3 @setfilename ../../info/org
4 @settitle The Org Manual
9 @c Version and Contact Info
10 @set MAINTAINERSITE @uref{http://orgmode.org,maintainers webpage}
11 @set AUTHOR Carsten Dominik
12 @set MAINTAINER Carsten Dominik
13 @set MAINTAINEREMAIL @email{carsten at orgmode dot org}
14 @set MAINTAINERCONTACT @uref{mailto:carsten at orgmode dot org,contact the maintainer}
20 @c @hyphenation{time-stamp time-stamps time-stamp-ing time-stamp-ed}
35 @c Subheadings inside a table.
36 @macro tsubheading{text}
46 This manual is for Org version @value{VERSION}.
48 Copyright @copyright{} 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Free Software Foundation
51 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
52 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
53 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
54 Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU Manual,''
55 and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the license
56 is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License.''
58 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have the freedom to copy and
59 modify this GNU manual. Buying copies from the FSF supports it in
60 developing GNU and promoting software freedom.''
62 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
63 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
64 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
65 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
71 * Org Mode: (org). Outline-based notes management and organizer
77 @subtitle Release @value{VERSION}
78 @author by Carsten Dominik
80 @c The following two commands start the copyright page.
82 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
86 @c Output the table of contents at the beginning.
90 @node Top, Introduction, (dir), (dir)
97 * Introduction:: Getting started
98 * Document Structure:: A tree works like your brain
99 * Tables:: Pure magic for quick formatting
100 * Hyperlinks:: Notes in context
101 * TODO Items:: Every tree branch can be a TODO item
102 * Tags:: Tagging headlines and matching sets of tags
103 * Properties and Columns:: Storing information about an entry
104 * Dates and Times:: Making items useful for planning
105 * Capture - Refile - Archive:: The ins and outs for projects
106 * Agenda Views:: Collecting information into views
107 * Markup:: Prepare text for rich export
108 * Exporting:: Sharing and publishing of notes
109 * Publishing:: Create a web site of linked Org files
110 * Miscellaneous:: All the rest which did not fit elsewhere
111 * Hacking:: How to hack your way around
112 * MobileOrg:: Viewing and capture on a mobile device
113 * History and Acknowledgments:: How Org came into being
114 * Main Index:: An index of Org's concepts and features
115 * Key Index:: Key bindings and where they are described
116 * Variable Index:: Variables mentioned in the manual
119 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
123 * Summary:: Brief summary of what Org does
124 * Installation:: How to install a downloaded version of Org
125 * Activation:: How to activate Org for certain buffers
126 * Feedback:: Bug reports, ideas, patches etc.
127 * Conventions:: Type-setting conventions in the manual
131 * Outlines:: Org is based on Outline mode
132 * Headlines:: How to typeset Org tree headlines
133 * Visibility cycling:: Show and hide, much simplified
134 * Motion:: Jumping to other headlines
135 * Structure editing:: Changing sequence and level of headlines
136 * Sparse trees:: Matches embedded in context
137 * Plain lists:: Additional structure within an entry
138 * Drawers:: Tucking stuff away
139 * Blocks:: Folding blocks
140 * Footnotes:: How footnotes are defined in Org's syntax
141 * Orgstruct mode:: Structure editing outside Org
145 * Built-in table editor:: Simple tables
146 * Column width and alignment:: Overrule the automatic settings
147 * Column groups:: Grouping to trigger vertical lines
148 * Orgtbl mode:: The table editor as minor mode
149 * The spreadsheet:: The table editor has spreadsheet capabilities
150 * Org-Plot:: Plotting from org tables
154 * References:: How to refer to another field or range
155 * Formula syntax for Calc:: Using Calc to compute stuff
156 * Formula syntax for Lisp:: Writing formulas in Emacs Lisp
157 * Field formulas:: Formulas valid for a single field
158 * Column formulas:: Formulas valid for an entire column
159 * Editing and debugging formulas:: Fixing formulas
160 * Updating the table:: Recomputing all dependent fields
161 * Advanced features:: Field names, parameters and automatic recalc
165 * Link format:: How links in Org are formatted
166 * Internal links:: Links to other places in the current file
167 * External links:: URL-like links to the world
168 * Handling links:: Creating, inserting and following
169 * Using links outside Org:: Linking from my C source code?
170 * Link abbreviations:: Shortcuts for writing complex links
171 * Search options:: Linking to a specific location
172 * Custom searches:: When the default search is not enough
176 * Radio targets:: Make targets trigger links in plain text
180 * TODO basics:: Marking and displaying TODO entries
181 * TODO extensions:: Workflow and assignments
182 * Progress logging:: Dates and notes for progress
183 * Priorities:: Some things are more important than others
184 * Breaking down tasks:: Splitting a task into manageable pieces
185 * Checkboxes:: Tick-off lists
187 Extended use of TODO keywords
189 * Workflow states:: From TODO to DONE in steps
190 * TODO types:: I do this, Fred does the rest
191 * Multiple sets in one file:: Mixing it all, and still finding your way
192 * Fast access to TODO states:: Single letter selection of a state
193 * Per-file keywords:: Different files, different requirements
194 * Faces for TODO keywords:: Highlighting states
195 * TODO dependencies:: When one task needs to wait for others
199 * Closing items:: When was this entry marked DONE?
200 * Tracking TODO state changes:: When did the status change?
201 * Tracking your habits:: How consistent have you been?
205 * Tag inheritance:: Tags use the tree structure of the outline
206 * Setting tags:: How to assign tags to a headline
207 * Tag searches:: Searching for combinations of tags
209 Properties and Columns
211 * Property syntax:: How properties are spelled out
212 * Special properties:: Access to other Org mode features
213 * Property searches:: Matching property values
214 * Property inheritance:: Passing values down the tree
215 * Column view:: Tabular viewing and editing
216 * Property API:: Properties for Lisp programmers
220 * Defining columns:: The COLUMNS format property
221 * Using column view:: How to create and use column view
222 * Capturing column view:: A dynamic block for column view
226 * Scope of column definitions:: Where defined, where valid?
227 * Column attributes:: Appearance and content of a column
231 * Timestamps:: Assigning a time to a tree entry
232 * Creating timestamps:: Commands which insert timestamps
233 * Deadlines and scheduling:: Planning your work
234 * Clocking work time:: Tracking how long you spend on a task
235 * Resolving idle time:: Resolving time if you've been idle
236 * Effort estimates:: Planning work effort in advance
237 * Relative timer:: Notes with a running timer
241 * The date/time prompt:: How Org mode helps you entering date and time
242 * Custom time format:: Making dates look different
244 Deadlines and scheduling
246 * Inserting deadline/schedule:: Planning items
247 * Repeated tasks:: Items that show up again and again
249 Capture - Refile - Archive
251 * Remember:: Capture new tasks/ideas with little interruption
252 * Attachments:: Add files to tasks.
253 * RSS Feeds:: Getting input from RSS feeds
254 * Protocols:: External (e.g. Browser) access to Emacs and Org
255 * Refiling notes:: Moving a tree from one place to another
256 * Archiving:: What to do with finished projects
260 * Setting up Remember for Org:: Some code for .emacs to get things going
261 * Remember templates:: Define the outline of different note types
262 * Storing notes:: Directly get the note to where it belongs
266 * Moving subtrees:: Moving a tree to an archive file
267 * Internal archiving:: Switch off a tree but keep i in the file
271 * Agenda files:: Files being searched for agenda information
272 * Agenda dispatcher:: Keyboard access to agenda views
273 * Built-in agenda views:: What is available out of the box?
274 * Presentation and sorting:: How agenda items are prepared for display
275 * Agenda commands:: Remote editing of Org trees
276 * Custom agenda views:: Defining special searches and views
277 * Exporting Agenda Views:: Writing a view to a file
278 * Agenda column view:: Using column view for collected entries
280 The built-in agenda views
282 * Weekly/daily agenda:: The calendar page with current tasks
283 * Global TODO list:: All unfinished action items
284 * Matching tags and properties:: Structured information with fine-tuned search
285 * Timeline:: Time-sorted view for single file
286 * Search view:: Find entries by searching for text
287 * Stuck projects:: Find projects you need to review
289 Presentation and sorting
291 * Categories:: Not all tasks are equal
292 * Time-of-day specifications:: How the agenda knows the time
293 * Sorting of agenda items:: The order of things
297 * Storing searches:: Type once, use often
298 * Block agenda:: All the stuff you need in a single buffer
299 * Setting Options:: Changing the rules
301 Markup for rich export
303 * Structural markup elements:: The basic structure as seen by the exporter
304 * Images and tables:: Tables and Images will be included
305 * Literal examples:: Source code examples with special formatting
306 * Include files:: Include additional files into a document
307 * Macro replacement:: Use macros to create complex output
308 * Embedded LaTeX:: LaTeX can be freely used inside Org documents
310 Structural markup elements
312 * Document title:: Where the title is taken from
313 * Headings and sections:: The document structure as seen by the exporter
314 * Table of contents:: The if and where of the table of contents
315 * Initial text:: Text before the first heading?
317 * Paragraphs:: Paragraphs
318 * Footnote markup:: Footnotes
319 * Emphasis and monospace:: Bold, italic, etc.
320 * Horizontal rules:: Make a line
321 * Comment lines:: What will *not* be exported
325 * Special symbols:: Greek letters and other symbols
326 * Subscripts and superscripts:: Simple syntax for raising/lowering text
327 * LaTeX fragments:: Complex formulas made easy
328 * Previewing LaTeX fragments:: What will this snippet look like?
329 * CDLaTeX mode:: Speed up entering of formulas
333 * Selective export:: Using tags to select and exclude trees
334 * Export options:: Per-file export settings
335 * The export dispatcher:: How to access exporter commands
336 * ASCII export:: Exporting to plain ASCII
337 * HTML export:: Exporting to HTML
338 * LaTeX and PDF export:: Exporting to La@TeX{}, and processing to PDF
339 * DocBook export:: Exporting to DocBook
340 * Freemind export:: Exporting to Freemind mind maps
341 * XOXO export:: Exporting to XOXO
342 * iCalendar export:: Exporting in iCalendar format
346 * HTML Export commands:: How to invoke HTML export
347 * Quoting HTML tags:: Using direct HTML in Org mode
348 * Links in HTML export:: How links will be interpreted and formatted
349 * Tables in HTML export:: How to modify the formatting of tables
350 * Images in HTML export:: How to insert figures into HTML output
351 * Text areas in HTML export:: An alternative way to show an example
352 * CSS support:: Changing the appearance of the output
353 * Javascript support:: Info and Folding in a web browser
355 La@TeX{} and PDF export
357 * LaTeX/PDF export commands:: Which key invokes which commands
358 * Quoting LaTeX code:: Incorporating literal La@TeX{} code
359 * Sectioning structure:: Changing sectioning in La@TeX{} output
360 * Tables in LaTeX export:: Options for exporting tables to La@TeX{}
361 * Images in LaTeX export:: How to insert figures into La@TeX{} output
362 * Beamer class export:: Turning the file into a presentation
366 * DocBook export commands:: How to invoke DocBook export
367 * Quoting DocBook code:: Incorporating DocBook code in Org files
368 * Recursive sections:: Recursive sections in DocBook
369 * Tables in DocBook export:: Tables are exported as HTML tables
370 * Images in DocBook export:: How to insert figures into DocBook output
371 * Special characters:: How to handle special characters
375 * Configuration:: Defining projects
376 * Uploading files:: How to get files up on the server
377 * Sample configuration:: Example projects
378 * Triggering publication:: Publication commands
382 * Project alist:: The central configuration variable
383 * Sources and destinations:: From here to there
384 * Selecting files:: What files are part of the project?
385 * Publishing action:: Setting the function doing the publishing
386 * Publishing options:: Tweaking HTML export
387 * Publishing links:: Which links keep working after publishing?
388 * Project page index:: Publishing a list of project files
392 * Simple example:: One-component publishing
393 * Complex example:: A multi-component publishing example
397 * Completion:: M-TAB knows what you need
398 * Speed keys:: Electic commands at the beginning of a headline
399 * Customization:: Adapting Org to your taste
400 * In-buffer settings:: Overview of the #+KEYWORDS
401 * The very busy C-c C-c key:: When in doubt, press C-c C-c
402 * Clean view:: Getting rid of leading stars in the outline
403 * TTY keys:: Using Org on a tty
404 * Interaction:: Other Emacs packages
406 Interaction with other packages
408 * Cooperation:: Packages Org cooperates with
409 * Conflicts:: Packages that lead to conflicts
413 * Hooks:: Who to reach into Org's internals
414 * Add-on packages:: Available extensions
415 * Adding hyperlink types:: New custom link types
416 * Context-sensitive commands:: How to add functionality to such commands
417 * Tables in arbitrary syntax:: Orgtbl for La@TeX{} and other programs
418 * Dynamic blocks:: Automatically filled blocks
419 * Special agenda views:: Customized views
420 * Extracting agenda information:: Postprocessing of agenda information
421 * Using the property API:: Writing programs that use entry properties
422 * Using the mapping API:: Mapping over all or selected entries
424 Tables and lists in arbitrary syntax
426 * Radio tables:: Sending and receiving radio tables
427 * A LaTeX example:: Step by step, almost a tutorial
428 * Translator functions:: Copy and modify
429 * Radio lists:: Doing the same for lists
433 * Setting up the staging area:: Where to interact with the mobile device
434 * Pushing to MobileOrg:: Uploading Org files and agendas
435 * Pulling from MobileOrg:: Integrating captured and flagged items
440 @node Introduction, Document Structure, Top, Top
441 @chapter Introduction
445 * Summary:: Brief summary of what Org does
446 * Installation:: How to install a downloaded version of Org
447 * Activation:: How to activate Org for certain buffers
448 * Feedback:: Bug reports, ideas, patches etc.
449 * Conventions:: Type-setting conventions in the manual
452 @node Summary, Installation, Introduction, Introduction
456 Org is a mode for keeping notes, maintaining TODO lists, and doing
457 project planning with a fast and effective plain-text system.
459 Org develops organizational tasks around NOTES files that contain
460 lists or information about projects as plain text. Org is
461 implemented on top of Outline mode, which makes it possible to keep the
462 content of large files well structured. Visibility cycling and
463 structure editing help to work with the tree. Tables are easily created
464 with a built-in table editor. Org supports TODO items, deadlines,
465 timestamps, and scheduling. It dynamically compiles entries into an
466 agenda that utilizes and smoothly integrates much of the Emacs calendar
467 and diary. Plain text URL-like links connect to websites, emails,
468 Usenet messages, BBDB entries, and any files related to the projects.
469 For printing and sharing of notes, an Org file can be exported as a
470 structured ASCII file, as HTML, or (TODO and agenda items only) as an
471 iCalendar file. It can also serve as a publishing tool for a set of
474 An important design aspect that distinguishes Org from, for example,
475 Planner/Muse is that it encourages you to store every piece of information
476 only once. In Planner, you have project pages, day pages and possibly
477 other files, duplicating some information such as tasks. In Org,
478 you only have notes files. In your notes you mark entries as tasks, and
479 label them with tags and timestamps. All necessary lists, like a
480 schedule for the day, the agenda for a meeting, tasks lists selected by
481 tags, etc., are created dynamically when you need them.
483 Org keeps simple things simple. When first fired up, it should
484 feel like a straightforward, easy to use outliner. Complexity is not
485 imposed, but a large amount of functionality is available when you need
486 it. Org is a toolbox and can be used in different ways, for
490 @r{@bullet{} an outline extension with visibility cycling and structure editing}
491 @r{@bullet{} an ASCII system and table editor for taking structured notes}
492 @r{@bullet{} an ASCII table editor with spreadsheet-like capabilities}
493 @r{@bullet{} a TODO list editor}
494 @r{@bullet{} a full agenda and planner with deadlines and work scheduling}
495 @pindex GTD, Getting Things Done
496 @r{@bullet{} an environment to implement David Allen's GTD system}
497 @r{@bullet{} a basic database application}
498 @r{@bullet{} a simple hypertext system, with HTML and La@TeX{} export}
499 @r{@bullet{} a publishing tool to create a set of interlinked webpages}
502 Org's automatic, context-sensitive table editor with spreadsheet
503 capabilities can be integrated into any major mode by activating the
504 minor Orgtbl mode. Using a translation step, it can be used to maintain
505 tables in arbitrary file types, for example in La@TeX{}. The structure
506 editing and list creation capabilities can be used outside Org with
507 the minor Orgstruct mode.
510 There is a website for Org which provides links to the newest
511 version of Org, as well as additional information, frequently asked
512 questions (FAQ), links to tutorials, etc@. This page is located at
513 @uref{http://orgmode.org}.
518 @node Installation, Activation, Summary, Introduction
519 @section Installation
523 @b{Important:} @i{If you are using a version of Org that is part of the Emacs
524 distribution or an XEmacs package, please skip this section and go directly
525 to @ref{Activation}.}
527 If you have downloaded Org from the Web, either as a distribution @file{.zip}
528 or @file{.tar} file, or as a Git archive, you must take the following steps
529 to install it: go into the unpacked Org distribution directory and edit the
530 top section of the file @file{Makefile}. You must set the name of the Emacs
531 binary (likely either @file{emacs} or @file{xemacs}), and the paths to the
532 directories where local Lisp and Info files are kept. If you don't have
533 access to the system-wide directories, you can simply run Org directly from
534 the distribution directory by adding the @file{lisp} subdirectory to the
535 Emacs load path. To do this, add the following line to @file{.emacs}:
538 (setq load-path (cons "~/path/to/orgdir/lisp" load-path))
542 If you plan to use code from the @file{contrib} subdirectory, do a similar
543 step for this directory:
546 (setq load-path (cons "~/path/to/orgdir/contrib/lisp" load-path))
551 XEmacs users now need to install the file @file{noutline.el} from
552 the @file{xemacs} sub-directory of the Org distribution. Use the
556 make install-noutline
561 @noindent Now byte-compile the Lisp files with the shell command:
567 @noindent If you are running Org from the distribution directory, this is
568 all. If you want to install Org into the system directories, use (as
575 Installing Info files is system dependent, because of differences in the
576 @file{install-info} program. In Debian it copies the info files into the
577 correct directory and modifies the info directory file. In many other
578 systems, the files need to be copied to the correct directory separately, and
579 @file{install-info} then only modifies the directory file. Check your system
580 documentation to find out which of the following commands you need:
584 make install-info-debian
587 Then add the following line to @file{.emacs}. It is needed so that
588 Emacs can autoload functions that are located in files not immediately loaded
589 when Org-mode starts.
591 (require 'org-install)
594 Do not forget to activate Org as described in the following section.
597 @node Activation, Feedback, Installation, Introduction
601 @cindex global key bindings
602 @cindex key bindings, global
605 @b{Important:} @i{If you use copy-and-paste to copy Lisp code from the
606 PDF documentation as viewed by some PDF viewers to your @file{.emacs} file, the
607 single-quote character comes out incorrectly and the code will not work.
608 You need to fix the single-quotes by hand, or copy from Info
612 Add the following lines to your @file{.emacs} file. The last three lines
613 define @emph{global} keys for the commands @command{org-store-link},
614 @command{org-agenda}, and @command{org-iswitchb}---please choose suitable
618 ;; The following lines are always needed. Choose your own keys.
619 (add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.org\\'" . org-mode))
620 (global-set-key "\C-cl" 'org-store-link)
621 (global-set-key "\C-ca" 'org-agenda)
622 (global-set-key "\C-cb" 'org-iswitchb)
625 Furthermore, you must activate @code{font-lock-mode} in Org
626 buffers, because significant functionality depends on font-locking being
627 active. You can do this with either one of the following two lines
628 (XEmacs users must use the second option):
630 (global-font-lock-mode 1) ; for all buffers
631 (add-hook 'org-mode-hook 'turn-on-font-lock) ; Org buffers only
634 @cindex Org mode, turning on
635 With this setup, all files with extension @samp{.org} will be put
636 into Org mode. As an alternative, make the first line of a file look
640 MY PROJECTS -*- mode: org; -*-
643 @vindex org-insert-mode-line-in-empty-file
644 @noindent which will select Org mode for this buffer no matter what
645 the file's name is. See also the variable
646 @code{org-insert-mode-line-in-empty-file}.
648 Many commands in Org work on the region if the region is @i{active}. To make
649 use of this, you need to have @code{transient-mark-mode}
650 (@code{zmacs-regions} in XEmacs) turned on. In Emacs 23 this is the default,
651 in Emacs 22 you need to do this yourself with
653 (transient-mark-mode 1)
655 @noindent If you do not like @code{transient-mark-mode}, you can create an
656 active region by using the mouse to select a region, or pressing
657 @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} twice before moving the cursor.
659 @node Feedback, Conventions, Activation, Introduction
666 If you find problems with Org, or if you have questions, remarks, or ideas
667 about it, please mail to the Org mailing list @email{emacs-orgmode@@gnu.org}.
668 If you are not a member of the mailing list, your mail will be passed to the
669 list after a moderator has approved it.
671 For bug reports, please provide as much information as possible, including
672 the version information of Emacs (@kbd{M-x emacs-version @key{RET}}) and Org
673 (@kbd{M-x org-version @key{RET}}), as well as the Org related setup in
674 @file{.emacs}. The easiest way to do this is to use the command
676 @kbd{M-x org-submit-bug-report}
678 @noindent which will put all this information into an Emacs mail buffer so
679 that you only need to add your description. If you re not sending the Email
680 from within Emacs, please copy and paste the content into your Email program.
682 If an error occurs, a backtrace can be very useful (see below on how to
683 create one). Often a small example file helps, along with clear information
687 @item What exactly did you do?
688 @item What did you expect to happen?
689 @item What happened instead?
691 @noindent Thank you for helping to improve this mode.
693 @subsubheading How to create a useful backtrace
695 @cindex backtrace of an error
696 If working with Org produces an error with a message you don't
697 understand, you may have hit a bug. The best way to report this is by
698 providing, in addition to what was mentioned above, a @emph{backtrace}.
699 This is information from the built-in debugger about where and how the
700 error occurred. Here is how to produce a useful backtrace:
704 Reload uncompiled versions of all Org-mode Lisp files. The backtrace
705 contains much more information if it is produced with uncompiled code.
708 C-u M-x org-reload RET
711 or select @code{Org -> Refresh/Reload -> Reload Org uncompiled} from the
714 Go to the @code{Options} menu and select @code{Enter Debugger on Error}
715 (XEmacs has this option in the @code{Troubleshooting} sub-menu).
717 Do whatever you have to do to hit the error. Don't forget to
718 document the steps you take.
720 When you hit the error, a @file{*Backtrace*} buffer will appear on the
721 screen. Save this buffer to a file (for example using @kbd{C-x C-w}) and
722 attach it to your bug report.
725 @node Conventions, , Feedback, Introduction
726 @section Typesetting conventions used in this manual
728 Org uses three types of keywords: TODO keywords, tags, and property
729 names. In this manual we use the following conventions:
734 TODO keywords are written with all capitals, even if they are
738 User-defined tags are written in lowercase; built-in tags with special
739 meaning are written with all capitals.
742 User-defined properties are capitalized; built-in properties with
743 special meaning are written with all capitals.
746 @node Document Structure, Tables, Introduction, Top
747 @chapter Document Structure
748 @cindex document structure
749 @cindex structure of document
751 Org is based on Outline mode and provides flexible commands to
752 edit the structure of the document.
755 * Outlines:: Org is based on Outline mode
756 * Headlines:: How to typeset Org tree headlines
757 * Visibility cycling:: Show and hide, much simplified
758 * Motion:: Jumping to other headlines
759 * Structure editing:: Changing sequence and level of headlines
760 * Sparse trees:: Matches embedded in context
761 * Plain lists:: Additional structure within an entry
762 * Drawers:: Tucking stuff away
763 * Blocks:: Folding blocks
764 * Footnotes:: How footnotes are defined in Org's syntax
765 * Orgstruct mode:: Structure editing outside Org
768 @node Outlines, Headlines, Document Structure, Document Structure
773 Org is implemented on top of Outline mode. Outlines allow a
774 document to be organized in a hierarchical structure, which (at least
775 for me) is the best representation of notes and thoughts. An overview
776 of this structure is achieved by folding (hiding) large parts of the
777 document to show only the general document structure and the parts
778 currently being worked on. Org greatly simplifies the use of
779 outlines by compressing the entire show/hide functionality into a single
780 command, @command{org-cycle}, which is bound to the @key{TAB} key.
782 @node Headlines, Visibility cycling, Outlines, Document Structure
786 @vindex org-special-ctrl-a/e
788 Headlines define the structure of an outline tree. The headlines in
789 Org start with one or more stars, on the left margin@footnote{See
790 the variable @code{org-special-ctrl-a/e} to configure special behavior
791 of @kbd{C-a} and @kbd{C-e} in headlines.}. For example:
801 * Another top level headline
804 @noindent Some people find the many stars too noisy and would prefer an
805 outline that has whitespace followed by a single star as headline
806 starters. @ref{Clean view}, describes a setup to realize this.
808 @vindex org-cycle-separator-lines
809 An empty line after the end of a subtree is considered part of it and
810 will be hidden when the subtree is folded. However, if you leave at
811 least two empty lines, one empty line will remain visible after folding
812 the subtree, in order to structure the collapsed view. See the
813 variable @code{org-cycle-separator-lines} to modify this behavior.
815 @node Visibility cycling, Motion, Headlines, Document Structure
816 @section Visibility cycling
817 @cindex cycling, visibility
818 @cindex visibility cycling
819 @cindex trees, visibility
820 @cindex show hidden text
823 Outlines make it possible to hide parts of the text in the buffer.
824 Org uses just two commands, bound to @key{TAB} and
825 @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} to change the visibility in the buffer.
827 @cindex subtree visibility states
828 @cindex subtree cycling
829 @cindex folded, subtree visibility state
830 @cindex children, subtree visibility state
831 @cindex subtree, subtree visibility state
835 @emph{Subtree cycling}: Rotate current subtree among the states
838 ,-> FOLDED -> CHILDREN -> SUBTREE --.
839 '-----------------------------------'
842 @vindex org-cycle-emulate-tab
843 @vindex org-cycle-global-at-bob
844 The cursor must be on a headline for this to work@footnote{see, however,
845 the option @code{org-cycle-emulate-tab}.}. When the cursor is at the
846 beginning of the buffer and the first line is not a headline, then
847 @key{TAB} actually runs global cycling (see below)@footnote{see the
848 option @code{org-cycle-global-at-bob}.}. Also when called with a prefix
849 argument (@kbd{C-u @key{TAB}}), global cycling is invoked.
851 @cindex global visibility states
852 @cindex global cycling
853 @cindex overview, global visibility state
854 @cindex contents, global visibility state
855 @cindex show all, global visibility state
859 @emph{Global cycling}: Rotate the entire buffer among the states
862 ,-> OVERVIEW -> CONTENTS -> SHOW ALL --.
863 '--------------------------------------'
866 When @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} is called with a numeric prefix argument N, the
867 CONTENTS view up to headlines of level N will be shown. Note that inside
868 tables, @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} jumps to the previous field.
870 @cindex show all, command
871 @kindex C-u C-u C-u @key{TAB}
872 @item C-u C-u C-u @key{TAB}
873 Show all, including drawers.
876 Reveal context around point, showing the current entry, the following heading
877 and the hierarchy above. Useful for working near a location that has been
878 exposed by a sparse tree command (@pxref{Sparse trees}) or an agenda command
879 (@pxref{Agenda commands}). With a prefix argument show, on each
880 level, all sibling headings. With double prefix arg, also show the entire
881 subtree of the parent.
884 Show the current subtree in an indirect buffer@footnote{The indirect
887 (@pxref{Indirect Buffers,,,emacs,GNU Emacs Manual})
890 (see the Emacs manual for more information about indirect buffers)
892 will contain the entire buffer, but will be narrowed to the current
893 tree. Editing the indirect buffer will also change the original buffer,
894 but without affecting visibility in that buffer.}. With a numeric
895 prefix argument N, go up to level N and then take that tree. If N is
896 negative then go up that many levels. With a @kbd{C-u} prefix, do not remove
897 the previously used indirect buffer.
900 @vindex org-startup-folded
901 @cindex @code{overview}, STARTUP keyword
902 @cindex @code{content}, STARTUP keyword
903 @cindex @code{showall}, STARTUP keyword
904 @cindex @code{showeverything}, STARTUP keyword
906 When Emacs first visits an Org file, the global state is set to
907 OVERVIEW, i.e. only the top level headlines are visible. This can be
908 configured through the variable @code{org-startup-folded}, or on a
909 per-file basis by adding one of the following lines anywhere in the
916 #+STARTUP: showeverything
919 @cindex property, VISIBILITY
921 Furthermore, any entries with a @samp{VISIBILITY} property (@pxref{Properties
922 and Columns}) will get their visibility adapted accordingly. Allowed values
923 for this property are @code{folded}, @code{children}, @code{content}, and
926 @kindex C-u C-u @key{TAB}
927 @item C-u C-u @key{TAB}
928 Switch back to the startup visibility of the buffer, i.e. whatever is
929 requested by startup options and @samp{VISIBILITY} properties in individual
933 @node Motion, Structure editing, Visibility cycling, Document Structure
935 @cindex motion, between headlines
936 @cindex jumping, to headlines
937 @cindex headline navigation
938 The following commands jump to other headlines in the buffer.
949 Next heading same level.
952 Previous heading same level.
955 Backward to higher level heading.
958 Jump to a different place without changing the current outline
959 visibility. Shows the document structure in a temporary buffer, where
960 you can use the following keys to find your destination:
961 @vindex org-goto-auto-isearch
963 @key{TAB} @r{Cycle visibility.}
964 @key{down} / @key{up} @r{Next/previous visible headline.}
965 @key{RET} @r{Select this location.}
966 @kbd{/} @r{Do a Sparse-tree search}
967 @r{The following keys work if you turn off @code{org-goto-auto-isearch}}
968 n / p @r{Next/previous visible headline.}
969 f / b @r{Next/previous headline same level.}
971 0-9 @r{Digit argument.}
974 @vindex org-goto-interface
976 See also the variable @code{org-goto-interface}.
979 @node Structure editing, Sparse trees, Motion, Document Structure
980 @section Structure editing
981 @cindex structure editing
982 @cindex headline, promotion and demotion
983 @cindex promotion, of subtrees
984 @cindex demotion, of subtrees
985 @cindex subtree, cut and paste
986 @cindex pasting, of subtrees
987 @cindex cutting, of subtrees
988 @cindex copying, of subtrees
989 @cindex sorting, of subtrees
990 @cindex subtrees, cut and paste
995 @vindex org-M-RET-may-split-line
996 Insert new heading with same level as current. If the cursor is in a
997 plain list item, a new item is created (@pxref{Plain lists}). To force
998 creation of a new headline, use a prefix argument, or first press @key{RET}
999 to get to the beginning of the next line. When this command is used in
1000 the middle of a line, the line is split and the rest of the line becomes
1001 the new headline@footnote{If you do not want the line to be split,
1002 customize the variable @code{org-M-RET-may-split-line}.}. If the
1003 command is used at the beginning of a headline, the new headline is
1004 created before the current line. If at the beginning of any other line,
1005 the content of that line is made the new heading. If the command is
1006 used at the end of a folded subtree (i.e. behind the ellipses at the end
1007 of a headline), then a headline like the current one will be inserted
1008 after the end of the subtree.
1011 Just like @kbd{M-@key{RET}}, except when adding a new heading below the
1012 current heading, the new heading is placed after the body instead of before
1013 it. This command works from anywhere in the entry.
1014 @kindex M-S-@key{RET}
1016 @vindex org-treat-insert-todo-heading-as-state-change
1017 Insert new TODO entry with same level as current heading. See also the
1018 variable @code{org-treat-insert-todo-heading-as-state-change}.
1019 @kindex C-S-@key{RET}
1021 Insert new TODO entry with same level as current heading. Like
1022 @kbd{C-@key{RET}}, the new headline will be inserted after the current
1025 @item @key{TAB} @r{in new, empty entry}
1026 In a new entry with no text yet, the first @key{TAB} demotes the entry to
1027 become a child of the previous one. The next @key{TAB} makes it a parent,
1028 and so on, all the way to top level. Yet another @key{TAB}, and you are back
1029 to the initial level.
1030 @kindex M-@key{left}
1032 Promote current heading by one level.
1033 @kindex M-@key{right}
1035 Demote current heading by one level.
1036 @kindex M-S-@key{left}
1037 @item M-S-@key{left}
1038 Promote the current subtree by one level.
1039 @kindex M-S-@key{right}
1040 @item M-S-@key{right}
1041 Demote the current subtree by one level.
1042 @kindex M-S-@key{up}
1044 Move subtree up (swap with previous subtree of same
1046 @kindex M-S-@key{down}
1047 @item M-S-@key{down}
1048 Move subtree down (swap with next subtree of same level).
1051 Kill subtree, i.e. remove it from buffer but save in kill ring.
1052 With a numeric prefix argument N, kill N sequential subtrees.
1055 Copy subtree to kill ring. With a numeric prefix argument N, copy the N
1056 sequential subtrees.
1059 Yank subtree from kill ring. This does modify the level of the subtree to
1060 make sure the tree fits in nicely at the yank position. The yank level can
1061 also be specified with a numeric prefix argument, or by yanking after a
1062 headline marker like @samp{****}.
1065 @vindex org-yank-adjusted-subtrees
1066 @vindex org-yank-folded-subtrees
1067 Depending on the variables @code{org-yank-adjusted-subtrees} and
1068 @code{org-yank-folded-subtrees}, Org's internal @code{yank} command will
1069 paste subtrees folded and in a clever way, using the same command as @kbd{C-c
1070 C-x C-y}. With the default settings, no level adjustment will take place,
1071 but the yanked tree will be folded unless doing so would swallow text
1072 previously visible. Any prefix argument to this command will force a normal
1073 @code{yank} to be executed, with the prefix passed along. A good way to
1074 force a normal yank is @kbd{C-u C-y}. If you use @code{yank-pop} after a
1075 yank, it will yank previous kill items plainly, without adjustment and
1079 Clone a subtree by making a number of sibling copies of it. You will be
1080 prompted for the number of copies to make, and you can also specify if any
1081 timestamps in the entry should be shifted. This can be useful, for example,
1082 to create a number of tasks related to a series of lectures to prepare. For
1083 more details, see the docstring of the command
1084 @code{org-clone-subtree-with-time-shift}.
1087 Refile entry or region to a different location. @xref{Refiling notes}.
1090 Sort same-level entries. When there is an active region, all entries in the
1091 region will be sorted. Otherwise the children of the current headline are
1092 sorted. The command prompts for the sorting method, which can be
1093 alphabetically, numerically, by time (first timestamp with active preferred,
1094 creation time, scheduled time, deadline time), by priority, by TODO keyword
1095 (in the sequence the keywords have been defined in the setup) or by the value
1096 of a property. Reverse sorting is possible as well. You can also supply
1097 your own function to extract the sorting key. With a @kbd{C-u} prefix,
1098 sorting will be case-sensitive. With two @kbd{C-u C-u} prefixes, duplicate
1099 entries will also be removed.
1102 Narrow buffer to current subtree.
1105 Widen buffer to remove narrowing.
1108 Turn a normal line or plain list item into a headline (so that it becomes a
1109 subheading at its location). Also turn a headline into a normal line by
1110 removing the stars. If there is an active region, turn all lines in the
1111 region into headlines. If the first line in the region was an item, turn
1112 only the item lines into headlines. Finally, if the first line is a
1113 headline, remove the stars from all headlines in the region.
1116 @cindex region, active
1117 @cindex active region
1118 @cindex transient mark mode
1119 When there is an active region (Transient Mark mode), promotion and
1120 demotion work on all headlines in the region. To select a region of
1121 headlines, it is best to place both point and mark at the beginning of a
1122 line, mark at the beginning of the first headline, and point at the line
1123 just after the last headline to change. Note that when the cursor is
1124 inside a table (@pxref{Tables}), the Meta-Cursor keys have different
1128 @node Sparse trees, Plain lists, Structure editing, Document Structure
1129 @section Sparse trees
1130 @cindex sparse trees
1131 @cindex trees, sparse
1132 @cindex folding, sparse trees
1133 @cindex occur, command
1135 @vindex org-show-hierarchy-above
1136 @vindex org-show-following-heading
1137 @vindex org-show-siblings
1138 @vindex org-show-entry-below
1139 An important feature of Org mode is the ability to construct @emph{sparse
1140 trees} for selected information in an outline tree, so that the entire
1141 document is folded as much as possible, but the selected information is made
1142 visible along with the headline structure above it@footnote{See also the
1143 variables @code{org-show-hierarchy-above}, @code{org-show-following-heading},
1144 @code{org-show-siblings}, and @code{org-show-entry-below} for detailed
1145 control on how much context is shown around each match.}. Just try it out
1146 and you will see immediately how it works.
1148 Org mode contains several commands creating such trees, all these
1149 commands can be accessed through a dispatcher:
1154 This prompts for an extra key to select a sparse-tree creating command.
1157 @vindex org-remove-highlights-with-change
1158 Occur. Prompts for a regexp and shows a sparse tree with all matches. If
1159 the match is in a headline, the headline is made visible. If the match is in
1160 the body of an entry, headline and body are made visible. In order to
1161 provide minimal context, also the full hierarchy of headlines above the match
1162 is shown, as well as the headline following the match. Each match is also
1163 highlighted; the highlights disappear when the buffer is changed by an
1164 editing command@footnote{This depends on the option
1165 @code{org-remove-highlights-with-change}}, or by pressing @kbd{C-c C-c}.
1166 When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix argument, previous highlights are kept,
1167 so several calls to this command can be stacked.
1171 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands
1172 For frequently used sparse trees of specific search strings, you can
1173 use the variable @code{org-agenda-custom-commands} to define fast
1174 keyboard access to specific sparse trees. These commands will then be
1175 accessible through the agenda dispatcher (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}).
1179 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
1180 '(("f" occur-tree "FIXME")))
1183 @noindent will define the key @kbd{C-c a f} as a shortcut for creating
1184 a sparse tree matching the string @samp{FIXME}.
1186 The other sparse tree commands select headings based on TODO keywords,
1187 tags, or properties and will be discussed later in this manual.
1190 @cindex printing sparse trees
1191 @cindex visible text, printing
1192 To print a sparse tree, you can use the Emacs command
1193 @code{ps-print-buffer-with-faces} which does not print invisible parts
1194 of the document @footnote{This does not work under XEmacs, because
1195 XEmacs uses selective display for outlining, not text properties.}.
1196 Or you can use the command @kbd{C-c C-e v} to export only the visible
1197 part of the document and print the resulting file.
1199 @node Plain lists, Drawers, Sparse trees, Document Structure
1200 @section Plain lists
1202 @cindex lists, plain
1203 @cindex lists, ordered
1204 @cindex ordered lists
1206 Within an entry of the outline tree, hand-formatted lists can provide
1207 additional structure. They also provide a way to create lists of
1208 checkboxes (@pxref{Checkboxes}). Org supports editing such lists,
1209 and the HTML exporter (@pxref{Exporting}) parses and formats them.
1211 Org knows ordered lists, unordered lists, and description lists.
1214 @emph{Unordered} list items start with @samp{-}, @samp{+}, or
1215 @samp{*}@footnote{When using @samp{*} as a bullet, lines must be indented or
1216 they will be seen as top-level headlines. Also, when you are hiding leading
1217 stars to get a clean outline view, plain list items starting with a star are
1218 visually indistinguishable from true headlines. In short: even though
1219 @samp{*} is supported, it may be better to not use it for plain list items.}
1222 @emph{Ordered} list items start with a numeral followed by either a period or
1223 a right parenthesis, such as @samp{1.} or @samp{1)}.
1225 @emph{Description} list items are unordered list items, and contain the
1226 separator @samp{ :: } to separate the description @emph{term} from the
1230 @vindex org-empty-line-terminates-plain-lists
1231 Items belonging to the same list must have the same indentation on the first
1232 line. In particular, if an ordered list reaches number @samp{10.}, then the
1233 2--digit numbers must be written left-aligned with the other numbers in the
1234 list. Indentation also determines the end of a list item. It ends before
1235 the next line that is indented like the bullet/number, or less. Empty lines
1236 are part of the previous item, so you can have several paragraphs in one
1237 item. If you would like an empty line to terminate all currently open plain
1238 lists, configure the variable @code{org-empty-line-terminates-plain-lists}.
1243 ** Lord of the Rings
1244 My favorite scenes are (in this order)
1245 1. The attack of the Rohirrim
1246 2. Eowyn's fight with the witch king
1247 + this was already my favorite scene in the book
1248 + I really like Miranda Otto.
1249 3. Peter Jackson being shot by Legolas
1251 He makes a really funny face when it happens.
1252 But in the end, no individual scenes matter but the film as a whole.
1253 Important actors in this film are:
1254 - @b{Elijah Wood} :: He plays Frodo
1255 - @b{Sean Austin} :: He plays Sam, Frodo's friend. I still remember
1256 him very well from his role as Mikey Walsh in @i{The Goonies}.
1260 Org supports these lists by tuning filling and wrapping commands to deal with
1261 them correctly@footnote{Org only changes the filling settings for Emacs. For
1262 XEmacs, you should use Kyle E. Jones' @file{filladapt.el}. To turn this on,
1263 put into @file{.emacs}: @code{(require 'filladapt)}}, and by exporting them
1264 properly (@pxref{Exporting}). Since indentation is what governs the
1265 structure of these lists, many structural constructs like @code{#+BEGIN_...}
1266 blocks can be indented to signal that they should be part of a list item.
1268 The following commands act on items when the cursor is in the first line
1269 of an item (the line with the bullet or number).
1274 @vindex org-cycle-include-plain-lists
1275 Items can be folded just like headline levels. Normally this works only if
1276 the cursor is on a plain list item. For more details, see the variable
1277 @code{org-cycle-include-plain-lists}. to @code{integrate}, plain list items
1278 will be treated like low-level. The level of an item is then given by the
1279 indentation of the bullet/number. Items are always subordinate to real
1280 headlines, however; the hierarchies remain completely separated.
1282 If @code{org-cycle-include-plain-lists} has not been set, @key{TAB}
1283 fixes the indentation of the current line in a heuristic way.
1286 @vindex org-M-RET-may-split-line
1287 Insert new item at current level. With a prefix argument, force a new
1288 heading (@pxref{Structure editing}). If this command is used in the middle
1289 of a line, the line is @emph{split} and the rest of the line becomes the new
1290 item@footnote{If you do not want the line to be split, customize the variable
1291 @code{org-M-RET-may-split-line}.}. If this command is executed in the
1292 @emph{whitespace before a bullet or number}, the new item is created
1293 @emph{before} the current item. If the command is executed in the white
1294 space before the text that is part of an item but does not contain the
1295 bullet, a bullet is added to the current line.
1296 @kindex M-S-@key{RET}
1298 Insert a new item with a checkbox (@pxref{Checkboxes}).
1300 @item @key{TAB} @r{in new, empty item}
1301 In a new item with no text yet, the first @key{TAB} demotes the item to
1302 become a child of the previous one. The next @key{TAB} makes it a parent,
1303 and so on, all the way to the left margin. Yet another @key{TAB}, and you
1304 are back to the initial level.
1306 @kindex S-@key{down}
1309 @cindex shift-selection-mode
1310 @vindex org-support-shift-select
1311 Jump to the previous/next item in the current list, but only if
1312 @code{org-support-shift-select} is off. If not, you can still use paragraph
1313 jumping commands like @kbd{C-@key{up}} and @kbd{C-@key{down}} to quite
1315 @kindex M-S-@key{up}
1316 @kindex M-S-@key{down}
1318 @itemx M-S-@key{down}
1319 Move the item including subitems up/down (swap with previous/next item
1320 of same indentation). If the list is ordered, renumbering is
1322 @kindex M-S-@key{left}
1323 @kindex M-S-@key{right}
1324 @item M-S-@key{left}
1325 @itemx M-S-@key{right}
1326 Decrease/increase the indentation of the item, including subitems.
1327 Initially, the item tree is selected based on current indentation.
1328 When these commands are executed several times in direct succession,
1329 the initially selected region is used, even if the new indentation
1330 would imply a different hierarchy. To use the new hierarchy, break
1331 the command chain with a cursor motion or so.
1334 If there is a checkbox (@pxref{Checkboxes}) in the item line, toggle the
1335 state of the checkbox. If not, this command makes sure that all the
1336 items on this list level use the same bullet. Furthermore, if this is
1337 an ordered list, make sure the numbering is OK.
1340 Cycle the entire list level through the different itemize/enumerate bullets
1341 (@samp{-}, @samp{+}, @samp{*}, @samp{1.}, @samp{1)}). With a numeric prefix
1342 argument N, select the Nth bullet from this list. If there is an active
1343 region when calling this, all lines will be converted to list items. If the
1344 first line already was a list item, any item markers will be removed from the
1345 list. Finally, even without an active region, a normal line will be
1346 converted into a list item.
1349 Turn a plain list item into a headline (so that it becomes a subheading at
1350 its location). @xref{Structure editing}, for a detailed explanation.
1351 @kindex S-@key{left}
1352 @kindex S-@key{right}
1353 @item S-@key{left}/@key{right}
1354 @vindex org-support-shift-select
1355 This command also cycles bullet styles when the cursor in on the bullet or
1356 anywhere in an item line, details depending on
1357 @code{org-support-shift-select}.
1360 Sort the plain list. You will be prompted for the sorting method:
1361 numerically, alphabetically, by time, or by custom function.
1364 @node Drawers, Blocks, Plain lists, Document Structure
1368 @cindex visibility cycling, drawers
1371 Sometimes you want to keep information associated with an entry, but you
1372 normally don't want to see it. For this, Org mode has @emph{drawers}.
1373 Drawers need to be configured with the variable
1374 @code{org-drawers}@footnote{You can define drawers on a per-file basis
1375 with a line like @code{#+DRAWERS: HIDDEN PROPERTIES STATE}}. Drawers
1379 ** This is a headline
1380 Still outside the drawer
1382 This is inside the drawer.
1387 Visibility cycling (@pxref{Visibility cycling}) on the headline will hide and
1388 show the entry, but keep the drawer collapsed to a single line. In order to
1389 look inside the drawer, you need to move the cursor to the drawer line and
1390 press @key{TAB} there. Org mode uses the @code{PROPERTIES} drawer for
1391 storing properties (@pxref{Properties and Columns}), and you can also arrange
1392 for state change notes (@pxref{Tracking TODO state changes}) and clock times
1393 (@pxref{Clocking work time}) to be stored in a drawer @code{LOGBOOK}. If you
1394 want to store a quick note in the LOGBOOK drawer, in a similar way as this is
1395 done by state changes, use
1400 Add a time-stamped note to the LOGBOOK drawer.
1403 @node Blocks, Footnotes, Drawers, Document Structure
1406 @vindex org-hide-block-startup
1407 @cindex blocks, folding
1408 Org-mode uses begin...end blocks for various purposes from including source
1409 code examples (@pxref{Literal examples}) to capturing time logging
1410 information (@pxref{Clocking work time}). These blocks can be folded and
1411 unfolded by pressing TAB in the begin line. You can also get all blocks
1412 folded at startup by configuring the variable @code{org-hide-block-startup}
1413 or on a per-file basis by using
1415 @cindex @code{hideblocks}, STARTUP keyword
1416 @cindex @code{nohideblocks}, STARTUP keyword
1418 #+STARTUP: hideblocks
1419 #+STARTUP: nohideblocks
1422 @node Footnotes, Orgstruct mode, Blocks, Document Structure
1426 Org mode supports the creation of footnotes. In contrast to the
1427 @file{footnote.el} package, Org mode's footnotes are designed for work on a
1428 larger document, not only for one-off documents like emails. The basic
1429 syntax is similar to the one used by @file{footnote.el}, i.e. a footnote is
1430 defined in a paragraph that is started by a footnote marker in square
1431 brackets in column 0, no indentation allowed. If you need a paragraph break
1432 inside a footnote, use the La@TeX{} idiom @samp{\par}. The footnote reference
1433 is simply the marker in square brackets, inside text. For example:
1436 The Org homepage[fn:1] now looks a lot better than it used to.
1438 [fn:1] The link is: http://orgmode.org
1441 Org mode extends the number-based syntax to @emph{named} footnotes and
1442 optional inline definition. Using plain numbers as markers (as
1443 @file{footnote.el} does) is supported for backward compatibility, but not
1444 encouraged because of possible conflicts with La@TeX{} snippets (@pxref{Embedded
1445 LaTeX}). Here are the valid references:
1449 A plain numeric footnote marker. Compatible with @file{footnote.el}, but not
1450 recommended because somthing like @samp{[1]} could easily be part of a code
1453 A named footnote reference, where @code{name} is a unique label word, or, for
1454 simplicity of automatic creation, a number.
1455 @item [fn:: This is the inline definition of this footnote]
1456 A La@TeX{}-like anonymous footnote where the definition is given directly at the
1458 @item [fn:name: a definition]
1459 An inline definition of a footnote, which also specifies a name for the note.
1460 Since Org allows multiple references to the same note, you can then use
1461 @code{[fn:name]} to create additional references.
1464 @vindex org-footnote-auto-label
1465 Footnote labels can be created automatically, or you can create names yourself.
1466 This is handled by the variable @code{org-footnote-auto-label} and its
1467 corresponding @code{#+STARTUP} keywords, see the docstring of that variable
1470 @noindent The following command handles footnotes:
1475 The footnote action command.
1477 When the cursor is on a footnote reference, jump to the definition. When it
1478 is at a definition, jump to the (first) reference.
1480 @vindex org-footnote-define-inline
1481 @vindex org-footnote-section
1482 @vindex org-footnote-auto-adjust
1483 Otherwise, create a new footnote. Depending on the variable
1484 @code{org-footnote-define-inline}@footnote{The corresponding in-buffer
1485 setting is: @code{#+STARTUP: fninline} or @code{#+STARTUP: nofninline}}, the
1486 definition will be placed right into the text as part of the reference, or
1487 separately into the location determined by the variable
1488 @code{org-footnote-section}.
1490 When this command is called with a prefix argument, a menu of additional
1493 s @r{Sort the footnote definitions by reference sequence. During editing,}
1494 @r{Org makes no effort to sort footnote definitions into a particular}
1495 @r{sequence. If you want them sorted, use this command, which will}
1496 @r{also move entries according to @code{org-footnote-section}. Automatic}
1497 @r{sorting after each insertion/deletion can be configured using the}
1498 @r{variable @code{org-footnote-auto-adjust}.}
1499 r @r{Renumber the simple @code{fn:N} footnotes. Automatic renumbering}
1500 @r{after each insertion/deletion can be configured using the variable}
1501 @r{@code{org-footnote-auto-adjust}.}
1502 S @r{Short for first @code{r}, then @code{s} action.}
1503 n @r{Normalize the footnotes by collecting all definitions (including}
1504 @r{inline definitions) into a special section, and then numbering them}
1505 @r{in sequence. The references will then also be numbers. This is}
1506 @r{meant to be the final step before finishing a document (e.g. sending}
1507 @r{off an email). The exporters do this automatically, and so could}
1508 @r{something like @code{message-send-hook}.}
1509 d @r{Delete the footnote at point, and all definitions of and references}
1512 Depending on the variable @code{org-footnote-auto-adjust}@footnote{the
1513 corresponding in-buffer options are @code{fnadjust} and @code{nofnadjust}.},
1514 renumbering and sorting footnotes can be automatic after each insertion or
1519 If the cursor is on a footnote reference, jump to the definition. If it is a
1520 the definition, jump back to the reference. When called at a footnote
1521 location with a prefix argument, offer the same menu as @kbd{C-c C-x f}.
1525 @item C-c C-o @r{or} mouse-1/2
1526 Footnote labels are also links to the corresponding definition/reference, and
1527 you can use the usual commands to follow these links.
1530 @node Orgstruct mode, , Footnotes, Document Structure
1531 @section The Orgstruct minor mode
1532 @cindex Orgstruct mode
1533 @cindex minor mode for structure editing
1535 If you like the intuitive way the Org mode structure editing and list
1536 formatting works, you might want to use these commands in other modes like
1537 Text mode or Mail mode as well. The minor mode @code{orgstruct-mode} makes
1538 this possible. Toggle the mode with @kbd{M-x orgstruct-mode}, or
1539 turn it on by default, for example in Mail mode, with one of:
1542 (add-hook 'mail-mode-hook 'turn-on-orgstruct)
1543 (add-hook 'mail-mode-hook 'turn-on-orgstruct++)
1546 When this mode is active and the cursor is on a line that looks to Org like a
1547 headline or the first line of a list item, most structure editing commands
1548 will work, even if the same keys normally have different functionality in the
1549 major mode you are using. If the cursor is not in one of those special
1550 lines, Orgstruct mode lurks silently in the shadow. When you use
1551 @code{orgstruct++-mode}, Org will also export indentation and autofill
1552 settings into that mode, and detect item context after the first line of an
1555 @node Tables, Hyperlinks, Document Structure, Top
1558 @cindex editing tables
1560 Org comes with a fast and intuitive table editor. Spreadsheet-like
1561 calculations are supported in connection with the Emacs @file{calc}
1564 (@pxref{Top,Calc,,Calc,Gnu Emacs Calculator Manual}).
1567 (see the Emacs Calculator manual for more information about the Emacs
1572 * Built-in table editor:: Simple tables
1573 * Column width and alignment:: Overrule the automatic settings
1574 * Column groups:: Grouping to trigger vertical lines
1575 * Orgtbl mode:: The table editor as minor mode
1576 * The spreadsheet:: The table editor has spreadsheet capabilities
1577 * Org-Plot:: Plotting from org tables
1580 @node Built-in table editor, Column width and alignment, Tables, Tables
1581 @section The built-in table editor
1582 @cindex table editor, built-in
1584 Org makes it easy to format tables in plain ASCII. Any line with
1585 @samp{|} as the first non-whitespace character is considered part of a
1586 table. @samp{|} is also the column separator. A table might look like
1590 | Name | Phone | Age |
1591 |-------+-------+-----|
1592 | Peter | 1234 | 17 |
1593 | Anna | 4321 | 25 |
1596 A table is re-aligned automatically each time you press @key{TAB} or
1597 @key{RET} or @kbd{C-c C-c} inside the table. @key{TAB} also moves to
1598 the next field (@key{RET} to the next row) and creates new table rows
1599 at the end of the table or before horizontal lines. The indentation
1600 of the table is set by the first line. Any line starting with
1601 @samp{|-} is considered as a horizontal separator line and will be
1602 expanded on the next re-align to span the whole table width. So, to
1603 create the above table, you would only type
1610 @noindent and then press @key{TAB} to align the table and start filling in
1611 fields. Even faster would be to type @code{|Name|Phone|Age} followed by
1612 @kbd{C-c @key{RET}}.
1614 @vindex org-enable-table-editor
1615 @vindex org-table-auto-blank-field
1616 When typing text into a field, Org treats @key{DEL},
1617 @key{Backspace}, and all character keys in a special way, so that
1618 inserting and deleting avoids shifting other fields. Also, when
1619 typing @emph{immediately after the cursor was moved into a new field
1620 with @kbd{@key{TAB}}, @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} or @kbd{@key{RET}}}, the
1621 field is automatically made blank. If this behavior is too
1622 unpredictable for you, configure the variables
1623 @code{org-enable-table-editor} and @code{org-table-auto-blank-field}.
1626 @tsubheading{Creation and conversion}
1629 Convert the active region to table. If every line contains at least one
1630 TAB character, the function assumes that the material is tab separated.
1631 If every line contains a comma, comma-separated values (CSV) are assumed.
1632 If not, lines are split at whitespace into fields. You can use a prefix
1633 argument to force a specific separator: @kbd{C-u} forces CSV, @kbd{C-u
1634 C-u} forces TAB, and a numeric argument N indicates that at least N
1635 consecutive spaces, or alternatively a TAB will be the separator.
1637 If there is no active region, this command creates an empty Org
1638 table. But it's easier just to start typing, like
1639 @kbd{|Name|Phone|Age @key{RET} |- @key{TAB}}.
1641 @tsubheading{Re-aligning and field motion}
1644 Re-align the table without moving the cursor.
1648 Re-align the table, move to the next field. Creates a new row if
1653 Re-align, move to previous field.
1657 Re-align the table and move down to next row. Creates a new row if
1658 necessary. At the beginning or end of a line, @key{RET} still does
1659 NEWLINE, so it can be used to split a table.
1663 Move to beginning of the current table field, or on to the previous field.
1666 Move to end of the current table field, or on to the next field.
1668 @tsubheading{Column and row editing}
1669 @kindex M-@key{left}
1670 @kindex M-@key{right}
1672 @itemx M-@key{right}
1673 Move the current column left/right.
1675 @kindex M-S-@key{left}
1676 @item M-S-@key{left}
1677 Kill the current column.
1679 @kindex M-S-@key{right}
1680 @item M-S-@key{right}
1681 Insert a new column to the left of the cursor position.
1684 @kindex M-@key{down}
1687 Move the current row up/down.
1689 @kindex M-S-@key{up}
1691 Kill the current row or horizontal line.
1693 @kindex M-S-@key{down}
1694 @item M-S-@key{down}
1695 Insert a new row above the current row. With a prefix argument, the line is
1696 created below the current one.
1700 Insert a horizontal line below current row. With a prefix argument, the line
1701 is created above the current line.
1703 @kindex C-c @key{RET}
1705 Insert a horizontal line below current row, and move the cursor into the row
1710 Sort the table lines in the region. The position of point indicates the
1711 column to be used for sorting, and the range of lines is the range
1712 between the nearest horizontal separator lines, or the entire table. If
1713 point is before the first column, you will be prompted for the sorting
1714 column. If there is an active region, the mark specifies the first line
1715 and the sorting column, while point should be in the last line to be
1716 included into the sorting. The command prompts for the sorting type
1717 (alphabetically, numerically, or by time). When called with a prefix
1718 argument, alphabetic sorting will be case-sensitive.
1720 @tsubheading{Regions}
1723 Copy a rectangular region from a table to a special clipboard. Point and
1724 mark determine edge fields of the rectangle. If there is no active region,
1725 copy just the current field. The process ignores horizontal separator lines.
1729 Copy a rectangular region from a table to a special clipboard, and
1730 blank all fields in the rectangle. So this is the ``cut'' operation.
1734 Paste a rectangular region into a table.
1735 The upper left corner ends up in the current field. All involved fields
1736 will be overwritten. If the rectangle does not fit into the present table,
1737 the table is enlarged as needed. The process ignores horizontal separator
1742 Wrap several fields in a column like a paragraph. If there is an active
1743 region, and both point and mark are in the same column, the text in the
1744 column is wrapped to minimum width for the given number of lines. A numeric
1745 prefix argument may be used to change the number of desired lines. If there
1746 is no region, the current field is split at the cursor position and the text
1747 fragment to the right of the cursor is prepended to the field one line
1748 down. If there is no region, but you specify a prefix argument, the current
1749 field is made blank, and the content is appended to the field above.
1751 @tsubheading{Calculations}
1752 @cindex formula, in tables
1753 @cindex calculations, in tables
1754 @cindex region, active
1755 @cindex active region
1756 @cindex transient mark mode
1759 Sum the numbers in the current column, or in the rectangle defined by
1760 the active region. The result is shown in the echo area and can
1761 be inserted with @kbd{C-y}.
1765 @vindex org-table-copy-increment
1766 When current field is empty, copy from first non-empty field above. When not
1767 empty, copy current field down to next row and move cursor along with it.
