Electric insert of headline stars

Electric insert of headline stars

[Piotr Zielinski]

Hi,

Here's a small piece of elisp code that might be useful to some of you.
Pressing '*' now inserts '*' as before, but if there are only spaces
between the beginning of the current line and the point, then all of
them are converted to stars.  Useful for inserting new headlines.

Longer explanaition: assume you have the following structure:

* first level headline
_* second level headline
__* third level headline

(_ denotes an invisible star) Since stars are invisible, I often find
myself trying to create a new subheadline by just inserting a single
star

* first level headline
_* second level headline
__* third level headline
   *

which of course doesn't normally work, hence this elisp code.

(defun local-org-insert-stars ()
  (interactive)
  (when (looking-back "^ *" (point-at-bol))
    (replace-string " " "*" nil (point-at-bol) (point)))
  (insert "*"))

(define-key org-mode-map "*" 'local-org-insert-stars)

Haven't thoroughly tested it, but it seems to work ok.

Piotr

Re: Electric insert of headline stars

[Carsten Dominik]

On Oct 25, 2007, at 12:15 PM, Piotr Zielinski wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Here's a small piece of elisp code that might be useful to some of  
> you.
> Pressing '*' now inserts '*' as before, but if there are only spaces
> between the beginning of the current line and the point, then all of
> them are converted to stars.  Useful for inserting new headlines.
>
> Longer explanaition: assume you have the following structure:
>
> * first level headline
> _* second level headline
> __* third level headline
>
> (_ denotes an invisible star) Since stars are invisible, I often find
> myself trying to create a new subheadline by just inserting a single
> star
>
> * first level headline
> _* second level headline
> __* third level headline
>    *
>
> which of course doesn't normally work, hence this elisp code.


hmm, intresting.

>
> (defun local-org-insert-stars ()
>   (interactive)
>   (when (looking-back "^ *" (point-at-bol))
>     (replace-string " " "*" nil (point-at-bol) (point)))
>   (insert "*"))

like this it will break table alignment.  it is better to use

(org-self-insert-command 1)

     instead of

(insert "*")


- Carsten

>
> (define-key org-mode-map "*" 'local-org-insert-stars)
>
> Haven't thoroughly tested it, but it seems to work ok.
>
> Piotr
>
>
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Re: Electric insert of headline stars

[Bastien]

Hi Piotr,

"Piotr Zielinski" <piotr.zielinski@gmail.com> writes:

> (defun local-org-insert-stars ()
>   (interactive)
>   (when (looking-back "^ *" (point-at-bol))
                           ^
                           ^

This should be "+", otherwise you get a message saying "Replaced 0
occurrence" when you insert a "*" at the beginning of the line.

Also remark that this is not suitable for people using "*" for list
items, although the manual suggests using "*" for list items is not 
a very good idea.

Anyway, i guess this might be useful for some people, thanks!

-- 
Bastien

Re: Electric insert of headline stars

[Seweryn Kokot]

"Piotr Zielinski" <piotr.zielinski@gmail.com> writes:

> which of course doesn't normally work, hence this elisp code.
>
> (defun local-org-insert-stars ()
>   (interactive)
>   (when (looking-back "^ *" (point-at-bol))
>     (replace-string " " "*" nil (point-at-bol) (point)))
>   (insert "*"))
>
> (define-key org-mode-map "*" 'local-org-insert-stars)
>

Very nice idea! 
A minor inconvenience is a warning when compiling the code

.emacs:2604:30:Warning: `replace-string' used from Lisp code
That command is designed for interactive use only. 

How to get rid of this?

regards,
-- 
Seweryn Kokot

Re: Re: Electric insert of headline stars

[Piotr Zielinski]

On 25/10/2007, Seweryn Kokot <s.kokot@po.opole.pl> wrote:

> A minor inconvenience is a warning when compiling the code

First, here's the version after Bastien's and Carsten's comments:

(defun local-org-insert-stars ()
  (interactive)
  (when (looking-back "^ +" (point-at-bol))
    (replace-string " " "*" nil (point-at-bol) (point)))
  (org-self-insert-command 1))

> .emacs:2604:30:Warning: `replace-string' used from Lisp code
> That command is designed for interactive use only.

> How to get rid of this?

This is what I came up with after following the suggestion from the
manual, but it looks complicated to me, so I don't really like it:


(defun local-org-insert-stars ()
  (interactive)
  (when (looking-back "^ +" (point-at-bol))
    (save-excursion
      (while (search-backward " " (point-at-bol) t)
	(replace-match "*" nil t))))
  (org-self-insert-command 1))


Piotr

Re: Re: Electric insert of headline stars

[Carsten Dominik]

On Oct 25, 2007, at 2:11 PM, Piotr Zielinski wrote:

> On 25/10/2007, Seweryn Kokot <s.kokot@po.opole.pl> wrote:
>
>> A minor inconvenience is a warning when compiling the code
>
> First, here's the version after Bastien's and Carsten's comments:
>
> (defun local-org-insert-stars ()
>   (interactive)
>   (when (looking-back "^ +" (point-at-bol))
>     (replace-string " " "*" nil (point-at-bol) (point)))
>   (org-self-insert-command 1))
>
>> .emacs:2604:30:Warning: `replace-string' used from Lisp code
>> That command is designed for interactive use only.
>
>> How to get rid of this?
>
> This is what I came up with after following the suggestion from the
> manual, but it looks complicated to me, so I don't really like it:
>
>
> (defun local-org-insert-stars ()
>   (interactive)
>   (when (looking-back "^ +" (point-at-bol))
>     (save-excursion
>       (while (search-backward " " (point-at-bol) t)
> 	(replace-match "*" nil t))))
>   (org-self-insert-command 1))
>

