} or @samp{[[./img.jpg]]} will be inserted into the PDF
9972 output file resulting from La@TeX{} processing. Org will use an
9973 @code{\includegraphics} macro to insert the image. If you have specified a
9974 caption and/or a label as described in @ref{Images and tables}, the figure
9975 will be wrapped into a @code{figure} environment and thus become a floating
9976 element. You can use an @code{#+ATTR_LaTeX:} line to specify the various
9977 options that can be used in the optional argument of the
9978 @code{\includegraphics} macro. To modify the placement option of the
9979 @code{figure} environment, add something like @samp{placement=[h!]} to the
9982 If you would like to let text flow around the image, add the word @samp{wrap}
9983 to the @code{#+ATTR_LaTeX:} line, which will make the figure occupy the left
9984 half of the page. To fine-tune, the @code{placement} field will be the set
9985 of additional arguments needed by the @code{wrapfigure} environment. Note
9986 that if you change the size of the image, you need to use compatible settings
9987 for @code{\includegraphics} and @code{wrapfigure}.
9991 @cindex #+ATTR_LaTeX
9993 #+CAPTION: The black-body emission of the disk around HR 4049
9994 #+LABEL: fig:SED-HR4049
9995 #+ATTR_LaTeX: width=5cm,angle=90
9996 [[./img/sed-hr4049.pdf]]
9998 #+ATTR_LaTeX: width=0.38\textwidth wrap placement=@{r@}@{0.4\textwidth@}
10002 If you need references to a label created in this way, write
10003 @samp{\ref@{fig:SED-HR4049@}} just like in La@TeX{}.
10005 @node Beamer class export, , Images in LaTeX export, LaTeX and PDF export
10006 @subsection Beamer class export
10008 The LaTeX class @file{beamer} allows production of high quality presentations
10009 using LaTeX and pdf processing. Org-mode has special support for turning an
10010 Org-mode file or tree into a @file{beamer} presentation.
10012 When the LaTeX class for the current buffer (as set with @code{#+LaTeX_CLASS:
10013 beamer}) or subtree (set with a @code{LaTeX_CLASS} property) is
10014 @code{beamer}, a special export mode will turn the file or tree into a beamer
10015 presentation. Any tree with not-too-deep level nesting should in principle be
10016 exportable as a beamer presentation. By default, the top-level entries (or
10017 the first level below the selected subtree heading) will be turned into
10018 frames, and the outline structure below this level will become itemize lists.
10019 You can also configure the variable @code{org-beamer-frame-level} to a
10020 different level - then the hierarchy above frames will produce the sectioning
10021 structure of the presentation.
10023 A template for useful in-buffer settings or properties can be inserted into
10024 the buffer with @kbd{M-x org-insert-beamer-options-template}. Among other
10025 things, this will install a column view format which is very handy for
10026 editing special properties used by beamer.
10028 You can influence the structure of the presentation using the following
10033 The environment that should be used to format this entry. Valid environments
10034 are defined in the constant @code{org-beamer-environments-default}, and you
10035 can define more in @code{org-beamer-environments-extra}. If this property is
10036 set, the entry will also get a @code{:B_environment:} tag to make this
10037 visible. This tag has no semantic meaning, it is only a visual aid.
10038 @item BEAMER_envargs
10039 The beamer-special arguments that should be used for the environment, like
10040 @code{[t]} or @code{[<+->]} of @code{<2-3>}. If the @code{BEAMER_col}
10041 property is also set, something like @code{C[t]} can be added here as well to
10042 set an options argument for the implied @code{columns} environment.
10043 @code{c[t]} will set an option for the implied @code{column} environment.
10045 The width of a column that should start with this entry. If this property is
10046 set, the entry will also get a @code{:BMCOL:} property to make this visible.
10047 Also this tag is only a visual aid. When this is a plain number, it will be
10048 interpreted as a fraction of @code{\textwidth}. Otherwise it will be assumed
10049 that you have specified the units, like @samp{3cm}. The first such property
10050 in a frame will start a @code{columns} environment to surround the columns.
10051 This environment is closed when an entry has a @code{BEAMER_col} property
10052 with value 0 or 1, or automatically at the end of the frame.
10054 Additional commands that should be inserted after the environment has been
10055 opened. For example, when creating a frame, this can be used to specify
10059 Frames will automatically receive a @code{fragile} option if they contain
10060 source code that uses the verbatim environment. Special @file{beamer}
10061 specific code can be inserted using @code{#+BEAMER:} and
10062 @code{#+BEGIN_beamer...#+end_beamer} constructs, similar to other export
10063 backends, but with the difference that @code{#+LaTeX:} stuff will be included
10064 in the presentation as well.
10066 Outline nodes with @code{BEAMER_env} property value @samp{note} or
10067 @samp{noteNH} will be formatted as beamer notes, i,e, they will be wrapped
10068 into @code{\note@{...@}}. The former will include the heading as part of the
10069 note text, the latter will ignore the heading of that node. To simplify note
10070 generation, it is actually enough to mark the note with a @emph{tag} (either
10071 @code{:B_note:} or @code{:B_noteNH:}) instead of creating the
10072 @code{BEAMER_env} property.
10074 You can turn on a special minor mode @code{org-beamer-mode} for editing
10084 In @code{org-beamer-mode}, this key offers fast selection of a beamer
10085 environment or the @code{BEAMER_col} property.
10088 Column view provides a great way to set the environment of a node and other
10089 important parameters. Make sure you are using a COLUMN format that is geared
10090 toward this special purpose. The command @kbd{M-x
10091 org-insert-beamer-options-template} defines such a format.
10093 Here is a simple example Org document that is intended for beamer export.
10096 #+LaTeX_CLASS: beamer
10097 #+TITLE: Example Presentation
10098 #+AUTHOR: Carsten Dominik
10099 #+LaTeX_CLASS_OPTIONS: [presentation]
10100 #+BEAMER_FRAME_LEVEL: 2
10101 #+BEAMER_HEADER_EXTRA: \usetheme@{Madrid@}\usecolortheme@{default@}
10102 #+COLUMNS: %35ITEM %10BEAMER_env(Env) %10BEAMER_envargs(Args) %4BEAMER_col(Col) %8BEAMER_extra(Ex)
10104 * This is the first structural section
10106 ** Frame 1 \\ with a subtitle
10107 *** Thanks to Eric Fraga :BMCOL:B_block:
10110 :BEAMER_envargs: C[t]
10113 for the first viable beamer setup in Org
10114 *** Thanks to everyone else :BMCOL:B_block:
10118 :BEAMER_envargs: <2->
10120 for contributing to the discussion
10121 **** This will be formatted as a beamer note :B_note:
10122 ** Frame 2 \\ where we will not use columns
10123 *** Request :B_block:
10124 Please test this stuff!
10130 For more information, see the documentation on Worg.
10132 @node DocBook export, TaskJuggler export, LaTeX and PDF export, Exporting
10133 @section DocBook export
10134 @cindex DocBook export
10136 @cindex Cui, Baoqiu
10138 Org contains a DocBook exporter written by Baoqiu Cui. Once an Org file is
10139 exported to DocBook format, it can be further processed to produce other
10140 formats, including PDF, HTML, man pages, etc., using many available DocBook
10141 tools and stylesheets.
10143 Currently DocBook exporter only supports DocBook V5.0.
10146 * DocBook export commands:: How to invoke DocBook export
10147 * Quoting DocBook code:: Incorporating DocBook code in Org files
10148 * Recursive sections:: Recursive sections in DocBook
10149 * Tables in DocBook export:: Tables are exported as HTML tables
10150 * Images in DocBook export:: How to insert figures into DocBook output
10151 * Special characters:: How to handle special characters
10154 @node DocBook export commands, Quoting DocBook code, DocBook export, DocBook export
10155 @subsection DocBook export commands
10157 @cindex region, active
10158 @cindex active region
10159 @cindex transient-mark-mode
10163 @cindex property EXPORT_FILE_NAME
10164 Export as DocBook file. For an Org file, @file{myfile.org}, the DocBook XML
10165 file will be @file{myfile.xml}. The file will be overwritten without
10166 warning. If there is an active region@footnote{This requires
10167 @code{transient-mark-mode} to be turned on}, only the region will be
10168 exported. If the selected region is a single tree@footnote{To select the
10169 current subtree, use @kbd{C-c @@}.}, the tree head will become the document
10170 title. If the tree head entry has, or inherits, an @code{EXPORT_FILE_NAME}
10171 property, that name will be used for the export.
10174 Export as DocBook file, process to PDF, then open the resulting PDF file.
10176 @vindex org-export-docbook-xslt-proc-command
10177 @vindex org-export-docbook-xsl-fo-proc-command
10178 Note that, in order to produce PDF output based on exported DocBook file, you
10179 need to have XSLT processor and XSL-FO processor software installed on your
10180 system. Check variables @code{org-export-docbook-xslt-proc-command} and
10181 @code{org-export-docbook-xsl-fo-proc-command}.
10183 @vindex org-export-docbook-xslt-stylesheet
10184 The stylesheet argument @code{%s} in variable
10185 @code{org-export-docbook-xslt-proc-command} is replaced by the value of
10186 variable @code{org-export-docbook-xslt-stylesheet}, which needs to be set by
10187 the user. You can also overrule this global setting on a per-file basis by
10188 adding an in-buffer setting @code{#+XSLT:} to the Org file.
10190 @kindex C-c C-e v D
10192 Export only the visible part of the document.
10195 @node Quoting DocBook code, Recursive sections, DocBook export commands, DocBook export
10196 @subsection Quoting DocBook code
10198 You can quote DocBook code in Org files and copy it verbatim into exported
10199 DocBook file with the following constructs:
10202 @cindex #+BEGIN_DOCBOOK
10204 #+DOCBOOK: Literal DocBook code for export
10208 @cindex #+BEGIN_DOCBOOK
10212 All lines between these markers are exported by DocBook exporter
10217 For example, you can use the following lines to include a DocBook warning
10218 admonition. As to what this warning says, you should pay attention to the
10219 document context when quoting DocBook code in Org files. You may make
10220 exported DocBook XML files invalid by not quoting DocBook code correctly.
10225 <para>You should know what you are doing when quoting DocBook XML code
10226 in your Org file. Invalid DocBook XML file may be generated by
10227 DocBook exporter if you are not careful!</para>
10232 @node Recursive sections, Tables in DocBook export, Quoting DocBook code, DocBook export
10233 @subsection Recursive sections
10234 @cindex DocBook recursive sections
10236 DocBook exporter exports Org files as articles using the @code{article}
10237 element in DocBook. Recursive sections, i.e. @code{section} elements, are
10238 used in exported articles. Top level headlines in Org files are exported as
10239 top level sections, and lower level headlines are exported as nested
10240 sections. The entire structure of Org files will be exported completely, no
10241 matter how many nested levels of headlines there are.
10243 Using recursive sections makes it easy to port and reuse exported DocBook
10244 code in other DocBook document types like @code{book} or @code{set}.
10246 @node Tables in DocBook export, Images in DocBook export, Recursive sections, DocBook export
10247 @subsection Tables in DocBook export
10248 @cindex tables, in DocBook export
10250 Tables in Org files are exported as HTML tables, which have been supported since
10253 If a table does not have a caption, an informal table is generated using the
10254 @code{informaltable} element; otherwise, a formal table will be generated
10255 using the @code{table} element.
10257 @node Images in DocBook export, Special characters, Tables in DocBook export, DocBook export
10258 @subsection Images in DocBook export
10259 @cindex images, inline in DocBook
10260 @cindex inlining images in DocBook
10262 Images that are linked to without a description part in the link, like
10263 @samp{[[file:img.jpg]]} or @samp{[[./img.jpg]]}, will be exported to DocBook
10264 using @code{mediaobject} elements. Each @code{mediaobject} element contains
10265 an @code{imageobject} that wraps an @code{imagedata} element. If you have
10266 specified a caption for an image as described in @ref{Images and tables}, a
10267 @code{caption} element will be added in @code{mediaobject}. If a label is
10268 also specified, it will be exported as an @code{xml:id} attribute of the
10269 @code{mediaobject} element.
10271 @vindex org-export-docbook-default-image-attributes
10272 Image attributes supported by the @code{imagedata} element, like @code{align}
10273 or @code{width}, can be specified in two ways: you can either customize
10274 variable @code{org-export-docbook-default-image-attributes} or use the
10275 @code{#+ATTR_DOCBOOK:} line. Attributes specified in variable
10276 @code{org-export-docbook-default-image-attributes} are applied to all inline
10277 images in the Org file to be exported (unless they are overridden by image
10278 attributes specified in @code{#+ATTR_DOCBOOK:} lines).
10280 The @code{#+ATTR_DOCBOOK:} line can be used to specify additional image
10281 attributes or override default image attributes for individual images. If
10282 the same attribute appears in both the @code{#+ATTR_DOCBOOK:} line and
10283 variable @code{org-export-docbook-default-image-attributes}, the former
10284 takes precedence. Here is an example about how image attributes can be
10289 @cindex #+ATTR_DOCBOOK
10291 #+CAPTION: The logo of Org-mode
10292 #+LABEL: unicorn-svg
10293 #+ATTR_DOCBOOK: scalefit="1" width="100%" depth="100%"
10294 [[./img/org-mode-unicorn.svg]]
10297 @vindex org-export-docbook-inline-image-extensions
10298 By default, DocBook exporter recognizes the following image file types:
10299 @file{jpeg}, @file{jpg}, @file{png}, @file{gif}, and @file{svg}. You can
10300 customize variable @code{org-export-docbook-inline-image-extensions} to add
10301 more types to this list as long as DocBook supports them.
10303 @node Special characters, , Images in DocBook export, DocBook export
10304 @subsection Special characters in DocBook export
10305 @cindex Special characters in DocBook export
10307 @vindex org-export-docbook-doctype
10308 @vindex org-entities
10309 Special characters that are written in @TeX{}-like syntax, such as @code{\alpha},
10310 @code{\Gamma}, and @code{\Zeta}, are supported by DocBook exporter. These
10311 characters are rewritten to XML entities, like @code{α},
10312 @code{Γ}, and @code{Ζ}, based on the list saved in variable
10313 @code{org-entities}. As long as the generated DocBook file includes the
10314 corresponding entities, these special characters are recognized.
10316 You can customize variable @code{org-export-docbook-doctype} to include the
10317 entities you need. For example, you can set variable
10318 @code{org-export-docbook-doctype} to the following value to recognize all
10319 special characters included in XHTML entities:
10322 "<!DOCTYPE article [
10323 <!ENTITY % xhtml1-symbol PUBLIC
10324 \"-//W3C//ENTITIES Symbol for HTML//EN//XML\"
10325 \"http://www.w3.org/2003/entities/2007/xhtml1-symbol.ent\"
10332 @node TaskJuggler export, Freemind export, DocBook export, Exporting
10333 @section TaskJuggler export
10334 @cindex TaskJuggler export
10335 @cindex Project management
10337 @uref{http://www.taskjuggler.org/, TaskJuggler} is a project management tool.
10338 It provides an optimizing scheduler that computes your project time lines and
10339 resource assignments based on the project outline and the constraints that
10342 The TaskJuggler exporter is a bit different from other exporters, such as the
10343 HTML and LaTeX exporters for example, in that it does not export all the
10344 nodes of a document or strictly follow the order of the nodes in the
10347 Instead the TaskJuggler exporter looks for a tree that defines the tasks and
10348 a optionally tree that defines the resources for this project. It then
10349 creates a TaskJuggler file based on these trees and the attributes defined in
10352 @subsection TaskJuggler export commands
10357 Export as TaskJuggler file.
10361 Export as TaskJuggler file and then open the file with TaskJugglerUI.
10366 @vindex org-export-taskjuggler-project-tag
10367 Create your tasks as you usually do with Org-mode. Assign efforts to each
10368 task using properties (it's easiest to do this in the column view). You
10369 should end up with something similar to the example by Peter Jones in
10370 @url{http://www.contextualdevelopment.com/static/artifacts/articles/2008/project-planning/project-planning.org}.
10371 Now mark the top node of your tasks with a tag named
10372 @code{:taskjuggler_project:} (or whatever you customized
10373 @code{org-export-taskjuggler-project-tag} to). You are now ready to export
10374 the project plan with @kbd{C-c C-e J} which will export the project plan and
10375 open a gantt chart in TaskJugglerUI.
10377 @subsection Resources
10379 @vindex org-export-taskjuggler-resource-tag
10380 Next you can define resources and assign those to work on specific tasks. You
10381 can group your resources hierarchically. Tag the top node of the resources
10382 with @code{:taskjuggler_resource:} (or whatever you customized
10383 @code{org-export-taskjuggler-resource-tag} to). You can optionally assign an
10384 identifier (named @samp{resource_id}) to the resources (using the standard
10385 Org properties commands, @pxref{Property syntax}) or you can let the exporter
10386 generate identifiers automatically (the exporter picks the first word of the
10387 headline as the identifier as long as it is unique, see the documentation of
10388 @code{org-taskjuggler-get-unique-id}). Using that identifier you can then
10389 allocate resources to tasks. This is again done with the @samp{allocate}
10390 property on the tasks. Do this in column view or when on the task type
10391 @kbd{C-c C-x p allocate @key{RET} <resource_id> @key{RET}}.
10393 Once the allocations are done you can again export to TaskJuggler and check
10394 in the Resource Allocation Graph which person is working on what task at what
10397 @subsection Export of properties
10399 The exporter also takes TODO state information into consideration, i.e. if a
10400 task is marked as done it will have the corresponding attribute in
10401 TaskJuggler (@samp{complete 100}). Also it will export any property on a task
10402 resource or resource node which is known to TaskJuggler, such as
10403 @samp{limits}, @samp{vacation}, @samp{shift}, @samp{booking},
10404 @samp{efficiency}, @samp{journalentry}, @samp{rate} for resources or
10405 @samp{account}, @samp{start}, @samp{note}, @samp{duration}, @samp{end},
10406 @samp{journalentry}, @samp{milestone}, @samp{reference}, @samp{responsible},
10407 @samp{scheduling}, etc for tasks.
10409 @subsection Dependencies
10411 The exporter will handle dependencies that are defined in the tasks either
10412 with the @samp{ORDERED} attribute (@pxref{TODO dependencies}), with the
10413 @samp{BLOCKER} attribute (see org-depend.el) or alternatively with a
10414 @samp{depends} attribute. Both the @samp{BLOCKER} and the @samp{depends}
10415 attribute can be either @samp{previous-sibling} or a reference to an
10416 identifier (named @samp{task_id}) which is defined for another task in the
10417 project. @samp{BLOCKER} and the @samp{depends} attribute can define multiple
10418 dependencies separated by either space or comma. You can also specify
10419 optional attributes on the dependency by simply appending it. The following
10420 examples should illustrate this:
10425 :task_id: preparation
10428 * Training material
10430 :task_id: training_material
10433 ** Markup Guidelines
10437 ** Workflow Guidelines
10444 :BLOCKER: training_material @{ gapduration 1d @} preparation
10448 @subsection Reports
10450 @vindex org-export-taskjuggler-default-reports
10451 TaskJuggler can produce many kinds of reports (e.g. gantt chart, resource
10452 allocation, etc). The user defines what kind of reports should be generated
10453 for a project in the TaskJuggler file. The exporter will automatically insert
10454 some default reports in the file. These defaults are defined in
10455 @code{org-export-taskjuggler-default-reports}. They can be modified using
10456 customize along with a number of other options. For a more complete list, see
10457 @kbd{M-x customize-group @key{RET} org-export-taskjuggler @key{RET}}.
10459 For more information and examples see the Org-taskjuggler tutorial at
10460 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-tutorials/org-taskjuggler.php}.
10462 @node Freemind export, XOXO export, TaskJuggler export, Exporting
10463 @section Freemind export
10464 @cindex Freemind export
10467 The Freemind exporter was written by Lennart Borgman.
10472 Export as Freemind mind map @file{myfile.mm}.
10475 @node XOXO export, iCalendar export, Freemind export, Exporting
10476 @section XOXO export
10477 @cindex XOXO export
10479 Org-mode contains an exporter that produces XOXO-style output.
10480 Currently, this exporter only handles the general outline structure and
10481 does not interpret any additional Org-mode features.
10486 Export as XOXO file @file{myfile.html}.
10489 Export only the visible part of the document.
10492 @node iCalendar export, , XOXO export, Exporting
10493 @section iCalendar export
10494 @cindex iCalendar export
10496 @vindex org-icalendar-include-todo
10497 @vindex org-icalendar-use-deadline
10498 @vindex org-icalendar-use-scheduled
10499 @vindex org-icalendar-categories
10500 @vindex org-icalendar-alarm-time
10501 Some people use Org-mode for keeping track of projects, but still prefer a
10502 standard calendar application for anniversaries and appointments. In this
10503 case it can be useful to show deadlines and other time-stamped items in Org
10504 files in the calendar application. Org-mode can export calendar information
10505 in the standard iCalendar format. If you also want to have TODO entries
10506 included in the export, configure the variable
10507 @code{org-icalendar-include-todo}. Plain timestamps are exported as VEVENT,
10508 and TODO items as VTODO. It will also create events from deadlines that are
10509 in non-TODO items. Deadlines and scheduling dates in TODO items will be used
10510 to set the start and due dates for the TODO entry@footnote{See the variables
10511 @code{org-icalendar-use-deadline} and @code{org-icalendar-use-scheduled}.}.
10512 As categories, it will use the tags locally defined in the heading, and the
10513 file/tree category@footnote{To add inherited tags or the TODO state,
10514 configure the variable @code{org-icalendar-categories}.}. See the variable
10515 @code{org-icalendar-alarm-time} for a way to assign alarms to entries with a
10518 @vindex org-icalendar-store-UID
10519 @cindex property, ID
10520 The iCalendar standard requires each entry to have a globally unique
10521 identifier (UID). Org creates these identifiers during export. If you set
10522 the variable @code{org-icalendar-store-UID}, the UID will be stored in the
10523 @code{:ID:} property of the entry and re-used next time you report this
10524 entry. Since a single entry can give rise to multiple iCalendar entries (as
10525 a timestamp, a deadline, a scheduled item, and as a TODO item), Org adds
10526 prefixes to the UID, depending on what triggered the inclusion of the entry.
10527 In this way the UID remains unique, but a synchronization program can still
10528 figure out from which entry all the different instances originate.
10533 Create iCalendar entries for the current file and store them in the same
10534 directory, using a file extension @file{.ics}.
