contractor resources for emacs extension development

contractor resources for emacs extension development

[ckhan]

I would like to hire help writing an emacs extension

- it would be something that is generally useful, not specific to a particular usecase or 3rd party integration/company (essentially, a new kind of outline mode)

- the resulting work would be freely available and open source (GPL)

Searching the usual outsourcing sites (elance, odesk, etc.) turn up very few hits for keywords like "emacs" or "elisp". Does anyone have any suggestions for how to find folks that might be up for this kind of work? Alternatively, if I took a crude first stab at it myself and put it up on github, how could I use cash to grease development?

Any suggestions, comments appreciated.
-ck

Re: contractor resources for emacs extension development

[Pascal J. Bourguignon]

ckhan <charleykhan@gmail.com> writes:

> I would like to hire help writing an emacs extension
>
> - it would be something that is generally useful, not specific to a particular usecase or 3rd party integration/company (essentially, a new kind of outline mode)
>
> - the resulting work would be freely available and open source (GPL)
>
> Searching the usual outsourcing sites (elance, odesk, etc.) turn up
> very few hits for keywords like "emacs" or "elisp". Does anyone have
> any suggestions for how to find folks that might be up for this kind
> of work? Alternatively, if I took a crude first stab at it myself and
> put it up on github, how could I use cash to grease development?
>
> Any suggestions, comments appreciated.

Well, a few months ago there was a discussion on LinkedIn about job
offers asking for emacs or emacs lisp.

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=87879&trk=vsrp_groups_res_name&trkInfo=VSRPsearchId%3A241035961382033246381%2CVSRPtargetId%3A87879%2CVSRPcmpt%3Aprimary

I guess if you searched for emacs and programming skills in such a
database, you could find possible candidates.


But as for any specialized skill, keywords searches may not work too
well, so it's probably here you have the best chances of find an emacs
lisp consultant.


You may contact me by email with further information, I may be available
soon for such a task.
-- 
__Pascal Bourguignon__
http://www.informatimago.com/

Re: contractor resources for emacs extension development

[Marcin Borkowski]

Dnia 2013-10-17, o godz. 10:23:20
ckhan <charleykhan@gmail.com> napisał(a):

> I would like to hire help writing an emacs extension
> 
> - it would be something that is generally useful, not specific to a
> particular usecase or 3rd party integration/company (essentially, a
> new kind of outline mode)

Seeing "a new kind of outline mode" I have to ask: did you see
Org-mode?  Maybe there's no need to write something new...

Hth,

-- 
Marcin Borkowski
http://octd.wmi.amu.edu.pl/en/Marcin_Borkowski
Adam Mickiewicz University

Re: contractor resources for emacs extension development

[Thorsten Jolitz]

ckhan <charleykhan@gmail.com> writes:

> I would like to hire help writing an emacs extension
>
> - it would be something that is generally useful, not specific to a
> particular usecase or 3rd party integration/company (essentially, a
> new kind of outline mode)

I did a lot of work with regards to a new kind of outline (minor) mode
recently (with the basic idea of "Org-mode everywhere" in my mind, i.e. of
giving source-code buffers the look&feel of Org-mode buffers).

The result was this library-trio

 - outshine.el :: enhancements to outline-minor-mode that make it possible to
                  structure a source-code file with Org-mode like headlines
                  and offer Org-style headline fontification, visibility
                  cycling, motion and structure editing
                  [https://github.com/tj64/outshine]
 - outorg.el :: converts (outshine) source-code buffers to Org-mode and offers
                them for editing in a temporary *outorg-edit-buffer*
                [https://github.com/tj64/outorg]
 - navi-mode.el :: superfast navigation and 'remote-buffer-control' via an
                   permanent associated *Navi* buffer that offers a vast
                   number of (combined) headline and keyword views on an
                   outshine buffer [https://github.com/tj64/navi]

These libraries make possible a different kind of "literate programming" with
the focus on the programming instead of, as usual, on the text. You can do
your main work in a specialised Emacs major-mode (e.g. emacs-lisp-mode or
R-mode) for writing source code, but these source-code buffers can be
structured like Org-mode buffers (with the same look&feel). Whenever you need
some serious text editing of the comment sections, you fire up the
*outorg-edit-buffer* and have the full power of Org-mode available.