1768 Depending on the variable @code{org-table-copy-increment}, integer field
1769 values will be incremented during copy. Integers that are too large will not
1770 be incremented. Also, a @code{0} prefix argument temporarily disables the
1771 increment. This key is also used by shift-selection and related modes
1772 (@pxref{Conflicts}).
1774 @tsubheading{Miscellaneous}
1777 Edit the current field in a separate window. This is useful for fields that
1778 are not fully visible (@pxref{Column width and alignment}). When called with
1779 a @kbd{C-u} prefix, just make the full field visible, so that it can be
1782 @item M-x org-table-import
1783 Import a file as a table. The table should be TAB or whitespace
1784 separated. Use, for example, to import a spreadsheet table or data
1785 from a database, because these programs generally can write
1786 TAB-separated text files. This command works by inserting the file into
1787 the buffer and then converting the region to a table. Any prefix
1788 argument is passed on to the converter, which uses it to determine the
1791 Tables can also be imported by pasting tabular text into the Org
1792 buffer, selecting the pasted text with @kbd{C-x C-x} and then using the
1793 @kbd{C-c |} command (see above under @i{Creation and conversion}).
1795 @item M-x org-table-export
1796 @vindex org-table-export-default-format
1797 Export the table, by default as a TAB-separated file. Use for data
1798 exchange with, for example, spreadsheet or database programs. The format
1799 used to export the file can be configured in the variable
1800 @code{org-table-export-default-format}. You may also use properties
1801 @code{TABLE_EXPORT_FILE} and @code{TABLE_EXPORT_FORMAT} to specify the file
1802 name and the format for table export in a subtree. Org supports quite
1803 general formats for exported tables. The exporter format is the same as the
1804 format used by Orgtbl radio tables, see @ref{Translator functions}, for a
1805 detailed description.
1808 If you don't like the automatic table editor because it gets in your
1809 way on lines which you would like to start with @samp{|}, you can turn
1813 (setq org-enable-table-editor nil)
1816 @noindent Then the only table command that still works is
1817 @kbd{C-c C-c} to do a manual re-align.
1819 @node Column width and alignment, Column groups, Built-in table editor, Tables
1820 @section Column width and alignment
1821 @cindex narrow columns in tables
1822 @cindex alignment in tables
1824 The width of columns is automatically determined by the table editor. And
1825 also the alignment of a column is determined automatically from the fraction
1826 of number-like versus non-number fields in the column.
1828 Sometimes a single field or a few fields need to carry more text,
1829 leading to inconveniently wide columns. To limit@footnote{This feature
1830 does not work on XEmacs.} the width of a column, one field anywhere in
1831 the column may contain just the string @samp{<N>} where @samp{N} is an
1832 integer specifying the width of the column in characters. The next
1833 re-align will then set the width of this column to no more than this
1838 |---+------------------------------| |---+--------|
1840 | 1 | one | | 1 | one |
1841 | 2 | two | ----\ | 2 | two |
1842 | 3 | This is a long chunk of text | ----/ | 3 | This=> |
1843 | 4 | four | | 4 | four |
1844 |---+------------------------------| |---+--------|
1849 Fields that are wider become clipped and end in the string @samp{=>}.
1850 Note that the full text is still in the buffer, it is only invisible.
1851 To see the full text, hold the mouse over the field---a tool-tip window
1852 will show the full content. To edit such a field, use the command
1853 @kbd{C-c `} (that is @kbd{C-c} followed by the backquote). This will
1854 open a new window with the full field. Edit it and finish with @kbd{C-c
1857 @vindex org-startup-align-all-tables
1858 When visiting a file containing a table with narrowed columns, the
1859 necessary character hiding has not yet happened, and the table needs to
1860 be aligned before it looks nice. Setting the option
1861 @code{org-startup-align-all-tables} will realign all tables in a file
1862 upon visiting, but also slow down startup. You can also set this option
1863 on a per-file basis with:
1870 If you would like to overrule the automatic alignment of number-rich columns
1871 to the right and of string-rich column to the left, you and use @samp{<r>} or
1872 @samp{<l>} in a similar fashion. You may also combine alignment and field
1873 width like this: @samp{<l10>}.
1875 @node Column groups, Orgtbl mode, Column width and alignment, Tables
1876 @section Column groups
1877 @cindex grouping columns in tables
1879 When Org exports tables, it does so by default without vertical
1880 lines because that is visually more satisfying in general. Occasionally
1881 however, vertical lines can be useful to structure a table into groups
1882 of columns, much like horizontal lines can do for groups of rows. In
1883 order to specify column groups, you can use a special row where the
1884 first field contains only @samp{/}. The further fields can either
1885 contain @samp{<} to indicate that this column should start a group,
1886 @samp{>} to indicate the end of a column, or @samp{<>} to make a column
1887 a group of its own. Boundaries between column groups will upon export be
1888 marked with vertical lines. Here is an example:
1891 | | N | N^2 | N^3 | N^4 | sqrt(n) | sqrt[4](N) |
1892 |---+----+-----+-----+-----+---------+------------|
1893 | / | <> | < | | > | < | > |
1894 | # | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
1895 | # | 2 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 1.4142 | 1.1892 |
1896 | # | 3 | 9 | 27 | 81 | 1.7321 | 1.3161 |
1897 |---+----+-----+-----+-----+---------+------------|
1898 #+TBLFM: $3=$2^2::$4=$2^3::$5=$2^4::$6=sqrt($2)::$7=sqrt(sqrt(($2)))
1901 It is also sufficient to just insert the column group starters after
1902 every vertical line you'd like to have:
1905 | N | N^2 | N^3 | N^4 | sqrt(n) | sqrt[4](N) |
1906 |----+-----+-----+-----+---------+------------|
1910 @node Orgtbl mode, The spreadsheet, Column groups, Tables
1911 @section The Orgtbl minor mode
1913 @cindex minor mode for tables
1915 If you like the intuitive way the Org table editor works, you
1916 might also want to use it in other modes like Text mode or Mail mode.
1917 The minor mode Orgtbl mode makes this possible. You can always toggle
1918 the mode with @kbd{M-x orgtbl-mode}. To turn it on by default, for
1919 example in mail mode, use
1922 (add-hook 'mail-mode-hook 'turn-on-orgtbl)
1925 Furthermore, with some special setup, it is possible to maintain tables
1926 in arbitrary syntax with Orgtbl mode. For example, it is possible to
1927 construct La@TeX{} tables with the underlying ease and power of
1928 Orgtbl mode, including spreadsheet capabilities. For details, see
1929 @ref{Tables in arbitrary syntax}.
1931 @node The spreadsheet, Org-Plot, Orgtbl mode, Tables
1932 @section The spreadsheet
1933 @cindex calculations, in tables
1934 @cindex spreadsheet capabilities
1935 @cindex @file{calc} package
1937 The table editor makes use of the Emacs @file{calc} package to implement
1938 spreadsheet-like capabilities. It can also evaluate Emacs Lisp forms to
1939 derive fields from other fields. While fully featured, Org's implementation
1940 is not identical to other spreadsheets. For example, Org knows the concept
1941 of a @emph{column formula} that will be applied to all non-header fields in a
1942 column without having to copy the formula to each relevant field. There is
1943 also a formula debugger, and a formula editor with features for highlighting
1944 fields in the table corresponding to the references at the point in the
1945 formula, moving these references by arrow keys
1948 * References:: How to refer to another field or range
1949 * Formula syntax for Calc:: Using Calc to compute stuff
1950 * Formula syntax for Lisp:: Writing formulas in Emacs Lisp
1951 * Field formulas:: Formulas valid for a single field
1952 * Column formulas:: Formulas valid for an entire column
1953 * Editing and debugging formulas:: Fixing formulas
1954 * Updating the table:: Recomputing all dependent fields
1955 * Advanced features:: Field names, parameters and automatic recalc
1958 @node References, Formula syntax for Calc, The spreadsheet, The spreadsheet
1959 @subsection References
1962 To compute fields in the table from other fields, formulas must
1963 reference other fields or ranges. In Org, fields can be referenced
1964 by name, by absolute coordinates, and by relative coordinates. To find
1965 out what the coordinates of a field are, press @kbd{C-c ?} in that
1966 field, or press @kbd{C-c @}} to toggle the display of a grid.
1968 @subsubheading Field references
1969 @cindex field references
1970 @cindex references, to fields
1972 Formulas can reference the value of another field in two ways. Like in
1973 any other spreadsheet, you may reference fields with a letter/number
1974 combination like @code{B3}, meaning the 2nd field in the 3rd row.
1975 @c Such references are always fixed to that field, they don't change
1976 @c when you copy and paste a formula to a different field. So
1977 @c Org's @code{B3} behaves like @code{$B$3} in other spreadsheets.
1980 Org also uses another, more general operator that looks like this:
1982 @@@var{row}$@var{column}
1986 Column references can be absolute like @samp{1}, @samp{2},...@samp{@var{N}},
1987 or relative to the current column like @samp{+1} or @samp{-2}.
1989 The row specification only counts data lines and ignores horizontal
1990 separator lines (hlines). You can use absolute row numbers
1991 @samp{1}...@samp{@var{N}}, and row numbers relative to the current row like
1992 @samp{+3} or @samp{-1}. Or specify the row relative to one of the
1993 hlines: @samp{I} refers to the first hline@footnote{Note that only
1994 hlines are counted that @emph{separate} table lines. If the table
1995 starts with a hline above the header, it does not count.}, @samp{II} to
1996 the second, etc@. @samp{-I} refers to the first such line above the
1997 current line, @samp{+I} to the first such line below the current line.
1998 You can also write @samp{III+2} which is the second data line after the
1999 third hline in the table.
2001 @samp{0} refers to the current row and column. Also, if you omit
2002 either the column or the row part of the reference, the current
2003 row/column is implied.
2005 Org's references with @emph{unsigned} numbers are fixed references
2006 in the sense that if you use the same reference in the formula for two
2007 different fields, the same field will be referenced each time.
2008 Org's references with @emph{signed} numbers are floating
2009 references because the same reference operator can reference different
2010 fields depending on the field being calculated by the formula.
2012 As a special case, references like @samp{$LR5} and @samp{$LR12} can be used
2013 to refer in a stable way to the 5th and 12th field in the last row of the
2016 Here are a few examples:
2019 @@2$3 @r{2nd row, 3rd column}
2020 C2 @r{same as previous}
2021 $5 @r{column 5 in the current row}
2022 E& @r{same as previous}
2023 @@2 @r{current column, row 2}
2024 @@-1$-3 @r{the field one row up, three columns to the left}
2025 @@-I$2 @r{field just under hline above current row, column 2}
2028 @subsubheading Range references
2029 @cindex range references
2030 @cindex references, to ranges
2032 You may reference a rectangular range of fields by specifying two field
2033 references connected by two dots @samp{..}. If both fields are in the
2034 current row, you may simply use @samp{$2..$7}, but if at least one field
2035 is in a different row, you need to use the general @code{@@row$column}
2036 format at least for the first field (i.e the reference must start with
2037 @samp{@@} in order to be interpreted correctly). Examples:
2040 $1..$3 @r{First three fields in the current row.}
2041 $P..$Q @r{Range, using column names (see under Advanced)}
2042 @@2$1..@@4$3 @r{6 fields between these two fields.}
2043 A2..C4 @r{Same as above.}
2044 @@-1$-2..@@-1 @r{3 numbers from the column to the left, 2 up to current row}
2047 @noindent Range references return a vector of values that can be fed
2048 into Calc vector functions. Empty fields in ranges are normally
2049 suppressed, so that the vector contains only the non-empty fields (but
2050 see the @samp{E} mode switch below). If there are no non-empty fields,
2051 @samp{[0]} is returned to avoid syntax errors in formulas.
2053 @subsubheading Field coordinates in formulas
2054 @cindex field coordinates
2055 @cindex coordinates, of field
2056 @cindex row, of field coordinates
2057 @cindex column, of field coordinates
2059 For Calc formulas and Lisp formulas @code{@@#} and @code{$#} can be used to
2060 get the row or column number of the field where the formula result goes.
2061 The traditional Lisp formula equivalents are @code{org-table-current-dline}
2062 and @code{org-table-current-column}. Example:
2065 if(@@# % 2, $#, string("")) @r{column number on odd lines only}
2068 @subsubheading Named references
2069 @cindex named references
2070 @cindex references, named
2071 @cindex name, of column or field
2072 @cindex constants, in calculations
2075 @vindex org-table-formula-constants
2076 @samp{$name} is interpreted as the name of a column, parameter or
2077 constant. Constants are defined globally through the variable
2078 @code{org-table-formula-constants}, and locally (for the file) through a
2082 #+CONSTANTS: c=299792458. pi=3.14 eps=2.4e-6
2086 @vindex constants-unit-system
2087 @pindex constants.el
2088 Also properties (@pxref{Properties and Columns}) can be used as
2089 constants in table formulas: for a property @samp{:Xyz:} use the name
2090 @samp{$PROP_Xyz}, and the property will be searched in the current
2091 outline entry and in the hierarchy above it. If you have the
2092 @file{constants.el} package, it will also be used to resolve constants,
2093 including natural constants like @samp{$h} for Planck's constant, and
2094 units like @samp{$km} for kilometers@footnote{@file{constants.el} can
2095 supply the values of constants in two different unit systems, @code{SI}
2096 and @code{cgs}. Which one is used depends on the value of the variable
2097 @code{constants-unit-system}. You can use the @code{#+STARTUP} options
2098 @code{constSI} and @code{constcgs} to set this value for the current
2099 buffer.}. Column names and parameters can be specified in special table
2100 lines. These are described below, see @ref{Advanced features}. All
2101 names must start with a letter, and further consist of letters and
2104 @subsubheading Remote references
2105 @cindex remote references
2106 @cindex references, remote
2107 @cindex references, to a different table
2108 @cindex name, of column or field
2109 @cindex constants, in calculations
2112 You may also reference constants, fields and ranges from a different table,
2113 either in the current file or even in a different file. The syntax is
2116 remote(NAME-OR-ID,REF)
2120 where NAME can be the name of a table in the current file as set by a
2121 @code{#+TBLNAME: NAME} line before the table. It can also be the ID of an
2122 entry, even in a different file, and the reference then refers to the first
2123 table in that entry. REF is an absolute field or range reference as
2124 described above for example @code{@@3$3} or @code{$somename}, valid in the
2127 @node Formula syntax for Calc, Formula syntax for Lisp, References, The spreadsheet
2128 @subsection Formula syntax for Calc
2129 @cindex formula syntax, Calc
2130 @cindex syntax, of formulas
2132 A formula can be any algebraic expression understood by the Emacs
2133 @file{Calc} package. @b{Note that @file{calc} has the
2134 non-standard convention that @samp{/} has lower precedence than
2135 @samp{*}, so that @samp{a/b*c} is interpreted as @samp{a/(b*c)}.} Before
2136 evaluation by @code{calc-eval} (@pxref{Calling Calc from
2137 Your Programs,calc-eval,Calling Calc from Your Lisp Programs,Calc,GNU
2138 Emacs Calc Manual}),
2139 @c FIXME: The link to the Calc manual in HTML does not work.
2140 variable substitution takes place according to the rules described above.
2141 @cindex vectors, in table calculations
2142 The range vectors can be directly fed into the Calc vector functions
2143 like @samp{vmean} and @samp{vsum}.
2145 @cindex format specifier
2146 @cindex mode, for @file{calc}
2147 @vindex org-calc-default-modes
2148 A formula can contain an optional mode string after a semicolon. This
2149 string consists of flags to influence Calc and other modes during
2150 execution. By default, Org uses the standard Calc modes (precision
2151 12, angular units degrees, fraction and symbolic modes off). The display
2152 format, however, has been changed to @code{(float 8)} to keep tables
2153 compact. The default settings can be configured using the variable
2154 @code{org-calc-default-modes}.
2157 p20 @r{set the internal Calc calculation precision to 20 digits}
2158 n3 s3 e2 f4 @r{Normal, scientific, engineering, or fixed}
2159 @r{format of the result of Calc passed back to Org.}
2160 @r{Calc formatting is unlimited in precision as}
2161 @r{long as the Calc calculation precision is greater.}
2162 D R @r{angle modes: degrees, radians}
2163 F S @r{fraction and symbolic modes}
2164 N @r{interpret all fields as numbers, use 0 for non-numbers}
2165 T @r{force text interpretation}
2166 E @r{keep empty fields in ranges}
2171 Unless you use large integer numbers or high-precision-calculation
2172 and -display for floating point numbers you may alternatively provide a
2173 @code{printf} format specifier to reformat the Calc result after it has been
2174 passed back to Org instead of letting Calc already do the
2175 formatting@footnote{The @code{printf} reformatting is limited in precision
2176 because the value passed to it is converted into an @code{integer} or
2177 @code{double}. The @code{integer} is limited in size by truncating the
2178 signed value to 32 bits. The @code{double} is limited in precision to 64
2179 bits overall which leaves approximately 16 significant decimal digits.}.
2183 $1+$2 @r{Sum of first and second field}
2184 $1+$2;%.2f @r{Same, format result to two decimals}
2185 exp($2)+exp($1) @r{Math functions can be used}
2186 $0;%.1f @r{Reformat current cell to 1 decimal}
2187 ($3-32)*5/9 @r{Degrees F -> C conversion}
2188 $c/$1/$cm @r{Hz -> cm conversion, using @file{constants.el}}
2189 tan($1);Dp3s1 @r{Compute in degrees, precision 3, display SCI 1}
2190 sin($1);Dp3%.1e @r{Same, but use printf specifier for display}
2191 vmean($2..$7) @r{Compute column range mean, using vector function}
2192 vmean($2..$7);EN @r{Same, but treat empty fields as 0}
2193 taylor($3,x=7,2) @r{taylor series of $3, at x=7, second degree}
2196 Calc also contains a complete set of logical operations. For example
2199 if($1<20,teen,string("")) @r{``teen'' if age $1 less than 20, else empty}
2202 @node Formula syntax for Lisp, Field formulas, Formula syntax for Calc, The spreadsheet
2203 @subsection Emacs Lisp forms as formulas
2204 @cindex Lisp forms, as table formulas
2206 It is also possible to write a formula in Emacs Lisp; this can be useful
2207 for string manipulation and control structures, if Calc's
2208 functionality is not enough. If a formula starts with a single-quote
2209 followed by an opening parenthesis, then it is evaluated as a Lisp form.
2210 The evaluation should return either a string or a number. Just as with
2211 @file{calc} formulas, you can specify modes and a printf format after a
2212 semicolon. With Emacs Lisp forms, you need to be conscious about the way
2213 field references are interpolated into the form. By default, a
2214 reference will be interpolated as a Lisp string (in double-quotes)
2215 containing the field. If you provide the @samp{N} mode switch, all
2216 referenced elements will be numbers (non-number fields will be zero) and
2217 interpolated as Lisp numbers, without quotes. If you provide the
2218 @samp{L} flag, all fields will be interpolated literally, without quotes.
2219 I.e., if you want a reference to be interpreted as a string by the Lisp
2220 form, enclose the reference operator itself in double-quotes, like
2221 @code{"$3"}. Ranges are inserted as space-separated fields, so you can
2222 embed them in list or vector syntax. A few examples, note how the
2223 @samp{N} mode is used when we do computations in Lisp.
2226 @r{Swap the first two characters of the content of column 1}
2227 '(concat (substring $1 1 2) (substring $1 0 1) (substring $1 2))
2228 @r{Add columns 1 and 2, equivalent to Calc's @code{$1+$2}}
2230 @r{Compute the sum of columns 1-4, like Calc's @code{vsum($1..$4)}}
2231 '(apply '+ '($1..$4));N
2234 @node Field formulas, Column formulas, Formula syntax for Lisp, The spreadsheet
2235 @subsection Field formulas
2236 @cindex field formula
2237 @cindex formula, for individual table field
2239 To assign a formula to a particular field, type it directly into the
2240 field, preceded by @samp{:=}, for example @samp{:=$1+$2}. When you
2241 press @key{TAB} or @key{RET} or @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in
2242 the field, the formula will be stored as the formula for this field,
2243 evaluated, and the current field replaced with the result.
2246 Formulas are stored in a special line starting with @samp{#+TBLFM:}
2247 directly below the table. If you typed the equation in the 4th field of
2248 the 3rd data line in the table, the formula will look like
2249 @samp{@@3$4=$1+$2}. When inserting/deleting/swapping column and rows
2250 with the appropriate commands, @i{absolute references} (but not relative
2251 ones) in stored formulas are modified in order to still reference the
2252 same field. Of course this is not true if you edit the table structure
2253 with normal editing commands---then you must fix the equations yourself.
2254 The left-hand side of a formula may also be a named field (@pxref{Advanced
2255 features}), or a last-row reference like @samp{$LR3}.
2257 Instead of typing an equation into the field, you may also use the
2263 Install a new formula for the current field. The command prompts for a
2264 formula with default taken from the @samp{#+TBLFM:} line, applies
2265 it to the current field, and stores it.
2268 @node Column formulas, Editing and debugging formulas, Field formulas, The spreadsheet
2269 @subsection Column formulas
2270 @cindex column formula
2271 @cindex formula, for table column
2273 Often in a table, the same formula should be used for all fields in a
2274 particular column. Instead of having to copy the formula to all fields
2275 in that column, Org allows you to assign a single formula to an entire
2276 column. If the table contains horizontal separator hlines, everything
2277 before the first such line is considered part of the table @emph{header}
2278 and will not be modified by column formulas.
2280 To assign a formula to a column, type it directly into any field in the
2281 column, preceded by an equal sign, like @samp{=$1+$2}. When you press
2282 @key{TAB} or @key{RET} or @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in the field,
2283 the formula will be stored as the formula for the current column, evaluated
2284 and the current field replaced with the result. If the field contains only
2285 @samp{=}, the previously stored formula for this column is used. For each
2286 column, Org will only remember the most recently used formula. In the
2287 @samp{#+TBLFM:} line, column formulas will look like @samp{$4=$1+$2}. The left-hand
2288 side of a column formula cannot currently be the name of column, it
2289 must be the numeric column reference.
2291 Instead of typing an equation into the field, you may also use the
2297 Install a new formula for the current column and replace current field with
2298 the result of the formula. The command prompts for a formula, with default
2299 taken from the @samp{#+TBLFM} line, applies it to the current field and
2300 stores it. With a numeric prefix argument(e.g. @kbd{C-5 C-c =}) the command
2301 will apply it to that many consecutive fields in the current column.
2304 @node Editing and debugging formulas, Updating the table, Column formulas, The spreadsheet
2305 @subsection Editing and debugging formulas
2306 @cindex formula editing
2307 @cindex editing, of table formulas
2309 @vindex org-table-use-standard-references
2310 You can edit individual formulas in the minibuffer or directly in the
2311 field. Org can also prepare a special buffer with all active
2312 formulas of a table. When offering a formula for editing, Org
2313 converts references to the standard format (like @code{B3} or @code{D&})
2314 if possible. If you prefer to only work with the internal format (like
2315 @code{@@3$2} or @code{$4}), configure the variable
2316 @code{org-table-use-standard-references}.
2323 Edit the formula associated with the current column/field in the
2324 minibuffer. See @ref{Column formulas}, and @ref{Field formulas}.
2325 @kindex C-u C-u C-c =
2327 Re-insert the active formula (either a
2328 field formula, or a column formula) into the current field, so that you
2329 can edit it directly in the field. The advantage over editing in the
2330 minibuffer is that you can use the command @kbd{C-c ?}.
2333 While editing a formula in a table field, highlight the field(s)
2334 referenced by the reference at the cursor position in the formula.
2337 Toggle the display of row and column numbers for a table, using
2338 overlays. These are updated each time the table is aligned; you can
2339 force it with @kbd{C-c C-c}.
2342 Toggle the formula debugger on and off. See below.
2345 Edit all formulas for the current table in a special buffer, where the
2346 formulas will be displayed one per line. If the current field has an
2347 active formula, the cursor in the formula editor will mark it.
2348 While inside the special buffer, Org will automatically highlight
2349 any field or range reference at the cursor position. You may edit,
2350 remove and add formulas, and use the following commands:
2356 Exit the formula editor and store the modified formulas. With @kbd{C-u}
2357 prefix, also apply the new formulas to the entire table.
2360 Exit the formula editor without installing changes.
2363 Toggle all references in the formula editor between standard (like
2364 @code{B3}) and internal (like @code{@@3$2}).
2367 Pretty-print or indent Lisp formula at point. When in a line containing
2368 a Lisp formula, format the formula according to Emacs Lisp rules.
2369 Another @key{TAB} collapses the formula back again. In the open
2370 formula, @key{TAB} re-indents just like in Emacs Lisp mode.
2373 Complete Lisp symbols, just like in Emacs Lisp mode.
2375 @kindex S-@key{down}
2376 @kindex S-@key{left}
2377 @kindex S-@key{right}
2378 @item S-@key{up}/@key{down}/@key{left}/@key{right}
2379 Shift the reference at point. For example, if the reference is
2380 @code{B3} and you press @kbd{S-@key{right}}, it will become @code{C3}.
2381 This also works for relative references and for hline references.
2382 @kindex M-S-@key{up}
2383 @kindex M-S-@key{down}
2384 @item M-S-@key{up}/@key{down}
2385 Move the test line for column formulas in the Org buffer up and
2388 @kindex M-@key{down}
2389 @item M-@key{up}/@key{down}
2390 Scroll the window displaying the table.
2393 Turn the coordinate grid in the table on and off.
2397 Making a table field blank does not remove the formula associated with
2398 the field, because that is stored in a different line (the @samp{#+TBLFM}
2399 line)---during the next recalculation the field will be filled again.
2400 To remove a formula from a field, you have to give an empty reply when
2401 prompted for the formula, or to edit the @samp{#+TBLFM} line.
2404 You may edit the @samp{#+TBLFM} directly and re-apply the changed
2405 equations with @kbd{C-c C-c} in that line or with the normal
2406 recalculation commands in the table.
2408 @subsubheading Debugging formulas
2409 @cindex formula debugging
2410 @cindex debugging, of table formulas
2411 When the evaluation of a formula leads to an error, the field content
2412 becomes the string @samp{#ERROR}. If you would like see what is going
2413 on during variable substitution and calculation in order to find a bug,
2414 turn on formula debugging in the @code{Tbl} menu and repeat the
2415 calculation, for example by pressing @kbd{C-u C-u C-c = @key{RET}} in a
2416 field. Detailed information will be displayed.
2418 @node Updating the table, Advanced features, Editing and debugging formulas, The spreadsheet
2419 @subsection Updating the table
2420 @cindex recomputing table fields
2421 @cindex updating, table
2423 Recalculation of a table is normally not automatic, but needs to be
2424 triggered by a command. See @ref{Advanced features}, for a way to make
2425 recalculation at least semi-automatic.
2427 In order to recalculate a line of a table or the entire table, use the
2433 Recalculate the current row by first applying the stored column formulas
2434 from left to right, and all field formulas in the current row.
2440 Recompute the entire table, line by line. Any lines before the first
2441 hline are left alone, assuming that these are part of the table header.
2443 @kindex C-u C-u C-c *
2444 @kindex C-u C-u C-c C-c
2446 @itemx C-u C-u C-c C-c
2447 Iterate the table by recomputing it until no further changes occur.
2448 This may be necessary if some computed fields use the value of other
2449 fields that are computed @i{later} in the calculation sequence.
2452 @node Advanced features, , Updating the table, The spreadsheet
2453 @subsection Advanced features
2455 If you want the recalculation of fields to happen automatically, or if
2456 you want to be able to assign @i{names} to fields and columns, you need
2457 to reserve the first column of the table for special marking characters.
2461 Rotate the calculation mark in first column through the states @samp{ },
2462 @samp{#}, @samp{*}, @samp{!}, @samp{$}. When there is an active region,
2463 change all marks in the region.
2466 Here is an example of a table that collects exam results of students and
2467 makes use of these features:
2471 |---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
2472 | | Student | Prob 1 | Prob 2 | Prob 3 | Total | Note |
2473 |---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
2474 | ! | | P1 | P2 | P3 | Tot | |
2475 | # | Maximum | 10 | 15 | 25 | 50 | 10.0 |
2476 | ^ | | m1 | m2 | m3 | mt | |
2477 |---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
2478 | # | Peter | 10 | 8 | 23 | 41 | 8.2 |
2479 | # | Sam | 2 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 1.8 |
2480 |---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
2481 | | Average | | | | 29.7 | |
2482 | ^ | | | | | at | |
2483 | $ | max=50 | | | | | |
2484 |---+---------+--------+--------+--------+-------+------|
2485 #+TBLFM: $6=vsum($P1..$P3)::$7=10*$Tot/$max;%.1f::$at=vmean(@@-II..@@-I);%.1f
2489 @noindent @b{Important}: please note that for these special tables,
2490 recalculating the table with @kbd{C-u C-c *} will only affect rows that
2491 are marked @samp{#} or @samp{*}, and fields that have a formula assigned
2492 to the field itself. The column formulas are not applied in rows with
2495 @cindex marking characters, tables
2496 The marking characters have the following meaning:
2499 The fields in this line define names for the columns, so that you may
2500 refer to a column as @samp{$Tot} instead of @samp{$6}.
2502 This row defines names for the fields @emph{above} the row. With such
2503 a definition, any formula in the table may use @samp{$m1} to refer to
2504 the value @samp{10}. Also, if you assign a formula to a names field, it
2505 will be stored as @samp{$name=...}.
2507 Similar to @samp{^}, but defines names for the fields in the row
2510 Fields in this row can define @emph{parameters} for formulas. For
2511 example, if a field in a @samp{$} row contains @samp{max=50}, then
2512 formulas in this table can refer to the value 50 using @samp{$max}.
2513 Parameters work exactly like constants, only that they can be defined on
2516 Fields in this row are automatically recalculated when pressing
2517 @key{TAB} or @key{RET} or @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} in this row. Also, this row
2518 is selected for a global recalculation with @kbd{C-u C-c *}. Unmarked
2519 lines will be left alone by this command.
2521 Selects this line for global recalculation with @kbd{C-u C-c *}, but
2522 not for automatic recalculation. Use this when automatic
2523 recalculation slows down editing too much.
2525 Unmarked lines are exempt from recalculation with @kbd{C-u C-c *}.
2526 All lines that should be recalculated should be marked with @samp{#}
2529 Do not export this line. Useful for lines that contain the narrowing
2530 @samp{<N>} markers or column group markers.
2533 Finally, just to whet your appetite for what can be done with the
2534 fantastic @file{calc.el} package, here is a table that computes the Taylor
2535 series of degree @code{n} at location @code{x} for a couple of
2540 |---+-------------+---+-----+--------------------------------------|
2541 | | Func | n | x | Result |
2542 |---+-------------+---+-----+--------------------------------------|
2543 | # | exp(x) | 1 | x | 1 + x |
2544 | # | exp(x) | 2 | x | 1 + x + x^2 / 2 |
2545 | # | exp(x) | 3 | x | 1 + x + x^2 / 2 + x^3 / 6 |
2546 | # | x^2+sqrt(x) | 2 | x=0 | x*(0.5 / 0) + x^2 (2 - 0.25 / 0) / 2 |
2547 | # | x^2+sqrt(x) | 2 | x=1 | 2 + 2.5 x - 2.5 + 0.875 (x - 1)^2 |
2548 | * | tan(x) | 3 | x | 0.0175 x + 1.77e-6 x^3 |
2549 |---+-------------+---+-----+--------------------------------------|
2550 #+TBLFM: $5=taylor($2,$4,$3);n3
2554 @node Org-Plot, , The spreadsheet, Tables
2556 @cindex graph, in tables
2557 @cindex plot tables using gnuplot
2560 Org-Plot can produce 2D and 3D graphs of information stored in org tables
2561 using @file{Gnuplot} @uref{http://www.gnuplot.info/} and @file{gnuplot-mode}
2562 @uref{http://cars9.uchicago.edu/~ravel/software/gnuplot-mode.html}. To see
2563 this in action, ensure that you have both Gnuplot and Gnuplot mode installed
2564 on your system, then call @code{org-plot/gnuplot} on the following table.
2568 #+PLOT: title:"Citas" ind:1 deps:(3) type:2d with:histograms set:"yrange [0:]"
2569 | Sede | Max cites | H-index |
2570 |-----------+-----------+---------|
2571 | Chile | 257.72 | 21.39 |
2572 | Leeds | 165.77 | 19.68 |
2573 | Sao Paolo | 71.00 | 11.50 |
2574 | Stockholm | 134.19 | 14.33 |
2575 | Morelia | 257.56 | 17.67 |
2579 Notice that Org Plot is smart enough to apply the table's headers as labels.
2580 Further control over the labels, type, content, and appearance of plots can
2581 be exercised through the @code{#+PLOT:} lines preceding a table. See below
2582 for a complete list of Org-plot options. For more information and examples
2583 see the Org-plot tutorial at
2584 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-tutorials/org-plot.php}.
2586 @subsubheading Plot Options
2590 Specify any @command{gnuplot} option to be set when graphing.
2593 Specify the title of the plot.
2596 Specify which column of the table to use as the @code{x} axis.
2599 Specify the columns to graph as a Lisp style list, surrounded by parentheses
2600 and separated by spaces for example @code{dep:(3 4)} to graph the third and
2601 fourth columns (defaults to graphing all other columns aside from the @code{ind}
2605 Specify whether the plot will be @code{2d}, @code{3d}, or @code{grid}.
2608 Specify a @code{with} option to be inserted for every col being plotted
2609 (e.g. @code{lines}, @code{points}, @code{boxes}, @code{impulses}, etc...).
2610 Defaults to @code{lines}.
2613 If you want to plot to a file, specify @code{"@var{path/to/desired/output-file}"}.
2616 List of labels to be used for the deps (defaults to the column headers if
2620 Specify an entire line to be inserted in the Gnuplot script.
2623 When plotting @code{3d} or @code{grid} types, set this to @code{t} to graph a
2624 flat mapping rather than a @code{3d} slope.
2627 Specify format of Org-mode timestamps as they will be parsed by Gnuplot.
2628 Defaults to @samp{%Y-%m-%d-%H:%M:%S}.
2631 If you want total control, you can specify a script file (place the file name
2632 between double-quotes) which will be used to plot. Before plotting, every
2633 instance of @code{$datafile} in the specified script will be replaced with
2634 the path to the generated data file. Note: even if you set this option, you
2635 may still want to specify the plot type, as that can impact the content of
2639 @node Hyperlinks, TODO Items, Tables, Top
2643 Like HTML, Org provides links inside a file, external links to
2644 other files, Usenet articles, emails, and much more.
2647 * Link format:: How links in Org are formatted
2648 * Internal links:: Links to other places in the current file
2649 * External links:: URL-like links to the world
2650 * Handling links:: Creating, inserting and following
2651 * Using links outside Org:: Linking from my C source code?
2652 * Link abbreviations:: Shortcuts for writing complex links
2653 * Search options:: Linking to a specific location
2654 * Custom searches:: When the default search is not enough
2657 @node Link format, Internal links, Hyperlinks, Hyperlinks
2658 @section Link format
2660 @cindex format, of links
2662 Org will recognize plain URL-like links and activate them as
2663 clickable links. The general link format, however, looks like this:
2666 [[link][description]] @r{or alternatively} [[link]]
2670 Once a link in the buffer is complete (all brackets present), Org
2671 will change the display so that @samp{description} is displayed instead
2672 of @samp{[[link][description]]} and @samp{link} is displayed instead of
2673 @samp{[[link]]}. Links will be highlighted in the face @code{org-link},
2674 which by default is an underlined face. You can directly edit the
2675 visible part of a link. Note that this can be either the @samp{link}
2676 part (if there is no description) or the @samp{description} part. To
2677 edit also the invisible @samp{link} part, use @kbd{C-c C-l} with the
2680 If you place the cursor at the beginning or just behind the end of the
2681 displayed text and press @key{BACKSPACE}, you will remove the
2682 (invisible) bracket at that location. This makes the link incomplete
2683 and the internals are again displayed as plain text. Inserting the
2684 missing bracket hides the link internals again. To show the
2685 internal structure of all links, use the menu entry
2686 @code{Org->Hyperlinks->Literal links}.
2688 @node Internal links, External links, Link format, Hyperlinks
2689 @section Internal links
2690 @cindex internal links
2691 @cindex links, internal
2692 @cindex targets, for links
2694 @cindex property, CUSTOM_ID
2695 If the link does not look like a URL, it is considered to be internal in the
2696 current file. The most important case is a link like
2697 @samp{[[#my-custom-id]]} which will link to the entry with the
2698 @code{CUSTOM_ID} property @samp{my-custom-id}. Such custom IDs are very good
2699 for HTML export (@pxref{HTML export}) where they produce pretty section
2700 links. You are responsible yourself to make sure these custom IDs are unique
2703 Links such as @samp{[[My Target]]} or @samp{[[My Target][Find my target]]}
2704 lead to a text search in the current file.
2706 The link can be followed with @kbd{C-c C-o} when the cursor is on the link,
2707 or with a mouse click (@pxref{Handling links}). Links to custom IDs will
2708 point to the corresponding headline. The preferred match for a text link is
2709 a @i{dedicated target}: the same string in double angular brackets. Targets
2710 may be located anywhere; sometimes it is convenient to put them into a
2711 comment line. For example
2717 @noindent In HTML export (@pxref{HTML export}), such targets will become
2718 named anchors for direct access through @samp{http} links@footnote{Note that
2719 text before the first headline is usually not exported, so the first such
2720 target should be after the first headline, or in the line directly before the
2723 If no dedicated target exists, Org will search for the words in the link. In
2724 the above example the search would be for @samp{my target}. Links starting
2725 with a star like @samp{*My Target} restrict the search to
2726 headlines@footnote{To insert a link targeting a headline, in-buffer
2727 completion can be used. Just type a star followed by a few optional letters
2728 into the buffer and press @kbd{M-@key{TAB}}. All headlines in the current
2729 buffer will be offered as completions. @xref{Handling links}, for more
2730 commands creating links.}. When searching, Org mode will first try an
2731 exact match, but then move on to more and more lenient searches. For
2732 example, the link @samp{[[*My Targets]]} will find any of the following:
2736 ** TODO my targets are bright
2737 ** my 20 targets are
2741 Following a link pushes a mark onto Org's own mark ring. You can
2742 return to the previous position with @kbd{C-c &}. Using this command
2743 several times in direct succession goes back to positions recorded
2747 * Radio targets:: Make targets trigger links in plain text
2750 @node Radio targets, , Internal links, Internal links
2751 @subsection Radio targets
2752 @cindex radio targets
2753 @cindex targets, radio
2754 @cindex links, radio targets
2756 Org can automatically turn any occurrences of certain target names
2757 in normal text into a link. So without explicitly creating a link, the
2758 text connects to the target radioing its position. Radio targets are
2759 enclosed by triple angular brackets. For example, a target @samp{<<<My
2760 Target>>>} causes each occurrence of @samp{my target} in normal text to
2761 become activated as a link. The Org file is scanned automatically
2762 for radio targets only when the file is first loaded into Emacs. To
2763 update the target list during editing, press @kbd{C-c C-c} with the
2764 cursor on or at a target.
2766 @node External links, Handling links, Internal links, Hyperlinks
2767 @section External links
2768 @cindex links, external
2769 @cindex external links
2770 @cindex links, external
2778 @cindex WANDERLUST links
2780 @cindex USENET links
2785 Org supports links to files, websites, Usenet and email messages,
2786 BBDB database entries and links to both IRC conversations and their
2787 logs. External links are URL-like locators. They start with a short
2788 identifying string followed by a colon. There can be no space after
2789 the colon. The following list shows examples for each link type.
2792 http://www.astro.uva.nl/~dominik @r{on the web}
2793 file:/home/dominik/images/jupiter.jpg @r{file, absolute path}
2794 /home/dominik/images/jupiter.jpg @r{same as above}
2795 file:papers/last.pdf @r{file, relative path}
2796 ./papers/last.pdf @r{same as above}
2797 file:/myself@@some.where:papers/last.pdf @r{file, path on remote machine}
2798 /myself@@some.where:papers/last.pdf @r{same as above}
2799 file:sometextfile::NNN @r{file with line number to jump to}
2800 file:projects.org @r{another Org file}
2801 file:projects.org::some words @r{text search in Org file}
2802 file:projects.org::*task title @r{heading search in Org file}
2803 docview:papers/last.pdf::NNN @r{open file in doc-view mode at page NNN}
2804 id:B7423F4D-2E8A-471B-8810-C40F074717E9 @r{Link to heading by ID}
2805 news:comp.emacs @r{Usenet link}
2806 mailto:adent@@galaxy.net @r{Mail link}
2807 vm:folder @r{VM folder link}
2808 vm:folder#id @r{VM message link}
2809 vm://myself@@some.where.org/folder#id @r{VM on remote machine}
2810 wl:folder @r{WANDERLUST folder link}
2811 wl:folder#id @r{WANDERLUST message link}
2812 mhe:folder @r{MH-E folder link}
2813 mhe:folder#id @r{MH-E message link}
2814 rmail:folder @r{RMAIL folder link}
2815 rmail:folder#id @r{RMAIL message link}
2816 gnus:group @r{Gnus group link}
2817 gnus:group#id @r{Gnus article link}
2818 bbdb:R.*Stallman @r{BBDB link (with regexp)}
2819 irc:/irc.com/#emacs/bob @r{IRC link}
2820 shell:ls *.org @r{A shell command}
2821 elisp:org-agenda @r{Interactive Elisp command}
2822 elisp:(find-file-other-frame "Elisp.org") @r{Elisp form to evaluate}
2825 A link should be enclosed in double brackets and may contain a
2826 descriptive text to be displayed instead of the URL (@pxref{Link
2827 format}), for example:
2830 [[http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/][GNU Emacs]]
2834 If the description is a file name or URL that points to an image, HTML
2835 export (@pxref{HTML export}) will inline the image as a clickable
2836 button. If there is no description at all and the link points to an
2838 that image will be inlined into the exported HTML file.
2840 @cindex square brackets, around links
2841 @cindex plain text external links
2842 Org also finds external links in the normal text and activates them
2843 as links. If spaces must be part of the link (for example in
2844 @samp{bbdb:Richard Stallman}), or if you need to remove ambiguities
2845 about the end of the link, enclose them in square brackets.
2847 @node Handling links, Using links outside Org, External links, Hyperlinks
2848 @section Handling links
2849 @cindex links, handling
2851 Org provides methods to create a link in the correct syntax, to
2852 insert it into an Org file, and to follow the link.
2856 @cindex storing links
2858 Store a link to the current location. This is a @emph{global} command (you
2859 must create the key binding yourself) which can be used in any buffer to
2860 create a link. The link will be stored for later insertion into an Org
2861 buffer (see below). What kind of link will be created depends on the current
2864 @b{Org-mode buffers}@*
2865 For Org files, if there is a @samp{<<target>>} at the cursor, the link points
2866 to the target. Otherwise it points to the current headline, which will also
2869 @vindex org-link-to-org-use-id
2870 @cindex property, CUSTOM_ID
2871 @cindex property, ID
2872 If the headline has a @code{CUSTOM_ID} property, a link to this custom ID
2873 will be stored. In addition or alternatively (depending on the value of
2874 @code{org-link-to-org-use-id}), a globally unique @code{ID} property will be
2875 created and/or used to construct a link. So using this command in Org
2876 buffers will potentially create two links: a human-readable from the custom
2877 ID, and one that is globally unique and works even if the entry is moved from
2878 file to file. Later, when inserting the link, you need to decide which one
2881 @b{Email/News clients: VM, Rmail, Wanderlust, MH-E, Gnus}@*
2882 Pretty much all Emacs mail clients are supported. The link will point to the
2883 current article, or, in some GNUS buffers, to the group. The description is
2884 constructed from the author and the subject.
2886 @b{Web browsers: W3 and W3M}@*
2887 Here the link will be the current URL, with the page title as description.
2889 @b{Contacts: BBDB}@*
2890 Links created in a BBDB buffer will point to the current entry.
2893 @vindex org-irc-link-to-logs
2894 For IRC links, if you set the variable @code{org-irc-link-to-logs} to
2895 @code{t}, a @samp{file:/} style link to the relevant point in the logs for
2896 the current conversation is created. Otherwise an @samp{irc:/} style link to
2897 the user/channel/server under the point will be stored.
2900 For any other files, the link will point to the file, with a search string
2901 (@pxref{Search options}) pointing to the contents of the current line. If
2902 there is an active region, the selected words will form the basis of the
2903 search string. If the automatically created link is not working correctly or
2904 accurately enough, you can write custom functions to select the search string
2905 and to do the search for particular file types---see @ref{Custom searches}.
2906 The key binding @kbd{C-c l} is only a suggestion---see @ref{Installation}.
2909 When the cursor is in an agenda view, the created link points to the
2910 entry referenced by the current line.
2914 @cindex link completion
2915 @cindex completion, of links
2916 @cindex inserting links
2918 @vindex org-keep-stored-link-after-insertion
2919 Insert a link@footnote{ Note that you don't have to use this command to
2920 insert a link. Links in Org are plain text, and you can type or paste them
2921 straight into the buffer. By using this command, the links are automatically
2922 enclosed in double brackets, and you will be asked for the optional
2923 descriptive text.}. This prompts for a link to be inserted into the buffer.
2924 You can just type a link, using text for an internal link, or one of the link
2925 type prefixes mentioned in the examples above. The link will be inserted
2926 into the buffer@footnote{After insertion of a stored link, the link will be
2927 removed from the list of stored links. To keep it in the list later use, use
2928 a triple @kbd{C-u} prefix argument to @kbd{C-c C-l}, or configure the option
2929 @code{org-keep-stored-link-after-insertion}.}, along with a descriptive text.
2930 If some text was selected when this command is called, the selected text
2931 becomes the default description.
2933 @b{Inserting stored links}@*
2934 All links stored during the
2935 current session are part of the history for this prompt, so you can access
2936 them with @key{up} and @key{down} (or @kbd{M-p/n}).
2938 @b{Completion support}@* Completion with @key{TAB} will help you to insert
2939 valid link prefixes like @samp{http:} or @samp{ftp:}, including the prefixes
2940 defined through link abbreviations (@pxref{Link abbreviations}). If you
2941 press @key{RET} after inserting only the @var{prefix}, Org will offer
2942 specific completion support for some link types@footnote{This works by
2943 calling a special function @code{org-PREFIX-complete-link}.} For
2944 example, if you type @kbd{file @key{RET}}, file name completion (alternative
2945 access: @kbd{C-u C-c C-l}, see below) will be offered, and after @kbd{bbdb
2946 @key{RET}} you can complete contact names.
2948 @cindex file name completion
2949 @cindex completion, of file names
2951 When @kbd{C-c C-l} is called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix argument, a link to
2952 a file will be inserted and you may use file name completion to select
2953 the name of the file. The path to the file is inserted relative to the
2954 directory of the current Org file, if the linked file is in the current
2955 directory or in a sub-directory of it, or if the path is written relative
2956 to the current directory using @samp{../}. Otherwise an absolute path
2957 is used, if possible with @samp{~/} for your home directory. You can
2958 force an absolute path with two @kbd{C-u} prefixes.
2960 @item C-c C-l @r{(with cursor on existing link)}
2961 When the cursor is on an existing link, @kbd{C-c C-l} allows you to edit the
2962 link and description parts of the link.
2964 @cindex following links
2967 @item C-c C-o @r{or} @key{RET}
2968 @vindex org-file-apps
2969 Open link at point. This will launch a web browser for URLs (using
2970 @command{browse-url-at-point}), run VM/MH-E/Wanderlust/Rmail/Gnus/BBDB for
2971 the corresponding links, and execute the command in a shell link. When the
2972 cursor is on an internal link, this commands runs the corresponding search.
2973 When the cursor is on a TAG list in a headline, it creates the corresponding
2974 TAGS view. If the cursor is on a timestamp, it compiles the agenda for that
2975 date. Furthermore, it will visit text and remote files in @samp{file:} links
2976 with Emacs and select a suitable application for local non-text files.
2977 Classification of files is based on file extension only. See option
2978 @code{org-file-apps}. If you want to override the default application and
2979 visit the file with Emacs, use a @kbd{C-u} prefix. If you want to avoid
2980 opening in Emacs, use a @kbd{C-u C-u} prefix.@*
2981 If the cursor is on a headline, but not on a link, offer all links in the
2982 headline and entry text.
2988 On links, @kbd{mouse-2} will open the link just as @kbd{C-c C-o}
2989 would. Under Emacs 22, @kbd{mouse-1} will also follow a link.
2993 @vindex org-display-internal-link-with-indirect-buffer
2994 Like @kbd{mouse-2}, but force file links to be opened with Emacs, and
2995 internal links to be displayed in another window@footnote{See the
2996 variable @code{org-display-internal-link-with-indirect-buffer}}.
3001 Push the current position onto the mark ring, to be able to return
3002 easily. Commands following an internal link do this automatically.
3004 @cindex links, returning to
3007 Jump back to a recorded position. A position is recorded by the
3008 commands following internal links, and by @kbd{C-c %}. Using this
3009 command several times in direct succession moves through a ring of
3010 previously recorded positions.
3014 @cindex links, finding next/previous
3017 Move forward/backward to the next link in the buffer. At the limit of
3018 the buffer, the search fails once, and then wraps around. The key
3019 bindings for this are really too long, you might want to bind this also
3020 to @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p}
3022 (add-hook 'org-load-hook
3024 (define-key 'org-mode-map "\C-n" 'org-next-link)
3025 (define-key 'org-mode-map "\C-p" 'org-previous-link)))
3029 @node Using links outside Org, Link abbreviations, Handling links, Hyperlinks
3030 @section Using links outside Org
3032 You can insert and follow links that have Org syntax not only in
3033 Org, but in any Emacs buffer. For this, you should create two
3034 global commands, like this (please select suitable global keys
3038 (global-set-key "\C-c L" 'org-insert-link-global)
3039 (global-set-key "\C-c o" 'org-open-at-point-global)
3042 @node Link abbreviations, Search options, Using links outside Org, Hyperlinks
3043 @section Link abbreviations
3044 @cindex link abbreviations
3045 @cindex abbreviation, links
3047 Long URLs can be cumbersome to type, and often many similar links are
3048 needed in a document. For this you can use link abbreviations. An
3049 abbreviated link looks like this
3052 [[linkword:tag][description]]
3056 @vindex org-link-abbrev-alist
3057 where the tag is optional. The @i{linkword} must be a word; letter, numbers,
3058 @samp{-}, and @samp{_} are allowed here. Abbreviations are resolved
3059 according to the information in the variable @code{org-link-abbrev-alist}
3060 that relates the linkwords to replacement text. Here is an example:
3064 (setq org-link-abbrev-alist
3065 '(("bugzilla" . "http://10.1.2.9/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=")
3066 ("google" . "http://www.google.com/search?q=")
3067 ("ads" . "http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/
3068 nph-abs_connect?author=%s&db_key=AST")))
3072 If the replacement text contains the string @samp{%s}, it will be
3073 replaced with the tag. Otherwise the tag will be appended to the string
3074 in order to create the link. You may also specify a function that will
3075 be called with the tag as the only argument to create the link.
3077 With the above setting, you could link to a specific bug with
3078 @code{[[bugzilla:129]]}, search the web for @samp{OrgMode} with
3079 @code{[[google:OrgMode]]} and find out what the Org author is
3080 doing besides Emacs hacking with @code{[[ads:Dominik,C]]}.
3082 If you need special abbreviations just for a single Org buffer, you
3083 can define them in the file with
3087 #+LINK: bugzilla http://10.1.2.9/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=
3088 #+LINK: google http://www.google.com/search?q=%s
3092 In-buffer completion (@pxref{Completion}) can be used after @samp{[} to
3093 complete link abbreviations. You may also define a function
3094 @code{org-PREFIX-complete-link} that implements special (e.g. completion)
3095 support for inserting such a link with @kbd{C-c C-l}. Such a function should
3096 not accept any arguments, and return the full link with prefix.
3098 @node Search options, Custom searches, Link abbreviations, Hyperlinks
3099 @section Search options in file links
3100 @cindex search option in file links
3101 @cindex file links, searching
3103 File links can contain additional information to make Emacs jump to a
3104 particular location in the file when following a link. This can be a
3105 line number or a search option after a double@footnote{For backward
3106 compatibility, line numbers can also follow a single colon.} colon. For
3107 example, when the command @kbd{C-c l} creates a link (@pxref{Handling
3108 links}) to a file, it encodes the words in the current line as a search
3109 string that can be used to find this line back later when following the
3110 link with @kbd{C-c C-o}.
3112 Here is the syntax of the different ways to attach a search to a file
3113 link, together with an explanation:
3116 [[file:~/code/main.c::255]]
3117 [[file:~/xx.org::My Target]]
3118 [[file:~/xx.org::*My Target]]
3119 [[file:~/xx.org::#my-custom-id]]
3120 [[file:~/xx.org::/regexp/]]
3127 Search for a link target @samp{<<My Target>>}, or do a text search for
3128 @samp{my target}, similar to the search in internal links, see
3129 @ref{Internal links}. In HTML export (@pxref{HTML export}), such a file
3130 link will become an HTML reference to the corresponding named anchor in
3133 In an Org file, restrict search to headlines.
3135 Link to a heading with a @code{CUSTOM_ID} property
3137 Do a regular expression search for @code{regexp}. This uses the Emacs
3138 command @code{occur} to list all matches in a separate window. If the
3139 target file is in Org mode, @code{org-occur} is used to create a
3140 sparse tree with the matches.
3141 @c If the target file is a directory,
3142 @c @code{grep} will be used to search all files in the directory.
3145 As a degenerate case, a file link with an empty file name can be used
3146 to search the current file. For example, @code{[[file:::find me]]} does
3147 a search for @samp{find me} in the current file, just as
3148 @samp{[[find me]]} would.
3150 @node Custom searches, , Search options, Hyperlinks
3151 @section Custom Searches
3152 @cindex custom search strings
3153 @cindex search strings, custom
3155 The default mechanism for creating search strings and for doing the
3156 actual search related to a file link may not work correctly in all
3157 cases. For example, Bib@TeX{} database files have many entries like
3158 @samp{year="1993"} which would not result in good search strings,
3159 because the only unique identification for a Bib@TeX{} entry is the
3162 @vindex org-create-file-search-functions
3163 @vindex org-execute-file-search-functions
3164 If you come across such a problem, you can write custom functions to set
3165 the right search string for a particular file type, and to do the search
3166 for the string in the file. Using @code{add-hook}, these functions need
3167 to be added to the hook variables
3168 @code{org-create-file-search-functions} and
3169 @code{org-execute-file-search-functions}. See the docstring for these
3170 variables for more information. Org actually uses this mechanism
3171 for Bib@TeX{} database files, and you can use the corresponding code as
3172 an implementation example. See the file @file{org-bibtex.el}.
3174 @node TODO Items, Tags, Hyperlinks, Top
3178 Org mode does not maintain TODO lists as separate documents@footnote{Of
3179 course, you can make a document that contains only long lists of TODO items,
3180 but this is not required.}. Instead, TODO items are an integral part of the
3181 notes file, because TODO items usually come up while taking notes! With Org
3182 mode, simply mark any entry in a tree as being a TODO item. In this way,
3183 information is not duplicated, and the entire context from which the TODO
3184 item emerged is always present.
3186 Of course, this technique for managing TODO items scatters them
3187 throughout your notes file. Org mode compensates for this by providing
3188 methods to give you an overview of all the things that you have to do.
3191 * TODO basics:: Marking and displaying TODO entries
3192 * TODO extensions:: Workflow and assignments
3193 * Progress logging:: Dates and notes for progress
3194 * Priorities:: Some things are more important than others
3195 * Breaking down tasks:: Splitting a task into manageable pieces
3196 * Checkboxes:: Tick-off lists
3199 @node TODO basics, TODO extensions, TODO Items, TODO Items
3200 @section Basic TODO functionality
3202 Any headline becomes a TODO item when it starts with the word
3203 @samp{TODO}, for example:
3206 *** TODO Write letter to Sam Fortune
3210 The most important commands to work with TODO entries are:
3214 @cindex cycling, of TODO states
3216 Rotate the TODO state of the current item among
3219 ,-> (unmarked) -> TODO -> DONE --.
3220 '--------------------------------'
3223 The same rotation can also be done ``remotely'' from the timeline and
3224 agenda buffers with the @kbd{t} command key (@pxref{Agenda commands}).
3228 Select a specific keyword using completion or (if it has been set up)
3229 the fast selection interface. For the latter, you need to assign keys
3230 to TODO states, see @ref{Per-file keywords}, and @ref{Setting tags}, for
3233 @kindex S-@key{right}
3234 @kindex S-@key{left}
3235 @vindex org-treat-S-cursor-todo-selection-as-state-change
3238 Select the following/preceding TODO state, similar to cycling. Useful
3239 mostly if more than two TODO states are possible (@pxref{TODO
3240 extensions}). See also @ref{Conflicts}, for a discussion of the interaction
3241 with @code{shift-selection-mode}. See also the variable
3242 @code{org-treat-S-cursor-todo-selection-as-state-change}.
3245 @cindex sparse tree, for TODO
3248 @vindex org-todo-keywords
3249 View TODO items in a @emph{sparse tree} (@pxref{Sparse trees}). Folds the
3250 entire buffer, but shows all TODO items and the headings hierarchy above
3251 them. With a prefix argument, search for a specific TODO. You will be
3252 prompted for the keyword, and you can also give a list of keywords like
3253 @code{KWD1|KWD2|...} to list entries that match any one of these keywords.
3254 With numeric prefix argument N, show the tree for the Nth keyword in the
3255 variable @code{org-todo-keywords}. With two prefix arguments, find all TODO
3259 Show the global TODO list. Collects the TODO items from all agenda
3260 files (@pxref{Agenda Views}) into a single buffer. The new buffer will
3261 be in @code{agenda-mode}, which provides commands to examine and
3262 manipulate the TODO entries from the new buffer (@pxref{Agenda
3263 commands}). @xref{Global TODO list}, for more information.
3264 @kindex S-M-@key{RET}
3266 Insert a new TODO entry below the current one.
3270 @vindex org-todo-state-tags-triggers
3271 Changing a TODO state can also trigger tag changes. See the docstring of the
3272 option @code{org-todo-state-tags-triggers} for details.
3274 @node TODO extensions, Progress logging, TODO basics, TODO Items
3275 @section Extended use of TODO keywords
3276 @cindex extended TODO keywords
3278 @vindex org-todo-keywords
3279 By default, marked TODO entries have one of only two states: TODO and
3280 DONE. Org mode allows you to classify TODO items in more complex ways
3281 with @emph{TODO keywords} (stored in @code{org-todo-keywords}). With
3282 special setup, the TODO keyword system can work differently in different
3285 Note that @i{tags} are another way to classify headlines in general and
3286 TODO items in particular (@pxref{Tags}).
3289 * Workflow states:: From TODO to DONE in steps
3290 * TODO types:: I do this, Fred does the rest
3291 * Multiple sets in one file:: Mixing it all, and still finding your way
3292 * Fast access to TODO states:: Single letter selection of a state
3293 * Per-file keywords:: Different files, different requirements
3294 * Faces for TODO keywords:: Highlighting states
3295 * TODO dependencies:: When one task needs to wait for others
3298 @node Workflow states, TODO types, TODO extensions, TODO extensions
3299 @subsection TODO keywords as workflow states
3300 @cindex TODO workflow
3301 @cindex workflow states as TODO keywords
3303 You can use TODO keywords to indicate different @emph{sequential} states
3304 in the process of working on an item, for example@footnote{Changing
3305 this variable only becomes effective after restarting Org mode in a
3309 (setq org-todo-keywords
3310 '((sequence "TODO" "FEEDBACK" "VERIFY" "|" "DONE" "DELEGATED")))
3313 The vertical bar separates the TODO keywords (states that @emph{need
3314 action}) from the DONE states (which need @emph{no further action}). If
3315 you don't provide the separator bar, the last state is used as the DONE
3317 @cindex completion, of TODO keywords
3318 With this setup, the command @kbd{C-c C-t} will cycle an entry from TODO
3319 to FEEDBACK, then to VERIFY, and finally to DONE and DELEGATED. You may
3320 also use a numeric prefix argument to quickly select a specific state. For
3321 example @kbd{C-3 C-c C-t} will change the state immediately to VERIFY.