10537 @vindex org-agenda-files
10538 Like @kbd{C-c C-e i}, but do this for all files in
10539 @code{org-agenda-files}. For each of these files, a separate iCalendar
10540 file will be written.
10543 @vindex org-combined-agenda-icalendar-file
10544 Create a single large iCalendar file from all files in
10545 @code{org-agenda-files} and write it to the file given by
10546 @code{org-combined-agenda-icalendar-file}.
10549 @vindex org-use-property-inheritance
10550 @vindex org-icalendar-include-body
10551 @cindex property, SUMMARY
10552 @cindex property, DESCRIPTION
10553 @cindex property, LOCATION
10554 The export will honor SUMMARY, DESCRIPTION and LOCATION@footnote{The LOCATION
10555 property can be inherited from higher in the hierarchy if you configure
10556 @code{org-use-property-inheritance} accordingly.} properties if the selected
10557 entries have them. If not, the summary will be derived from the headline,
10558 and the description from the body (limited to
10559 @code{org-icalendar-include-body} characters).
10561 How this calendar is best read and updated, depends on the application
10562 you are using. The FAQ covers this issue.
10564 @node Publishing, Working With Source Code, Exporting, Top
10565 @chapter Publishing
10568 Org includes a publishing management system that allows you to configure
10569 automatic HTML conversion of @emph{projects} composed of interlinked org
10570 files. You can also configure Org to automatically upload your exported HTML
10571 pages and related attachments, such as images and source code files, to a web
10574 You can also use Org to convert files into PDF, or even combine HTML and PDF
10575 conversion so that files are available in both formats on the server.
10577 Publishing has been contributed to Org by David O'Toole.
10580 * Configuration:: Defining projects
10581 * Uploading files:: How to get files up on the server
10582 * Sample configuration:: Example projects
10583 * Triggering publication:: Publication commands
10586 @node Configuration, Uploading files, Publishing, Publishing
10587 @section Configuration
10589 Publishing needs significant configuration to specify files, destination
10590 and many other properties of a project.
10593 * Project alist:: The central configuration variable
10594 * Sources and destinations:: From here to there
10595 * Selecting files:: What files are part of the project?
10596 * Publishing action:: Setting the function doing the publishing
10597 * Publishing options:: Tweaking HTML export
10598 * Publishing links:: Which links keep working after publishing?
10599 * Sitemap:: Generating a list of all pages
10600 * Generating an index:: An index that reaches across pages
10603 @node Project alist, Sources and destinations, Configuration, Configuration
10604 @subsection The variable @code{org-publish-project-alist}
10605 @cindex org-publish-project-alist
10606 @cindex projects, for publishing
10608 @vindex org-publish-project-alist
10609 Publishing is configured almost entirely through setting the value of one
10610 variable, called @code{org-publish-project-alist}. Each element of the list
10611 configures one project, and may be in one of the two following forms:
10614 ("project-name" :property value :property value ...)
10615 @r{i.e. a well-formed property list with alternating keys and values}
10617 ("project-name" :components ("project-name" "project-name" ...))
10621 In both cases, projects are configured by specifying property values. A
10622 project defines the set of files that will be published, as well as the
10623 publishing configuration to use when publishing those files. When a project
10624 takes the second form listed above, the individual members of the
10625 @code{:components} property are taken to be sub-projects, which group
10626 together files requiring different publishing options. When you publish such
10627 a ``meta-project'', all the components will also be published, in the
10630 @node Sources and destinations, Selecting files, Project alist, Configuration
10631 @subsection Sources and destinations for files
10632 @cindex directories, for publishing
10634 Most properties are optional, but some should always be set. In
10635 particular, Org needs to know where to look for source files,
10636 and where to put published files.
10638 @multitable @columnfractions 0.3 0.7
10639 @item @code{:base-directory}
10640 @tab Directory containing publishing source files
10641 @item @code{:publishing-directory}
10642 @tab Directory where output files will be published. You can directly
10643 publish to a webserver using a file name syntax appropriate for
10644 the Emacs @file{tramp} package. Or you can publish to a local directory and
10645 use external tools to upload your website (@pxref{Uploading files}).
10646 @item @code{:preparation-function}
10647 @tab Function or list of functions to be called before starting the
10648 publishing process, for example, to run @code{make} for updating files to be
10649 published. The project property list is scoped into this call as the
10650 variable @code{project-plist}.
10651 @item @code{:completion-function}
10652 @tab Function or list of functions called after finishing the publishing
10653 process, for example, to change permissions of the resulting files. The
10654 project property list is scoped into this call as the variable
10655 @code{project-plist}.
10659 @node Selecting files, Publishing action, Sources and destinations, Configuration
10660 @subsection Selecting files
10661 @cindex files, selecting for publishing
10663 By default, all files with extension @file{.org} in the base directory
10664 are considered part of the project. This can be modified by setting the
10666 @multitable @columnfractions 0.25 0.75
10667 @item @code{:base-extension}
10668 @tab Extension (without the dot!) of source files. This actually is a
10669 regular expression. Set this to the symbol @code{any} if you want to get all
10670 files in @code{:base-directory}, even without extension.
10672 @item @code{:exclude}
10673 @tab Regular expression to match file names that should not be
10674 published, even though they have been selected on the basis of their
10677 @item @code{:include}
10678 @tab List of files to be included regardless of @code{:base-extension}
10679 and @code{:exclude}.
10682 @node Publishing action, Publishing options, Selecting files, Configuration
10683 @subsection Publishing action
10684 @cindex action, for publishing
10686 Publishing means that a file is copied to the destination directory and
10687 possibly transformed in the process. The default transformation is to export
10688 Org files as HTML files, and this is done by the function
10689 @code{org-publish-org-to-html} which calls the HTML exporter (@pxref{HTML
10690 export}). But you also can publish your content as PDF files using
10691 @code{org-publish-org-to-pdf}, or as @code{ascii}, @code{latin1} or
10692 @code{utf8} encoded files using the corresponding functions. If you want to
10693 publish the Org file itself, but with @i{archived}, @i{commented}, and
10694 @i{tag-excluded} trees removed, use @code{org-publish-org-to-org} and set the
10695 parameters @code{:plain-source} and/or @code{:htmlized-source}. This will
10696 produce @file{file.org} and @file{file.org.html} in the publishing
10697 directory@footnote{@file{file-source.org} and @file{file-source.org.html} if
10698 source and publishing directories are equal. Note that with this kind of
10699 setup, you need to add @code{:exclude "-source\\.org"} to the project
10700 definition in @code{org-publish-project-alist} to avoid that the published
10701 source files will be considered as new org files the next time the project is
10702 published.}. Other files like images only need to be copied to the
10703 publishing destination, for this you may use @code{org-publish-attachment}.
10704 For non-Org files, you always need to specify the publishing function:
10706 @multitable @columnfractions 0.3 0.7
10707 @item @code{:publishing-function}
10708 @tab Function executing the publication of a file. This may also be a
10709 list of functions, which will all be called in turn.
10710 @item @code{:plain-source}
10711 @tab Non-nil means, publish plain source.
10712 @item @code{:htmlized-source}
10713 @tab Non-nil means, publish htmlized source.
10716 The function must accept three arguments: a property list containing at least
10717 a @code{:publishing-directory} property, the name of the file to be
10718 published, and the path to the publishing directory of the output file. It
10719 should take the specified file, make the necessary transformation (if any)
10720 and place the result into the destination folder.
10722 @node Publishing options, Publishing links, Publishing action, Configuration
10723 @subsection Options for the HTML/La@TeX{} exporters
10724 @cindex options, for publishing
10726 The property list can be used to set many export options for the HTML
10727 and La@TeX{} exporters. In most cases, these properties correspond to user
10728 variables in Org. The table below lists these properties along
10729 with the variable they belong to. See the documentation string for the
10730 respective variable for details.
10732 @vindex org-export-html-link-up
10733 @vindex org-export-html-link-home
10734 @vindex org-export-default-language
10735 @vindex org-display-custom-times
10736 @vindex org-export-headline-levels
10737 @vindex org-export-with-section-numbers
10738 @vindex org-export-section-number-format
10739 @vindex org-export-with-toc
10740 @vindex org-export-preserve-breaks
10741 @vindex org-export-with-archived-trees
10742 @vindex org-export-with-emphasize
10743 @vindex org-export-with-sub-superscripts
10744 @vindex org-export-with-special-strings
10745 @vindex org-export-with-footnotes
10746 @vindex org-export-with-drawers
10747 @vindex org-export-with-tags
10748 @vindex org-export-with-todo-keywords
10749 @vindex org-export-with-priority
10750 @vindex org-export-with-TeX-macros
10751 @vindex org-export-with-LaTeX-fragments
10752 @vindex org-export-skip-text-before-1st-heading
10753 @vindex org-export-with-fixed-width
10754 @vindex org-export-with-timestamps
10755 @vindex org-export-author-info
10756 @vindex org-export-email
10757 @vindex org-export-creator-info
10758 @vindex org-export-with-tables
10759 @vindex org-export-highlight-first-table-line
10760 @vindex org-export-html-style-include-default
10761 @vindex org-export-html-style
10762 @vindex org-export-html-style-extra
10763 @vindex org-export-html-link-org-files-as-html
10764 @vindex org-export-html-inline-images
10765 @vindex org-export-html-extension
10766 @vindex org-export-html-table-tag
10767 @vindex org-export-html-expand
10768 @vindex org-export-html-with-timestamp
10769 @vindex org-export-publishing-directory
10770 @vindex org-export-html-preamble
10771 @vindex org-export-html-postamble
10772 @vindex org-export-html-auto-preamble
10773 @vindex org-export-html-auto-postamble
10774 @vindex user-full-name
10775 @vindex user-mail-address
10776 @vindex org-export-select-tags
10777 @vindex org-export-exclude-tags
10779 @multitable @columnfractions 0.32 0.68
10780 @item @code{:link-up} @tab @code{org-export-html-link-up}
10781 @item @code{:link-home} @tab @code{org-export-html-link-home}
10782 @item @code{:language} @tab @code{org-export-default-language}
10783 @item @code{:customtime} @tab @code{org-display-custom-times}
10784 @item @code{:headline-levels} @tab @code{org-export-headline-levels}
10785 @item @code{:section-numbers} @tab @code{org-export-with-section-numbers}
10786 @item @code{:section-number-format} @tab @code{org-export-section-number-format}
10787 @item @code{:table-of-contents} @tab @code{org-export-with-toc}
10788 @item @code{:preserve-breaks} @tab @code{org-export-preserve-breaks}
10789 @item @code{:archived-trees} @tab @code{org-export-with-archived-trees}
10790 @item @code{:emphasize} @tab @code{org-export-with-emphasize}
10791 @item @code{:sub-superscript} @tab @code{org-export-with-sub-superscripts}
10792 @item @code{:special-strings} @tab @code{org-export-with-special-strings}
10793 @item @code{:footnotes} @tab @code{org-export-with-footnotes}
10794 @item @code{:drawers} @tab @code{org-export-with-drawers}
10795 @item @code{:tags} @tab @code{org-export-with-tags}
10796 @item @code{:todo-keywords} @tab @code{org-export-with-todo-keywords}
10797 @item @code{:priority} @tab @code{org-export-with-priority}
10798 @item @code{:TeX-macros} @tab @code{org-export-with-TeX-macros}
10799 @item @code{:LaTeX-fragments} @tab @code{org-export-with-LaTeX-fragments}
10800 @item @code{:latex-listings} @tab @code{org-export-latex-listings}
10801 @item @code{:skip-before-1st-heading} @tab @code{org-export-skip-text-before-1st-heading}
10802 @item @code{:fixed-width} @tab @code{org-export-with-fixed-width}
10803 @item @code{:timestamps} @tab @code{org-export-with-timestamps}
10804 @item @code{:author-info} @tab @code{org-export-author-info}
10805 @item @code{:email-info} @tab @code{org-export-email-info}
10806 @item @code{:creator-info} @tab @code{org-export-creator-info}
10807 @item @code{:tables} @tab @code{org-export-with-tables}
10808 @item @code{:table-auto-headline} @tab @code{org-export-highlight-first-table-line}
10809 @item @code{:style-include-default} @tab @code{org-export-html-style-include-default}
10810 @item @code{:style} @tab @code{org-export-html-style}
10811 @item @code{:style-extra} @tab @code{org-export-html-style-extra}
10812 @item @code{:convert-org-links} @tab @code{org-export-html-link-org-files-as-html}
10813 @item @code{:inline-images} @tab @code{org-export-html-inline-images}
10814 @item @code{:html-extension} @tab @code{org-export-html-extension}
10815 @item @code{:xml-declaration} @tab @code{org-export-html-xml-declaration}
10816 @item @code{:html-table-tag} @tab @code{org-export-html-table-tag}
10817 @item @code{:expand-quoted-html} @tab @code{org-export-html-expand}
10818 @item @code{:timestamp} @tab @code{org-export-html-with-timestamp}
10819 @item @code{:publishing-directory} @tab @code{org-export-publishing-directory}
10820 @item @code{:preamble} @tab @code{org-export-html-preamble}
10821 @item @code{:postamble} @tab @code{org-export-html-postamble}
10822 @item @code{:auto-preamble} @tab @code{org-export-html-auto-preamble}
10823 @item @code{:auto-postamble} @tab @code{org-export-html-auto-postamble}
10824 @item @code{:author} @tab @code{user-full-name}
10825 @item @code{:email} @tab @code{user-mail-address} : @code{addr;addr;..}
10826 @item @code{:select-tags} @tab @code{org-export-select-tags}
10827 @item @code{:exclude-tags} @tab @code{org-export-exclude-tags}
10828 @item @code{:latex-image-options} @tab @code{org-export-latex-image-default-option}
10831 Most of the @code{org-export-with-*} variables have the same effect in
10832 both HTML and La@TeX{} exporters, except for @code{:TeX-macros} and
10833 @code{:LaTeX-fragments}, respectively @code{nil} and @code{t} in the
10836 @vindex org-publish-project-alist
10837 When a property is given a value in @code{org-publish-project-alist},
10838 its setting overrides the value of the corresponding user variable (if
10839 any) during publishing. Options set within a file (@pxref{Export
10840 options}), however, override everything.
10842 @node Publishing links, Sitemap, Publishing options, Configuration
10843 @subsection Links between published files
10844 @cindex links, publishing
10846 To create a link from one Org file to another, you would use
10847 something like @samp{[[file:foo.org][The foo]]} or simply
10848 @samp{file:foo.org.} (@pxref{Hyperlinks}). When published, this link
10849 becomes a link to @file{foo.html}. In this way, you can interlink the
10850 pages of your "org web" project and the links will work as expected when
10851 you publish them to HTML. If you also publish the Org source file and want
10852 to link to that, use an @code{http:} link instead of a @code{file:} link,
10853 because @code{file:} links are converted to link to the corresponding
10856 You may also link to related files, such as images. Provided you are careful
10857 with relative file names, and provided you have also configured Org to upload
10858 the related files, these links will work too. See @ref{Complex example}, for
10859 an example of this usage.
10861 Sometimes an Org file to be published may contain links that are
10862 only valid in your production environment, but not in the publishing
10863 location. In this case, use the property
10865 @multitable @columnfractions 0.4 0.6
10866 @item @code{:link-validation-function}
10867 @tab Function to validate links
10871 to define a function for checking link validity. This function must
10872 accept two arguments, the file name and a directory relative to which
10873 the file name is interpreted in the production environment. If this
10874 function returns @code{nil}, then the HTML generator will only insert a
10875 description into the HTML file, but no link. One option for this
10876 function is @code{org-publish-validate-link} which checks if the given
10877 file is part of any project in @code{org-publish-project-alist}.
10879 @node Sitemap, Generating an index, Publishing links, Configuration
10880 @subsection Generating a sitemap
10881 @cindex sitemap, of published pages
10883 The following properties may be used to control publishing of
10884 a map of files for a given project.
10886 @multitable @columnfractions 0.35 0.65
10887 @item @code{:auto-sitemap}
10888 @tab When non-nil, publish a sitemap during @code{org-publish-current-project}
10889 or @code{org-publish-all}.
10891 @item @code{:sitemap-filename}
10892 @tab Filename for output of sitemap. Defaults to @file{sitemap.org} (which
10893 becomes @file{sitemap.html}).
10895 @item @code{:sitemap-title}
10896 @tab Title of sitemap page. Defaults to name of file.
10898 @item @code{:sitemap-function}
10899 @tab Plug-in function to use for generation of the sitemap.
10900 Defaults to @code{org-publish-org-sitemap}, which generates a plain list
10901 of links to all files in the project.
10903 @item @code{:sitemap-sort-folders}
10904 @tab Where folders should appear in the sitemap. Set this to @code{first}
10905 (default) or @code{last} to display folders first or last,
10906 respectively. Any other value will mix files and folders.
10908 @item @code{:sitemap-alphabetically}
10909 @tab The site map is normally sorted alphabetically. Set this explicitly to
10910 @code{nil} to turn off sorting.
10912 @item @code{:sitemap-ignore-case}
10913 @tab Should sorting be case-sensitive? Default @code{nil}.
10917 @node Generating an index, , Sitemap, Configuration
10918 @subsection Generating an index
10919 @cindex index, in a publishing project
10921 Org-mode can generate an index across the files of a publishing project.
10923 @multitable @columnfractions 0.25 0.75
10924 @item @code{:makeindex}
10925 @tab When non-nil, generate in index in the file @file{theindex.org} and
10926 publish it as @file{theindex.html}.
10929 The file will be create when first publishing a project with the
10930 @code{:makeindex} set. The file only contains a statement @code{#+include:
10931 "theindex.inc"}. You can then built around this include statement by adding
10932 a title, style information etc.
10934 @node Uploading files, Sample configuration, Configuration, Publishing
10935 @section Uploading files
10939 For those people already utilizing third party sync tools such as
10940 @command{rsync} or @command{unison}, it might be preferable not to use the built in
10941 @i{remote} publishing facilities of Org-mode which rely heavily on
10942 Tramp. Tramp, while very useful and powerful, tends not to be
10943 so efficient for multiple file transfer and has been known to cause problems
10946 Specialized synchronization utilities offer several advantages. In addition
10947 to timestamp comparison, they also do content and permissions/attribute
10948 checks. For this reason you might prefer to publish your web to a local
10949 directory (possibly even @i{in place} with your Org files) and then use
10950 @file{unison} or @file{rsync} to do the synchronization with the remote host.
10952 Since Unison (for example) can be configured as to which files to transfer to
10953 a certain remote destination, it can greatly simplify the project publishing
10954 definition. Simply keep all files in the correct location, process your Org
10955 files with @code{org-publish} and let the synchronization tool do the rest.
10956 You do not need, in this scenario, to include attachments such as @file{jpg},
10957 @file{css} or @file{gif} files in the project definition since the 3rd party
10960 Publishing to a local directory is also much faster than to a remote one, so
10961 that you can afford more easily to republish entire projects. If you set
10962 @code{org-publish-use-timestamps-flag} to @code{nil}, you gain the main
10963 benefit of re-including any changed external files such as source example
10964 files you might include with @code{#+INCLUDE}. The timestamp mechanism in
10965 Org is not smart enough to detect if included files have been modified.
10967 @node Sample configuration, Triggering publication, Uploading files, Publishing
10968 @section Sample configuration
10970 Below we provide two example configurations. The first one is a simple
10971 project publishing only a set of Org files. The second example is
10972 more complex, with a multi-component project.
10975 * Simple example:: One-component publishing
10976 * Complex example:: A multi-component publishing example
10979 @node Simple example, Complex example, Sample configuration, Sample configuration
10980 @subsection Example: simple publishing configuration
10982 This example publishes a set of Org files to the @file{public_html}
10983 directory on the local machine.
10986 (setq org-publish-project-alist
10988 :base-directory "~/org/"
10989 :publishing-directory "~/public_html"
10990 :section-numbers nil
10991 :table-of-contents nil
10992 :style "<link rel=\"stylesheet\"
10993 href=\"../other/mystyle.css\"
10994 type=\"text/css\"/>")))
10997 @node Complex example, , Simple example, Sample configuration
10998 @subsection Example: complex publishing configuration
11000 This more complicated example publishes an entire website, including
11001 Org files converted to HTML, image files, Emacs Lisp source code, and
11002 style sheets. The publishing directory is remote and private files are
11005 To ensure that links are preserved, care should be taken to replicate
11006 your directory structure on the web server, and to use relative file
11007 paths. For example, if your Org files are kept in @file{~/org} and your
11008 publishable images in @file{~/images}, you would link to an image with
11011 file:../images/myimage.png
11014 On the web server, the relative path to the image should be the
11015 same. You can accomplish this by setting up an "images" folder in the
11016 right place on the web server, and publishing images to it.
11019 (setq org-publish-project-alist
11021 :base-directory "~/org/"
11022 :base-extension "org"
11023 :publishing-directory "/ssh:user@@host:~/html/notebook/"
11024 :publishing-function org-publish-org-to-html
11025 :exclude "PrivatePage.org" ;; regexp
11027 :section-numbers nil
11028 :table-of-contents nil
11029 :style "<link rel=\"stylesheet\"
11030 href=\"../other/mystyle.css\" type=\"text/css\"/>"
11032 :auto-postamble nil)
11035 :base-directory "~/images/"
11036 :base-extension "jpg\\|gif\\|png"
11037 :publishing-directory "/ssh:user@@host:~/html/images/"
11038 :publishing-function org-publish-attachment)
11041 :base-directory "~/other/"
11042 :base-extension "css\\|el"
11043 :publishing-directory "/ssh:user@@host:~/html/other/"
11044 :publishing-function org-publish-attachment)
11045 ("website" :components ("orgfiles" "images" "other"))))
11048 @node Triggering publication, , Sample configuration, Publishing
11049 @section Triggering publication
11051 Once properly configured, Org can publish with the following commands:
11056 Prompt for a specific project and publish all files that belong to it.
11059 Publish the project containing the current file.
11062 Publish only the current file.
11065 Publish every project.
11068 @vindex org-publish-use-timestamps-flag
11069 Org uses timestamps to track when a file has changed. The above functions
11070 normally only publish changed files. You can override this and force
11071 publishing of all files by giving a prefix argument to any of the commands
11072 above, or by customizing the variable @code{org-publish-use-timestamps-flag}.
11073 This may be necessary in particular if files include other files via
11074 @code{#+SETUPFILE:} or @code{#+INCLUDE:}.