Another option would be:

(defun local-org-insert-stars ()
   (interactive)
   (if (looking-back "^ +" (point-at-bol))
       (insert (make-string (prog1 (current-column) (replace-match  
"")) ?*)
	      "* ")
     (org-self-insert-command 1)))

- Carsten

Re: Electric insert of headline stars

[Seweryn Kokot]

"Piotr Zielinski" <piotr.zielinski@gmail.com> writes:

> On 25/10/2007, Seweryn Kokot <s.kokot@po.opole.pl> wrote:
>
>> A minor inconvenience is a warning when compiling the code
>
> First, here's the version after Bastien's and Carsten's comments:
>
> (defun local-org-insert-stars ()
>   (interactive)
>   (when (looking-back "^ +" (point-at-bol))
>     (replace-string " " "*" nil (point-at-bol) (point)))
>   (org-self-insert-command 1))
>
>> .emacs:2604:30:Warning: `replace-string' used from Lisp code
>> That command is designed for interactive use only.
>
>> How to get rid of this?
>
> This is what I came up with after following the suggestion from the
> manual, but it looks complicated to me, so I don't really like it:
>
>
> (defun local-org-insert-stars ()
>   (interactive)
>   (when (looking-back "^ +" (point-at-bol))
>     (save-excursion
>       (while (search-backward " " (point-at-bol) t)
> 	(replace-match "*" nil t))))
>   (org-self-insert-command 1))

It seems that the line
"(when (looking-back "^ +" (point-at-bol))"
is not required in the second version. And for me it's better to add and
extra whitespace to directly type a heading name. I don't know if the
line (insert " ") is correct in this case or it should be replaced with
something (org-self-insert-command x)?

(defun ks-org-insert-stars ()
  (interactive)
  (save-excursion 
	(while (search-backward " " (point-at-bol) t)
	  (replace-match "*" nil t)))
  (org-self-insert-command 1)
  (insert " "))

Anyway I prefer the version without a warning and it is politically
correct according to the manual :)

-- 
Seweryn Kokot

Re: Electric insert of headline stars

[Seweryn Kokot]

Seweryn Kokot <s.kokot@po.opole.pl> writes:

>>
>> (defun local-org-insert-stars ()
>>   (interactive)
>>   (when (looking-back "^ +" (point-at-bol))
>>     (save-excursion
>>       (while (search-backward " " (point-at-bol) t)
>> 	(replace-match "*" nil t))))
>>   (org-self-insert-command 1))
>
> It seems that the line
> "(when (looking-back "^ +" (point-at-bol))"
> is not required in the second version.
  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 1.

> And for me it's better to add and
> extra whitespace to directly type a heading name. I don't know if the
> line (insert " ") is correct in this case or it should be replaced with
> something (org-self-insert-command x)?
  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 2.
>
> (defun ks-org-insert-stars ()
>   (interactive)
>   (save-excursion 
> 	(while (search-backward " " (point-at-bol) t)
> 	  (replace-match "*" nil t)))
>   (org-self-insert-command 1)
>   (insert " "))
>
> Anyway I prefer the version without a warning and it is politically
> correct according to the manual :)

After some testing I withdraw the two things I wrote in my previous
post. Forget it! So I'm staying with the following version

(defun local-org-insert-stars ()
  (interactive)
  (when (looking-back "^ +" (point-at-bol))
  (save-excursion 
	(while (search-backward " " (point-at-bol) t)
	  (replace-match "*" nil t))))
  (org-self-insert-command 1))

-- 
Seweryn Kokot

Re: Re: Electric insert of headline stars

[Bastien]

"Piotr Zielinski" <piotr.zielinski@gmail.com> writes:

> This is what I came up with after following the suggestion from the
> manual, but it looks complicated to me, so I don't really like it:
>
> (defun local-org-insert-stars ()
>   (interactive)
>   (when (looking-back "^ +" (point-at-bol))
>     (save-excursion
>       (while (search-backward " " (point-at-bol) t)
> 	(replace-match "*" nil t))))
>   (org-self-insert-command 1))

A bit more complicated but using `replace-match' instead of
`replace-string' has also the advantage of getting rid of the messages.

-- 
Bastien

Re: Re: Electric insert of headline stars

[Carsten Dominik]

On Oct 25, 2007, at 1:53 PM, Seweryn Kokot wrote:

> "Piotr Zielinski" <piotr.zielinski@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> which of course doesn't normally work, hence this elisp code.
>>
>> (defun local-org-insert-stars ()
>>   (interactive)
>>   (when (looking-back "^ *" (point-at-bol))
>>     (replace-string " " "*" nil (point-at-bol) (point)))
>>   (insert "*"))
>>
>> (define-key org-mode-map "*" 'local-org-insert-stars)
>>
>
> Very nice idea!
> A minor inconvenience is a warning when compiling the code
>
> .emacs:2604:30:Warning: `replace-string' used from Lisp code
> That command is designed for interactive use only.
>
> How to get rid of this?

The docstring of replace-string shows what replacement code should be  
used,
a combination of re-search-forward and replace-match.
Or you can wrap the call into a `with-no-warnings' form.

However, is the code is just in your own .emacs and works well, who  
cares.

- Carsten