3322 Or you can use @kbd{S-@key{left}} to go backward through the sequence. If you
3323 define many keywords, you can use in-buffer completion
3324 (@pxref{Completion}) or even a special one-key selection scheme
3325 (@pxref{Fast access to TODO states}) to insert these words into the
3326 buffer. Changing a TODO state can be logged with a timestamp, see
3327 @ref{Tracking TODO state changes}, for more information.
3329 @node TODO types, Multiple sets in one file, Workflow states, TODO extensions
3330 @subsection TODO keywords as types
3332 @cindex names as TODO keywords
3333 @cindex types as TODO keywords
3335 The second possibility is to use TODO keywords to indicate different
3336 @emph{types} of action items. For example, you might want to indicate
3337 that items are for ``work'' or ``home''. Or, when you work with several
3338 people on a single project, you might want to assign action items
3339 directly to persons, by using their names as TODO keywords. This would
3340 be set up like this:
3343 (setq org-todo-keywords '((type "Fred" "Sara" "Lucy" "|" "DONE")))
3346 In this case, different keywords do not indicate a sequence, but rather
3347 different types. So the normal work flow would be to assign a task to a
3348 person, and later to mark it DONE. Org mode supports this style by adapting
3349 the workings of the command @kbd{C-c C-t}@footnote{This is also true for the
3350 @kbd{t} command in the timeline and agenda buffers.}. When used several
3351 times in succession, it will still cycle through all names, in order to first
3352 select the right type for a task. But when you return to the item after some
3353 time and execute @kbd{C-c C-t} again, it will switch from any name directly
3354 to DONE. Use prefix arguments or completion to quickly select a specific
3355 name. You can also review the items of a specific TODO type in a sparse tree
3356 by using a numeric prefix to @kbd{C-c C-v}. For example, to see all things
3357 Lucy has to do, you would use @kbd{C-3 C-c C-v}. To collect Lucy's items
3358 from all agenda files into a single buffer, you would use the numeric prefix
3359 argument as well when creating the global TODO list: @kbd{C-3 C-c t}.
3361 @node Multiple sets in one file, Fast access to TODO states, TODO types, TODO extensions
3362 @subsection Multiple keyword sets in one file
3363 @cindex TODO keyword sets
3365 Sometimes you may want to use different sets of TODO keywords in
3366 parallel. For example, you may want to have the basic
3367 @code{TODO}/@code{DONE}, but also a workflow for bug fixing, and a
3368 separate state indicating that an item has been canceled (so it is not
3369 DONE, but also does not require action). Your setup would then look
3373 (setq org-todo-keywords
3374 '((sequence "TODO" "|" "DONE")
3375 (sequence "REPORT" "BUG" "KNOWNCAUSE" "|" "FIXED")
3376 (sequence "|" "CANCELED")))
3379 The keywords should all be different, this helps Org mode to keep track
3380 of which subsequence should be used for a given entry. In this setup,
3381 @kbd{C-c C-t} only operates within a subsequence, so it switches from
3382 @code{DONE} to (nothing) to @code{TODO}, and from @code{FIXED} to
3383 (nothing) to @code{REPORT}. Therefore you need a mechanism to initially
3384 select the correct sequence. Besides the obvious ways like typing a
3385 keyword or using completion, you may also apply the following commands:
3388 @kindex C-S-@key{right}
3389 @kindex C-S-@key{left}
3390 @kindex C-u C-u C-c C-t
3391 @item C-u C-u C-c C-t
3392 @itemx C-S-@key{right}
3393 @itemx C-S-@key{left}
3394 These keys jump from one TODO subset to the next. In the above example,
3395 @kbd{C-u C-u C-c C-t} or @kbd{C-S-@key{right}} would jump from @code{TODO} or
3396 @code{DONE} to @code{REPORT}, and any of the words in the second row to
3397 @code{CANCELED}. Note that the @kbd{C-S-} key binding conflict with
3398 @code{shift-selection-mode} (@pxref{Conflicts}).
3399 @kindex S-@key{right}
3400 @kindex S-@key{left}
3403 @kbd{S-@key{<left>}} and @kbd{S-@key{<right>}} and walk through @emph{all}
3404 keywords from all sets, so for example @kbd{S-@key{<right>}} would switch
3405 from @code{DONE} to @code{REPORT} in the example above. See also
3406 @ref{Conflicts}, for a discussion of the interaction with
3407 @code{shift-selection-mode}.
3410 @node Fast access to TODO states, Per-file keywords, Multiple sets in one file, TODO extensions
3411 @subsection Fast access to TODO states
3413 If you would like to quickly change an entry to an arbitrary TODO state
3414 instead of cycling through the states, you can set up keys for
3415 single-letter access to the states. This is done by adding the section
3416 key after each keyword, in parentheses. For example:
3419 (setq org-todo-keywords
3420 '((sequence "TODO(t)" "|" "DONE(d)")
3421 (sequence "REPORT(r)" "BUG(b)" "KNOWNCAUSE(k)" "|" "FIXED(f)")
3422 (sequence "|" "CANCELED(c)")))
3425 @vindex org-fast-tag-selection-include-todo
3426 If you then press @code{C-c C-t} followed by the selection key, the entry
3427 will be switched to this state. @key{SPC} can be used to remove any TODO
3428 keyword from an entry.@footnote{Check also the variable
3429 @code{org-fast-tag-selection-include-todo}, it allows you to change the TODO
3430 state through the tags interface (@pxref{Setting tags}), in case you like to
3431 mingle the two concepts. Note that this means you need to come up with
3432 unique keys across both sets of keywords.}
3434 @node Per-file keywords, Faces for TODO keywords, Fast access to TODO states, TODO extensions
3435 @subsection Setting up keywords for individual files
3436 @cindex keyword options
3437 @cindex per-file keywords
3442 It can be very useful to use different aspects of the TODO mechanism in
3443 different files. For file-local settings, you need to add special lines
3444 to the file which set the keywords and interpretation for that file
3445 only. For example, to set one of the two examples discussed above, you
3446 need one of the following lines, starting in column zero anywhere in the
3450 #+TODO: TODO FEEDBACK VERIFY | DONE CANCELED
3452 @noindent (you may also write @code{#+SEQ_TODO} to be explicit about the
3453 interpretation, but it means the same as @code{#+TODO}), or
3455 #+TYP_TODO: Fred Sara Lucy Mike | DONE
3458 A setup for using several sets in parallel would be:
3462 #+TODO: REPORT BUG KNOWNCAUSE | FIXED
3466 @cindex completion, of option keywords
3468 @noindent To make sure you are using the correct keyword, type
3469 @samp{#+} into the buffer and then use @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} completion.
3471 @cindex DONE, final TODO keyword
3472 Remember that the keywords after the vertical bar (or the last keyword
3473 if no bar is there) must always mean that the item is DONE (although you
3474 may use a different word). After changing one of these lines, use
3475 @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in the line to make the changes
3476 known to Org mode@footnote{Org mode parses these lines only when
3477 Org mode is activated after visiting a file. @kbd{C-c C-c} with the
3478 cursor in a line starting with @samp{#+} is simply restarting Org mode
3479 for the current buffer.}.
3481 @node Faces for TODO keywords, TODO dependencies, Per-file keywords, TODO extensions
3482 @subsection Faces for TODO keywords
3483 @cindex faces, for TODO keywords
3485 @vindex org-todo @r{(face)}
3486 @vindex org-done @r{(face)}
3487 @vindex org-todo-keyword-faces
3488 Org mode highlights TODO keywords with special faces: @code{org-todo}
3489 for keywords indicating that an item still has to be acted upon, and
3490 @code{org-done} for keywords indicating that an item is finished. If
3491 you are using more than 2 different states, you might want to use
3492 special faces for some of them. This can be done using the variable
3493 @code{org-todo-keyword-faces}. For example:
3497 (setq org-todo-keyword-faces
3498 '(("TODO" . org-warning) ("STARTED" . "yellow")
3499 ("CANCELED" . (:foreground "blue" :weight bold))))
3503 While using a list with face properties as shown for CANCELED @emph{should}
3504 work, this does not aways seem to be the case. If necessary, define a
3505 special face and use that. A string is interpreted as a color. The variable
3506 @code{org-faces-easy-properties} determines if that color is interpreted as a
3507 foreground or a background color.
3509 @node TODO dependencies, , Faces for TODO keywords, TODO extensions
3510 @subsection TODO dependencies
3511 @cindex TODO dependencies
3512 @cindex dependencies, of TODO states
3514 @vindex org-enforce-todo-dependencies
3515 @cindex property, ORDERED
3516 The structure of Org files (hierarchy and lists) makes it easy to define TODO
3517 dependencies. Usually, a parent TODO task should not be marked DONE until
3518 all subtasks (defined as children tasks) are marked as DONE. And sometimes
3519 there is a logical sequence to a number of (sub)tasks, so that one task
3520 cannot be acted upon before all siblings above it are done. If you customize
3521 the variable @code{org-enforce-todo-dependencies}, Org will block entries
3522 from changing state to DONE while they have children that are not DONE.
3523 Furthermore, if an entry has a property @code{ORDERED}, each of its children
3524 will be blocked until all earlier siblings are marked DONE. Here is an
3528 * TODO Blocked until (two) is done
3537 ** TODO b, needs to wait for (a)
3538 ** TODO c, needs to wait for (a) and (b)
3544 @vindex org-track-ordered-property-with-tag
3545 @cindex property, ORDERED
3546 Toggle the @code{ORDERED} property of the current entry. A property is used
3547 for this behavior because this should be local to the current entry, not
3548 inherited like a tag. However, if you would like to @i{track} the value of
3549 this property with a tag for better visibility, customize the variable
3550 @code{org-track-ordered-property-with-tag}.
3551 @kindex C-u C-u C-u C-c C-t
3552 @item C-u C-u C-u C-c C-t
3553 Change TODO state, circumventing any state blocking.
3556 @vindex org-agenda-dim-blocked-tasks
3557 If you set the variable @code{org-agenda-dim-blocked-tasks}, TODO entries
3558 that cannot be closed because of such dependencies will be shown in a dimmed
3559 font or even made invisible in agenda views (@pxref{Agenda Views}).
3561 @cindex checkboxes and TODO dependencies
3562 @vindex org-enforce-todo-dependencies
3563 You can also block changes of TODO states by looking at checkboxes
3564 (@pxref{Checkboxes}). If you set the variable
3565 @code{org-enforce-todo-checkbox-dependencies}, an entry that has unchecked
3566 checkboxes will be blocked from switching to DONE.
3568 If you need more complex dependency structures, for example dependencies
3569 between entries in different trees or files, check out the contributed
3570 module @file{org-depend.el}.
3573 @node Progress logging, Priorities, TODO extensions, TODO Items
3574 @section Progress logging
3575 @cindex progress logging
3576 @cindex logging, of progress
3578 Org mode can automatically record a timestamp and possibly a note when
3579 you mark a TODO item as DONE, or even each time you change the state of
3580 a TODO item. This system is highly configurable, settings can be on a
3581 per-keyword basis and can be localized to a file or even a subtree. For
3582 information on how to clock working time for a task, see @ref{Clocking
3586 * Closing items:: When was this entry marked DONE?
3587 * Tracking TODO state changes:: When did the status change?
3588 * Tracking your habits:: How consistent have you been?
3591 @node Closing items, Tracking TODO state changes, Progress logging, Progress logging
3592 @subsection Closing items
3594 The most basic logging is to keep track of @emph{when} a certain TODO
3595 item was finished. This is achieved with@footnote{The corresponding
3596 in-buffer setting is: @code{#+STARTUP: logdone}}.
3599 (setq org-log-done 'time)
3603 Then each time you turn an entry from a TODO (not-done) state into any
3604 of the DONE states, a line @samp{CLOSED: [timestamp]} will be inserted
3605 just after the headline. If you turn the entry back into a TODO item
3606 through further state cycling, that line will be removed again. If you
3607 want to record a note along with the timestamp, use@footnote{The
3608 corresponding in-buffer setting is: @code{#+STARTUP: lognotedone}}
3611 (setq org-log-done 'note)
3615 You will then be prompted for a note, and that note will be stored below
3616 the entry with a @samp{Closing Note} heading.
3618 In the timeline (@pxref{Timeline}) and in the agenda
3619 (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}), you can then use the @kbd{l} key to
3620 display the TODO items with a @samp{CLOSED} timestamp on each day,
3621 giving you an overview of what has been done.
3623 @node Tracking TODO state changes, Tracking your habits, Closing items, Progress logging
3624 @subsection Tracking TODO state changes
3625 @cindex drawer, for state change recording
3627 @vindex org-log-states-order-reversed
3628 @vindex org-log-into-drawer
3629 @cindex property, LOG_INTO_DRAWER
3630 When TODO keywords are used as workflow states (@pxref{Workflow states}), you
3631 might want to keep track of when a state change occurred and maybe take a
3632 note about this change. You can either record just a timestamp, or a
3633 time-stamped note for a change. These records will be inserted after the
3634 headline as an itemized list, newest first@footnote{See the variable
3635 @code{org-log-states-order-reversed}}. When taking a lot of notes, you might
3636 want to get the notes out of the way into a drawer (@pxref{Drawers}).
3637 Customize the variable @code{org-log-into-drawer} to get this
3638 behavior---the recommended drawer for this is called @code{LOGBOOK}. You can
3639 also overrule the setting of this variable for a subtree by setting a
3640 @code{LOG_INTO_DRAWER} property.
3642 Since it is normally too much to record a note for every state, Org mode
3643 expects configuration on a per-keyword basis for this. This is achieved by
3644 adding special markers @samp{!} (for a timestamp) and @samp{@@} (for a note)
3645 in parentheses after each keyword. For example, with the setting
3648 (setq org-todo-keywords
3649 '((sequence "TODO(t)" "WAIT(w@@/!)" "|" "DONE(d!)" "CANCELED(c@@)")))
3653 @vindex org-log-done
3654 you not only define global TODO keywords and fast access keys, but also
3655 request that a time is recorded when the entry is set to
3656 DONE@footnote{It is possible that Org mode will record two timestamps
3657 when you are using both @code{org-log-done} and state change logging.
3658 However, it will never prompt for two notes---if you have configured
3659 both, the state change recording note will take precedence and cancel
3660 the @samp{Closing Note}.}, and that a note is recorded when switching to
3661 WAIT or CANCELED. The setting for WAIT is even more special: the
3662 @samp{!} after the slash means that in addition to the note taken when
3663 entering the state, a timestamp should be recorded when @i{leaving} the
3664 WAIT state, if and only if the @i{target} state does not configure
3665 logging for entering it. So it has no effect when switching from WAIT
3666 to DONE, because DONE is configured to record a timestamp only. But
3667 when switching from WAIT back to TODO, the @samp{/!} in the WAIT
3668 setting now triggers a timestamp even though TODO has no logging
3671 You can use the exact same syntax for setting logging preferences local
3674 #+TODO: TODO(t) WAIT(w@@/!) | DONE(d!) CANCELED(c@@)
3677 @cindex property, LOGGING
3678 In order to define logging settings that are local to a subtree or a
3679 single item, define a LOGGING property in this entry. Any non-empty
3680 LOGGING property resets all logging settings to nil. You may then turn
3681 on logging for this specific tree using STARTUP keywords like
3682 @code{lognotedone} or @code{logrepeat}, as well as adding state specific
3683 settings like @code{TODO(!)}. For example
3686 * TODO Log each state with only a time
3688 :LOGGING: TODO(!) WAIT(!) DONE(!) CANCELED(!)
3690 * TODO Only log when switching to WAIT, and when repeating
3692 :LOGGING: WAIT(@@) logrepeat
3694 * TODO No logging at all
3700 @node Tracking your habits, , Tracking TODO state changes, Progress logging
3701 @subsection Tracking your habits
3704 Org has the ability to track the consistency of a special category of TODOs,
3705 called ``habits''. A habit has the following properties:
3709 You have enabled the @code{habits} module by customizing the variable
3712 The habit is a TODO, with a TODO keyword representing an open state.
3714 The property @code{STYLE} is set to the value @code{habit}.
3716 The TODO has a scheduled date, with a @code{.+} style repeat interval.
3718 The TODO may also have minimum and maximum ranges specified by using the
3719 syntax @samp{.+2d/3d}, which says that you want to do the task at least every
3720 three days, but at most every two days.
3722 You must also have state logging for the @code{DONE} state enabled, in order
3723 for historical data to be represented in the consistency graph. If it's not
3724 enabled it's not an error, but the consistency graphs will be largely
3728 To give you an idea of what the above rules look like in action, here's an
3729 actual habit with some history:
3733 SCHEDULED: <2009-10-17 Sat .+2d/4d>
3734 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-10-15 Thu]
3735 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-10-12 Mon]
3736 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-10-10 Sat]
3737 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-10-04 Sun]
3738 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-10-02 Fri]
3739 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-09-29 Tue]
3740 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-09-25 Fri]
3741 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-09-19 Sat]
3742 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-09-16 Wed]
3743 - State "DONE" from "TODO" [2009-09-12 Sat]
3746 :LAST_REPEAT: [2009-10-19 Mon 00:36]
3750 What this habit says is: I want to shave at most every 2 days (given by the
3751 @code{SCHEDULED} date and repeat interval) and at least every 4 days. If
3752 today is the 15th, then the habit first appears in the agenda on Oct 17,
3753 after the minimum of 2 days has elapsed, and will appear overdue on Oct 19,
3754 after four days have elapsed.
3756 What's really useful about habits is that they are displayed along with a
3757 consistency graph, to show how consistent you've been at getting that task
3758 done in the past. This graph shows every day that the task was done over the
3759 past three weeks, with colors for each day. The colors used are:
3763 If the task wasn't to be done yet on that day.
3765 If the task could have been done on that day.
3767 If the task was going to be overdue the next day.
3769 If the task was overdue on that day.
3772 In addition to coloring each day, the day is also marked with an asterix if
3773 the task was actually done that day, and an exclamation mark to show where
3774 the current day falls in the graph.
3776 There are several configuration variables that can be used to change the way
3777 habits are displayed in the agenda.
3780 @item org-habit-graph-column
3781 The buffer column at which the consistency graph should be drawn. This will
3782 overwrite any text in that column, so it's a good idea to keep your habits'
3783 titles brief and to the point.
3784 @item org-habit-preceding-days
3785 The amount of history, in days before today, to appear in consistency graphs.
3786 @item org-habit-following-days
3787 The number of days after today that will appear in consistency graphs.
3788 @item org-habit-show-habits-only-for-today
3789 If non-nil, only show habits in today's agenda view. This is set to true by
3793 Lastly, pressing @kbd{K} in the agenda buffer will cause habits to
3794 temporarily be disabled and they won't appear at all. Press @kbd{K} again to
3795 bring them back. They are also subject to tag filtering, if you have habits
3796 which should only be done in certain contexts, for example.
3798 @node Priorities, Breaking down tasks, Progress logging, TODO Items
3802 If you use Org mode extensively, you may end up enough TODO items that
3803 it starts to make sense to prioritize them. Prioritizing can be done by
3804 placing a @emph{priority cookie} into the headline of a TODO item, like
3808 *** TODO [#A] Write letter to Sam Fortune
3812 @vindex org-priority-faces
3813 By default, Org mode supports three priorities: @samp{A}, @samp{B}, and
3814 @samp{C}. @samp{A} is the highest priority. An entry without a cookie is
3815 treated as priority @samp{B}. Priorities make a difference only in the
3816 agenda (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}); outside the agenda, they have no
3817 inherent meaning to Org mode. The cookies can be highlighted with special
3818 faces by customizing the variable @code{org-priority-faces}.
3820 Priorities can be attached to any outline tree entries; they do not need
3826 Set the priority of the current headline. The command prompts for a
3827 priority character @samp{A}, @samp{B} or @samp{C}. When you press
3828 @key{SPC} instead, the priority cookie is removed from the headline.
3829 The priorities can also be changed ``remotely'' from the timeline and
3830 agenda buffer with the @kbd{,} command (@pxref{Agenda commands}).
3833 @kindex S-@key{down}
3836 @vindex org-priority-start-cycle-with-default
3837 Increase/decrease priority of current headline@footnote{See also the option
3838 @code{org-priority-start-cycle-with-default}.}. Note that these keys are
3839 also used to modify timestamps (@pxref{Creating timestamps}). See also
3840 @ref{Conflicts}, for a discussion of the interaction with
3841 @code{shift-selection-mode}.
3844 @vindex org-highest-priority
3845 @vindex org-lowest-priority
3846 @vindex org-default-priority
3847 You can change the range of allowed priorities by setting the variables
3848 @code{org-highest-priority}, @code{org-lowest-priority}, and
3849 @code{org-default-priority}. For an individual buffer, you may set
3850 these values (highest, lowest, default) like this (please make sure that
3851 the highest priority is earlier in the alphabet than the lowest
3854 @cindex #+PRIORITIES
3859 @node Breaking down tasks, Checkboxes, Priorities, TODO Items
3860 @section Breaking tasks down into subtasks
3861 @cindex tasks, breaking down
3862 @cindex statistics, for TODO items
3864 @vindex org-agenda-todo-list-sublevels
3865 It is often advisable to break down large tasks into smaller, manageable
3866 subtasks. You can do this by creating an outline tree below a TODO item,
3867 with detailed subtasks on the tree@footnote{To keep subtasks out of the
3868 global TODO list, see the @code{org-agenda-todo-list-sublevels}.}. To keep
3869 the overview over the fraction of subtasks that are already completed, insert
3870 either @samp{[/]} or @samp{[%]} anywhere in the headline. These cookies will
3871 be updates each time the todo status of a child changes, or when pressing
3872 @kbd{C-c C-c} on the cookie. For example:
3875 * Organize Party [33%]
3876 ** TODO Call people [1/2]
3880 ** DONE Talk to neighbor
3883 @cindex property, COOKIE_DATA
3884 If a heading has both checkboxes and TODO children below it, the meaning of
3885 the statistics cookie become ambiguous. Set the property
3886 @code{COOKIE_DATA} to either @samp{checkbox} or @samp{todo} to resolve
3889 @vindex org-hierarchical-todo-statistics
3890 If you would like to have the statistics cookie count any TODO entries in the
3891 subtree (not just direct children), configure the variable
3892 @code{org-hierarchical-todo-statistics}. To do this for a single subtree,
3893 include the word @samp{recursive} into the value of the @code{COOKIE_DATA}
3897 * Parent capturing statistics [2/20]
3899 :COOKIE_DATA: todo recursive
3903 If you would like a TODO entry to automatically change to DONE
3904 when all children are done, you can use the following setup:
3907 (defun org-summary-todo (n-done n-not-done)
3908 "Switch entry to DONE when all subentries are done, to TODO otherwise."
3909 (let (org-log-done org-log-states) ; turn off logging
3910 (org-todo (if (= n-not-done 0) "DONE" "TODO"))))
3912 (add-hook 'org-after-todo-statistics-hook 'org-summary-todo)
3916 Another possibility is the use of checkboxes to identify (a hierarchy of) a
3917 large number of subtasks (@pxref{Checkboxes}).
3920 @node Checkboxes, , Breaking down tasks, TODO Items
3924 Every item in a plain list (@pxref{Plain lists}) can be made into a
3925 checkbox by starting it with the string @samp{[ ]}. This feature is
3926 similar to TODO items (@pxref{TODO Items}), but is more lightweight.
3927 Checkboxes are not included into the global TODO list, so they are often
3928 great to split a task into a number of simple steps. Or you can use
3929 them in a shopping list. To toggle a checkbox, use @kbd{C-c C-c}, or
3930 use the mouse (thanks to Piotr Zielinski's @file{org-mouse.el}).
3932 Here is an example of a checkbox list.
3935 * TODO Organize party [2/4]
3936 - [-] call people [1/3]
3941 - [ ] think about what music to play
3942 - [X] talk to the neighbors
3945 Checkboxes work hierarchically, so if a checkbox item has children that
3946 are checkboxes, toggling one of the children checkboxes will make the
3947 parent checkbox reflect if none, some, or all of the children are
3950 @cindex statistics, for checkboxes
3951 @cindex checkbox statistics
3952 @cindex property, COOKIE_DATA
3953 @vindex org-hierarchical-checkbox-statistics
3954 The @samp{[2/4]} and @samp{[1/3]} in the first and second line are cookies
3955 indicating how many checkboxes present in this entry have been checked off,
3956 and the total number of checkboxes present. This can give you an idea on how
3957 many checkboxes remain, even without opening a folded entry. The cookies can
3958 be placed into a headline or into (the first line of) a plain list item.
3959 Each cookie covers checkboxes of direct children structurally below the
3960 headline/item on which the cookie appears@footnote{Set the variable
3961 @code{org-hierarchical-checkbox-statistics} if you want such cookies to
3962 represent the all checkboxes below the cookie, not just the direct
3963 children.}. You have to insert the cookie yourself by typing either
3964 @samp{[/]} or @samp{[%]}. With @samp{[/]} you get an @samp{n out of m}
3965 result, as in the examples above. With @samp{[%]} you get information about
3966 the percentage of checkboxes checked (in the above example, this would be
3967 @samp{[50%]} and @samp{[33%]}, respectively). In a headline, a cookie can
3968 count either checkboxes below the heading or TODO states of children, and it
3969 will display whatever was changed last. Set the property @code{COOKIE_DATA}
3970 to either @samp{checkbox} or @samp{todo} to resolve this issue.
3972 @cindex blocking, of checkboxes
3973 @cindex checkbox blocking
3974 @cindex property, ORDERED
3975 If the current outline node has an @code{ORDERED} property, checkboxes must
3976 be checked off in sequence, and an error will be thrown if you try to check
3977 off a box while there are unchecked boxes above it.
3979 @noindent The following commands work with checkboxes:
3984 Toggle checkbox status or (with prefix arg) checkbox presence at point. With
3985 double prefix argument, set it to @samp{[-]}, which is considered to be an
3989 Toggle checkbox status or (with prefix arg) checkbox presence at point. With
3990 double prefix argument, set it to @samp{[-]}, which is considered to be an
3994 If there is an active region, toggle the first checkbox in the region
3995 and set all remaining boxes to the same status as the first. With a prefix
3996 arg, add or remove the checkbox for all items in the region.
3998 If the cursor is in a headline, toggle checkboxes in the region between
3999 this headline and the next (so @emph{not} the entire subtree).
4001 If there is no active region, just toggle the checkbox at point.
4003 @kindex M-S-@key{RET}
4005 Insert a new item with a checkbox.
4006 This works only if the cursor is already in a plain list item
4007 (@pxref{Plain lists}).
4010 @vindex org-track-ordered-property-with-tag
4011 @cindex property, ORDERED
4012 Toggle the @code{ORDERED} property of the entry, to toggle if checkboxes must
4013 be checked off in sequence. A property is used for this behavior because
4014 this should be local to the current entry, not inherited like a tag.
4015 However, if you would like to @i{track} the value of this property with a tag
4016 for better visibility, customize the variable
4017 @code{org-track-ordered-property-with-tag}.
4020 Update the statistics cookie in the current outline entry. When called with
4021 a @kbd{C-u} prefix, update the entire file. Checkbox statistic cookies are
4022 updated automatically if you toggle checkboxes with @kbd{C-c C-c} and make
4023 new ones with @kbd{M-S-@key{RET}}. TODO statistics cookies update when
4024 changing TODO states. If you delete boxes/entries or add/change them by
4025 hand, use this command to get things back into sync. Or simply toggle any
4026 entry twice (checkboxes with @kbd{C-c C-c}).
4029 @node Tags, Properties and Columns, TODO Items, Top
4032 @cindex headline tagging
4033 @cindex matching, tags
4034 @cindex sparse tree, tag based
4036 An excellent way to implement labels and contexts for cross-correlating
4037 information is to assign @i{tags} to headlines. Org mode has extensive
4040 @vindex org-tag-faces
4041 Every headline can contain a list of tags; they occur at the end of the
4042 headline. Tags are normal words containing letters, numbers, @samp{_}, and
4043 @samp{@@}. Tags must be preceded and followed by a single colon, e.g.,
4044 @samp{:work:}. Several tags can be specified, as in @samp{:work:urgent:}.
4045 Tags will by default be in bold face with the same color as the headline.
4046 You may specify special faces for specific tags using the variable
4047 @code{org-tag-faces}, in much the same way as you can for TODO keywords
4048 (@pxref{Faces for TODO keywords}).
4051 * Tag inheritance:: Tags use the tree structure of the outline
4052 * Setting tags:: How to assign tags to a headline
4053 * Tag searches:: Searching for combinations of tags
4056 @node Tag inheritance, Setting tags, Tags, Tags
4057 @section Tag inheritance
4058 @cindex tag inheritance
4059 @cindex inheritance, of tags
4060 @cindex sublevels, inclusion into tags match
4062 @i{Tags} make use of the hierarchical structure of outline trees. If a
4063 heading has a certain tag, all subheadings will inherit the tag as
4064 well. For example, in the list
4067 * Meeting with the French group :work:
4068 ** Summary by Frank :boss:notes:
4069 *** TODO Prepare slides for him :action:
4073 the final heading will have the tags @samp{:work:}, @samp{:boss:},
4074 @samp{:notes:}, and @samp{:action:} even though the final heading is not
4075 explicitly marked with those tags. You can also set tags that all entries in
4076 a file should inherit just as if these tags were defined in a hypothetical
4077 level zero that surrounds the entire file. Use a line like this@footnote{As
4078 with all these in-buffer settings, pressing @kbd{C-c C-c} activates any
4079 changes in the line.}:
4083 #+FILETAGS: :Peter:Boss:Secret:
4087 @vindex org-use-tag-inheritance
4088 @vindex org-tags-exclude-from-inheritance
4089 To limit tag inheritance to specific tags, or to turn it off entirely, use
4090 the variables @code{org-use-tag-inheritance} and
4091 @code{org-tags-exclude-from-inheritance}.
4093 @vindex org-tags-match-list-sublevels
4094 When a headline matches during a tags search while tag inheritance is turned
4095 on, all the sublevels in the same tree will (for a simple match form) match
4096 as well@footnote{This is only true if the search does not involve more
4097 complex tests including properties (@pxref{Property searches}).}. The list
4098 of matches may then become very long. If you only want to see the first tags
4099 match in a subtree, configure the variable
4100 @code{org-tags-match-list-sublevels} (not recommended).
4102 @node Setting tags, Tag searches, Tag inheritance, Tags
4103 @section Setting tags
4104 @cindex setting tags
4105 @cindex tags, setting
4108 Tags can simply be typed into the buffer at the end of a headline.
4109 After a colon, @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} offers completion on tags. There is
4110 also a special command for inserting tags:
4115 @cindex completion, of tags
4116 @vindex org-tags-column
4117 Enter new tags for the current headline. Org mode will either offer
4118 completion or a special single-key interface for setting tags, see
4119 below. After pressing @key{RET}, the tags will be inserted and aligned
4120 to @code{org-tags-column}. When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix, all
4121 tags in the current buffer will be aligned to that column, just to make
4122 things look nice. TAGS are automatically realigned after promotion,
4123 demotion, and TODO state changes (@pxref{TODO basics}).
4126 When the cursor is in a headline, this does the same as @kbd{C-c C-q}.
4129 @vindex org-tag-alist
4130 Org will support tag insertion based on a @emph{list of tags}. By
4131 default this list is constructed dynamically, containing all tags
4132 currently used in the buffer. You may also globally specify a hard list
4133 of tags with the variable @code{org-tag-alist}. Finally you can set
4134 the default tags for a given file with lines like
4138 #+TAGS: @@work @@home @@tennisclub
4139 #+TAGS: laptop car pc sailboat
4142 If you have globally defined your preferred set of tags using the
4143 variable @code{org-tag-alist}, but would like to use a dynamic tag list
4144 in a specific file, add an empty TAGS option line to that file:
4150 @vindex org-tag-persistent-alist
4151 If you have a preferred set of tags that you would like to use in every file,
4152 in addition to those defined on a per-file basis by TAGS option lines, then
4153 you may specify a list of tags with the variable
4154 @code{org-tag-persistent-alist}. You may turn this off on a per-file basis
4155 by adding a STARTUP option line to that file:
4161 By default Org mode uses the standard minibuffer completion facilities for
4162 entering tags. However, it also implements another, quicker, tag selection
4163 method called @emph{fast tag selection}. This allows you to select and
4164 deselect tags with just a single key press. For this to work well you should
4165 assign unique letters to most of your commonly used tags. You can do this
4166 globally by configuring the variable @code{org-tag-alist} in your
4167 @file{.emacs} file. For example, you may find the need to tag many items in
4168 different files with @samp{:@@home:}. In this case you can set something
4172 (setq org-tag-alist '(("@@work" . ?w) ("@@home" . ?h) ("laptop" . ?l)))
4175 @noindent If the tag is only relevant to the file you are working on, then you
4176 can instead set the TAGS option line as:
4179 #+TAGS: @@work(w) @@home(h) @@tennisclub(t) laptop(l) pc(p)
4182 @noindent The tags interface will show the available tags in a splash
4183 window. If you want to start a new line after a specific tag, insert
4184 @samp{\n} into the tag list
4187 #+TAGS: @@work(w) @@home(h) @@tennisclub(t) \n laptop(l) pc(p)
4190 @noindent or write them in two lines:
4193 #+TAGS: @@work(w) @@home(h) @@tennisclub(t)
4194 #+TAGS: laptop(l) pc(p)
4198 You can also group together tags that are mutually exclusive by using
4202 #+TAGS: @{ @@work(w) @@home(h) @@tennisclub(t) @} laptop(l) pc(p)
4205 @noindent you indicate that at most one of @samp{@@work}, @samp{@@home},
4206 and @samp{@@tennisclub} should be selected. Multiple such groups are allowed.
4208 @noindent Don't forget to press @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor in one of
4209 these lines to activate any changes.
4212 To set these mutually exclusive groups in the variable @code{org-tags-alist},
4213 you must use the dummy tags @code{:startgroup} and @code{:endgroup} instead
4214 of the braces. Similarly, you can use @code{:newline} to indicate a line
4215 break. The previous example would be set globally by the following
4219 (setq org-tag-alist '((:startgroup . nil)
4220 ("@@work" . ?w) ("@@home" . ?h)
4221 ("@@tennisclub" . ?t)
4223 ("laptop" . ?l) ("pc" . ?p)))
4226 If at least one tag has a selection key then pressing @kbd{C-c C-c} will
4227 automatically present you with a special interface, listing inherited tags,
4228 the tags of the current headline, and a list of all valid tags with
4229 corresponding keys@footnote{Keys will automatically be assigned to tags which
4230 have no configured keys.}. In this interface, you can use the following
4235 Pressing keys assigned to tags will add or remove them from the list of
4236 tags in the current line. Selecting a tag in a group of mutually
4237 exclusive tags will turn off any other tags from that group.
4240 Enter a tag in the minibuffer, even if the tag is not in the predefined
4241 list. You will be able to complete on all tags present in the buffer.
4244 Clear all tags for this line.
4247 Accept the modified set.
4249 Abort without installing changes.
4251 If @kbd{q} is not assigned to a tag, it aborts like @kbd{C-g}.
4253 Turn off groups of mutually exclusive tags. Use this to (as an
4254 exception) assign several tags from such a group.
4256 Toggle auto-exit after the next change (see below).
4257 If you are using expert mode, the first @kbd{C-c} will display the
4262 This method lets you assign tags to a headline with very few keys. With
4263 the above setup, you could clear the current tags and set @samp{@@home},
4264 @samp{laptop} and @samp{pc} tags with just the following keys: @kbd{C-c
4265 C-c @key{SPC} h l p @key{RET}}. Switching from @samp{@@home} to
4266 @samp{@@work} would be done with @kbd{C-c C-c w @key{RET}} or
4267 alternatively with @kbd{C-c C-c C-c w}. Adding the non-predefined tag
4268 @samp{Sarah} could be done with @kbd{C-c C-c @key{TAB} S a r a h
4269 @key{RET} @key{RET}}.
4271 @vindex org-fast-tag-selection-single-key
4272 If you find that most of the time you need only a single key press to
4273 modify your list of tags, set the variable
4274 @code{org-fast-tag-selection-single-key}. Then you no longer have to
4275 press @key{RET} to exit fast tag selection---it will immediately exit
4276 after the first change. If you then occasionally need more keys, press
4277 @kbd{C-c} to turn off auto-exit for the current tag selection process
4278 (in effect: start selection with @kbd{C-c C-c C-c} instead of @kbd{C-c
4279 C-c}). If you set the variable to the value @code{expert}, the special
4280 window is not even shown for single-key tag selection, it comes up only
4281 when you press an extra @kbd{C-c}.
4283 @vindex org-complete-tags-always-offer-all-agenda-tags
4284 As said before, when setting tags and @code{org-tag-alist} is nil, then the
4285 list of tags in the current buffer is used. Normally, this behavior is very
4286 convenient, except in org remember buffers (@pxref{Remember}), because there
4287 are no tags that can be calculated dynamically. Here, you most probably want
4288 to have completion for all tags in all agenda files. This can be done by
4289 setting @code{org-complete-tags-always-offer-all-agenda-tags} to non-nil in
4293 (add-hook 'org-remember-mode-hook
4295 (set (make-local-variable
4296 'org-complete-tags-always-offer-all-agenda-tags)
4300 Of course, you can also set it to @code{t} globally if you always want to
4301 have completion of all tags in all agenda files.
4303 @node Tag searches, , Setting tags, Tags
4304 @section Tag searches
4305 @cindex tag searches
4306 @cindex searching for tags
4308 Once a system of tags has been set up, it can be used to collect related
4309 information into special lists.
4316 Create a sparse tree with all headlines matching a tags search. With a
4317 @kbd{C-u} prefix argument, ignore headlines that are not a TODO line.
4320 Create a global list of tag matches from all agenda files.
4321 @xref{Matching tags and properties}.
4324 @vindex org-tags-match-list-sublevels
4325 Create a global list of tag matches from all agenda files, but check
4326 only TODO items and force checking subitems (see variable
4327 @code{org-tags-match-list-sublevels}).
4330 These commands all prompt for a match string which allows basic Boolean logic
4331 like @samp{+boss+urgent-project1}, to find entries with tags @samp{boss} and
4332 @samp{urgent}, but not @samp{project1}, or @samp{Kathy|Sally} to find entries
4333 which are tagged, like @samp{Kathy} or @samp{Sally}. The full syntax of the search
4334 string is rich and allows also matching against TODO keywords, entry levels
4335 and properties. For a complete description with many examples, see
4336 @ref{Matching tags and properties}.
4339 @node Properties and Columns, Dates and Times, Tags, Top
4340 @chapter Properties and Columns
4343 Properties are a set of key-value pairs associated with an entry. There
4344 are two main applications for properties in Org mode. First, properties
4345 are like tags, but with a value. Second, you can use properties to
4346 implement (very basic) database capabilities in an Org buffer. For
4347 an example of the first application, imagine maintaining a file where
4348 you document bugs and plan releases for a piece of software. Instead of
4349 using tags like @code{:release_1:}, @code{:release_2:}, one can use a
4350 property, say @code{:Release:}, that in different subtrees has different
4351 values, such as @code{1.0} or @code{2.0}. For an example of the second
4352 application of properties, imagine keeping track of your music CDs,
4353 where properties could be things such as the album, artist, date of
4354 release, number of tracks, and so on.
4356 Properties can be conveniently edited and viewed in column view
4357 (@pxref{Column view}).
4360 * Property syntax:: How properties are spelled out
4361 * Special properties:: Access to other Org mode features
4362 * Property searches:: Matching property values
4363 * Property inheritance:: Passing values down the tree
4364 * Column view:: Tabular viewing and editing
4365 * Property API:: Properties for Lisp programmers
4368 @node Property syntax, Special properties, Properties and Columns, Properties and Columns
4369 @section Property syntax
4370 @cindex property syntax
4371 @cindex drawer, for properties
4373 Properties are key-value pairs. They need to be inserted into a special
4374 drawer (@pxref{Drawers}) with the name @code{PROPERTIES}. Each property
4375 is specified on a single line, with the key (surrounded by colons)
4376 first, and the value after it. Here is an example:
4381 *** Goldberg Variations
4383 :Title: Goldberg Variations
4384 :Composer: J.S. Bach
4386 :Publisher: Deutsche Grammophon
4391 You may define the allowed values for a particular property @samp{:Xyz:}
4392 by setting a property @samp{:Xyz_ALL:}. This special property is
4393 @emph{inherited}, so if you set it in a level 1 entry, it will apply to
4394 the entire tree. When allowed values are defined, setting the
4395 corresponding property becomes easier and is less prone to typing
4396 errors. For the example with the CD collection, we can predefine
4397 publishers and the number of disks in a box like this:
4402 :NDisks_ALL: 1 2 3 4
4403 :Publisher_ALL: "Deutsche Grammophon" Philips EMI
4407 If you want to set properties that can be inherited by any entry in a
4408 file, use a line like
4409 @cindex property, _ALL
4412 #+PROPERTY: NDisks_ALL 1 2 3 4
4415 @vindex org-global-properties
4416 Property values set with the global variable
4417 @code{org-global-properties} can be inherited by all entries in all
4421 The following commands help to work with properties:
4426 After an initial colon in a line, complete property keys. All keys used
4427 in the current file will be offered as possible completions.
4430 Set a property. This prompts for a property name and a value. If
4431 necessary, the property drawer is created as well.
4432 @item M-x org-insert-property-drawer
4433 Insert a property drawer into the current entry. The drawer will be
4434 inserted early in the entry, but after the lines with planning
4435 information like deadlines.
4438 With the cursor in a property drawer, this executes property commands.
4440 Set a property in the current entry. Both the property and the value
4441 can be inserted using completion.
4442 @kindex S-@key{right}
4443 @kindex S-@key{left}
4444 @item S-@key{left}/@key{right}
4445 Switch property at point to the next/previous allowed value.
4447 Remove a property from the current entry.
4449 Globally remove a property, from all entries in the current file.
4451 Compute the property at point, using the operator and scope from the
4452 nearest column format definition.
4455 @node Special properties, Property searches, Property syntax, Properties and Columns
4456 @section Special properties
4457 @cindex properties, special
4459 Special properties provide an alternative access method to Org mode
4460 features, like the TODO state or the priority of an entry, discussed in the
4461 previous chapters. This interface exists so that you can include
4462 these states in a column view (@pxref{Column view}), or to use them in
4463 queries. The following property names are special and should not be
4464 used as keys in the properties drawer:
4466 @cindex property, special, TODO
4467 @cindex property, special, TAGS
4468 @cindex property, special, ALLTAGS
4469 @cindex property, special, CATEGORY
4470 @cindex property, special, PRIORITY
4471 @cindex property, special, DEADLINE
4472 @cindex property, special, SCHEDULED
4473 @cindex property, special, CLOSED
4474 @cindex property, special, TIMESTAMP
4475 @cindex property, special, TIMESTAMP_IA
4476 @cindex property, special, CLOCKSUM
4477 @cindex property, special, BLOCKED
4478 @c guessing that ITEM is needed in this area; also, should this list be sorted?
4479 @cindex property, special, ITEM
4481 TODO @r{The TODO keyword of the entry.}
4482 TAGS @r{The tags defined directly in the headline.}
4483 ALLTAGS @r{All tags, including inherited ones.}
4484 CATEGORY @r{The category of an entry.}
4485 PRIORITY @r{The priority of the entry, a string with a single letter.}
4486 DEADLINE @r{The deadline time string, without the angular brackets.}
4487 SCHEDULED @r{The scheduling timestamp, without the angular brackets.}
4488 CLOSED @r{When was this entry closed?}
4489 TIMESTAMP @r{The first keyword-less timestamp in the entry.}
4490 TIMESTAMP_IA @r{The first inactive timestamp in the entry.}
4491 CLOCKSUM @r{The sum of CLOCK intervals in the subtree. @code{org-clock-sum}}
4492 @r{must be run first to compute the values.}
4493 BLOCKED @r{"t" if task is currently blocked by children or siblings}
4494 ITEM @r{The content of the entry.}
4497 @node Property searches, Property inheritance, Special properties, Properties and Columns
4498 @section Property searches
4499 @cindex properties, searching
4500 @cindex searching, of properties
4502 To create sparse trees and special lists with selection based on properties,
4503 the same commands are used as for tag searches (@pxref{Tag searches}).
4509 Create a sparse tree with all matching entries. With a
4510 @kbd{C-u} prefix argument, ignore headlines that are not a TODO line.
4513 Create a global list of tag/property matches from all agenda files.
4514 @xref{Matching tags and properties}.
4517 @vindex org-tags-match-list-sublevels
4518 Create a global list of tag matches from all agenda files, but check
4519 only TODO items and force checking of subitems (see variable
4520 @code{org-tags-match-list-sublevels}).
4523 The syntax for the search string is described in @ref{Matching tags and
4526 There is also a special command for creating sparse trees based on a
4532 Create a sparse tree based on the value of a property. This first
4533 prompts for the name of a property, and then for a value. A sparse tree
4534 is created with all entries that define this property with the given
4535 value. If you enclose the value into curly braces, it is interpreted as
4536 a regular expression and matched against the property values.
4539 @node Property inheritance, Column view, Property searches, Properties and Columns
4540 @section Property Inheritance
4541 @cindex properties, inheritance
4542 @cindex inheritance, of properties
4544 @vindex org-use-property-inheritance
4545 The outline structure of Org-mode documents lends itself for an
4546 inheritance model of properties: if the parent in a tree has a certain
4547 property, the children can inherit this property. Org mode does not
4548 turn this on by default, because it can slow down property searches
4549 significantly and is often not needed. However, if you find inheritance
4550 useful, you can turn it on by setting the variable
4551 @code{org-use-property-inheritance}. It may be set to @code{t} to make
4552 all properties inherited from the parent, to a list of properties
4553 that should be inherited, or to a regular expression that matches
4554 inherited properties.
4556 Org mode has a few properties for which inheritance is hard-coded, at
4557 least for the special applications for which they are used:
4559 @cindex property, COLUMNS
4562 The @code{:COLUMNS:} property defines the format of column view
4563 (@pxref{Column view}). It is inherited in the sense that the level
4564 where a @code{:COLUMNS:} property is defined is used as the starting
4565 point for a column view table, independently of the location in the
4566 subtree from where columns view is turned on.
4568 @cindex property, CATEGORY
4569 For agenda view, a category set through a @code{:CATEGORY:} property
4570 applies to the entire subtree.
4572 @cindex property, ARCHIVE
4573 For archiving, the @code{:ARCHIVE:} property may define the archive
4574 location for the entire subtree (@pxref{Moving subtrees}).
4576 @cindex property, LOGGING
4577 The LOGGING property may define logging settings for an entry or a
4578 subtree (@pxref{Tracking TODO state changes}).
4581 @node Column view, Property API, Property inheritance, Properties and Columns
4582 @section Column view
4584 A great way to view and edit properties in an outline tree is
4585 @emph{column view}. In column view, each outline node is turned into a
4586 table row. Columns in this table provide access to properties of the
4587 entries. Org mode implements columns by overlaying a tabular structure
4588 over the headline of each item. While the headlines have been turned
4589 into a table row, you can still change the visibility of the outline
4590 tree. For example, you get a compact table by switching to CONTENTS
4591 view (@kbd{S-@key{TAB} S-@key{TAB}}, or simply @kbd{c} while column view
4592 is active), but you can still open, read, and edit the entry below each
4593 headline. Or, you can switch to column view after executing a sparse
4594 tree command and in this way get a table only for the selected items.
4595 Column view also works in agenda buffers (@pxref{Agenda Views}) where
4596 queries have collected selected items, possibly from a number of files.
4599 * Defining columns:: The COLUMNS format property
4600 * Using column view:: How to create and use column view
4601 * Capturing column view:: A dynamic block for column view
4604 @node Defining columns, Using column view, Column view, Column view
4605 @subsection Defining columns
4606 @cindex column view, for properties
4607 @cindex properties, column view
4609 Setting up a column view first requires defining the columns. This is
4610 done by defining a column format line.
4613 * Scope of column definitions:: Where defined, where valid?
4614 * Column attributes:: Appearance and content of a column
4617 @node Scope of column definitions, Column attributes, Defining columns, Defining columns
4618 @subsubsection Scope of column definitions
4620 To define a column format for an entire file, use a line like
4624 #+COLUMNS: %25ITEM %TAGS %PRIORITY %TODO
4627 To specify a format that only applies to a specific tree, add a
4628 @code{:COLUMNS:} property to the top node of that tree, for example:
4631 ** Top node for columns view
4633 :COLUMNS: %25ITEM %TAGS %PRIORITY %TODO
4637 If a @code{:COLUMNS:} property is present in an entry, it defines columns
4638 for the entry itself, and for the entire subtree below it. Since the
4639 column definition is part of the hierarchical structure of the document,
4640 you can define columns on level 1 that are general enough for all
4641 sublevels, and more specific columns further down, when you edit a
4642 deeper part of the tree.
4644 @node Column attributes, , Scope of column definitions, Defining columns
4645 @subsubsection Column attributes
4646 A column definition sets the attributes of a column. The general
4647 definition looks like this:
4650 %[@var{width}]@var{property}[(@var{title})][@{@var{summary-type}@}]
4654 Except for the percent sign and the property name, all items are
4655 optional. The individual parts have the following meaning:
4658 @var{width} @r{An integer specifying the width of the column in characters.}
4659 @r{If omitted, the width will be determined automatically.}
4660 @var{property} @r{The property that should be edited in this column.}
4661 @r{Special properties representing meta data are allowed here}
4662 @r{as well (@pxref{Special properties})}
4663 (title) @r{The header text for the column. If omitted, the}
4664 @r{property name is used.}
4665 @{@var{summary-type}@} @r{The summary type. If specified, the column values for}
4666 @r{parent nodes are computed from the children.}
4667 @r{Supported summary types are:}
4668 @{+@} @r{Sum numbers in this column.}
4669 @{+;%.1f@} @r{Like @samp{+}, but format result with @samp{%.1f}.}
4670 @{$@} @r{Currency, short for @samp{+;%.2f}.}
4671 @{:@} @r{Sum times, HH:MM:SS, plain numbers are hours.}
4672 @{X@} @r{Checkbox status, @samp{[X]} if all children are @samp{[X]}.}
4673 @{X/@} @r{Checkbox status, @samp{[n/m]}.}
4674 @{X%@} @r{Checkbox status, @samp{[n%]}.}
4675 @{min@} @r{Smallest number in column.}
4676 @{max@} @r{Largest number.}
4677 @{mean@} @r{Arithmetic mean of numbers.}
4678 @{:min@} @r{Smallest time value in column.}
4679 @{:max@} @r{Largest time value.}
4680 @{:mean@} @r{Arithmetic mean of time values.}
4681 @{@@min@} @r{Minimum age (in days/hours/mins/seconds).}
4682 @{@@max@} @r{Maximum age (in days/hours/mins/seconds).}
4683 @{@@mean@} @r{Arithmetic mean of ages (in days/hours/mins/seconds).}
4687 Be aware that you can only have one summary type for any property you
4688 include. Subsequent columns referencing the same property will all display the
4689 same summary information.
4691 Here is an example for a complete columns definition, along with allowed
4695 :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.}
4696 %10Time_Estimate@{:@} %CLOCKSUM
4697 :Owner_ALL: Tammy Mark Karl Lisa Don
4698 :Status_ALL: "In progress" "Not started yet" "Finished" ""
4699 :Approved_ALL: "[ ]" "[X]"
4703 The first column, @samp{%25ITEM}, means the first 25 characters of the
4704 item itself, i.e. of the headline. You probably always should start the
4705 column definition with the @samp{ITEM} specifier. The other specifiers
4706 create columns @samp{Owner} with a list of names as allowed values, for
4707 @samp{Status} with four different possible values, and for a checkbox
4708 field @samp{Approved}. When no width is given after the @samp{%}
4709 character, the column will be exactly as wide as it needs to be in order
4710 to fully display all values. The @samp{Approved} column does have a
4711 modified title (@samp{Approved?}, with a question mark). Summaries will
4712 be created for the @samp{Time_Estimate} column by adding time duration
4713 expressions like HH:MM, and for the @samp{Approved} column, by providing
4714 an @samp{[X]} status if all children have been checked. The
4715 @samp{CLOCKSUM} column is special, it lists the sum of CLOCK intervals
4718 @node Using column view, Capturing column view, Defining columns, Column view
4719 @subsection Using column view
4722 @tsubheading{Turning column view on and off}
4725 @vindex org-columns-default-format
4726 Turn on column view. If the cursor is before the first headline in the file,
4727 column view is turned on for the entire file, using the @code{#+COLUMNS}
4728 definition. If the cursor is somewhere inside the outline, this command
4729 searches the hierarchy, up from point, for a @code{:COLUMNS:} property that
4730 defines a format. When one is found, the column view table is established
4731 for the tree starting at the entry that contains the @code{:COLUMNS:}
4732 property. If no such property is found, the format is taken from the
4733 @code{#+COLUMNS} line or from the variable @code{org-columns-default-format},
4734 and column view is established for the current entry and its subtree.
4737 Recreate the column view, to include recent changes made in the buffer.
4744 @tsubheading{Editing values}
4745 @item @key{left} @key{right} @key{up} @key{down}
4746 Move through the column view from field to field.
4747 @kindex S-@key{left}
4748 @kindex S-@key{right}
4749 @item S-@key{left}/@key{right}
4750 Switch to the next/previous allowed value of the field. For this, you
4751 have to have specified allowed values for a property.
4753 Directly select the nth allowed value, @kbd{0} selects the 10th value.
4757 Same as @kbd{S-@key{left}/@key{right}}
4760 Edit the property at point. For the special properties, this will
4761 invoke the same interface that you normally use to change that
4762 property. For example, when editing a TAGS property, the tag completion
4763 or fast selection interface will pop up.
4766 When there is a checkbox at point, toggle it.
4769 View the full value of this property. This is useful if the width of
4770 the column is smaller than that of the value.
4773 Edit the list of allowed values for this property. If the list is found
4774 in the hierarchy, the modified values is stored there. If no list is
4775 found, the new value is stored in the first entry that is part of the
4776 current column view.
4777 @tsubheading{Modifying the table structure}
4781 Make the column narrower/wider by one character.
4782 @kindex S-M-@key{right}
4783 @item S-M-@key{right}
4784 Insert a new column, to the left of the current column.
4785 @kindex S-M-@key{left}
4786 @item S-M-@key{left}
4787 Delete the current column.
4790 @node Capturing column view, , Using column view, Column view
4791 @subsection Capturing column view
4793 Since column view is just an overlay over a buffer, it cannot be
4794 exported or printed directly. If you want to capture a column view, use
4795 a @code{columnview} dynamic block (@pxref{Dynamic blocks}). The frame
4796 of this block looks like this:
4798 @cindex #+BEGIN, columnview
4801 #+BEGIN: columnview :hlines 1 :id "label"
4806 @noindent This dynamic block has the following parameters:
4810 This is the most important parameter. Column view is a feature that is
4811 often localized to a certain (sub)tree, and the capture block might be
4812 at a different location in the file. To identify the tree whose view to
4813 capture, you can use 4 values:
4814 @cindex property, ID
4816 local @r{use the tree in which the capture block is located}
4817 global @r{make a global view, including all headings in the file}
4818 "file:@var{path-to-file}"
4819 @r{run column view at the top of this file}
4820 "@var{ID}" @r{call column view in the tree that has an @code{:ID:}}
4821 @r{property with the value @i{label}. You can use}
4822 @r{@kbd{M-x org-id-copy} to create a globally unique ID for}
4823 @r{the current entry and copy it to the kill-ring.}
4826 When @code{t}, insert an hline after every line. When a number @var{N}, insert
4827 an hline before each headline with level @code{<= @var{N}}.
4829 When set to @code{t}, force column groups to get vertical lines.
4831 When set to a number, don't capture entries below this level.
4832 @item :skip-empty-rows
4833 When set to @code{t}, skip rows where the only non-empty specifier of the
4834 column view is @code{ITEM}.
4839 The following commands insert or update the dynamic block:
4844 Insert a dynamic block capturing a column view. You will be prompted
4845 for the scope or ID of the view.
4850 Update dynamic block at point. The cursor needs to be in the
4851 @code{#+BEGIN} line of the dynamic block.
4852 @kindex C-u C-c C-x C-u
4853 @item C-u C-c C-x C-u
4854 Update all dynamic blocks (@pxref{Dynamic blocks}). This is useful if
4855 you have several clock table blocks in a buffer.
4858 You can add formulas to the column view table and you may add plotting
4859 instructions in front of the table---these will survive an update of the
4860 block. If there is a @code{#+TBLFM:} after the table, the table will
4861 actually be recalculated automatically after an update.
4863 An alternative way to capture and process property values into a table is
4864 provided by Eric Schulte's @file{org-collector.el} which is a contributed
4865 package@footnote{Contributed packages are not part of Emacs, but are
4866 distributed with the main distribution of Org (visit
4867 @uref{http://orgmode.org}).}. It provides a general API to collect
4868 properties from entries in a certain scope, and arbitrary Lisp expressions to
4869 process these values before inserting them into a table or a dynamic block.
4871 @node Property API, , Column view, Properties and Columns
4872 @section The Property API
4873 @cindex properties, API
4874 @cindex API, for properties
4876 There is a full API for accessing and changing properties. This API can
4877 be used by Emacs Lisp programs to work with properties and to implement
4878 features based on them. For more information see @ref{Using the
4881 @node Dates and Times, Capture - Refile - Archive, Properties and Columns, Top
4882 @chapter Dates and Times
4888 To assist project planning, TODO items can be labeled with a date and/or
4889 a time. The specially formatted string carrying the date and time
4890 information is called a @emph{timestamp} in Org mode. This may be a
4891 little confusing because timestamp is often used as indicating when
4892 something was created or last changed. However, in Org mode this term
4893 is used in a much wider sense.
4896 * Timestamps:: Assigning a time to a tree entry
4897 * Creating timestamps:: Commands which insert timestamps
4898 * Deadlines and scheduling:: Planning your work
4899 * Clocking work time:: Tracking how long you spend on a task
4900 * Resolving idle time:: Resolving time if you've been idle
4901 * Effort estimates:: Planning work effort in advance
4902 * Relative timer:: Notes with a running timer
4906 @node Timestamps, Creating timestamps, Dates and Times, Dates and Times
4907 @section Timestamps, deadlines, and scheduling
4909 @cindex ranges, time
4914 A timestamp is a specification of a date (possibly with a time or a range of
4915 times) in a special format, either @samp{<2003-09-16 Tue>} or
4916 @samp{<2003-09-16 Tue 09:39>} or @samp{<2003-09-16 Tue
4917 12:00-12:30>}@footnote{This is inspired by the standard ISO 8601 date/time
4918 format. To use an alternative format, see @ref{Custom time format}.}. A
4919 timestamp can appear anywhere in the headline or body of an Org tree entry.