11076 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
11077 @comment Working With Source Code, Miscellaneous, Publishing, Top
11079 @node Working With Source Code, Miscellaneous, Publishing, Top
11080 @chapter Working with source code
11081 @cindex Schulte, Eric
11082 @cindex Davison, Dan
11083 @cindex source code, working with
11085 Source code can be included in Org-mode documents using a @samp{src} block,
11089 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
11090 (defun org-xor (a b)
11096 Org-mode provides a number of features for working with live source code,
11097 including editing of code blocks in their native major-mode, evaluation of
11098 code blocks, tangling of code blocks, and exporting code blocks and their
11099 results in several formats. This functionality was contributed by Eric
11100 Schulte and Dan Davison, and was originally named Org-babel.
11102 The following sections describe Org-mode's code block handling facilities.
11105 * Structure of code blocks:: Code block syntax described
11106 * Editing source code:: Language major-mode editing
11107 * Exporting code blocks:: Export contents and/or results
11108 * Extracting source code:: Create pure source code files
11109 * Evaluating code blocks:: Place results of evaluation in the Org-mode buffer
11110 * Library of Babel:: Use and contribute to a library of useful code blocks
11111 * Languages:: List of supported code block languages
11112 * Header arguments:: Configure code block functionality
11113 * Results of evaluation:: How evaluation results are handled
11114 * Noweb reference syntax:: Literate programming in Org-mode
11115 * Key bindings and useful functions:: Work quickly with code blocks
11116 * Batch execution:: Call functions from the command line
11119 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
11120 @comment Structure of code blocks, Editing source code, Working With Source Code, Working With Source Code
11122 @node Structure of code blocks, Editing source code, Working With Source Code, Working With Source Code
11123 @section Structure of code blocks
11124 @cindex code block, structure
11125 @cindex source code, block structure
11127 The structure of code blocks is as follows:
11131 #+begin_src <language> <switches> <header arguments>
11136 code blocks can also be embedded in text as so called inline code blocks as
11139 src_<language>@{<body>@}
11145 src_<language>[<header arguments>]@{<body>@}
11150 This name is associated with the code block. This is similar to the
11151 @samp{#+tblname} lines that can be used to name tables in Org-mode files.
11152 Referencing the name of a code block makes it possible to evaluate the
11153 block from other places in the file, other files, or from Org-mode table
11154 formulas (see @ref{The spreadsheet}).
11156 The language of the code in the block.
11158 Switches controlling exportation of the code block (see switches discussion in
11159 @ref{Literal examples})
11160 @item <header arguments>
11161 Optional header arguments control many aspects of evaluation, export and
11162 tangling of code blocks. See the @ref{Header arguments}
11163 section. Header arguments can also be set on a per-buffer or per-subtree
11164 basis using properties.
11169 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
11170 @comment Editing source code, Exporting code blocks, Structure of code blocks, Working With Source Code
11172 @node Editing source code, Exporting code blocks, Structure of code blocks, Working With Source Code
11173 @section Editing source code
11174 @cindex code block, editing
11175 @cindex source code, editing
11178 Use @kbd{C-c '} to edit the current code block. This brings up
11179 a language major-mode edit buffer containing the body of the code
11180 block. Saving this buffer will write the new contents back to the Org
11181 buffer. Use @kbd{C-c '} again to exit.
11183 The @code{org-src-mode} minor mode will be active in the edit buffer. The
11184 following variables can be used to configure the behavior of the edit
11185 buffer. See also the customization group @code{org-edit-structure} for
11186 further configuration options.
11189 @item org-src-lang-modes
11190 If an Emacs major-mode named @code{<lang>-mode} exists, where
11191 @code{<lang>} is the language named in the header line of the code block,
11192 then the edit buffer will be placed in that major-mode. This variable
11193 can be used to map arbitrary language names to existing major modes.
11194 @item org-src-window-setup
11195 Controls the way Emacs windows are rearranged when the edit buffer is created.
11196 @item org-src-preserve-indentation
11197 This variable is especially useful for tangling languages such as
11198 python, in which whitespace indentation in the output is critical.
11199 @item org-src-ask-before-returning-to-edit-buffer
11200 By default, Org will ask before returning to an open edit buffer. Set
11201 this variable to nil to switch without asking.
11204 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
11205 @comment Exporting code blocks, Extracting source code, Editing source code, Working With Source Code
11207 @node Exporting code blocks, Extracting source code, Editing source code, Working With Source Code
11208 @section Exporting code blocks
11209 @cindex code block, exporting
11210 @cindex source code, exporting
11212 It is possible to export the @emph{contents} of code blocks, the
11213 @emph{results} of code block evaluation, @emph{neither}, or @emph{both}. For
11214 most languages, the default exports the contents of code blocks. However, for
11215 some languages (e.g. @code{ditaa}) the default exports the results of code
11216 block evaluation. For information on exporting code block bodies, see
11217 @ref{Literal examples}.
11219 The @code{:exports} header argument can be used to specify export
11222 @subsubheading Header arguments:
11224 @item :exports code
11225 The default in most languages. The body of the code block is exported, as
11226 described in @ref{Literal examples}.
11227 @item :exports results
11228 The code block will be evaluated and the results will be placed in the
11229 Org-mode buffer for export, either updating previous results of the code
11230 block located anywhere in the buffer or, if no previous results exist,
11231 placing the results immediately after the code block. The body of the code
11232 block will not be exported.
11233 @item :exports both
11234 Both the code block and its results will be exported.
11235 @item :exports none
11236 Neither the code block nor its results will be exported.
11239 It is possible to inhibit the evaluation of code blocks during export.
11240 Setting the the @code{org-export-babel-evaluate} variable to @code{nil} will
11241 ensure that no code blocks are evaluated as part of the export process. This
11242 can be useful in situations where potentially untrusted Org-mode files are
11243 exported in an automated fashion, for example when Org-mode is used as the
11244 markup language for a wiki.
11246 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
11247 @comment Extracting source code, Evaluating code blocks, Exporting code blocks, Working With Source Code
11248 @node Extracting source code, Evaluating code blocks, Exporting code blocks, Working With Source Code
11249 @section Extracting source code
11250 @cindex source code, extracting
11251 @cindex code block, extracting source code
11253 Creating pure source code files by extracting code from source blocks is
11254 referred to as ``tangling''---a term adopted from the literate programming
11255 community. During ``tangling'' of code blocks their bodies are expanded
11256 using @code{org-babel-expand-src-block} which can expand both variable and
11257 ``noweb'' style references (see @ref{Noweb reference syntax}).
11259 @subsubheading Header arguments
11262 The default. The code block is not included in the tangled output.
11264 Include the code block in the tangled output. The output file name is the
11265 name of the org file with the extension @samp{.org} replaced by the extension
11266 for the block language.
11267 @item :tangle filename
11268 Include the code block in the tangled output to file @samp{filename}.
11272 @subsubheading Functions
11274 @item org-babel-tangle
11275 Tangle the current file. Bound to @kbd{C-c C-v t}.
11276 @item org-babel-tangle-file
11277 Choose a file to tangle. Bound to @kbd{C-c C-v f}.
11280 @subsubheading Hooks
11282 @item org-babel-post-tangle-hook
11283 This hook is run from within code files tangled by @code{org-babel-tangle}.
11284 Example applications could include post-processing, compilation or evaluation
11285 of tangled code files.
11288 @node Evaluating code blocks, Library of Babel, Extracting source code, Working With Source Code
11289 @section Evaluating code blocks
11290 @cindex code block, evaluating
11291 @cindex source code, evaluating
11293 Code blocks can be evaluated@footnote{Whenever code is evaluated there is a
11294 potential for that code to do harm. Org-mode provides a number of safeguards
11295 to ensure that it only evaluates code with explicit confirmation from the
11296 user. For information on these safeguards (and on how to disable them) see
11297 @ref{Code evaluation security}.} and the results placed in the Org-mode
11298 buffer. By default, evaluation is only turned on for @code{emacs-lisp} code
11299 blocks, however support exists for evaluating blocks in many languages. See
11300 @ref{Languages} for a list of supported languages. See @ref{Structure of
11301 code blocks} for information on the syntax used to define a code block.
11304 There are a number of ways to evaluate code blocks. The simplest is to press
11305 @kbd{C-c C-c} or @kbd{C-c C-v e} with the point on a code block@footnote{The
11306 @code{org-babel-no-eval-on-ctrl-c-ctrl-c} variable can be used to remove code
11307 evaluation from the @kbd{C-c C-c} key binding.}. This will call the
11308 @code{org-babel-execute-src-block} function to evaluate the block and insert
11309 its results into the Org-mode buffer.
11311 It is also possible to evaluate named code blocks from anywhere in an
11312 Org-mode buffer or an Org-mode table. @code{#+call} (or synonymously
11313 @code{#+function} or @code{#+lob}) lines can be used to remotely execute code
11314 blocks located in the current Org-mode buffer or in the ``Library of Babel''
11315 (see @ref{Library of Babel}). These lines use the following syntax.
11318 #+call: <name>(<arguments>) <header arguments>
11319 #+function: <name>(<arguments>) <header arguments>
11320 #+lob: <name>(<arguments>) <header arguments>
11325 The name of the code block to be evaluated.
11327 Arguments specified in this section will be passed to the code block.
11328 @item <header arguments>
11329 Header arguments can be placed after the function invocation. See
11330 @ref{Header arguments} for more information on header arguments.
11334 @node Library of Babel, Languages, Evaluating code blocks, Working With Source Code
11335 @section Library of Babel
11336 @cindex babel, library of
11337 @cindex source code, library
11338 @cindex code block, library
11340 The ``Library of Babel'' is a library of code blocks
11341 that can be called from any Org-mode file. The library is housed in an
11342 Org-mode file located in the @samp{contrib} directory of Org-mode.
11343 Org-mode users can deposit functions they believe to be generally
11344 useful in the library.
11346 Code blocks defined in the ``Library of Babel'' can be called remotely as if
11347 they were in the current Org-mode buffer (see @ref{Evaluating code blocks}
11348 for information on the syntax of remote code block evaluation).
11351 Code blocks located in any Org-mode file can be loaded into the ``Library of
11352 Babel'' with the @code{org-babel-lob-ingest} function, bound to @kbd{C-c C-v
11355 @node Languages, Header arguments, Library of Babel, Working With Source Code
11357 @cindex babel, languages
11358 @cindex source code, languages
11359 @cindex code block, languages
11361 Code blocks in the following languages are supported.
11363 @multitable @columnfractions 0.28 0.3 0.22 0.2
11364 @item @b{Language} @tab @b{Identifier} @tab @b{Language} @tab @b{Identifier}
11365 @item Asymptote @tab asymptote @tab C @tab C
11366 @item C++ @tab C++ @tab Clojure @tab clojure
11367 @item css @tab css @tab ditaa @tab ditaa
11368 @item Graphviz @tab dot @tab Emacs Lisp @tab emacs-lisp
11369 @item gnuplot @tab gnuplot @tab Haskell @tab haskell
11370 @item LaTeX @tab latex @tab Matlab @tab matlab
11371 @item Mscgen @tab mscgen @tab Objective Caml @tab ocaml
11372 @item Octave @tab octave @tab OZ @tab oz
11373 @item Perl @tab perl @tab Python @tab python
11374 @item R @tab R @tab Ruby @tab ruby
11375 @item Sass @tab sass @tab GNU Screen @tab screen
11376 @item shell @tab sh @tab SQL @tab sql
11377 @item Sqlite @tab sqlite
11380 Language-specific documentation is available for some languages. If
11381 available, it can be found at
11382 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-contrib/babel/languages}.
11384 The @code{org-babel-load-languages} controls which languages are enabled for
11385 evaluation (by default only @code{emacs-lisp} is enabled). This variable can
11386 be set using the customization interface or by adding code like the following
11387 to your emacs configuration.
11390 The following disables @code{emacs-lisp} evaluation and enables evaluation of
11391 @code{R} code blocks.
11395 (org-babel-do-load-languages
11396 'org-babel-load-languages
11397 '((emacs-lisp . nil)
11401 It is also possible to enable support for a language by loading the related
11402 elisp file with @code{require}.
11405 The following adds support for evaluating @code{clojure} code blocks.
11409 (require 'ob-clojure)
11412 @node Header arguments, Results of evaluation, Languages, Working With Source Code
11413 @section Header arguments
11414 @cindex code block, header arguments
11415 @cindex source code, block header arguments
11417 Code block functionality can be configured with header arguments. This
11418 section provides an overview of the use of header arguments, and then
11419 describes each header argument in detail.
11422 * Using header arguments:: Different ways to set header arguments
11423 * Specific header arguments:: List of header arguments
11426 @node Using header arguments, Specific header arguments, Header arguments, Header arguments
11427 @subsection Using header arguments
11429 The values of header arguments can be set in six different ways, each more
11430 specific (and having higher priority) than the last.
11432 * System-wide header arguments:: Set global default values
11433 * Language-specific header arguments:: Set default values by language
11434 * Buffer-wide header arguments:: Set default values for a specific buffer
11435 * Header arguments in Org-mode properties:: Set default values for a buffer or heading
11436 * Code block specific header arguments:: The most common way to set values
11437 * Header arguments in function calls:: The most specific level
11441 @node System-wide header arguments, Language-specific header arguments, Using header arguments, Using header arguments
11442 @subsubheading System-wide header arguments
11443 @vindex org-babel-default-header-args
11444 System-wide values of header arguments can be specified by customizing the
11445 @code{org-babel-default-header-args} variable:
11449 :results => "replace"
11456 @c org-babel-default-header-args is a variable defined in `org-babel.el'.
11458 @c ((:session . "none")
11459 @c (:results . "replace")
11460 @c (:exports . "code")
11462 @c (:noweb . "no"))
11466 @c Default arguments to use when evaluating a code block.
11469 For example, the following example could be used to set the default value of
11470 @code{:noweb} header arguments to @code{yes}. This would have the effect of
11471 expanding @code{:noweb} references by default when evaluating source code
11475 (setq org-babel-default-header-args
11476 (cons '(:noweb . "yes")
11477 (assq-delete-all :noweb org-babel-default-header-args)))
11480 @node Language-specific header arguments, Buffer-wide header arguments, System-wide header arguments, Using header arguments
11481 @subsubheading Language-specific header arguments
11482 Each language can define its own set of default header arguments. See the
11483 language-specific documentation available online at
11484 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-contrib/babel}.
11486 @node Buffer-wide header arguments, Header arguments in Org-mode properties, Language-specific header arguments, Using header arguments
11487 @subsubheading Buffer-wide header arguments
11488 Buffer-wide header arguments may be specified through the use of a special
11489 line placed anywhere in an Org-mode file. The line consists of the
11490 @code{#+BABEL:} keyword followed by a series of header arguments which may be
11491 specified using the standard header argument syntax.
11493 For example the following would set @code{session} to @code{*R*}, and
11494 @code{results} to @code{silent} for every code block in the buffer, ensuring
11495 that all execution took place in the same session, and no results would be
11496 inserted into the buffer.
11499 #+BABEL: :session *R* :results silent
11502 @node Header arguments in Org-mode properties, Code block specific header arguments, Buffer-wide header arguments, Using header arguments
11503 @subsubheading Header arguments in Org-mode properties
11505 Header arguments are also read from Org-mode properties (see @ref{Property
11506 syntax}), which can be set on a buffer-wide or per-heading basis. An example
11507 of setting a header argument for all code blocks in a buffer is
11510 #+property: tangle yes
11513 When properties are used to set default header arguments, they are looked up
11514 with inheritance, so the value of the @code{:cache} header argument will default
11515 to @code{yes} in all code blocks in the subtree rooted at the following
11526 @vindex org-babel-default-header-args
11527 Properties defined in this way override the properties set in
11528 @code{org-babel-default-header-args}. It is convenient to use the
11529 @code{org-set-property} function bound to @kbd{C-c C-x p} to set properties
11530 in Org-mode documents.
11532 @node Code block specific header arguments, Header arguments in function calls, Header arguments in Org-mode properties, Using header arguments
11533 @subsubheading Code block specific header arguments
11535 The most common way to assign values to header arguments is at the
11536 code block level. This can be done by listing a sequence of header
11537 arguments and their values as part of the @code{#+begin_src} line.
11538 Properties set in this way override both the values of
11539 @code{org-babel-default-header-args} and header arguments specified as
11540 properties. In the following example, the @code{:results} header argument
11541 is set to @code{silent}, meaning the results of execution will not be
11542 inserted in the buffer, and the @code{:exports} header argument is set to
11543 @code{code}, meaning only the body of the code block will be
11544 preserved on export to HTML or LaTeX.
11547 #+source: factorial
11548 #+begin_src haskell :results silent :exports code :var n=0
11550 fac n = n * fac (n-1)
11553 Similarly, it is possible to set header arguments for inline code blocks:
11556 src_haskell[:exports both]@{fac 5@}
11559 @node Header arguments in function calls, , Code block specific header arguments, Using header arguments
11560 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
11561 @subsubheading Header arguments in function calls
11563 At the most specific level, header arguments for ``Library of Babel'' or
11564 function call lines can be set as shown below:
11567 #+call: factorial(n=5) :exports results
11570 @node Specific header arguments, , Using header arguments, Header arguments
11571 @subsection Specific header arguments
11572 The following header arguments are defined:
11575 * var:: Pass arguments to code blocks
11576 * results:: Specify the type of results and how they will
11577 be collected and handled
11578 * file:: Specify a path for file output
11579 * dir:: Specify the default (possibly remote)
11580 directory for code block execution
11581 * exports:: Export code and/or results
11582 * tangle:: Toggle tangling and specify file name
11583 * comments:: Toggle insertion of comments in tangled
11585 * no-expand:: Turn off variable assignment and noweb
11586 expansion during tangling
11587 * session:: Preserve the state of code evaluation
11588 * noweb:: Toggle expansion of noweb references
11589 * cache:: Avoid re-evaluating unchanged code blocks
11590 * hlines:: Handle horizontal lines in tables
11591 * colnames:: Handle column names in tables
11592 * rownames:: Handle row names in tables
11593 * shebang:: Make tangled files executable
11594 * eval:: Limit evaluation of specific code blocks
11597 @node var, results, Specific header arguments, Specific header arguments
11598 @subsubsection @code{:var}
11599 The @code{:var} header argument is used to pass arguments to code blocks.
11600 The specifics of how arguments are included in a code block vary by language;
11601 these are addressed in the language-specific documentation. However, the
11602 syntax used to specify arguments is the same across all languages. The
11603 values passed to arguments can be literal values, values from org-mode tables
11604 and literal example blocks, or the results of other code blocks.
11606 These values can be indexed in a manner similar to arrays---see the
11607 ``indexable variable values'' heading below.
11609 The following syntax is used to pass arguments to code blocks using the
11610 @code{:var} header argument.
11616 where @code{assign} can take one of the following forms
11619 @item literal value
11620 either a string @code{"string"} or a number @code{9}.
11625 #+tblname: example-table
11631 #+source: table-length
11632 #+begin_src emacs-lisp :var table=example-table
11636 #+results: table-length
11640 a code block name, as assigned by @code{#+srcname:}, followed by
11644 #+begin_src emacs-lisp :var length=table-length()
11652 In addition, an argument can be passed to the code block referenced
11653 by @code{:var}. The argument is passed within the parentheses following the
11658 #+begin_src emacs-lisp :var input=8
11666 #+begin_src emacs-lisp :var input=double(input=1)
11675 @subsubheading Alternate argument syntax
11676 It is also possible to specify arguments in a potentially more natural way
11677 using the @code{#+source:} line of a code block. As in the following
11678 example arguments can be packed inside of parenthesis, separated by commas,
11679 following the source name.
11682 #+source: double(input=0, x=2)
11683 #+begin_src emacs-lisp
11688 @subsubheading Indexable variable values
11689 It is possible to reference portions of variable values by ``indexing'' into
11690 the variables. Indexes are 0 based with negative values counting back from
11691 the end. If an index is separated by @code{,}s then each subsequent section
11692 will index into the next deepest nesting or dimension of the value. The
11693 following example assigns the last cell of the first row the table
11694 @code{example-table} to the variable @code{data}:
11697 #+results: example-table
11703 #+begin_src emacs-lisp :var data=example-table[0,-1]
11711 Ranges of variable values can be referenced using two integers separated by a
11712 @code{:}, in which case the entire inclusive range is referenced. For
11713 example the following assigns the middle three rows of @code{example-table}
11717 #+results: example-table
11724 #+begin_src emacs-lisp :var data=example-table[1:3]
11734 Additionally, an empty index, or the single character @code{*}, are both
11735 interpreted to mean the entire range and as such are equivalent to
11736 @code{0:-1}, as shown in the following example in which the entire first
11737 column is referenced.
11740 #+results: example-table
11746 #+begin_src emacs-lisp :var data=example-table[,0]
11754 It is possible to index into the results of code blocks as well as tables.
11755 Any number of dimensions can be indexed. Dimensions are separated from one
11756 another by commas, as shown in the following example.
11760 #+begin_src emacs-lisp
11761 '(((1 2 3) (4 5 6) (7 8 9))
11762 ((10 11 12) (13 14 15) (16 17 18))
11763 ((19 20 21) (22 23 24) (25 26 27)))
11766 #+begin_src emacs-lisp :var data=3D[1,,1]
11774 @node results, file, var, Specific header arguments
11775 @subsubsection @code{:results}
11777 There are three classes of @code{:results} header argument. Only one option of
11778 each type may be supplied per code block.
11782 @b{collection} header arguments specify how the results should be collected
11783 from the code block
11785 @b{type} header arguments specify what type of result the code block will
11786 return---which has implications for how they will be inserted into the
11789 @b{handling} header arguments specify how the results of evaluating the code
11790 block should be handled.
11793 @subsubheading Collection
11794 The following options are mutually exclusive, and specify how the results
11795 should be collected from the code block.
11799 This is the default. The result is the value of the last statement in the
11800 code block. This header argument places the evaluation in functional
11801 mode. Note that in some languages, e.g., python, use of this result type
11802 requires that a @code{return} statement be included in the body of the source
11803 code block. E.g., @code{:results value}.
11804 @item @code{output}
11805 The result is the collection of everything printed to STDOUT during the
11806 execution of the code block. This header argument places the
11807 evaluation in scripting mode. E.g., @code{:results output}.
11810 @subsubheading Type
11812 The following options are mutually exclusive and specify what type of results
11813 the code block will return. By default, results are inserted as either a
11814 table or scalar depending on their value.
11817 @item @code{table}, @code{vector}
11818 The results should be interpreted as an Org-mode table. If a single value is
11819 returned, it will be converted into a table with one row and one column.