Here is a screencast on youtube that illustrates how to use the libraries with
emacs-lisp buffers, but they can be used with many major-modes (outorg works
e.g. with message-mode too, therefore I'm writing this email in full
Org-mode right now).

> - the resulting work would be freely available and open source (GPL)
>
> Searching the usual outsourcing sites (elance, odesk, etc.) turn up
> very few hits for keywords like "emacs" or "elisp". Does anyone have
> any suggestions for how to find folks that might be up for this kind
> of work? Alternatively, if I took a crude first stab at it myself and
> put it up on github, how could I use cash to grease development?
>
> Any suggestions, comments appreciated.

No matter what new kind of outline mode you are looking for, I might be
able to help you with that, since enhancing outline-mode was the focus
of my recent Emacs Lisp programming projects. I would be available from
next month on (November), so you might want to contact me per email.

-- 
cheers,
Thorsten

Re: contractor resources for emacs extension development

[Eric Brown]

Thorsten Jolitz <tjolitz@gmail.com> writes:

>
> Here is a screencast on youtube that illustrates how to use the
>libraries with emacs-lisp buffers, but they can be used with many
>major-modes (outorg works e.g. with message-mode too, therefore I'm
>writing this email in full Org-mode right now).
>

Hi Thorsten,

I was excited to see your post on the gnus list, too.

Could you:
  - please re/post the URL for the screencast?
  - I would like to try out navi. I got your outshine via MELPA -- can
    you make that code available there, too?

Thanks,
Eric

---

(Just for fun)

#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
(message "%s" "emacs rocks")
#+END_SRC

#+RESULTS:
: emacs rocks

Re: contractor resources for emacs extension development

[Bastien]

ckhan <charleykhan@gmail.com> writes:

> I would like to hire help writing an emacs extension

I've done some Elisp paid development recently (80€ for a
set of non-general purpose functions.)

I'm available for more paid work, please get in touch with
me if you are interested!

> - it would be something that is generally useful, not specific to a
> particular usecase or 3rd party integration/company (essentially, a
> new kind of outline mode)

Good.

> - the resulting work would be freely available and open source (GPL)

Even better.

> Searching the usual outsourcing sites (elance, odesk, etc.) turn up
> very few hits for keywords like "emacs" or "elisp". Does anyone have
> any suggestions for how to find folks that might be up for this kind
> of work? Alternatively, if I took a crude first stab at it myself and
> put it up on github, how could I use cash to grease development?

I think this list is a good place to start :)

-- 
 Bastien

Re: contractor resources for emacs extension development

[Bastien]

Thorsten Jolitz <tjolitz@gmail.com> writes:

> No matter what new kind of outline mode you are looking for, I might be
> able to help you with that, since enhancing outline-mode was the focus
> of my recent Emacs Lisp programming projects. I would be available from
> next month on (November), so you might want to contact me per email.

So this is at least three of us with Pascal -- even better to work
as a team!

PS: And maybe, if the library is generic enough, the OP can join
forces (i.e. $$$) with other clients.

-- 
 Bastien

Re: contractor resources for emacs extension development

[Thorsten Jolitz]

Eric Brown <eric.c.brown@mac.com> writes:

> Thorsten Jolitz <tjolitz@gmail.com> writes:
>
>>
>> Here is a screencast on youtube that illustrates how to use the
>>libraries with emacs-lisp buffers, but they can be used with many
>>major-modes (outorg works e.g. with message-mode too, therefore I'm
>>writing this email in full Org-mode right now).
>>
>
> Hi Thorsten,
>
> I was excited to see your post on the gnus list, too.
>
> Could you:
>   - please re/post the URL for the screencast?