4920 Its presence causes entries to be shown on specific dates in the agenda
4921 (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}). We distinguish:
4924 @item Plain timestamp; Event; Appointment
4926 A simple timestamp just assigns a date/time to an item. This is just
4927 like writing down an appointment or event in a paper agenda. In the
4928 timeline and agenda displays, the headline of an entry associated with a
4929 plain timestamp will be shown exactly on that date.
4932 * Meet Peter at the movies <2006-11-01 Wed 19:15>
4933 * Discussion on climate change <2006-11-02 Thu 20:00-22:00>
4936 @item Timestamp with repeater interval
4937 @cindex timestamp, with repeater interval
4938 A timestamp may contain a @emph{repeater interval}, indicating that it
4939 applies not only on the given date, but again and again after a certain
4940 interval of N days (d), weeks (w), months (m), or years (y). The
4941 following will show up in the agenda every Wednesday:
4944 * Pick up Sam at school <2007-05-16 Wed 12:30 +1w>
4947 @item Diary-style sexp entries
4948 For more complex date specifications, Org mode supports using the
4949 special sexp diary entries implemented in the Emacs calendar/diary
4950 package. For example
4953 * The nerd meeting on every 2nd Thursday of the month
4954 <%%(diary-float t 4 2)>
4957 @item Time/Date range
4960 Two timestamps connected by @samp{--} denote a range. The headline
4961 will be shown on the first and last day of the range, and on any dates
4962 that are displayed and fall in the range. Here is an example:
4965 ** Meeting in Amsterdam
4966 <2004-08-23 Mon>--<2004-08-26 Thu>
4969 @item Inactive timestamp
4970 @cindex timestamp, inactive
4971 @cindex inactive timestamp
4972 Just like a plain timestamp, but with square brackets instead of
4973 angular ones. These timestamps are inactive in the sense that they do
4974 @emph{not} trigger an entry to show up in the agenda.
4977 * Gillian comes late for the fifth time [2006-11-01 Wed]
4982 @node Creating timestamps, Deadlines and scheduling, Timestamps, Dates and Times
4983 @section Creating timestamps
4984 @cindex creating timestamps
4985 @cindex timestamps, creating
4987 For Org mode to recognize timestamps, they need to be in the specific
4988 format. All commands listed below produce timestamps in the correct
4994 Prompt for a date and insert a corresponding timestamp. When the cursor is
4995 at an existing timestamp in the buffer, the command is used to modify this
4996 timestamp instead of inserting a new one. When this command is used twice in
4997 succession, a time range is inserted.
5001 Like @kbd{C-c .}, but insert an inactive timestamp that will not cause
5008 @vindex org-time-stamp-rounding-minutes
5009 Like @kbd{C-c .} and @kbd{C-c !}, but use the alternative format which
5010 contains date and time. The default time can be rounded to multiples of 5
5011 minutes, see the option @code{org-time-stamp-rounding-minutes}.
5015 Insert a timestamp corresponding to the cursor date in the Calendar.
5019 Access the Emacs calendar for the current date. If there is a
5020 timestamp in the current line, go to the corresponding date
5025 Access the agenda for the date given by the timestamp or -range at
5026 point (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}).
5028 @kindex S-@key{left}
5029 @kindex S-@key{right}
5031 @itemx S-@key{right}
5032 Change date at cursor by one day. These key bindings conflict with
5033 shift-selection and related modes (@pxref{Conflicts}).
5036 @kindex S-@key{down}
5039 Change the item under the cursor in a timestamp. The cursor can be on a
5040 year, month, day, hour or minute. When the timestamp contains a time range
5041 like @samp{15:30-16:30}, modifying the first time will also shift the second,
5042 shifting the time block with constant length. To change the length, modify
5043 the second time. Note that if the cursor is in a headline and not at a
5044 timestamp, these same keys modify the priority of an item.
5045 (@pxref{Priorities}). The key bindings also conflict with shift-selection and
5046 related modes (@pxref{Conflicts}).
5049 @cindex evaluate time range
5051 Evaluate a time range by computing the difference between start and end.
5052 With a prefix argument, insert result after the time range (in a table: into
5053 the following column).
5058 * The date/time prompt:: How Org mode helps you entering date and time
5059 * Custom time format:: Making dates look different
5062 @node The date/time prompt, Custom time format, Creating timestamps, Creating timestamps
5063 @subsection The date/time prompt
5064 @cindex date, reading in minibuffer
5065 @cindex time, reading in minibuffer
5067 @vindex org-read-date-prefer-future
5068 When Org mode prompts for a date/time, the default is shown in default
5069 date/time format, and the prompt therefore seems to ask for a specific
5070 format. But it will in fact accept any string containing some date and/or
5071 time information, and it is really smart about interpreting your input. You
5072 can, for example, use @kbd{C-y} to paste a (possibly multi-line) string
5073 copied from an email message. Org mode will find whatever information is in
5074 there and derive anything you have not specified from the @emph{default date
5075 and time}. The default is usually the current date and time, but when
5076 modifying an existing timestamp, or when entering the second stamp of a
5077 range, it is taken from the stamp in the buffer. When filling in
5078 information, Org mode assumes that most of the time you will want to enter a
5079 date in the future: if you omit the month/year and the given day/month is
5080 @i{before} today, it will assume that you mean a future date@footnote{See the
5081 variable @code{org-read-date-prefer-future}. You may set that variable to
5082 the symbol @code{time} to even make a time before now shift the date to
5083 tomorrow.}. If the date has been automatically shifted into the future, the
5084 time prompt will show this with @samp{(=>F).}
5086 For example, let's assume that today is @b{June 13, 2006}. Here is how
5087 various inputs will be interpreted, the items filled in by Org mode are
5091 3-2-5 --> 2003-02-05
5092 2/5/3 --> 2003-02-05
5093 14 --> @b{2006}-@b{06}-14
5094 12 --> @b{2006}-@b{07}-12
5095 2/5 --> @b{2003}-02-05
5096 Fri --> nearest Friday (defaultdate or later)
5097 sep 15 --> @b{2006}-09-15
5098 feb 15 --> @b{2007}-02-15
5099 sep 12 9 --> 2009-09-12
5100 12:45 --> @b{2006}-@b{06}-@b{13} 12:45
5101 22 sept 0:34 --> @b{2006}-09-22 0:34
5102 w4 --> ISO week for of the current year @b{2006}
5103 2012 w4 fri --> Friday of ISO week 4 in 2012
5104 2012-w04-5 --> Same as above
5107 Furthermore you can specify a relative date by giving, as the
5108 @emph{first} thing in the input: a plus/minus sign, a number and a
5109 letter ([dwmy]) to indicate change in days, weeks, months, or years. With a
5110 single plus or minus, the date is always relative to today. With a
5111 double plus or minus, it is relative to the default date. If instead of
5112 a single letter, you use the abbreviation of day name, the date will be
5113 the nth such day. E.g.
5118 +4d --> four days from today
5119 +4 --> same as above
5120 +2w --> two weeks from today
5121 ++5 --> five days from default date
5122 +2tue --> second Tuesday from now.
5125 @vindex parse-time-months
5126 @vindex parse-time-weekdays
5127 The function understands English month and weekday abbreviations. If
5128 you want to use unabbreviated names and/or other languages, configure
5129 the variables @code{parse-time-months} and @code{parse-time-weekdays}.
5131 @cindex calendar, for selecting date
5132 @vindex org-popup-calendar-for-date-prompt
5133 Parallel to the minibuffer prompt, a calendar is popped up@footnote{If
5134 you don't need/want the calendar, configure the variable
5135 @code{org-popup-calendar-for-date-prompt}.}. When you exit the date
5136 prompt, either by clicking on a date in the calendar, or by pressing
5137 @key{RET}, the date selected in the calendar will be combined with the
5138 information entered at the prompt. You can control the calendar fully
5139 from the minibuffer:
5144 @kindex S-@key{right}
5145 @kindex S-@key{left}
5146 @kindex S-@key{down}
5148 @kindex M-S-@key{right}
5149 @kindex M-S-@key{left}
5152 > / < @r{Scroll calendar forward/backward by one month.}
5153 mouse-1 @r{Select date by clicking on it.}
5154 S-@key{right}/@key{left} @r{One day forward/backward.}
5155 S-@key{down}/@key{up} @r{One week forward/backward.}
5156 M-S-@key{right}/@key{left} @r{One month forward/backward.}
5157 @key{RET} @r{Choose date in calendar.}
5160 @vindex org-read-date-display-live
5161 The actions of the date/time prompt may seem complex, but I assure you they
5162 will grow on you, and you will start getting annoyed by pretty much any other
5163 way of entering a date/time out there. To help you understand what is going
5164 on, the current interpretation of your input will be displayed live in the
5165 minibuffer@footnote{If you find this distracting, turn the display of with
5166 @code{org-read-date-display-live}.}.
5168 @node Custom time format, , The date/time prompt, Creating timestamps
5169 @subsection Custom time format
5170 @cindex custom date/time format
5171 @cindex time format, custom
5172 @cindex date format, custom
5174 @vindex org-display-custom-times
5175 @vindex org-time-stamp-custom-formats
5176 Org mode uses the standard ISO notation for dates and times as it is
5177 defined in ISO 8601. If you cannot get used to this and require another
5178 representation of date and time to keep you happy, you can get it by
5179 customizing the variables @code{org-display-custom-times} and
5180 @code{org-time-stamp-custom-formats}.
5185 Toggle the display of custom formats for dates and times.
5189 Org mode needs the default format for scanning, so the custom date/time
5190 format does not @emph{replace} the default format---instead it is put
5191 @emph{over} the default format using text properties. This has the
5192 following consequences:
5195 You cannot place the cursor onto a timestamp anymore, only before or
5198 The @kbd{S-@key{up}/@key{down}} keys can no longer be used to adjust
5199 each component of a timestamp. If the cursor is at the beginning of
5200 the stamp, @kbd{S-@key{up}/@key{down}} will change the stamp by one day,
5201 just like @kbd{S-@key{left}/@key{right}}. At the end of the stamp, the
5202 time will be changed by one minute.
5204 If the timestamp contains a range of clock times or a repeater, these
5205 will not be overlayed, but remain in the buffer as they were.
5207 When you delete a timestamp character-by-character, it will only
5208 disappear from the buffer after @emph{all} (invisible) characters
5209 belonging to the ISO timestamp have been removed.
5211 If the custom timestamp format is longer than the default and you are
5212 using dates in tables, table alignment will be messed up. If the custom
5213 format is shorter, things do work as expected.
5217 @node Deadlines and scheduling, Clocking work time, Creating timestamps, Dates and Times
5218 @section Deadlines and scheduling
5220 A timestamp may be preceded by special keywords to facilitate planning:
5224 @cindex DEADLINE keyword
5226 Meaning: the task (most likely a TODO item, though not necessarily) is supposed
5227 to be finished on that date.
5229 @vindex org-deadline-warning-days
5230 On the deadline date, the task will be listed in the agenda. In
5231 addition, the agenda for @emph{today} will carry a warning about the
5232 approaching or missed deadline, starting
5233 @code{org-deadline-warning-days} before the due date, and continuing
5234 until the entry is marked DONE. An example:
5237 *** TODO write article about the Earth for the Guide
5238 The editor in charge is [[bbdb:Ford Prefect]]
5239 DEADLINE: <2004-02-29 Sun>
5242 You can specify a different lead time for warnings for a specific
5243 deadlines using the following syntax. Here is an example with a warning
5244 period of 5 days @code{DEADLINE: <2004-02-29 Sun -5d>}.
5247 @cindex SCHEDULED keyword
5249 Meaning: you are planning to start working on that task on the given
5252 @vindex org-agenda-skip-scheduled-if-done
5253 The headline will be listed under the given date@footnote{It will still
5254 be listed on that date after it has been marked DONE. If you don't like
5255 this, set the variable @code{org-agenda-skip-scheduled-if-done}.}. In
5256 addition, a reminder that the scheduled date has passed will be present
5257 in the compilation for @emph{today}, until the entry is marked DONE.
5258 I.e. the task will automatically be forwarded until completed.
5261 *** TODO Call Trillian for a date on New Years Eve.
5262 SCHEDULED: <2004-12-25 Sat>
5266 @b{Important:} Scheduling an item in Org mode should @i{not} be
5267 understood in the same way that we understand @i{scheduling a meeting}.
5268 Setting a date for a meeting is just a simple appointment, you should
5269 mark this entry with a simple plain timestamp, to get this item shown
5270 on the date where it applies. This is a frequent misunderstanding by
5271 Org users. In Org mode, @i{scheduling} means setting a date when you
5272 want to start working on an action item.
5275 You may use timestamps with repeaters in scheduling and deadline
5276 entries. Org mode will issue early and late warnings based on the
5277 assumption that the timestamp represents the @i{nearest instance} of
5278 the repeater. However, the use of diary sexp entries like
5280 @code{<%%(diary-float t 42)>}
5282 in scheduling and deadline timestamps is limited. Org mode does not
5283 know enough about the internals of each sexp function to issue early and
5284 late warnings. However, it will show the item on each day where the
5288 * Inserting deadline/schedule:: Planning items
5289 * Repeated tasks:: Items that show up again and again
5292 @node Inserting deadline/schedule, Repeated tasks, Deadlines and scheduling, Deadlines and scheduling
5293 @subsection Inserting deadlines or schedules
5295 The following commands allow you to quickly insert a deadline or to schedule
5302 Insert @samp{DEADLINE} keyword along with a stamp. The insertion will happen
5303 in the line directly following the headline. When called with a prefix arg,
5304 an existing deadline will be removed from the entry. Depending on the
5305 variable @code{org-log-redeadline}@footnote{with corresponding
5306 @code{#+STARTUP} keywords @code{logredeadline}, @code{lognoteredeadline},
5307 and @code{nologredeadline}}, a note will be taken when changing an existing
5309 @c FIXME Any CLOSED timestamp will be removed.????????
5313 Insert @samp{SCHEDULED} keyword along with a stamp. The insertion will
5314 happen in the line directly following the headline. Any CLOSED timestamp
5315 will be removed. When called with a prefix argument, remove the scheduling
5316 date from the entry. Depending on the variable
5317 @code{org-log-reschedule}@footnote{with corresponding @code{#+STARTUP}
5318 keywords @code{logredeadline}, @code{lognoteredeadline}, and
5319 @code{nologredeadline}}, a note will be taken when changing an existing
5326 Mark the current entry for agenda action. After you have marked the entry
5327 like this, you can open the agenda or the calendar to find an appropriate
5328 date. With the cursor on the selected date, press @kbd{k s} or @kbd{k d} to
5329 schedule the marked item.
5332 @cindex sparse tree, for deadlines
5334 @vindex org-deadline-warning-days
5335 Create a sparse tree with all deadlines that are either past-due, or
5336 which will become due within @code{org-deadline-warning-days}.
5337 With @kbd{C-u} prefix, show all deadlines in the file. With a numeric
5338 prefix, check that many days. For example, @kbd{C-1 C-c / d} shows
5339 all deadlines due tomorrow.
5343 Sparse tree for deadlines and scheduled items before a given date.
5347 Sparse tree for deadlines and scheduled items after a given date.
5350 @node Repeated tasks, , Inserting deadline/schedule, Deadlines and scheduling
5351 @subsection Repeated tasks
5352 @cindex tasks, repeated
5353 @cindex repeated tasks
5355 Some tasks need to be repeated again and again. Org mode helps to
5356 organize such tasks using a so-called repeater in a DEADLINE, SCHEDULED,
5357 or plain timestamp. In the following example
5359 ** TODO Pay the rent
5360 DEADLINE: <2005-10-01 Sat +1m>
5363 the @code{+1m} is a repeater; the intended interpretation is that the task
5364 has a deadline on <2005-10-01> and repeats itself every (one) month starting
5365 from that time. If you need both a repeater and a special warning period in
5366 a deadline entry, the repeater should come first and the warning period last:
5367 @code{DEADLINE: <2005-10-01 Sat +1m -3d>}.
5369 Deadlines and scheduled items produce entries in the agenda when they
5370 are over-due, so it is important to be able to mark such an entry as
5371 completed once you have done so. When you mark a DEADLINE or a SCHEDULE
5372 with the TODO keyword DONE, it will no longer produce entries in the
5373 agenda. The problem with this is, however, that then also the
5374 @emph{next} instance of the repeated entry will not be active. Org mode
5375 deals with this in the following way: When you try to mark such an entry
5376 DONE (using @kbd{C-c C-t}), it will shift the base date of the repeating
5377 timestamp by the repeater interval, and immediately set the entry state
5378 back to TODO. In the example above, setting the state to DONE would
5379 actually switch the date like this:
5382 ** TODO Pay the rent
5383 DEADLINE: <2005-11-01 Tue +1m>
5386 @vindex org-log-repeat
5387 A timestamp@footnote{You can change this using the option
5388 @code{org-log-repeat}, or the @code{#+STARTUP} options @code{logrepeat},
5389 @code{lognoterepeat}, and @code{nologrepeat}. With @code{lognoterepeat}, you
5390 will also be prompted for a note.} will be added under the deadline, to keep
5391 a record that you actually acted on the previous instance of this deadline.
5393 As a consequence of shifting the base date, this entry will no longer be
5394 visible in the agenda when checking past dates, but all future instances
5397 With the @samp{+1m} cookie, the date shift will always be exactly one
5398 month. So if you have not paid the rent for three months, marking this
5399 entry DONE will still keep it as an overdue deadline. Depending on the
5400 task, this may not be the best way to handle it. For example, if you
5401 forgot to call you father for 3 weeks, it does not make sense to call
5402 him 3 times in a single day to make up for it. Finally, there are tasks
5403 like changing batteries which should always repeat a certain time
5404 @i{after} the last time you did it. For these tasks, Org mode has
5405 special repeaters markers with @samp{++} and @samp{.+}. For example:
5409 DEADLINE: <2008-02-10 Sun ++1w>
5410 Marking this DONE will shift the date by at least one week,
5411 but also by as many weeks as it takes to get this date into
5412 the future. However, it stays on a Sunday, even if you called
5413 and marked it done on Saturday.
5414 ** TODO Check the batteries in the smoke detectors
5415 DEADLINE: <2005-11-01 Tue .+1m>
5416 Marking this DONE will shift the date to one month after
5420 You may have both scheduling and deadline information for a specific
5421 task---just make sure that the repeater intervals on both are the same.
5423 An alternative to using a repeater is to create a number of copies of a task
5424 subtree, with dates shifted in each copy. The command @kbd{C-c C-x c} was
5425 created for this purpose, it is described in @ref{Structure editing}.
5428 @node Clocking work time, Resolving idle time, Deadlines and scheduling, Dates and Times
5429 @section Clocking work time
5431 Org mode allows you to clock the time you spend on specific tasks in a
5432 project. When you start working on an item, you can start the clock.
5433 When you stop working on that task, or when you mark the task done, the
5434 clock is stopped and the corresponding time interval is recorded. It
5435 also computes the total time spent on each subtree of a project. And it
5436 remembers a history or tasks recently clocked, to that you can jump quickly
5437 between a number of tasks absorbing your time.
5439 To save the clock history across Emacs sessions, use
5441 (setq org-clock-persist 'history)
5442 (org-clock-persistence-insinuate)
5444 When you clock into a new task after resuming Emacs, the incomplete
5445 clock@footnote{To resume the clock under the assumption that you have worked
5446 on this task while outside Emacs, use @code{(setq org-clock-persist t)}.}
5447 will be found (@pxref{Resolving idle time}) and you will be prompted about
5453 @vindex org-clock-into-drawer
5454 Start the clock on the current item (clock-in). This inserts the CLOCK
5455 keyword together with a timestamp. If this is not the first clocking of
5456 this item, the multiple CLOCK lines will be wrapped into a
5457 @code{:LOGBOOK:} drawer (see also the variable
5458 @code{org-clock-into-drawer}). When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix argument,
5459 select the task from a list of recently clocked tasks. With two @kbd{C-u
5460 C-u} prefixes, clock into the task at point and mark it as the default task.
5461 The default task will always be available when selecting a clocking task,
5462 with letter @kbd{d}.@*
5463 @cindex property: CLOCK_MODELINE_TOTAL
5464 @cindex property: LAST_REPEAT
5465 @vindex org-clock-modeline-total
5466 While the clock is running, the current clocking time is shown in the mode
5467 line, along with the title of the task. The clock time shown will be all
5468 time ever clocked for this task and its children. If the task has an effort
5469 estimate (@pxref{Effort estimates}), the mode line displays the current
5470 clocking time against it@footnote{To add an effort estimate ``on the fly'',
5471 hook a function doing this to @code{org-clock-in-prepare-hook}.} If the task
5472 is a repeating one (@pxref{Repeated tasks}), only the time since the last
5473 reset of the task @footnote{as recorded by the @code{LAST_REPEAT} property}
5474 will be shown. More control over what time is shown can be exercised with
5475 the @code{CLOCK_MODELINE_TOTAL} property. It may have the values
5476 @code{current} to show only the current clocking instance, @code{today} to
5477 show all time clocked on this tasks today (see also the variable
5478 @code{org-extend-today-until}), @code{all} to include all time, or
5479 @code{auto} which is the default@footnote{See also the variable
5480 @code{org-clock-modeline-total}.}.@* Clicking with @kbd{mouse-1} onto the
5481 mode line entry will pop up a menu with clocking options.
5484 @vindex org-log-note-clock-out
5485 Stop the clock (clock-out). This inserts another timestamp at the same
5486 location where the clock was last started. It also directly computes
5487 the resulting time in inserts it after the time range as @samp{=>
5488 HH:MM}. See the variable @code{org-log-note-clock-out} for the
5489 possibility to record an additional note together with the clock-out
5490 timestamp@footnote{The corresponding in-buffer setting is:
5491 @code{#+STARTUP: lognoteclock-out}}.
5494 Update the effort estimate for the current clock task.
5497 @item C-c C-y @ @ @r{or}@ @ C-c C-c
5498 Recompute the time interval after changing one of the timestamps. This
5499 is only necessary if you edit the timestamps directly. If you change
5500 them with @kbd{S-@key{cursor}} keys, the update is automatic.
5503 Changing the TODO state of an item to DONE automatically stops the clock
5504 if it is running in this same item.
5507 Cancel the current clock. This is useful if a clock was started by
5508 mistake, or if you ended up working on something else.
5511 Jump to the entry that contains the currently running clock. With a
5512 @kbd{C-u} prefix arg, select the target task from a list of recently clocked
5516 @vindex org-remove-highlights-with-change
5517 Display time summaries for each subtree in the current buffer. This
5518 puts overlays at the end of each headline, showing the total time
5519 recorded under that heading, including the time of any subheadings. You
5520 can use visibility cycling to study the tree, but the overlays disappear
5521 when you change the buffer (see variable
5522 @code{org-remove-highlights-with-change}) or press @kbd{C-c C-c}.
5525 Insert a dynamic block (@pxref{Dynamic blocks}) containing a clock
5526 report as an Org-mode table into the current file. When the cursor is
5527 at an existing clock table, just update it. When called with a prefix
5528 argument, jump to the first clock report in the current document and
5530 @cindex #+BEGIN, clocktable
5532 #+BEGIN: clocktable :maxlevel 2 :emphasize nil :scope file
5536 If such a block already exists at point, its content is replaced by the
5537 new table. The @samp{BEGIN} line can specify options:
5539 :maxlevel @r{Maximum level depth to which times are listed in the table.}
5540 :emphasize @r{When @code{t}, emphasize level one and level two items.}
5541 :scope @r{The scope to consider. This can be any of the following:}
5542 nil @r{the current buffer or narrowed region}
5543 file @r{the full current buffer}
5544 subtree @r{the subtree where the clocktable is located}
5545 tree@var{N} @r{the surrounding level @var{N} tree, for example @code{tree3}}
5546 tree @r{the surrounding level 1 tree}
5547 agenda @r{all agenda files}
5548 ("file"..) @r{scan these files}
5549 file-with-archives @r{current file and its archives}
5550 agenda-with-archives @r{all agenda files, including archives}
5551 :block @r{The time block to consider. This block is specified either}
5552 @r{absolute, or relative to the current time and may be any of}
5554 2007-12-31 @r{New year eve 2007}
5555 2007-12 @r{December 2007}
5556 2007-W50 @r{ISO-week 50 in 2007}
5557 2007 @r{the year 2007}
5558 today, yesterday, today-@var{N} @r{a relative day}
5559 thisweek, lastweek, thisweek-@var{N} @r{a relative week}
5560 thismonth, lastmonth, thismonth-@var{N} @r{a relative month}
5561 thisyear, lastyear, thisyear-@var{N} @r{a relative year}
5562 @r{Use @kbd{S-@key{left}/@key{right}} keys to shift the time interval.}
5563 :tstart @r{A time string specifying when to start considering times.}
5564 :tend @r{A time string specifying when to stop considering times.}
5565 :step @r{@code{week} or @code{day}, to split the table into chunks.}
5566 @r{To use this, @code{:block} or @code{:tstart}, @code{:tend} are needed.}
5567 :link @r{Link the item headlines in the table to their origins.}
5568 :formula @r{Content of a @code{#+TBLFM} line to be added and evaluated.}
5569 @r{As a special case, @samp{:formula %} adds a column with % time.}
5570 @r{If you do not specify a formula here, any existing formula.}
5571 @r{below the clock table will survive updates and be evaluated.}
5572 :timestamp @r{A timestamp for the entry, when available. Look for SCHEDULED,}
5573 @r{DEADLINE, TIMESTAMP and TIMESTAMP_IA, in this order.}
5575 To get a clock summary of the current level 1 tree, for the current
5576 day, you could write
5578 #+BEGIN: clocktable :maxlevel 2 :block today :scope tree1 :link t
5582 and to use a specific time range you could write@footnote{Note that all
5583 parameters must be specified in a single line---the line is broken here
5584 only to fit it into the manual.}
5586 #+BEGIN: clocktable :tstart "<2006-08-10 Thu 10:00>"
5587 :tend "<2006-08-10 Thu 12:00>"
5590 A summary of the current subtree with % times would be
5592 #+BEGIN: clocktable :scope subtree :link t :formula %
5599 Update dynamic block at point. The cursor needs to be in the
5600 @code{#+BEGIN} line of the dynamic block.
5601 @kindex C-u C-c C-x C-u
5602 @item C-u C-c C-x C-u
5603 Update all dynamic blocks (@pxref{Dynamic blocks}). This is useful if
5604 you have several clock table blocks in a buffer.
5605 @kindex S-@key{left}
5606 @kindex S-@key{right}
5608 @itemx S-@key{right}
5609 Shift the current @code{:block} interval and update the table. The cursor
5610 needs to be in the @code{#+BEGIN: clocktable} line for this command. If
5611 @code{:block} is @code{today}, it will be shifted to @code{today-1} etc.
5614 The @kbd{l} key may be used in the timeline (@pxref{Timeline}) and in
5615 the agenda (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}) to show which tasks have been
5616 worked on or closed during a day.
5618 @node Resolving idle time, Effort estimates, Clocking work time, Dates and Times
5619 @section Resolving idle time
5620 @cindex resolve idle time
5622 @cindex idle, resolve, dangling
5623 If you clock in on a work item, and then walk away from your
5624 computer---perhaps to take a phone call---you often need to ``resolve'' the
5625 time you were away by either subtracting it from the current clock, or
5626 applying it to another one.
5628 @vindex org-clock-idle-time
5629 By customizing the variable @code{org-clock-idle-time} to some integer, such
5630 as 10 or 15, Emacs can alert you when you get back to your computer after
5631 being idle for that many minutes@footnote{On computers using Mac OS X,
5632 idleness is based on actual user idleness, not just Emacs' idle time. For
5633 X11, you can install a utility program @file{x11idle.c}, available in the
5634 UTILITIES directory of the Org git distribution, to get the same general
5635 treatment of idleness. On other systems, idle time refers to Emacs idle time
5636 only.}, and ask what you want to do with the idle time. There will be a
5637 question waiting for you when you get back, indicating how much idle time has
5638 passed (constantly updated with the current amount), as well as a set of
5639 choices to correct the discrepancy:
5643 To keep some or all of the minutes and stay clocked in, press @kbd{k}. Org
5644 will ask how many of the minutes to keep. Press @key{RET} to keep them all,
5645 effectively changing nothing, or enter a number to keep that many minutes.
5647 If you use the shift key and press @kbd{K}, it will keep however many minutes
5648 you request and then immediately clock out of that task. If you keep all of
5649 the minutes, this is the same as just clocking out of the current task.
5651 To keep none of the minutes, use @kbd{s} to subtract all the away time from
5652 the clock, and then check back in from the moment you returned.
5654 To keep none of the minutes and just clock out at the start of the away time,
5655 use the shift key and press @kbd{S}. Remember that using shift will always
5656 leave you clocked out, no matter which option you choose.
5658 To cancel the clock altogether, use @kbd{C}. Note that if instead of
5659 cancelling you subtract the away time, and the resulting clock amount is less
5660 than a minute, the clock will still be cancelled rather than clutter up the
5661 log with an empty entry.
5664 What if you subtracted those away minutes from the current clock, and now
5665 want to apply them to a new clock? Simply clock in to any task immediately
5666 after the subtraction. Org will notice that you have subtracted time ``on
5667 the books'', so to speak, and will ask if you want to apply those minutes to
5668 the next task you clock in on.
5670 There is one other instance when this clock resolution magic occurs. Say you
5671 were clocked in and hacking away, and suddenly your cat chased a mouse who
5672 scared a hamster that crashed into your UPS's power button! You suddenly
5673 lose all your buffers, but thanks to auto-save you still have your recent Org
5674 mode changes, including your last clock in.
5676 If you restart Emacs and clock into any task, Org will notice that you have a
5677 dangling clock which was never clocked out from your last session. Using
5678 that clock's starting time as the beginning of the unaccounted-for period,
5679 Org will ask how you want to resolve that time. The logic and behavior is
5680 identical to dealing with away time due to idleness, it's just happening due
5681 to a recovery event rather than a set amount of idle time.
5683 You can also check all the files visited by your Org agenda for dangling
5684 clocks at any time using @kbd{M-x org-resolve-clocks}.
5686 @node Effort estimates, Relative timer, Resolving idle time, Dates and Times
5687 @section Effort estimates
5688 @cindex effort estimates
5690 @cindex property, Effort
5691 @vindex org-effort-property
5692 If you want to plan your work in a very detailed way, or if you need to
5693 produce offers with quotations of the estimated work effort, you may want to
5694 assign effort estimates to entries. If you are also clocking your work, you
5695 may later want to compare the planned effort with the actual working time, a
5696 great way to improve planning estimates. Effort estimates are stored in a
5697 special property @samp{Effort}@footnote{You may change the property being
5698 used with the variable @code{org-effort-property}.}. You can set the effort
5699 for an entry with the following commands:
5704 Set the effort estimate for the current entry. With a numeric prefix
5705 argument, set it to the NTH allowed value (see below). This command is also
5706 accessible from the agenda with the @kbd{e} key.
5709 Modify the effort estimate of the item currently being clocked.
5712 Clearly the best way to work with effort estimates is through column view
5713 (@pxref{Column view}). You should start by setting up discrete values for
5714 effort estimates, and a @code{COLUMNS} format that displays these values
5715 together with clock sums (if you want to clock your time). For a specific
5719 #+PROPERTY: Effort_ALL 0 0:10 0:30 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00 8:00
5720 #+COLUMNS: %40ITEM(Task) %17Effort(Estimated Effort)@{:@} %CLOCKSUM
5724 @vindex org-global-properties
5725 @vindex org-columns-default-format
5726 or, even better, you can set up these values globally by customizing the
5727 variables @code{org-global-properties} and @code{org-columns-default-format}.
5728 In particular if you want to use this setup also in the agenda, a global
5729 setup may be advised.
5731 The way to assign estimates to individual items is then to switch to column
5732 mode, and to use @kbd{S-@key{right}} and @kbd{S-@key{left}} to change the
5733 value. The values you enter will immediately be summed up in the hierarchy.
5734 In the column next to it, any clocked time will be displayed.
5736 @vindex org-agenda-columns-add-appointments-to-effort-sum
5737 If you switch to column view in the daily/weekly agenda, the effort column
5738 will summarize the estimated work effort for each day@footnote{Please note
5739 the pitfalls of summing hierarchical data in a flat list (@pxref{Agenda
5740 column view}).}, and you can use this to find space in your schedule. To get
5741 an overview of the entire part of the day that is committed, you can set the
5742 option @code{org-agenda-columns-add-appointments-to-effort-sum}. The
5743 appointments on a day that take place over a specified time interval will
5744 then also be added to the load estimate of the day.
5746 Effort estimates can be used in secondary agenda filtering that is triggered
5747 with the @kbd{/} key in the agenda (@pxref{Agenda commands}). If you have
5748 these estimates defined consistently, two or three key presses will narrow
5749 down the list to stuff that fits into an available time slot.
5751 @node Relative timer, , Effort estimates, Dates and Times
5752 @section Taking notes with a relative timer
5753 @cindex relative timer
5755 When taking notes during, for example, a meeting or a video viewing, it can
5756 be useful to have access to times relative to a starting time. Org provides
5757 such a relative timer and make it easy to create timed notes.
5762 Insert a relative time into the buffer. The first time you use this, the
5763 timer will be started. When called with a prefix argument, the timer is
5767 Insert a description list item with the current relative time. With a prefix
5768 argument, first reset the timer to 0.
5771 Once the timer list is started, you can also use @kbd{M-@key{RET}} to insert
5775 Pause the timer, or continue it if it is already paused.
5776 @c removed the sentence because it is redundant to the following item
5777 @kindex C-u C-c C-x ,
5779 Stop the timer. After this, you can only start a new timer, not continue the
5780 old one. This command also removes the timer from the mode line.
5783 Reset the timer without inserting anything into the buffer. By default, the
5784 timer is reset to 0. When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix, reset the timer to
5785 specific starting offset. The user is prompted for the offset, with a
5786 default taken from a timer string at point, if any, So this can be used to
5787 restart taking notes after a break in the process. When called with a double
5788 prefix argument @kbd{C-c C-u}, change all timer strings in the active region
5789 by a certain amount. This can be used to fix timer strings if the timer was
5790 not started at exactly the right moment.
5793 @node Capture - Refile - Archive, Agenda Views, Dates and Times, Top
5794 @chapter Capture - Refile - Archive
5797 An important part of any organization system is the ability to quickly
5798 capture new ideas and tasks, and to associate reference material with them.
5799 Org uses the @file{remember.el} package to create tasks, and stores files
5800 related to a task (@i{attachments}) in a special directory. Once in the
5801 system, tasks and projects need to be moved around. Moving completed project
5802 trees to an archive file keeps the system compact and fast.
5805 * Remember:: Capture new tasks/ideas with little interruption
5806 * Attachments:: Add files to tasks.
5807 * RSS Feeds:: Getting input from RSS feeds
5808 * Protocols:: External (e.g. Browser) access to Emacs and Org
5809 * Refiling notes:: Moving a tree from one place to another
5810 * Archiving:: What to do with finished projects
5813 @node Remember, Attachments, Capture - Refile - Archive, Capture - Refile - Archive
5815 @cindex @file{remember.el}
5817 The Remember package by John Wiegley lets you store quick notes with little
5818 interruption of your work flow. It is an excellent way to add new notes and
5819 tasks to Org files. The @code{remember.el} package is part of Emacs 23, not
5820 Emacs 22. See @uref{http://www.emacswiki.org/cgi-bin/wiki/RememberMode} for
5823 Org significantly expands the possibilities of Remember: you may define
5824 templates for different note types, and associate target files and headlines
5825 with specific templates. It also allows you to select the location where a
5826 note should be stored interactively, on the fly.
5829 * Setting up Remember for Org:: Some code for .emacs to get things going
5830 * Remember templates:: Define the outline of different note types
5831 * Storing notes:: Directly get the note to where it belongs
5834 @node Setting up Remember for Org, Remember templates, Remember, Remember
5835 @subsection Setting up Remember for Org
5837 The following customization will tell Remember to use Org files as
5838 target, and to create annotations compatible with Org links.
5841 (org-remember-insinuate)
5842 (setq org-directory "~/path/to/my/orgfiles/")
5843 (setq org-default-notes-file (concat org-directory "/notes.org"))
5844 (define-key global-map "\C-cr" 'org-remember)
5848 The last line binds the command @code{org-remember} to a global
5849 key@footnote{Please select your own key, @kbd{C-c r} is only a
5850 suggestion.}. @code{org-remember} basically just calls Remember,
5851 but it makes a few things easier: if there is an active region, it will
5852 automatically copy the region into the Remember buffer. It also allows
5853 to jump to the buffer and location where Remember notes are being
5854 stored: just call @code{org-remember} with a prefix argument. If you
5855 use two prefix arguments, Org jumps to the location where the last
5856 remember note was stored.
5858 The Remember buffer will actually use @code{org-mode} as its major mode, so
5859 that all editing features of Org mode are available. In addition to this, a
5860 minor mode @code{org-remember-mode} is turned on, for the single purpose that
5861 you can use its keymap @code{org-remember-mode-map} to overwrite some of
5862 Org mode's key bindings.
5864 You can also call @code{org-remember} in a special way from the agenda,
5865 using the @kbd{k r} key combination. With this access, any timestamps
5866 inserted by the selected Remember template (see below) will default to
5867 the cursor date in the agenda, rather than to the current date.
5869 @node Remember templates, Storing notes, Setting up Remember for Org, Remember
5870 @subsection Remember templates
5871 @cindex templates, for Remember
5873 In combination with Org, you can use templates to generate
5874 different types of Remember notes. For example, if you would like
5875 to use one template to create general TODO entries, another one for
5876 journal entries, and a third one for collecting random ideas, you could
5880 (setq org-remember-templates
5881 '(("Todo" ?t "* TODO %?\n %i\n %a" "~/org/TODO.org" "Tasks")
5882 ("Journal" ?j "* %U %?\n\n %i\n %a" "~/org/JOURNAL.org")
5883 ("Idea" ?i "* %^@{Title@}\n %i\n %a" "~/org/JOURNAL.org" "New Ideas")))
5886 @vindex org-remember-default-headline
5887 @vindex org-directory
5888 @noindent In these entries, the first string is just a name, and the
5889 character specifies how to select the template. It is useful if the
5890 character is also the first letter of the name. The next string specifies
5891 the template. Two more (optional) strings give the file in which, and the
5892 headline under which, the new note should be stored. The file (if not
5893 present or @code{nil}) defaults to @code{org-default-notes-file}, the heading
5894 to @code{org-remember-default-headline}. If the file name is not an absolute
5895 path, it will be interpreted relative to @code{org-directory}.
5897 The heading can also be the symbols @code{top} or @code{bottom} to send notes
5898 as level 1 entries to the beginning or end of the file, respectively. It may
5899 also be the symbol @code{date-tree}. Then, a tree with year on level 1,
5900 month on level 2 and day on level three will be build in the file, and the
5901 entry will be filed into the tree under the current date@footnote{If the file
5902 contains an entry with a @code{DATE_TREE} property, the entire date tree will
5903 be build under that entry.}
5905 An optional sixth element specifies the contexts in which the user can select
5906 the template. This element can be a list of major modes or a function.
5907 @code{org-remember} will first check whether the function returns @code{t} or
5908 if we are in any of the listed major modes, and exclude templates for which
5909 this condition is not fulfilled. Templates that do not specify this element
5910 at all, or that use @code{nil} or @code{t} as a value will always be
5916 (setq org-remember-templates
5917 '(("Bug" ?b "* BUG %?\n %i\n %a" "~/org/BUGS.org" "Bugs" (emacs-lisp-mode))
5918 ("Journal" ?j "* %U %?\n\n %i\n %a" "~/org/JOURNAL.org" "X" my-check)
5919 ("Idea" ?i "* %^@{Title@}\n %i\n %a" "~/org/JOURNAL.org" "New Ideas")))
5923 The first template will only be available when invoking @code{org-remember}
5924 from an buffer in @code{emacs-lisp-mode}. The second template will only be
5925 available when the function @code{my-check} returns @code{t}. The third
5926 template will be proposed in any context.
5928 When you call @kbd{M-x org-remember} (or @kbd{M-x remember}) to remember
5929 something, Org will prompt for a key to select the template (if you have
5930 more than one template) and then prepare the buffer like
5933 [[file:@var{link to where you called remember}]]
5937 During expansion of the template, special @kbd{%}-escapes@footnote{If you
5938 need one of these sequences literally, escape the @kbd{%} with a backslash.}
5939 allow dynamic insertion of content:
5941 %^@{@var{prompt}@} @r{prompt the user for a string and replace this sequence with it.}
5942 @r{You may specify a default value and a completion table with}
5943 @r{%^@{prompt|default|completion2|completion3...@}}
5944 @r{The arrow keys access a prompt-specific history.}
5945 %a @r{annotation, normally the link created with @code{org-store-link}}
5946 %A @r{like @code{%a}, but prompt for the description part}
5947 %i @r{initial content, the region when remember is called with C-u.}
5948 @r{The entire text will be indented like @code{%i} itself.}
5949 %t @r{timestamp, date only}
5950 %T @r{timestamp with date and time}
5951 %u, %U @r{like the above, but inactive timestamps}
5952 %^t @r{like @code{%t}, but prompt for date. Similarly @code{%^T}, @code{%^u}, @code{%^U}}
5953 @r{You may define a prompt like @code{%^@{Birthday@}t}}
5954 %n @r{user name (taken from @code{user-full-name})}
5955 %c @r{Current kill ring head.}
5956 %x @r{Content of the X clipboard.}
5957 %^C @r{Interactive selection of which kill or clip to use.}
5958 %^L @r{Like @code{%^C}, but insert as link.}
5959 %^g @r{prompt for tags, with completion on tags in target file.}
5960 %k @r{title of currently clocked task}
5961 %K @r{link to currently clocked task}
5962 %^G @r{prompt for tags, with completion all tags in all agenda files.}
5963 %^@{@var{prop}@}p @r{Prompt the user for a value for property @var{prop}}
5964 %:keyword @r{specific information for certain link types, see below}
5965 %[@var{file}] @r{insert the contents of the file given by @var{file}}
5966 %(@var{sexp}) @r{evaluate Elisp @var{sexp} and replace with the result}
5967 %! @r{immediately store note after completing the template}
5968 @r{(skipping the @kbd{C-c C-c} that normally triggers storing)}
5969 %& @r{jump to target location immediately after storing note}
5973 For specific link types, the following keywords will be
5974 defined@footnote{If you define your own link types (@pxref{Adding
5975 hyperlink types}), any property you store with
5976 @code{org-store-link-props} can be accessed in remember templates in a
5979 @vindex org-from-is-user-regexp
5981 Link type | Available keywords
5982 -------------------+----------------------------------------------
5983 bbdb | %:name %:company
5984 bbdb | %::server %:port %:nick
5985 vm, wl, mh, rmail | %:type %:subject %:message-id
5986 | %:from %:fromname %:fromaddress
5987 | %:to %:toname %:toaddress
5988 | %: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}.}}
5989 gnus | %:group, @r{for messages also all email fields}
5991 info | %:file %:node
5996 To place the cursor after template expansion use:
5999 %? @r{After completing the template, position cursor here.}
6003 If you change your mind about which template to use, call
6004 @code{org-remember} in the remember buffer. You may then select a new
6005 template that will be filled with the previous context information.
6007 @node Storing notes, , Remember templates, Remember
6008 @subsection Storing notes
6010 @vindex org-remember-clock-out-on-exit
6011 When you are finished preparing a note with Remember, you have to press
6012 @kbd{C-c C-c} to file the note away. If you have started the clock in the
6013 Remember buffer, you will first be asked if you want to clock out
6014 now@footnote{To avoid this query, configure the variable
6015 @code{org-remember-clock-out-on-exit}.}. If you answer @kbd{n}, the clock
6016 will continue to run after the note was filed away.
6018 The handler will then store the note in the file and under the headline
6019 specified in the template, or it will use the default file and headline. The
6020 window configuration will be restored, sending you back to the working
6021 context before the call to Remember. To re-use the location found during the
6022 last call to Remember, exit the Remember buffer with @kbd{C-0 C-c C-c},
6023 i.e. specify a zero prefix argument to @kbd{C-c C-c}. Another special case
6024 is @kbd{C-2 C-c C-c} which files the note as a child of the currently clocked
6025 item, and @kbd{C-3 C-c C-c} files as a sibling of the currently clocked item.
6027 @vindex org-remember-store-without-prompt
6028 If you want to store the note directly to a different place, use
6029 @kbd{C-1 C-c C-c} instead to exit Remember@footnote{Configure the
6030 variable @code{org-remember-store-without-prompt} to make this behavior
6031 the default.}. The handler will then first prompt for a target file---if
6032 you press @key{RET}, the value specified for the template is used.
6033 Then the command offers the headings tree of the selected file, with the
6034 cursor position at the default headline (if you specified one in the
6035 template). You can either immediately press @key{RET} to get the note
6036 placed there. Or you can use the following keys to find a different
6039 @key{TAB} @r{Cycle visibility.}
6040 @key{down} / @key{up} @r{Next/previous visible headline.}
6041 n / p @r{Next/previous visible headline.}
6042 f / b @r{Next/previous headline same level.}
6044 @c 0-9 @r{Digit argument.}
6047 Pressing @key{RET} or @key{left} or @key{right}
6048 then leads to the following result.
6050 @vindex org-reverse-note-order
6051 @multitable @columnfractions 0.2 0.15 0.65
6052 @item @b{Cursor position} @tab @b{Key} @tab @b{Note gets inserted}
6053 @item on headline @tab @key{RET} @tab as sublevel of the heading at cursor, first or last
6054 @item @tab @tab depending on @code{org-reverse-note-order}.
6055 @item @tab @key{left}/@key{right} @tab as same level, before/after current heading
6056 @item buffer-start @tab @key{RET} @tab as level 2 heading at end of file or level 1 at beginning
6057 @item @tab @tab depending on @code{org-reverse-note-order}.
6058 @item not on headline @tab @key{RET}
6059 @tab at cursor position, level taken from context.
6062 Before inserting the text into a tree, the function ensures that the text has
6063 a headline, i.e. a first line that starts with a @samp{*}. If not, a
6064 headline is constructed from the current date. If you have indented the text
6065 of the note below the headline, the indentation will be adapted if inserting
6066 the note into the tree requires demotion from level 1.
6069 @node Attachments, RSS Feeds, Remember, Capture - Refile - Archive
6070 @section Attachments
6073 @vindex org-attach-directory
6074 It is often useful to associate reference material with an outline node/task.
6075 Small chunks of plain text can simply be stored in the subtree of a project.
6076 Hyperlinks (@pxref{Hyperlinks}) can be used to establish associations with
6077 files that live elsewhere on your computer or in the cloud, like emails or
6078 source code files belonging to a project. Another method is @i{attachments},
6079 which are files located in a directory belonging to an outline node. Org
6080 uses directories named by the unique ID of each entry. These directories are
6081 located in the @file{data} directory which lives in the same directory where
6082 your Org file lives@footnote{If you move entries or Org files from one
6083 directory to another, you may want to configure @code{org-attach-directory}
6084 to contain an absolute path.}. If you initialize this directory with
6085 @code{git init}, Org will automatically commit changes when it sees them.
6086 The attachment system has been contributed to Org by John Wiegley.
6088 In cases where it seems better to do so, you can also attach a directory of your
6089 choice to an entry. You can also make children inherit the attachment
6090 directory from a parent, so that an entire subtree uses the same attached
6093 @noindent The following commands deal with attachments.
6099 The dispatcher for commands related to the attachment system. After these
6100 keys, a list of commands is displayed and you need to press an additional key
6101 to select a command:
6106 @vindex org-attach-method
6107 Select a file and move it into the task's attachment directory. The file
6108 will be copied, moved, or linked, depending on @code{org-attach-method}.
6109 Note that hard links are not supported on all systems.
6115 Attach a file using the copy/move/link method.
6116 Note that hard links are not supported on all systems.
6120 Create a new attachment as an Emacs buffer.
6124 Synchronize the current task with its attachment directory, in case you added
6125 attachments yourself.
6129 @vindex org-file-apps
6130 Open current task's attachment. If there are more than one, prompt for a
6131 file name first. Opening will follow the rules set by @code{org-file-apps}.
6132 For more details, see the information on following hyperlinks
6133 (@pxref{Handling links}).
6137 Also open the attachment, but force opening the file in Emacs.
6141 Open the current task's attachment directory.
6145 Also open the directory, but force using @command{dired} in Emacs.
6149 Select and delete a single attachment.
6153 Delete all of a task's attachments. A safer way is to open the directory in
6154 @command{dired} and delete from there.
6158 @cindex property, ATTACH_DIR
6159 Set a specific directory as the entry's attachment directory. This works by
6160 putting the directory path into the @code{ATTACH_DIR} property.
6164 @cindex property, ATTACH_DIR_INHERIT
6165 Set the @code{ATTACH_DIR_INHERIT} property, so that children will use the
6166 same directory for attachments as the parent does.
6170 @node RSS Feeds, Protocols, Attachments, Capture - Refile - Archive
6174 Org has the capability to add and change entries based on information found in
6175 RSS feeds. You could use this to make a task out of each new podcast in a
6176 podcast feed. Or you could use a phone-based note-creating service on the
6177 web to import tasks into Org. To access feeds, you need to configure the
6178 variable @code{org-feed-alist}. The docstring of this variable has detailed
6179 information. Here is just an example:
6182 (setq org-feed-alist
6183 '(("ReQall" "http://www.reqall.com/user/feeds/rss/a1b2c3....."
6184 "~/org/feeds.org" "ReQall Entries")
6187 will configure that new items from the feed provided by @file{reqall.com}
6188 will result in new entries in the file @file{~/org/feeds.org} under the
6189 heading @samp{ReQall Entries}, whenever the following command is used:
6194 Collect items from the feeds configured in @code{org-feed-alist} and act upon
6198 Prompt for a feed name and go to the inbox configured for this feed.
6201 Under the same headline, Org will create a drawer @samp{FEEDSTATUS} in which
6202 it will store information about the status of items in the feed, to avoid
6203 adding the same item several times. You should add @samp{FEEDSTATUS} to the
6204 list of drawers in that file:
6207 #+DRAWERS: LOGBOOK PROPERTIES FEEDSTATUS
6210 For more information, see @file{org-feed.el} and the docstring of
6211 @code{org-feed-alist}.
6213 @node Protocols, Refiling notes, RSS Feeds, Capture - Refile - Archive
6214 @section Protocols for external access
6215 @cindex protocols, for external access
6218 You can set up Org for handling protocol calls from outside applications that
6219 are passed to Emacs through the @file{emacsserver}. For example, you can
6220 configure bookmarks in your web browser to send a link to the current page to
6221 Org and create a note from it using Remember (@pxref{Remember}). Or you
6222 could create a bookmark that will tell Emacs to open the local source file of
6223 a remote website you are looking at with the browser. See
6224 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-contrib/org-protocol.php} for detailed
6225 documentation and setup instructions.
6227 @node Refiling notes, Archiving, Protocols, Capture - Refile - Archive
6228 @section Refiling notes
6229 @cindex refiling notes
6231 When reviewing the captured data, you may want to refile some of the entries
6232 into a different list, for example into a project. Cutting, finding the
6233 right location, and then pasting the note is cumbersome. To simplify this
6234 process, you can use the following special command:
6239 @vindex org-reverse-note-order
6240 @vindex org-refile-targets
6241 @vindex org-refile-use-outline-path
6242 @vindex org-outline-path-complete-in-steps
6243 @vindex org-refile-allow-creating-parent-nodes
6244 @vindex org-log-refile
6245 Refile the entry or region at point. This command offers possible locations
6246 for refiling the entry and lets you select one with completion. The item (or
6247 all items in the region) is filed below the target heading as a subitem.
6248 Depending on @code{org-reverse-note-order}, it will be either the first or
6250 By default, all level 1 headlines in the current buffer are considered to be
6251 targets, but you can have more complex definitions across a number of files.
6252 See the variable @code{org-refile-targets} for details. If you would like to
6253 select a location via a file-path-like completion along the outline path, see
6254 the variables @code{org-refile-use-outline-path} and
6255 @code{org-outline-path-complete-in-steps}. If you would like to be able to
6256 create new nodes as new parents for refiling on the fly, check the
6257 variable @code{org-refile-allow-creating-parent-nodes}.
6258 When the variable @code{org-log-refile}@footnote{with corresponding
6259 @code{#+STARTUP} keywords @code{logrefile}, @code{lognoterefile},
6260 and @code{nologrefile}} is set, a time stamp or a note will be
6261 recorded when an entry has been refiled.
6264 Use the refile interface to jump to a heading.
6265 @kindex C-u C-u C-c C-w
6266 @item C-u C-u C-c C-w
6267 Jump to the location where @code{org-refile} last moved a tree to.
6269 Refile as the child of the item currently being clocked.
6272 @node Archiving, , Refiling notes, Capture - Refile - Archive
6276 When a project represented by a (sub)tree is finished, you may want
6277 to move the tree out of the way and to stop it from contributing to the
6278 agenda. Archiving is important to keep your working files compact and global
6279 searches like the construction of agenda views fast.
6284 @vindex org-archive-default-command
6285 Archive the current entry using the command specified in the variable
6286 @code{org-archive-default-command}.
6290 * Moving subtrees:: Moving a tree to an archive file
6291 * Internal archiving:: Switch off a tree but keep i in the file
6294 @node Moving subtrees, Internal archiving, Archiving, Archiving
6295 @subsection Moving a tree to the archive file
6296 @cindex external archiving
6298 The most common archiving action is to move a project tree to another file,
6304 @item C-c C-x C-s@ @r{or short} @ C-c $
6305 @vindex org-archive-location
6306 Archive the subtree starting at the cursor position to the location
6307 given by @code{org-archive-location}.
6308 @kindex C-u C-c C-x C-s
6309 @item C-u C-c C-x C-s
6310 Check if any direct children of the current headline could be moved to
6311 the archive. To do this, each subtree is checked for open TODO entries.
6312 If none are found, the command offers to move it to the archive
6313 location. If the cursor is @emph{not} on a headline when this command
6314 is invoked, the level 1 trees will be checked.
6317 @cindex archive locations
6318 The default archive location is a file in the same directory as the
6319 current file, with the name derived by appending @file{_archive} to the
6320 current file name. For information and examples on how to change this,
6321 see the documentation string of the variable
6322 @code{org-archive-location}. There is also an in-buffer option for
6323 setting this variable, for example@footnote{For backward compatibility,
6324 the following also works: If there are several such lines in a file,
6325 each specifies the archive location for the text below it. The first
6326 such line also applies to any text before its definition. However,
6327 using this method is @emph{strongly} deprecated as it is incompatible
6328 with the outline structure of the document. The correct method for
6329 setting multiple archive locations in a buffer is using properties.}:
6333 #+ARCHIVE: %s_done::
6336 @cindex property, ARCHIVE
6338 If you would like to have a special ARCHIVE location for a single entry
6339 or a (sub)tree, give the entry an @code{:ARCHIVE:} property with the
6340 location as the value (@pxref{Properties and Columns}).
6342 @vindex org-archive-save-context-info
6343 When a subtree is moved, it receives a number of special properties that
6344 record context information like the file from where the entry came, its
6345 outline path the archiving time etc. Configure the variable
6346 @code{org-archive-save-context-info} to adjust the amount of information
6350 @node Internal archiving, , Moving subtrees, Archiving
6351 @subsection Internal archiving
6353 If you want to just switch off (for agenda views) certain subtrees without
6354 moving them to a different file, you can use the @code{ARCHIVE tag}.
6356 A headline that is marked with the ARCHIVE tag (@pxref{Tags}) stays at
6357 its location in the outline tree, but behaves in the following way:
6360 @vindex org-cycle-open-archived-trees
6361 It does not open when you attempt to do so with a visibility cycling
6362 command (@pxref{Visibility cycling}). You can force cycling archived
6363 subtrees with @kbd{C-@key{TAB}}, or by setting the option
6364 @code{org-cycle-open-archived-trees}. Also normal outline commands like
6365 @code{show-all} will open archived subtrees.
6367 @vindex org-sparse-tree-open-archived-trees
6368 During sparse tree construction (@pxref{Sparse trees}), matches in
6369 archived subtrees are not exposed, unless you configure the option
6370 @code{org-sparse-tree-open-archived-trees}.
6372 @vindex org-agenda-skip-archived-trees
6373 During agenda view construction (@pxref{Agenda Views}), the content of
6374 archived trees is ignored unless you configure the option
6375 @code{org-agenda-skip-archived-trees}, in which case these trees will always
6376 be included. In the agenda you can press @kbd{v a} to get archives
6377 temporarily included.
6379 @vindex org-export-with-archived-trees
6380 Archived trees are not exported (@pxref{Exporting}), only the headline
6381 is. Configure the details using the variable
6382 @code{org-export-with-archived-trees}.
6384 @vindex org-columns-skip-arrchived-trees
6385 Archived trees are excluded from column view unless the variable
6386 @code{org-columns-skip-arrchived-trees} is configured to @code{nil}.
6389 The following commands help managing the ARCHIVE tag:
6394 Toggle the ARCHIVE tag for the current headline. When the tag is set,
6395 the headline changes to a shadowed face, and the subtree below it is
6397 @kindex C-u C-c C-x a
6399 Check if any direct children of the current headline should be archived.
6400 To do this, each subtree is checked for open TODO entries. If none are
6401 found, the command offers to set the ARCHIVE tag for the child. If the
6402 cursor is @emph{not} on a headline when this command is invoked, the
6403 level 1 trees will be checked.
6406 Cycle a tree even if it is tagged with ARCHIVE.
6409 Move the current entry to the @emph{Archive Sibling}. This is a sibling of
6410 the entry with the heading @samp{Archive} and the tag @samp{ARCHIVE}. The
6411 entry becomes a child of that sibling and in this way retains a lot of its
6412 original context, including inherited tags and approximate position in the
6417 @node Agenda Views, Markup, Capture - Refile - Archive, Top
6418 @chapter Agenda Views
6419 @cindex agenda views
6421 Due to the way Org works, TODO items, time-stamped items, and
6422 tagged headlines can be scattered throughout a file or even a number of
6423 files. To get an overview of open action items, or of events that are
6424 important for a particular date, this information must be collected,
6425 sorted and displayed in an organized way.
6427 Org can select items based on various criteria and display them
6428 in a separate buffer. Seven different view types are provided:
6432 an @emph{agenda} that is like a calendar and shows information
6435 a @emph{TODO list} that covers all unfinished
6438 a @emph{match view}, showings headlines based on the tags, properties, and
6439 TODO state associated with them,
6441 a @emph{timeline view} that shows all events in a single Org file,
6442 in time-sorted view,
6444 a @emph{text search view} that shows all entries from multiple files
6445 that contain specified keywords,
6447 a @emph{stuck projects view} showing projects that currently don't move
6450 @emph{custom views} that are special searches and combinations of different
6455 The extracted information is displayed in a special @emph{agenda
6456 buffer}. This buffer is read-only, but provides commands to visit the
6457 corresponding locations in the original Org files, and even to
6458 edit these files remotely.
6460 @vindex org-agenda-window-setup
6461 @vindex org-agenda-restore-windows-after-quit
6462 Two variables control how the agenda buffer is displayed and whether the
6463 window configuration is restored when the agenda exits:
6464 @code{org-agenda-window-setup} and
6465 @code{org-agenda-restore-windows-after-quit}.