11820 E.g., @code{:results value table}.
11821 @item @code{scalar}, @code{verbatim}
11822 The results should be interpreted literally---they will not be
11823 converted into a table. The results will be inserted into the Org-mode
11824 buffer as quoted text. E.g., @code{:results value verbatim}.
11826 The results will be interpreted as the path to a file, and will be inserted
11827 into the Org-mode buffer as a file link. E.g., @code{:results value file}.
11828 @item @code{raw}, @code{org}
11829 The results are interpreted as raw Org-mode code and are inserted directly
11830 into the buffer. If the results look like a table they will be aligned as
11831 such by Org-mode. E.g., @code{:results value raw}.
11833 Results are assumed to be HTML and will be enclosed in a @code{begin_html}
11834 block. E.g., @code{:results value html}.
11836 Results assumed to be LaTeX and are enclosed in a @code{begin_latex} block.
11837 E.g., @code{:results value latex}.
11839 Result are assumed to be parseable code and are enclosed in a code block.
11840 E.g., @code{:results value code}.
11842 The result is converted to pretty-printed code and is enclosed in a code
11843 block. This option currently supports Emacs Lisp, python, and ruby. E.g.,
11844 @code{:results value pp}.
11847 @subsubheading Handling
11848 The following results options indicate what happens with the
11849 results once they are collected.
11852 @item @code{silent}
11853 The results will be echoed in the minibuffer but will not be inserted into
11854 the Org-mode buffer. E.g., @code{:results output silent}.
11855 @item @code{replace}
11856 The default value. Any existing results will be removed, and the new results
11857 will be inserted into the Org-mode buffer in their place. E.g.,
11858 @code{:results output replace}.
11859 @item @code{append}
11860 If there are pre-existing results of the code block then the new results will
11861 be appended to the existing results. Otherwise the new results will be
11862 inserted as with @code{replace}.
11863 @item @code{prepend}
11864 If there are pre-existing results of the code block then the new results will
11865 be prepended to the existing results. Otherwise the new results will be
11866 inserted as with @code{replace}.
11869 @node file, dir, results, Specific header arguments
11870 @subsubsection @code{:file}
11872 The header argument @code{:file} is used to specify a path for file output.
11873 An Org-mode style @code{file:} link is inserted into the buffer as the result
11874 (see @ref{Link format}). Common examples are graphical output from R,
11875 gnuplot, ditaa and LaTeX code blocks.
11877 Note that for some languages, including R, gnuplot, LaTeX and ditaa,
11878 graphical output is sent to the specified file without the file being
11879 referenced explicitly in the code block. See the documentation for the
11880 individual languages for details. In contrast, general purpose languages such
11881 as python and ruby require that the code explicitly create output
11882 corresponding to the path indicated by @code{:file}.
11885 @node dir, exports, file, Specific header arguments
11886 @subsubsection @code{:dir} and remote execution
11888 While the @code{:file} header argument can be used to specify the path to the
11889 output file, @code{:dir} specifies the default directory during code block
11890 execution. If it is absent, then the directory associated with the current
11891 buffer is used. In other words, supplying @code{:dir path} temporarily has
11892 the same effect as changing the current directory with @kbd{M-x cd path}, and
11893 then not supplying @code{:dir}. Under the surface, @code{:dir} simply sets
11894 the value of the Emacs variable @code{default-directory}.
11896 When using @code{:dir}, you should supply a relative path for file output
11897 (e.g. @code{:file myfile.jpg} or @code{:file results/myfile.jpg}) in which
11898 case that path will be interpreted relative to the default directory.
11900 In other words, if you want your plot to go into a folder called Work in your
11901 home directory, you could use
11904 #+begin_src R :file myplot.png :dir ~/Work
11905 matplot(matrix(rnorm(100), 10), type="l")
11909 @subsubheading Remote execution
11910 A directory on a remote machine can be specified using tramp file syntax, in
11911 which case the code will be evaluated on the remote machine. An example is
11914 #+begin_src R :file plot.png :dir /dand@@yakuba.princeton.edu:
11915 plot(1:10, main=system("hostname", intern=TRUE))
11919 Text results will be returned to the local Org-mode buffer as usual, and file
11920 output will be created on the remote machine with relative paths interpreted
11921 relative to the remote directory. An Org-mode link to the remote file will be
11924 So, in the above example a plot will be created on the remote machine,
11925 and a link of the following form will be inserted in the org buffer:
11928 [[file:/scp:dand@@yakuba.princeton.edu:/home/dand/plot.png][plot.png]]
11931 Most of this functionality follows immediately from the fact that @code{:dir}
11932 sets the value of the Emacs variable @code{default-directory}, thanks to
11933 tramp. Those using XEmacs, or GNU Emacs prior to version 23 may need to
11934 install tramp separately in order for the these features to work correctly.
11936 @subsubheading Further points
11940 If @code{:dir} is used in conjunction with @code{:session}, although it will
11941 determine the starting directory for a new session as expected, no attempt is
11942 currently made to alter the directory associated with an existing session.
11944 @code{:dir} should typically not be used to create files during export with
11945 @code{:exports results} or @code{:exports both}. The reason is that, in order
11946 to retain portability of exported material between machines, during export
11947 links inserted into the buffer will *not* be expanded against @code{default
11948 directory}. Therefore, if @code{default-directory} is altered using
11949 @code{:dir}, it is probable that the file will be created in a location to
11950 which the link does not point.
11953 @node exports, tangle, dir, Specific header arguments
11954 @subsubsection @code{:exports}
11956 The @code{:exports} header argument specifies what should be included in HTML
11957 or LaTeX exports of the Org-mode file.
11961 The default. The body of code is included into the exported file. E.g.,
11962 @code{:exports code}.
11963 @item @code{results}
11964 The result of evaluating the code is included in the exported file. E.g.,
11965 @code{:exports results}.
11967 Both the code and results are included in the exported file. E.g.,
11968 @code{:exports both}.
11970 Nothing is included in the exported file. E.g., @code{:exports none}.
11973 @node tangle, comments, exports, Specific header arguments
11974 @subsubsection @code{:tangle}
11976 The @code{:tangle} header argument specifies whether or not the code
11977 block should be included in tangled extraction of source code files.
11981 The code block is exported to a source code file named after the
11982 basename (name w/o extension) of the Org-mode file. E.g., @code{:tangle
11985 The default. The code block is not exported to a source code file.
11986 E.g., @code{:tangle no}.
11988 Any other string passed to the @code{:tangle} header argument is interpreted
11989 as a file basename to which the block will be exported. E.g., @code{:tangle
11993 @node comments, no-expand, tangle, Specific header arguments
11994 @subsubsection @code{:comments}
11995 By default code blocks are tangled to source-code files without any insertion
11996 of comments beyond those which may already exist in the body of the code
11997 block. The @code{:comments} header argument can be set as follows to control
11998 the insertion of extra comments into the tangled code file.
12002 The default. No extra comments are inserted during tangling.
12004 The code block is wrapped in comments which contain pointers back to the
12005 original Org file from which the code was tangled.
12007 A synonym for ``link'' to maintain backwards compatibility.
12009 Include text from the org-mode file as a comment.
12011 The text is picked from the leading context of the tangled code and is
12012 limited by the nearest headline or source block as the case may be.
12014 Turns on both the ``link'' and ``org'' comment options.
12017 @node no-expand, session, comments, Specific header arguments
12018 @subsubsection @code{:no-expand}
12020 By default, code blocks are expanded with @code{org-babel-expand-src-block}
12021 during tangling. This has the effect of assigning values to variables
12022 specified with @code{:var} (see @ref{var}), and of replacing ``noweb''
12023 references (see @ref{Noweb reference syntax}) with their targets. The
12024 @code{:no-expand} header argument can be used to turn off this behavior.
12026 @node session, noweb, no-expand, Specific header arguments
12027 @subsubsection @code{:session}
12029 The @code{:session} header argument starts a session for an interpreted
12030 language where state is preserved.
12032 By default, a session is not started.
12034 A string passed to the @code{:session} header argument will give the session
12035 a name. This makes it possible to run concurrent sessions for each
12036 interpreted language.
12038 @node noweb, cache, session, Specific header arguments
12039 @subsubsection @code{:noweb}
12041 The @code{:noweb} header argument controls expansion of ``noweb'' style (see
12042 @ref{Noweb reference syntax}) references in a code block. This header
12043 argument can have one of three values: @code{yes} @code{no} or @code{tangle}.
12047 All ``noweb'' syntax references in the body of the code block will be
12048 expanded before the block is evaluated, tangled or exported.
12050 The default. No ``noweb'' syntax specific action is taken on evaluating
12051 code blocks, However, noweb references will still be expanded during
12054 All ``noweb'' syntax references in the body of the code block will be
12055 expanded before the block is tangled, however ``noweb'' references will not
12056 be expanded when the block is evaluated or exported.
12059 @subsubheading Noweb prefix lines
12060 Noweb insertions are now placed behind the line prefix of the
12061 @code{<<reference>>}.
12062 This behavior is illustrated in the following example. Because the
12063 @code{<<example>>} noweb reference appears behind the SQL comment syntax,
12064 each line of the expanded noweb reference will be commented.
12077 -- multi-line body of example
12080 Note that noweb replacement text that does not contain any newlines will not
12081 be affected by this change, so it is still possible to use inline noweb
12084 @node cache, hlines, noweb, Specific header arguments
12085 @subsubsection @code{:cache}
12087 The @code{:cache} header argument controls the use of in-buffer caching of
12088 the results of evaluating code blocks. It can be used to avoid re-evaluating
12089 unchanged code blocks. This header argument can have one of two
12090 values: @code{yes} or @code{no}.
12094 The default. No caching takes place, and the code block will be evaluated
12095 every time it is called.
12097 Every time the code block is run a sha1 hash of the code and arguments
12098 passed to the block will be generated. This hash is packed into the
12099 @code{#+results:} line and will be checked on subsequent
12100 executions of the code block. If the code block has not
12101 changed since the last time it was evaluated, it will not be re-evaluated.
12104 @node hlines, colnames, cache, Specific header arguments
12105 @subsubsection @code{:hlines}
12107 Tables are frequently represented with one or more horizontal lines, or
12108 hlines. The @code{:hlines} argument to a code block accepts the
12109 values @code{yes} or @code{no}, with a default value of @code{no}.
12113 Strips horizontal lines from the input table. In most languages this is the
12114 desired effect because an @code{hline} symbol is interpreted as an unbound
12115 variable and raises an error. Setting @code{:hlines no} or relying on the
12116 default value yields the following results.
12119 #+tblname: many-cols
12126 #+source: echo-table
12127 #+begin_src python :var tab=many-cols
12131 #+results: echo-table
12138 Leaves hlines in the table. Setting @code{:hlines yes} has this effect.
12141 #+tblname: many-cols
12148 #+source: echo-table
12149 #+begin_src python :var tab=many-cols :hlines yes
12153 #+results: echo-table
12162 @node colnames, rownames, hlines, Specific header arguments
12163 @subsubsection @code{:colnames}
12165 The @code{:colnames} header argument accepts the values @code{yes},
12166 @code{no}, or @code{nil} for unassigned. The default value is @code{nil}.
12170 If an input table looks like it has column names
12171 (because its second row is an hline), then the column
12172 names will be removed from the table before
12173 processing, then reapplied to the results.
12176 #+tblname: less-cols
12182 #+srcname: echo-table-again
12183 #+begin_src python :var tab=less-cols
12184 return [[val + '*' for val in row] for row in tab]
12187 #+results: echo-table-again
12195 No column name pre-processing takes place
12198 Column names are removed and reapplied as with @code{nil} even if the table
12199 does not ``look like'' it has column names (i.e. the second row is not an
12203 @node rownames, shebang, colnames, Specific header arguments
12204 @subsubsection @code{:rownames}
12206 The @code{:rownames} header argument can take on the values @code{yes}
12207 or @code{no}, with a default value of @code{no}.
12211 No row name pre-processing will take place.
12214 The first column of the table is removed from the table before processing,
12215 and is then reapplied to the results.
12218 #+tblname: with-rownames
12219 | one | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
12220 | two | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
12222 #+srcname: echo-table-once-again
12223 #+begin_src python :var tab=with-rownames :rownames yes
12224 return [[val + 10 for val in row] for row in tab]
12227 #+results: echo-table-once-again
12228 | one | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
12229 | two | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
12233 @node shebang, eval, rownames, Specific header arguments
12234 @subsubsection @code{:shebang}
12236 Setting the @code{:shebang} header argument to a string value
12237 (e.g. @code{:shebang "#!/bin/bash"}) causes the string to be inserted as the
12238 first line of any tangled file holding the code block, and the file
12239 permissions of the tangled file are set to make it executable.
12241 @node eval, , shebang, Specific header arguments
12242 @subsubsection @code{:eval}
12243 The @code{:eval} header argument can be used to limit the evaluation of
12244 specific code blocks. @code{:eval} accepts two arguments ``never'' and
12245 ``query''. @code{:eval never} will ensure that a code block is never
12246 evaluated, this can be useful for protecting against the evaluation of
12247 dangerous code blocks. @code{:eval query} will require a query for every
12248 execution of a code block regardless of the value of the
12249 @code{org-confirm-babel-evaluate} variable.
12251 @node Results of evaluation, Noweb reference syntax, Header arguments, Working With Source Code
12252 @section Results of evaluation
12253 @cindex code block, results of evaluation
12254 @cindex source code, results of evaluation
12256 The way in which results are handled depends on whether a session is invoked,
12257 as well as on whether @code{:results value} or @code{:results output} is
12258 used. The following table shows the possibilities:
12260 @multitable @columnfractions 0.26 0.33 0.41
12261 @item @tab @b{Non-session} @tab @b{Session}
12262 @item @code{:results value} @tab value of last expression @tab value of last expression
12263 @item @code{:results output} @tab contents of STDOUT @tab concatenation of interpreter output
12266 Note: With @code{:results value}, the result in both @code{:session} and
12267 non-session is returned to Org-mode as a table (a one- or two-dimensional
12268 vector of strings or numbers) when appropriate.
12270 @subsection Non-session
12271 @subsubsection @code{:results value}
12272 This is the default. Internally, the value is obtained by wrapping the code
12273 in a function definition in the external language, and evaluating that
12274 function. Therefore, code should be written as if it were the body of such a
12275 function. In particular, note that python does not automatically return a
12276 value from a function unless a @code{return} statement is present, and so a
12277 @samp{return} statement will usually be required in python.
12279 This is the only one of the four evaluation contexts in which the code is
12280 automatically wrapped in a function definition.
12282 @subsubsection @code{:results output}
12283 The code is passed to the interpreter as an external process, and the
12284 contents of the standard output stream are returned as text. (In certain
12285 languages this also contains the error output stream; this is an area for
12288 @subsection @code{:session}
12289 @subsubsection @code{:results value}
12290 The code is passed to the interpreter running as an interactive Emacs
12291 inferior process. The result returned is the result of the last evaluation
12292 performed by the interpreter. (This is obtained in a language-specific
12293 manner: the value of the variable @code{_} in python and ruby, and the value
12294 of @code{.Last.value} in R).
12296 @subsubsection @code{:results output}
12297 The code is passed to the interpreter running as an interactive Emacs
12298 inferior process. The result returned is the concatenation of the sequence of
12299 (text) output from the interactive interpreter. Notice that this is not
12300 necessarily the same as what would be sent to @code{STDOUT} if the same code
12301 were passed to a non-interactive interpreter running as an external
12302 process. For example, compare the following two blocks:
12305 #+begin_src python :results output
12316 In non-session mode, the '2' is not printed and does not appear.
12318 #+begin_src python :results output :session
12330 But in @code{:session} mode, the interactive interpreter receives input '2'
12331 and prints out its value, '2'. (Indeed, the other print statements are
12334 @node Noweb reference syntax, Key bindings and useful functions, Results of evaluation, Working With Source Code
12335 @section Noweb reference syntax
12336 @cindex code block, noweb reference
12337 @cindex syntax, noweb
12338 @cindex source code, noweb reference
12340 The ``noweb'' (see @uref{http://www.cs.tufts.edu/~nr/noweb/}) Literate
12341 Programming system allows named blocks of code to be referenced by using the
12342 familiar Noweb syntax:
12345 <<code-block-name>>
12348 When a code block is tangled or evaluated, whether or not ``noweb''
12349 references are expanded depends upon the value of the @code{:noweb} header
12350 argument. If @code{:noweb yes}, then a Noweb reference is expanded before
12351 evaluation. If @code{:noweb no}, the default, then the reference is not
12352 expanded before evaluation.
12354 Note: the default value, @code{:noweb no}, was chosen to ensure that
12355 correct code is not broken in a language, such as Ruby, where
12356 @code{<<arg>>} is a syntactically valid construct. If @code{<<arg>>} is not
12357 syntactically valid in languages that you use, then please consider setting
12360 @node Key bindings and useful functions, Batch execution, Noweb reference syntax, Working With Source Code
12361 @section Key bindings and useful functions
12362 @cindex code block, key bindings
12364 Many common Org-mode key sequences are re-bound depending on
12367 Within a code block, the following key bindings
12370 @multitable @columnfractions 0.25 0.75
12372 @item @kbd{C-c C-c} @tab org-babel-execute-src-block
12374 @item @kbd{C-c C-o} @tab org-babel-open-src-block-result
12376 @item @kbd{C-@key{up}} @tab org-babel-load-in-session
12378 @item @kbd{M-@key{down}} @tab org-babel-pop-to-session
12381 In an Org-mode buffer, the following key bindings are active:
12383 @multitable @columnfractions 0.45 0.55
12385 @kindex C-c C-v C-a
12386 @item @kbd{C-c C-v a} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-a} @tab org-babel-sha1-hash
12388 @kindex C-c C-v C-b
12389 @item @kbd{C-c C-v b} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-b} @tab org-babel-execute-buffer
12391 @kindex C-c C-v C-f
12392 @item @kbd{C-c C-v f} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-f} @tab org-babel-tangle-file
12394 @item @kbd{C-c C-v g} @tab org-babel-goto-named-source-block
12396 @item @kbd{C-c C-v h} @tab org-babel-describe-bindings
12398 @kindex C-c C-v C-l
12399 @item @kbd{C-c C-v l} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-l} @tab org-babel-lob-ingest
12401 @kindex C-c C-v C-p
12402 @item @kbd{C-c C-v p} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-p} @tab org-babel-expand-src-block
12404 @kindex C-c C-v C-s
12405 @item @kbd{C-c C-v s} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-s} @tab org-babel-execute-subtree
12407 @kindex C-c C-v C-t
12408 @item @kbd{C-c C-v t} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-t} @tab org-babel-tangle
12410 @kindex C-c C-v C-z
12411 @item @kbd{C-c C-v z} @ @ @r{or} @ @ @kbd{C-c C-v C-z} @tab org-babel-switch-to-session
12414 @c When possible these keybindings were extended to work when the control key is
12415 @c kept pressed, resulting in the following additional keybindings.
12417 @c @multitable @columnfractions 0.25 0.75
12418 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-a} @tab org-babel-sha1-hash
12419 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-b} @tab org-babel-execute-buffer
12420 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-f} @tab org-babel-tangle-file
12421 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-l} @tab org-babel-lob-ingest
12422 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-p} @tab org-babel-expand-src-block
12423 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-s} @tab org-babel-execute-subtree
12424 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-t} @tab org-babel-tangle
12425 @c @item @kbd{C-c C-v C-z} @tab org-babel-switch-to-session
12428 @node Batch execution, , Key bindings and useful functions, Working With Source Code
12429 @section Batch execution
12430 @cindex code block, batch execution
12431 @cindex source code, batch execution
12433 It is possible to call functions from the command line. This shell
12434 script calls @code{org-babel-tangle} on every one of its arguments.
12436 Be sure to adjust the paths to fit your system.
12440 # -*- mode: shell-script -*-
12442 # tangle files with org-mode
12446 ORGINSTALL="~/src/org/lisp/org-install.el"
12448 # wrap each argument in the code required to call tangle on it
12450 FILES="$FILES \"$i\""
12453 emacs -Q --batch -l $ORGINSTALL \
12455 (add-to-list 'load-path (expand-file-name \"~/src/org/lisp/\"))
12456 (add-to-list 'load-path (expand-file-name \"~/src/org/contrib/lisp/\"))
12457 (require 'org)(require 'org-exp)(require 'ob)(require 'ob-tangle)
12458 (mapc (lambda (file)
12459 (find-file (expand-file-name file \"$DIR\"))
12461 (kill-buffer)) '($FILES)))" 2>&1 |grep tangled
12464 @node Miscellaneous, Hacking, Working With Source Code, Top
12465 @chapter Miscellaneous
12468 * Completion:: M-TAB knows what you need
12469 * Easy Templates:: Quick insertion of structural elements
12470 * Speed keys:: Electric commands at the beginning of a headline
12471 * Code evaluation security:: Org mode files evaluate inline code
12472 * Customization:: Adapting Org to your taste
12473 * In-buffer settings:: Overview of the #+KEYWORDS
12474 * The very busy C-c C-c key:: When in doubt, press C-c C-c
12475 * Clean view:: Getting rid of leading stars in the outline
12476 * TTY keys:: Using Org on a tty
12477 * Interaction:: Other Emacs packages
12481 @node Completion, Easy Templates, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous
12482 @section Completion
12483 @cindex completion, of @TeX{} symbols
12484 @cindex completion, of TODO keywords
12485 @cindex completion, of dictionary words
12486 @cindex completion, of option keywords
12487 @cindex completion, of tags
12488 @cindex completion, of property keys
12489 @cindex completion, of link abbreviations
12490 @cindex @TeX{} symbol completion
12491 @cindex TODO keywords completion
12492 @cindex dictionary word completion
12493 @cindex option keyword completion
12494 @cindex tag completion
12495 @cindex link abbreviations, completion of
12497 Emacs would not be Emacs without completion, and Org-mode uses it whenever it
12498 makes sense. If you prefer an @i{iswitchb}- or @i{ido}-like interface for
12499 some of the completion prompts, you can specify your preference by setting at
12500 most one of the variables @code{org-completion-use-iswitchb}
12501 @code{org-completion-use-ido}.
12503 Org supports in-buffer completion. This type of completion does
12504 not make use of the minibuffer. You simply type a few letters into
12505 the buffer and use the key to complete text right there.
