Re: Impossible to set org mode variable

[Rusi <rustompmody@gmail.com>]

On Saturday, January 18, 2014 3:30:58 AM UTC+5:30, Suvayu Ali wrote:
> Hi,

> On Fri, Jan 17, 2014 at 09:58:05AM -0800, Rusi wrote:
> > There is a variable org-odt-data-dir that I am trying to set for the org-mode exporter to work.  However I seem to be completely unable to make a setq or defvar or whatever do what it should.
> > Heres the scenario
> > emacs 23 C-h v
> > ---------------
> > org-odt-data-dir is a variable defined in `org-version.el'.
> > Its value is "~/pdsw/org-mode/etc"
> > Documentation:
> > The location of ODT styles.
> > ------------------
> > So far so good. This is what Ive set and what I want
> > Now emacs 24 C-h v
> > ------------------
> > org-odt-data-dir is a variable defined in `org-version.el'.
> > Its value is "/usr/share/emacs/etc/org"
> > Documentation:
> > The location of ODT styles.
> > The even weirder thing is if I click the org-version link, I see
> > ;;;###autoload
> > (defvar org-odt-data-dir "~/pdsw/org-mode/etc"
> >   "The location of ODT styles.")
> > Can someone explain whats going on

> How do you compile Org?  As far as I'm aware, org-version.el is
> autogenerated; so it would depend on how you compile Org.

> That said, in my case I see consistent varlues, so I would be inclined
> to think you have shadowing of Org libraries going on.

Of course.
Is it possible to use recent org without shadowing?

> Again how you
> are installing Org matters.  To verify the shadowing possibility
> checkout this FAQ: <http://orgmode.org/worg/org-faq.html#mixed-install>

Ok -- looked at that again.
1. Looked at all the shadows. As far as I can see in all cases my local org shadows the system one
2. Looked at org-version: It shows as
----------------
org-version is a variable defined in `org.el'.
Its value is "8.2.5e"

  This variable may be risky if used as a file-local variable.

Documentation:
Not documented as a variable.
----------------
This looks a little suspect because it matches neither the good nor the bad in the wiki you linked!!

How I am installing org:

1. use git
2. make update
3. Point load path to the git-download-dir/lisp

From the make helpall output
make autoloads      - create org-loaddefs.el to load Org in-place

I assume that using org 'in-place' is allowable and legitimate?

Also the first line of the build system
http://orgmode.org/worg/dev/org-build-system.html
says

http://orgmode.org/worg/dev/org-build-system.html

Org can be run directly from sources but...

Maybe the but is a big but!?