6468 * Agenda files:: Files being searched for agenda information
6469 * Agenda dispatcher:: Keyboard access to agenda views
6470 * Built-in agenda views:: What is available out of the box?
6471 * Presentation and sorting:: How agenda items are prepared for display
6472 * Agenda commands:: Remote editing of Org trees
6473 * Custom agenda views:: Defining special searches and views
6474 * Exporting Agenda Views:: Writing a view to a file
6475 * Agenda column view:: Using column view for collected entries
6478 @node Agenda files, Agenda dispatcher, Agenda Views, Agenda Views
6479 @section Agenda files
6480 @cindex agenda files
6481 @cindex files for agenda
6483 @vindex org-agenda-files
6484 The information to be shown is normally collected from all @emph{agenda
6485 files}, the files listed in the variable
6486 @code{org-agenda-files}@footnote{If the value of that variable is not a
6487 list, but a single file name, then the list of agenda files will be
6488 maintained in that external file.}. If a directory is part of this list,
6489 all files with the extension @file{.org} in this directory will be part
6492 Thus, even if you only work with a single Org file, that file should
6493 be put into the list@footnote{When using the dispatcher, pressing
6494 @kbd{<} before selecting a command will actually limit the command to
6495 the current file, and ignore @code{org-agenda-files} until the next
6496 dispatcher command.}. You can customize @code{org-agenda-files}, but
6497 the easiest way to maintain it is through the following commands
6499 @cindex files, adding to agenda list
6503 Add current file to the list of agenda files. The file is added to
6504 the front of the list. If it was already in the list, it is moved to
6505 the front. With a prefix argument, file is added/moved to the end.
6508 Remove current file from the list of agenda files.
6513 Cycle through agenda file list, visiting one file after the other.
6514 @kindex M-x org-iswitchb
6515 @item M-x org-iswitchb
6516 Command to use an @code{iswitchb}-like interface to switch to and between Org
6521 The Org menu contains the current list of files and can be used
6522 to visit any of them.
6524 If you would like to focus the agenda temporarily on a file not in
6525 this list, or on just one file in the list, or even on only a subtree in a
6526 file, then this can be done in different ways. For a single agenda command,
6527 you may press @kbd{<} once or several times in the dispatcher
6528 (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}). To restrict the agenda scope for an
6529 extended period, use the following commands:
6534 Permanently restrict the agenda to the current subtree. When with a
6535 prefix argument, or with the cursor before the first headline in a file,
6536 the agenda scope is set to the entire file. This restriction remains in
6537 effect until removed with @kbd{C-c C-x >}, or by typing either @kbd{<}
6538 or @kbd{>} in the agenda dispatcher. If there is a window displaying an
6539 agenda view, the new restriction takes effect immediately.
6542 Remove the permanent restriction created by @kbd{C-c C-x <}.
6546 When working with @file{speedbar.el}, you can use the following commands in
6550 @item < @r{in the speedbar frame}
6551 Permanently restrict the agenda to the item---either an Org file or a subtree
6552 in such a file---at the cursor in the Speedbar frame.
6553 If there is a window displaying an agenda view, the new restriction takes
6556 @item > @r{in the speedbar frame}
6557 Lift the restriction.
6560 @node Agenda dispatcher, Built-in agenda views, Agenda files, Agenda Views
6561 @section The agenda dispatcher
6562 @cindex agenda dispatcher
6563 @cindex dispatching agenda commands
6564 The views are created through a dispatcher, which should be bound to a
6565 global key---for example @kbd{C-c a} (@pxref{Installation}). In the
6566 following we will assume that @kbd{C-c a} is indeed how the dispatcher
6567 is accessed and list keyboard access to commands accordingly. After
6568 pressing @kbd{C-c a}, an additional letter is required to execute a
6569 command. The dispatcher offers the following default commands:
6572 Create the calendar-like agenda (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}).
6574 Create a list of all TODO items (@pxref{Global TODO list}).
6576 Create a list of headlines matching a TAGS expression (@pxref{Matching
6577 tags and properties}).
6579 Create the timeline view for the current buffer (@pxref{Timeline}).
6581 Create a list of entries selected by a boolean expression of keywords
6582 and/or regular expressions that must or must not occur in the entry.
6584 @vindex org-agenda-text-search-extra-files
6585 Search for a regular expression in all agenda files and additionally in
6586 the files listed in @code{org-agenda-text-search-extra-files}. This
6587 uses the Emacs command @code{multi-occur}. A prefix argument can be
6588 used to specify the number of context lines for each match, default is
6591 Create a list of stuck projects (@pxref{Stuck projects}).
6593 Restrict an agenda command to the current buffer@footnote{For backward
6594 compatibility, you can also press @kbd{1} to restrict to the current
6595 buffer.}. After pressing @kbd{<}, you still need to press the character
6596 selecting the command.
6598 If there is an active region, restrict the following agenda command to
6599 the region. Otherwise, restrict it to the current subtree@footnote{For
6600 backward compatibility, you can also press @kbd{0} to restrict to the
6601 current region/subtree.}. After pressing @kbd{< <}, you still need to press the
6602 character selecting the command.
6605 You can also define custom commands that will be accessible through the
6606 dispatcher, just like the default commands. This includes the
6607 possibility to create extended agenda buffers that contain several
6608 blocks together, for example the weekly agenda, the global TODO list and
6609 a number of special tags matches. @xref{Custom agenda views}.
6611 @node Built-in agenda views, Presentation and sorting, Agenda dispatcher, Agenda Views
6612 @section The built-in agenda views
6614 In this section we describe the built-in views.
6617 * Weekly/daily agenda:: The calendar page with current tasks
6618 * Global TODO list:: All unfinished action items
6619 * Matching tags and properties:: Structured information with fine-tuned search
6620 * Timeline:: Time-sorted view for single file
6621 * Search view:: Find entries by searching for text
6622 * Stuck projects:: Find projects you need to review
6625 @node Weekly/daily agenda, Global TODO list, Built-in agenda views, Built-in agenda views
6626 @subsection The weekly/daily agenda
6628 @cindex weekly agenda
6629 @cindex daily agenda
6631 The purpose of the weekly/daily @emph{agenda} is to act like a page of a
6632 paper agenda, showing all the tasks for the current week or day.
6635 @cindex org-agenda, command
6638 @vindex org-agenda-ndays
6639 Compile an agenda for the current week from a list of Org files. The agenda
6640 shows the entries for each day. With a numeric prefix@footnote{For backward
6641 compatibility, the universal prefix @kbd{C-u} causes all TODO entries to be
6642 listed before the agenda. This feature is deprecated, use the dedicated TODO
6643 list, or a block agenda instead (@pxref{Block agenda}).} (like @kbd{C-u 2 1
6644 C-c a a}) you may set the number of days to be displayed (see also the
6645 variable @code{org-agenda-ndays})
6648 Remote editing from the agenda buffer means, for example, that you can
6649 change the dates of deadlines and appointments from the agenda buffer.
6650 The commands available in the Agenda buffer are listed in @ref{Agenda
6653 @subsubheading Calendar/Diary integration
6654 @cindex calendar integration
6655 @cindex diary integration
6657 Emacs contains the calendar and diary by Edward M. Reingold. The
6658 calendar displays a three-month calendar with holidays from different
6659 countries and cultures. The diary allows you to keep track of
6660 anniversaries, lunar phases, sunrise/set, recurrent appointments
6661 (weekly, monthly) and more. In this way, it is quite complementary to
6662 Org. It can be very useful to combine output from Org with
6665 In order to include entries from the Emacs diary into Org mode's
6666 agenda, you only need to customize the variable
6669 (setq org-agenda-include-diary t)
6672 @noindent After that, everything will happen automatically. All diary
6673 entries including holidays, anniversaries, etc., will be included in the
6674 agenda buffer created by Org mode. @key{SPC}, @key{TAB}, and
6675 @key{RET} can be used from the agenda buffer to jump to the diary
6676 file in order to edit existing diary entries. The @kbd{i} command to
6677 insert new entries for the current date works in the agenda buffer, as
6678 well as the commands @kbd{S}, @kbd{M}, and @kbd{C} to display
6679 Sunrise/Sunset times, show lunar phases and to convert to other
6680 calendars, respectively. @kbd{c} can be used to switch back and forth
6681 between calendar and agenda.
6683 If you are using the diary only for sexp entries and holidays, it is
6684 faster to not use the above setting, but instead to copy or even move
6685 the entries into an Org file. Org mode evaluates diary-style sexp
6686 entries, and does it faster because there is no overhead for first
6687 creating the diary display. Note that the sexp entries must start at
6688 the left margin, no whitespace is allowed before them. For example,
6689 the following segment of an Org file will be processed and entries
6690 will be made in the agenda:
6693 * Birthdays and similar stuff
6695 %%(org-calendar-holiday) ; special function for holiday names
6697 %%(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
6698 %%(diary-anniversary 10 2 1869) Mahatma Gandhi would be %d years old
6701 @subsubheading Anniversaries from BBDB
6702 @cindex BBDB, anniversaries
6703 @cindex anniversaries, from BBDB
6705 If you are using the Big Brothers Database to store your contacts, you will
6706 very likely prefer to store anniversaries in BBDB rather than in a
6707 separate Org or diary file. Org supports this and will show BBDB
6708 anniversaries as part of the agenda. All you need to do is to add the
6709 following to one your your agenda files:
6716 %%(org-bbdb-anniversaries)
6719 You can then go ahead and define anniversaries for a BBDB record. Basically,
6720 you need to press @kbd{C-o anniversary @key{RET}} with the cursor in a BBDB
6721 record and then add the date in the format @code{YYYY-MM-DD}, followed by a
6722 space and the class of the anniversary (@samp{birthday} or @samp{wedding}, or
6723 a format string). If you omit the class, it will default to @samp{birthday}.
6724 Here are a few examples, the header for the file @file{org-bbdb.el} contains
6725 more detailed information.
6730 2008-04-14 %s released version 6.01 of org-mode, %d years ago
6733 After a change to BBDB, or for the first agenda display during an Emacs
6734 session, the agenda display will suffer a short delay as Org updates its
6735 hash with anniversaries. However, from then on things will be very fast---much
6736 faster in fact than a long list of @samp{%%(diary-anniversary)} entries
6737 in an Org or Diary file.
6739 @subsubheading Appointment reminders
6740 @cindex @file{appt.el}
6741 @cindex appointment reminders
6743 Org can interact with Emacs appointments notification facility. To add all
6744 the appointments of your agenda files, use the command
6745 @code{org-agenda-to-appt}. This command also lets you filter through the
6746 list of your appointments and add only those belonging to a specific category
6747 or matching a regular expression. See the docstring for details.
6749 @node Global TODO list, Matching tags and properties, Weekly/daily agenda, Built-in agenda views
6750 @subsection The global TODO list
6751 @cindex global TODO list
6752 @cindex TODO list, global
6754 The global TODO list contains all unfinished TODO items formatted and
6755 collected into a single place.
6760 Show the global TODO list. This collects the TODO items from all
6761 agenda files (@pxref{Agenda Views}) into a single buffer. The buffer is in
6762 @code{agenda-mode}, so there are commands to examine and manipulate
6763 the TODO entries directly from that buffer (@pxref{Agenda commands}).
6766 @cindex TODO keyword matching
6767 @vindex org-todo-keywords
6768 Like the above, but allows selection of a specific TODO keyword. You
6769 can also do this by specifying a prefix argument to @kbd{C-c a t}. With
6770 a @kbd{C-u} prefix you are prompted for a keyword, and you may also
6771 specify several keywords by separating them with @samp{|} as the boolean OR
6772 operator. With a numeric prefix, the nth keyword in
6773 @code{org-todo-keywords} is selected.
6775 The @kbd{r} key in the agenda buffer regenerates it, and you can give
6776 a prefix argument to this command to change the selected TODO keyword,
6777 for example @kbd{3 r}. If you often need a search for a specific
6778 keyword, define a custom command for it (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}).@*
6779 Matching specific TODO keywords can also be done as part of a tags
6780 search (@pxref{Tag searches}).
6783 Remote editing of TODO items means that you can change the state of a
6784 TODO entry with a single key press. The commands available in the
6785 TODO list are described in @ref{Agenda commands}.
6787 @cindex sublevels, inclusion into TODO list
6788 Normally the global TODO list simply shows all headlines with TODO
6789 keywords. This list can become very long. There are two ways to keep
6793 @vindex org-agenda-todo-ignore-scheduled
6794 @vindex org-agenda-todo-ignore-deadlines
6795 @vindex org-agenda-todo-ignore-with-date
6796 Some people view a TODO item that has been @emph{scheduled} for execution or
6797 have a @emph{deadline} (@pxref{Timestamps}) as no longer @emph{open}.
6798 Configure the variables @code{org-agenda-todo-ignore-scheduled},
6799 @code{org-agenda-todo-ignore-deadlines}, and/or
6800 @code{org-agenda-todo-ignore-with-date} to exclude such items from the
6803 @vindex org-agenda-todo-list-sublevels
6804 TODO items may have sublevels to break up the task into subtasks. In
6805 such cases it may be enough to list only the highest level TODO headline
6806 and omit the sublevels from the global list. Configure the variable
6807 @code{org-agenda-todo-list-sublevels} to get this behavior.
6810 @node Matching tags and properties, Timeline, Global TODO list, Built-in agenda views
6811 @subsection Matching tags and properties
6812 @cindex matching, of tags
6813 @cindex matching, of properties
6817 If headlines in the agenda files are marked with @emph{tags} (@pxref{Tags}),
6818 or have properties (@pxref{Properties and Columns}), you can select headlines
6819 based on this metadata and collect them into an agenda buffer. The match
6820 syntax described here also applies when creating sparse trees with @kbd{C-c /
6826 Produce a list of all headlines that match a given set of tags. The
6827 command prompts for a selection criterion, which is a boolean logic
6828 expression with tags, like @samp{+work+urgent-withboss} or
6829 @samp{work|home} (@pxref{Tags}). If you often need a specific search,
6830 define a custom command for it (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}).
6833 @vindex org-tags-match-list-sublevels
6834 @vindex org-agenda-tags-todo-honor-ignore-options
6835 Like @kbd{C-c a m}, but only select headlines that are also TODO items and
6836 force checking subitems (see variable @code{org-tags-match-list-sublevels}).
6837 To exclude scheduled/deadline items, see the variable
6838 @code{org-agenda-tags-todo-honor-ignore-options}. Matching specific TODO
6839 keywords together with a tags match is also possible, see @ref{Tag searches}.
6842 The commands available in the tags list are described in @ref{Agenda
6845 @subsubheading Match syntax
6847 @cindex Boolean logic, for tag/property searches
6848 A search string can use Boolean operators @samp{&} for AND and @samp{|} for
6849 OR. @samp{&} binds more strongly than @samp{|}. Parentheses are currently
6850 not implemented. Each element in the search is either a tag, a regular
6851 expression matching tags, or an expression like @code{PROPERTY OPERATOR
6852 VALUE} with a comparison operator, accessing a property value. Each element
6853 may be preceded by @samp{-}, to select against it, and @samp{+} is syntactic
6854 sugar for positive selection. The AND operator @samp{&} is optional when
6855 @samp{+} or @samp{-} is present. Here are some examples, using only tags.
6859 Select headlines tagged @samp{:work:}, but discard those also tagged
6862 Selects lines tagged @samp{:work:} or @samp{:laptop:}.
6863 @item work|laptop+night
6864 Like before, but require the @samp{:laptop:} lines to be tagged also
6868 @cindex regular expressions, with tags search
6869 Instead of a tag, you may also specify a regular expression enclosed in curly
6870 braces. For example,
6871 @samp{work+@{^boss.*@}} matches headlines that contain the tag
6872 @samp{:work:} and any tag @i{starting} with @samp{boss}.
6874 @cindex TODO keyword matching, with tags search
6875 @cindex level, require for tags/property match
6876 @cindex category, require for tags/property match
6877 @vindex org-odd-levels-only
6878 You may also test for properties (@pxref{Properties and Columns}) at the same
6879 time as matching tags. The properties may be real properties, or special
6880 properties that represent other metadata (@pxref{Special properties}). For
6881 example, the ``property'' @code{TODO} represents the TODO keyword of the
6882 entry. Or, the ``property'' @code{LEVEL} represents the level of an entry.
6883 So a search @samp{+LEVEL=3+boss-TODO="DONE"} lists all level three headlines
6884 that have the tag @samp{boss} and are @emph{not} marked with the TODO keyword
6885 DONE. In buffers with @code{org-odd-levels-only} set, @samp{LEVEL} does not
6886 count the number of stars, but @samp{LEVEL=2} will correspond to 3 stars etc.
6888 Here are more examples:
6890 @item work+TODO="WAITING"
6891 Select @samp{:work:}-tagged TODO lines with the specific TODO
6892 keyword @samp{WAITING}.
6893 @item work+TODO="WAITING"|home+TODO="WAITING"
6894 Waiting tasks both at work and at home.
6897 When matching properties, a number of different operators can be used to test
6898 the value of a property. Here is a complex example:
6901 +work-boss+PRIORITY="A"+Coffee="unlimited"+Effort<2 \
6902 +With=@{Sarah\|Denny@}+SCHEDULED>="<2008-10-11>"
6906 The type of comparison will depend on how the comparison value is written:
6909 If the comparison value is a plain number, a numerical comparison is done,
6910 and the allowed operators are @samp{<}, @samp{=}, @samp{>}, @samp{<=},
6911 @samp{>=}, and @samp{<>}.
6913 If the comparison value is enclosed in double-quotes,
6914 a string comparison is done, and the same operators are allowed.
6916 If the comparison value is enclosed in double-quotes @emph{and} angular
6917 brackets (like @samp{DEADLINE<="<2008-12-24 18:30>"}), both values are
6918 assumed to be date/time specifications in the standard Org way, and the
6919 comparison will be done accordingly. Special values that will be recognized
6920 are @code{"<now>"} for now (including time), and @code{"<today>"}, and
6921 @code{"<tomorrow>"} for these days at 0:00 hours, i.e. without a time
6922 specification. Also strings like @code{"<+5d>"} or @code{"<-2m>"} with units
6923 @code{d}, @code{w}, @code{m}, and @code{y} for day, week, month, and year,
6924 respectively, can be used.
6926 If the comparison value is enclosed
6927 in curly braces, a regexp match is performed, with @samp{=} meaning that the
6928 regexp matches the property value, and @samp{<>} meaning that it does not
6932 So the search string in the example finds entries tagged @samp{:work:} but
6933 not @samp{:boss:}, which also have a priority value @samp{A}, a
6934 @samp{:Coffee:} property with the value @samp{unlimited}, an @samp{Effort}
6935 property that is numerically smaller than 2, a @samp{:With:} property that is
6936 matched by the regular expression @samp{Sarah\|Denny}, and that are scheduled
6937 on or after October 11, 2008.
6939 Accessing TODO, LEVEL, and CATEGORY during a search is fast. Accessing any
6940 other properties will slow down the search. However, once you have paid the
6941 price by accessing one property, testing additional properties is cheap
6944 You can configure Org mode to use property inheritance during a search, but
6945 beware that this can slow down searches considerably. See @ref{Property
6946 inheritance}, for details.
6948 For backward compatibility, and also for typing speed, there is also a
6949 different way to test TODO states in a search. For this, terminate the
6950 tags/property part of the search string (which may include several terms
6951 connected with @samp{|}) with a @samp{/} and then specify a Boolean
6952 expression just for TODO keywords. The syntax is then similar to that for
6953 tags, but should be applied with care: for example, a positive
6954 selection on several TODO keywords cannot meaningfully be combined with
6955 boolean AND. However, @emph{negative selection} combined with AND can be
6956 meaningful. To make sure that only lines are checked that actually have any
6957 TODO keyword (resulting in a speed-up), use @kbd{C-c a M}, or equivalently
6958 start the TODO part after the slash with @samp{!}. Examples:
6962 Same as @samp{work+TODO="WAITING"}
6963 @item work/!-WAITING-NEXT
6964 Select @samp{:work:}-tagged TODO lines that are neither @samp{WAITING}
6966 @item work/!+WAITING|+NEXT
6967 Select @samp{:work:}-tagged TODO lines that are either @samp{WAITING} or
6971 @node Timeline, Search view, Matching tags and properties, Built-in agenda views
6972 @subsection Timeline for a single file
6973 @cindex timeline, single file
6974 @cindex time-sorted view
6976 The timeline summarizes all time-stamped items from a single Org mode
6977 file in a @emph{time-sorted view}. The main purpose of this command is
6978 to give an overview over events in a project.
6983 Show a time-sorted view of the Org file, with all time-stamped items.
6984 When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix, all unfinished TODO entries
6985 (scheduled or not) are also listed under the current date.
6989 The commands available in the timeline buffer are listed in
6990 @ref{Agenda commands}.
6992 @node Search view, Stuck projects, Timeline, Built-in agenda views
6993 @subsection Search view
6996 @cindex searching, for text
6998 This agenda view is a general text search facility for Org mode entries.
6999 It is particularly useful to find notes.
7004 This is a special search that lets you select entries by matching a substring
7005 or specific words using a boolean logic.
7007 For example, the search string @samp{computer equipment} will find entries
7008 that contain @samp{computer equipment} as a substring. If the two words are
7009 separated by more space or a line break, the search will still match.
7010 Search view can also search for specific keywords in the entry, using Boolean
7011 logic. The search string @samp{+computer +wifi -ethernet -@{8\.11[bg]@}}
7012 will search for note entries that contain the keywords @code{computer}
7013 and @code{wifi}, but not the keyword @code{ethernet}, and which are also
7014 not matched by the regular expression @code{8\.11[bg]}, meaning to
7015 exclude both 8.11b and 8.11g. The first @samp{+} is necessary to turn on
7016 word search, other @samp{+} characters are optional. For more details, see
7017 the docstring of the command @code{org-search-view}.
7019 @vindex org-agenda-text-search-extra-files
7020 Note that in addition to the agenda files, this command will also search
7021 the files listed in @code{org-agenda-text-search-extra-files}.
7023 @node Stuck projects, , Search view, Built-in agenda views
7024 @subsection Stuck projects
7026 If you are following a system like David Allen's GTD to organize your
7027 work, one of the ``duties'' you have is a regular review to make sure
7028 that all projects move along. A @emph{stuck} project is a project that
7029 has no defined next actions, so it will never show up in the TODO lists
7030 Org mode produces. During the review, you need to identify such
7031 projects and define next actions for them.
7036 List projects that are stuck.
7039 @vindex org-stuck-projects
7040 Customize the variable @code{org-stuck-projects} to define what a stuck
7041 project is and how to find it.
7044 You almost certainly will have to configure this view before it will
7045 work for you. The built-in default assumes that all your projects are
7046 level-2 headlines, and that a project is not stuck if it has at least
7047 one entry marked with a TODO keyword TODO or NEXT or NEXTACTION.
7049 Let's assume that you, in your own way of using Org mode, identify
7050 projects with a tag PROJECT, and that you use a TODO keyword MAYBE to
7051 indicate a project that should not be considered yet. Let's further
7052 assume that the TODO keyword DONE marks finished projects, and that NEXT
7053 and TODO indicate next actions. The tag @@SHOP indicates shopping and
7054 is a next action even without the NEXT tag. Finally, if the project
7055 contains the special word IGNORE anywhere, it should not be listed
7056 either. In this case you would start by identifying eligible projects
7057 with a tags/todo match@footnote{@xref{Tag searches}.}
7058 @samp{+PROJECT/-MAYBE-DONE}, and then check for TODO, NEXT, @@SHOP, and
7059 IGNORE in the subtree to identify projects that are not stuck. The
7060 correct customization for this is
7063 (setq org-stuck-projects
7064 '("+PROJECT/-MAYBE-DONE" ("NEXT" "TODO") ("@@SHOP")
7068 Note that if a project is identified as non-stuck, the subtree of this entry
7069 will still be searched for stuck projects.
7071 @node Presentation and sorting, Agenda commands, Built-in agenda views, Agenda Views
7072 @section Presentation and sorting
7073 @cindex presentation, of agenda items
7075 @vindex org-agenda-prefix-format
7076 Before displaying items in an agenda view, Org mode visually prepares
7077 the items and sorts them. Each item occupies a single line. The line
7078 starts with a @emph{prefix} that contains the @emph{category}
7079 (@pxref{Categories}) of the item and other important information. You can
7080 customize the prefix using the option @code{org-agenda-prefix-format}.
7081 The prefix is followed by a cleaned-up version of the outline headline
7082 associated with the item.
7085 * Categories:: Not all tasks are equal
7086 * Time-of-day specifications:: How the agenda knows the time
7087 * Sorting of agenda items:: The order of things
7090 @node Categories, Time-of-day specifications, Presentation and sorting, Presentation and sorting
7091 @subsection Categories
7094 The category is a broad label assigned to each agenda item. By default,
7095 the category is simply derived from the file name, but you can also
7096 specify it with a special line in the buffer, like this@footnote{For
7097 backward compatibility, the following also works: if there are several
7098 such lines in a file, each specifies the category for the text below it.
7099 The first category also applies to any text before the first CATEGORY
7100 line. However, using this method is @emph{strongly} deprecated as it is
7101 incompatible with the outline structure of the document. The correct
7102 method for setting multiple categories in a buffer is using a
7110 @cindex property, CATEGORY
7111 If you would like to have a special CATEGORY for a single entry or a
7112 (sub)tree, give the entry a @code{:CATEGORY:} property with the
7113 special category you want to apply as the value.
7116 The display in the agenda buffer looks best if the category is not
7117 longer than 10 characters.
7119 @node Time-of-day specifications, Sorting of agenda items, Categories, Presentation and sorting
7120 @subsection Time-of-day specifications
7121 @cindex time-of-day specification
7123 Org mode checks each agenda item for a time-of-day specification. The
7124 time can be part of the timestamp that triggered inclusion into the
7125 agenda, for example as in @w{@samp{<2005-05-10 Tue 19:00>}}. Time
7126 ranges can be specified with two timestamps, like
7128 @w{@samp{<2005-05-10 Tue 20:30>--<2005-05-10 Tue 22:15>}}.
7130 In the headline of the entry itself, a time(range) may also appear as
7131 plain text (like @samp{12:45} or a @samp{8:30-1pm}). If the agenda
7132 integrates the Emacs diary (@pxref{Weekly/daily agenda}), time
7133 specifications in diary entries are recognized as well.
7135 For agenda display, Org mode extracts the time and displays it in a
7136 standard 24 hour format as part of the prefix. The example times in
7137 the previous paragraphs would end up in the agenda like this:
7140 8:30-13:00 Arthur Dent lies in front of the bulldozer
7141 12:45...... Ford Prefect arrives and takes Arthur to the pub
7142 19:00...... The Vogon reads his poem
7143 20:30-22:15 Marvin escorts the Hitchhikers to the bridge
7147 If the agenda is in single-day mode, or for the display of today, the
7148 timed entries are embedded in a time grid, like
7151 8:00...... ------------------
7152 8:30-13:00 Arthur Dent lies in front of the bulldozer
7153 10:00...... ------------------
7154 12:00...... ------------------
7155 12:45...... Ford Prefect arrives and takes Arthur to the pub
7156 14:00...... ------------------
7157 16:00...... ------------------
7158 18:00...... ------------------
7159 19:00...... The Vogon reads his poem
7160 20:00...... ------------------
7161 20:30-22:15 Marvin escorts the Hitchhikers to the bridge
7164 @vindex org-agenda-use-time-grid
7165 @vindex org-agenda-time-grid
7166 The time grid can be turned on and off with the variable
7167 @code{org-agenda-use-time-grid}, and can be configured with
7168 @code{org-agenda-time-grid}.
7170 @node Sorting of agenda items, , Time-of-day specifications, Presentation and sorting
7171 @subsection Sorting of agenda items
7172 @cindex sorting, of agenda items
7173 @cindex priorities, of agenda items
7174 Before being inserted into a view, the items are sorted. How this is
7175 done depends on the type of view.
7178 @vindex org-agenda-files
7179 For the daily/weekly agenda, the items for each day are sorted. The
7180 default order is to first collect all items containing an explicit
7181 time-of-day specification. These entries will be shown at the beginning
7182 of the list, as a @emph{schedule} for the day. After that, items remain
7183 grouped in categories, in the sequence given by @code{org-agenda-files}.
7184 Within each category, items are sorted by priority (@pxref{Priorities}),
7185 which is composed of the base priority (2000 for priority @samp{A}, 1000
7186 for @samp{B}, and 0 for @samp{C}), plus additional increments for
7187 overdue scheduled or deadline items.
7189 For the TODO list, items remain in the order of categories, but within
7190 each category, sorting takes place according to priority
7191 (@pxref{Priorities}). The priority used for sorting derives from the
7192 priority cookie, with additions depending on how close an item is to its due
7195 For tags matches, items are not sorted at all, but just appear in the
7196 sequence in which they are found in the agenda files.
7199 @vindex org-agenda-sorting-strategy
7200 Sorting can be customized using the variable
7201 @code{org-agenda-sorting-strategy}, and may also include criteria based on
7202 the estimated effort of an entry (@pxref{Effort estimates}).
7204 @node Agenda commands, Custom agenda views, Presentation and sorting, Agenda Views
7205 @section Commands in the agenda buffer
7206 @cindex commands, in agenda buffer
7208 Entries in the agenda buffer are linked back to the Org file or diary
7209 file where they originate. You are not allowed to edit the agenda
7210 buffer itself, but commands are provided to show and jump to the
7211 original entry location, and to edit the Org files ``remotely'' from
7212 the agenda buffer. In this way, all information is stored only once,
7213 removing the risk that your agenda and note files may diverge.
7215 Some commands can be executed with mouse clicks on agenda lines. For
7216 the other commands, the cursor needs to be in the desired line.
7219 @tsubheading{Motion}
7220 @cindex motion commands in agenda
7223 Next line (same as @key{up} and @kbd{C-p}).
7226 Previous line (same as @key{down} and @kbd{C-n}).
7227 @tsubheading{View/Go to Org file}
7232 Display the original location of the item in another window.
7233 With prefix arg, make sure that the entire entry is made visible in the
7234 outline, not only the heading.
7238 Display original location and recenter that window.
7246 Go to the original location of the item in another window. Under Emacs
7247 22, @kbd{mouse-1} will also works for this.
7251 Go to the original location of the item and delete other windows.
7255 @vindex org-agenda-start-with-follow-mode
7256 Toggle Follow mode. In Follow mode, as you move the cursor through
7257 the agenda buffer, the other window always shows the corresponding
7258 location in the Org file. The initial setting for this mode in new
7259 agenda buffers can be set with the variable
7260 @code{org-agenda-start-with-follow-mode}.
7264 Display the entire subtree of the current item in an indirect buffer. With a
7265 numeric prefix argument N, go up to level N and then take that tree. If N is
7266 negative, go up that many levels. With a @kbd{C-u} prefix, do not remove the
7267 previously used indirect buffer.
7271 Follow a link in the entry. This will offer a selection of any links in the
7272 text belonging to the referenced Org node. If there is only one link, it
7273 will be followed without a selection prompt.
7275 @tsubheading{Change display}
7276 @cindex display changing, in agenda
7279 Delete other windows.
7287 @item v d @ @r{or short} @ d
7288 @itemx v w @ @r{or short} @ w
7291 Switch to day/week/month/year view. When switching to day or week view,
7292 this setting becomes the default for subsequent agenda commands. Since
7293 month and year views are slow to create, they do not become the default.
7294 A numeric prefix argument may be used to jump directly to a specific day
7295 of the year, ISO week, month, or year, respectively. For example,
7296 @kbd{32 d} jumps to February 1st, @kbd{9 w} to ISO week number 9. When
7297 setting day, week, or month view, a year may be encoded in the prefix
7298 argument as well. For example, @kbd{200712 w} will jump to week 12 in
7299 2007. If such a year specification has only one or two digits, it will
7300 be mapped to the interval 1938-2037.
7304 @vindex org-agenda-ndays
7305 Go forward in time to display the following @code{org-agenda-ndays} days.
7306 For example, if the display covers a week, switch to the following week.
7307 With prefix arg, go forward that many times @code{org-agenda-ndays} days.
7311 Go backward in time to display earlier dates.
7319 Prompt for a date and go there.
7323 Toggle the inclusion of diary entries. See @ref{Weekly/daily agenda}.
7328 @item v l @ @r{or short} @ l
7329 @vindex org-log-done
7330 @vindex org-agenda-log-mode-items
7331 Toggle Logbook mode. In Logbook mode, entries that were marked DONE while
7332 logging was on (variable @code{org-log-done}) are shown in the agenda, as are
7333 entries that have been clocked on that day. You can configure the entry
7334 types that should be included in log mode using the variable
7335 @code{org-agenda-log-mode-items}. When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix, show
7336 all possible logbook entries, including state changes. When called with two
7337 prefix args @kbd{C-u C-u}, show only logging information, nothing else.
7338 @kbd{v L} is equivalent to @kbd{C-u v l}.
7342 @item v [ @ @r{or short} @ [
7343 Include inactive timestamps into the current view. Only for weekly/daily
7344 agenda and timeline views.
7350 Toggle Archives mode. In Archives mode, trees that are marked
7351 @code{ARCHIVED} are also scanned when producing the agenda. When you use the
7352 capital @kbd{A}, even all archive files are included. To exit archives mode,
7353 press @kbd{v a} again.
7357 @item v R @ @r{or short} @ R
7358 @vindex org-agenda-start-with-clockreport-mode
7359 Toggle Clockreport mode. In Clockreport mode, the daily/weekly agenda will
7360 always show a table with the clocked times for the timespan and file scope
7361 covered by the current agenda view. The initial setting for this mode in new
7362 agenda buffers can be set with the variable
7363 @code{org-agenda-start-with-clockreport-mode}.
7367 @item v E @ @r{or short} @ E
7368 @vindex org-agenda-start-with-entry-text-mode
7369 @vindex org-agenda-entry-text-maxlines
7370 Toggle entry text mode. In entry text mode, a number of lines from the Org
7371 outline node referenced by an agenda line will be displayed below the line.
7372 The maximum number of lines is given by the variable
7373 @code{org-agenda-entry-text-maxlines}. Calling this command with a numeric
7374 prefix argument will temporarily modify that number to the prefix value.
7378 @vindex org-agenda-use-time-grid
7379 @vindex org-agenda-time-grid
7380 Toggle the time grid on and off. See also the variables
7381 @code{org-agenda-use-time-grid} and @code{org-agenda-time-grid}.
7385 Recreate the agenda buffer, for example to reflect the changes after
7386 modification of the timestamps of items with @kbd{S-@key{left}} and
7387 @kbd{S-@key{right}}. When the buffer is the global TODO list, a prefix
7388 argument is interpreted to create a selective list for a specific TODO
7398 Save all Org buffers in the current Emacs session, and also the locations of
7403 @vindex org-columns-default-format
7404 Invoke column view (@pxref{Column view}) in the agenda buffer. The column
7405 view format is taken from the entry at point, or (if there is no entry at
7406 point), from the first entry in the agenda view. So whatever the format for
7407 that entry would be in the original buffer (taken from a property, from a
7408 @code{#+COLUMNS} line, or from the default variable
7409 @code{org-columns-default-format}), will be used in the agenda.
7413 Remove the restriction lock on the agenda, if it is currently restricted to a
7414 file or subtree (@pxref{Agenda files}).
7416 @tsubheading{Secondary filtering and query editing}
7417 @cindex filtering, by tag and effort, in agenda
7418 @cindex tag filtering, in agenda
7419 @cindex effort filtering, in agenda
7420 @cindex query editing, in agenda
7424 @vindex org-agenda-filter-preset
7425 Filter the current agenda view with respect to a tag and/or effort estimates.
7426 The difference between this and a custom agenda command is that filtering is
7427 very fast, so that you can switch quickly between different filters without
7428 having to recreate the agenda@footnote{Custom commands can preset a filter by
7429 binding the variable @code{org-agenda-filter-preset} as an option. This
7430 filter will then be applied to the view and persist as a basic filter through
7431 refreshes and more secondary filtering.}
7433 You will be prompted for a tag selection letter, SPC will mean any tag at
7434 all. Pressing @key{TAB} at that prompt will offer use completion to select a
7435 tag (including any tags that do not have a selection character). The command
7436 then hides all entries that do not contain or inherit this tag. When called
7437 with prefix arg, remove the entries that @emph{do} have the tag. A second
7438 @kbd{/} at the prompt will turn off the filter and unhide any hidden entries.
7439 If the first key you press is either @kbd{+} or @kbd{-}, the previous filter
7440 will be narrowed by requiring or forbidding the selected additional tag.
7441 Instead of pressing @kbd{+} or @kbd{-} after @kbd{/}, you can also
7442 immediately use the @kbd{\} command.
7444 @vindex org-sort-agenda-noeffort-is-high
7445 In order to filter for effort estimates, you should set-up allowed
7446 efforts globally, for example
7448 (setq org-global-properties
7449 '(("Effort_ALL". "0 0:10 0:30 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00")))
7451 You can then filter for an effort by first typing an operator, one of
7452 @kbd{<}, @kbd{>}, and @kbd{=}, and then the one-digit index of an effort
7453 estimate in your array of allowed values, where @kbd{0} means the 10th value.
7454 The filter will then restrict to entries with effort smaller-or-equal, equal,
7455 or larger-or-equal than the selected value. If the digits 0-9 are not used
7456 as fast access keys to tags, you can also simply press the index digit
7457 directly without an operator. In this case, @kbd{<} will be assumed. For
7458 application of the operator, entries without a defined effort will be treated
7459 according to the value of @code{org-sort-agenda-noeffort-is-high}. To filter
7460 for tasks without effort definition, press @kbd{?} as the operator.
7462 Org also supports automatic, context-aware tag filtering. If the variable
7463 @code{org-agenda-auto-exclude-function} is set to a user-defined function,
7464 that function can decide which tags should be excluded from the agenda
7465 automatically. Once this is set, the @kbd{/} command then accepts @kbd{RET}
7466 as a sub-option key and runs the auto exclusion logic. For example, let's
7467 say you use a @code{Net} tag to identify tasks which need network access, an
7468 @code{Errand} tag for errands in town, and a @code{Call} tag for making phone
7469 calls. You could auto-exclude these tags based on the availability of the
7470 Internet, and outside of business hours, with something like this:
7474 (defun org-my-auto-exclude-function (tag)
7476 ((string= tag "Net")
7477 (/= 0 (call-process "/sbin/ping" nil nil nil
7478 "-c1" "-q" "-t1" "mail.gnu.org")))
7479 ((or (string= tag "Errand") (string= tag "Call"))
7480 (let ((hour (nth 2 (decode-time))))
7481 (or (< hour 8) (> hour 21)))))
7484 (setq org-agenda-auto-exclude-function 'org-my-auto-exclude-function)
7490 Narrow the current agenda filter by an additional condition. When called with
7491 prefix arg, remove the entries that @emph{do} have the tag, or that do match
7492 the effort criterion. You can achieve the same effect by pressing @kbd{+} or
7493 @kbd{-} as the first key after the @kbd{/} command.
7501 @item @r{in} search view
7502 add new search words (@kbd{[} and @kbd{]}) or new regular expressions
7503 (@kbd{@{} and @kbd{@}}) to the query string. The opening bracket/brace will
7504 add a positive search term prefixed by @samp{+}, indicating that this search
7505 term @i{must} occur/match in the entry. The closing bracket/brace will add a
7506 negative search term which @i{must not} occur/match in the entry for it to be
7511 @tsubheading{Remote editing}
7512 @cindex remote editing, from agenda
7517 @cindex undoing remote-editing events
7518 @cindex remote editing, undo
7521 Undo a change due to a remote editing command. The change is undone
7522 both in the agenda buffer and in the remote buffer.
7526 Change the TODO state of the item, both in the agenda and in the
7529 @kindex C-S-@key{right}
7530 @kindex C-S-@key{left}
7531 @item C-S-@key{right}@r{/}@key{left}
7532 Switch to the next/previous set of TODO keywords.
7536 @vindex org-agenda-confirm-kill
7537 Delete the current agenda item along with the entire subtree belonging
7538 to it in the original Org file. If the text to be deleted remotely
7539 is longer than one line, the kill needs to be confirmed by the user. See
7540 variable @code{org-agenda-confirm-kill}.
7544 Refile the entry at point.
7548 @item C-c C-x C-a @ @r{or short} @ a
7549 @vindex org-archive-default-command
7550 Archive the subtree corresponding to the entry at point using the default
7551 archiving command set in @code{org-archive-default-command}. When using the
7552 @code{a} key, confirmation will be required.
7556 Toggle the ARCHIVE tag for the current headline.
7560 Move the subtree corresponding to the current entry to its @emph{archive
7565 @item C-c C-x C-s @ @r{or short} @ $
7566 Archive the subtree corresponding to the current headline. This means the
7567 entry will be moved to the configured archive location, most likely a
7572 @vindex org-agenda-show-inherited-tags
7573 Show all tags associated with the current item. This is useful if you have
7574 turned off @code{org-agenda-show-inherited-tags}, but still want to see all
7575 tags of a headline occasionally.
7579 Set tags for the current headline. If there is an active region in the
7580 agenda, change a tag for all headings in the region.
7584 Set the priority for the current item. Org mode prompts for the
7585 priority character. If you reply with @key{SPC}, the priority cookie
7586 is removed from the entry.
7590 Display weighted priority of current item.
7596 Increase the priority of the current item. The priority is changed in
7597 the original buffer, but the agenda is not resorted. Use the @kbd{r}
7601 @kindex S-@key{down}
7604 Decrease the priority of the current item.
7608 @item z @ @r{or also} @ C-c C-z
7609 @vindex org-log-into-drawer
7610 Add a note to the entry. This note will be recorded, and then files to the
7611 same location where state change notes are put. Depending on
7612 @code{org-log-into-drawer}, this maybe inside a drawer.
7616 Dispatcher for all command related to attachments.
7620 Schedule this item, with prefix arg remove the scheduling timestamp
7624 Set a deadline for this item, with prefix arg remove the deadline.
7628 Agenda actions, to set dates for selected items to the cursor date.
7629 This command also works in the calendar! The command prompts for an
7632 m @r{Mark the entry at point for action. You can also make entries}
7633 @r{in Org files with @kbd{C-c C-x C-k}.}
7634 d @r{Set the deadline of the marked entry to the date at point.}
7635 s @r{Schedule the marked entry at the date at point.}
7636 r @r{Call @code{org-remember} with the cursor date as default date.}
7639 Press @kbd{r} afterward to refresh the agenda and see the effect of the
7642 @kindex S-@key{right}
7644 Change the timestamp associated with the current line by one day into the
7645 future. With a numeric prefix argument, change it by that many days. For
7646 example, @kbd{3 6 5 S-@key{right}} will change it by a year. With a
7647 @kbd{C-u} prefix, change the time by one hour. If you immediately repeat the
7648 command, it will continue to change hours even without the prefix arg. With
7649 a double @kbd{C-u C-u} prefix, do the same for changing minutes. The stamp
7650 is changed in the original Org file, but the change is not directly reflected
7651 in the agenda buffer. Use @kbd{r} or @kbd{g} to update the buffer.
7653 @kindex S-@key{left}
7655 Change the timestamp associated with the current line by one day
7660 Change the timestamp associated with the current line. The key @kbd{>} has
7661 been chosen, because it is the same as @kbd{S-.} on my keyboard.
7665 Start the clock on the current item. If a clock is running already, it
7670 Stop the previously started clock.
7674 Cancel the currently running clock.
7678 Jump to the running clock in another window.
7680 @tsubheading{Bulk remote editing selected entries}
7681 @cindex remote editing, bulk, from agenda
7685 Mark the entry at point for bulk action.
7689 Unmark entry for bulk action.
7693 Unmark all marked entries for bulk action.
7697 Bulk action: act on all marked entries in the agenda. This will prompt for
7698 another key to select the action to be applied. The prefix arg to @kbd{B}
7699 will be passed through to the @kbd{s} and @kbd{d} commands, to bulk-remove
7700 these special timestamps.
7702 r @r{Prompt for a single refile target and move all entries. The entries}
7703 @r{will no longer be in the agenda, refresh (@kbd{g}) to bring them back.}
7704 $ @r{Archive all selected entries.}
7705 A @r{Archive entries by moving them to their respective archive siblings.}
7706 t @r{Change TODO state. This prompts for a single TODO keyword and}
7707 @r{changes the state of all selected entries, bypassing blocking and}
7708 @r{suppressing logging notes (but not time stamps).}
7709 + @r{Add a tag to all selected entries.}
7710 - @r{Remove a tag from all selected entries.}
7711 s @r{Schedule all items to a new date. To shift existing schedule dates}
7712 @r{by a fixed number of days, use something starting with double plus}
7713 @r{at the prompt, for example @samp{++8d} or @samp{++2w}.}
7714 d @r{Set deadline to a specific date.}
7718 @tsubheading{Calendar commands}
7719 @cindex calendar commands, from agenda
7722 Open the Emacs calendar and move to the date at the agenda cursor.
7725 When in the calendar, compute and show the Org mode agenda for the
7728 @cindex diary entries, creating from agenda
7731 @vindex org-agenda-diary-file
7732 Insert a new entry into the diary, using the date at the cursor and (for
7733 block entries) the date at the mark. This will add to the Emacs diary
7734 file@footnote{This file is parsed for the agenda when
7735 @code{org-agenda-include-diary} is set.}, in a way similar to the @kbd{i}
7736 command in the calendar. The diary file will pop up in another window, where
7737 you can add the entry.
7739 If you configure @code{org-agenda-diary-file} to point to an Org-mode file,
7740 Org will create entries (in org-mode syntax) in that file instead. Most
7741 entries will be stored in a date-based outline tree that will later make it
7742 easy to archive appointments from previous months/years. The tree will be
7743 build under an entry with a @code{DATE_TREE} property, or else with years as
7744 top-level entries. Emacs will prompt you for the entry text - if you specify
7745 it, the entry will be created in @code{org-agenda-diary-file} without further
7746 interaction. If you directly press @key{RET} at the prompt without typing
7747 text, the target file will be shown in another window for you to finish the
7748 entry there. See also the @kbd{k r} command.
7752 Show the phases of the moon for the three months around current date.
7756 Show sunrise and sunset times. The geographical location must be set
7757 with calendar variables, see the documentation for the Emacs calendar.
7761 Convert the date at cursor into many other cultural and historic
7766 Show holidays for three months around the cursor date.
7768 @item M-x org-export-icalendar-combine-agenda-files
7769 Export a single iCalendar file containing entries from all agenda files.
7770 This is a globally available command, and also available in the agenda menu.
7772 @tsubheading{Exporting to a file}
7775 @cindex exporting agenda views
7776 @cindex agenda views, exporting
7777 @vindex org-agenda-exporter-settings
7778 Write the agenda view to a file. Depending on the extension of the selected
7779 file name, the view will be exported as HTML (extension @file{.html} or
7780 @file{.htm}), Postscript (extension @file{.ps}), PDF (extension @file{.pdf}),
7781 and plain text (any other extension). When called with a @kbd{C-u} prefix
7782 argument, immediately open the newly created file. Use the variable
7783 @code{org-agenda-exporter-settings} to set options for @file{ps-print} and
7784 for @file{htmlize} to be used during export.
7786 @tsubheading{Quit and Exit}
7789 Quit agenda, remove the agenda buffer.
7792 @cindex agenda files, removing buffers
7794 Exit agenda, remove the agenda buffer and all buffers loaded by Emacs
7795 for the compilation of the agenda. Buffers created by the user to
7796 visit Org files will not be removed.
7800 @node Custom agenda views, Exporting Agenda Views, Agenda commands, Agenda Views
7801 @section Custom agenda views
7802 @cindex custom agenda views
7803 @cindex agenda views, custom
7805 Custom agenda commands serve two purposes: to store and quickly access
7806 frequently used TODO and tags searches, and to create special composite
7807 agenda buffers. Custom agenda commands will be accessible through the
7808 dispatcher (@pxref{Agenda dispatcher}), just like the default commands.
7811 * Storing searches:: Type once, use often
7812 * Block agenda:: All the stuff you need in a single buffer
7813 * Setting Options:: Changing the rules
7816 @node Storing searches, Block agenda, Custom agenda views, Custom agenda views
7817 @subsection Storing searches
7819 The first application of custom searches is the definition of keyboard
7820 shortcuts for frequently used searches, either creating an agenda
7821 buffer, or a sparse tree (the latter covering of course only the current
7824 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands
7825 Custom commands are configured in the variable
7826 @code{org-agenda-custom-commands}. You can customize this variable, for
7827 example by pressing @kbd{C-c a C}. You can also directly set it with
7828 Emacs Lisp in @file{.emacs}. The following example contains all valid
7833 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
7834 '(("w" todo "WAITING")
7835 ("W" todo-tree "WAITING")
7836 ("u" tags "+boss-urgent")
7837 ("v" tags-todo "+boss-urgent")
7838 ("U" tags-tree "+boss-urgent")
7839 ("f" occur-tree "\\<FIXME\\>")
7840 ("h" . "HOME+Name tags searches") ; description for "h" prefix
7841 ("hl" tags "+home+Lisa")
7842 ("hp" tags "+home+Peter")
7843 ("hk" tags "+home+Kim")))
7848 The initial string in each entry defines the keys you have to press
7849 after the dispatcher command @kbd{C-c a} in order to access the command.
7850 Usually this will be just a single character, but if you have many
7851 similar commands, you can also define two-letter combinations where the
7852 first character is the same in several combinations and serves as a
7853 prefix key@footnote{You can provide a description for a prefix key by
7854 inserting a cons cell with the prefix and the description.}. The second
7855 parameter is the search type, followed by the string or regular
7856 expression to be used for the matching. The example above will
7861 as a global search for TODO entries with @samp{WAITING} as the TODO
7864 as the same search, but only in the current buffer and displaying the
7865 results as a sparse tree
7867 as a global tags search for headlines marked @samp{:boss:} but not
7870 as the same search as @kbd{C-c a u}, but limiting the search to
7871 headlines that are also TODO items
7873 as the same search as @kbd{C-c a u}, but only in the current buffer and
7874 displaying the result as a sparse tree
7876 to create a sparse tree (again: current buffer only) with all entries
7877 containing the word @samp{FIXME}
7879 as a prefix command for a HOME tags search where you have to press an
7880 additional key (@kbd{l}, @kbd{p} or @kbd{k}) to select a name (Lisa,
7881 Peter, or Kim) as additional tag to match.
7884 @node Block agenda, Setting Options, Storing searches, Custom agenda views
7885 @subsection Block agenda
7886 @cindex block agenda
7887 @cindex agenda, with block views
7889 Another possibility is the construction of agenda views that comprise
7890 the results of @emph{several} commands, each of which creates a block in
7891 the agenda buffer. The available commands include @code{agenda} for the
7892 daily or weekly agenda (as created with @kbd{C-c a a}), @code{alltodo}
7893 for the global TODO list (as constructed with @kbd{C-c a t}), and the
7894 matching commands discussed above: @code{todo}, @code{tags}, and
7895 @code{tags-todo}. Here are two examples:
7899 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
7900 '(("h" "Agenda and Home-related tasks"
7904 ("o" "Agenda and Office-related tasks"
7912 This will define @kbd{C-c a h} to create a multi-block view for stuff
7913 you need to attend to at home. The resulting agenda buffer will contain
7914 your agenda for the current week, all TODO items that carry the tag
7915 @samp{home}, and also all lines tagged with @samp{garden}. Finally the
7916 command @kbd{C-c a o} provides a similar view for office tasks.
7918 @node Setting Options, , Block agenda, Custom agenda views
7919 @subsection Setting options for custom commands
7920 @cindex options, for custom agenda views
7922 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands
7923 Org mode contains a number of variables regulating agenda construction
7924 and display. The global variables define the behavior for all agenda
7925 commands, including the custom commands. However, if you want to change
7926 some settings just for a single custom view, you can do so. Setting
7927 options requires inserting a list of variable names and values at the
7928 right spot in @code{org-agenda-custom-commands}. For example:
7932 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
7933 '(("w" todo "WAITING"
7934 ((org-agenda-sorting-strategy '(priority-down))
7935 (org-agenda-prefix-format " Mixed: ")))
7936 ("U" tags-tree "+boss-urgent"
7937 ((org-show-following-heading nil)
7938 (org-show-hierarchy-above nil)))
7940 ((org-agenda-files '("~org/notes.org"))
7941 (org-agenda-text-search-extra-files nil)))))
7946 Now the @kbd{C-c a w} command will sort the collected entries only by
7947 priority, and the prefix format is modified to just say @samp{ Mixed: }
7948 instead of giving the category of the entry. The sparse tags tree of
7949 @kbd{C-c a U} will now turn out ultra-compact, because neither the
7950 headline hierarchy above the match, nor the headline following the match
7951 will be shown. The command @kbd{C-c a N} will do a text search limited
7952 to only a single file.
7954 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands
7955 For command sets creating a block agenda,
7956 @code{org-agenda-custom-commands} has two separate spots for setting
7957 options. You can add options that should be valid for just a single
7958 command in the set, and options that should be valid for all commands in
7959 the set. The former are just added to the command entry, the latter
7960 must come after the list of command entries. Going back to the block
7961 agenda example (@pxref{Block agenda}), let's change the sorting strategy
7962 for the @kbd{C-c a h} commands to @code{priority-down}, but let's sort
7963 the results for GARDEN tags query in the opposite order,
7964 @code{priority-up}. This would look like this:
7968 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
7969 '(("h" "Agenda and Home-related tasks"
7973 ((org-agenda-sorting-strategy '(priority-up)))))
7974 ((org-agenda-sorting-strategy '(priority-down))))
7975 ("o" "Agenda and Office-related tasks"
7982 As you see, the values and parentheses setting is a little complex.
7983 When in doubt, use the customize interface to set this variable---it
7984 fully supports its structure. Just one caveat: when setting options in
7985 this interface, the @emph{values} are just Lisp expressions. So if the
7986 value is a string, you need to add the double-quotes around the value
7990 @node Exporting Agenda Views, Agenda column view, Custom agenda views, Agenda Views
7991 @section Exporting Agenda Views
7992 @cindex agenda views, exporting
7994 If you are away from your computer, it can be very useful to have a printed
7995 version of some agenda views to carry around. Org mode can export custom
7996 agenda views as plain text, HTML@footnote{You need to install Hrvoje Niksic's
7997 @file{htmlize.el}.}, Postscript, PDF@footnote{To create PDF output, the
7998 ghostscript @file{ps2pdf} utility must be installed on the system. Selecting
7999 a PDF file with also create the postscript file.}, and iCalendar files. If
8000 you want to do this only occasionally, use the command
8005 @cindex exporting agenda views
8006 @cindex agenda views, exporting
8007 @vindex org-agenda-exporter-settings
8008 Write the agenda view to a file. Depending on the extension of the selected
8009 file name, the view will be exported as HTML (extension @file{.html} or
8010 @file{.htm}), Postscript (extension @file{.ps}), iCalendar (extension
8011 @file{.ics}), or plain text (any other extension). 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, for example
8015 @vindex org-agenda-add-entry-text-maxlines
8016 @vindex htmlize-output-type
8017 @vindex ps-number-of-columns
8018 @vindex ps-landscape-mode
8020 (setq org-agenda-exporter-settings
8021 '((ps-number-of-columns 2)
8022 (ps-landscape-mode t)
8023 (org-agenda-add-entry-text-maxlines 5)
8024 (htmlize-output-type 'css)))
8028 If you need to export certain agenda views frequently, you can associate
8029 any custom agenda command with a list of output file names
8030 @footnote{If you want to store standard views like the weekly agenda
8031 or the global TODO list as well, you need to define custom commands for
8032 them in order to be able to specify file names.}. Here is an example
8033 that first defines custom commands for the agenda and the global
8034 TODO list, together with a number of files to which to export them.
8035 Then we define two block agenda commands and specify file names for them
8036 as well. File names can be relative to the current working directory,
8041 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
8042 '(("X" agenda "" nil ("agenda.html" "agenda.ps"))
8043 ("Y" alltodo "" nil ("todo.html" "todo.txt" "todo.ps"))
8044 ("h" "Agenda and Home-related tasks"
8049 ("~/views/home.html"))
8050 ("o" "Agenda and Office-related tasks"
8055 ("~/views/office.ps" "~/calendars/office.ics"))))
8059 The extension of the file name determines the type of export. If it is
8060 @file{.html}, Org mode will use the @file{htmlize.el} package to convert
8061 the buffer to HTML and save it to this file name. If the extension is
8062 @file{.ps}, @code{ps-print-buffer-with-faces} is used to produce
8063 Postscript output. If the extension is @file{.ics}, iCalendar export is
8064 run export over all files that were used to construct the agenda, and
8065 limit the export to entries listed in the agenda. Any other
8066 extension produces a plain ASCII file.
8068 The export files are @emph{not} created when you use one of those
8069 commands interactively because this might use too much overhead.
8070 Instead, there is a special command to produce @emph{all} specified
8076 Export all agenda views that have export file names associated with
8080 You can use the options section of the custom agenda commands to also
8081 set options for the export commands. For example:
8084 (setq org-agenda-custom-commands
8086 ((ps-number-of-columns 2)
8087 (ps-landscape-mode t)
8088 (org-agenda-prefix-format " [ ] ")
8089 (org-agenda-with-colors nil)
8090 (org-agenda-remove-tags t))
8095 This command sets two options for the Postscript exporter, to make it
8096 print in two columns in landscape format---the resulting page can be cut
8097 in two and then used in a paper agenda. The remaining settings modify
8098 the agenda prefix to omit category and scheduling information, and
8099 instead include a checkbox to check off items. We also remove the tags
8100 to make the lines compact, and we don't want to use colors for the
8101 black-and-white printer. Settings specified in
8102 @code{org-agenda-exporter-settings} will also apply, but the settings
8103 in @code{org-agenda-custom-commands} take precedence.
8106 From the command line you may also use
8108 emacs -f org-batch-store-agenda-views -kill
8111 or, if you need to modify some parameters@footnote{Quoting depends on the
8112 system you use, please check the FAQ for examples.}
8114 emacs -eval '(org-batch-store-agenda-views \
8115 org-agenda-ndays 30 \
8116 org-agenda-start-day "2007-11-01" \
8117 org-agenda-include-diary nil \
8118 org-agenda-files (quote ("~/org/project.org")))' \
8122 which will create the agenda views restricted to the file
8123 @file{~/org/project.org}, without diary entries and with a 30-day
8126 You can also extract agenda information in a way that allows further
8127 processing by other programs. See @ref{Extracting agenda information}, for
8131 @node Agenda column view, , Exporting Agenda Views, Agenda Views
8132 @section Using column view in the agenda
8133 @cindex column view, in agenda
8134 @cindex agenda, column view
8136 Column view (@pxref{Column view}) is normally used to view and edit
8137 properties embedded in the hierarchical structure of an Org file. It can be
8138 quite useful to use column view also from the agenda, where entries are
8139 collected by certain criteria.
8144 Turn on column view in the agenda.
8147 To understand how to use this properly, it is important to realize that the
8148 entries in the agenda are no longer in their proper outline environment.
8149 This causes the following issues:
8153 @vindex org-columns-default-format
8154 @vindex org-overriding-columns-format
8155 Org needs to make a decision which @code{COLUMNS} format to use. Since the
8156 entries in the agenda are collected from different files, and different files
8157 may have different @code{COLUMNS} formats, this is a non-trivial problem.