>   - I would like to try out navi. I got your outshine via MELPA -- can
>   you make that code available there, too?
>
> Thanks,
> Eric

Hi Eric, 

all three libraries should be available via MELPA now, navi-mode and outorg too:

[[https://github.com/milkypostman/melpa/blob/master/recipes/navi-mode][navi-mode]]

[[https://github.com/milkypostman/melpa/blob/d57762fe51a524731e228c80b4b2d25e827e5858/recipes/outorg][outorg]]

let me know if you have difficulties getting them there. If you use Git,
you could of course clone (or fork) the github repos I linked to in my
other mail, e.g.:

,-----------------------------------------
| $ git clone git@github.com:tj64/navi.git
`-----------------------------------------

ÞS 

Sorry, I announced the link but forgot to post it. There are other
related screencasts in the emacsstuff video channel demonstrating the
use of the libraries with PicoLisp (and Org-mode itself). This one shows
their use with Emacs Lisp source files:

,-------------------------------------------
| http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqE6YxlY0rw
`-------------------------------------------

> ---
>
> (Just for fun)
>
> #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
> (message "%s" "emacs rocks")
> #+END_SRC
>
> #+RESULTS:
> : emacs rocks

I needed just a little trick to make outorg work with message mode, and
now I can write arbitrarily complex emails in full Org-mode for the
price of doing M-# M-# (M-x outorg-edit-as-org) once to fire up the
*outorg-edit-buffer*, and then M-# (M-x outorg-copy-edits-and-exit) to
convert the modified content back to its original format. Its really
handy to be able to write _and_ evaluate code examples directly in the
buffer you are writing your email in ...

-- 
cheers,
Thorsten

Re: contractor resources for emacs extension development

[Thorsten Jolitz]

Bastien <bzg@altern.org> writes:

Hi Bastien, 

> Thorsten Jolitz <tjolitz@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> No matter what new kind of outline mode you are looking for, I might be
>> able to help you with that, since enhancing outline-mode was the focus
>> of my recent Emacs Lisp programming projects. I would be available from
>> next month on (November), so you might want to contact me per email.
>
> So this is at least three of us with Pascal -- even better to work
> as a team!
>
> PS: And maybe, if the library is generic enough, the OP can join
> forces (i.e. $$$) with other clients.

that sounds like a nice idea ... hope that comes true some day. 

-- 
cheers,
Thorsten

Re: contractor resources for emacs extension development

[Alan Schmitt]

Thorsten Jolitz <tjolitz@gmail.com> writes:

> I needed just a little trick to make outorg work with message mode, and
> now I can write arbitrarily complex emails in full Org-mode for the
> price of doing M-# M-# (M-x outorg-edit-as-org) once to fire up the
> *outorg-edit-buffer*, and then M-# (M-x outorg-copy-edits-and-exit) to
> convert the modified content back to its original format. Its really
> handy to be able to write _and_ evaluate code examples directly in the
> buffer you are writing your email in ...

How do you do this? I just gave it a try, and I got an error message
when invoking outorg-edit-as-org:

,----
| outline-back-to-heading: before first heading
`----

Alan

Re: contractor resources for emacs extension development

[Thorsten Jolitz]

Alan Schmitt <alan.schmitt@polytechnique.org> writes:

> Thorsten Jolitz <tjolitz@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> I needed just a little trick to make outorg work with message mode, and
>> now I can write arbitrarily complex emails in full Org-mode for the
>> price of doing M-# M-# (M-x outorg-edit-as-org) once to fire up the
>> *outorg-edit-buffer*, and then M-# (M-x outorg-copy-edits-and-exit) to
>> convert the modified content back to its original format. Its really
>> handy to be able to write _and_ evaluate code examples directly in the
>> buffer you are writing your email in ...
>
> How do you do this? I just gave it a try, and I got an error message
> when invoking outorg-edit-as-org:
>
> ,----
> | outline-back-to-heading: before first heading
> `----

Did you set the hooks?

In my .emacs I find e.g.

,-------------------------------------------------------------
| (add-hook 'outline-minor-mode-hook 'outshine-hook-function))
| (add-hook 'emacs-lisp-mode-hook 'outline-minor-mode)
| (add-hook 'message-mode-hook 'outline-minor-mode))
`-------------------------------------------------------------

so whenever outline-minor-mode is activated, the
`outshine-hook-function' is called for setting up things. For
emacs-lisp-mode and message-mode (and others not listed) I then activate
outline-minor-mode by default. 

