Local variables in org files

Local variables in org files

[Michael Albinus]

Hi,

I'm trying to save the result of "M-x debbugs-org" into a file (this is
a TODO list). For further handling, also some buffer local variables
must survive. Therefore, I append at the very end of that file something
like this:

* Local Variables
** Local Variables:
** eval: (debbugs-org-mode 1)
** debbugs-org-ids: (1 2 3)
** End:

This has the nice effect, that those variables do not disturb in
overview mode, because they look like

* Local Variables...

Being invisible would be even better, but so what.

Unfortunately, the value of debbugs-org-ids could be very loooong,
exceeding the 3000 chars limit the "Local Variables:" section size is
allowed to be in Emacs. So I must rearrange things like this:

* Local Variables
** debbugs-org-ids: (1 2 3)
** Local Variables:
** eval: (debbugs-org-mode 1)
** debbugs-org-ids: (access-the-value-above)
** End:

Is there some functionality in org I could use implementing
`access-the-value-above'? It is org structure, so I'm hoping there is an
easy way to access a given node with a well defined position.

Or maybe there is already a clever way storing local variables in an org
file, which I'm not aware of.

Thanks, and best regards, Michael.

Re: Local variables in org files

[Nick Dokos]

Michael Albinus <michael.albinus@gmx.de> writes:

> Hi,
>
> I'm trying to save the result of "M-x debbugs-org" into a file (this is
> a TODO list). For further handling, also some buffer local variables
> must survive. Therefore, I append at the very end of that file something
> like this:
>
> * Local Variables
> ** Local Variables:
> ** eval: (debbugs-org-mode 1)
> ** debbugs-org-ids: (1 2 3)
> ** End:
>
> This has the nice effect, that those variables do not disturb in
> overview mode, because they look like
>
> * Local Variables...
>
> Being invisible would be even better, but so what.
>
> Unfortunately, the value of debbugs-org-ids could be very loooong,
> exceeding the 3000 chars limit the "Local Variables:" section size is
> allowed to be in Emacs. So I must rearrange things like this:
>
> * Local Variables
> ** debbugs-org-ids: (1 2 3)
> ** Local Variables:
> ** eval: (debbugs-org-mode 1)
> ** debbugs-org-ids: (access-the-value-above)
> ** End:
>
> Is there some functionality in org I could use implementing
> `access-the-value-above'? It is org structure, so I'm hoping there is an
> easy way to access a given node with a well defined position.
>
> Or maybe there is already a clever way storing local variables in an org
> file, which I'm not aware of.
>
> Thanks, and best regards, Michael.

Not sure if there are any limits for the top style but maybe you could
combine the two styles of local variables - maybe:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
# -*- foo: (1 2 3 4) -*-
* foo

#+BEGIN_SRC elisp
debbugs-org-ids
#+END_SRC

#+RESULTS:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

* COMMENT Local variables

** Local Variables:
** eval: (setq debbugs-org-ids foo)
** End:
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

Nick

Re: Local variables in org files

[Michael Albinus]

Nick Dokos <ndokos@gmail.com> writes:

> Not sure if there are any limits for the top style but maybe you could
> combine the two styles of local variables - maybe:
>
> # -*- foo: (1 2 3 4) -*-

This would move the problem to the headline. No idea, whether there is a
limit (to be tested). But this extremely long and ugly headline would be
visible - nothing I like to offer :-(

But maybe we don't need the Local Variables block? Code blocks could help?

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
* COMMENT Local Variables

#+NAME: init
#+BEGIN_SRC elisp
(set (make-local-variable 'debbugs-org-ids) '(1 2 3))
#+END_SRC

#+CALL: init
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

However, I must have misread the documentation. The "#+CALL: init"
directive has no effect when loading a respective xxx.org file :-(

Best regards, Michael.

Re: Local variables in org files

[Sebastien Vauban]

Hello Michael,

Michael Albinus wrote:
> Nick Dokos <ndokos-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org> writes:
>
>> Not sure if there are any limits for the top style but maybe you could
>> combine the two styles of local variables - maybe:
>>
>> # -*- foo: (1 2 3 4) -*-
>
> This would move the problem to the headline. No idea, whether there is a
> limit (to be tested). But this extremely long and ugly headline would be
> visible - nothing I like to offer :-(
>
> But maybe we don't need the Local Variables block? Code blocks could help?
>
> * COMMENT Local Variables
>
> #+NAME: init
> #+BEGIN_SRC elisp
> (set (make-local-variable 'debbugs-org-ids) '(1 2 3))
> #+END_SRC
>
> #+CALL: init
>
> However, I must have misread the documentation. The "#+CALL: init"
> directive has no effect when loading a respective xxx.org file :-(

Nope, it doesn't, but you can add an `eval' directive in your Local
Variables section, and evaluate a call to the init block, like this:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
# Local variables:
# eval: (sbe "init")
# End:
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

Best regards,
  Seb

-- 
Sebastien Vauban

Re: Local variables in org files

[Michael Albinus]

"Sebastien Vauban" <sva-news-D0wtAvR13HarG/iDocfnWg@public.gmane.org>
writes:

> Hello Michael,

Hi Sebastien,

>> However, I must have misread the documentation. The "#+CALL: init"
>> directive has no effect when loading a respective xxx.org file :-(
>
> Nope, it doesn't, but you can add an `eval' directive in your Local
> Variables section, and evaluate a call to the init block, like this:
>
> # Local variables:
> # eval: (sbe "init")
> # End:

That does the trick. Thanks a lot!