8158 Org first checks if the variable @code{org-overriding-columns-format} is
8159 currently set, and if so, takes the format from there. Otherwise it takes
8160 the format associated with the first item in the agenda, or, if that item
8161 does not have a specific format (defined in a property, or in its file), it
8162 uses @code{org-columns-default-format}.
8164 @cindex property, special, CLOCKSUM
8165 If any of the columns has a summary type defined (@pxref{Column attributes}),
8166 turning on column view in the agenda will visit all relevant agenda files and
8167 make sure that the computations of this property are up to date. This is
8168 also true for the special @code{CLOCKSUM} property. Org will then sum the
8169 values displayed in the agenda. In the daily/weekly agenda, the sums will
8170 cover a single day, in all other views they cover the entire block. It is
8171 vital to realize that the agenda may show the same entry @emph{twice} (for
8172 example as scheduled and as a deadline), and it may show two entries from the
8173 same hierarchy (for example a @emph{parent} and its @emph{child}). In these
8174 cases, the summation in the agenda will lead to incorrect results because
8175 some values will count double.
8177 When the column view in the agenda shows the @code{CLOCKSUM}, that is always
8178 the entire clocked time for this item. So even in the daily/weekly agenda,
8179 the clocksum listed in column view may originate from times outside the
8180 current view. This has the advantage that you can compare these values with
8181 a column listing the planned total effort for a task---one of the major
8182 applications for column view in the agenda. If you want information about
8183 clocked time in the displayed period use clock table mode (press @kbd{R} in
8188 @node Markup, Exporting, Agenda Views, Top
8189 @chapter Markup for rich export
8191 When exporting Org-mode documents, the exporter tries to reflect the
8192 structure of the document as accurately as possible in the backend. Since
8193 export targets like HTML, La@TeX{}, or DocBook allow much richer formatting,
8194 Org mode has rules on how to prepare text for rich export. This section
8195 summarizes the markup rules used in an Org-mode buffer.
8198 * Structural markup elements:: The basic structure as seen by the exporter
8199 * Images and tables:: Tables and Images will be included
8200 * Literal examples:: Source code examples with special formatting
8201 * Include files:: Include additional files into a document
8202 * Macro replacement:: Use macros to create complex output
8203 * Embedded LaTeX:: LaTeX can be freely used inside Org documents
8206 @node Structural markup elements, Images and tables, Markup, Markup
8207 @section Structural markup elements
8210 * Document title:: Where the title is taken from
8211 * Headings and sections:: The document structure as seen by the exporter
8212 * Table of contents:: The if and where of the table of contents
8213 * Initial text:: Text before the first heading?
8215 * Paragraphs:: Paragraphs
8216 * Footnote markup:: Footnotes
8217 * Emphasis and monospace:: Bold, italic, etc.
8218 * Horizontal rules:: Make a line
8219 * Comment lines:: What will *not* be exported
8222 @node Document title, Headings and sections, Structural markup elements, Structural markup elements
8223 @subheading Document title
8224 @cindex document title, markup rules
8227 The title of the exported document is taken from the special line
8231 #+TITLE: This is the title of the document
8235 If this line does not exist, the title is derived from the first non-empty,
8236 non-comment line in the buffer. If no such line exists, or if you have
8237 turned off exporting of the text before the first headline (see below), the
8238 title will be the file name without extension.
8240 @cindex property, EXPORT_TITLE
8241 If you are exporting only a subtree by marking is as the region, the heading
8242 of the subtree will become the title of the document. If the subtree has a
8243 property @code{EXPORT_TITLE}, that will take precedence.
8245 @node Headings and sections, Table of contents, Document title, Structural markup elements
8246 @subheading Headings and sections
8247 @cindex headings and sections, markup rules
8249 @vindex org-export-headline-levels
8250 The outline structure of the document as described in @ref{Document
8251 Structure}, forms the basis for defining sections of the exported document.
8252 However, since the outline structure is also used for (for example) lists of
8253 tasks, only the first three outline levels will be used as headings. Deeper
8254 levels will become itemized lists. You can change the location of this
8255 switch globally by setting the variable @code{org-export-headline-levels}, or on a
8256 per-file basis with a line
8263 @node Table of contents, Initial text, Headings and sections, Structural markup elements
8264 @subheading Table of contents
8265 @cindex table of contents, markup rules
8267 @vindex org-export-with-toc
8268 The table of contents is normally inserted directly before the first headline
8269 of the file. If you would like to get it to a different location, insert the
8270 string @code{[TABLE-OF-CONTENTS]} on a line by itself at the desired
8271 location. The depth of the table of contents is by default the same as the
8272 number of headline levels, but you can choose a smaller number, or turn off
8273 the table of contents entirely, by configuring the variable
8274 @code{org-export-with-toc}, or on a per-file basis with a line like
8277 #+OPTIONS: toc:2 (only to two levels in TOC)
8278 #+OPTIONS: toc:nil (no TOC at all)
8281 @node Initial text, Lists, Table of contents, Structural markup elements
8282 @subheading Text before the first headline
8283 @cindex text before first headline, markup rules
8286 Org mode normally exports the text before the first headline, and even uses
8287 the first line as the document title. The text will be fully marked up. If
8288 you need to include literal HTML, La@TeX{}, or DocBook code, use the special
8289 constructs described below in the sections for the individual exporters.
8291 @vindex org-export-skip-text-before-1st-heading
8292 Some people like to use the space before the first headline for setup and
8293 internal links and therefore would like to control the exported text before
8294 the first headline in a different way. You can do so by setting the variable
8295 @code{org-export-skip-text-before-1st-heading} to @code{t}. On a per-file
8296 basis, you can get the same effect with @samp{#+OPTIONS: skip:t}.
8299 If you still want to have some text before the first headline, use the
8300 @code{#+TEXT} construct:
8304 #+TEXT: This text will go before the *first* headline.
8305 #+TEXT: [TABLE-OF-CONTENTS]
8306 #+TEXT: This goes between the table of contents and the first headline
8309 @node Lists, Paragraphs, Initial text, Structural markup elements
8311 @cindex lists, markup rules
8313 Plain lists as described in @ref{Plain lists}, are translated to the backend's
8314 syntax for such lists. Most backends support unordered, ordered, and
8317 @node Paragraphs, Footnote markup, Lists, Structural markup elements
8318 @subheading Paragraphs, line breaks, and quoting
8319 @cindex paragraphs, markup rules
8321 Paragraphs are separated by at least one empty line. If you need to enforce
8322 a line break within a paragraph, use @samp{\\} at the end of a line.
8324 To keep the line breaks in a region, but otherwise use normal formatting, you
8325 can use this construct, which can also be used to format poetry.
8327 @cindex #+BEGIN_VERSE
8330 Great clouds overhead
8331 Tiny black birds rise and fall
8338 When quoting a passage from another document, it is customary to format this
8339 as a paragraph that is indented on both the left and the right margin. You
8340 can include quotations in Org-mode documents like this:
8342 @cindex #+BEGIN_QUOTE
8345 Everything should be made as simple as possible,
8346 but not any simpler -- Albert Einstein
8350 If you would like to center some text, do it like this:
8351 @cindex #+BEGIN_CENTER
8354 Everything should be made as simple as possible, \\
8360 @node Footnote markup, Emphasis and monospace, Paragraphs, Structural markup elements
8361 @subheading Footnote markup
8362 @cindex footnotes, markup rules
8363 @cindex @file{footnote.el}
8365 Footnotes defined in the way described in @ref{Footnotes}, will be exported by
8366 all backends. Org allows multiple references to the same note, and
8367 different backends support this to varying degrees.
8369 @node Emphasis and monospace, Horizontal rules, Footnote markup, Structural markup elements
8370 @subheading Emphasis and monospace
8372 @cindex underlined text, markup rules
8373 @cindex bold text, markup rules
8374 @cindex italic text, markup rules
8375 @cindex verbatim text, markup rules
8376 @cindex code text, markup rules
8377 @cindex strike-through text, markup rules
8378 You can make words @b{*bold*}, @i{/italic/}, _underlined_, @code{=code=}
8379 and @code{~verbatim~}, and, if you must, @samp{+strike-through+}. Text
8380 in the code and verbatim string is not processed for Org-mode specific
8381 syntax, it is exported verbatim.
8383 @node Horizontal rules, Comment lines, Emphasis and monospace, Structural markup elements
8384 @subheading Horizontal rules
8385 @cindex horizontal rules, markup rules
8386 A line consisting of only dashes, and at least 5 of them, will be
8387 exported as a horizontal line (@samp{<hr/>} in HTML).
8389 @node Comment lines, , Horizontal rules, Structural markup elements
8390 @subheading Comment lines
8391 @cindex comment lines
8392 @cindex exporting, not
8393 @cindex #+BEGIN_COMMENT
8395 Lines starting with @samp{#} in column zero are treated as comments and will
8396 never be exported. If you want an indented line to be treated as a comment,
8397 start it with @samp{#+ }. Also entire subtrees starting with the word
8398 @samp{COMMENT} will never be exported. Finally, regions surrounded by
8399 @samp{#+BEGIN_COMMENT} ... @samp{#+END_COMMENT} will not be exported.
8404 Toggle the COMMENT keyword at the beginning of an entry.
8408 @node Images and tables, Literal examples, Structural markup elements, Markup
8409 @section Images and Tables
8411 @cindex tables, markup rules
8414 Both the native Org mode tables (@pxref{Tables}) and tables formatted with
8415 the @file{table.el} package will be exported properly. For Org mode tables,
8416 the lines before the first horizontal separator line will become table header
8417 lines. You can use the following lines somewhere before the table to assign
8418 a caption and a label for cross references:
8421 #+CAPTION: This is the caption for the next table (or link)
8422 #+LABEL: tbl:basic-data
8427 @cindex inlined images, markup rules
8428 Some backends (HTML, La@TeX{}, and DocBook) allow you to directly include
8429 images into the exported document. Org does this, if a link to an image
8430 files does not have a description part, for example @code{[[./img/a.jpg]]}.
8431 If you wish to define a caption for the image and maybe a label for internal
8432 cross references, you sure that the link is on a line by itself precede it
8436 #+CAPTION: This is the caption for the next figure link (or table)
8437 #+LABEL: fig:SED-HR4049
8441 You may also define additional attributes for the figure. As this is
8442 backend-specific, see the sections about the individual backends for more
8446 @node Literal examples, Include files, Images and tables, Markup
8447 @section Literal examples
8448 @cindex literal examples, markup rules
8449 @cindex code line references, markup rules
8451 You can include literal examples that should not be subjected to
8452 markup. Such examples will be typeset in monospace, so this is well suited
8453 for source code and similar examples.
8454 @cindex #+BEGIN_EXAMPLE
8458 Some example from a text file.
8462 Note that such blocks may be @i{indented} in order to align nicely with
8463 indented text and in particular with plain list structure (@pxref{Plain
8464 lists}). For simplicity when using small examples, you can also start the
8465 example lines with a colon followed by a space. There may also be additional
8466 whitespace before the colon:
8470 : Some example from a text file.
8473 @cindex formatting source code, markup rules
8474 If the example is source code from a programming language, or any other text
8475 that can be marked up by font-lock in Emacs, you can ask for the example to
8476 look like the fontified Emacs buffer@footnote{Currently this works for the
8477 HTML backend, and requires the @file{htmlize.el} package version 1.34 or
8478 later. It also works for LaTeX with the listings package, if you turn on the
8479 option @code{org-export-latex-listings} and make sure that the listings
8480 package is included by the LaTeX header.}. This is done with the @samp{src}
8481 block, where you also need to specify the name of the major mode that should
8482 be used to fontify the example:
8486 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
8487 (defun org-xor (a b)
8493 Both in @code{example} and in @code{src} snippets, you can add a @code{-n}
8494 switch to the end of the @code{BEGIN} line, to get the lines of the example
8495 numbered. If you use a @code{+n} switch, the numbering from the previous
8496 numbered snippet will be continued in the current one. In literal examples,
8497 Org will interpret strings like @samp{(ref:name)} as labels, and use them as
8498 targets for special hyperlinks like @code{[[(name)]]} (i.e. the reference name
8499 enclosed in single parenthesis). In HTML, hovering the mouse over such a
8500 link will remote-highlight the corresponding code line, which is kind of
8503 You can also add a @code{-r} switch which @i{removes} the labels from the
8504 source code@footnote{Adding @code{-k} to @code{-n -r} will @i{keep} the
8505 labels in the source code while using line numbers for the links, which might
8506 be useful to explain those in an org-mode example code.}. With the @code{-n}
8507 switch, links to these references will be labeled by the line numbers from
8508 the code listing, otherwise links will use the labels with no parentheses.
8512 #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp -n -r
8513 (save-excursion (ref:sc)
8514 (goto-char (point-min)) (ref:jump)
8516 In line [[(sc)]] we remember the current position. [[(jump)][Line (jump)]]
8520 @vindex org-coderef-label-format
8521 If the syntax for the label format conflicts with the language syntax, use a
8522 @code{-l} switch to change the format, for example @samp{#+BEGIN_SRC pascal
8523 -n -r -l "((%s))"}. See also the variable @code{org-coderef-label-format}.
8525 HTML export also allows examples to be published as text areas, @xref{Text
8526 areas in HTML export}.
8531 Edit the source code example at point in its native mode. This works by
8532 switching to a temporary buffer with the source code. You need to exit by
8533 pressing @kbd{C-c '} again@footnote{Upon exit, lines starting with @samp{*}
8534 or @samp{#} will get a comma prepended, to keep them from being interpreted
8535 by Org as outline nodes or special comments. These commas will be striped
8536 for editing with @kbd{C-c '}, and also for export.}, the edited version will
8537 then replace the old version in the Org buffer. Fixed-width regions
8538 (where each line starts with a colon followed by a space) will be edited
8539 using @code{artist-mode}@footnote{You may select a different-mode with the
8540 variable @code{org-edit-fixed-width-region-mode}.} to allow creating ASCII
8541 drawings easily. Using this command in an empty line will create a new
8545 Calling @code{org-store-link} while editing a source code example in a
8546 temporary buffer created with @kbd{C-c '} will prompt for a label, make sure
8547 that it is unique in the current buffer, and insert it with the proper
8548 formatting like @samp{(ref:label)} at the end of the current line. Then the
8549 label is stored as a link @samp{(label)}, for retrieval with @kbd{C-c C-l}.
8553 @node Include files, Macro replacement, Literal examples, Markup
8554 @section Include files
8555 @cindex include files, markup rules
8557 During export, you can include the content of another file. For example, to
8558 include your @file{.emacs} file, you could use:
8562 #+INCLUDE: "~/.emacs" src emacs-lisp
8565 The optional second and third parameter are the markup (e.g. @samp{quote},
8566 @samp{example}, or @samp{src}), and, if the markup is @samp{src}, the
8567 language for formatting the contents. The markup is optional, if it is not
8568 given, the text will be assumed to be in Org mode format and will be
8569 processed normally. The include line will also allow additional keyword
8570 parameters @code{:prefix1} and @code{:prefix} to specify prefixes for the
8571 first line and for each following line, as well as any options accepted by
8572 the selected markup. For example, to include a file as an item, use
8575 #+INCLUDE: "~/snippets/xx" :prefix1 " + " :prefix " "
8581 Visit the include file at point.
8585 @node Macro replacement, Embedded LaTeX, Include files, Markup
8586 @section Macro replacement
8587 @cindex macro replacement, during export
8590 You can define text snippets with
8593 #+MACRO: name replacement text $1, $2 are arguments
8596 @noindent which can be referenced anywhere in the document (even in
8597 code examples) with @code{@{@{@{name(arg1,arg2)@}@}@}}. In addition to
8598 defined macros, @code{@{@{@{title@}@}@}}, @code{@{@{@{author@}@}@}}, etc.,
8599 will reference information set by the @code{#+TITLE:}, @code{#+AUTHOR:}, and
8600 similar lines. Also, @code{@{@{@{date(@var{FORMAT})@}@}@}} and
8601 @code{@{@{@{modification-time(@var{FORMAT})@}@}@}} refer to current date time
8602 and to the modification time of the file being exported, respectively.
8603 @var{FORMAT} should be a format string understood by
8604 @code{format-time-string}.
8606 Macro expansion takes place during export, and some people use it to
8607 construct complex HTML code.
8610 @node Embedded LaTeX, , Macro replacement, Markup
8611 @section Embedded La@TeX{}
8612 @cindex @TeX{} interpretation
8613 @cindex La@TeX{} interpretation
8615 Plain ASCII is normally sufficient for almost all note taking. One
8616 exception, however, are scientific notes which need to be able to contain
8617 mathematical symbols and the occasional formula. La@TeX{}@footnote{La@TeX{}
8618 is a macro system based on Donald E. Knuth's @TeX{} system. Many of the
8619 features described here as ``La@TeX{}'' are really from @TeX{}, but for
8620 simplicity I am blurring this distinction.} is widely used to typeset
8621 scientific documents. Org mode supports embedding La@TeX{} code into its
8622 files, because many academics are used to reading La@TeX{} source code, and
8623 because it can be readily processed into images for HTML production.
8625 It is not necessary to mark La@TeX{} macros and code in any special way.
8626 If you observe a few conventions, Org mode knows how to find it and what
8630 * Special symbols:: Greek letters and other symbols
8631 * Subscripts and superscripts:: Simple syntax for raising/lowering text
8632 * LaTeX fragments:: Complex formulas made easy
8633 * Previewing LaTeX fragments:: What will this snippet look like?
8634 * CDLaTeX mode:: Speed up entering of formulas
8637 @node Special symbols, Subscripts and superscripts, Embedded LaTeX, Embedded LaTeX
8638 @subsection Special symbols
8639 @cindex math symbols
8640 @cindex special symbols
8641 @cindex @TeX{} macros
8642 @cindex La@TeX{} fragments, markup rules
8643 @cindex HTML entities
8644 @cindex La@TeX{} entities
8646 You can use La@TeX{} macros to insert special symbols like @samp{\alpha} to
8647 indicate the Greek letter, or @samp{\to} to indicate an arrow. Completion
8648 for these macros is available, just type @samp{\} and maybe a few letters,
8649 and press @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} to see possible completions. Unlike La@TeX{}
8650 code, Org mode allows these macros to be present without surrounding math
8651 delimiters, for example:
8654 Angles are written as Greek letters \alpha, \beta and \gamma.
8657 @vindex org-html-entities
8658 During export, these symbols will be transformed into the native format of
8659 the exporter backend. Strings like @code{\alpha} will be exported as
8660 @code{α} in the HTML output, and as @code{$\alpha$} in the La@TeX{}
8661 output. Similarly, @code{\nbsp} will become @code{ } in HTML and
8662 @code{~} in La@TeX{}. If you need such a symbol inside a word, terminate it
8663 like this: @samp{\Aacute@{@}stor}.
8665 A large number of entities is provided, with names taken from both HTML and
8666 La@TeX{}, see the variable @code{org-html-entities} for the complete list.
8667 @samp{\-} is treated as a shy hyphen, and @samp{--}, @samp{---}, and
8668 @samp{...} are all converted into special commands creating hyphens of
8669 different lengths or a compact set of dots.
8671 @node Subscripts and superscripts, LaTeX fragments, Special symbols, Embedded LaTeX
8672 @subsection Subscripts and superscripts
8676 Just like in La@TeX{}, @samp{^} and @samp{_} are used to indicate super-
8677 and subscripts. Again, these can be used without embedding them in
8678 math-mode delimiters. To increase the readability of ASCII text, it is
8679 not necessary (but OK) to surround multi-character sub- and superscripts
8680 with curly braces. For example
8683 The mass if the sun is M_sun = 1.989 x 10^30 kg. The radius of
8684 the sun is R_@{sun@} = 6.96 x 10^8 m.
8687 @vindex org-export-with-sub-superscripts
8688 To avoid interpretation as raised or lowered text, you can quote @samp{^} and
8689 @samp{_} with a backslash: @samp{\^} and @samp{\_}. If you write a text
8690 where the underscore is often used in a different context, Org's convention
8691 to always interpret these as subscripts can get in your way. Configure the
8692 variable @code{org-export-with-sub-superscripts} to globally change this
8693 convention, or use, on a per-file basis:
8700 @node LaTeX fragments, Previewing LaTeX fragments, Subscripts and superscripts, Embedded LaTeX
8701 @subsection La@TeX{} fragments
8702 @cindex La@TeX{} fragments
8704 @vindex org-format-latex-header
8705 With symbols, sub- and superscripts, HTML is pretty much at its end when
8706 it comes to representing mathematical formulas@footnote{Yes, there is
8707 MathML, but that is not yet fully supported by many browsers, and there
8708 is no decent converter for turning La@TeX{} or ASCII representations of
8709 formulas into MathML. So for the time being, converting formulas into
8710 images seems the way to go.}. More complex expressions need a dedicated
8711 formula processor. To this end, Org mode can contain arbitrary La@TeX{}
8712 fragments. It provides commands to preview the typeset result of these
8713 fragments, and upon export to HTML, all fragments will be converted to
8714 images and inlined into the HTML document@footnote{The La@TeX{} export
8715 will not use images for displaying La@TeX{} fragments but include these
8716 fragments directly into the La@TeX{} code.}. For this to work you
8717 need to be on a system with a working La@TeX{} installation. You also
8718 need the @file{dvipng} program, available at
8719 @url{http://sourceforge.net/projects/dvipng/}. The La@TeX{} header that
8720 will be used when processing a fragment can be configured with the
8721 variable @code{org-format-latex-header}.
8723 La@TeX{} fragments don't need any special marking at all. The following
8724 snippets will be identified as La@TeX{} source code:
8727 Environments of any kind. The only requirement is that the
8728 @code{\begin} statement appears on a new line, preceded by only
8731 Text within the usual La@TeX{} math delimiters. To avoid conflicts with
8732 currency specifications, single @samp{$} characters are only recognized as
8733 math delimiters if the enclosed text contains at most two line breaks, is
8734 directly attached to the @samp{$} characters with no whitespace in between,
8735 and if the closing @samp{$} is followed by whitespace, punctuation or a dash.
8736 For the other delimiters, there is no such restriction, so when in doubt, use
8737 @samp{\(...\)} as inline math delimiters.
8740 @noindent For example:
8743 \begin@{equation@} % arbitrary environments,
8744 x=\sqrt@{b@} % even tables, figures
8745 \end@{equation@} % etc
8747 If $a^2=b$ and \( b=2 \), then the solution must be
8748 either $$ a=+\sqrt@{2@} $$ or \[ a=-\sqrt@{2@} \].
8752 @vindex org-format-latex-options
8753 If you need any of the delimiter ASCII sequences for other purposes, you
8754 can configure the option @code{org-format-latex-options} to deselect the
8755 ones you do not wish to have interpreted by the La@TeX{} converter.
8757 @node Previewing LaTeX fragments, CDLaTeX mode, LaTeX fragments, Embedded LaTeX
8758 @subsection Previewing LaTeX fragments
8759 @cindex LaTeX fragments, preview
8761 La@TeX{} fragments can be processed to produce preview images of the
8762 typeset expressions:
8767 Produce a preview image of the La@TeX{} fragment at point and overlay it
8768 over the source code. If there is no fragment at point, process all
8769 fragments in the current entry (between two headlines). When called
8770 with a prefix argument, process the entire subtree. When called with
8771 two prefix arguments, or when the cursor is before the first headline,
8772 process the entire buffer.
8775 Remove the overlay preview images.
8778 @vindex org-format-latex-options
8779 You can customize the variable @code{org-format-latex-options} to influence
8780 some aspects of the preview. In particular, the @code{:scale} (and for HTML
8781 export, @code{:html-scale}) property can be used to adjust the size of the
8784 During HTML export (@pxref{HTML export}), all La@TeX{} fragments are
8785 converted into images and inlined into the document if the following
8789 (setq org-export-with-LaTeX-fragments t)
8792 @node CDLaTeX mode, , Previewing LaTeX fragments, Embedded LaTeX
8793 @subsection Using CDLa@TeX{} to enter math
8796 CDLa@TeX{} mode is a minor mode that is normally used in combination with a
8797 major La@TeX{} mode like AUC@TeX{} in order to speed-up insertion of
8798 environments and math templates. Inside Org mode, you can make use of
8799 some of the features of CDLa@TeX{} mode. You need to install
8800 @file{cdlatex.el} and @file{texmathp.el} (the latter comes also with
8801 AUC@TeX{}) from @url{http://www.astro.uva.nl/~dominik/Tools/cdlatex}.
8802 Don't use CDLa@TeX{} mode itself under Org mode, but use the light
8803 version @code{org-cdlatex-mode} that comes as part of Org mode. Turn it
8804 on for the current buffer with @code{M-x org-cdlatex-mode}, or for all
8808 (add-hook 'org-mode-hook 'turn-on-org-cdlatex)
8811 When this mode is enabled, the following features are present (for more
8812 details see the documentation of CDLa@TeX{} mode):
8816 Environment templates can be inserted with @kbd{C-c @{}.
8819 The @key{TAB} key will do template expansion if the cursor is inside a
8820 La@TeX{} fragment@footnote{Org mode has a method to test if the cursor is
8821 inside such a fragment, see the documentation of the function
8822 @code{org-inside-LaTeX-fragment-p}.}. For example, @key{TAB} will
8823 expand @code{fr} to @code{\frac@{@}@{@}} and position the cursor
8824 correctly inside the first brace. Another @key{TAB} will get you into
8825 the second brace. Even outside fragments, @key{TAB} will expand
8826 environment abbreviations at the beginning of a line. For example, if
8827 you write @samp{equ} at the beginning of a line and press @key{TAB},
8828 this abbreviation will be expanded to an @code{equation} environment.
8829 To get a list of all abbreviations, type @kbd{M-x cdlatex-command-help}.
8833 @vindex cdlatex-simplify-sub-super-scripts
8834 Pressing @kbd{_} and @kbd{^} inside a La@TeX{} fragment will insert these
8835 characters together with a pair of braces. If you use @key{TAB} to move
8836 out of the braces, and if the braces surround only a single character or
8837 macro, they are removed again (depending on the variable
8838 @code{cdlatex-simplify-sub-super-scripts}).
8841 Pressing the backquote @kbd{`} followed by a character inserts math
8842 macros, also outside La@TeX{} fragments. If you wait more than 1.5 seconds
8843 after the backquote, a help window will pop up.
8846 Pressing the single-quote @kbd{'} followed by another character modifies
8847 the symbol before point with an accent or a font. If you wait more than
8848 1.5 seconds after the backquote, a help window will pop up. Character
8849 modification will work only inside La@TeX{} fragments, outside the quote
8853 @node Exporting, Publishing, Markup, Top
8857 Org-mode documents can be exported into a variety of other formats. For
8858 printing and sharing of notes, ASCII export produces a readable and simple
8859 version of an Org file. HTML export allows you to publish a notes file on
8860 the web, while the XOXO format provides a solid base for exchange with a
8861 broad range of other applications. La@TeX{} export lets you use Org mode and
8862 its structured editing functions to easily create La@TeX{} files. DocBook
8863 export makes it possible to convert Org files to many other formats using
8864 DocBook tools. To incorporate entries with associated times like deadlines
8865 or appointments into a desktop calendar program like iCal, Org mode can also
8866 produce extracts in the iCalendar format. Currently Org mode only supports
8867 export, not import of these different formats.
8869 Org supports export of selected regions when @code{transient-mark-mode} is
8870 enabled (default in Emacs 23).
8873 * Selective export:: Using tags to select and exclude trees
8874 * Export options:: Per-file export settings
8875 * The export dispatcher:: How to access exporter commands
8876 * ASCII export:: Exporting to plain ASCII
8877 * HTML export:: Exporting to HTML
8878 * LaTeX and PDF export:: Exporting to La@TeX{}, and processing to PDF
8879 * DocBook export:: Exporting to DocBook
8880 * Freemind export:: Exporting to Freemind mind maps
8881 * XOXO export:: Exporting to XOXO
8882 * iCalendar export:: Exporting in iCalendar format
8885 @node Selective export, Export options, Exporting, Exporting
8886 @section Selective export
8887 @cindex export, selective by tags
8889 @vindex org-export-select-tags
8890 @vindex org-export-exclude-tags
8891 You may use tags to select the parts of a document that should be exported,
8892 or to exclude parts from export. This behavior is governed by two variables:
8893 @code{org-export-select-tags} and @code{org-export-exclude-tags}.
8895 Org first checks if any of the @emph{select} tags is present in the buffer.
8896 If yes, all trees that do not carry one of these tags will be excluded. If a
8897 selected tree is a subtree, the heading hierarchy above it will also be
8898 selected for export, but not the text below those headings.
8901 If none of the select tags is found, the whole buffer will be selected for
8905 Finally, all subtrees that are marked by any of the @emph{exclude} tags will
8906 be removed from the export buffer.
8908 @node Export options, The export dispatcher, Selective export, Exporting
8909 @section Export options
8910 @cindex options, for export
8912 @cindex completion, of option keywords
8913 The exporter recognizes special lines in the buffer which provide
8914 additional information. These lines may be put anywhere in the file.
8915 The whole set of lines can be inserted into the buffer with @kbd{C-c
8916 C-e t}. For individual lines, a good way to make sure the keyword is
8917 correct is to type @samp{#+} and then use @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} completion
8918 (@pxref{Completion}). For a summary of other in-buffer settings not
8919 specifically related to export, see @ref{In-buffer settings}.
8920 In particular, note that you can place commonly-used (export) options in
8921 a separate file which can be included using @code{#+SETUPFILE}.
8926 Insert template with export options, see example below.
8933 @cindex #+DESCRIPTION
8941 @cindex #+EXPORT_SELECT_TAGS
8942 @cindex #+EXPORT_EXCLUDE_TAGS
8943 @cindex #+LATEX_HEADER
8944 @vindex user-full-name
8945 @vindex user-mail-address
8946 @vindex org-export-default-language
8948 #+TITLE: the title to be shown (default is the buffer name)
8949 #+AUTHOR: the author (default taken from @code{user-full-name})
8950 #+DATE: a date, fixed, of a format string for @code{format-time-string}
8951 #+EMAIL: his/her email address (default from @code{user-mail-address})
8952 #+DESCRIPTION: the page description, e.g. for the XHTML meta tag
8953 #+KEYWORDS: the page keywords, e.g. for the XHTML meta tag
8954 #+LANGUAGE: language for HTML, e.g. @samp{en} (@code{org-export-default-language})
8955 #+TEXT: Some descriptive text to be inserted at the beginning.
8956 #+TEXT: Several lines may be given.
8957 #+OPTIONS: H:2 num:t toc:t \n:nil @@:t ::t |:t ^:t f:t TeX:t ...
8958 #+BIND: lisp-var lisp-val, e.g.: org-export-latex-low-levels itemize
8959 @r{You need to confirm using these, or configure @code{org-export-allow-BIND}}
8960 #+LINK_UP: the ``up'' link of an exported page
8961 #+LINK_HOME: the ``home'' link of an exported page
8962 #+LATEX_HEADER: extra line(s) for the LaTeX header, like \usepackage@{xyz@}
8963 #+EXPORT_SELECT_TAGS: Tags that select a tree for export
8964 #+EXPORT_EXCLUDE_TAGS: Tags that exclude a tree from export
8968 The OPTIONS line is a compact@footnote{If you want to configure many options
8969 this way, you can use several OPTIONS lines.} form to specify export settings. Here
8971 @cindex headline levels
8972 @cindex section-numbers
8973 @cindex table of contents
8974 @cindex line-break preservation
8975 @cindex quoted HTML tags
8976 @cindex fixed-width sections
8978 @cindex @TeX{}-like syntax for sub- and superscripts
8980 @cindex special strings
8981 @cindex emphasized text
8982 @cindex @TeX{} macros
8983 @cindex La@TeX{} fragments
8984 @cindex author info, in export
8985 @cindex time info, in export
8987 H: @r{set the number of headline levels for export}
8988 num: @r{turn on/off section-numbers}
8989 toc: @r{turn on/off table of contents, or set level limit (integer)}
8990 \n: @r{turn on/off line-break-preservation (DOES NOT WORK)}
8991 @@: @r{turn on/off quoted HTML tags}
8992 :: @r{turn on/off fixed-width sections}
8993 |: @r{turn on/off tables}
8994 ^: @r{turn on/off @TeX{}-like syntax for sub- and superscripts. If}
8995 @r{you write "^:@{@}", @code{a_@{b@}} will be interpreted, but}
8996 @r{the simple @code{a_b} will be left as it is.}
8997 -: @r{turn on/off conversion of special strings.}
8998 f: @r{turn on/off footnotes like this[1].}
8999 todo: @r{turn on/off inclusion of TODO keywords into exported text}
9000 pri: @r{turn on/off priority cookies}
9001 tags: @r{turn on/off inclusion of tags, may also be @code{not-in-toc}}
9002 <: @r{turn on/off inclusion of any time/date stamps like DEADLINES}
9003 *: @r{turn on/off emphasized text (bold, italic, underlined)}
9004 TeX: @r{turn on/off simple @TeX{} macros in plain text}
9005 LaTeX: @r{turn on/off La@TeX{} fragments}
9006 skip: @r{turn on/off skipping the text before the first heading}
9007 author: @r{turn on/off inclusion of author name/email into exported file}
9008 creator: @r{turn on/off inclusion of creator info into exported file}
9009 timestamp: @r{turn on/off inclusion creation time into exported file}
9010 d: @r{turn on/off inclusion of drawers}
9013 These options take effect in both the HTML and La@TeX{} export, except
9014 for @code{TeX} and @code{LaTeX}, which are respectively @code{t} and
9015 @code{nil} for the La@TeX{} export.
9017 When exporting only a single subtree by selecting it with @kbd{C-c @@} before
9018 calling an export command, the subtree can overrule some of the file's export
9019 settings with properties @code{EXPORT_FILE_NAME}, @code{EXPORT_TITLE},
9020 @code{EXPORT_TEXT}, @code{EXPORT_AUTHOR}, @code{EXPORT_DATE}, and
9021 @code{EXPORT_OPTIONS}.
9023 @node The export dispatcher, ASCII export, Export options, Exporting
9024 @section The export dispatcher
9025 @cindex dispatcher, for export commands
9027 All export commands can be reached using the export dispatcher, which is a
9028 prefix key that prompts for an additional key specifying the command.
9029 Normally the entire file is exported, but if there is an active region that
9030 contains one outline tree, the first heading is used as document title and
9031 the subtrees are exported.
9036 @vindex org-export-run-in-background
9037 Dispatcher for export and publishing commands. Displays a help-window
9038 listing the additional key(s) needed to launch an export or publishing
9039 command. The prefix arg is passed through to the exporter. A double prefix
9040 @kbd{C-u C-u} causes most commands to be executed in the background, in a
9041 separate Emacs process@footnote{To make this behavior the default, customize
9042 the variable @code{org-export-run-in-background}.}.
9045 Like @kbd{C-c C-e}, but only export the text that is currently visible
9046 (i.e. not hidden by outline visibility).
9047 @kindex C-u C-u C-c C-e
9048 @item C-u C-u C-c C-e
9049 @vindex org-export-run-in-background
9050 Call an the exporter, but reverse the setting of
9051 @code{org-export-run-in-background}, i.e. request background processing if
9052 not set, or force processing in the current Emacs process if set.
9055 @node ASCII export, HTML export, The export dispatcher, Exporting
9056 @section ASCII export
9057 @cindex ASCII export
9059 ASCII export produces a simple and very readable version of an Org-mode
9062 @cindex region, active
9063 @cindex active region
9064 @cindex transient-mark-mode
9068 @cindex property, EXPORT_FILE_NAME
9069 Export as ASCII file. For an Org file, @file{myfile.org}, the ASCII file
9070 will be @file{myfile.txt}. The file will be overwritten without
9071 warning. If there is an active region@footnote{This requires
9072 @code{transient-mark-mode} be turned on.}, only the region will be
9073 exported. If the selected region is a single tree@footnote{To select the
9074 current subtree, use @kbd{C-c @@}.}, the tree head will
9075 become the document title. If the tree head entry has or inherits an
9076 @code{EXPORT_FILE_NAME} property, that name will be used for the
9080 Export to a temporary buffer, do not create a file.
9083 Export only the visible part of the document.
9086 @cindex headline levels, for exporting
9087 In the exported version, the first 3 outline levels will become
9088 headlines, defining a general document structure. Additional levels
9089 will be exported as itemized lists. If you want that transition to occur
9090 at a different level, specify it with a prefix argument. For example,
9097 creates only top level headlines and does the rest as items. When
9098 headlines are converted to items, the indentation of the text following
9099 the headline is changed to fit nicely under the item. This is done with
9100 the assumption that the first body line indicates the base indentation of
9101 the body text. Any indentation larger than this is adjusted to preserve
9102 the layout relative to the first line. Should there be lines with less
9103 indentation than the first, these are left alone.
9105 @vindex org-export-ascii-links-to-notes
9106 Links will be exported in a footnote-like style, with the descriptive part in
9107 the text and the link in a note before the next heading. See the variable
9108 @code{org-export-ascii-links-to-notes} for details and other options.
9110 @node HTML export, LaTeX and PDF export, ASCII export, Exporting
9111 @section HTML export
9114 Org mode contains an HTML (XHTML 1.0 strict) exporter with extensive
9115 HTML formatting, in ways similar to John Gruber's @emph{markdown}
9116 language, but with additional support for tables.
9119 * HTML Export commands:: How to invoke HTML export
9120 * Quoting HTML tags:: Using direct HTML in Org mode
9121 * Links in HTML export:: How links will be interpreted and formatted
9122 * Tables in HTML export:: How to modify the formatting of tables
9123 * Images in HTML export:: How to insert figures into HTML output
9124 * Text areas in HTML export:: An alternative way to show an example
9125 * CSS support:: Changing the appearance of the output
9126 * Javascript support:: Info and Folding in a web browser
9129 @node HTML Export commands, Quoting HTML tags, HTML export, HTML export
9130 @subsection HTML export commands
9132 @cindex region, active
9133 @cindex active region
9134 @cindex transient-mark-mode
9138 @cindex property, EXPORT_FILE_NAME
9139 Export as HTML file @file{myfile.html}. For an Org file @file{myfile.org},
9140 the ASCII file will be @file{myfile.html}. The file will be overwritten
9141 without warning. If there is an active region@footnote{This requires
9142 @code{transient-mark-mode} be turned on.}, only the region will be
9143 exported. If the selected region is a single tree@footnote{To select the
9144 current subtree, use @kbd{C-c @@}.}, the tree head will become the document
9145 title. If the tree head entry has, or inherits, an @code{EXPORT_FILE_NAME}
9146 property, that name will be used for the export.
9149 Export as HTML file and immediately open it with a browser.
9152 Export to a temporary buffer, do not create a file.
9155 Export the active region to a temporary buffer. With a prefix argument, do
9156 not produce the file header and footer, but just the plain HTML section for
9157 the region. This is good for cut-and-paste operations.
9166 Export only the visible part of the document.
9167 @item M-x org-export-region-as-html
9168 Convert the region to HTML under the assumption that it was Org-mode
9169 syntax before. This is a global command that can be invoked in any
9171 @item M-x org-replace-region-by-HTML
9172 Replace the active region (assumed to be in Org-mode syntax) by HTML
9176 @cindex headline levels, for exporting
9177 In the exported version, the first 3 outline levels will become headlines,
9178 defining a general document structure. Additional levels will be exported as
9179 itemized lists. If you want that transition to occur at a different level,
9180 specify it with a numeric prefix argument. For example,
9187 creates two levels of headings and does the rest as items.
9189 @node Quoting HTML tags, Links in HTML export, HTML Export commands, HTML export
9190 @subsection Quoting HTML tags
9192 Plain @samp{<} and @samp{>} are always transformed to @samp{<} and
9193 @samp{>} in HTML export. If you want to include simple HTML tags
9194 which should be interpreted as such, mark them with @samp{@@} as in
9195 @samp{@@<b>bold text@@</b>}. Note that this really works only for
9196 simple tags. For more extensive HTML that should be copied verbatim to
9197 the exported file use either
9200 @cindex #+BEGIN_HTML
9202 #+HTML: Literal HTML code for export
9206 @cindex #+BEGIN_HTML
9210 All lines between these markers are exported literally
9215 @node Links in HTML export, Tables in HTML export, Quoting HTML tags, HTML export
9216 @subsection Links in HTML export
9218 @cindex links, in HTML export
9219 @cindex internal links, in HTML export
9220 @cindex external links, in HTML export
9221 Internal links (@pxref{Internal links}) will continue to work in HTML. This
9222 includes automatic links created by radio targets (@pxref{Radio
9223 targets}). Links to external files will still work if the target file is on
9224 the same @i{relative} path as the published Org file. Links to other
9225 @file{.org} files will be translated into HTML links under the assumption
9226 that an HTML version also exists of the linked file, at the same relative
9227 path. @samp{id:} links can then be used to jump to specific entries across
9228 files. For information related to linking files while publishing them to a
9229 publishing directory see @ref{Publishing links}.
9231 If you want to specify attributes for links, you can do so using a special
9232 @code{#+ATTR_HTML} line to define attributes that will be added to the
9233 @code{<a>} or @code{<img>} tags. Here is an example that sets @code{title}
9234 and @code{style} attributes for a link:
9238 #+ATTR_HTML: title="The Org-mode homepage" style="color:red;"
9239 [[http://orgmode.org]]
9242 @node Tables in HTML export, Images in HTML export, Links in HTML export, HTML export
9244 @cindex tables, in HTML
9245 @vindex org-export-html-table-tag
9247 Org-mode tables are exported to HTML using the table tag defined in
9248 @code{org-export-html-table-tag}. The default setting makes tables without
9249 cell borders and frame. If you would like to change this for individual
9250 tables, place somthing like the following before the table:
9255 #+CAPTION: This is a table with lines around and between cells
9256 #+ATTR_HTML: border="2" rules="all" frame="all"
9259 @node Images in HTML export, Text areas in HTML export, Tables in HTML export, HTML export
9260 @subsection Images in HTML export
9262 @cindex images, inline in HTML
9263 @cindex inlining images in HTML
9264 @vindex org-export-html-inline-images
9265 HTML export can inline images given as links in the Org file, and
9266 it can make an image the clickable part of a link. By
9267 default@footnote{But see the variable
9268 @code{org-export-html-inline-images}.}, images are inlined if a link does
9269 not have a description. So @samp{[[file:myimg.jpg]]} will be inlined,
9270 while @samp{[[file:myimg.jpg][the image]]} will just produce a link
9271 @samp{the image} that points to the image. If the description part
9272 itself is a @code{file:} link or a @code{http:} URL pointing to an
9273 image, this image will be inlined and activated so that clicking on the
9274 image will activate the link. For example, to include a thumbnail that
9275 will link to a high resolution version of the image, you could use:
9278 [[file:highres.jpg][file:thumb.jpg]]
9281 If you need to add attributes to an inlines image, use a @code{#+ATTR_HTML}.
9282 In the example below we specify the @code{alt} and @code{title} attributes to
9283 support text viewers and accessibility, and align it to the right.
9288 #+CAPTION: A black cat stalking a spider
9289 #+ATTR_HTML: alt="cat/spider image" title="Action!" align="right"
9294 and you could use @code{http} addresses just as well.
9296 @node Text areas in HTML export, CSS support, Images in HTML export, HTML export
9297 @subsection Text areas in HTML export
9299 @cindex text areas, in HTML
9300 An alternative way to publish literal code examples in HTML is to use text
9301 areas, where the example can even be edited before pasting it into an
9302 application. It is triggered by a @code{-t} switch at an @code{example} or
9303 @code{src} block. Using this switch disables any options for syntax and
9304 label highlighting, and line numbering, which may be present. You may also
9305 use @code{-h} and @code{-w} switches to specify the height and width of the
9306 text area, which default to the number of lines in the example, and 80,
9307 respectively. For example
9310 #+BEGIN_EXAMPLE -t -w 40
9311 (defun org-xor (a b)
9318 @node CSS support, Javascript support, Text areas in HTML export, HTML export
9319 @subsection CSS support
9320 @cindex CSS, for HTML export
9321 @cindex HTML export, CSS
9323 @vindex org-export-html-todo-kwd-class-prefix
9324 @vindex org-export-html-tag-class-prefix
9325 You can also give style information for the exported file. The HTML exporter
9326 assigns the following special CSS classes@footnote{If the classes on TODO
9327 keywords and tags lead to conflicts, use the variables
9328 @code{org-export-html-todo-kwd-class-prefix} and
9329 @code{org-export-html-tag-class-prefix} to make them unique.} to appropriate
9330 parts of the document---your style specifications may change these, in
9331 addition to any of the standard classes like for headlines, tables, etc.
9333 p.author @r{author information, including email}
9334 p.date @r{publishing date}
9335 p.creator @r{creator info, about org-mode version}
9336 .title @r{document title}
9337 .todo @r{TODO keywords, all not-done states}
9338 .done @r{the DONE keywords, all stated the count as done}
9339 .WAITING @r{each TODO keyword also uses a class named after itself}
9340 .timestamp @r{timestamp}
9341 .timestamp-kwd @r{keyword associated with a timestamp, like SCHEDULED}
9342 .timestamp-wrapper @r{span around keyword plus timestamp}
9343 .tag @r{tag in a headline}
9344 ._HOME @r{each tag uses itself as a class, "@@" replaced by "_"}
9345 .target @r{target for links}
9346 .linenr @r{the line number in a code example}
9347 .code-highlighted @r{for highlighting referenced code lines}
9348 div.outline-N @r{div for outline level N (headline plus text))}
9349 div.outline-text-N @r{extra div for text at outline level N}
9350 .section-number-N @r{section number in headlines, different for each level}
9351 div.figure @r{how to format an inlined image}
9352 pre.src @r{formatted source code}
9353 pre.example @r{normal example}
9354 p.verse @r{verse paragraph}
9355 div.footnotes @r{footnote section headline}
9356 p.footnote @r{footnote definition paragraph, containing a footnote}
9357 .footref @r{a footnote reference number (always a <sup>)}
9358 .footnum @r{footnote number in footnote definition (always <sup>)}
9361 @vindex org-export-html-style-default
9362 @vindex org-export-html-style-include-default
9363 @vindex org-export-html-style
9364 @vindex org-export-html-extra
9365 @vindex org-export-html-style-default
9366 Each exported file contains a compact default style that defines these
9367 classes in a basic way@footnote{This style is defined in the constant
9368 @code{org-export-html-style-default}, which you should not modify. To turn
9369 inclusion of these defaults off, customize
9370 @code{org-export-html-style-include-default}}. You may overwrite these
9371 settings, or add to them by using the variables @code{org-export-html-style}
9372 (for Org-wide settings) and @code{org-export-html-style-extra} (for more
9373 granular settings, like file-local settings). To set the latter variable
9374 individually for each file, you can use
9378 #+STYLE: <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet.css" />
9382 For longer style definitions, you can use several such lines. You could also
9383 directly write a @code{<style>} @code{</style>} section in this way, without
9384 referring to an external file.
9386 @c FIXME: More about header and footer styles
9387 @c FIXME: Talk about links and targets.
9389 @node Javascript support, , CSS support, HTML export
9390 @subsection Javascript supported display of web pages
9392 @cindex Rose, Sebastian
9393 Sebastian Rose has written a JavaScript program especially designed to
9394 enhance the web viewing experience of HTML files created with Org. This
9395 program allows you to view large files in two different ways. The first one
9396 is an @emph{Info}-like mode where each section is displayed separately and
9397 navigation can be done with the @kbd{n} and @kbd{p} keys (and some other keys
9398 as well, press @kbd{?} for an overview of the available keys). The second
9399 view type is a @emph{folding} view much like Org provides inside Emacs. The
9400 script is available at @url{http://orgmode.org/org-info.js} and you can find
9401 the documentation for it at @url{http://orgmode.org/worg/code/org-info-js/}.
9402 We host the script at our site, but if you use it a lot, you might
9403 not want to be dependent on @url{orgmode.org} and prefer to install a local
9404 copy on your own web server.
9406 To use the script, you need to make sure that the @file{org-jsinfo.el} module
9407 gets loaded. It should be loaded by default, but you can try @kbd{M-x
9408 customize-variable @key{RET} org-modules @key{RET}} to convince yourself that
9409 this is indeed the case. All it then takes to make use of the program is
9410 adding a single line to the Org file:
9412 @cindex #+INFOJS_OPT
9414 #+INFOJS_OPT: view:info toc:nil
9418 If this line is found, the HTML header will automatically contain the code
9419 needed to invoke the script. Using the line above, you can set the following
9423 path: @r{The path to the script. The default is to grab the script from}
9424 @r{@url{http://orgmode.org/org-info.js}, but you might want to have}
9425 @r{a local copy and use a path like @samp{../scripts/org-info.js}.}
9426 view: @r{Initial view when website is first shown. Possible values are:}
9427 info @r{Info-like interface with one section per page.}
9428 overview @r{Folding interface, initially showing only top-level.}
9429 content @r{Folding interface, starting with all headlines visible.}
9430 showall @r{Folding interface, all headlines and text visible.}
9431 sdepth: @r{Maximum headline level that will still become an independent}
9432 @r{section for info and folding modes. The default is taken from}
9433 @r{@code{org-export-headline-levels} (= the @code{H} switch in @code{#+OPTIONS}).}
9434 @r{If this is smaller than in @code{org-export-headline-levels}, each}
9435 @r{info/folding section can still contain child headlines.}
9436 toc: @r{Should the table of content @emph{initially} be visible?}
9437 @r{Even when @code{nil}, you can always get to the "toc" with @kbd{i}.}
9438 tdepth: @r{The depth of the table of contents. The defaults are taken from}
9439 @r{the variables @code{org-export-headline-levels} and @code{org-export-with-toc}.}
9440 ftoc: @r{Does the css of the page specify a fixed position for the "toc"?}
9441 @r{If yes, the toc will never be displayed as a section.}
9442 ltoc: @r{Should there be short contents (children) in each section?}
9443 @r{Make this @code{above} if the section should be above initial text.}
9444 mouse: @r{Headings are highlighted when the mouse is over them. Should be}
9445 @r{@samp{underline} (default) or a background color like @samp{#cccccc}.}
9446 buttons: @r{Should view-toggle buttons be everywhere? When @code{nil} (the}
9447 @r{default), only one such button will be present.}
9450 @vindex org-infojs-options
9451 @vindex org-export-html-use-infojs
9452 You can choose default values for these options by customizing the variable
9453 @code{org-infojs-options}. If you always want to apply the script to your
9454 pages, configure the variable @code{org-export-html-use-infojs}.
9456 @node LaTeX and PDF export, DocBook export, HTML export, Exporting
9457 @section La@TeX{} and PDF export
9458 @cindex La@TeX{} export
9460 @cindex Guerry, Bastien
9462 Org mode contains a La@TeX{} exporter written by Bastien Guerry. With
9463 further processing, this backend is also used to produce PDF output. Since
9464 the La@TeX{} output uses @file{hyperref} to implement links and cross
9465 references, the PDF output file will be fully linked.
9468 * LaTeX/PDF export commands:: Which key invokes which commands
9469 * Quoting LaTeX code:: Incorporating literal La@TeX{} code
9470 * Sectioning structure:: Changing sectioning in La@TeX{} output
9471 * Tables in LaTeX export:: Options for exporting tables to La@TeX{}
9472 * Images in LaTeX export:: How to insert figures into La@TeX{} output
9473 * Beamer class export:: Turning the file into a presentation
9476 @node LaTeX/PDF export commands, Quoting LaTeX code, LaTeX and PDF export, LaTeX and PDF export
9477 @subsection La@TeX{} export commands
9479 @cindex region, active
9480 @cindex active region
9481 @cindex transient-mark-mode
9485 @cindex property EXPORT_FILE_NAME
9486 Export as La@TeX{} file @file{myfile.tex}. For an Org file
9487 @file{myfile.org}, the ASCII file will be @file{myfile.tex}. The file will
9488 be overwritten without warning. If there is an active region@footnote{This
9489 requires @code{transient-mark-mode} be turned on.}, only the region will be
9490 exported. If the selected region is a single tree@footnote{To select the
9491 current subtree, use @kbd{C-c @@}.}, the tree head will become the document
9492 title. If the tree head entry has or inherits an @code{EXPORT_FILE_NAME}
9493 property, that name will be used for the export.
9496 Export to a temporary buffer, do not create a file.
9501 Export only the visible part of the document.
9502 @item M-x org-export-region-as-latex
9503 Convert the region to La@TeX{} under the assumption that it was Org mode
9504 syntax before. This is a global command that can be invoked in any
9506 @item M-x org-replace-region-by-latex
9507 Replace the active region (assumed to be in Org mode syntax) by La@TeX{}
9511 Export as La@TeX{} and then process to PDF.
9514 Export as La@TeX{} and then process to PDF, then open the resulting PDF file.
9517 @cindex headline levels, for exporting
9518 @vindex org-latex-low-levels
9519 In the exported version, the first 3 outline levels will become
9520 headlines, defining a general document structure. Additional levels
9521 will be exported as description lists. The exporter can ignore them or
9522 convert them to a custom string depending on
9523 @code{org-latex-low-levels}.
9525 If you want that transition to occur at a different level, specify it
9526 with a numeric prefix argument. For example,
9533 creates two levels of headings and does the rest as items.
9535 @node Quoting LaTeX code, Sectioning structure, LaTeX/PDF export commands, LaTeX and PDF export
9536 @subsection Quoting La@TeX{} code
9538 Embedded La@TeX{} as described in @ref{Embedded LaTeX}, will be correctly
9539 inserted into the La@TeX{} file. This includes simple macros like
9540 @samp{\ref@{LABEL@}} to create a cross reference to a figure. Furthermore,
9541 you can add special code that should only be present in La@TeX{} export with
9542 the following constructs:
9545 @cindex #+BEGIN_LaTeX
9547 #+LaTeX: Literal LaTeX code for export
9551 @cindex #+BEGIN_LaTeX
9555 All lines between these markers are exported literally
9559 @node Sectioning structure, Tables in LaTeX export, Quoting LaTeX code, LaTeX and PDF export
9560 @subsection Sectioning structure
9561 @cindex La@TeX{} class
9562 @cindex La@TeX{} sectioning structure
9564 By default, the La@TeX{} output uses the class @code{article}.
9566 @vindex org-export-latex-default-class
9567 @vindex org-export-latex-classes
9568 @cindex #+LATEX_HEADER
9569 @cindex #+LATEX_CLASS
9570 @cindex #+LATEX_CLASS_OPTIONS
9571 @cindex property, LATEX_CLASS
9572 @cindex property, LATEX_CLASS_OPTIONS
9573 You can change this globally by setting a different value for
9574 @code{org-export-latex-default-class} or locally by adding an option like
9575 @code{#+LaTeX_CLASS: myclass} in your file, or with a @code{:LaTeX_CLASS:}
9576 property that applies when exporting a region containing only this (sub)tree.
9577 The class should be listed in @code{org-export-latex-classes}, where you can
9578 also define the sectioning structure for each class, as well as defining
9579 additional classes. In a similar way, @code{#+LaTeX_CLASS_OPTIONS} or a
9580 @code{LaTeX_CLASS_OPTIONS} property can specify the options for the
9581 @code{\documentclass} macro. You can also use @code{#+LATEX_HEADER:
9582 \usepackage@{xyz@}} to add lines to the header.
9584 @node Tables in LaTeX export, Images in LaTeX export, Sectioning structure, LaTeX and PDF export
9585 @subsection Tables in La@TeX{} export
9586 @cindex tables, in La@TeX{} export
9588 For La@TeX{} export of a table, you can specify a label and a caption
9589 (@pxref{Images and tables}). You can also use the @code{ATTR_LaTeX} line to
9590 request a longtable environment for the table, so that it may span several
9591 pages. Finally, you can set the alignment string:
9595 @cindex #+ATTR_LaTeX
9597 #+CAPTION: A long table
9599 #+ATTR_LaTeX: longtable align=l|lp@{3cm@}r|l
9605 @node Images in LaTeX export, Beamer class export, Tables in LaTeX export, LaTeX and PDF export
9606 @subsection Images in La@TeX{} export
9607 @cindex images, inline in La@TeX{}
9608 @cindex inlining images in La@TeX{}
9610 Images that are linked to without a description part in the link, like
9611 @samp{[[file:img.jpg]]} or @samp{[[./img.jpg]]} will be inserted into the PDF
9612 output file resulting from La@TeX{} processing. Org will use an
9613 @code{\includegraphics} macro to insert the image. If you have specified a
9614 caption and/or a label as described in @ref{Images and tables}, the figure
9615 will be wrapped into a @code{figure} environment and thus become a floating
9616 element. You can use an @code{#+ATTR_LaTeX:} line to specify the various
9617 options that can be used in the optional argument of the
9618 @code{\includegraphics} macro. To modify the placement option of the
9619 @code{figure} environment, add something like @samp{placement=[h!]} to the
9622 If you'd like to let text flow around the image, add the word @samp{wrap} to
9623 the @code{#+ATTR_LaTeX:} line, which will make the figure occupy the left
9624 half of the page. To fine-tune, the @code{placement} field will be the
9625 set of additional arguments needed by the @code{wrapfigure} environment.
9626 Note that if you change the size of the image, you need to use compatible
9627 settings for @code{\includegraphics} and @code{wrapfigure}.
9631 @cindex #+ATTR_LaTeX
9633 #+CAPTION: The black-body emission of the disk around HR 4049
9634 #+LABEL: fig:SED-HR4049
9635 #+ATTR_LaTeX: width=5cm,angle=90
9636 [[./img/sed-hr4049.pdf]]
9638 #+ATTR_LaTeX: width=0.38\textwidth wrap placement=@{r@}@{0.4\textwidth@}
9642 If you need references to a label created in this way, write
9643 @samp{\ref@{fig:SED-HR4049@}} just like in La@TeX{}.
9645 @node Beamer class export, , Images in LaTeX export, LaTeX and PDF export
9646 @subsection Beamer class export
9648 The LaTeX class @file{beamer} allows to produce high quality presentations
9649 using LaTeX and pdf processing. Org-mode has special support for turning an
9650 Org-mode file or tree into a @file{beamer} presentation.
9652 When the LaTeX class for the current buffer (as set with @code{#+LaTeX_CLASS:
9653 beamer}) or subtree (set with a @code{LaTeX_CLASS} property) is
9654 @code{beamer}, a special export mode will turn the file or tree into a beamer
9655 presentation. Any tree with not-to-deep level nesting should in principle be
9656 exportable as a beamer presentation. By default, the top-level entries (or
9657 the first level below the selected subtree heading) will be turned into
9658 frames, and the outline structure below this level will become itemize lists.
9659 You can also configure the variable @code{org-beamer-frame-level} to a
9660 different level - then the hierarchy above frames will produce the sectioning
9661 structure of the presentation.
9663 A template for useful in-buffer settings or properties can be inserted into
9664 the buffer with @kbd{M-x org-beamer-settings-template}. Among other things,
9665 this will install a column view format which is very handy for editing
9666 special properties used by beamer.
9668 You can influence the structure of the presentation using the following
9673 The environment that should be used to format this entry. Valid environments
9674 are defined in the constant @code{org-beamer-environments-default}, and you
9675 can define more in @code{org-beamer-environments-extra}. If this property is
9676 set, the entry will also get a @code{:B_environment:} tag to make this
9677 visible. This tag has no semantic meaning, it is only a visual aid.
