Re: Getting rid of split frame with org-capture

[Nick Dokos <nicholas.dokos@hp.com>]

Gregor Zattler <telegraph@gmx.net> wrote:

> Hi Thomas, org-mode community,
> * Thomas Lockney <thomas@lockney.net> [10. Nov. 2011]:
> > I'm attempting to get some code working that should create a new frame
> > with *just* org-capture, 
> 
> this is something I also tried hard to achive.
> 
> > but when I run it, I keep getting a split
> > despite various attempts at running delete-other-windows. I'm running
> > on "GNU Emacs 24.0.90.1 (i386-apple-darwin10.8.0, NS
> > apple-appkit-1038.36)" so perhaps this is a 24 specific issue. Here's
> > the code I've currently got:
> > 
> > (defadvice org-capture-finalize (after delete-capture-frame activate)
> >   "Advise capture-finalize to close the frame if it is the capture frame"
> >   (if (equal "capture" (frame-parameter nil 'name))
> >       (delete-frame)))
> > 
> > (defadvice org-capture-destroy (after delete-capture-frame activate)
> >   "Advise capture-destroy to close the frame if it is the capture frame"
> >   (if (equal "capture" (frame-parameter nil 'name))
> >       (delete-frame)))
> > 
> > (defun make-capture-frame ()
> >   "Create a new frame and run org-capture."
> >   (interactive)
> >   (make-frame '((name . "Capture")
> >                 (width . 100)
> >                 (height . 15)))
> >   (select-frame-by-name "Capture")
> >   (delete-other-windows)
> >   (org-capture))
> 
> I played a bit with your code.  I also use emacs24.  I also get a
> split frame.  I think it's org-capture which splits the frame.
> 
> I want to run this with emacsclient.  But when there is no
> graphical (X11) frame then emacsclient -e '(make-capture-frame)'
> does nothing, no frame pops up. 
> 
> > I've also tried this using the org-capture-mode-hook to call
> > delete-other-windows and I've tried placing delete-other-windows after
> > the call to org-capture (both of those based on solutions I've seen
> > posted to this list at various times). Anyone have any clues on this?
> > I'm stumped, but I'm also fairly inexperienced at programming
> > emacs.
> 
> me too.  For my capture needs I would like to automatically open a frame for
> org-capture and also automatically close it when finishing the
> capture.  This should happen regardless of other frames or the
> lack of other frames.
> 

AFAICT, this is not possible with the current code. The above is
attacking the problem at the wrong level: you can't change that behavior
from the outside; you need to change the existing code in order to
implement it.

If you wish to hack, the relevant function is
org-capture-place-template: changing the
org-switch-to-buffer-other-window to org-switch-to-buffer-other-frame
(and adding a definition for the latter function in analogy to the
former) would indeed pop up a frame and you can enter your capture and
finalize it - that's the easy part.

But note that org-capture-finalize would need a tweak too in order to
delete the now useless frame.

And of course all of this would need to be done conditionally based
on a new user option, perhaps org-capture-in-new-frame (nil by default).
And don't forget to make it customizable.

Not worth the bother IMO[fn:1], but if you wish to implement it and submit
a patch, I'd be happy to review it.

Nick

Footnotes:

[fn:1] Remember, capture is supposed to be as unobtrusive as possible:
       you just want to squirrel away something for future
       reference. Bells and whistles (which, IMO, this change would be)
       are not the point: you want to get in, record the data and get
       out and back to work as fast as possible. Popping up frames slows
       things down but more importantly jolts you away from what you
       were doing. At least, it would me (I think): that's why I don't
       think it's worth it, but you may very well disagree.