12508 @kindex M-@key{TAB}
12510 Complete word at point
12513 At the beginning of a headline, complete TODO keywords.
12515 After @samp{\}, complete @TeX{} symbols supported by the exporter.
12517 After @samp{*}, complete headlines in the current buffer so that they
12518 can be used in search links like @samp{[[*find this headline]]}.
12520 After @samp{:} in a headline, complete tags. The list of tags is taken
12521 from the variable @code{org-tag-alist} (possibly set through the
12522 @samp{#+TAGS} in-buffer option, @pxref{Setting tags}), or it is created
12523 dynamically from all tags used in the current buffer.
12525 After @samp{:} and not in a headline, complete property keys. The list
12526 of keys is constructed dynamically from all keys used in the current
12529 After @samp{[}, complete link abbreviations (@pxref{Link abbreviations}).
12531 After @samp{#+}, complete the special keywords like @samp{TYP_TODO} or
12532 @samp{OPTIONS} which set file-specific options for Org-mode. When the
12533 option keyword is already complete, pressing @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} again
12534 will insert example settings for this keyword.
12536 In the line after @samp{#+STARTUP: }, complete startup keywords,
12537 i.e. valid keys for this line.
12539 Elsewhere, complete dictionary words using Ispell.
12543 @node Easy Templates, Speed keys, Completion, Miscellaneous
12544 @section Easy Templates
12545 @cindex template insertion
12546 @cindex insertion, of templates
12548 Org-mode supports insertion of empty structural elements (like
12549 @code{#+BEGIN_SRC} and @code{#+END_SRC} pairs) with just a few key
12550 strokes. This is achieved through a native template expansion mechanism.
12551 Note that Emacs has several other template mechanisms which could be used in
12552 a similar way, for example @file{yasnippet}.
12554 To insert a structural element, type a @samp{<}, followed by a template
12555 selector and @kbd{@key{TAB}}. Completion takes effect only when the above
12556 keystrokes are typed on a line by itself.
12558 The following template selectors are currently supported.
12560 @multitable @columnfractions 0.1 0.9
12561 @item @kbd{s} @tab @code{#+begin_src ... #+end_src}
12562 @item @kbd{e} @tab @code{#+begin_example ... #+end_example}
12563 @item @kbd{q} @tab @code{#+begin_quote ... #+end_quote}
12564 @item @kbd{v} @tab @code{#+begin_verse ... #+end_verse}
12565 @item @kbd{c} @tab @code{#+begin_center ... #+end_center}
12566 @item @kbd{l} @tab @code{#+begin_latex ... #+end_latex}
12567 @item @kbd{L} @tab @code{#+latex:}
12568 @item @kbd{h} @tab @code{#+begin_html ... #+end_html}
12569 @item @kbd{H} @tab @code{#+html:}
12570 @item @kbd{a} @tab @code{#+begin_ascii ... #+end_ascii}
12571 @item @kbd{A} @tab @code{#+ascii:}
12572 @item @kbd{i} @tab @code{#+include:} line
12575 For example, on an empty line, typing "<e" and then pressing TAB, will expand
12576 into a complete EXAMPLE template.
12578 You can install additional templates by customizing the variable
12579 @code{org-structure-template-alist}. Refer docstring of the variable for
12580 additional details.
12582 @node Speed keys, Code evaluation security, Easy Templates, Miscellaneous
12583 @section Speed keys
12585 @vindex org-use-speed-commands
12586 @vindex org-speed-commands-user
12588 Single keys can be made to execute commands when the cursor is at the
12589 beginning of a headline, i.e. before the first star. Configure the variable
12590 @code{org-use-speed-commands} to activate this feature. There is a
12591 pre-defined list of commands, and you can add more such commands using the
12592 variable @code{org-speed-commands-user}. Speed keys do not only speed up
12593 navigation and other commands, but they also provide an alternative way to
12594 execute commands bound to keys that are not or not easily available on a tty,
12595 or on a small mobile device with a limited keyboard.
12597 To see which commands are available, activate the feature and press @kbd{?}
12598 with the cursor at the beginning of a headline.
12600 @node Code evaluation security, Customization, Speed keys, Miscellaneous
12601 @section Code evaluation and security issues
12603 Org provides tools to work with the code snippets, including evaluating them.
12605 Running code on your machine always comes with a security risk. Badly
12606 written or malicious code can be executed on purpose or by accident. Org has
12607 default settings which will only evaluate such code if you give explicit
12608 permission to do so, and as a casual user of these features you should leave
12609 these precautions intact.
12611 For people who regularly work with such code, the confirmation prompts can
12612 become annoying, and you might want to turn them off. This can be done, but
12613 you must be aware of the risks that are involved.
12615 Code evaluation can happen under the following circumstances:
12618 @item Source code blocks
12619 Source code blocks can be evaluated during export, or when pressing @kbd{C-c
12620 C-c} in the block. The most important thing to realize here is that Org mode
12621 files which contain code snippets are, in a certain sense, like executable
12622 files. So you should accept them and load them into Emacs only from trusted
12623 sources - just like you would do with a program you install on your computer.
12625 Make sure you know what you are doing before customizing the variables
12626 which take off the default security brakes.
12628 @defopt org-confirm-babel-evaluate
12629 When set to t user is queried before code block evaluation
12632 @item Following @code{shell} and @code{elisp} links
12633 Org has two link types that can directly evaluate code (@pxref{External
12634 links}). These links can be problematic because the code to be evaluated is
12637 @defopt org-confirm-shell-link-function
12638 Function to queries user about shell link execution.
12640 @defopt org-confirm-elisp-link-function
12641 Functions to query user for Emacs Lisp link execution.
12644 @item Formulas in tables
12645 Formulas in tables (@pxref{The spreadsheet}) are code that is evaluated
12646 either by the @i{calc} interpreter, or by the @i{Emacs Lisp} interpreter.
12649 @node Customization, In-buffer settings, Code evaluation security, Miscellaneous
12650 @section Customization
12651 @cindex customization
12652 @cindex options, for customization
12653 @cindex variables, for customization
12655 There are more than 180 variables that can be used to customize
12656 Org. For the sake of compactness of the manual, I am not
12657 describing the variables here. A structured overview of customization
12658 variables is available with @kbd{M-x org-customize}. Or select
12659 @code{Browse Org Group} from the @code{Org->Customization} menu. Many
12660 settings can also be activated on a per-file basis, by putting special
12661 lines into the buffer (@pxref{In-buffer settings}).
12663 @node In-buffer settings, The very busy C-c C-c key, Customization, Miscellaneous
12664 @section Summary of in-buffer settings
12665 @cindex in-buffer settings
12666 @cindex special keywords
12668 Org-mode uses special lines in the buffer to define settings on a
12669 per-file basis. These lines start with a @samp{#+} followed by a
12670 keyword, a colon, and then individual words defining a setting. Several
12671 setting words can be in the same line, but you can also have multiple
12672 lines for the keyword. While these settings are described throughout
12673 the manual, here is a summary. After changing any of those lines in the
12674 buffer, press @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in the line to
12675 activate the changes immediately. Otherwise they become effective only
12676 when the file is visited again in a new Emacs session.
12678 @vindex org-archive-location
12680 @item #+ARCHIVE: %s_done::
12681 This line sets the archive location for the agenda file. It applies for
12682 all subsequent lines until the next @samp{#+ARCHIVE} line, or the end
12683 of the file. The first such line also applies to any entries before it.
12684 The corresponding variable is @code{org-archive-location}.
12686 This line sets the category for the agenda file. The category applies
12687 for all subsequent lines until the next @samp{#+CATEGORY} line, or the
12688 end of the file. The first such line also applies to any entries before it.
12689 @item #+COLUMNS: %25ITEM .....
12690 @cindex property, COLUMNS
12691 Set the default format for columns view. This format applies when
12692 columns view is invoked in locations where no @code{COLUMNS} property
12694 @item #+CONSTANTS: name1=value1 ...
12695 @vindex org-table-formula-constants
12696 @vindex org-table-formula
12697 Set file-local values for constants to be used in table formulas. This
12698 line set the local variable @code{org-table-formula-constants-local}.
12699 The global version of this variable is
12700 @code{org-table-formula-constants}.
12701 @item #+FILETAGS: :tag1:tag2:tag3:
12702 Set tags that can be inherited by any entry in the file, including the
12704 @item #+DRAWERS: NAME1 .....
12705 @vindex org-drawers
12706 Set the file-local set of drawers. The corresponding global variable is
12707 @code{org-drawers}.
12708 @item #+LINK: linkword replace
12709 @vindex org-link-abbrev-alist
12710 These lines (several are allowed) specify link abbreviations.
12711 @xref{Link abbreviations}. The corresponding variable is
12712 @code{org-link-abbrev-alist}.
12713 @item #+PRIORITIES: highest lowest default
12714 @vindex org-highest-priority
12715 @vindex org-lowest-priority
12716 @vindex org-default-priority
12717 This line sets the limits and the default for the priorities. All three
12718 must be either letters A-Z or numbers 0-9. The highest priority must
12719 have a lower ASCII number that the lowest priority.
12720 @item #+PROPERTY: Property_Name Value
12721 This line sets a default inheritance value for entries in the current
12722 buffer, most useful for specifying the allowed values of a property.
12723 @cindex #+SETUPFILE
12724 @item #+SETUPFILE: file
12725 This line defines a file that holds more in-buffer setup. Normally this is
12726 entirely ignored. Only when the buffer is parsed for option-setting lines
12727 (i.e. when starting Org-mode for a file, when pressing @kbd{C-c C-c} in a
12728 settings line, or when exporting), then the contents of this file are parsed
12729 as if they had been included in the buffer. In particular, the file can be
12730 any other Org-mode file with internal setup. You can visit the file the
12731 cursor is in the line with @kbd{C-c '}.
12734 This line sets options to be used at startup of Org-mode, when an
12735 Org file is being visited.
12737 The first set of options deals with the initial visibility of the outline
12738 tree. The corresponding variable for global default settings is
12739 @code{org-startup-folded}, with a default value @code{t}, which means
12741 @vindex org-startup-folded
12742 @cindex @code{overview}, STARTUP keyword
12743 @cindex @code{content}, STARTUP keyword
12744 @cindex @code{showall}, STARTUP keyword
12745 @cindex @code{showeverything}, STARTUP keyword
12747 overview @r{top-level headlines only}
12748 content @r{all headlines}
12749 showall @r{no folding of any entries}
12750 showeverything @r{show even drawer contents}
12753 @vindex org-startup-indented
12754 @cindex @code{indent}, STARTUP keyword
12755 @cindex @code{noindent}, STARTUP keyword
12756 Dynamic virtual indentation is controlled by the variable
12757 @code{org-startup-indented}@footnote{Emacs 23 and Org-mode 6.29 are required}
12759 indent @r{start with @code{org-indent-mode} turned on}
12760 noindent @r{start with @code{org-indent-mode} turned off}
12763 @vindex org-startup-align-all-tables
12764 Then there are options for aligning tables upon visiting a file. This
12765 is useful in files containing narrowed table columns. The corresponding
12766 variable is @code{org-startup-align-all-tables}, with a default value
12768 @cindex @code{align}, STARTUP keyword
12769 @cindex @code{noalign}, STARTUP keyword
12771 align @r{align all tables}
12772 noalign @r{don't align tables on startup}
12775 @vindex org-startup-with-inline-images
12776 When visiting a file, inline images can be automatically displayed. The
12777 corresponding variable is @code{org-startup-with-inline-images}, with a
12778 default value @code{nil} to avoid delays when visiting a file.
12779 @cindex @code{inlineimages}, STARTUP keyword
12780 @cindex @code{noinlineimages}, STARTUP keyword
12782 inlineimages @r{show inline images}
12783 noinlineimages @r{don't show inline images on startup}
12786 @vindex org-log-done
12787 @vindex org-log-note-clock-out
12788 @vindex org-log-repeat
12789 Logging the closing and reopening of TODO items and clock intervals can be
12790 configured using these options (see variables @code{org-log-done},
12791 @code{org-log-note-clock-out} and @code{org-log-repeat})
12792 @cindex @code{logdone}, STARTUP keyword
12793 @cindex @code{lognotedone}, STARTUP keyword
12794 @cindex @code{nologdone}, STARTUP keyword
12795 @cindex @code{lognoteclock-out}, STARTUP keyword
12796 @cindex @code{nolognoteclock-out}, STARTUP keyword
12797 @cindex @code{logrepeat}, STARTUP keyword
12798 @cindex @code{lognoterepeat}, STARTUP keyword
12799 @cindex @code{nologrepeat}, STARTUP keyword
12800 @cindex @code{logreschedule}, STARTUP keyword
12801 @cindex @code{lognotereschedule}, STARTUP keyword
12802 @cindex @code{nologreschedule}, STARTUP keyword
12803 @cindex @code{logredeadline}, STARTUP keyword
12804 @cindex @code{lognoteredeadline}, STARTUP keyword
12805 @cindex @code{nologredeadline}, STARTUP keyword
12806 @cindex @code{logrefile}, STARTUP keyword
12807 @cindex @code{lognoterefile}, STARTUP keyword
12808 @cindex @code{nologrefile}, STARTUP keyword
12810 logdone @r{record a timestamp when an item is marked DONE}
12811 lognotedone @r{record timestamp and a note when DONE}
12812 nologdone @r{don't record when items are marked DONE}
12813 logrepeat @r{record a time when reinstating a repeating item}
12814 lognoterepeat @r{record a note when reinstating a repeating item}
12815 nologrepeat @r{do not record when reinstating repeating item}
12816 lognoteclock-out @r{record a note when clocking out}
12817 nolognoteclock-out @r{don't record a note when clocking out}
12818 logreschedule @r{record a timestamp when scheduling time changes}
12819 lognotereschedule @r{record a note when scheduling time changes}
12820 nologreschedule @r{do not record when a scheduling date changes}
12821 logredeadline @r{record a timestamp when deadline changes}
12822 lognoteredeadline @r{record a note when deadline changes}
12823 nologredeadline @r{do not record when a deadline date changes}
12824 logrefile @r{record a timestamp when refiling}
12825 lognoterefile @r{record a note when refiling}
12826 nologrefile @r{do not record when refiling}
12828 @vindex org-hide-leading-stars
12829 @vindex org-odd-levels-only
12830 Here are the options for hiding leading stars in outline headings, and for
12831 indenting outlines. The corresponding variables are
12832 @code{org-hide-leading-stars} and @code{org-odd-levels-only}, both with a
12833 default setting @code{nil} (meaning @code{showstars} and @code{oddeven}).
12834 @cindex @code{hidestars}, STARTUP keyword
12835 @cindex @code{showstars}, STARTUP keyword
12836 @cindex @code{odd}, STARTUP keyword
12837 @cindex @code{even}, STARTUP keyword
12839 hidestars @r{make all but one of the stars starting a headline invisible.}
12840 showstars @r{show all stars starting a headline}
12841 indent @r{virtual indentation according to outline level}
12842 noindent @r{no virtual indentation according to outline level}
12843 odd @r{allow only odd outline levels (1,3,...)}
12844 oddeven @r{allow all outline levels}
12846 @vindex org-put-time-stamp-overlays
12847 @vindex org-time-stamp-overlay-formats
12848 To turn on custom format overlays over timestamps (variables
12849 @code{org-put-time-stamp-overlays} and
12850 @code{org-time-stamp-overlay-formats}), use
12851 @cindex @code{customtime}, STARTUP keyword
12853 customtime @r{overlay custom time format}
12855 @vindex constants-unit-system
12856 The following options influence the table spreadsheet (variable
12857 @code{constants-unit-system}).
12858 @cindex @code{constcgs}, STARTUP keyword
12859 @cindex @code{constSI}, STARTUP keyword
12861 constcgs @r{@file{constants.el} should use the c-g-s unit system}
12862 constSI @r{@file{constants.el} should use the SI unit system}
12864 @vindex org-footnote-define-inline
12865 @vindex org-footnote-auto-label
12866 @vindex org-footnote-auto-adjust
12867 To influence footnote settings, use the following keywords. The
12868 corresponding variables are @code{org-footnote-define-inline},
12869 @code{org-footnote-auto-label}, and @code{org-footnote-auto-adjust}.
12870 @cindex @code{fninline}, STARTUP keyword
12871 @cindex @code{nofninline}, STARTUP keyword
12872 @cindex @code{fnlocal}, STARTUP keyword
12873 @cindex @code{fnprompt}, STARTUP keyword
12874 @cindex @code{fnauto}, STARTUP keyword
12875 @cindex @code{fnconfirm}, STARTUP keyword
12876 @cindex @code{fnplain}, STARTUP keyword
12877 @cindex @code{fnadjust}, STARTUP keyword
12878 @cindex @code{nofnadjust}, STARTUP keyword
12880 fninline @r{define footnotes inline}
12881 fnnoinline @r{define footnotes in separate section}
12882 fnlocal @r{define footnotes near first reference, but not inline}
12883 fnprompt @r{prompt for footnote labels}
12884 fnauto @r{create [fn:1]-like labels automatically (default)}
12885 fnconfirm @r{offer automatic label for editing or confirmation}
12886 fnplain @r{create [1]-like labels automatically}
12887 fnadjust @r{automatically renumber and sort footnotes}
12888 nofnadjust @r{do not renumber and sort automatically}
12890 @cindex org-hide-block-startup
12891 To hide blocks on startup, use these keywords. The corresponding variable is
12892 @code{org-hide-block-startup}.
12893 @cindex @code{hideblocks}, STARTUP keyword
12894 @cindex @code{nohideblocks}, STARTUP keyword
12896 hideblocks @r{Hide all begin/end blocks on startup}
12897 nohideblocks @r{Do not hide blocks on startup}
12899 @cindex org-pretty-entities
12900 The the display of entities as UTF8 characters is governed by the variable
12901 @code{org-pretty-entities} and the keywords
12902 @cindex @code{entitiespretty}, STARTUP keyword
12903 @cindex @code{entitiesplain}, STARTUP keyword
12905 entitiespretty @r{Show entities as UTF8 characters where possible}
12906 entitiesplain @r{Leave entities plain}
12908 @item #+TAGS: TAG1(c1) TAG2(c2)
12909 @vindex org-tag-alist
12910 These lines (several such lines are allowed) specify the valid tags in
12911 this file, and (potentially) the corresponding @emph{fast tag selection}
12912 keys. The corresponding variable is @code{org-tag-alist}.
12914 This line contains the formulas for the table directly above the line.
12915 @item #+TITLE:, #+AUTHOR:, #+EMAIL:, #+LANGUAGE:, #+TEXT:, #+DATE:,
12916 @itemx #+OPTIONS:, #+BIND:, #+XSLT:,
12917 @itemx #+DESCRIPTION:, #+KEYWORDS:,
12918 @itemx #+LATEX_HEADER:, #+STYLE:, #+LINK_UP:, #+LINK_HOME:,
12919 @itemx #+EXPORT_SELECT_TAGS:, #+EXPORT_EXCLUDE_TAGS:
12920 These lines provide settings for exporting files. For more details see
12921 @ref{Export options}.
12922 @item #+TODO: #+SEQ_TODO: #+TYP_TODO:
12923 @vindex org-todo-keywords
12924 These lines set the TODO keywords and their interpretation in the
12925 current file. The corresponding variable is @code{org-todo-keywords}.
12928 @node The very busy C-c C-c key, Clean view, In-buffer settings, Miscellaneous
12929 @section The very busy C-c C-c key
12931 @cindex C-c C-c, overview
12933 The key @kbd{C-c C-c} has many purposes in Org, which are all
12934 mentioned scattered throughout this manual. One specific function of
12935 this key is to add @emph{tags} to a headline (@pxref{Tags}). In many
12936 other circumstances it means something like @emph{``Hey Org, look
12937 here and update according to what you see here''}. Here is a summary of
12938 what this means in different contexts.
12942 If there are highlights in the buffer from the creation of a sparse
12943 tree, or from clock display, remove these highlights.
12945 If the cursor is in one of the special @code{#+KEYWORD} lines, this
12946 triggers scanning the buffer for these lines and updating the
12949 If the cursor is inside a table, realign the table. This command
12950 works even if the automatic table editor has been turned off.
12952 If the cursor is on a @code{#+TBLFM} line, re-apply the formulas to
12955 If the current buffer is a capture buffer, close the note and file it.
12956 With a prefix argument, file it, without further interaction, to the
12959 If the cursor is on a @code{<<<target>>>}, update radio targets and
12960 corresponding links in this buffer.
12962 If the cursor is in a property line or at the start or end of a property
12963 drawer, offer property commands.
12965 If the cursor is at a footnote reference, go to the corresponding
12966 definition, and vice versa.
12968 If the cursor is on a statistics cookie, update it.
12970 If the cursor is in a plain list item with a checkbox, toggle the status
12973 If the cursor is on a numbered item in a plain list, renumber the
12976 If the cursor is on the @code{#+BEGIN} line of a dynamic block, the
12980 @node Clean view, TTY keys, The very busy C-c C-c key, Miscellaneous
12981 @section A cleaner outline view
12982 @cindex hiding leading stars
12983 @cindex dynamic indentation
12984 @cindex odd-levels-only outlines
12985 @cindex clean outline view
12987 Some people find it noisy and distracting that the Org headlines start with a
12988 potentially large number of stars, and that text below the headlines is not
12989 indented. While this is no problem when writing a @emph{book-like} document
12990 where the outline headings are really section headings, in a more
12991 @emph{list-oriented} outline, indented structure is a lot cleaner:
12995 * Top level headline | * Top level headline
12996 ** Second level | * Second level
12997 *** 3rd level | * 3rd level
12998 some text | some text
12999 *** 3rd level | * 3rd level
13000 more text | more text
13001 * Another top level headline | * Another top level headline
13007 If you are using at least Emacs 23.2@footnote{Emacs 23.1 can actually crash
13008 with @code{org-indent-mode}} and version 6.29 of Org, this kind of view can
13009 be achieved dynamically at display time using @code{org-indent-mode}. In
13010 this minor mode, all lines are prefixed for display with the necessary amount
13011 of space@footnote{@code{org-indent-mode} also sets the @code{wrap-prefix}
13012 property, such that @code{visual-line-mode} (or purely setting
13013 @code{word-wrap}) wraps long lines (including headlines) correctly indented.
