Should org-get-outline-path strip dedicated targets?

Should org-get-outline-path strip dedicated targets?

[timor]

If I have a document like this:

* some header <<some_target>>
** some subtree
*** some entry

Then calling org-get-outline-path on the deepest headline returns
("some header <<some_target>>" "some subtree")

I don't know what exactly org-get-outline-path is used for in org
mode, but for what I want to use it, I will remove the
"<<some_target>>" part manually.

I was just wondering if maybe this should already be done in
org-get-outline-path itself, since links are also replaced by their
description according to the documentation.

regards,
timor

Re: Should org-get-outline-path strip dedicated targets?

[Nicolas Goaziou]

Hello,

timor <timor.dd@gmail.com> writes:

> If I have a document like this:
>
> * some header <<some_target>>
> ** some subtree
> *** some entry
>
> Then calling org-get-outline-path on the deepest headline returns
> ("some header <<some_target>>" "some subtree")
>
> I don't know what exactly org-get-outline-path is used for in org
> mode, but for what I want to use it, I will remove the
> "<<some_target>>" part manually.
>
> I was just wondering if maybe this should already be done in
> org-get-outline-path itself, since links are also replaced by their
> description according to the documentation.

Links and targets are different in the sense that the former has an
invisible part, unlike to the latter. `org-get-outline-path' simply
removes that part since users probably do not distinguish their headings
using hidden characters.

OTOH, it could make sense to preserve targets, e.g., in the following:

  * Doc 1
  ** Introduction <<intro1>>
  ...
  * Doc 2
  ** Introduction <<intro2>>
  ...

Eventually, albeit tangential to the problem, I think using a CUSTOM_ID
is probably better than inserting a target in a headline.

Regards,

-- 
Nicolas Goaziou

Re: Should org-get-outline-path strip dedicated targets?

[timor]

Hello Nicolas,

Custom IDs seem to be a good alternative here, although I would think
about the <<target>> part as an invisible part, since I don't expect
it to be visible for e.g. export.

Thanks.

Regards,
timor