HTH

-- 
cheers,
Thorsten

Re: contractor resources for emacs extension development

[Alan Schmitt]

Thorsten Jolitz <tjolitz@gmail.com> writes:

> Did you set the hooks?
>
> In my .emacs I find e.g.
>
> ,-------------------------------------------------------------
> | (add-hook 'outline-minor-mode-hook 'outshine-hook-function))
> | (add-hook 'emacs-lisp-mode-hook 'outline-minor-mode)
> | (add-hook 'message-mode-hook 'outline-minor-mode))
> `-------------------------------------------------------------
>
> so whenever outline-minor-mode is activated, the
> `outshine-hook-function' is called for setting up things. For
> emacs-lisp-mode and message-mode (and others not listed) I then activate
> outline-minor-mode by default. 

I have them in my configuration file. Is it supposed to work if no
headling is present?

Alan

Re: contractor resources for emacs extension development

[Thorsten Jolitz]

Alan Schmitt <alan.schmitt@polytechnique.org> writes:

> Thorsten Jolitz <tjolitz@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> Did you set the hooks?
>>
>> In my .emacs I find e.g.
>>
>> ,-------------------------------------------------------------
>> | (add-hook 'outline-minor-mode-hook 'outshine-hook-function))
>> | (add-hook 'emacs-lisp-mode-hook 'outline-minor-mode)
>> | (add-hook 'message-mode-hook 'outline-minor-mode))
>> `-------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> so whenever outline-minor-mode is activated, the
>> `outshine-hook-function' is called for setting up things. For
>> emacs-lisp-mode and message-mode (and others not listed) I then activate
>> outline-minor-mode by default. 
>
> I have them in my configuration file. Is it supposed to work if no
> headling is present?

Yes, because the trick I used is to temporarily convert this
line:

,---------------------------
| --text follows this line--
`---------------------------

into a first-level Org-mode heading to make outorg work. 

I assumed that this line is always present in message-mode between the
header and the body, so there is always at least one heading (created
in the background by outorg). 

Is that line present in your case? 

-- 
cheers,
Thorsten

Re: contractor resources for emacs extension development

[Alan Schmitt]

Thorsten Jolitz <tjolitz@gmail.com> writes:

> Alan Schmitt <alan.schmitt@polytechnique.org> writes:
>
>> I have them in my configuration file. Is it supposed to work if no
>> headling is present?
>
> Yes, because the trick I used is to temporarily convert this
> line:
>
> ,---------------------------
> | --text follows this line--
> `---------------------------
>
> into a first-level Org-mode heading to make outorg work. 
>
> I assumed that this line is always present in message-mode between the
> header and the body, so there is always at least one heading (created
> in the background by outorg). 
>
> Is that line present in your case? 

Yes.

Here is a backtrace of the error:

,----
| Debugger entered--Lisp error: (error "before first heading")
|   signal(error ("before first heading"))
|   error("before first heading")
|   outline-back-to-heading(INVISIBLE-OK)
|   (save-excursion (outline-back-to-heading (quote INVISIBLE-OK)) (setq outorg-code-buffer-beg-of-subtree-marker (point-marker)))
|   outorg-edit-as-org(nil)
|   call-interactively(outorg-edit-as-org record nil)
|   command-execute(outorg-edit-as-org record)
`----

Looking at the "outline-back-to-heading" code, I don't see how your
trick works. Printing 'outline-regexp' yields "> [*]+ " which makes
sense in message mode.

(Later.)

I think I found the problem, looking at the code for
outorg-edit-as-org. It seems that you explicitly check for
message-mode, but I write my email using mu4e, and then the major mode
is mu4e-compose-mode. Is there a way to apply
'outorg-prepare-message-mode-buffer-for-editing' for other modes than
message mode? (Editing the code seems to be the only way I see.)