13014 }. Also headlines are prefixed with additional stars, so that the amount of
13015 indentation shifts by two@footnote{See the variable
13016 @code{org-indent-indentation-per-level}.} spaces per level. All headline
13017 stars but the last one are made invisible using the @code{org-hide}
13018 face@footnote{Turning on @code{org-indent-mode} sets
13019 @code{org-hide-leading-stars} to @code{t} and @code{org-adapt-indentation} to
13020 @code{nil}.} - see below under @samp{2.} for more information on how this
13021 works. You can turn on @code{org-indent-mode} for all files by customizing
13022 the variable @code{org-startup-indented}, or you can turn it on for
13023 individual files using
13029 If you want a similar effect in earlier version of Emacs and/or Org, or if
13030 you want the indentation to be hard space characters so that the plain text
13031 file looks as similar as possible to the Emacs display, Org supports you in
13036 @emph{Indentation of text below headlines}@*
13037 You may indent text below each headline to make the left boundary line up
13038 with the headline, like
13042 more text, now indented
13045 @vindex org-adapt-indentation
13046 Org supports this with paragraph filling, line wrapping, and structure
13047 editing@footnote{See also the variable @code{org-adapt-indentation}.},
13048 preserving or adapting the indentation as appropriate.
13051 @vindex org-hide-leading-stars
13052 @emph{Hiding leading stars}@* You can modify the display in such a way that
13053 all leading stars become invisible. To do this in a global way, configure
13054 the variable @code{org-hide-leading-stars} or change this on a per-file basis
13058 #+STARTUP: hidestars
13059 #+STARTUP: showstars
13062 With hidden stars, the tree becomes:
13066 * Top level headline
13074 @vindex org-hide @r{(face)}
13075 The leading stars are not truly replaced by whitespace, they are only
13076 fontified with the face @code{org-hide} that uses the background color as
13077 font color. If you are not using either white or black background, you may
13078 have to customize this face to get the wanted effect. Another possibility is
13079 to set this font such that the extra stars are @i{almost} invisible, for
13080 example using the color @code{grey90} on a white background.
13083 @vindex org-odd-levels-only
13084 Things become cleaner still if you skip all the even levels and use only odd
13085 levels 1, 3, 5..., effectively adding two stars to go from one outline level
13086 to the next@footnote{When you need to specify a level for a property search
13087 or refile targets, @samp{LEVEL=2} will correspond to 3 stars, etc@.}. In this
13088 way we get the outline view shown at the beginning of this section. In order
13089 to make the structure editing and export commands handle this convention
13090 correctly, configure the variable @code{org-odd-levels-only}, or set this on
13091 a per-file basis with one of the following lines:
13098 You can convert an Org file from single-star-per-level to the
13099 double-star-per-level convention with @kbd{M-x org-convert-to-odd-levels
13100 RET} in that file. The reverse operation is @kbd{M-x
13101 org-convert-to-oddeven-levels}.
13104 @node TTY keys, Interaction, Clean view, Miscellaneous
13105 @section Using Org on a tty
13106 @cindex tty key bindings
13108 Because Org contains a large number of commands, by default many of
13109 Org's core commands are bound to keys that are generally not
13110 accessible on a tty, such as the cursor keys (@key{left}, @key{right},
13111 @key{up}, @key{down}), @key{TAB} and @key{RET}, in particular when used
13112 together with modifiers like @key{Meta} and/or @key{Shift}. To access
13113 these commands on a tty when special keys are unavailable, the following
13114 alternative bindings can be used. The tty bindings below will likely be
13115 more cumbersome; you may find for some of the bindings below that a
13116 customized workaround suits you better. For example, changing a timestamp
13117 is really only fun with @kbd{S-@key{cursor}} keys, whereas on a
13118 tty you would rather use @kbd{C-c .} to re-insert the timestamp.
13120 @multitable @columnfractions 0.15 0.2 0.1 0.2
13121 @item @b{Default} @tab @b{Alternative 1} @tab @b{Speed key} @tab @b{Alternative 2}
13122 @item @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} @tab @kbd{C-u @key{TAB}} @tab @kbd{C} @tab
13123 @item @kbd{M-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x l} @tab @kbd{l} @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{left}}
13124 @item @kbd{M-S-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x L} @tab @kbd{L} @tab
13125 @item @kbd{M-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x r} @tab @kbd{r} @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{right}}
13126 @item @kbd{M-S-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x R} @tab @kbd{R} @tab
13127 @item @kbd{M-@key{up}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x u} @tab @kbd{ } @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{up}}
13128 @item @kbd{M-S-@key{up}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x U} @tab @kbd{U} @tab
13129 @item @kbd{M-@key{down}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x d} @tab @kbd{ } @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{down}}
13130 @item @kbd{M-S-@key{down}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x D} @tab @kbd{D} @tab
13131 @item @kbd{S-@key{RET}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x c} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
13132 @item @kbd{M-@key{RET}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x m} @tab @kbd{ } @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{RET}}
13133 @item @kbd{M-S-@key{RET}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x M} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
13134 @item @kbd{S-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{left}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
13135 @item @kbd{S-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{right}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
13136 @item @kbd{S-@key{up}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{up}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
13137 @item @kbd{S-@key{down}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{down}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
13138 @item @kbd{C-S-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x @key{left}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
13139 @item @kbd{C-S-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x @key{right}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
13143 @node Interaction, , TTY keys, Miscellaneous
13144 @section Interaction with other packages
13145 @cindex packages, interaction with other
13146 Org lives in the world of GNU Emacs and interacts in various ways
13147 with other code out there.
13150 * Cooperation:: Packages Org cooperates with
13151 * Conflicts:: Packages that lead to conflicts
13154 @node Cooperation, Conflicts, Interaction, Interaction
13155 @subsection Packages that Org cooperates with
13158 @cindex @file{calc.el}
13159 @cindex Gillespie, Dave
13160 @item @file{calc.el} by Dave Gillespie
13161 Org uses the Calc package for implementing spreadsheet
13162 functionality in its tables (@pxref{The spreadsheet}). Org
13163 checks for the availability of Calc by looking for the function
13164 @code{calc-eval} which will have been autoloaded during setup if Calc has
13165 been installed properly. As of Emacs 22, Calc is part of the Emacs
13166 distribution. Another possibility for interaction between the two
13167 packages is using Calc for embedded calculations. @xref{Embedded Mode,
13168 , Embedded Mode, Calc, GNU Emacs Calc Manual}.
13169 @item @file{constants.el} by Carsten Dominik
13170 @cindex @file{constants.el}
13171 @cindex Dominik, Carsten
13172 @vindex org-table-formula-constants
13173 In a table formula (@pxref{The spreadsheet}), it is possible to use
13174 names for natural constants or units. Instead of defining your own
13175 constants in the variable @code{org-table-formula-constants}, install
13176 the @file{constants} package which defines a large number of constants
13177 and units, and lets you use unit prefixes like @samp{M} for
13178 @samp{Mega}, etc@. You will need version 2.0 of this package, available
13179 at @url{http://www.astro.uva.nl/~dominik/Tools}. Org checks for
13180 the function @code{constants-get}, which has to be autoloaded in your
13181 setup. See the installation instructions in the file
13182 @file{constants.el}.
13183 @item @file{cdlatex.el} by Carsten Dominik
13184 @cindex @file{cdlatex.el}
13185 @cindex Dominik, Carsten
13186 Org-mode can make use of the CDLa@TeX{} package to efficiently enter
13187 La@TeX{} fragments into Org files. See @ref{CDLaTeX mode}.
13188 @item @file{imenu.el} by Ake Stenhoff and Lars Lindberg
13189 @cindex @file{imenu.el}
13190 Imenu allows menu access to an index of items in a file. Org-mode
13191 supports Imenu---all you need to do to get the index is the following:
13193 (add-hook 'org-mode-hook
13194 (lambda () (imenu-add-to-menubar "Imenu")))
13196 @vindex org-imenu-depth
13197 By default the index is two levels deep---you can modify the depth using
13198 the option @code{org-imenu-depth}.
13199 @item @file{remember.el} by John Wiegley
13200 @cindex @file{remember.el}
13201 @cindex Wiegley, John
13202 Org used to use this package for capture, but no longer does.
13203 @item @file{speedbar.el} by Eric M. Ludlam
13204 @cindex @file{speedbar.el}
13205 @cindex Ludlam, Eric M.
13206 Speedbar is a package that creates a special frame displaying files and
13207 index items in files. Org-mode supports Speedbar and allows you to
13208 drill into Org files directly from the Speedbar. It also allows you to
13209 restrict the scope of agenda commands to a file or a subtree by using
13210 the command @kbd{<} in the Speedbar frame.
13211 @cindex @file{table.el}
13212 @item @file{table.el} by Takaaki Ota
13214 @cindex table editor, @file{table.el}
13215 @cindex @file{table.el}
13216 @cindex Ota, Takaaki
13218 Complex ASCII tables with automatic line wrapping, column- and row-spanning,
13219 and alignment can be created using the Emacs table package by Takaaki Ota
13220 (@uref{http://sourceforge.net/projects/table}, and also part of Emacs 22).
13221 Org-mode will recognize these tables and export them properly. Because of
13222 interference with other Org-mode functionality, you unfortunately cannot edit
13223 these tables directly in the buffer. Instead, you need to use the command
13224 @kbd{C-c '} to edit them, similar to source code snippets.
13229 Edit a @file{table.el} table. Works when the cursor is in a table.el table.
13233 Insert a @file{table.el} table. If there is already a table at point, this
13234 command converts it between the @file{table.el} format and the Org-mode
13235 format. See the documentation string of the command
13236 @code{org-convert-table} for the restrictions under which this is
13239 @file{table.el} is part of Emacs since Emacs 22.
13240 @item @file{footnote.el} by Steven L. Baur
13241 @cindex @file{footnote.el}
13242 @cindex Baur, Steven L.
13243 Org-mode recognizes numerical footnotes as provided by this package.
13244 However, Org-mode also has its own footnote support (@pxref{Footnotes}),
13245 which makes using @file{footnote.el} unnecessary.
13248 @node Conflicts, , Cooperation, Interaction
13249 @subsection Packages that lead to conflicts with Org-mode
13253 @cindex @code{shift-selection-mode}
13254 @vindex org-support-shift-select
13255 In Emacs 23, @code{shift-selection-mode} is on by default, meaning that
13256 cursor motions combined with the shift key should start or enlarge regions.
13257 This conflicts with the use of @kbd{S-@key{cursor}} commands in Org to change
13258 timestamps, TODO keywords, priorities, and item bullet types if the cursor is
13259 at such a location. By default, @kbd{S-@key{cursor}} commands outside
13260 special contexts don't do anything, but you can customize the variable
13261 @code{org-support-shift-select}. Org-mode then tries to accommodate shift
13262 selection by (i) using it outside of the special contexts where special
13263 commands apply, and by (ii) extending an existing active region even if the
13264 cursor moves across a special context.
13266 @item @file{CUA.el} by Kim. F. Storm
13267 @cindex @file{CUA.el}
13268 @cindex Storm, Kim. F.
13269 @vindex org-replace-disputed-keys
13270 Key bindings in Org conflict with the @kbd{S-<cursor>} keys used by CUA mode
13271 (as well as @code{pc-select-mode} and @code{s-region-mode}) to select and extend the
13272 region. In fact, Emacs 23 has this built-in in the form of
13273 @code{shift-selection-mode}, see previous paragraph. If you are using Emacs
13274 23, you probably don't want to use another package for this purpose. However,
13275 if you prefer to leave these keys to a different package while working in
13276 Org-mode, configure the variable @code{org-replace-disputed-keys}. When set,
13277 Org will move the following key bindings in Org files, and in the agenda
13278 buffer (but not during date selection).
13281 S-UP -> M-p S-DOWN -> M-n
13282 S-LEFT -> M-- S-RIGHT -> M-+
13283 C-S-LEFT -> M-S-- C-S-RIGHT -> M-S-+
13286 @vindex org-disputed-keys
13287 Yes, these are unfortunately more difficult to remember. If you want
13288 to have other replacement keys, look at the variable
13289 @code{org-disputed-keys}.
13291 @item @file{yasnippet.el}
13292 @cindex @file{yasnippet.el}
13293 The way Org-mode binds the TAB key (binding to @code{[tab]} instead of
13294 @code{"\t"}) overrules yasnippets' access to this key. The following code
13295 fixed this problem:
13298 (add-hook 'org-mode-hook
13300 (org-set-local 'yas/trigger-key [tab])
13301 (define-key yas/keymap [tab] 'yas/next-field-group)))
13304 @item @file{windmove.el} by Hovav Shacham
13305 @cindex @file{windmove.el}
13306 This package also uses the @kbd{S-<cursor>} keys, so everything written
13307 in the paragraph above about CUA mode also applies here. If you want make
13308 the windmove function active in locations where Org-mode does not have
13309 special functionality on @kbd{S-@key{cursor}}, add this to your
13313 ;; Make windmove work in org-mode:
13314 (add-hook 'org-shiftup-final-hook 'windmove-up)
13315 (add-hook 'org-shiftleft-final-hook 'windmove-left)
13316 (add-hook 'org-shiftdown-final-hook 'windmove-down)
13317 (add-hook 'org-shiftright-final-hook 'windmove-right)
13320 @item @file{viper.el} by Michael Kifer
13321 @cindex @file{viper.el}
13323 Viper uses @kbd{C-c /} and therefore makes this key not access the
13324 corresponding Org-mode command @code{org-sparse-tree}. You need to find
13325 another key for this command, or override the key in
13326 @code{viper-vi-global-user-map} with
13329 (define-key viper-vi-global-user-map "C-c /" 'org-sparse-tree)
13335 @node Hacking, MobileOrg, Miscellaneous, Top
13339 This appendix covers some aspects where users can extend the functionality of
13343 * Hooks:: Who to reach into Org's internals
13344 * Add-on packages:: Available extensions
13345 * Adding hyperlink types:: New custom link types
13346 * Context-sensitive commands:: How to add functionality to such commands
13347 * Tables in arbitrary syntax:: Orgtbl for La@TeX{} and other programs
13348 * Dynamic blocks:: Automatically filled blocks
13349 * Special agenda views:: Customized views
13350 * Extracting agenda information:: Postprocessing of agenda information
13351 * Using the property API:: Writing programs that use entry properties
13352 * Using the mapping API:: Mapping over all or selected entries
13355 @node Hooks, Add-on packages, Hacking, Hacking
13359 Org has a large number of hook variables that can be used to add
13360 functionality. This appendix about hacking is going to illustrate the
13361 use of some of them. A complete list of all hooks with documentation is
13362 maintained by the Worg project and can be found at
13363 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-configs/org-hooks.php}.
13365 @node Add-on packages, Adding hyperlink types, Hooks, Hacking
13366 @section Add-on packages
13367 @cindex add-on packages
13369 A large number of add-on packages have been written by various authors.
13370 These packages are not part of Emacs, but they are distributed as contributed
13371 packages with the separate release available at the Org-mode home page at
13372 @uref{http://orgmode.org}. The list of contributed packages, along with
13373 documentation about each package, is maintained by the Worg project at
13374 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-contrib/}.
13378 @node Adding hyperlink types, Context-sensitive commands, Add-on packages, Hacking
13379 @section Adding hyperlink types
13380 @cindex hyperlinks, adding new types
13382 Org has a large number of hyperlink types built-in
13383 (@pxref{Hyperlinks}). If you would like to add new link types, Org
13384 provides an interface for doing so. Let's look at an example file,
13385 @file{org-man.el}, that will add support for creating links like
13386 @samp{[[man:printf][The printf manpage]]} to show Unix manual pages inside
13390 ;;; org-man.el - Support for links to manpages in Org
13394 (org-add-link-type "man" 'org-man-open)
13395 (add-hook 'org-store-link-functions 'org-man-store-link)
13397 (defcustom org-man-command 'man
13398 "The Emacs command to be used to display a man page."
13400 :type '(choice (const man) (const woman)))
13402 (defun org-man-open (path)
13403 "Visit the manpage on PATH.
13404 PATH should be a topic that can be thrown at the man command."
13405 (funcall org-man-command path))
13407 (defun org-man-store-link ()
13408 "Store a link to a manpage."
13409 (when (memq major-mode '(Man-mode woman-mode))
13410 ;; This is a man page, we do make this link
13411 (let* ((page (org-man-get-page-name))
13412 (link (concat "man:" page))
13413 (description (format "Manpage for %s" page)))
13414 (org-store-link-props
13417 :description description))))
13419 (defun org-man-get-page-name ()
13420 "Extract the page name from the buffer name."
13421 ;; This works for both `Man-mode' and `woman-mode'.
13422 (if (string-match " \\(\\S-+\\)\\*" (buffer-name))
13423 (match-string 1 (buffer-name))
13424 (error "Cannot create link to this man page")))
13428 ;;; org-man.el ends here
13432 You would activate this new link type in @file{.emacs} with
13439 Let's go through the file and see what it does.
13442 It does @code{(require 'org)} to make sure that @file{org.el} has been
13445 The next line calls @code{org-add-link-type} to define a new link type
13446 with prefix @samp{man}. The call also contains the name of a function
13447 that will be called to follow such a link.
13449 @vindex org-store-link-functions
13450 The next line adds a function to @code{org-store-link-functions}, in
13451 order to allow the command @kbd{C-c l} to record a useful link in a
13452 buffer displaying a man page.
13455 The rest of the file defines the necessary variables and functions.
13456 First there is a customization variable that determines which Emacs
13457 command should be used to display man pages. There are two options,
13458 @code{man} and @code{woman}. Then the function to follow a link is
13459 defined. It gets the link path as an argument---in this case the link
13460 path is just a topic for the manual command. The function calls the
13461 value of @code{org-man-command} to display the man page.
13463 Finally the function @code{org-man-store-link} is defined. When you try
13464 to store a link with @kbd{C-c l}, this function will be called to
13465 try to make a link. The function must first decide if it is supposed to
13466 create the link for this buffer type; we do this by checking the value
13467 of the variable @code{major-mode}. If not, the function must exit and
13468 return the value @code{nil}. If yes, the link is created by getting the
13469 manual topic from the buffer name and prefixing it with the string
13470 @samp{man:}. Then it must call the command @code{org-store-link-props}
13471 and set the @code{:type} and @code{:link} properties. Optionally you
13472 can also set the @code{:description} property to provide a default for
13473 the link description when the link is later inserted into an Org
13474 buffer with @kbd{C-c C-l}.
13476 When is makes sense for your new link type, you may also define a function
13477 @code{org-PREFIX-complete-link} that implements special (e.g. completion)
13478 support for inserting such a link with @kbd{C-c C-l}. Such a function should
13479 not accept any arguments, and return the full link with prefix.
13481 @node Context-sensitive commands, Tables in arbitrary syntax, Adding hyperlink types, Hacking
13482 @section Context-sensitive commands
13483 @cindex context-sensitive commands, hooks
13484 @cindex add-ons, context-sensitive commands
13485 @vindex org-ctrl-c-ctrl-c-hook
13487 Org has several commands that act differently depending on context. The most
13488 important example it the @kbd{C-c C-c} (@pxref{The very busy C-c C-c key}).
13489 Also the @kbd{M-cursor} and @kbd{M-S-cursor} keys have this property.
13491 Add-ons can tap into this functionality by providing a function that detects
13492 special context for that add-on and executes functionality appropriate for
13493 the context. Here is an example from Dan Davison's @file{org-R.el} which
13494 allows you to evaluate commands based on the @file{R} programming language
13495 @footnote{@file{org-R.el} has been replaced by the org-mode functionality
13496 described in @ref{Working With Source Code} and is now obsolete.}. For this
13497 package, special contexts are lines that start with @code{#+R:} or
13501 (defun org-R-apply-maybe ()
13502 "Detect if this is context for org-R and execute R commands."
13503 (if (save-excursion
13504 (beginning-of-line 1)
13505 (looking-at "#\\+RR?:"))
13506 (progn (call-interactively 'org-R-apply)
13507 t) ;; to signal that we took action
13508 nil)) ;; to signal that we did not
13510 (add-hook 'org-ctrl-c-ctrl-c-hook 'org-R-apply-maybe)
13513 The function first checks if the cursor is in such a line. If that is the
13514 case, @code{org-R-apply} is called and the function returns @code{t} to
13515 signal that action was taken, and @kbd{C-c C-c} will stop looking for other
13516 contexts. If the function finds it should do nothing locally, it returns @code{nil} so that other, similar functions can have a try.
13519 @node Tables in arbitrary syntax, Dynamic blocks, Context-sensitive commands, Hacking
13520 @section Tables and lists in arbitrary syntax
13521 @cindex tables, in other modes
13522 @cindex lists, in other modes
13523 @cindex Orgtbl mode
13525 Since Orgtbl mode can be used as a minor mode in arbitrary buffers, a
13526 frequent feature request has been to make it work with native tables in
13527 specific languages, for example La@TeX{}. However, this is extremely
13528 hard to do in a general way, would lead to a customization nightmare,
13529 and would take away much of the simplicity of the Orgtbl-mode table
13532 This appendix describes a different approach. We keep the Orgtbl mode
13533 table in its native format (the @i{source table}), and use a custom
13534 function to @i{translate} the table to the correct syntax, and to
13535 @i{install} it in the right location (the @i{target table}). This puts
13536 the burden of writing conversion functions on the user, but it allows
13537 for a very flexible system.
13539 Bastien added the ability to do the same with lists, in Orgstruct mode. You
13540 can use Org's facilities to edit and structure lists by turning
13541 @code{orgstruct-mode} on, then locally exporting such lists in another format
13542 (HTML, La@TeX{} or Texinfo.)
13546 * Radio tables:: Sending and receiving radio tables
13547 * A LaTeX example:: Step by step, almost a tutorial
13548 * Translator functions:: Copy and modify
13549 * Radio lists:: Doing the same for lists
13552 @node Radio tables, A LaTeX example, Tables in arbitrary syntax, Tables in arbitrary syntax
13553 @subsection Radio tables
13554 @cindex radio tables
13556 To define the location of the target table, you first need to create two
13557 lines that are comments in the current mode, but contain magic words for
13558 Orgtbl mode to find. Orgtbl mode will insert the translated table
13559 between these lines, replacing whatever was there before. For example:
13562 /* BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL table_name */
13563 /* END RECEIVE ORGTBL table_name */
13567 Just above the source table, we put a special line that tells
13568 Orgtbl mode how to translate this table and where to install it. For
13572 #+ORGTBL: SEND table_name translation_function arguments....
13576 @code{table_name} is the reference name for the table that is also used
13577 in the receiver lines. @code{translation_function} is the Lisp function
13578 that does the translation. Furthermore, the line can contain a list of
13579 arguments (alternating key and value) at the end. The arguments will be
13580 passed as a property list to the translation function for
13581 interpretation. A few standard parameters are already recognized and
13582 acted upon before the translation function is called:
13586 Skip the first N lines of the table. Hlines do count as separate lines for
13589 @item :skipcols (n1 n2 ...)
