Customizing org-columns-modify-value-for-display-function to shorten time-stamps in colview

Customizing org-columns-modify-value-for-display-function to shorten time-stamps in colview

[Mekeor Melire]

Hello,

I'm trying to customize org-columns-modify-value-for-display-function in
order to change how time-stamps are displayed. I tried this kind of
function:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
(lambda (column-title value)
  (pcase column-title
    ((or "SCHEDULED" "TIMESTAMP" "DEADLINE")
      (if value
        (format-time-string "%02m'%d %a %R"
          (org-read-date t t value))
        ""))
    (_ nil)))
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

But it results in empty (nil, I guess) time-stamps being displayed as
the current time; and non-nil time-stamps being displayed with the
current hour and minute. What's wrong?

Kind regards
Mekeor

Re: Customizing org-columns-modify-value-for-display-function to shorten time-stamps in colview

[Ihor Radchenko]

Mekeor Melire <mekeor@posteo.de> writes:

> But it results in empty (nil, I guess) time-stamps being displayed as
> the current time; and non-nil time-stamps being displayed with the
> current hour and minute. What's wrong?

Empty time-stamps will be literally empty: "" (that is: empty string).
(if "" 1 2) will return 1. That's why you got unexpected result.
You could instead use (if (and value (not (string-empty-p value))) ...)

Best,
Ihor

Re: Customizing org-columns-modify-value-for-display-function to shorten time-stamps in colview

[Max Nikulin]

On 01/07/2022 19:06, Ihor Radchenko wrote:
> 
> You could instead use (if (and value (not (string-empty-p value))) ...)

`org-string-nw-p' is not identical to this expression, but it likely 
still can be used.

Re: Customizing org-columns-modify-value-for-display-function to shorten time-stamps in colview

[Mekeor Melire]

2022-07-01 / 20:06 / yantar92@gmail.com:

> Mekeor Melire <mekeor@posteo.de> writes:
>
> > But it results in empty (nil, I guess) time-stamps being displayed as
> > the current time; and non-nil time-stamps being displayed with the
> > current hour and minute. What's wrong?
>
> Empty time-stamps will be literally empty: "" (that is: empty string).
> (if "" 1 2) will return 1. That's why you got unexpected result.
> You could instead use (if (and value (not (string-empty-p value))) ...)
>
> Best,
> Ihor

thank you very much, ihor. this worked! :)