Thanks,

Alan

outorg-edit-as-org and mu4e (Was: contractor resources for emacs extension development)

[Alan Schmitt]

Alan Schmitt <alan.schmitt@polytechnique.org> writes:

> I think I found the problem, looking at the code for
> outorg-edit-as-org. It seems that you explicitly check for
> message-mode, but I write my email using mu4e, and then the major mode
> is mu4e-compose-mode. Is there a way to apply
> 'outorg-prepare-message-mode-buffer-for-editing' for other modes than
> message mode? (Editing the code seems to be the only way I see.)

Sorry to reply to myself, but how about replacing

#+begin_src emacs-lisp
  (and (eq major-mode 'message-mode)
       (outorg-prepare-message-mode-buffer-for-editing))
#+end_src

on lines 719-720 of outorg.el by

#+begin_src emacs-lisp
  (and (derived-mode-p 'message-mode)
       (outorg-prepare-message-mode-buffer-for-editing))
#+end_src

I think it would work with mu4e-compose-mode.

Alan

Re: outorg-edit-as-org and mu4e

[Thorsten Jolitz]

Alan Schmitt <alan.schmitt@polytechnique.org> writes:

> Alan Schmitt <alan.schmitt@polytechnique.org> writes:
>
>> I think I found the problem, looking at the code for
>> outorg-edit-as-org. It seems that you explicitly check for
>> message-mode, but I write my email using mu4e, and then the major mode
>> is mu4e-compose-mode. Is there a way to apply
>> 'outorg-prepare-message-mode-buffer-for-editing' for other modes than
>> message mode? (Editing the code seems to be the only way I see.)
>
> Sorry to reply to myself, but how about replacing
>
> #+begin_src emacs-lisp
>   (and (eq major-mode 'message-mode)
>        (outorg-prepare-message-mode-buffer-for-editing))
> #+end_src
>
> on lines 719-720 of outorg.el by
>
> #+begin_src emacs-lisp
>   (and (derived-mode-p 'message-mode)
>        (outorg-prepare-message-mode-buffer-for-editing))
> #+end_src
>
> I think it would work with mu4e-compose-mode.

Ok, then its not a bug but just a (slightly) different use case. 

I don't use mu4e, actually I never heard of it (is it good?). Could you
test these changes and let me know if it works for you? Then I'm happy
to apply them to outorg, no matter if this version:

#+begin_src emacs-lisp
  (and (derived-mode-p 'message-mode)
       (outorg-prepare-message-mode-buffer-for-editing))
#+end_src

or something like this (untested):

#+begin_src emacs-lisp
  (and
    (or (eq major-mode 'message-mode)
        (eq major-mode 'mu4e-compose-mode))
        (outorg-prepare-message-mode-buffer-for-editing))
#+end_src

-- 
cheers,
Thorsten

Re: contractor resources for emacs extension development

[Eric Abrahamsen]

Thorsten Jolitz <tjolitz@gmail.com> writes:

> Alan Schmitt <alan.schmitt@polytechnique.org> writes:
>
>> Thorsten Jolitz <tjolitz@gmail.com> writes:
>>
>>> Did you set the hooks?
>>>
>>> In my .emacs I find e.g.
>>>
>>> ,-------------------------------------------------------------
>>> | (add-hook 'outline-minor-mode-hook 'outshine-hook-function))
>>> | (add-hook 'emacs-lisp-mode-hook 'outline-minor-mode)
>>> | (add-hook 'message-mode-hook 'outline-minor-mode))
>>> `-------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> so whenever outline-minor-mode is activated, the
>>> `outshine-hook-function' is called for setting up things. For
>>> emacs-lisp-mode and message-mode (and others not listed) I then activate
>>> outline-minor-mode by default. 
>>
>> I have them in my configuration file. Is it supposed to work if no
>> headling is present?
>
> Yes, because the trick I used is to temporarily convert this
> line:
>
> ,---------------------------
> | --text follows this line--
> `---------------------------
>
> into a first-level Org-mode heading to make outorg work. 
>
> I assumed that this line is always present in message-mode between the
> header and the body, so there is always at least one heading (created
> in the background by outorg). 
>
> Is that line present in your case? 