13590 List of columns that should be skipped. If the table has a column with
13591 calculation marks, that column is automatically discarded as well.
13592 Please note that the translator function sees the table @emph{after} the
13593 removal of these columns, the function never knows that there have been
13594 additional columns.
13598 The one problem remaining is how to keep the source table in the buffer
13599 without disturbing the normal workings of the file, for example during
13600 compilation of a C file or processing of a La@TeX{} file. There are a
13601 number of different solutions:
13605 The table could be placed in a block comment if that is supported by the
13606 language. For example, in C mode you could wrap the table between
13607 @samp{/*} and @samp{*/} lines.
13609 Sometimes it is possible to put the table after some kind of @i{END}
13610 statement, for example @samp{\bye} in @TeX{} and @samp{\end@{document@}}
13613 You can just comment the table line-by-line whenever you want to process
13614 the file, and uncomment it whenever you need to edit the table. This
13615 only sounds tedious---the command @kbd{M-x orgtbl-toggle-comment}
13616 makes this comment-toggling very easy, in particular if you bind it to a
13620 @node A LaTeX example, Translator functions, Radio tables, Tables in arbitrary syntax
13621 @subsection A La@TeX{} example of radio tables
13622 @cindex La@TeX{}, and Orgtbl mode
13624 The best way to wrap the source table in La@TeX{} is to use the
13625 @code{comment} environment provided by @file{comment.sty}. It has to be
13626 activated by placing @code{\usepackage@{comment@}} into the document
13627 header. Orgtbl mode can insert a radio table skeleton@footnote{By
13628 default this works only for La@TeX{}, HTML, and Texinfo. Configure the
13629 variable @code{orgtbl-radio-tables} to install templates for other
13630 modes.} with the command @kbd{M-x orgtbl-insert-radio-table}. You will
13631 be prompted for a table name, let's say we use @samp{salesfigures}. You
13632 will then get the following template:
13634 @cindex #+ORGTBL, SEND
13636 % BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
13637 % END RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
13639 #+ORGTBL: SEND salesfigures orgtbl-to-latex
13645 @vindex La@TeX{}-verbatim-environments
13646 The @code{#+ORGTBL: SEND} line tells Orgtbl mode to use the function
13647 @code{orgtbl-to-latex} to convert the table into La@TeX{} and to put it
13648 into the receiver location with name @code{salesfigures}. You may now
13649 fill in the table, feel free to use the spreadsheet features@footnote{If
13650 the @samp{#+TBLFM} line contains an odd number of dollar characters,
13651 this may cause problems with font-lock in La@TeX{} mode. As shown in the
13652 example you can fix this by adding an extra line inside the
13653 @code{comment} environment that is used to balance the dollar
13654 expressions. If you are using AUC@TeX{} with the font-latex library, a
13655 much better solution is to add the @code{comment} environment to the
13656 variable @code{LaTeX-verbatim-environments}.}:
13659 % BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
13660 % END RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
13662 #+ORGTBL: SEND salesfigures orgtbl-to-latex
13663 | Month | Days | Nr sold | per day |
13664 |-------+------+---------+---------|
13665 | Jan | 23 | 55 | 2.4 |
13666 | Feb | 21 | 16 | 0.8 |
13667 | March | 22 | 278 | 12.6 |
13668 #+TBLFM: $4=$3/$2;%.1f
13669 % $ (optional extra dollar to keep font-lock happy, see footnote)
13674 When you are done, press @kbd{C-c C-c} in the table to get the converted
13675 table inserted between the two marker lines.
13677 Now let's assume you want to make the table header by hand, because you
13678 want to control how columns are aligned, etc@. In this case we make sure
13679 that the table translator skips the first 2 lines of the source
13680 table, and tell the command to work as a @i{splice}, i.e. to not produce
13681 header and footer commands of the target table:
13684 \begin@{tabular@}@{lrrr@}
13685 Month & \multicolumn@{1@}@{c@}@{Days@} & Nr.\ sold & per day\\
13686 % BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
13687 % END RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
13691 #+ORGTBL: SEND salesfigures orgtbl-to-latex :splice t :skip 2
13692 | Month | Days | Nr sold | per day |
13693 |-------+------+---------+---------|
13694 | Jan | 23 | 55 | 2.4 |
13695 | Feb | 21 | 16 | 0.8 |
13696 | March | 22 | 278 | 12.6 |
13697 #+TBLFM: $4=$3/$2;%.1f
13701 The La@TeX{} translator function @code{orgtbl-to-latex} is already part of
13702 Orgtbl mode. It uses a @code{tabular} environment to typeset the table
13703 and marks horizontal lines with @code{\hline}. Furthermore, it
13704 interprets the following parameters (see also @pxref{Translator functions}):
13707 @item :splice nil/t
13708 When set to t, return only table body lines, don't wrap them into a
13709 tabular environment. Default is nil.
13712 A format to be used to wrap each field, it should contain @code{%s} for the
13713 original field value. For example, to wrap each field value in dollars,
13714 you could use @code{:fmt "$%s$"}. This may also be a property list with
13715 column numbers and formats. for example @code{:fmt (2 "$%s$" 4 "%s\\%%")}.
13716 A function of one argument can be used in place of the strings; the
13717 function must return a formatted string.
13720 Use this format to print numbers with exponentials. The format should
13721 have @code{%s} twice for inserting mantissa and exponent, for example
13722 @code{"%s\\times10^@{%s@}"}. The default is @code{"%s\\,(%s)"}. This
13723 may also be a property list with column numbers and formats, for example
13724 @code{:efmt (2 "$%s\\times10^@{%s@}$" 4 "$%s\\cdot10^@{%s@}$")}. After
13725 @code{efmt} has been applied to a value, @code{fmt} will also be
13726 applied. Similar to @code{fmt}, functions of two arguments can be
13727 supplied instead of strings.
13730 @node Translator functions, Radio lists, A LaTeX example, Tables in arbitrary syntax
13731 @subsection Translator functions
13732 @cindex HTML, and Orgtbl mode
13733 @cindex translator function
13735 Orgtbl mode has several translator functions built-in: @code{orgtbl-to-csv}
13736 (comma-separated values), @code{orgtbl-to-tsv} (TAB-separated values)
13737 @code{orgtbl-to-latex}, @code{orgtbl-to-html}, and @code{orgtbl-to-texinfo}.
13738 Except for @code{orgtbl-to-html}@footnote{The HTML translator uses the same
13739 code that produces tables during HTML export.}, these all use a generic
13740 translator, @code{orgtbl-to-generic}. For example, @code{orgtbl-to-latex}
13741 itself is a very short function that computes the column definitions for the
13742 @code{tabular} environment, defines a few field and line separators and then
13743 hands processing over to the generic translator. Here is the entire code:
13747 (defun orgtbl-to-latex (table params)
13748 "Convert the Orgtbl mode TABLE to LaTeX."
13749 (let* ((alignment (mapconcat (lambda (x) (if x "r" "l"))
13750 org-table-last-alignment ""))
13753 :tstart (concat "\\begin@{tabular@}@{" alignment "@}")
13754 :tend "\\end@{tabular@}"
13755 :lstart "" :lend " \\\\" :sep " & "
13756 :efmt "%s\\,(%s)" :hline "\\hline")))
13757 (orgtbl-to-generic table (org-combine-plists params2 params))))
13761 As you can see, the properties passed into the function (variable
13762 @var{PARAMS}) are combined with the ones newly defined in the function
13763 (variable @var{PARAMS2}). The ones passed into the function (i.e. the
13764 ones set by the @samp{ORGTBL SEND} line) take precedence. So if you
13765 would like to use the La@TeX{} translator, but wanted the line endings to
13766 be @samp{\\[2mm]} instead of the default @samp{\\}, you could just
13767 overrule the default with
13770 #+ORGTBL: SEND test orgtbl-to-latex :lend " \\\\[2mm]"
13773 For a new language, you can either write your own converter function in
13774 analogy with the La@TeX{} translator, or you can use the generic function
13775 directly. For example, if you have a language where a table is started
13776 with @samp{!BTBL!}, ended with @samp{!ETBL!}, and where table lines are
13777 started with @samp{!BL!}, ended with @samp{!EL!}, and where the field
13778 separator is a TAB, you could call the generic translator like this (on
13782 #+ORGTBL: SEND test orgtbl-to-generic :tstart "!BTBL!" :tend "!ETBL!"
13783 :lstart "!BL! " :lend " !EL!" :sep "\t"
13787 Please check the documentation string of the function
13788 @code{orgtbl-to-generic} for a full list of parameters understood by
13789 that function, and remember that you can pass each of them into
13790 @code{orgtbl-to-latex}, @code{orgtbl-to-texinfo}, and any other function
13791 using the generic function.
13793 Of course you can also write a completely new function doing complicated
13794 things the generic translator cannot do. A translator function takes
13795 two arguments. The first argument is the table, a list of lines, each
13796 line either the symbol @code{hline} or a list of fields. The second
13797 argument is the property list containing all parameters specified in the
13798 @samp{#+ORGTBL: SEND} line. The function must return a single string
13799 containing the formatted table. If you write a generally useful
13800 translator, please post it on @email{emacs-orgmode@@gnu.org} so that
13801 others can benefit from your work.
13803 @node Radio lists, , Translator functions, Tables in arbitrary syntax
13804 @subsection Radio lists
13805 @cindex radio lists
13806 @cindex org-list-insert-radio-list
13808 Sending and receiving radio lists works exactly the same way than sending and
13809 receiving radio tables (@pxref{Radio tables}). As for radio tables, you can
13810 insert radio lists templates in HTML, La@TeX{} and Texinfo modes by calling
13811 @code{org-list-insert-radio-list}.
13813 Here are the differences with radio tables:
13817 Orgstruct mode must be active.
13819 Use the @code{ORGLST} keyword instead of @code{ORGTBL}.
13821 The available translation functions for radio lists don't take
13824 @kbd{C-c C-c} will work when pressed on the first item of the list.
13827 Here is a La@TeX{} example. Let's say that you have this in your
13832 % BEGIN RECEIVE ORGLST to-buy
13833 % END RECEIVE ORGLST to-buy
13835 #+ORGLST: SEND to-buy org-list-to-latex
13844 Pressing `C-c C-c' on @code{a new house} and will insert the converted
13845 La@TeX{} list between the two marker lines.
13847 @node Dynamic blocks, Special agenda views, Tables in arbitrary syntax, Hacking
13848 @section Dynamic blocks
13849 @cindex dynamic blocks
13851 Org documents can contain @emph{dynamic blocks}. These are
13852 specially marked regions that are updated by some user-written function.
13853 A good example for such a block is the clock table inserted by the
13854 command @kbd{C-c C-x C-r} (@pxref{Clocking work time}).
13856 Dynamic block are enclosed by a BEGIN-END structure that assigns a name
13857 to the block and can also specify parameters for the function producing
13858 the content of the block.
13860 #+BEGIN:dynamic block
13862 #+BEGIN: myblock :parameter1 value1 :parameter2 value2 ...
13867 Dynamic blocks are updated with the following commands
13870 @kindex C-c C-x C-u
13872 Update dynamic block at point.
13873 @kindex C-u C-c C-x C-u
13874 @item C-u C-c C-x C-u
13875 Update all dynamic blocks in the current file.
13878 Updating a dynamic block means to remove all the text between BEGIN and
13879 END, parse the BEGIN line for parameters and then call the specific
13880 writer function for this block to insert the new content. If you want
13881 to use the original content in the writer function, you can use the
13882 extra parameter @code{:content}.
13884 For a block with name @code{myblock}, the writer function is
13885 @code{org-dblock-write:myblock} with as only parameter a property list
13886 with the parameters given in the begin line. Here is a trivial example
13887 of a block that keeps track of when the block update function was last
13891 #+BEGIN: block-update-time :format "on %m/%d/%Y at %H:%M"
13897 The corresponding block writer function could look like this:
13900 (defun org-dblock-write:block-update-time (params)
13901 (let ((fmt (or (plist-get params :format) "%d. %m. %Y")))
13902 (insert "Last block update at: "
13903 (format-time-string fmt (current-time)))))
13906 If you want to make sure that all dynamic blocks are always up-to-date,
13907 you could add the function @code{org-update-all-dblocks} to a hook, for
13908 example @code{before-save-hook}. @code{org-update-all-dblocks} is
13909 written in a way such that it does nothing in buffers that are not in
13912 @node Special agenda views, Extracting agenda information, Dynamic blocks, Hacking
13913 @section Special agenda views
13914 @cindex agenda views, user-defined
13916 Org provides a special hook that can be used to narrow down the selection
13917 made by these agenda views: @code{todo}, @code{alltodo}, @code{tags}, @code{tags-todo},
13918 @code{tags-tree}. You may specify a function that is used at each match to verify
13919 if the match should indeed be part of the agenda view, and if not, how
13920 much should be skipped.
13922 Let's say you want to produce a list of projects that contain a WAITING
13923 tag anywhere in the project tree. Let's further assume that you have
13924 marked all tree headings that define a project with the TODO keyword
13925 PROJECT. In this case you would run a TODO search for the keyword
13926 PROJECT, but skip the match unless there is a WAITING tag anywhere in
13927 the subtree belonging to the project line.
13929 To achieve this, you must write a function that searches the subtree for
13930 the tag. If the tag is found, the function must return @code{nil} to
13931 indicate that this match should not be skipped. If there is no such
13932 tag, return the location of the end of the subtree, to indicate that
13933 search should continue from there.
13936 (defun my-skip-unless-waiting ()
13937 "Skip trees that are not waiting"
13938 (let ((subtree-end (save-excursion (org-end-of-subtree t))))
13939 (if (re-search-forward ":waiting:" subtree-end t)
13940 nil ; tag found, do not skip
13941 subtree-end))) ; tag not found, continue after end of subtree
13944 Now you may use this function in an agenda custom command, for example
13948 (org-add-agenda-custom-command
13949 '("b" todo "PROJECT"
13950 ((org-agenda-skip-function 'my-skip-unless-waiting)
13951 (org-agenda-overriding-header "Projects waiting for something: "))))
13954 @vindex org-agenda-overriding-header
13955 Note that this also binds @code{org-agenda-overriding-header} to get a
13956 meaningful header in the agenda view.
13958 @vindex org-odd-levels-only
13959 @vindex org-agenda-skip-function
13960 A general way to create custom searches is to base them on a search for
13961 entries with a certain level limit. If you want to study all entries with
13962 your custom search function, simply do a search for
13963 @samp{LEVEL>0}@footnote{Note that, when using @code{org-odd-levels-only}, a
13964 level number corresponds to order in the hierarchy, not to the number of
13965 stars.}, and then use @code{org-agenda-skip-function} to select the entries
13966 you really want to have.
13968 You may also put a Lisp form into @code{org-agenda-skip-function}. In
13969 particular, you may use the functions @code{org-agenda-skip-entry-if}
13970 and @code{org-agenda-skip-subtree-if} in this form, for example:
13973 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'scheduled)
13974 Skip current entry if it has been scheduled.
13975 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'notscheduled)
13976 Skip current entry if it has not been scheduled.
13977 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'deadline)
13978 Skip current entry if it has a deadline.
13979 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'scheduled 'deadline)
13980 Skip current entry if it has a deadline, or if it is scheduled.
13981 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'todo '("TODO" "WAITING"))
13982 Skip current entry if the TODO keyword is TODO or WAITING.
13983 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'todo 'done)
13984 Skip current entry if the TODO keyword marks a DONE state.
13985 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'timestamp)
13986 Skip current entry if it has any timestamp, may also be deadline or scheduled.
13987 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry 'regexp "regular expression")
13988 Skip current entry if the regular expression matches in the entry.
13989 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry 'notregexp "regular expression")
13990 Skip current entry unless the regular expression matches.
13991 @item '(org-agenda-skip-subtree-if 'regexp "regular expression")
13992 Same as above, but check and skip the entire subtree.
13995 Therefore we could also have written the search for WAITING projects
13996 like this, even without defining a special function:
13999 (org-add-agenda-custom-command
14000 '("b" todo "PROJECT"
14001 ((org-agenda-skip-function '(org-agenda-skip-subtree-if
14002 'regexp ":waiting:"))
14003 (org-agenda-overriding-header "Projects waiting for something: "))))
14006 @node Extracting agenda information, Using the property API, Special agenda views, Hacking
14007 @section Extracting agenda information
14008 @cindex agenda, pipe
14009 @cindex Scripts, for agenda processing
14011 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands
14012 Org provides commands to access agenda information for the command
14013 line in Emacs batch mode. This extracted information can be sent
14014 directly to a printer, or it can be read by a program that does further
14015 processing of the data. The first of these commands is the function
14016 @code{org-batch-agenda}, that produces an agenda view and sends it as
14017 ASCII text to STDOUT. The command takes a single string as parameter.
14018 If the string has length 1, it is used as a key to one of the commands
14019 you have configured in @code{org-agenda-custom-commands}, basically any
14020 key you can use after @kbd{C-c a}. For example, to directly print the
14021 current TODO list, you could use
14024 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -eval '(org-batch-agenda "t")' | lpr
14027 If the parameter is a string with 2 or more characters, it is used as a
14028 tags/TODO match string. For example, to print your local shopping list
14029 (all items with the tag @samp{shop}, but excluding the tag
14030 @samp{NewYork}), you could use
14033 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs \
14034 -eval '(org-batch-agenda "+shop-NewYork")' | lpr
14038 You may also modify parameters on the fly like this:
14041 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs \
14042 -eval '(org-batch-agenda "a" \
14043 org-agenda-ndays 30 \
14044 org-agenda-include-diary nil \
14045 org-agenda-files (quote ("~/org/project.org")))' \
14050 which will produce a 30-day agenda, fully restricted to the Org file
14051 @file{~/org/projects.org}, not even including the diary.
14053 If you want to process the agenda data in more sophisticated ways, you
14054 can use the command @code{org-batch-agenda-csv} to get a comma-separated
14055 list of values for each agenda item. Each line in the output will
14056 contain a number of fields separated by commas. The fields in a line
14060 category @r{The category of the item}
14061 head @r{The headline, without TODO keyword, TAGS and PRIORITY}
14062 type @r{The type of the agenda entry, can be}
14063 todo @r{selected in TODO match}
14064 tagsmatch @r{selected in tags match}
14065 diary @r{imported from diary}
14066 deadline @r{a deadline}
14067 scheduled @r{scheduled}
14068 timestamp @r{appointment, selected by timestamp}
14069 closed @r{entry was closed on date}
14070 upcoming-deadline @r{warning about nearing deadline}
14071 past-scheduled @r{forwarded scheduled item}
14072 block @r{entry has date block including date}
14073 todo @r{The TODO keyword, if any}
14074 tags @r{All tags including inherited ones, separated by colons}
14075 date @r{The relevant date, like 2007-2-14}
14076 time @r{The time, like 15:00-16:50}
14077 extra @r{String with extra planning info}
14078 priority-l @r{The priority letter if any was given}
14079 priority-n @r{The computed numerical priority}
14083 Time and date will only be given if a timestamp (or deadline/scheduled)
14084 led to the selection of the item.
14086 A CSV list like this is very easy to use in a post-processing script.
14087 For example, here is a Perl program that gets the TODO list from
14088 Emacs/Org and prints all the items, preceded by a checkbox:
14093 # define the Emacs command to run
14094 $cmd = "emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -eval '(org-batch-agenda-csv \"t\")'";
14096 # run it and capture the output
14097 $agenda = qx@{$cmd 2>/dev/null@};
14099 # loop over all lines
14100 foreach $line (split(/\n/,$agenda)) @{
14101 # get the individual values
14102 ($category,$head,$type,$todo,$tags,$date,$time,$extra,
14103 $priority_l,$priority_n) = split(/,/,$line);
14104 # process and print
14105 print "[ ] $head\n";
14109 @node Using the property API, Using the mapping API, Extracting agenda information, Hacking
14110 @section Using the property API
14111 @cindex API, for properties
14112 @cindex properties, API
14114 Here is a description of the functions that can be used to work with
14117 @defun org-entry-properties &optional pom which
14118 Get all properties of the entry at point-or-marker POM.@*
14119 This includes the TODO keyword, the tags, time strings for deadline,
14120 scheduled, and clocking, and any additional properties defined in the
14121 entry. The return value is an alist, keys may occur multiple times
14122 if the property key was used several times.@*
14123 POM may also be nil, in which case the current entry is used.
14124 If WHICH is nil or `all', get all properties. If WHICH is
14125 `special' or `standard', only get that subclass.
14127 @vindex org-use-property-inheritance
14128 @defun org-entry-get pom property &optional inherit
14129 Get value of PROPERTY for entry at point-or-marker POM. By default,
14130 this only looks at properties defined locally in the entry. If INHERIT
14131 is non-nil and the entry does not have the property, then also check
14132 higher levels of the hierarchy. If INHERIT is the symbol
14133 @code{selective}, use inheritance if and only if the setting of
14134 @code{org-use-property-inheritance} selects PROPERTY for inheritance.
14137 @defun org-entry-delete pom property
14138 Delete the property PROPERTY from entry at point-or-marker POM.
14141 @defun org-entry-put pom property value
14142 Set PROPERTY to VALUE for entry at point-or-marker POM.
14145 @defun org-buffer-property-keys &optional include-specials
14146 Get all property keys in the current buffer.
14149 @defun org-insert-property-drawer
14150 Insert a property drawer at point.
14153 @defun org-entry-put-multivalued-property pom property &rest values
14154 Set PROPERTY at point-or-marker POM to VALUES. VALUES should be a list of
14155 strings. They will be concatenated, with spaces as separators.
14158 @defun org-entry-get-multivalued-property pom property
14159 Treat the value of the property PROPERTY as a whitespace-separated list of
14160 values and return the values as a list of strings.
14163 @defun org-entry-add-to-multivalued-property pom property value
14164 Treat the value of the property PROPERTY as a whitespace-separated list of
14165 values and make sure that VALUE is in this list.
14168 @defun org-entry-remove-from-multivalued-property pom property value
14169 Treat the value of the property PROPERTY as a whitespace-separated list of
14170 values and make sure that VALUE is @emph{not} in this list.
14173 @defun org-entry-member-in-multivalued-property pom property value
14174 Treat the value of the property PROPERTY as a whitespace-separated list of
14175 values and check if VALUE is in this list.