> Best regards,
>   Seb

Best regards, Michael.

Re: Local variables in org files

[Nick Dokos]

"Sebastien Vauban" <sva-news@mygooglest.com>
writes:

> Hello Michael,
>
> Michael Albinus wrote:
>> Nick Dokos <ndokos@gmail.com> writes:
>>
>>> Not sure if there are any limits for the top style but maybe you could
>>> combine the two styles of local variables - maybe:
>>>
>>> # -*- foo: (1 2 3 4) -*-
>>
>> This would move the problem to the headline. No idea, whether there is a
>> limit (to be tested). But this extremely long and ugly headline would be
>> visible - nothing I like to offer :-(
>>
>> But maybe we don't need the Local Variables block? Code blocks could help?
>>
>> * COMMENT Local Variables
>>
>> #+NAME: init
>> #+BEGIN_SRC elisp
>> (set (make-local-variable 'debbugs-org-ids) '(1 2 3))
>> #+END_SRC
>>
>> #+CALL: init
>>
>> However, I must have misread the documentation. The "#+CALL: init"
>> directive has no effect when loading a respective xxx.org file :-(
>
> Nope, it doesn't, but you can add an `eval' directive in your Local
> Variables section, and evaluate a call to the init block, like this:
>
> # Local variables:
> # eval: (sbe "init")
> # End:
>

Nice!

Re: Local variables in org files

[Bastien]

Nick Dokos <ndokos@gmail.com> writes:

>> # Local variables:
>> # eval: (sbe "init")
>> # End:

Nice!  But why using the global prefix "sbe"?

Shouldn't we simply rename the macro to org-sbe?

-- 
 Bastien

Re: Local variables in org files

[Sebastien Vauban]

Bastien,

Bastien wrote:
> Nick Dokos <ndokos-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org> writes:
>
>>> # Local variables:
>>> # eval: (sbe "init")
>>> # End:
>
> Nice!  But why using the global prefix "sbe"?
>
> Shouldn't we simply rename the macro to org-sbe?

It would make sense to be prefixed by `org' (or `ob' or ...) somehow.

`sbe' in itself is quite cryptic, even if it's the (quite logical)
abbreviation of "source block evaluate".

Best regards,
  Seb

-- 
Sebastien Vauban

Re: Local variables in org files

[Bastien]

Hi Sebastien,

"Sebastien Vauban" <sva-news-D0wtAvR13HarG/iDocfnWg@public.gmane.org>
writes:

> It would make sense to be prefixed by `org' (or `ob' or ...)
> somehow.

It's now named `org-sbe'.

> `sbe' in itself is quite cryptic, even if it's the (quite logical)
> abbreviation of "source block evaluate".

Yes, we can add a good alias at some point.

-- 
 Bastien

Re: Local variables in org files

[Nick Dokos]

Bastien <bzg@gnu.org> writes:

> Nick Dokos <ndokos@gmail.com> writes:
>
>>> # Local variables:
>>> # eval: (sbe "init")
>>> # End:
>
> Nice!  But why using the global prefix "sbe"?
>
> Shouldn't we simply rename the macro to org-sbe?

In the credit-where-credit-is-due department, it was Sebastien
Vauban who came up with this very nice tidbit.

-- 
Nick

Re: Local variables in org files

[Sebastien Vauban]

Thanks Nick... but...

Nick Dokos wrote:
> Bastien <bzg-mXXj517/zsQ@public.gmane.org> writes:
>
>> Nick Dokos <ndokos-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org> writes:
>>
>>>> # Local variables:
>>>> # eval: (sbe "init")
>>>> # End:
>>
>> Nice!  But why using the global prefix "sbe"?
>>
>> Shouldn't we simply rename the macro to org-sbe?
>
> In the credit-where-credit-is-due department, it was Sebastien
> Vauban who came up with this very nice tidbit.

"Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's"...

and take from Caesar everything what's not Caesar's [1] ;-)

Best regards,
  Seb

[1] That solution was given by Dan Davison in December 2010
    (see http://article.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.orgmode/34609).

-- 
Sebastien Vauban

Re: Local variables in org files

[Thomas S. Dye]

Aloha Seb,

"Sebastien Vauban" <sva-news-D0wtAvR13HarG/iDocfnWg@public.gmane.org>
writes:

> Nope, it doesn't, but you can add an `eval' directive in your Local
> Variables section, and evaluate a call to the init block, like this:
>
> # Local variables:
> # eval: (sbe "init")
> # End:
>
> Best regards,
>   Seb

Thanks for this! 

All the best,
Tom

-- 
Thomas S. Dye
http://www.tsdye.com