A tiny, tiny compatibility trick: the "text follows this
line" line actually comes from the `mail-header-separator' variable. You
might search for the value of that, instead of a hard-coded string, just
in case it's been customized.

Eric

Re: contractor resources for emacs extension development

[Thorsten Jolitz]

Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net> writes:

>> Yes, because the trick I used is to temporarily convert this
>> line:
>>
>> ,---------------------------
>> | --text follows this line--
>> `---------------------------
>>
>> into a first-level Org-mode heading to make outorg work. 
>>
>> I assumed that this line is always present in message-mode between the
>> header and the body, so there is always at least one heading (created
>> in the background by outorg). 
>>
>> Is that line present in your case? 
>
> A tiny, tiny compatibility trick: the "text follows this
> line" line actually comes from the `mail-header-separator' variable. You
> might search for the value of that, instead of a hard-coded string, just
> in case it's been customized.

Nice tip, thanks, I just applied it to outorg.

-- 
cheers,
Thorsten

Re: outorg-edit-as-org and mu4e

[Alan Schmitt]

Thorsten Jolitz <tjolitz@gmail.com> writes:

> Ok, then its not a bug but just a (slightly) different use case.

Yes.

> I don't use mu4e, actually I never heard of it (is it good?). 

I like it. It may not be as full-featured as gnus, but it has reliable links to
messages (even when they are moved around). I could never get the nnregistry to
work reliably for me.

> Could you test these changes and let me know if it works for you? Then I'm
> happy to apply them to outorg, no matter if this version:
>
> #+begin_src emacs-lisp
>   (and (derived-mode-p 'message-mode)
>        (outorg-prepare-message-mode-buffer-for-editing))
> #+end_src

I tried this and it almost works, since mu4e make the "--text follows this
line--" read only. Here is how I patched outorg.el:

#+BEGIN_SRC diff
Changes from head to working tree
1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
 outorg.el | 7 ++++---

	Modified   outorg.el
diff --git a/outorg.el b/outorg.el
index 189ddb9..ab3e48d 100644
--- a/outorg.el
+++ b/outorg.el
@@ -469,7 +469,8 @@ headline and out-comments all text below this line - if any."
     (goto-char (point-min))
     ;; (re-search-forward "--text follows this line--" nil 'NOERROR)
     (re-search-forward mail-header-separator nil 'NOERROR)
-    (replace-match "* \\&")
+    (let ((inhibit-read-only t))
+      (replace-match "* \\&"))
     (beginning-of-line)
     (let ((start-body (point)))
       (comment-region start-body (point-max))
@@ -994,7 +995,7 @@ With ARG, act conditional on the raw value of ARG:
            (error "Cannot edit read-only buffer")
          (setq inhibit-read-only t)
          (setq outorg-code-buffer-read-only-p t)))
-  (and (eq major-mode 'message-mode)
+  (and (derived-mode-p 'message-mode)
        (outorg-prepare-message-mode-buffer-for-editing))
   (and (eq major-mode 'picolisp-mode)
        (save-excursion
@@ -1076,7 +1077,7 @@ With ARG, act conditional on the raw value of ARG:
   ;;  (marker-position outorg-code-buffer-point-marker))
   (and outorg-code-buffer-read-only-p
        (setq inhibit-read-only nil))
-  (and (eq major-mode 'message-mode)
+  (and (derived-mode-p 'message-mode)
        (outorg-prepare-message-mode-buffer-for-sending))
   (and (eq major-mode 'picolisp-mode)
        (save-excursion
#+END_SRC

I've made a few tests and things seem to work. I'll keep using it and will
report if something break.

Thanks,

Alan

Re: outorg-edit-as-org and mu4e

[Thorsten Jolitz]

Alan Schmitt <alan.schmitt@polytechnique.org> writes:

> I've made a few tests and things seem to work. I'll keep using it and will
> report if something break.

I just applied your patch, thanks for the tip and the code - let me know if
there are problems, since I can't test it. 

-- 
cheers,
Thorsten