14178 @defopt org-property-allowed-value-functions
14179 Hook for functions supplying allowed values for specific.
14180 The functions must take a single argument, the name of the property, and
14181 return a flat list of allowed values. If @samp{:ETC} is one of
14182 the values, use the values as completion help, but allow also other values
14183 to be entered. The functions must return @code{nil} if they are not
14184 responsible for this property.
14187 @node Using the mapping API, , Using the property API, Hacking
14188 @section Using the mapping API
14189 @cindex API, for mapping
14190 @cindex mapping entries, API
14192 Org has sophisticated mapping capabilities to find all entries satisfying
14193 certain criteria. Internally, this functionality is used to produce agenda
14194 views, but there is also an API that can be used to execute arbitrary
14195 functions for each or selected entries. The main entry point for this API
14198 @defun org-map-entries func &optional match scope &rest skip
14199 Call FUNC at each headline selected by MATCH in SCOPE.
14201 FUNC is a function or a Lisp form. The function will be called without
14202 arguments, with the cursor positioned at the beginning of the headline.
14203 The return values of all calls to the function will be collected and
14204 returned as a list.
14206 The call to FUNC will be wrapped into a save-excursion form, so FUNC
14207 does not need to preserve point. After evaluation, the cursor will be
14208 moved to the end of the line (presumably of the headline of the
14209 processed entry) and search continues from there. Under some
14210 circumstances, this may not produce the wanted results. For example,
14211 if you have removed (e.g. archived) the current (sub)tree it could
14212 mean that the next entry will be skipped entirely. In such cases, you
14213 can specify the position from where search should continue by making
14214 FUNC set the variable `org-map-continue-from' to the desired buffer
14217 MATCH is a tags/property/todo match as it is used in the agenda match view.
14218 Only headlines that are matched by this query will be considered during
14219 the iteration. When MATCH is nil or t, all headlines will be
14220 visited by the iteration.
14222 SCOPE determines the scope of this command. It can be any of:
14225 nil @r{the current buffer, respecting the restriction if any}
14226 tree @r{the subtree started with the entry at point}
14227 file @r{the current buffer, without restriction}
14229 @r{the current buffer, and any archives associated with it}
14230 agenda @r{all agenda files}
14231 agenda-with-archives
14232 @r{all agenda files with any archive files associated with them}
14234 @r{if this is a list, all files in the list will be scanned}
14237 The remaining args are treated as settings for the skipping facilities of
14238 the scanner. The following items can be given here:
14240 @vindex org-agenda-skip-function
14242 archive @r{skip trees with the archive tag}
14243 comment @r{skip trees with the COMMENT keyword}
14244 function or Lisp form
14245 @r{will be used as value for @code{org-agenda-skip-function},}
14246 @r{so whenever the function returns t, FUNC}
14247 @r{will not be called for that entry and search will}
14248 @r{continue from the point where the function leaves it}
14252 The function given to that mapping routine can really do anything you like.
14253 It can use the property API (@pxref{Using the property API}) to gather more
14254 information about the entry, or in order to change metadata in the entry.
14255 Here are a couple of functions that might be handy:
14257 @defun org-todo &optional arg
14258 Change the TODO state of the entry, see the docstring of the functions for
14259 the many possible values for the argument ARG.
14262 @defun org-priority &optional action
14263 Change the priority of the entry, see the docstring of this function for the
14264 possible values for ACTION.
14267 @defun org-toggle-tag tag &optional onoff
14268 Toggle the tag TAG in the current entry. Setting ONOFF to either @code{on}
14269 or @code{off} will not toggle tag, but ensure that it is either on or off.
14273 Promote the current entry.
14277 Demote the current entry.
14280 Here is a simple example that will turn all entries in the current file with
14281 a tag @code{TOMORROW} into TODO entries with the keyword @code{UPCOMING}.
14282 Entries in comment trees and in archive trees will be ignored.
14286 '(org-todo "UPCOMING")
14287 "+TOMORROW" 'file 'archive 'comment)
14290 The following example counts the number of entries with TODO keyword
14291 @code{WAITING}, in all agenda files.
14294 (length (org-map-entries t "/+WAITING" 'agenda))
14297 @node MobileOrg, History and Acknowledgments, Hacking, Top
14298 @appendix MobileOrg
14302 @uref{http://mobileorg.ncogni.to/, MobileOrg} is an application for the
14303 @i{iPhone/iPod Touch} series of devices, developed by Richard Moreland.
14304 @i{MobileOrg} offers offline viewing and capture support for an Org-mode
14305 system rooted on a ``real'' computer. It does also allow you to record
14306 changes to existing entries. Android users should check out
14307 @uref{http://wiki.github.com/matburt/mobileorg-android/, MobileOrg Android}
14310 This appendix describes the support Org has for creating agenda views in a
14311 format that can be displayed by @i{MobileOrg}, and for integrating notes
14312 captured and changes made by @i{MobileOrg} into the main system.
14314 For changing tags and TODO states in MobileOrg, you should have set up the
14315 customization variables @code{org-todo-keywords} and @code{org-tags-alist} to
14316 cover all important tags and TODO keywords, even if individual files use only
14317 part of these. MobileOrg will also offer you states and tags set up with
14318 in-buffer settings, but it will understand the logistics of TODO state
14319 @i{sets} (@pxref{Per-file keywords}) and @i{mutually exclusive} tags
14320 (@pxref{Setting tags}) only for those set in these variables.
14323 * Setting up the staging area:: Where to interact with the mobile device
14324 * Pushing to MobileOrg:: Uploading Org files and agendas
14325 * Pulling from MobileOrg:: Integrating captured and flagged items
14328 @node Setting up the staging area, Pushing to MobileOrg, MobileOrg, MobileOrg
14329 @section Setting up the staging area
14331 MobileOrg needs to interact with Emacs through directory on a server. If you
14332 are using a public server, you should consider to encrypt the files that are
14333 uploaded to the server. This can be done with Org-mode 7.02 and with
14334 @i{MobileOrg 1.5} (iPhone version), and you need an @file{openssl}
14335 installation on your system. To turn on encryption, set a password in
14336 @i{MobileOrg} and, on the Emacs side, configure the variable
14337 @code{org-mobile-use-encryption}@footnote{If you can safely store the
14338 password in your Emacs setup, you might also want to configure
14339 @code{org-mobile-encryption-password}. Please read the docstring of that
14340 variable. Note that encryption will apply only to the contents of the
14341 @file{.org} files. The file names themselves will remain visible.}.
14343 The easiest way to create that directory is to use a free
14344 @uref{http://dropbox.com,Dropbox.com} account@footnote{If you cannot use
14345 Dropbox, or if your version of MobileOrg does not support it, you can use a
14346 webdav server. For more information, check out the the documentation of
14347 MobileOrg and also this
14348 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-faq.php#mobileorg_webdav, FAQ entry}.}.
14349 When MobileOrg first connects to your Dropbox, it will create a directory
14350 @i{MobileOrg} inside the Dropbox. After the directory has been created, tell
14354 (setq org-mobile-directory "~/Dropbox/MobileOrg")
14357 Org-mode has commands to put files for @i{MobileOrg} into that directory,
14358 and to read captured notes from there.
14360 @node Pushing to MobileOrg, Pulling from MobileOrg, Setting up the staging area, MobileOrg
14361 @section Pushing to MobileOrg
14363 This operation copies all files currently listed in @code{org-mobile-files}
14364 to the directory @code{org-mobile-directory}. By default this list contains
14365 all agenda files (as listed in @code{org-agenda-files}), but additional files
14366 can be included by customizing @code{org-mobiles-files}. File names will be
14367 staged with path relative to @code{org-directory}, so all files should be
14368 inside this directory. The push operation also creates a special Org file
14369 @file{agendas.org} with all custom agenda view defined by the
14370 user@footnote{While creating the agendas, Org-mode will force ID properties
14371 on all referenced entries, so that these entries can be uniquely identified
14372 if @i{MobileOrg} flags them for further action. If you do not want to get
14373 these properties in so many entries, you can set the variable
14374 @code{org-mobile-force-id-on-agenda-items} to @code{nil}. Org mode will then
14375 rely on outline paths, in the hope that these will be unique enough.}.
14376 Finally, Org writes the file @file{index.org}, containing links to all other
14377 files. @i{MobileOrg} first reads this file from the server, and then
14378 downloads all agendas and Org files listed in it. To speed up the download,
14379 MobileOrg will only read files whose checksums@footnote{stored automatically
14380 in the file @file{checksums.dat}} have changed.
14382 @node Pulling from MobileOrg, , Pushing to MobileOrg, MobileOrg
14383 @section Pulling from MobileOrg
14385 When @i{MobileOrg} synchronizes with the server, it not only pulls the Org
14386 files for viewing. It also appends captured entries and pointers to flagged
14387 and changed entries to the file @file{mobileorg.org} on the server. Org has
14388 a @emph{pull} operation that integrates this information into an inbox file
14389 and operates on the pointers to flagged entries. Here is how it works:
14393 Org moves all entries found in
14394 @file{mobileorg.org}@footnote{@file{mobileorg.org} will be empty after this
14395 operation.} and appends them to the file pointed to by the variable
14396 @code{org-mobile-inbox-for-pull}. Each captured entry and each editing event
14397 will be a top-level entry in the inbox file.
14399 After moving the entries, Org will attempt to implement the changes made in
14400 @i{MobileOrg}. Some changes are applied directly and without user
14401 interaction. Examples are all changes to tags, TODO state, headline and body
14402 text that can be cleanly applied. Entries that have been flagged for further
14403 action will receive a tag @code{:FLAGGED:}, so that they can be easily found
14404 again. When there is a problem finding an entry or applying the change, the
14405 pointer entry will remain in the inbox and will be marked with an error
14406 message. You need to later resolve these issues by hand.
14408 Org will then generate an agenda view with all flagged entries. The user
14409 should then go through these entries and do whatever actions are necessary.
14410 If a note has been stored while flagging an entry in @i{MobileOrg}, that note
14411 will be displayed in the echo area when the cursor is on the corresponding
14416 Pressing @kbd{?} in that special agenda will display the full flagging note in
14417 another window and also push it onto the kill ring. So you could use @kbd{?
14418 z C-y C-c C-c} to store that flagging note as a normal note in the entry.
14419 Pressing @kbd{?} twice in succession will offer to remove the
14420 @code{:FLAGGED:} tag along with the recorded flagging note (which is stored
14421 in a property). In this way you indicate, that the intended processing for
14422 this flagged entry is finished.
14427 If you are not able to process all flagged entries directly, you can always
14428 return to this agenda view@footnote{Note, however, that there is a subtle
14429 difference. The view created automatically by @kbd{M-x org-mobile-pull
14430 @key{RET}} is guaranteed to search all files that have been addressed by the
14431 last pull. This might include a file that is not currently in your list of
14432 agenda files. If you later use @kbd{C-c a ?} to regenerate the view, only
14433 the current agenda files will be searched.} using @kbd{C-c a ?}.
14435 @node History and Acknowledgments, Main Index, MobileOrg, Top
14436 @appendix History and acknowledgments
14437 @cindex acknowledgments
14441 Org was born in 2003, out of frustration over the user interface of the Emacs
14442 Outline mode. I was trying to organize my notes and projects, and using
14443 Emacs seemed to be the natural way to go. However, having to remember eleven
14444 different commands with two or three keys per command, only to hide and show
14445 parts of the outline tree, that seemed entirely unacceptable to me. Also,
14446 when using outlines to take notes, I constantly wanted to restructure the
14447 tree, organizing it parallel to my thoughts and plans. @emph{Visibility
14448 cycling} and @emph{structure editing} were originally implemented in the
14449 package @file{outline-magic.el}, but quickly moved to the more general
14450 @file{org.el}. As this environment became comfortable for project planning,
14451 the next step was adding @emph{TODO entries}, basic @emph{timestamps}, and
14452 @emph{table support}. These areas highlighted the two main goals that Org
14453 still has today: to be a new, outline-based, plain text mode with innovative
14454 and intuitive editing features, and to incorporate project planning
14455 functionality directly into a notes file.
14457 Since the first release, literally thousands of emails to me or to
14458 @email{emacs-orgmode@@gnu.org} have provided a constant stream of bug
14459 reports, feedback, new ideas, and sometimes patches and add-on code.
14460 Many thanks to everyone who has helped to improve this package. I am
14461 trying to keep here a list of the people who had significant influence
14462 in shaping one or more aspects of Org. The list may not be
14463 complete, if I have forgotten someone, please accept my apologies and
14466 Before I get to this list, a few special mentions are in order:
14469 @item Bastien Guerry
14470 Bastien has written a large number of extensions to Org (most of them
14471 integrated into the core by now), including the LaTeX exporter and the plain
14472 list parser. His support during the early days, when he basically acted as
14473 co-maintainer, was central to the success of this project. Bastien also
14474 invented Worg, helped establishing the Web presence of Org, and sponsors
14475 hosting costs for the orgmode.org website.
14476 @item Eric Schulte and Dan Davison
14477 Eric and Dan are jointly responsible for the Org-babel system, which turns
14478 Org into a multi-language environment for evaluating code and doing literate
14479 programming and reproducible research.
14481 John has also contributed a number of great ideas and patches
14482 directly to Org, including the attachment system (@file{org-attach.el}),
14483 integration with Apple Mail (@file{org-mac-message.el}), hierarchical
14484 dependencies of TODO items, habit tracking (@file{org-habits.el}), and
14485 encryption (@file{org-crypt.el}). Also, the capture system is really an
14486 extended copy of his great @file{remember.el}.
14487 @item Sebastian Rose
14488 Without Sebastian, the HTML/XHTML publishing of Org would be the pitiful work
14489 of an ignorant amateur. Sebastian has pushed this part of Org onto a much
14490 higher level. He also wrote @file{org-info.js}, a Java script for displaying
14491 webpages derived from Org using an Info-like or a folding interface with
14492 single-key navigation.
14495 @noindent OK, now to the full list of contributions! Again, please let me
14496 know what I am missing here!
14501 @i{Russel Adams} came up with the idea for drawers.
14503 @i{Thomas Baumann} wrote @file{org-bbdb.el} and @file{org-mhe.el}.
14505 @i{Christophe Bataillon} created the great unicorn logo that we use on the
14508 @i{Alex Bochannek} provided a patch for rounding timestamps.
14510 @i{Jan Böcker} wrote @file{org-docview.el}.
14512 @i{Brad Bozarth} showed how to pull RSS feed data into Org-mode files.
14514 @i{Tom Breton} wrote @file{org-choose.el}.
14516 @i{Charles Cave}'s suggestion sparked the implementation of templates
14517 for Remember, which are now templates for capture.
14519 @i{Pavel Chalmoviansky} influenced the agenda treatment of items with
14522 @i{Gregory Chernov} patched support for Lisp forms into table
14523 calculations and improved XEmacs compatibility, in particular by porting
14524 @file{nouline.el} to XEmacs.
14526 @i{Sacha Chua} suggested copying some linking code from Planner.
14528 @i{Baoqiu Cui} contributed the DocBook exporter.
14530 @i{Eddward DeVilla} proposed and tested checkbox statistics. He also
14531 came up with the idea of properties, and that there should be an API for
14534 @i{Nick Dokos} tracked down several nasty bugs.
14536 @i{Kees Dullemond} used to edit projects lists directly in HTML and so
14537 inspired some of the early development, including HTML export. He also
14538 asked for a way to narrow wide table columns.
14540 @i{Thomas S. Dye} contributed documentation on Worg and helped integrating
14541 the Org-Babel documentation into the manual.
14543 @i{Christian Egli} converted the documentation into Texinfo format,
14544 patched CSS formatting into the HTML exporter, and inspired the agenda.
14546 @i{David Emery} provided a patch for custom CSS support in exported
14549 @i{Nic Ferrier} contributed mailcap and XOXO support.
14551 @i{Miguel A. Figueroa-Villanueva} implemented hierarchical checkboxes.
14553 @i{John Foerch} figured out how to make incremental search show context
14554 around a match in a hidden outline tree.
14556 @i{Raimar Finken} wrote @file{org-git-line.el}.
14558 @i{Mikael Fornius} works as a mailing list moderator.
14560 @i{Austin Frank} works as a mailing list moderator.
14562 @i{Niels Giesen} had the idea to automatically archive DONE trees.
14564 @i{Nicolas Goaziou} rewrote much of the plain list code.
14566 @i{Kai Grossjohann} pointed out key-binding conflicts with other packages.
14568 @i{Bernt Hansen} has driven much of the support for auto-repeating tasks,
14569 task state change logging, and the clocktable. His clear explanations have
14570 been critical when we started to adopt the Git version control system.
14572 @i{Manuel Hermenegildo} has contributed various ideas, small fixes and
14575 @i{Phil Jackson} wrote @file{org-irc.el}.
14577 @i{Scott Jaderholm} proposed footnotes, control over whitespace between
14578 folded entries, and column view for properties.
14580 @i{Matt Jones} wrote @i{MobileOrg Android}.
14582 @i{Tokuya Kameshima} wrote @file{org-wl.el} and @file{org-mew.el}.
14584 @i{Shidai Liu} ("Leo") asked for embedded La@TeX{} and tested it. He also
14585 provided frequent feedback and some patches.
14587 @i{Matt Lundin} has proposed last-row references for table formulas and named
14588 invisible anchors. He has also worked a lot on the FAQ.
14590 @i{David Maus} wrote @file{org-atom.el}, maintains the issues file for Org,
14591 and is a prolific contributor on the mailing list with competent replies,
14592 small fixes and patches.
14594 @i{Jason F. McBrayer} suggested agenda export to CSV format.
14596 @i{Max Mikhanosha} came up with the idea of refiling.
14598 @i{Dmitri Minaev} sent a patch to set priority limits on a per-file
14601 @i{Stefan Monnier} provided a patch to keep the Emacs-Lisp compiler
14604 @i{Richard Moreland} wrote @i{MobileOrg} for the iPhone.
14606 @i{Rick Moynihan} proposed allowing multiple TODO sequences in a file
14607 and being able to quickly restrict the agenda to a subtree.
14609 @i{Todd Neal} provided patches for links to Info files and Elisp forms.
14611 @i{Greg Newman} refreshed the unicorn logo into its current form.
14613 @i{Tim O'Callaghan} suggested in-file links, search options for general
14614 file links, and TAGS.
14616 @i{Osamu Okano} wrote @file{orgcard2ref.pl}, a perl program to create a text
14617 version of the reference card.
14619 @i{Takeshi Okano} translated the manual and David O'Toole's tutorial
14622 @i{Oliver Oppitz} suggested multi-state TODO items.
14624 @i{Scott Otterson} sparked the introduction of descriptive text for
14625 links, among other things.
14627 @i{Pete Phillips} helped during the development of the TAGS feature, and
14628 provided frequent feedback.
14630 @i{Martin Pohlack} provided the code snippet to bundle character insertion
14631 into bundles of 20 for undo.
14633 @i{T.V. Raman} reported bugs and suggested improvements.
14635 @i{Matthias Rempe} (Oelde) provided ideas, Windows support, and quality
14638 @i{Paul Rivier} provided the basic implementation of named footnotes. He
14639 also acted as mailing list moderator for some time.
14641 @i{Kevin Rogers} contributed code to access VM files on remote hosts.
14643 @i{Frank Ruell} solved the mystery of the @code{keymapp nil} bug, a
14644 conflict with @file{allout.el}.
14646 @i{Jason Riedy} generalized the send-receive mechanism for Orgtbl tables with
14649 @i{Philip Rooke} created the Org reference card, provided lots
14650 of feedback, developed and applied standards to the Org documentation.
14652 @i{Christian Schlauer} proposed angular brackets around links, among
14655 @i{Paul Sexton} wrote @file{org-ctags.el}.
14657 Linking to VM/BBDB/Gnus was first inspired by @i{Tom Shannon}'s
14658 @file{organizer-mode.el}.
14660 @i{Ilya Shlyakhter} proposed the Archive Sibling, line numbering in literal
14661 examples, and remote highlighting for referenced code lines.
14663 @i{Stathis Sideris} wrote the @file{ditaa.jar} ASCII to PNG converter that is
14664 now packaged into Org's @file{contrib} directory.
14666 @i{Daniel Sinder} came up with the idea of internal archiving by locking
14669 @i{Dale Smith} proposed link abbreviations.
14671 @i{James TD Smith} has contributed a large number of patches for useful
14672 tweaks and features.
14674 @i{Adam Spiers} asked for global linking commands, inspired the link
14675 extension system, added support for mairix, and proposed the mapping API.
14677 @i{Ulf Stegemann} created the table to translate special symbols to HTML,
14678 LaTeX, UTF-8, Latin-1 and ASCII.
14680 @i{Andy Stewart} contributed code to @file{org-w3m.el}, to copy HTML content
14681 with links transformation to Org syntax.
14683 @i{David O'Toole} wrote @file{org-publish.el} and drafted the manual
14684 chapter about publishing.
14686 @i{Stefan Vollmar} organized a video-recorded talk at the
14687 Max-Planck-Institute for Neurology. He also inspired the creation of a
14688 concept index for HTML export.
14690 @i{J@"urgen Vollmer} contributed code generating the table of contents
14693 @i{Samuel Wales} has provided important feedback and bug reports.
14695 @i{Chris Wallace} provided a patch implementing the @samp{QUOTE}
14698 @i{David Wainberg} suggested archiving, and improvements to the linking
14701 @i{Carsten Wimmer} suggested some changes and helped fix a bug in
14704 @i{Roland Winkler} requested additional key bindings to make Org
14707 @i{Piotr Zielinski} wrote @file{org-mouse.el}, proposed agenda blocks
14708 and contributed various ideas and code snippets.
14712 @node Main Index, Key Index, History and Acknowledgments, Top
14713 @unnumbered Concept index
14717 @node Key Index, Command and Function Index, Main Index, Top
14718 @unnumbered Key index
14722 @node Command and Function Index, Variable Index, Key Index, Top
14723 @unnumbered Command and function index
14727 @node Variable Index, , Command and Function Index, Top
14728 @unnumbered Variable index
14730 This is not a complete index of variables and faces, only the ones that are
14731 mentioned in the manual. For a more complete list, use @kbd{M-x
14732 org-customize @key{RET}} and then click yourself through the tree.
14739 arch-tag: 7893d1Fe-cc57-4d13-b5e5-f494a1CBC7ac
14742 @c Local variables:
14744 @c indent-tabs-mode: nil
14748 @c LocalWords: webdavhost pre