9678 @item BEAMER_envargs
9679 The beamer-special arguments that should be used for the environment, like
9680 @code{[t]} or @code{[<+->]} of @code{<2-3>}. If the @code{BEAMER_col}
9681 property is also set, something like @code{C[t]} can be added here as well to
9682 set an options argument for the implied @code{columns} environment.
9683 @code{c[t]} will set an option for the implied @code{column} environment.
9685 The width of a column that should start with this entry. If this property is
9686 set, the entry will also get a @code{:BMCOL:} property to make this visible.
9687 Also this tag is only a visual aid. When his is a plain number, it will be
9688 interpreted as a fraction of @code{\textwidth}. Otherwise it will be assumed
9689 that you have specified the units, like @samp{3cm}. The first such property
9690 in a frame will start a @code{columns} environment to surround the columns.
9691 This environment is closed when an entry has a @code{BEAMER_col} property
9692 with value 0 or 1, or automatically at the end of the frame.
9694 Additional commands that should be inserted after the environment has been
9695 opened. For example, when creating a frame, this can be used to specify
9699 Frames will automatically receive a @code{fragile} option if they contain
9700 source code that uses the verbatim environment. Special @file{beamer}
9701 specific code can be inserted using @code{#+BEAMER:} and
9702 @code{#+BEGIN_beamer...#+end_beamer} constructs, similar to other export
9703 backends, but with the difference that @code{#+LaTeX:} stuff will be included
9704 in the presentation as well.
9706 Outline nodes with @code{BEAMER_env} property value @samp{note} or
9707 @samp{noteNH} will be formatted as beamer notes, i,e, they will be wrapped
9708 into @code{\note@{...@}}. The former will include the heading as part of the
9709 note text, the latter will ignore the heading of that node. To simplify note
9710 generation, it is actually enough to mark the note with a @emph{tag} (either
9711 @code{:B_note:} or @code{:B_noteNH:}) instead of creating the
9712 @code{BEAMER_env} property.
9714 You can turn on a special minor mode @code{org-beamer-mode} for editing
9724 In @code{org-beamer-mode}, this key offers fast selection of a beamer
9725 environment or the @code{BEAMER_col} property.
9728 Column view provides a great way to set the environment of a node and other
9729 important parameters. Make sure you are using a COLUMN format that is geared
9730 toward this special purpose. The command @kbd{M-x
9731 org-beamer-settings-template} does define such a format.
9733 Here is a simple example Org document that is intended for beamer export.
9736 #+LaTeX_CLASS: beamer
9737 #+TITLE: Example Presentation
9738 #+AUTHOR: Carsten Dominik
9739 #+LaTeX_CLASS_OPTIONS: [presentation]
9740 #+BEAMER_FRAME_LEVEL: 2
9741 #+BEAMER_HEADER_EXTRA: \usetheme@{Madrid@}\usecolortheme@{default@}
9742 #+COLUMNS: %35ITEM %10BEAMER_env(Env) %10BEAMER_envargs(Args) %4BEAMER_col(Col) %8BEAMER_extra(Ex)
9744 * This is the first structural section
9746 ** Frame 1 \\ with a subtitle
9747 *** Thanks to Eric Fraga :BMCOL:B_block:
9750 :BEAMER_envargs: C[t]
9753 for the first viable beamer setup in Org
9754 *** Thanks to everyone else :BMCOL:B_block:
9758 :BEAMER_envargs: <2->
9760 for contributing to the discussion
9761 **** This will be formatted as a beamer note :B_note:
9762 ** Frame 2 \\ where we will not use columns
9763 *** Request :B_block:
9764 Please test this stuff!
9767 For more information, see the documentation on Worg.
9769 @node DocBook export, Freemind export, LaTeX and PDF export, Exporting
9770 @section DocBook export
9771 @cindex DocBook export
9775 Org contains a DocBook exporter written by Baoqiu Cui. Once an Org file is
9776 exported to DocBook format, it can be further processed to produce other
9777 formats, including PDF, HTML, man pages, etc., using many available DocBook
9778 tools and stylesheets.
9780 Currently DocBook exporter only supports DocBook V5.0.
9783 * DocBook export commands:: How to invoke DocBook export
9784 * Quoting DocBook code:: Incorporating DocBook code in Org files
9785 * Recursive sections:: Recursive sections in DocBook
9786 * Tables in DocBook export:: Tables are exported as HTML tables
9787 * Images in DocBook export:: How to insert figures into DocBook output
9788 * Special characters:: How to handle special characters
9791 @node DocBook export commands, Quoting DocBook code, DocBook export, DocBook export
9792 @subsection DocBook export commands
9794 @cindex region, active
9795 @cindex active region
9796 @cindex transient-mark-mode
9800 @cindex property EXPORT_FILE_NAME
9801 Export as DocBook file. For an Org file, @file{myfile.org}, the DocBook XML
9802 file will be @file{myfile.xml}. The file will be overwritten without
9803 warning. If there is an active region@footnote{This requires
9804 @code{transient-mark-mode} to be turned on}, only the region will be
9805 exported. If the selected region is a single tree@footnote{To select the
9806 current subtree, use @kbd{C-c @@}.}, the tree head will become the document
9807 title. If the tree head entry has, or inherits, an @code{EXPORT_FILE_NAME}
9808 property, that name will be used for the export.
9811 Export as DocBook file, process to PDF, then open the resulting PDF file.
9813 @vindex org-export-docbook-xslt-proc-command
9814 @vindex org-export-docbook-xsl-fo-proc-command
9815 Note that, in order to produce PDF output based on exported DocBook file, you
9816 need to have XSLT processor and XSL-FO processor software installed on your
9817 system. Check variables @code{org-export-docbook-xslt-proc-command} and
9818 @code{org-export-docbook-xsl-fo-proc-command}.
9822 Export only the visible part of the document.
9825 @node Quoting DocBook code, Recursive sections, DocBook export commands, DocBook export
9826 @subsection Quoting DocBook code
9828 You can quote DocBook code in Org files and copy it verbatim into exported
9829 DocBook file with the following constructs:
9832 @cindex #+BEGIN_DOCBOOK
9834 #+DOCBOOK: Literal DocBook code for export
9838 @cindex #+BEGIN_DOCBOOK
9842 All lines between these markers are exported by DocBook exporter
9847 For example, you can use the following lines to include a DocBook warning
9848 admonition. As to what this warning says, you should pay attention to the
9849 document context when quoting DocBook code in Org files. You may make
9850 exported DocBook XML files invalid by not quoting DocBook code correctly.
9855 <para>You should know what you are doing when quoting DocBook XML code
9856 in your Org file. Invalid DocBook XML file may be generated by
9857 DocBook exporter if you are not careful!</para>
9862 @node Recursive sections, Tables in DocBook export, Quoting DocBook code, DocBook export
9863 @subsection Recursive sections
9864 @cindex DocBook recursive sections
9866 DocBook exporter exports Org files as articles using the @code{article}
9867 element in DocBook. Recursive sections, i.e. @code{section} elements, are
9868 used in exported articles. Top level headlines in Org files are exported as
9869 top level sections, and lower level headlines are exported as nested
9870 sections. The entire structure of Org files will be exported completely, no
9871 matter how many nested levels of headlines there are.
9873 Using recursive sections makes it easy to port and reuse exported DocBook
9874 code in other DocBook document types like @code{book} or @code{set}.
9876 @node Tables in DocBook export, Images in DocBook export, Recursive sections, DocBook export
9877 @subsection Tables in DocBook export
9878 @cindex tables, in DocBook export
9880 Tables in Org files are exported as HTML tables, which have been supported since
9883 If a table does not have a caption, an informal table is generated using the
9884 @code{informaltable} element; otherwise, a formal table will be generated
9885 using the @code{table} element.
9887 @node Images in DocBook export, Special characters, Tables in DocBook export, DocBook export
9888 @subsection Images in DocBook export
9889 @cindex images, inline in DocBook
9890 @cindex inlining images in DocBook
9892 Images that are linked to without a description part in the link, like
9893 @samp{[[file:img.jpg]]} or @samp{[[./img.jpg]]}, will be exported to DocBook
9894 using @code{mediaobject} elements. Each @code{mediaobject} element contains
9895 an @code{imageobject} that wraps an @code{imagedata} element. If you have
9896 specified a caption for an image as described in @ref{Images and tables}, a
9897 @code{caption} element will be added in @code{mediaobject}. If a label is
9898 also specified, it will be exported as an @code{xml:id} attribute of the
9899 @code{mediaobject} element.
9901 @vindex org-export-docbook-default-image-attributes
9902 Image attributes supported by the @code{imagedata} element, like @code{align}
9903 or @code{width}, can be specified in two ways: you can either customize
9904 variable @code{org-export-docbook-default-image-attributes} or use the
9905 @code{#+ATTR_DOCBOOK:} line. Attributes specified in variable
9906 @code{org-export-docbook-default-image-attributes} are applied to all inline
9907 images in the Org file to be exported (unless they are overwritten by image
9908 attributes specified in @code{#+ATTR_DOCBOOK:} lines).
9910 The @code{#+ATTR_DOCBOOK:} line can be used to specify additional image
9911 attributes or overwrite default image attributes for individual images. If
9912 the same attribute appears in both the @code{#+ATTR_DOCBOOK:} line and
9913 variable @code{org-export-docbook-default-image-attributes}, the former
9914 overwrites the latter. Here is an example about how image attributes can be
9919 @cindex #+ATTR_DOCBOOK
9921 #+CAPTION: The logo of Org mode
9922 #+LABEL: unicorn-svg
9923 #+ATTR_DOCBOOK: scalefit="1" width="100%" depth="100%"
9924 [[./img/org-mode-unicorn.svg]]
9927 @vindex org-export-docbook-inline-image-extensions
9928 By default, DocBook exporter recognizes the following image file types:
9929 @file{jpeg}, @file{jpg}, @file{png}, @file{gif}, and @file{svg}. You can
9930 customize variable @code{org-export-docbook-inline-image-extensions} to add
9931 more types to this list as long as DocBook supports them.
9933 @node Special characters, , Images in DocBook export, DocBook export
9934 @subsection Special characters in DocBook export
9935 @cindex Special characters in DocBook export
9937 @vindex org-export-docbook-doctype
9938 @vindex org-html-entities
9939 Special characters that are written in @TeX{}-like syntax, such as @code{\alpha},
9940 @code{\Gamma}, and @code{\Zeta}, are supported by DocBook exporter. These
9941 characters are rewritten to XML entities, like @code{α},
9942 @code{Γ}, and @code{Ζ}, based on the list saved in variable
9943 @code{org-html-entities}. As long as the generated DocBook file includes the
9944 corresponding entities, these special characters are recognized.
9946 You can customize variable @code{org-export-docbook-doctype} to include the
9947 entities you need. For example, you can set variable
9948 @code{org-export-docbook-doctype} to the following value to recognize all
9949 special characters included in XHTML entities:
9952 "<!DOCTYPE article [
9953 <!ENTITY % xhtml1-symbol PUBLIC
9954 \"-//W3C//ENTITIES Symbol for HTML//EN//XML\"
9955 \"http://www.w3.org/2003/entities/2007/xhtml1-symbol.ent\"
9962 @node Freemind export, XOXO export, DocBook export, Exporting
9963 @section Freemind export
9964 @cindex Freemind export
9967 The freemind exporter was written by Lennart Borgman.
9972 Export as Freemind mind map @file{myfile.mm}.
9975 @node XOXO export, iCalendar export, Freemind export, Exporting
9976 @section XOXO export
9979 Org mode contains an exporter that produces XOXO-style output.
9980 Currently, this exporter only handles the general outline structure and
9981 does not interpret any additional Org-mode features.
9986 Export as XOXO file @file{myfile.html}.
9989 Export only the visible part of the document.
9992 @node iCalendar export, , XOXO export, Exporting
9993 @section iCalendar export
9994 @cindex iCalendar export
9996 @vindex org-icalendar-include-todo
9997 @vindex org-icalendar-use-deadline
9998 @vindex org-icalendar-use-scheduled
9999 @vindex org-icalendar-categories
10000 Some people use Org mode for keeping track of projects, but still prefer a
10001 standard calendar application for anniversaries and appointments. In this
10002 case it can be useful to show deadlines and other time-stamped items in Org
10003 files in the calendar application. Org mode can export calendar information
10004 in the standard iCalendar format. If you also want to have TODO entries
10005 included in the export, configure the variable
10006 @code{org-icalendar-include-todo}. Plain timestamps are exported as VEVENT,
10007 and TODO items as VTODO. It will also create events from deadlines that are
10008 in non-TODO items. Deadlines and scheduling dates in TODO items will be used
10009 to set the start and due dates for the TODO entry@footnote{See the variables
10010 @code{org-icalendar-use-deadline} and @code{org-icalendar-use-scheduled}.}.
10011 As categories, it will use the tags locally defined in the heading, and the
10012 file/tree category@footnote{To add inherited tags or the TODO state,
10013 configure the variable @code{org-icalendar-categories}.}.
10015 @vindex org-icalendar-store-UID
10016 @cindex property, ID
10017 The iCalendar standard requires each entry to have a globally unique
10018 identifier (UID). Org creates these identifiers during export. If you set
10019 the variable @code{org-icalendar-store-UID}, the UID will be stored in the
10020 @code{:ID:} property of the entry and re-used next time you report this
10021 entry. Since a single entry can give rise to multiple iCalendar entries (as
10022 a timestamp, a deadline, a scheduled item, and as a TODO item), Org adds
10023 prefixes to the UID, depending on what triggered the inclusion of the entry.
10024 In this way the UID remains unique, but a synchronization program can still
10025 figure out from which entry all the different instances originate.
10030 Create iCalendar entries for the current file and store them in the same
10031 directory, using a file extension @file{.ics}.
10034 @vindex org-agenda-files
10035 Like @kbd{C-c C-e i}, but do this for all files in
10036 @code{org-agenda-files}. For each of these files, a separate iCalendar
10037 file will be written.
10040 @vindex org-combined-agenda-icalendar-file
10041 Create a single large iCalendar file from all files in
10042 @code{org-agenda-files} and write it to the file given by
10043 @code{org-combined-agenda-icalendar-file}.
10046 @vindex org-use-property-inheritance
10047 @vindex org-icalendar-include-body
10048 @cindex property, SUMMARY
10049 @cindex property, DESCRIPTION
10050 @cindex property, LOCATION
10051 The export will honor SUMMARY, DESCRIPTION and LOCATION@footnote{The LOCATION
10052 property can be inherited from higher in the hierarchy if you configure
10053 @code{org-use-property-inheritance} accordingly.} properties if the selected
10054 entries have them. If not, the summary will be derived from the headline,
10055 and the description from the body (limited to
10056 @code{org-icalendar-include-body} characters).
10058 How this calendar is best read and updated, depends on the application
10059 you are using. The FAQ covers this issue.
10061 @node Publishing, Miscellaneous, Exporting, Top
10062 @chapter Publishing
10064 @cindex O'Toole, David
10066 Org includes a publishing management system that allows you to configure
10067 automatic HTML conversion of @emph{projects} composed of interlinked org
10068 files. You can also configure Org to automatically upload your exported HTML
10069 pages and related attachments, such as images and source code files, to a web
10072 You can also use Org to convert files into PDF, or even combine HTML and PDF
10073 conversion so that files are available in both formats on the server.
10075 Publishing has been contributed to Org by David O'Toole.
10078 * Configuration:: Defining projects
10079 * Uploading files:: How to get files up on the server
10080 * Sample configuration:: Example projects
10081 * Triggering publication:: Publication commands
10084 @node Configuration, Uploading files, Publishing, Publishing
10085 @section Configuration
10087 Publishing needs significant configuration to specify files, destination
10088 and many other properties of a project.
10091 * Project alist:: The central configuration variable
10092 * Sources and destinations:: From here to there
10093 * Selecting files:: What files are part of the project?
10094 * Publishing action:: Setting the function doing the publishing
10095 * Publishing options:: Tweaking HTML export
10096 * Publishing links:: Which links keep working after publishing?
10097 * Project page index:: Publishing a list of project files
10100 @node Project alist, Sources and destinations, Configuration, Configuration
10101 @subsection The variable @code{org-publish-project-alist}
10102 @cindex org-publish-project-alist
10103 @cindex projects, for publishing
10105 @vindex org-publish-project-alist
10106 Publishing is configured almost entirely through setting the value of one
10107 variable, called @code{org-publish-project-alist}. Each element of the list
10108 configures one project, and may be in one of the two following forms:
10111 ("project-name" :property value :property value ...)
10113 ("project-name" :components ("project-name" "project-name" ...))
10117 In both cases, projects are configured by specifying property values. A
10118 project defines the set of files that will be published, as well as the
10119 publishing configuration to use when publishing those files. When a project
10120 takes the second form listed above, the individual members of the
10121 @code{:components} property are taken to be sub-projects, which group
10122 together files requiring different publishing options. When you publish such
10123 a ``meta-project'', all the components will also be published, in the
10126 @node Sources and destinations, Selecting files, Project alist, Configuration
10127 @subsection Sources and destinations for files
10128 @cindex directories, for publishing
10130 Most properties are optional, but some should always be set. In
10131 particular, Org needs to know where to look for source files,
10132 and where to put published files.
10134 @multitable @columnfractions 0.3 0.7
10135 @item @code{:base-directory}
10136 @tab Directory containing publishing source files
10137 @item @code{:publishing-directory}
10138 @tab Directory where output files will be published. You can directly
10139 publish to a webserver using a file name syntax appropriate for
10140 the Emacs @file{tramp} package. Or you can publish to a local directory and
10141 use external tools to upload your website (@pxref{Uploading files}).
10142 @item @code{:preparation-function}
10143 @tab Function called before starting the publishing process, for example, to
10144 run @code{make} for updating files to be published. The project property
10145 list is scoped into this call as the variable @code{project-plist}.
10146 @item @code{:completion-function}
10147 @tab Function called after finishing the publishing process, for example, to
10148 change permissions of the resulting files. The project property list is
10149 scoped into this call as the variable @code{project-plist}.
10153 @node Selecting files, Publishing action, Sources and destinations, Configuration
10154 @subsection Selecting files
10155 @cindex files, selecting for publishing
10157 By default, all files with extension @file{.org} in the base directory
10158 are considered part of the project. This can be modified by setting the
10160 @multitable @columnfractions 0.25 0.75
10161 @item @code{:base-extension}
10162 @tab Extension (without the dot!) of source files. This actually is a
10163 regular expression. Set this to the symbol @code{any} if you want to get all
10164 files in @code{:base-directory}, even without extension.
10166 @item @code{:exclude}
10167 @tab Regular expression to match file names that should not be
10168 published, even though they have been selected on the basis of their
10171 @item @code{:include}
10172 @tab List of files to be included regardless of @code{:base-extension}
10173 and @code{:exclude}.
10176 @node Publishing action, Publishing options, Selecting files, Configuration
10177 @subsection Publishing action
10178 @cindex action, for publishing
10180 Publishing means that a file is copied to the destination directory and
10181 possibly transformed in the process. The default transformation is to export
10182 Org files as HTML files, and this is done by the function
10183 @code{org-publish-org-to-html} which calls the HTML exporter (@pxref{HTML
10184 export}). But you also can publish your content as PDF files using
10185 @code{org-publish-org-to-pdf}. If you want to publish the Org file itself,
10186 but with @i{archived}, @i{commented}, and @i{tag-excluded} trees removed, use
10187 @code{org-publish-org-to-org} and set the parameters @code{:plain-source}
10188 and/or @code{:htmlized-source}. This will produce @file{file.org} and
10189 @file{file.org.html} in the publishing
10190 directory@footnote{@file{file-source.org} and @file{file-source.org.html} if
10191 source and publishing directories are equal. Note that with this kind of
10192 setup, you need to add @code{:exclude "-source\\.org"} to the project
10193 definition in @code{org-publish-project-alist} to avoid that the published
10194 source files will be considered as new org files the next time the project is
10195 published.}. Other files like images only
10196 need to be copied to the publishing destination, for this you may use
10197 @code{org-publish-attachment}. For non-Org files, you always need to
10198 specify the publishing function:
10200 @multitable @columnfractions 0.3 0.7
10201 @item @code{:publishing-function}
10202 @tab Function executing the publication of a file. This may also be a
10203 list of functions, which will all be called in turn.
10204 @item @code{:plain-source}
10205 @tab Non-nil means, publish plain source.
10206 @item @code{:htmlized-source}
10207 @tab Non-nil means, publish htmlized source.
10210 The function must accept three arguments: a property list containing at least
10211 a @code{:publishing-directory} property, the name of the file to be
10212 published, and the path to the publishing directory of the output file. It
10213 should take the specified file, make the necessary transformation (if any)
10214 and place the result into the destination folder.
10216 @node Publishing options, Publishing links, Publishing action, Configuration
10217 @subsection Options for the HTML/La@TeX{} exporters
10218 @cindex options, for publishing
10220 The property list can be used to set many export options for the HTML
10221 and La@TeX{} exporters. In most cases, these properties correspond to user
10222 variables in Org. The table below lists these properties along
10223 with the variable they belong to. See the documentation string for the
10224 respective variable for details.
10226 @vindex org-export-html-link-up
10227 @vindex org-export-html-link-home
10228 @vindex org-export-default-language
10229 @vindex org-display-custom-times
10230 @vindex org-export-headline-levels
10231 @vindex org-export-with-section-numbers
10232 @vindex org-export-section-number-format
10233 @vindex org-export-with-toc
10234 @vindex org-export-preserve-breaks
10235 @vindex org-export-with-archived-trees
10236 @vindex org-export-with-emphasize
10237 @vindex org-export-with-sub-superscripts
10238 @vindex org-export-with-special-strings
10239 @vindex org-export-with-footnotes
10240 @vindex org-export-with-drawers
10241 @vindex org-export-with-tags
10242 @vindex org-export-with-todo-keywords
10243 @vindex org-export-with-priority
10244 @vindex org-export-with-TeX-macros
10245 @vindex org-export-with-LaTeX-fragments
10246 @vindex org-export-skip-text-before-1st-heading
10247 @vindex org-export-with-fixed-width
10248 @vindex org-export-with-timestamps
10249 @vindex org-export-author-info
10250 @vindex org-export-email
10251 @vindex org-export-creator-info
10252 @vindex org-export-with-tables
10253 @vindex org-export-highlight-first-table-line
10254 @vindex org-export-html-style-include-default
10255 @vindex org-export-html-style
10256 @vindex org-export-html-style-extra
10257 @vindex org-export-html-link-org-files-as-html
10258 @vindex org-export-html-inline-images
10259 @vindex org-export-html-extension
10260 @vindex org-export-html-table-tag
10261 @vindex org-export-html-expand
10262 @vindex org-export-html-with-timestamp
10263 @vindex org-export-publishing-directory
10264 @vindex org-export-html-preamble
10265 @vindex org-export-html-postamble
10266 @vindex org-export-html-auto-preamble
10267 @vindex org-export-html-auto-postamble
10268 @vindex user-full-name
10269 @vindex user-mail-address
10270 @vindex org-export-select-tags
10271 @vindex org-export-exclude-tags
10273 @multitable @columnfractions 0.32 0.68
10274 @item @code{:link-up} @tab @code{org-export-html-link-up}
10275 @item @code{:link-home} @tab @code{org-export-html-link-home}
10276 @item @code{:language} @tab @code{org-export-default-language}
10277 @item @code{:customtime} @tab @code{org-display-custom-times}
10278 @item @code{:headline-levels} @tab @code{org-export-headline-levels}
10279 @item @code{:section-numbers} @tab @code{org-export-with-section-numbers}
10280 @item @code{:section-number-format} @tab @code{org-export-section-number-format}
10281 @item @code{:table-of-contents} @tab @code{org-export-with-toc}
10282 @item @code{:preserve-breaks} @tab @code{org-export-preserve-breaks}
10283 @item @code{:archived-trees} @tab @code{org-export-with-archived-trees}
10284 @item @code{:emphasize} @tab @code{org-export-with-emphasize}
10285 @item @code{:sub-superscript} @tab @code{org-export-with-sub-superscripts}
10286 @item @code{:special-strings} @tab @code{org-export-with-special-strings}
10287 @item @code{:footnotes} @tab @code{org-export-with-footnotes}
10288 @item @code{:drawers} @tab @code{org-export-with-drawers}
10289 @item @code{:tags} @tab @code{org-export-with-tags}
10290 @item @code{:todo-keywords} @tab @code{org-export-with-todo-keywords}
10291 @item @code{:priority} @tab @code{org-export-with-priority}
10292 @item @code{:TeX-macros} @tab @code{org-export-with-TeX-macros}
10293 @item @code{:LaTeX-fragments} @tab @code{org-export-with-LaTeX-fragments}
10294 @item @code{:latex-listings} @tab @code{org-export-latex-listings}
10295 @item @code{:skip-before-1st-heading} @tab @code{org-export-skip-text-before-1st-heading}
10296 @item @code{:fixed-width} @tab @code{org-export-with-fixed-width}
10297 @item @code{:timestamps} @tab @code{org-export-with-timestamps}
10298 @item @code{:author-info} @tab @code{org-export-author-info}
10299 @item @code{:email-info} @tab @code{org-export-email-info}
10300 @item @code{:creator-info} @tab @code{org-export-creator-info}
10301 @item @code{:tables} @tab @code{org-export-with-tables}
10302 @item @code{:table-auto-headline} @tab @code{org-export-highlight-first-table-line}
10303 @item @code{:style-include-default} @tab @code{org-export-html-style-include-default}
10304 @item @code{:style} @tab @code{org-export-html-style}
10305 @item @code{:style-extra} @tab @code{org-export-html-style-extra}
10306 @item @code{:convert-org-links} @tab @code{org-export-html-link-org-files-as-html}
10307 @item @code{:inline-images} @tab @code{org-export-html-inline-images}
10308 @item @code{:html-extension} @tab @code{org-export-html-extension}
10309 @item @code{:xml-declaration} @tab @code{org-export-html-xml-declaration}
10310 @item @code{:html-table-tag} @tab @code{org-export-html-table-tag}
10311 @item @code{:expand-quoted-html} @tab @code{org-export-html-expand}
10312 @item @code{:timestamp} @tab @code{org-export-html-with-timestamp}
10313 @item @code{:publishing-directory} @tab @code{org-export-publishing-directory}
10314 @item @code{:preamble} @tab @code{org-export-html-preamble}
10315 @item @code{:postamble} @tab @code{org-export-html-postamble}
10316 @item @code{:auto-preamble} @tab @code{org-export-html-auto-preamble}
10317 @item @code{:auto-postamble} @tab @code{org-export-html-auto-postamble}
10318 @item @code{:author} @tab @code{user-full-name}
10319 @item @code{:email} @tab @code{user-mail-address} : @code{addr;addr;..}
10320 @item @code{:select-tags} @tab @code{org-export-select-tags}
10321 @item @code{:exclude-tags} @tab @code{org-export-exclude-tags}
10322 @item @code{:latex-image-options} @tab @code{org-export-latex-image-default-option}
10325 Most of the @code{org-export-with-*} variables have the same effect in
10326 both HTML and La@TeX{} exporters, except for @code{:TeX-macros} and
10327 @code{:LaTeX-fragments}, respectively @code{nil} and @code{t} in the
10330 @vindex org-publish-project-alist
10331 When a property is given a value in @code{org-publish-project-alist},
10332 its setting overrides the value of the corresponding user variable (if
10333 any) during publishing. Options set within a file (@pxref{Export
10334 options}), however, override everything.
10336 @node Publishing links, Project page index, Publishing options, Configuration
10337 @subsection Links between published files
10338 @cindex links, publishing
10340 To create a link from one Org file to another, you would use
10341 something like @samp{[[file:foo.org][The foo]]} or simply
10342 @samp{file:foo.org.} (@pxref{Hyperlinks}). When published, this link
10343 becomes a link to @file{foo.html}. In this way, you can interlink the
10344 pages of your "org web" project and the links will work as expected when
10345 you publish them to HTML. If you also publish the Org source file and want
10346 to link to that, use an @code{http:} link instead of a @code{file:} link,
10347 because @code{file:} links are converted to link to the corresponding
10350 You may also link to related files, such as images. Provided you are careful
10351 with relative file names, and provided you have also configured Org to upload
10352 the related files, these links will work too. See @ref{Complex example}, for
10353 an example of this usage.
10355 Sometimes an Org file to be published may contain links that are
10356 only valid in your production environment, but not in the publishing
10357 location. In this case, use the property
10359 @multitable @columnfractions 0.4 0.6
10360 @item @code{:link-validation-function}
10361 @tab Function to validate links
10365 to define a function for checking link validity. This function must
10366 accept two arguments, the file name and a directory relative to which
10367 the file name is interpreted in the production environment. If this
10368 function returns @code{nil}, then the HTML generator will only insert a
10369 description into the HTML file, but no link. One option for this
10370 function is @code{org-publish-validate-link} which checks if the given
10371 file is part of any project in @code{org-publish-project-alist}.
10373 @node Project page index, , Publishing links, Configuration
10374 @subsection Project page index
10375 @cindex index, of published pages
10377 The following properties may be used to control publishing of an
10378 index of files or a summary page for a given project.
10380 @multitable @columnfractions 0.25 0.75
10381 @item @code{:auto-index}
10382 @tab When non-nil, publish an index during @code{org-publish-current-project}
10383 or @code{org-publish-all}.
10385 @item @code{:index-filename}
10386 @tab Filename for output of index. Defaults to @file{sitemap.org} (which
10387 becomes @file{sitemap.html}).
10389 @item @code{:index-title}
10390 @tab Title of index page. Defaults to name of file.
10392 @item @code{:index-function}
10393 @tab Plug-in function to use for generation of index.
10394 Defaults to @code{org-publish-org-index}, which generates a plain list
10395 of links to all files in the project.
10398 @node Uploading files, Sample configuration, Configuration, Publishing
10399 @section Uploading files
10403 For those people already utilizing third party sync tools such as
10404 @command{rsync} or @command{unison}, it might be preferable not to use the built in
10405 @i{remote} publishing facilities of Org mode which rely heavily on
10406 Tramp. Tramp, while very useful and powerful, tends not to be
10407 so efficient for multiple file transfer and has been known to cause problems
10410 Specialized synchronization utilities offer several advantages. In addition
10411 to timestamp comparison, they also do content and permissions/attribute
10412 checks. For this reason you might prefer to publish your web to a local
10413 directory (possibly even @i{in place} with your Org files) and then use
10414 @file{unison} or @file{rsync} to do the synchronization with the remote host.
10416 Since Unison (for example) can be configured as to which files to transfer to
10417 a certain remote destination, it can greatly simplify the project publishing
10418 definition. Simply keep all files in the correct location, process your Org
10419 files with @code{org-publish} and let the synchronization tool do the rest.
10420 You do not need, in this scenario, to include attachments such as @file{jpg},
10421 @file{css} or @file{gif} files in the project definition since the 3rd party
10424 Publishing to a local directory is also much faster than to a remote one, so
10425 that you can afford more easily to republish entire projects. If you set
10426 @code{org-publish-use-timestamps-flag} to @code{nil}, you gain the main
10427 benefit of re-including any changed external files such as source example
10428 files you might include with @code{#+INCLUDE}. The timestamp mechanism in
10429 Org is not smart enough to detect if included files have been modified.
10431 @node Sample configuration, Triggering publication, Uploading files, Publishing
10432 @section Sample configuration
10434 Below we provide two example configurations. The first one is a simple
10435 project publishing only a set of Org files. The second example is
10436 more complex, with a multi-component project.
10439 * Simple example:: One-component publishing
10440 * Complex example:: A multi-component publishing example
10443 @node Simple example, Complex example, Sample configuration, Sample configuration
10444 @subsection Example: simple publishing configuration
10446 This example publishes a set of Org files to the @file{public_html}
10447 directory on the local machine.
10450 (setq org-publish-project-alist
10452 :base-directory "~/org/"
10453 :publishing-directory "~/public_html"
10454 :section-numbers nil
10455 :table-of-contents nil
10456 :style "<link rel=\"stylesheet\"
10457 href=\"../other/mystyle.css\"
10458 type=\"text/css\"/>")))
10461 @node Complex example, , Simple example, Sample configuration
10462 @subsection Example: complex publishing configuration
10464 This more complicated example publishes an entire website, including
10465 Org files converted to HTML, image files, Emacs Lisp source code, and
10466 style sheets. The publishing directory is remote and private files are
10469 To ensure that links are preserved, care should be taken to replicate
10470 your directory structure on the web server, and to use relative file
10471 paths. For example, if your Org files are kept in @file{~/org} and your
10472 publishable images in @file{~/images}, you'd link to an image with
10475 file:../images/myimage.png
10478 On the web server, the relative path to the image should be the
10479 same. You can accomplish this by setting up an "images" folder in the
10480 right place on the web server, and publishing images to it.
10483 (setq org-publish-project-alist
10485 :base-directory "~/org/"
10486 :base-extension "org"
10487 :publishing-directory "/ssh:user@@host:~/html/notebook/"
10488 :publishing-function org-publish-org-to-html
10489 :exclude "PrivatePage.org" ;; regexp
10491 :section-numbers nil
10492 :table-of-contents nil
10493 :style "<link rel=\"stylesheet\"
10494 href=\"../other/mystyle.css\" type=\"text/css\"/>"
10496 :auto-postamble nil)
10499 :base-directory "~/images/"
10500 :base-extension "jpg\\|gif\\|png"
10501 :publishing-directory "/ssh:user@@host:~/html/images/"
10502 :publishing-function org-publish-attachment)
10505 :base-directory "~/other/"
10506 :base-extension "css\\|el"
10507 :publishing-directory "/ssh:user@@host:~/html/other/"
10508 :publishing-function org-publish-attachment)
10509 ("website" :components ("orgfiles" "images" "other"))))
10512 @node Triggering publication, , Sample configuration, Publishing
10513 @section Triggering publication
10515 Once properly configured, Org can publish with the following commands:
10520 Prompt for a specific project and publish all files that belong to it.
10523 Publish the project containing the current file.
10526 Publish only the current file.
10529 Publish every project.
10532 @vindex org-publish-use-timestamps-flag
10533 Org uses timestamps to track when a file has changed. The above functions
10534 normally only publish changed files. You can override this and force
10535 publishing of all files by giving a prefix argument to any of the commands
10536 above, or by customizing the variable @code{org-publish-use-timestamps-flag}.
10537 This may be necessary in particular if files include other files via
10538 @code{#+SETUPFILE:} or @code{#+INCLUDE:}.
10540 @node Miscellaneous, Hacking, Publishing, Top
10541 @chapter Miscellaneous
10544 * Completion:: M-TAB knows what you need
10545 * Speed keys:: Electic commands at the beginning of a headline
10546 * Customization:: Adapting Org to your taste
10547 * In-buffer settings:: Overview of the #+KEYWORDS
10548 * The very busy C-c C-c key:: When in doubt, press C-c C-c
10549 * Clean view:: Getting rid of leading stars in the outline
10550 * TTY keys:: Using Org on a tty
10551 * Interaction:: Other Emacs packages
10555 @node Completion, Speed keys, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous
10556 @section Completion
10557 @cindex completion, of @TeX{} symbols
10558 @cindex completion, of TODO keywords
10559 @cindex completion, of dictionary words
10560 @cindex completion, of option keywords
10561 @cindex completion, of tags
10562 @cindex completion, of property keys
10563 @cindex completion, of link abbreviations
10564 @cindex @TeX{} symbol completion
10565 @cindex TODO keywords completion
10566 @cindex dictionary word completion
10567 @cindex option keyword completion
10568 @cindex tag completion
10569 @cindex link abbreviations, completion of
10571 Emacs would not be Emacs without completion, and Org-mode uses it whenever it
10572 makes sense. If you prefer an @i{iswitchb}- or @i{ido}-like interface for
10573 some of the completion prompts, you can specify your preference by setting at
10574 most one of the variables @code{org-completion-use-iswitchb}
10575 @code{org-completion-use-ido}.
10577 Org supports in-buffer completion. This type of completion does
10578 not make use of the minibuffer. You simply type a few letters into
10579 the buffer and use the key to complete text right there.
10582 @kindex M-@key{TAB}
10584 Complete word at point
10587 At the beginning of a headline, complete TODO keywords.
10589 After @samp{\}, complete @TeX{} symbols supported by the exporter.
10591 After @samp{*}, complete headlines in the current buffer so that they
10592 can be used in search links like @samp{[[*find this headline]]}.
10594 After @samp{:} in a headline, complete tags. The list of tags is taken
10595 from the variable @code{org-tag-alist} (possibly set through the
10596 @samp{#+TAGS} in-buffer option, @pxref{Setting tags}), or it is created
10597 dynamically from all tags used in the current buffer.
10599 After @samp{:} and not in a headline, complete property keys. The list
10600 of keys is constructed dynamically from all keys used in the current
10603 After @samp{[}, complete link abbreviations (@pxref{Link abbreviations}).
10605 After @samp{#+}, complete the special keywords like @samp{TYP_TODO} or
10606 @samp{OPTIONS} which set file-specific options for Org mode. When the
10607 option keyword is already complete, pressing @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} again
10608 will insert example settings for this keyword.
10610 In the line after @samp{#+STARTUP: }, complete startup keywords,
10611 i.e. valid keys for this line.
10613 Elsewhere, complete dictionary words using Ispell.
10617 @node Speed keys, Customization, Completion, Miscellaneous
10618 @section Speed keys
10620 @vindex org-use-speed-commands
10621 @vindex org-speed-commands-user
10623 Single keys can be made to execute commands when the cursor is at the
10624 beginning of a headline, i.e. before the first star. Configure the variable
10625 @code{org-use-speed-commands} to activate this feature. There is a
10626 pre-defined list of commands, and you can add more such commands using the
10627 variable @code{org-speed-commands-user}. Speed keys do not only speed up
10628 navigation and other commands, but they also provide an alternative way to
10629 execute commands bound to keys that are not or not easily available on a tty,
10630 or on a small mobile device with a limited keyboard.
10632 To see which commands are available, activate the feature and press @kbd{?}
10633 with the cursor at the beginning of a headline.
10635 @node Customization, In-buffer settings, Speed keys, Miscellaneous
10636 @section Customization
10637 @cindex customization
10638 @cindex options, for customization
10639 @cindex variables, for customization
10641 There are more than 180 variables that can be used to customize
10642 Org. For the sake of compactness of the manual, I am not
10643 describing the variables here. A structured overview of customization
10644 variables is available with @kbd{M-x org-customize}. Or select
10645 @code{Browse Org Group} from the @code{Org->Customization} menu. Many
10646 settings can also be activated on a per-file basis, by putting special
10647 lines into the buffer (@pxref{In-buffer settings}).
10649 @node In-buffer settings, The very busy C-c C-c key, Customization, Miscellaneous
10650 @section Summary of in-buffer settings
10651 @cindex in-buffer settings
10652 @cindex special keywords
10654 Org mode uses special lines in the buffer to define settings on a
10655 per-file basis. These lines start with a @samp{#+} followed by a
10656 keyword, a colon, and then individual words defining a setting. Several
10657 setting words can be in the same line, but you can also have multiple
10658 lines for the keyword. While these settings are described throughout
10659 the manual, here is a summary. After changing any of those lines in the
10660 buffer, press @kbd{C-c C-c} with the cursor still in the line to
10661 activate the changes immediately. Otherwise they become effective only
10662 when the file is visited again in a new Emacs session.
10664 @vindex org-archive-location
10666 @item #+ARCHIVE: %s_done::
10667 This line sets the archive location for the agenda file. It applies for
10668 all subsequent lines until the next @samp{#+ARCHIVE} line, or the end
10669 of the file. The first such line also applies to any entries before it.
10670 The corresponding variable is @code{org-archive-location}.
10672 This line sets the category for the agenda file. The category applies
10673 for all subsequent lines until the next @samp{#+CATEGORY} line, or the
10674 end of the file. The first such line also applies to any entries before it.
10675 @item #+COLUMNS: %25ITEM .....
10676 @cindex property, COLUMNS
10677 Set the default format for columns view. This format applies when
10678 columns view is invoked in locations where no @code{COLUMNS} property
10680 @item #+CONSTANTS: name1=value1 ...
10681 @vindex org-table-formula-constants
10682 @vindex org-table-formula
10683 Set file-local values for constants to be used in table formulas. This
10684 line set the local variable @code{org-table-formula-constants-local}.
10685 The global version of this variable is
10686 @code{org-table-formula-constants}.
10687 @item #+FILETAGS: :tag1:tag2:tag3:
10688 Set tags that can be inherited by any entry in the file, including the
10690 @item #+DRAWERS: NAME1 .....
10691 @vindex org-drawers
10692 Set the file-local set of drawers. The corresponding global variable is
10693 @code{org-drawers}.
10694 @item #+LINK: linkword replace
10695 @vindex org-link-abbrev-alist
10696 These lines (several are allowed) specify link abbreviations.
10697 @xref{Link abbreviations}. The corresponding variable is
10698 @code{org-link-abbrev-alist}.
10699 @item #+PRIORITIES: highest lowest default
10700 @vindex org-highest-priority
10701 @vindex org-lowest-priority
10702 @vindex org-default-priority
10703 This line sets the limits and the default for the priorities. All three
10704 must be either letters A-Z or numbers 0-9. The highest priority must
10705 have a lower ASCII number that the lowest priority.
10706 @item #+PROPERTY: Property_Name Value
10707 This line sets a default inheritance value for entries in the current
10708 buffer, most useful for specifying the allowed values of a property.
10709 @cindex #+SETUPFILE
10710 @item #+SETUPFILE: file
10711 This line defines a file that holds more in-buffer setup. Normally this is
10712 entirely ignored. Only when the buffer is parsed for option-setting lines
10713 (i.e. when starting Org mode for a file, when pressing @kbd{C-c C-c} in a
10714 settings line, or when exporting), then the contents of this file are parsed
10715 as if they had been included in the buffer. In particular, the file can be
10716 any other Org mode file with internal setup. You can visit the file the
10717 cursor is in the line with @kbd{C-c '}.
10720 This line sets options to be used at startup of Org mode, when an
10721 Org file is being visited.
10723 The first set of options deals with the initial visibility of the outline
10724 tree. The corresponding variable for global default settings is
10725 @code{org-startup-folded}, with a default value @code{t}, which means
10727 @vindex org-startup-folded
10728 @cindex @code{overview}, STARTUP keyword
10729 @cindex @code{content}, STARTUP keyword
10730 @cindex @code{showall}, STARTUP keyword
10731 @cindex @code{showeverything}, STARTUP keyword
10733 overview @r{top-level headlines only}
10734 content @r{all headlines}
10735 showall @r{no folding of any entries}
10736 showeverything @r{show even drawer contents}
10739 @vindex org-startup-indented
10740 @cindex @code{indent}, STARTUP keyword
10741 @cindex @code{noindent}, STARTUP keyword
10742 Dynamic virtual indentation is controlled by the variable
10743 @code{org-startup-indented}@footnote{Emacs 23 and Org-mode 6.29 are required}
10745 indent @r{start with @code{org-indent-mode} turned on}
10746 noindent @r{start with @code{org-indent-mode} turned off}
10749 @vindex org-startup-align-all-tables
10750 Then there are options for aligning tables upon visiting a file. This
10751 is useful in files containing narrowed table columns. The corresponding
10752 variable is @code{org-startup-align-all-tables}, with a default value
10754 @cindex @code{align}, STARTUP keyword
10755 @cindex @code{noalign}, STARTUP keyword
10757 align @r{align all tables}
10758 noalign @r{don't align tables on startup}
10760 @vindex org-log-done
10761 @vindex org-log-note-clock-out
10762 @vindex org-log-repeat
10763 Logging the closing and reopening of TODO items and clock intervals can be
10764 configured using these options (see variables @code{org-log-done},
10765 @code{org-log-note-clock-out} and @code{org-log-repeat})
10766 @cindex @code{logdone}, STARTUP keyword
10767 @cindex @code{lognotedone}, STARTUP keyword
10768 @cindex @code{nologdone}, STARTUP keyword
10769 @cindex @code{lognoteclock-out}, STARTUP keyword
10770 @cindex @code{nolognoteclock-out}, STARTUP keyword
10771 @cindex @code{logrepeat}, STARTUP keyword
10772 @cindex @code{lognoterepeat}, STARTUP keyword
10773 @cindex @code{nologrepeat}, STARTUP keyword
10774 @cindex @code{logreschedule}, STARTUP keyword
10775 @cindex @code{lognotereschedule}, STARTUP keyword
10776 @cindex @code{nologreschedule}, STARTUP keyword
10777 @cindex @code{logredeadline}, STARTUP keyword
10778 @cindex @code{lognoteredeadline}, STARTUP keyword
10779 @cindex @code{nologredeadline}, STARTUP keyword
10780 @cindex @code{logrefile}, STARTUP keyword
10781 @cindex @code{lognoterefile}, STARTUP keyword
10782 @cindex @code{nologrefile}, STARTUP keyword
10784 logdone @r{record a timestamp when an item is marked DONE}
10785 lognotedone @r{record timestamp and a note when DONE}
10786 nologdone @r{don't record when items are marked DONE}
10787 logrepeat @r{record a time when reinstating a repeating item}
10788 lognoterepeat @r{record a note when reinstating a repeating item}
10789 nologrepeat @r{do not record when reinstating repeating item}
10790 lognoteclock-out @r{record a note when clocking out}
10791 nolognoteclock-out @r{don't record a note when clocking out}
10792 logreschedule @r{record a timestamp when scheduling time changes}
10793 lognotereschedule @r{record a note when scheduling time changes}
10794 nologreschedule @r{do not record when a scheduling date changes}
10795 logredeadline @r{record a timestamp when deadline changes}
10796 lognoteredeadline @r{record a note when deadline changes}
10797 nologredeadline @r{do not record when a deadline date changes}
10798 logrefile @r{record a timestamp when refiling}
10799 lognoterefile @r{record a note when refiling}
10800 nologrefile @r{do not record when refiling}
10802 @vindex org-hide-leading-stars
10803 @vindex org-odd-levels-only
10804 Here are the options for hiding leading stars in outline headings, and for
10805 indenting outlines. The corresponding variables are
10806 @code{org-hide-leading-stars} and @code{org-odd-levels-only}, both with a
10807 default setting @code{nil} (meaning @code{showstars} and @code{oddeven}).
10808 @cindex @code{hidestars}, STARTUP keyword
10809 @cindex @code{showstars}, STARTUP keyword
10810 @cindex @code{odd}, STARTUP keyword
10811 @cindex @code{even}, STARTUP keyword
10813 hidestars @r{make all but one of the stars starting a headline invisible.}
10814 showstars @r{show all stars starting a headline}
10815 indent @r{virtual indentation according to outline level}
10816 noindent @r{no virtual indentation according to outline level}
10817 odd @r{allow only odd outline levels (1,3,...)}
10818 oddeven @r{allow all outline levels}
10820 @vindex org-put-time-stamp-overlays
10821 @vindex org-time-stamp-overlay-formats
10822 To turn on custom format overlays over timestamps (variables
10823 @code{org-put-time-stamp-overlays} and
10824 @code{org-time-stamp-overlay-formats}), use
10825 @cindex @code{customtime}, STARTUP keyword
10827 customtime @r{overlay custom time format}
10829 @vindex constants-unit-system
10830 The following options influence the table spreadsheet (variable
10831 @code{constants-unit-system}).
10832 @cindex @code{constcgs}, STARTUP keyword
10833 @cindex @code{constSI}, STARTUP keyword
10835 constcgs @r{@file{constants.el} should use the c-g-s unit system}
10836 constSI @r{@file{constants.el} should use the SI unit system}
10838 @vindex org-footnote-define-inline
10839 @vindex org-footnote-auto-label
10840 @vindex org-footnote-auto-adjust
10841 To influence footnote settings, use the following keywords. The
10842 corresponding variables are @code{org-footnote-define-inline},
10843 @code{org-footnote-auto-label}, and @code{org-footnote-auto-adjust}.
10844 @cindex @code{fninline}, STARTUP keyword
10845 @cindex @code{nofninline}, STARTUP keyword
10846 @cindex @code{fnlocal}, STARTUP keyword
10847 @cindex @code{fnprompt}, STARTUP keyword
10848 @cindex @code{fnauto}, STARTUP keyword
10849 @cindex @code{fnconfirm}, STARTUP keyword
10850 @cindex @code{fnplain}, STARTUP keyword
10851 @cindex @code{fnadjust}, STARTUP keyword
10852 @cindex @code{nofnadjust}, STARTUP keyword
10854 fninline @r{define footnotes inline}
10855 fnnoinline @r{define footnotes in separate section}
10856 fnlocal @r{define footnotes near first reference, but not inline}
10857 fnprompt @r{prompt for footnote labels}
10858 fnauto @r{create [fn:1]-like labels automatically (default)}
10859 fnconfirm @r{offer automatic label for editing or confirmation}
10860 fnplain @r{create [1]-like labels automatically}
10861 fnadjust @r{automatically renumber and sort footnotes}
10862 nofnadjust @r{do not renumber and sort automatically}
10864 @cindex org-hide-block-startup
10865 To hide blocks on startup, use these keywords. The corresponding variable is
10866 @code{org-hide-block-startup}.
10867 @cindex @code{hideblocks}, STARTUP keyword
10868 @cindex @code{nohideblocks}, STARTUP keyword
10870 hideblocks @r{Hide all begin/end blocks on startup}
10871 nohideblocks @r{Do not hide blocks on startup}
10873 @item #+TAGS: TAG1(c1) TAG2(c2)
10874 @vindex org-tag-alist
10875 These lines (several such lines are allowed) specify the valid tags in
10876 this file, and (potentially) the corresponding @emph{fast tag selection}
10877 keys. The corresponding variable is @code{org-tag-alist}.
10879 This line contains the formulas for the table directly above the line.
10880 @item #+TITLE:, #+AUTHOR:, #+EMAIL:, #+LANGUAGE:, #+TEXT:, #+DATE:,
10881 @itemx #+OPTIONS:, #+BIND:
10882 @itemx #+DESCRIPTION:, #+KEYWORDS:
10883 @itemx #+LATEX_HEADER:, #+STYLE:, #+LINK_UP:, #+LINK_HOME:,
10884 @itemx #+EXPORT_SELECT_TAGS:, #+EXPORT_EXCLUDE_TAGS:
10885 These lines provide settings for exporting files. For more details see
10886 @ref{Export options}.
10887 @item #+TODO: #+SEQ_TODO: #+TYP_TODO:
10888 @vindex org-todo-keywords
10889 These lines set the TODO keywords and their interpretation in the
10890 current file. The corresponding variable is @code{org-todo-keywords}.
10893 @node The very busy C-c C-c key, Clean view, In-buffer settings, Miscellaneous
10894 @section The very busy C-c C-c key
10896 @cindex C-c C-c, overview
10898 The key @kbd{C-c C-c} has many purposes in Org, which are all
10899 mentioned scattered throughout this manual. One specific function of
10900 this key is to add @emph{tags} to a headline (@pxref{Tags}). In many
10901 other circumstances it means something like @emph{``Hey Org, look
10902 here and update according to what you see here''}. Here is a summary of
10903 what this means in different contexts.
10907 If there are highlights in the buffer from the creation of a sparse
10908 tree, or from clock display, remove these highlights.
10910 If the cursor is in one of the special @code{#+KEYWORD} lines, this
10911 triggers scanning the buffer for these lines and updating the
10914 If the cursor is inside a table, realign the table. This command
10915 works even if the automatic table editor has been turned off.
10917 If the cursor is on a @code{#+TBLFM} line, re-apply the formulas to
10920 If the current buffer is a Remember buffer, close the note and file it.
10921 With a prefix argument, file it, without further interaction, to the
10924 If the cursor is on a @code{<<<target>>>}, update radio targets and
10925 corresponding links in this buffer.
10927 If the cursor is in a property line or at the start or end of a property
10928 drawer, offer property commands.
10930 If the cursor is at a footnote reference, go to the corresponding
10931 definition, and vice versa.
10933 If the cursor is on a statistics cookie, update it.
10935 If the cursor is in a plain list item with a checkbox, toggle the status
10938 If the cursor is on a numbered item in a plain list, renumber the
10941 If the cursor is on the @code{#+BEGIN} line of a dynamic block, the
10945 @node Clean view, TTY keys, The very busy C-c C-c key, Miscellaneous
10946 @section A cleaner outline view
10947 @cindex hiding leading stars
10948 @cindex dynamic indentation
10949 @cindex odd-levels-only outlines
10950 @cindex clean outline view
10952 Some people find it noisy and distracting that the Org headlines start with a
10953 potentially large number of stars, and that text below the headlines is not
10954 indented. While this is no problem when writing a @emph{book-like} document
10955 where the outline headings are really section headings, in a more
10956 @emph{list-oriented} outline, indented structure is a lot cleaner:
10960 * Top level headline | * Top level headline
10961 ** Second level | * Second level
10962 *** 3rd level | * 3rd level
10963 some text | some text
10964 *** 3rd level | * 3rd level
10965 more text | more text
10966 * Another top level headline | * Another top level headline
10971 If you are using at least Emacs 23.1.50.3 and version 6.29 of Org, this kind
10972 of view can be achieved dynamically at display time using
10973 @code{org-indent-mode}. In this minor mode, all lines are prefixed for
10974 display with the necessary amount of space@footnote{@code{org-indent-mode}
10975 also sets the @code{wrap-prefix} property, such that @code{visual-line-mode}
10976 (or purely setting @code{word-wrap}) wraps long lines (including headlines)
10977 correctly indented. }. Also headlines are prefixed with additional stars,
10978 so that the amount of indentation shifts by two@footnote{See the variable
10979 @code{org-indent-indentation-per-level}.} spaces per level. All headline
10980 stars but the last one are made invisible using the @code{org-hide}
10981 face@footnote{Turning on @code{org-indent-mode} sets
10982 @code{org-hide-leading-stars} to @code{t} and @code{org-adapt-indentation} to
10983 @code{nil}.} - see below under @samp{2.} for more information on how this
10984 works. You can turn on @code{org-indent-mode} for all files by customizing
10985 the variable @code{org-startup-indented}, or you can turn it on for
10986 individual files using
10992 If you want a similar effect in earlier version of Emacs and/or Org, or if
10993 you want the indentation to be hard space characters so that the plain text
10994 file looks as similar as possible to the Emacs display, Org supports you in
10999 @emph{Indentation of text below headlines}@*
11000 You may indent text below each headline to make the left boundary line up
11001 with the headline, like
11005 more text, now indented
11008 @vindex org-adapt-indentation
11009 Org supports this with paragraph filling, line wrapping, and structure
11010 editing@footnote{See also the variable @code{org-adapt-indentation}.},
11011 preserving or adapting the indentation as appropriate.
11014 @vindex org-hide-leading-stars
11015 @emph{Hiding leading stars}@* You can modify the display in such a way that
11016 all leading stars become invisible. To do this in a global way, configure
11017 the variable @code{org-hide-leading-stars} or change this on a per-file basis
11021 #+STARTUP: hidestars
11022 #+STARTUP: showstars
11025 With hidden stars, the tree becomes:
11029 * Top level headline
11037 @vindex org-hide @r{(face)}
11038 The leading stars are not truly replaced by whitespace, they are only
11039 fontified with the face @code{org-hide} that uses the background color as
11040 font color. If you are not using either white or black background, you may
11041 have to customize this face to get the wanted effect. Another possibility is
11042 to set this font such that the extra stars are @i{almost} invisible, for
11043 example using the color @code{grey90} on a white background.
11046 @vindex org-odd-levels-only
11047 Things become cleaner still if you skip all the even levels and use only odd
11048 levels 1, 3, 5..., effectively adding two stars to go from one outline level
11049 to the next@footnote{When you need to specify a level for a property search
11050 or refile targets, @samp{LEVEL=2} will correspond to 3 stars, etc@.}. In this
11051 way we get the outline view shown at the beginning of this section. In order
11052 to make the structure editing and export commands handle this convention
11053 correctly, configure the variable @code{org-odd-levels-only}, or set this on
11054 a per-file basis with one of the following lines:
11061 You can convert an Org file from single-star-per-level to the
11062 double-star-per-level convention with @kbd{M-x org-convert-to-odd-levels
11063 RET} in that file. The reverse operation is @kbd{M-x
11064 org-convert-to-oddeven-levels}.
11067 @node TTY keys, Interaction, Clean view, Miscellaneous
11068 @section Using Org on a tty
11069 @cindex tty key bindings
11071 Because Org contains a large number of commands, by default many of
11072 Org's core commands are bound to keys that are generally not
11073 accessible on a tty, such as the cursor keys (@key{left}, @key{right},
11074 @key{up}, @key{down}), @key{TAB} and @key{RET}, in particular when used
11075 together with modifiers like @key{Meta} and/or @key{Shift}. To access
11076 these commands on a tty when special keys are unavailable, the following
11077 alternative bindings can be used. The tty bindings below will likely be
11078 more cumbersome; you may find for some of the bindings below that a
11079 customized workaround suits you better. For example, changing a timestamp
11080 is really only fun with @kbd{S-@key{cursor}} keys, whereas on a
11081 tty you would rather use @kbd{C-c .} to re-insert the timestamp.
11083 @multitable @columnfractions 0.15 0.2 0.1 0.2
11084 @item @b{Default} @tab @b{Alternative 1} @tab @b{Speed key} @tab @b{Alternative 2}
11085 @item @kbd{S-@key{TAB}} @tab @kbd{C-u @key{TAB}} @tab @kbd{C} @tab
11086 @item @kbd{M-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x l} @tab @kbd{l} @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{left}}
11087 @item @kbd{M-S-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x L} @tab @kbd{L} @tab
11088 @item @kbd{M-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x r} @tab @kbd{r} @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{right}}
11089 @item @kbd{M-S-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x R} @tab @kbd{R} @tab
11090 @item @kbd{M-@key{up}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x u} @tab @kbd{ } @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{up}}
11091 @item @kbd{M-S-@key{up}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x U} @tab @kbd{U} @tab
11092 @item @kbd{M-@key{down}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x d} @tab @kbd{ } @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{down}}
11093 @item @kbd{M-S-@key{down}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x D} @tab @kbd{D} @tab
11094 @item @kbd{S-@key{RET}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x c} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
11095 @item @kbd{M-@key{RET}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x m} @tab @kbd{ } @tab @kbd{@key{Esc} @key{RET}}
11096 @item @kbd{M-S-@key{RET}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x M} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
11097 @item @kbd{S-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{left}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
11098 @item @kbd{S-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{right}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
11099 @item @kbd{S-@key{up}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{up}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
11100 @item @kbd{S-@key{down}} @tab @kbd{C-c @key{down}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
11101 @item @kbd{C-S-@key{left}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x @key{left}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
11102 @item @kbd{C-S-@key{right}} @tab @kbd{C-c C-x @key{right}} @tab @kbd{ } @tab
11106 @node Interaction, , TTY keys, Miscellaneous
11107 @section Interaction with other packages
11108 @cindex packages, interaction with other
11109 Org lives in the world of GNU Emacs and interacts in various ways
11110 with other code out there.
11113 * Cooperation:: Packages Org cooperates with
11114 * Conflicts:: Packages that lead to conflicts
11117 @node Cooperation, Conflicts, Interaction, Interaction
11118 @subsection Packages that Org cooperates with
11121 @cindex @file{calc.el}
11122 @cindex Gillespie, Dave
11123 @item @file{calc.el} by Dave Gillespie
11124 Org uses the Calc package for implementing spreadsheet
11125 functionality in its tables (@pxref{The spreadsheet}). Org
11126 checks for the availability of Calc by looking for the function
11127 @code{calc-eval} which will have been autoloaded during setup if Calc has
11128 been installed properly. As of Emacs 22, Calc is part of the Emacs
11129 distribution. Another possibility for interaction between the two
11130 packages is using Calc for embedded calculations. @xref{Embedded Mode,
11131 , Embedded Mode, Calc, GNU Emacs Calc Manual}.
11132 @item @file{constants.el} by Carsten Dominik
11133 @cindex @file{constants.el}
11134 @cindex Dominik, Carsten
11135 @vindex org-table-formula-constants
11136 In a table formula (@pxref{The spreadsheet}), it is possible to use
11137 names for natural constants or units. Instead of defining your own
11138 constants in the variable @code{org-table-formula-constants}, install
11139 the @file{constants} package which defines a large number of constants
11140 and units, and lets you use unit prefixes like @samp{M} for
11141 @samp{Mega}, etc@. You will need version 2.0 of this package, available
11142 at @url{http://www.astro.uva.nl/~dominik/Tools}. Org checks for
11143 the function @code{constants-get}, which has to be autoloaded in your
11144 setup. See the installation instructions in the file
11145 @file{constants.el}.
11146 @item @file{cdlatex.el} by Carsten Dominik
11147 @cindex @file{cdlatex.el}
11148 @cindex Dominik, Carsten
11149 Org mode can make use of the CDLa@TeX{} package to efficiently enter
11150 La@TeX{} fragments into Org files. See @ref{CDLaTeX mode}.
11151 @item @file{imenu.el} by Ake Stenhoff and Lars Lindberg
11152 @cindex @file{imenu.el}
11153 Imenu allows menu access to an index of items in a file. Org mode
11154 supports Imenu---all you need to do to get the index is the following:
11156 (add-hook 'org-mode-hook
11157 (lambda () (imenu-add-to-menubar "Imenu")))
11159 @vindex org-imenu-depth
11160 By default the index is two levels deep---you can modify the depth using
11161 the option @code{org-imenu-depth}.
11162 @item @file{remember.el} by John Wiegley
11163 @cindex @file{remember.el}
11164 @cindex Wiegley, John
11165 Org cooperates with remember, see @ref{Remember}.
11166 As of Emacs 23, @file{Remember.el} is part of the Emacs distribution.
11167 @item @file{speedbar.el} by Eric M. Ludlam
11168 @cindex @file{speedbar.el}
11169 @cindex Ludlam, Eric M.
11170 Speedbar is a package that creates a special frame displaying files and
11171 index items in files. Org mode supports Speedbar and allows you to
11172 drill into Org files directly from the Speedbar. It also allows you to
11173 restrict the scope of agenda commands to a file or a subtree by using
11174 the command @kbd{<} in the Speedbar frame.
11175 @cindex @file{table.el}
11176 @item @file{table.el} by Takaaki Ota
11178 @cindex table editor, @file{table.el}
11179 @cindex @file{table.el}
11180 @cindex Ota, Takaaki
11182 Complex ASCII tables with automatic line wrapping, column- and row-spanning,
11183 and alignment can be created using the Emacs table package by Takaaki Ota
11184 (@uref{http://sourceforge.net/projects/table}, and also part of Emacs 22).
11185 Org-mode will recognize these tables and export them properly. Because of
11186 interference with other Org-mode functionality, you unfortunately cannot edit
11187 these tables directly in the buffer. Instead, you need to use the command
11188 @kbd{C-c '} to edit them, similar to source code snippets.
11193 Edit a @file{table.el} table. Works when the cursor is in a table.el table.
11197 Insert a @file{table.el} table. If there is already a table at point, this
11198 command converts it between the @file{table.el} format and the Org-mode
11199 format. See the documentation string of the command
11200 @code{org-convert-table} for the restrictions under which this is
11203 @file{table.el} is part of Emacs since Emacs 22.
11204 @item @file{footnote.el} by Steven L. Baur
11205 @cindex @file{footnote.el}
11206 @cindex Baur, Steven L.
11207 Org mode recognizes numerical footnotes as provided by this package.
11208 However, Org mode also has its own footnote support (@pxref{Footnotes}),
11209 which makes using @file{footnote.el} unnecessary.
11212 @node Conflicts, , Cooperation, Interaction
11213 @subsection Packages that lead to conflicts with Org mode
11217 @cindex @code{shift-selection-mode}
11218 @vindex org-support-shift-select
11219 In Emacs 23, @code{shift-selection-mode} is on by default, meaning that
11220 cursor motions combined with the shift key should start or enlarge regions.
11221 This conflicts with the use of @kbd{S-@key{cursor}} commands in Org to change
11222 timestamps, TODO keywords, priorities, and item bullet types if the cursor is
11223 at such a location. By default, @kbd{S-@key{cursor}} commands outside
11224 special contexts don't do anything, but you can customize the variable
11225 @code{org-support-shift-select}. Org mode then tries to accommodate shift
11226 selection by (i) using it outside of the special contexts where special
11227 commands apply, and by (ii) extending an existing active region even if the
11228 cursor moves across a special context.
11230 @item @file{CUA.el} by Kim. F. Storm
11231 @cindex @file{CUA.el}
11232 @cindex Storm, Kim. F.
11233 @vindex org-replace-disputed-keys
11234 Key bindings in Org conflict with the @kbd{S-<cursor>} keys used by CUA mode
11235 (as well as @code{pc-select-mode} and @code{s-region-mode}) to select and extend the
11236 region. In fact, Emacs 23 has this built-in in the form of
11237 @code{shift-selection-mode}, see previous paragraph. If you are using Emacs
11238 23, you probably don't want to use another package for this purpose. However,
11239 if you prefer to leave these keys to a different package while working in
11240 Org mode, configure the variable @code{org-replace-disputed-keys}. When set,
11241 Org will move the following key bindings in Org files, and in the agenda
11242 buffer (but not during date selection).
11245 S-UP -> M-p S-DOWN -> M-n
11246 S-LEFT -> M-- S-RIGHT -> M-+
11247 C-S-LEFT -> M-S-- C-S-RIGHT -> M-S-+
11250 @vindex org-disputed-keys
11251 Yes, these are unfortunately more difficult to remember. If you want
11252 to have other replacement keys, look at the variable
11253 @code{org-disputed-keys}.
11255 @item @file{yasnippet.el}
11256 @cindex @file{yasnippet.el}
11257 The way Org-mode binds the TAB key (binding to @code{[tab]} instead of
11258 @code{"\t"}) overrules yasnippets' access to this key. The following code
11259 fixed this problem:
11262 (add-hook 'org-mode-hook
11264 (org-set-local 'yas/trigger-key [tab])
11265 (define-key yas/keymap [tab] 'yas/next-field-group)))
11268 @item @file{windmove.el} by Hovav Shacham
11269 @cindex @file{windmove.el}
11270 This package also uses the @kbd{S-<cursor>} keys, so everything written
11271 in the paragraph above about CUA mode also applies here.
11273 @item @file{viper.el} by Michael Kifer
11274 @cindex @file{viper.el}
11276 Viper uses @kbd{C-c /} and therefore makes this key not access the
11277 corresponding Org-mode command @code{org-sparse-tree}. You need to find
11278 another key for this command, or override the key in
11279 @code{viper-vi-global-user-map} with
11282 (define-key viper-vi-global-user-map "C-c /" 'org-sparse-tree)
11288 @node Hacking, MobileOrg, Miscellaneous, Top
11292 This appendix covers some aspects where users can extend the functionality of
11296 * Hooks:: Who to reach into Org's internals
11297 * Add-on packages:: Available extensions
11298 * Adding hyperlink types:: New custom link types
11299 * Context-sensitive commands:: How to add functionality to such commands
11300 * Tables in arbitrary syntax:: Orgtbl for La@TeX{} and other programs
11301 * Dynamic blocks:: Automatically filled blocks
11302 * Special agenda views:: Customized views
11303 * Extracting agenda information:: Postprocessing of agenda information
11304 * Using the property API:: Writing programs that use entry properties
11305 * Using the mapping API:: Mapping over all or selected entries
11308 @node Hooks, Add-on packages, Hacking, Hacking
11312 Org has a large number of hook variables that can be used to add
11313 functionality. This appendix about hacking is going to illustrate the
11314 use of some of them. A complete list of all hooks with documentation is
11315 maintained by the Worg project and can be found at
11316 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-configs/org-hooks.php}.
11318 @node Add-on packages, Adding hyperlink types, Hooks, Hacking
11319 @section Add-on packages
11320 @cindex add-on packages
11322 A large number of add-on packages have been written by various authors.
11323 These packages are not part of Emacs, but they are distributed as contributed
11324 packages with the separate release available at the Org mode home page at
11325 @uref{http://orgmode.org}. The list of contributed packages, along with
11326 documentation about each package, is maintained by the Worg project at
11327 @uref{http://orgmode.org/worg/org-contrib/}.
11331 @node Adding hyperlink types, Context-sensitive commands, Add-on packages, Hacking
11332 @section Adding hyperlink types
11333 @cindex hyperlinks, adding new types
11335 Org has a large number of hyperlink types built-in
11336 (@pxref{Hyperlinks}). If you would like to add new link types, Org
11337 provides an interface for doing so. Let's look at an example file,
11338 @file{org-man.el}, that will add support for creating links like
11339 @samp{[[man:printf][The printf manpage]]} to show Unix manual pages inside
11343 ;;; org-man.el - Support for links to manpages in Org
11347 (org-add-link-type "man" 'org-man-open)
11348 (add-hook 'org-store-link-functions 'org-man-store-link)
11350 (defcustom org-man-command 'man
11351 "The Emacs command to be used to display a man page."
11353 :type '(choice (const man) (const woman)))
11355 (defun org-man-open (path)
11356 "Visit the manpage on PATH.
11357 PATH should be a topic that can be thrown at the man command."
11358 (funcall org-man-command path))
11360 (defun org-man-store-link ()
11361 "Store a link to a manpage."
11362 (when (memq major-mode '(Man-mode woman-mode))
11363 ;; This is a man page, we do make this link
11364 (let* ((page (org-man-get-page-name))
11365 (link (concat "man:" page))
11366 (description (format "Manpage for %s" page)))
11367 (org-store-link-props
11370 :description description))))
11372 (defun org-man-get-page-name ()
11373 "Extract the page name from the buffer name."
11374 ;; This works for both `Man-mode' and `woman-mode'.
11375 (if (string-match " \\(\\S-+\\)\\*" (buffer-name))
11376 (match-string 1 (buffer-name))
11377 (error "Cannot create link to this man page")))
11381 ;;; org-man.el ends here
11385 You would activate this new link type in @file{.emacs} with
11392 Let's go through the file and see what it does.
11395 It does @code{(require 'org)} to make sure that @file{org.el} has been
11398 The next line calls @code{org-add-link-type} to define a new link type
11399 with prefix @samp{man}. The call also contains the name of a function
11400 that will be called to follow such a link.
11402 @vindex org-store-link-functions
11403 The next line adds a function to @code{org-store-link-functions}, in
11404 order to allow the command @kbd{C-c l} to record a useful link in a
11405 buffer displaying a man page.
11408 The rest of the file defines the necessary variables and functions.
11409 First there is a customization variable that determines which Emacs
11410 command should be used to display man pages. There are two options,
11411 @code{man} and @code{woman}. Then the function to follow a link is
11412 defined. It gets the link path as an argument---in this case the link
11413 path is just a topic for the manual command. The function calls the
11414 value of @code{org-man-command} to display the man page.
11416 Finally the function @code{org-man-store-link} is defined. When you try
11417 to store a link with @kbd{C-c l}, this function will be called to
11418 try to make a link. The function must first decide if it is supposed to
11419 create the link for this buffer type; we do this by checking the value
11420 of the variable @code{major-mode}. If not, the function must exit and
11421 return the value @code{nil}. If yes, the link is created by getting the
11422 manual topic from the buffer name and prefixing it with the string
11423 @samp{man:}. Then it must call the command @code{org-store-link-props}
11424 and set the @code{:type} and @code{:link} properties. Optionally you
11425 can also set the @code{:description} property to provide a default for
11426 the link description when the link is later inserted into an Org
11427 buffer with @kbd{C-c C-l}.
11429 When is makes sense for your new link type, you may also define a function
11430 @code{org-PREFIX-complete-link} that implements special (e.g. completion)
11431 support for inserting such a link with @kbd{C-c C-l}. Such a function should
11432 not accept any arguments, and return the full link with prefix.
11434 @node Context-sensitive commands, Tables in arbitrary syntax, Adding hyperlink types, Hacking
11435 @section Context-sensitive commands
11436 @cindex context-sensitive commands, hooks
11437 @cindex add-ons, context-sensitive commands
11438 @vindex org-ctrl-c-ctrl-c-hook
11440 Org has several commands that act differently depending on context. The most
11441 important example it the @kbd{C-c C-c} (@pxref{The very busy C-c C-c key}).
11442 Also the @kbd{M-cursor} and @kbd{M-S-cursor} keys have this property.
11444 Add-ons can tap into this functionality by providing a function that detects
11445 special context for that add-on and executes functionality appropriate for
11446 the context. Here is an example from Dan Davison's @file{org-R.el} which
11447 allows you to evaluate commands based on the @file{R} programming language. For
11448 this package, special contexts are lines that start with @code{#+R:} or
11452 (defun org-R-apply-maybe ()
11453 "Detect if this is context for org-R and execute R commands."
11454 (if (save-excursion
11455 (beginning-of-line 1)
11456 (looking-at "#\\+RR?:"))
11457 (progn (call-interactively 'org-R-apply)
11458 t) ;; to signal that we took action
11459 nil)) ;; to signal that we did not
11461 (add-hook 'org-ctrl-c-ctrl-c-hook 'org-R-apply-maybe)
11464 The function first checks if the cursor is in such a line. If that is the
11465 case, @code{org-R-apply} is called and the function returns @code{t} to
11466 signal that action was taken, and @kbd{C-c C-c} will stop looking for other
11467 contexts. If the function finds it should do nothing locally, it returns @code{nil} so that other, similar functions can have a try.
11470 @node Tables in arbitrary syntax, Dynamic blocks, Context-sensitive commands, Hacking
11471 @section Tables and lists in arbitrary syntax
11472 @cindex tables, in other modes
11473 @cindex lists, in other modes
11474 @cindex Orgtbl mode
11476 Since Orgtbl mode can be used as a minor mode in arbitrary buffers, a
11477 frequent feature request has been to make it work with native tables in
11478 specific languages, for example La@TeX{}. However, this is extremely
11479 hard to do in a general way, would lead to a customization nightmare,
11480 and would take away much of the simplicity of the Orgtbl-mode table
11484 This appendix describes a different approach. We keep the Orgtbl mode
11485 table in its native format (the @i{source table}), and use a custom
11486 function to @i{translate} the table to the correct syntax, and to
11487 @i{install} it in the right location (the @i{target table}). This puts
11488 the burden of writing conversion functions on the user, but it allows
11489 for a very flexible system.
11491 Bastien added the ability to do the same with lists. You can use Org's
11492 facilities to edit and structure lists by turning @code{orgstruct-mode}
11493 on, then locally exporting such lists in another format (HTML, La@TeX{}
11498 * Radio tables:: Sending and receiving radio tables
11499 * A LaTeX example:: Step by step, almost a tutorial
11500 * Translator functions:: Copy and modify
11501 * Radio lists:: Doing the same for lists
11504 @node Radio tables, A LaTeX example, Tables in arbitrary syntax, Tables in arbitrary syntax
11505 @subsection Radio tables
11506 @cindex radio tables
11508 To define the location of the target table, you first need to create two
11509 lines that are comments in the current mode, but contain magic words for
11510 Orgtbl mode to find. Orgtbl mode will insert the translated table
11511 between these lines, replacing whatever was there before. For example:
11514 /* BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL table_name */
11515 /* END RECEIVE ORGTBL table_name */
11519 Just above the source table, we put a special line that tells
11520 Orgtbl mode how to translate this table and where to install it. For
11524 #+ORGTBL: SEND table_name translation_function arguments....
11528 @code{table_name} is the reference name for the table that is also used
11529 in the receiver lines. @code{translation_function} is the Lisp function
11530 that does the translation. Furthermore, the line can contain a list of
11531 arguments (alternating key and value) at the end. The arguments will be
11532 passed as a property list to the translation function for
11533 interpretation. A few standard parameters are already recognized and
11534 acted upon before the translation function is called:
11538 Skip the first N lines of the table. Hlines do count as separate lines for
11541 @item :skipcols (n1 n2 ...)
11542 List of columns that should be skipped. If the table has a column with
11543 calculation marks, that column is automatically discarded as well.
11544 Please note that the translator function sees the table @emph{after} the
11545 removal of these columns, the function never knows that there have been
11546 additional columns.
11550 The one problem remaining is how to keep the source table in the buffer
11551 without disturbing the normal workings of the file, for example during
11552 compilation of a C file or processing of a La@TeX{} file. There are a
11553 number of different solutions:
11557 The table could be placed in a block comment if that is supported by the
11558 language. For example, in C mode you could wrap the table between
11559 @samp{/*} and @samp{*/} lines.
11561 Sometimes it is possible to put the table after some kind of @i{END}
11562 statement, for example @samp{\bye} in @TeX{} and @samp{\end@{document@}}
11565 You can just comment the table line-by-line whenever you want to process
11566 the file, and uncomment it whenever you need to edit the table. This
11567 only sounds tedious---the command @kbd{M-x orgtbl-toggle-comment}
11568 makes this comment-toggling very easy, in particular if you bind it to a
11572 @node A LaTeX example, Translator functions, Radio tables, Tables in arbitrary syntax
11573 @subsection A La@TeX{} example of radio tables
11574 @cindex La@TeX{}, and Orgtbl mode
11576 The best way to wrap the source table in La@TeX{} is to use the
11577 @code{comment} environment provided by @file{comment.sty}. It has to be
11578 activated by placing @code{\usepackage@{comment@}} into the document
11579 header. Orgtbl mode can insert a radio table skeleton@footnote{By
11580 default this works only for La@TeX{}, HTML, and Texinfo. Configure the
11581 variable @code{orgtbl-radio-tables} to install templates for other
11582 modes.} with the command @kbd{M-x orgtbl-insert-radio-table}. You will
11583 be prompted for a table name, let's say we use @samp{salesfigures}. You
11584 will then get the following template:
11586 @cindex #+ORGTBL, SEND
11588 % BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
11589 % END RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
11591 #+ORGTBL: SEND salesfigures orgtbl-to-latex
11597 @vindex La@TeX{}-verbatim-environments
11598 The @code{#+ORGTBL: SEND} line tells Orgtbl mode to use the function
11599 @code{orgtbl-to-latex} to convert the table into La@TeX{} and to put it
11600 into the receiver location with name @code{salesfigures}. You may now
11601 fill in the table, feel free to use the spreadsheet features@footnote{If
11602 the @samp{#+TBLFM} line contains an odd number of dollar characters,
11603 this may cause problems with font-lock in La@TeX{} mode. As shown in the
11604 example you can fix this by adding an extra line inside the
11605 @code{comment} environment that is used to balance the dollar
11606 expressions. If you are using AUC@TeX{} with the font-latex library, a
11607 much better solution is to add the @code{comment} environment to the
11608 variable @code{LaTeX-verbatim-environments}.}:
11611 % BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
11612 % END RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
11614 #+ORGTBL: SEND salesfigures orgtbl-to-latex
11615 | Month | Days | Nr sold | per day |
11616 |-------+------+---------+---------|
11617 | Jan | 23 | 55 | 2.4 |
11618 | Feb | 21 | 16 | 0.8 |
11619 | March | 22 | 278 | 12.6 |
11620 #+TBLFM: $4=$3/$2;%.1f
11621 % $ (optional extra dollar to keep font-lock happy, see footnote)
11626 When you are done, press @kbd{C-c C-c} in the table to get the converted
11627 table inserted between the two marker lines.
11629 Now let's assume you want to make the table header by hand, because you
11630 want to control how columns are aligned, etc@. In this case we make sure
11631 that the table translator skips the first 2 lines of the source
11632 table, and tell the command to work as a @i{splice}, i.e. to not produce
11633 header and footer commands of the target table:
11636 \begin@{tabular@}@{lrrr@}
11637 Month & \multicolumn@{1@}@{c@}@{Days@} & Nr.\ sold & per day\\
11638 % BEGIN RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
11639 % END RECEIVE ORGTBL salesfigures
11643 #+ORGTBL: SEND salesfigures orgtbl-to-latex :splice t :skip 2
11644 | Month | Days | Nr sold | per day |
11645 |-------+------+---------+---------|
11646 | Jan | 23 | 55 | 2.4 |
11647 | Feb | 21 | 16 | 0.8 |
11648 | March | 22 | 278 | 12.6 |
11649 #+TBLFM: $4=$3/$2;%.1f
11653 The La@TeX{} translator function @code{orgtbl-to-latex} is already part of
11654 Orgtbl mode. It uses a @code{tabular} environment to typeset the table
11655 and marks horizontal lines with @code{\hline}. Furthermore, it
11656 interprets the following parameters (see also @pxref{Translator functions}):
11659 @item :splice nil/t
11660 When set to t, return only table body lines, don't wrap them into a
11661 tabular environment. Default is nil.
11664 A format to be used to wrap each field, it should contain @code{%s} for the
11665 original field value. For example, to wrap each field value in dollars,
11666 you could use @code{:fmt "$%s$"}. This may also be a property list with
11667 column numbers and formats. for example @code{:fmt (2 "$%s$" 4 "%s\\%%")}.
11668 A function of one argument can be used in place of the strings; the
11669 function must return a formatted string.
11672 Use this format to print numbers with exponentials. The format should
11673 have @code{%s} twice for inserting mantissa and exponent, for example
11674 @code{"%s\\times10^@{%s@}"}. The default is @code{"%s\\,(%s)"}. This
11675 may also be a property list with column numbers and formats, for example
11676 @code{:efmt (2 "$%s\\times10^@{%s@}$" 4 "$%s\\cdot10^@{%s@}$")}. After
11677 @code{efmt} has been applied to a value, @code{fmt} will also be
11678 applied. Similar to @code{fmt}, functions of two arguments can be
11679 supplied instead of strings.
11682 @node Translator functions, Radio lists, A LaTeX example, Tables in arbitrary syntax
11683 @subsection Translator functions
11684 @cindex HTML, and Orgtbl mode
11685 @cindex translator function
11687 Orgtbl mode has several translator functions built-in: @code{orgtbl-to-csv}
11688 (comma-separated values), @code{orgtbl-to-tsv} (TAB-separated values)
11689 @code{orgtbl-to-latex}, @code{orgtbl-to-html}, and @code{orgtbl-to-texinfo}.
11690 Except for @code{orgtbl-to-html}@footnote{The HTML translator uses the same
11691 code that produces tables during HTML export.}, these all use a generic
11692 translator, @code{orgtbl-to-generic}. For example, @code{orgtbl-to-latex}
11693 itself is a very short function that computes the column definitions for the
11694 @code{tabular} environment, defines a few field and line separators and then
11695 hands processing over to the generic translator. Here is the entire code:
11699 (defun orgtbl-to-latex (table params)
11700 "Convert the Orgtbl mode TABLE to LaTeX."
11701 (let* ((alignment (mapconcat (lambda (x) (if x "r" "l"))
11702 org-table-last-alignment ""))
11705 :tstart (concat "\\begin@{tabular@}@{" alignment "@}")
11706 :tend "\\end@{tabular@}"
11707 :lstart "" :lend " \\\\" :sep " & "
11708 :efmt "%s\\,(%s)" :hline "\\hline")))
11709 (orgtbl-to-generic table (org-combine-plists params2 params))))
11713 As you can see, the properties passed into the function (variable
11714 @var{PARAMS}) are combined with the ones newly defined in the function
11715 (variable @var{PARAMS2}). The ones passed into the function (i.e. the
11716 ones set by the @samp{ORGTBL SEND} line) take precedence. So if you
11717 would like to use the La@TeX{} translator, but wanted the line endings to
11718 be @samp{\\[2mm]} instead of the default @samp{\\}, you could just
11719 overrule the default with
11722 #+ORGTBL: SEND test orgtbl-to-latex :lend " \\\\[2mm]"
11725 For a new language, you can either write your own converter function in
11726 analogy with the La@TeX{} translator, or you can use the generic function
11727 directly. For example, if you have a language where a table is started
11728 with @samp{!BTBL!}, ended with @samp{!ETBL!}, and where table lines are
11729 started with @samp{!BL!}, ended with @samp{!EL!}, and where the field
11730 separator is a TAB, you could call the generic translator like this (on
11734 #+ORGTBL: SEND test orgtbl-to-generic :tstart "!BTBL!" :tend "!ETBL!"
11735 :lstart "!BL! " :lend " !EL!" :sep "\t"
11739 Please check the documentation string of the function
11740 @code{orgtbl-to-generic} for a full list of parameters understood by
11741 that function, and remember that you can pass each of them into
11742 @code{orgtbl-to-latex}, @code{orgtbl-to-texinfo}, and any other function
11743 using the generic function.
11745 Of course you can also write a completely new function doing complicated
11746 things the generic translator cannot do. A translator function takes
11747 two arguments. The first argument is the table, a list of lines, each
11748 line either the symbol @code{hline} or a list of fields. The second
11749 argument is the property list containing all parameters specified in the
11750 @samp{#+ORGTBL: SEND} line. The function must return a single string
11751 containing the formatted table. If you write a generally useful
11752 translator, please post it on @email{emacs-orgmode@@gnu.org} so that
11753 others can benefit from your work.
11755 @node Radio lists, , Translator functions, Tables in arbitrary syntax
11756 @subsection Radio lists
11757 @cindex radio lists
11758 @cindex org-list-insert-radio-list
11760 Sending and receiving radio lists works exactly the same way than sending and
11761 receiving radio tables (@pxref{Radio tables}). As for radio tables, you can
11762 insert radio lists templates in HTML, La@TeX{} and Texinfo modes by calling
11763 @code{org-list-insert-radio-list}.
11765 Here are the differences with radio tables:
11769 Use @code{ORGLST} instead of @code{ORGTBL}.
11771 The available translation functions for radio lists don't take
11774 @kbd{C-c C-c} will work when pressed on the first item of the list.
11777 Here is a La@TeX{} example. Let's say that you have this in your
11782 % BEGIN RECEIVE ORGLST to-buy
11783 % END RECEIVE ORGLST to-buy
11785 #+ORGLIST: SEND to-buy orgtbl-to-latex
11794 Pressing `C-c C-c' on @code{a new house} and will insert the converted
11795 La@TeX{} list between the two marker lines.
11797 @node Dynamic blocks, Special agenda views, Tables in arbitrary syntax, Hacking
11798 @section Dynamic blocks
11799 @cindex dynamic blocks
11801 Org documents can contain @emph{dynamic blocks}. These are
11802 specially marked regions that are updated by some user-written function.
11803 A good example for such a block is the clock table inserted by the
11804 command @kbd{C-c C-x C-r} (@pxref{Clocking work time}).
11806 Dynamic block are enclosed by a BEGIN-END structure that assigns a name
11807 to the block and can also specify parameters for the function producing
11808 the content of the block.
11810 #+BEGIN:dynamic block
11812 #+BEGIN: myblock :parameter1 value1 :parameter2 value2 ...
11817 Dynamic blocks are updated with the following commands
11820 @kindex C-c C-x C-u
11822 Update dynamic block at point.
11823 @kindex C-u C-c C-x C-u
11824 @item C-u C-c C-x C-u
11825 Update all dynamic blocks in the current file.
11828 Updating a dynamic block means to remove all the text between BEGIN and
11829 END, parse the BEGIN line for parameters and then call the specific
11830 writer function for this block to insert the new content. If you want
11831 to use the original content in the writer function, you can use the
11832 extra parameter @code{:content}.
11834 For a block with name @code{myblock}, the writer function is
11835 @code{org-dblock-write:myblock} with as only parameter a property list
11836 with the parameters given in the begin line. Here is a trivial example
11837 of a block that keeps track of when the block update function was last
11841 #+BEGIN: block-update-time :format "on %m/%d/%Y at %H:%M"
11847 The corresponding block writer function could look like this:
11850 (defun org-dblock-write:block-update-time (params)
11851 (let ((fmt (or (plist-get params :format) "%d. %m. %Y")))
11852 (insert "Last block update at: "
11853 (format-time-string fmt (current-time)))))
11856 If you want to make sure that all dynamic blocks are always up-to-date,
11857 you could add the function @code{org-update-all-dblocks} to a hook, for
11858 example @code{before-save-hook}. @code{org-update-all-dblocks} is
11859 written in a way such that it does nothing in buffers that are not in
11862 @node Special agenda views, Extracting agenda information, Dynamic blocks, Hacking
11863 @section Special agenda views
11864 @cindex agenda views, user-defined
11866 Org provides a special hook that can be used to narrow down the
11867 selection made by any of the agenda views. You may specify a function
11868 that is used at each match to verify if the match should indeed be part
11869 of the agenda view, and if not, how much should be skipped.
11871 Let's say you want to produce a list of projects that contain a WAITING
11872 tag anywhere in the project tree. Let's further assume that you have
11873 marked all tree headings that define a project with the TODO keyword
11874 PROJECT. In this case you would run a TODO search for the keyword
11875 PROJECT, but skip the match unless there is a WAITING tag anywhere in
11876 the subtree belonging to the project line.
11878 To achieve this, you must write a function that searches the subtree for
11879 the tag. If the tag is found, the function must return @code{nil} to
11880 indicate that this match should not be skipped. If there is no such
11881 tag, return the location of the end of the subtree, to indicate that
11882 search should continue from there.
11885 (defun my-skip-unless-waiting ()
11886 "Skip trees that are not waiting"
11887 (let ((subtree-end (save-excursion (org-end-of-subtree t))))
11888 (if (re-search-forward ":waiting:" subtree-end t)
11889 nil ; tag found, do not skip
11890 subtree-end))) ; tag not found, continue after end of subtree
11893 Now you may use this function in an agenda custom command, for example
11897 (org-add-agenda-custom-command
11898 '("b" todo "PROJECT"
11899 ((org-agenda-skip-function 'my-skip-unless-waiting)
11900 (org-agenda-overriding-header "Projects waiting for something: "))))
11903 @vindex org-agenda-overriding-header
11904 Note that this also binds @code{org-agenda-overriding-header} to get a
11905 meaningful header in the agenda view.
11907 @vindex org-odd-levels-only
11908 @vindex org-agenda-skip-function
11909 A general way to create custom searches is to base them on a search for
11910 entries with a certain level limit. If you want to study all entries with
11911 your custom search function, simply do a search for
11912 @samp{LEVEL>0}@footnote{Note that, when using @code{org-odd-levels-only}, a
11913 level number corresponds to order in the hierarchy, not to the number of
11914 stars.}, and then use @code{org-agenda-skip-function} to select the entries
11915 you really want to have.
11917 You may also put a Lisp form into @code{org-agenda-skip-function}. In
11918 particular, you may use the functions @code{org-agenda-skip-entry-if}
11919 and @code{org-agenda-skip-subtree-if} in this form, for example:
11922 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'scheduled)
11923 Skip current entry if it has been scheduled.
11924 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'notscheduled)
11925 Skip current entry if it has not been scheduled.
11926 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'deadline)
11927 Skip current entry if it has a deadline.
11928 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'scheduled 'deadline)
11929 Skip current entry if it has a deadline, or if it is scheduled.
11930 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'todo '("TODO" "WAITING"))
11931 Skip current entry if the TODO keyword is TODO or WAITING.
11932 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'todo 'done)
11933 Skip current entry if the TODO keyword marks a DONE state.
11934 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'timestamp)
11935 Skip current entry if it has any timestamp, may also be deadline or scheduled.
11936 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry 'regexp "regular expression")
11937 Skip current entry if the regular expression matches in the entry.
11938 @item '(org-agenda-skip-entry 'notregexp "regular expression")
11939 Skip current entry unless the regular expression matches.
11940 @item '(org-agenda-skip-subtree-if 'regexp "regular expression")
11941 Same as above, but check and skip the entire subtree.
11944 Therefore we could also have written the search for WAITING projects
11945 like this, even without defining a special function:
11948 (org-add-agenda-custom-command
11949 '("b" todo "PROJECT"
11950 ((org-agenda-skip-function '(org-agenda-skip-subtree-if
11951 'regexp ":waiting:"))
11952 (org-agenda-overriding-header "Projects waiting for something: "))))
11955 @node Extracting agenda information, Using the property API, Special agenda views, Hacking
11956 @section Extracting agenda information
11957 @cindex agenda, pipe
11958 @cindex Scripts, for agenda processing
11960 @vindex org-agenda-custom-commands
11961 Org provides commands to access agenda information for the command
11962 line in Emacs batch mode. This extracted information can be sent
11963 directly to a printer, or it can be read by a program that does further
11964 processing of the data. The first of these commands is the function
11965 @code{org-batch-agenda}, that produces an agenda view and sends it as
11966 ASCII text to STDOUT. The command takes a single string as parameter.
11967 If the string has length 1, it is used as a key to one of the commands
11968 you have configured in @code{org-agenda-custom-commands}, basically any
11969 key you can use after @kbd{C-c a}. For example, to directly print the
11970 current TODO list, you could use
11973 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -eval '(org-batch-agenda "t")' | lpr
11976 If the parameter is a string with 2 or more characters, it is used as a
11977 tags/TODO match string. For example, to print your local shopping list
11978 (all items with the tag @samp{shop}, but excluding the tag
11979 @samp{NewYork}), you could use
11982 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs \
11983 -eval '(org-batch-agenda "+shop-NewYork")' | lpr
11987 You may also modify parameters on the fly like this:
11990 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs \
11991 -eval '(org-batch-agenda "a" \
11992 org-agenda-ndays 30 \
11993 org-agenda-include-diary nil \
11994 org-agenda-files (quote ("~/org/project.org")))' \
11999 which will produce a 30-day agenda, fully restricted to the Org file
12000 @file{~/org/projects.org}, not even including the diary.
12002 If you want to process the agenda data in more sophisticated ways, you
12003 can use the command @code{org-batch-agenda-csv} to get a comma-separated
12004 list of values for each agenda item. Each line in the output will
12005 contain a number of fields separated by commas. The fields in a line
12009 category @r{The category of the item}
12010 head @r{The headline, without TODO keyword, TAGS and PRIORITY}
12011 type @r{The type of the agenda entry, can be}
12012 todo @r{selected in TODO match}
12013 tagsmatch @r{selected in tags match}
12014 diary @r{imported from diary}
12015 deadline @r{a deadline}
12016 scheduled @r{scheduled}
12017 timestamp @r{appointment, selected by timestamp}
12018 closed @r{entry was closed on date}
12019 upcoming-deadline @r{warning about nearing deadline}
12020 past-scheduled @r{forwarded scheduled item}
12021 block @r{entry has date block including date}
12022 todo @r{The TODO keyword, if any}
12023 tags @r{All tags including inherited ones, separated by colons}
12024 date @r{The relevant date, like 2007-2-14}
12025 time @r{The time, like 15:00-16:50}
12026 extra @r{String with extra planning info}
12027 priority-l @r{The priority letter if any was given}
12028 priority-n @r{The computed numerical priority}
12032 Time and date will only be given if a timestamp (or deadline/scheduled)
12033 led to the selection of the item.
12035 A CSV list like this is very easy to use in a post-processing script.
12036 For example, here is a Perl program that gets the TODO list from
12037 Emacs/Org and prints all the items, preceded by a checkbox:
12042 # define the Emacs command to run
12043 $cmd = "emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -eval '(org-batch-agenda-csv \"t\")'";
12045 # run it and capture the output
12046 $agenda = qx@{$cmd 2>/dev/null@};
12048 # loop over all lines
12049 foreach $line (split(/\n/,$agenda)) @{
12050 # get the individual values
12051 ($category,$head,$type,$todo,$tags,$date,$time,$extra,
12052 $priority_l,$priority_n) = split(/,/,$line);
12053 # process and print
12054 print "[ ] $head\n";
12058 @node Using the property API, Using the mapping API, Extracting agenda information, Hacking
12059 @section Using the property API
12060 @cindex API, for properties
12061 @cindex properties, API
12063 Here is a description of the functions that can be used to work with
12066 @defun org-entry-properties &optional pom which
12067 Get all properties of the entry at point-or-marker POM.@*
12068 This includes the TODO keyword, the tags, time strings for deadline,
12069 scheduled, and clocking, and any additional properties defined in the
12070 entry. The return value is an alist, keys may occur multiple times
12071 if the property key was used several times.@*
12072 POM may also be nil, in which case the current entry is used.
12073 If WHICH is nil or `all', get all properties. If WHICH is
12074 `special' or `standard', only get that subclass.
12076 @vindex org-use-property-inheritance
12077 @defun org-entry-get pom property &optional inherit
12078 Get value of PROPERTY for entry at point-or-marker POM. By default,
12079 this only looks at properties defined locally in the entry. If INHERIT
12080 is non-nil and the entry does not have the property, then also check
12081 higher levels of the hierarchy. If INHERIT is the symbol
12082 @code{selective}, use inheritance if and only if the setting of
12083 @code{org-use-property-inheritance} selects PROPERTY for inheritance.
12086 @defun org-entry-delete pom property
12087 Delete the property PROPERTY from entry at point-or-marker POM.
12090 @defun org-entry-put pom property value
12091 Set PROPERTY to VALUE for entry at point-or-marker POM.
12094 @defun org-buffer-property-keys &optional include-specials
12095 Get all property keys in the current buffer.
12098 @defun org-insert-property-drawer
12099 Insert a property drawer at point.
12102 @defun org-entry-put-multivalued-property pom property &rest values
12103 Set PROPERTY at point-or-marker POM to VALUES. VALUES should be a list of
12104 strings. They will be concatenated, with spaces as separators.
12107 @defun org-entry-get-multivalued-property pom property
12108 Treat the value of the property PROPERTY as a whitespace-separated list of
12109 values and return the values as a list of strings.
12112 @defun org-entry-add-to-multivalued-property pom property value
12113 Treat the value of the property PROPERTY as a whitespace-separated list of
12114 values and make sure that VALUE is in this list.
12117 @defun org-entry-remove-from-multivalued-property pom property value
12118 Treat the value of the property PROPERTY as a whitespace-separated list of
12119 values and make sure that VALUE is @emph{not} in this list.
12122 @defun org-entry-member-in-multivalued-property pom property value
12123 Treat the value of the property PROPERTY as a whitespace-separated list of
12124 values and check if VALUE is in this list.
12127 @defopt org-property-allowed-value-functions
12128 Hook for functions supplying allowed values for specific.
12129 The functions must take a single argument, the name of the property, and
12130 return a flat list of allowed values. If @samp{:ETC} is one of
12131 the values, use the values as completion help, but allow also other values
12132 to be entered. The functions must return @code{nil} if they are not
12133 responsible for this property.
12136 @node Using the mapping API, , Using the property API, Hacking
12137 @section Using the mapping API
12138 @cindex API, for mapping
12139 @cindex mapping entries, API
12141 Org has sophisticated mapping capabilities to find all entries satisfying
12142 certain criteria. Internally, this functionality is used to produce agenda
12143 views, but there is also an API that can be used to execute arbitrary
12144 functions for each or selected entries. The main entry point for this API
12147 @defun org-map-entries func &optional match scope &rest skip
12148 Call FUNC at each headline selected by MATCH in SCOPE.
12150 FUNC is a function or a Lisp form. The function will be called without
12151 arguments, with the cursor positioned at the beginning of the headline.
12152 The return values of all calls to the function will be collected and
12153 returned as a list.
12155 The call to FUNC will be wrapped into a save-excursion form, so FUNC
12156 does not need to preserve point. After evaluation, the cursor will be
12157 moved to the end of the line (presumably of the headline of the
12158 processed entry) and search continues from there. Under some
12159 circumstances, this may not produce the wanted results. For example,
12160 if you have removed (e.g. archived) the current (sub)tree it could
12161 mean that the next entry will be skipped entirely. In such cases, you
12162 can specify the position from where search should continue by making
12163 FUNC set the variable `org-map-continue-from' to the desired buffer
12166 MATCH is a tags/property/todo match as it is used in the agenda match view.
12167 Only headlines that are matched by this query will be considered during
12168 the iteration. When MATCH is nil or t, all headlines will be
12169 visited by the iteration.
12171 SCOPE determines the scope of this command. It can be any of:
12174 nil @r{the current buffer, respecting the restriction if any}
12175 tree @r{the subtree started with the entry at point}
12176 file @r{the current buffer, without restriction}
12178 @r{the current buffer, and any archives associated with it}
12179 agenda @r{all agenda files}
12180 agenda-with-archives
12181 @r{all agenda files with any archive files associated with them}
12183 @r{if this is a list, all files in the list will be scanned}
12186 The remaining args are treated as settings for the skipping facilities of
12187 the scanner. The following items can be given here:
12189 @vindex org-agenda-skip-function
12191 archive @r{skip trees with the archive tag}
12192 comment @r{skip trees with the COMMENT keyword}
12193 function or Lisp form
12194 @r{will be used as value for @code{org-agenda-skip-function},}
12195 @r{so whenever the function returns t, FUNC}
12196 @r{will not be called for that entry and search will}
12197 @r{continue from the point where the function leaves it}
12201 The function given to that mapping routine can really do anything you like.
12202 It can use the property API (@pxref{Using the property API}) to gather more
12203 information about the entry, or in order to change metadata in the entry.
12204 Here are a couple of functions that might be handy:
12206 @defun org-todo &optional arg
12207 Change the TODO state of the entry, see the docstring of the functions for
12208 the many possible values for the argument ARG.
12211 @defun org-priority &optional action
12212 Change the priority of the entry, see the docstring of this function for the
12213 possible values for ACTION.
12216 @defun org-toggle-tag tag &optional onoff
12217 Toggle the tag TAG in the current entry. Setting ONOFF to either @code{on}
12218 or @code{off} will not toggle tag, but ensure that it is either on or off.
12222 Promote the current entry.
12226 Demote the current entry.
12229 Here is a simple example that will turn all entries in the current file with
12230 a tag @code{TOMORROW} into TODO entries with the keyword @code{UPCOMING}.
12231 Entries in comment trees and in archive trees will be ignored.
12235 '(org-todo "UPCOMING")
12236 "+TOMORROW" 'file 'archive 'comment)
12239 The following example counts the number of entries with TODO keyword
12240 @code{WAITING}, in all agenda files.
12243 (length (org-map-entries t "/+WAITING" 'agenda))
12246 @node MobileOrg, History and Acknowledgments, Hacking, Top
12247 @appendix MobileOrg
12251 @i{MobileOrg} is an application for the @i{iPhone/iPod Touch} series of
12252 devices, developed by Richard Moreland. @i{MobileOrg} offers offline viewing
12253 and capture support for an Org-mode system rooted on a ``real'' computer. It
12254 does also allow you to record changes to existing entries. For information
12255 about @i{MobileOrg}, see @uref{http://mobileorg.ncogni.to/}).
12257 This appendix describes the support Org has for creating agenda views in a
12258 format that can be displayed by @i{MobileOrg}, and for integrating notes
12259 captured and changes made by @i{MobileOrg} into the main system.
12261 For changing tags and TODO states in MobileOrg, you should have set up the
12262 customization variables @code{org-todo-keywords} and @code{org-tags-alist} to
12263 cover all important tags and todo keywords, even if individual files use only
12264 part of these. MobileOrg will also offer you states and tags set up with
12265 in-buffer settings, but it will understand the logistics of todo state
12266 @i{sets} (@pxref{Per-file keywords}) and @i{mutually exclusive} tags
12267 (@pxref{Setting tags}) only for those set in these variables.
12270 * Setting up the staging area:: Where to interact with the mobile device
12271 * Pushing to MobileOrg:: Uploading Org files and agendas
12272 * Pulling from MobileOrg:: Integrating captured and flagged items
12275 @node Setting up the staging area, Pushing to MobileOrg, MobileOrg, MobileOrg
12276 @section Setting up the staging area
12278 Org-mode has commands to prepare a directory with files for @i{MobileOrg},
12279 and to read captured notes from there. If Emacs can directly write to the
12280 WebDAV directory accessed by @i{MobileOrg}, just point to this directory
12281 using the variable @code{org-mobile-directory}. Using the @file{tramp}
12282 method, @code{org-mobile-directory} may point to a remote directory
12283 accessible through, for example,
12287 (setq org-mobile-directory "/scpc:user@@remote.host:org/webdav/")
12290 If Emacs cannot access the WebDAV directory directly using a @file{tramp}
12291 method, or you prefer to maintain a local copy, you can use a local directory
12292 for staging. Other means must then be used to keep this directory in sync
12293 with the WebDAV directory. In the following example, files are staged in
12294 @file{~/stage}, and Org-mode hooks take care of moving files to and from the
12295 WebDAV directory using @file{scp}.
12298 (setq org-mobile-directory "~/stage/")
12299 (add-hook 'org-mobile-post-push-hook
12300 (lambda () (shell-command "scp -r ~/stage/* user@@wdhost:mobile/")))
12301 (add-hook 'org-mobile-pre-pull-hook
12302 (lambda () (shell-command "scp user@@wdhost:mobile/mobileorg.org ~/stage/ ")))
12303 (add-hook 'org-mobile-post-pull-hook
12304 (lambda () (shell-command "scp ~/stage/mobileorg.org user@@wdhost:mobile/")))
12307 @node Pushing to MobileOrg, Pulling from MobileOrg, Setting up the staging area, MobileOrg
12308 @section Pushing to MobileOrg
12310 This operation copies all files currently listed in @code{org-mobile-files}
12311 to the directory @code{org-mobile-directory}. By default this list contains
12312 all agenda files (as listed in @code{org-agenda-files}), but additional files
12313 can be included by customizing @code{org-mobiles-files}. File names will be
12314 staged with path relative to @code{org-directory}, so all files should be
12315 inside this directory. The push operation also creates (in the same
12316 directory) a special Org file @file{agendas.org}. This file is an Org-mode
12317 style outline, containing every custom agenda view defined by the user.
12318 While creating the agendas, Org-mode will force@footnote{See the variable
12319 @code{org-mobile-force-id-on-agenda-items}.} an ID property on all entries
12320 referenced by the agendas, so that these entries can be uniquely identified
12321 if @i{MobileOrg} flags them for further action. Finally, Org writes the file
12322 @file{index.org}, containing links to all other files. If @i{MobileOrg} is
12323 configured to request this file from the WebDAV server, all agendas and Org
12324 files will be downloaded to the device. To speed up the download, MobileOrg
12325 will only read files whose checksums@footnote{stored automatically in the
12326 file @file{checksums.dat}} have changed.
12328 @node Pulling from MobileOrg, , Pushing to MobileOrg, MobileOrg
12329 @section Pulling from MobileOrg
12331 When @i{MobileOrg} synchronizes with the WebDAV server, it not only pulls the
12332 Org files for viewing. It also appends captured entries and pointers to
12333 flagged and changed entries to the file @file{mobileorg.org} on the server.
12334 Org has a @emph{pull} operation that integrates this information into an
12335 inbox file and operates on the pointers to flagged entries. Here is how it
12340 Org moves all entries found in
12341 @file{mobileorg.org}@footnote{@file{mobileorg.org} will be empty after this
12342 operation.} and appends them to the file pointed to by the variable
12343 @code{org-mobile-inbox-for-pull}. Each captured entry and each editing event
12344 will be a top-level entry in the inbox file.
12346 After moving the entries, Org will attempt to implement the changes made in
12347 @i{MobileOrg}. Some changes are applied directly and without user
12348 interaction. Examples are all changes to tags, TODO state, headline and body
12349 text that can be cleanly applied. Entries that have been flagged for further
12350 action will receive a tag @code{:FLAGGED:}, so that they can be easily found
12351 again. When there is a problem finding an entry or applying the change, the
12352 pointer entry will remain in the inbox and will be marked with an error
12353 message. You need to later resolve these issues by hand.
12355 Org will then generate an agenda view with all flagged entries. The user
12356 should then go through these entries and do whatever actions are necessary.
12357 If a note has been stored while flagging an entry in @i{MobileOrg}, that note
12358 will be displayed in the echo area when the cursor is on the corresponding
12363 Pressing @kbd{?} in that special agenda will display the full flagging note in
12364 another window and also push it onto the kill ring. So you could use @kbd{?
12365 z C-y C-c C-c} to store that flagging note as a normal note in the entry.
12366 Pressing @kbd{?} twice in succession will offer to remove the
12367 @code{:FLAGGED:} tag along with the recorded flagging note (which is stored
12368 in a property). In this way you indicate, that the intended processing for
12369 this flagged entry is finished.
12374 If you are not able to process all flagged entries directly, you can always
12375 return to this agenda view using @kbd{C-c a ?}. Note, however, that there is
12376 a subtle difference. The view created automatically by @kbd{M-x
12377 org-mobile-pull RET} is guaranteed to search all files that have been
12378 addressed by the last pull. This might include a file that is not currently
12379 in your list of agenda files. If you later use @kbd{C-c a ?} to regenerate
12380 the view, only the current agenda files will be searched.
12382 @node History and Acknowledgments, Main Index, MobileOrg, Top
12383 @appendix History and Acknowledgments
12384 @cindex acknowledgements
12388 Org was born in 2003, out of frustration over the user interface
12389 of the Emacs Outline mode. I was trying to organize my notes and
12390 projects, and using Emacs seemed to be the natural way to go. However,
12391 having to remember eleven different commands with two or three keys per
12392 command, only to hide and show parts of the outline tree, that seemed
12393 entirely unacceptable to me. Also, when using outlines to take notes, I
12394 constantly wanted to restructure the tree, organizing it parallel to my
12395 thoughts and plans. @emph{Visibility cycling} and @emph{structure
12396 editing} were originally implemented in the package
12397 @file{outline-magic.el}, but quickly moved to the more general
12398 @file{org.el}. As this environment became comfortable for project
12399 planning, the next step was adding @emph{TODO entries}, basic
12400 @emph{timestamps}, and @emph{table support}. These areas highlighted the two main
12401 goals that Org still has today: to be a new, outline-based,
12402 plain text mode with innovative and intuitive editing features, and to
12403 incorporate project planning functionality directly into a notes file.
12405 A special thanks goes to @i{Bastien Guerry} who has not only written a large
12406 number of extensions to Org (most of them integrated into the core by now),
12407 but who has also helped in the development and maintenance of Org so much that he
12408 should be considered the main co-contributor to this package.
12410 Since the first release, literally thousands of emails to me or to
12411 @email{emacs-orgmode@@gnu.org} have provided a constant stream of bug
12412 reports, feedback, new ideas, and sometimes patches and add-on code.
12413 Many thanks to everyone who has helped to improve this package. I am
12414 trying to keep here a list of the people who had significant influence
12415 in shaping one or more aspects of Org. The list may not be
12416 complete, if I have forgotten someone, please accept my apologies and
12422 @i{Russel Adams} came up with the idea for drawers.
12424 @i{Thomas Baumann} wrote @file{org-bbdb.el} and @file{org-mhe.el}.
12426 @i{Christophe Bataillon} created the great unicorn logo that we use on the
12429 @i{Alex Bochannek} provided a patch for rounding timestamps.
12431 @i{Jan Böcker} wrote @file{org-docview.el}.
12433 @i{Brad Bozarth} showed how to pull RSS feed data into Org-mode files.
12435 @i{Tom Breton} wrote @file{org-choose.el}.
12437 @i{Charles Cave}'s suggestion sparked the implementation of templates
12440 @i{Pavel Chalmoviansky} influenced the agenda treatment of items with
12443 @i{Gregory Chernov} patched support for Lisp forms into table
12444 calculations and improved XEmacs compatibility, in particular by porting
12445 @file{nouline.el} to XEmacs.
12447 @i{Sacha Chua} suggested copying some linking code from Planner.
12449 @i{Baoqiu Cui} contributed the DocBook exporter.
12451 @i{Dan Davison} wrote (together with @i{Eric Schulte}) Org Babel.
12453 @i{Eddward DeVilla} proposed and tested checkbox statistics. He also
12454 came up with the idea of properties, and that there should be an API for
12457 @i{Nick Dokos} tracked down several nasty bugs.
12459 @i{Kees Dullemond} used to edit projects lists directly in HTML and so
12460 inspired some of the early development, including HTML export. He also
12461 asked for a way to narrow wide table columns.
12463 @i{Christian Egli} converted the documentation into Texinfo format,
12464 patched CSS formatting into the HTML exporter, and inspired the agenda.
12466 @i{David Emery} provided a patch for custom CSS support in exported
12469 @i{Nic Ferrier} contributed mailcap and XOXO support.
12471 @i{Miguel A. Figueroa-Villanueva} implemented hierarchical checkboxes.
12473 @i{John Foerch} figured out how to make incremental search show context
12474 around a match in a hidden outline tree.
12476 @i{Raimar Finken} wrote @file{org-git-line.el}.
12478 @i{Mikael Fornius} works as a mailing list moderator.
12480 @i{Austin Frank} works as a mailing list moderator.
12482 @i{Niels Giesen} had the idea to automatically archive DONE trees.
12484 @i{Bastien Guerry} wrote the La@TeX{} exporter and @file{org-bibtex.el}, and
12485 has been prolific with patches, ideas, and bug reports.
12487 @i{Kai Grossjohann} pointed out key-binding conflicts with other packages.
12489 @i{Bernt Hansen} has driven much of the support for auto-repeating tasks,
12490 task state change logging, and the clocktable. His clear explanations have
12491 been critical when we started to adopt the Git version control system.
12493 @i{Manuel Hermenegildo} has contributed various ideas, small fixes and
12496 @i{Phil Jackson} wrote @file{org-irc.el}.
12498 @i{Scott Jaderholm} proposed footnotes, control over whitespace between
12499 folded entries, and column view for properties.
12501 @i{Tokuya Kameshima} wrote @file{org-wl.el} and @file{org-mew.el}.
12503 @i{Shidai Liu} ("Leo") asked for embedded La@TeX{} and tested it. He also
12504 provided frequent feedback and some patches.
12506 @i{Matt Lundin} has proposed last-row references for table formulas and named
12507 invisible anchors. He has also worked a lot on the FAQ.
12509 @i{Jason F. McBrayer} suggested agenda export to CSV format.
12511 @i{Max Mikhanosha} came up with the idea of refiling.
12513 @i{Dmitri Minaev} sent a patch to set priority limits on a per-file
12516 @i{Stefan Monnier} provided a patch to keep the Emacs-Lisp compiler
12519 @i{Richard Moreland} wrote @i{MobileOrg} for the iPhone.
12521 @i{Rick Moynihan} proposed allowing multiple TODO sequences in a file
12522 and being able to quickly restrict the agenda to a subtree.
12524 @i{Todd Neal} provided patches for links to Info files and Elisp forms.
12526 @i{Greg Newman} refreshed the unicorn logo into its current form.
12528 @i{Tim O'Callaghan} suggested in-file links, search options for general
12529 file links, and TAGS.
12531 @i{Takeshi Okano} translated the manual and David O'Toole's tutorial
12534 @i{Oliver Oppitz} suggested multi-state TODO items.
12536 @i{Scott Otterson} sparked the introduction of descriptive text for
12537 links, among other things.
12539 @i{Pete Phillips} helped during the development of the TAGS feature, and
12540 provided frequent feedback.
12542 @i{Martin Pohlack} provided the code snippet to bundle character insertion
12543 into bundles of 20 for undo.
12545 @i{T.V. Raman} reported bugs and suggested improvements.
12547 @i{Matthias Rempe} (Oelde) provided ideas, Windows support, and quality
12550 @i{Paul Rivier} provided the basic implementation of named footnotes. He
12551 also acted as mailing list moderator for some time.
12553 @i{Kevin Rogers} contributed code to access VM files on remote hosts.
12555 @i{Sebastian Rose} wrote @file{org-info.js}, a Java script for displaying
12556 webpages derived from Org using an Info-like or a folding interface with
12557 single-key navigation.
12559 @i{Frank Ruell} solved the mystery of the @code{keymapp nil} bug, a
12560 conflict with @file{allout.el}.
12562 @i{Jason Riedy} generalized the send-receive mechanism for Orgtbl tables with
12565 @i{Philip Rooke} created the Org reference card, provided lots
12566 of feedback, developed and applied standards to the Org documentation.
12568 @i{Christian Schlauer} proposed angular brackets around links, among
12571 @i{Eric Schulte} wrote @file{org-plot.el} and (together with @i{Dan Davison})
12572 Org Babel, and contributed various patches, small features and modules.
12574 @i{Paul Sexton} wrote @file{org-ctags.el}.
12576 Linking to VM/BBDB/Gnus was first inspired by @i{Tom Shannon}'s
12577 @file{organizer-mode.el}.
12579 @i{Ilya Shlyakhter} proposed the Archive Sibling, line numbering in literal
12580 examples, and remote highlighting for referenced code lines.
12582 @i{Stathis Sideris} wrote the @file{ditaa.jar} ASCII to PNG converter that is
12583 now packaged into Org's @file{contrib} directory.
12585 @i{Daniel Sinder} came up with the idea of internal archiving by locking
12588 @i{Dale Smith} proposed link abbreviations.
12590 @i{James TD Smith} has contributed a large number of patches for useful
12591 tweaks and features.
12593 @i{Adam Spiers} asked for global linking commands, inspired the link
12594 extension system, added support for mairix, and proposed the mapping API.
12596 @i{Andy Stewart} contributed code to @file{org-w3m.el}, to copy HTML content
12597 with links transformation to Org syntax.
12599 @i{David O'Toole} wrote @file{org-publish.el} and drafted the manual
12600 chapter about publishing.
12602 @i{J@"urgen Vollmer} contributed code generating the table of contents
12605 @i{Samuel Wales} has provided important feedback and bug reports.
12607 @i{Chris Wallace} provided a patch implementing the @samp{QUOTE}
12610 @i{David Wainberg} suggested archiving, and improvements to the linking
12613 @i{John Wiegley} wrote @file{emacs-wiki.el}, @file{planner.el}, and
12614 @file{muse.el}, which have some overlap with Org. Initially the development
12615 of Org was fully independent because I was not aware of the existence of
12616 these packages. But with time I have occasionally looked at John's code and
12617 learned a lot from it. John has also contributed a number of great ideas and
12618 patches directly to Org, including the attachment system
12619 (@file{org-attach.el}), integration with Apple Mail
12620 (@file{org-mac-message.el}), hierarchical dependencies of TODO items, habit
12621 tracking (@file{org-habits.el}).
12623 @i{Carsten Wimmer} suggested some changes and helped fix a bug in
12626 @i{Roland Winkler} requested additional key bindings to make Org
12629 @i{Piotr Zielinski} wrote @file{org-mouse.el}, proposed agenda blocks
12630 and contributed various ideas and code snippets.
12634 @node Main Index, Key Index, History and Acknowledgments, Top
12635 @unnumbered Concept Index
12639 @node Key Index, Variable Index, Main Index, Top
12640 @unnumbered Key Index
12644 @node Variable Index, , Key Index, Top
12645 @unnumbered Variable Index
12647 This is not a complete index of variables and faces, only the ones that are
12648 mentioned in the manual. For a more complete list, use @kbd{M-x
12649 org-customize @key{RET}} and then click yourself through the tree.
12656 arch-tag: 7893d1Fe-cc57-4d13-b5e5-f494a1CBC7ac
12659 @c Local variables:
12660 @c ispell-local-dictionary: "en_US-w_accents"
12661 @c ispell-local-pdict: "./.aspell.org.pws"
12666 @c LocalWords: webdavhost pre