[c]ompute property value ?

[c]ompute property value ?

[Bastien]

Hi Carsten,

by pressing the C-c C-c in front of :PROPERTIES:, i've been offered
these property actions:

  Property Action:  [s]et  [d]elete  [D]delete globally

(Should be "[D]elete", no?)

It might be useful here to be able to [c]ompute or [u]pdate the property
value depending on its children, at least for values with a summary type
like {+}, {X} or {:}.  

Perhaps [C]ompute/[U]pdate globally (all properties) has also its place
here.

-- 
Bastien

Re: [c]ompute property value ?

[Carsten Dominik]

On Jul 15, 2007, at 3:11, Bastien wrote:

> Hi Carsten,
>
> by pressing the C-c C-c in front of :PROPERTIES:, i've been offered
> these property actions:
>
>   Property Action:  [s]et  [d]elete  [D]delete globally
>
> (Should be "[D]elete", no?)

Definitely.

>
> It might be useful here to be able to [c]ompute or [u]pdate the 
> property
> value depending on its children, at least for values with a summary 
> type
> like {+}, {X} or {:}.

The problem is that the summary type is a property of the
column view format, not of the property itself.  So it
is not entirely obvious how and with what scope this command should be
interpreted - even though I think we should have it.

Another issue is that even though column view show the summary values,
they are not by default inserted into the properties list of the
parent node.  If the parent node does have the property, its value
is updated.  If it does not have it, the property will not
be added.  I thought this would be useful to avoid the property
drawer filling with stuff you might not want there.
So for the summing command you propose, we need to decide
how to handle this question.  Maybe with a prefix
argument, force the creation of the property in the parent
nodes?

- Carsten

>
> Perhaps [C]ompute/[U]pdate globally (all properties) has also its place
> here.
>
> -- 
> Bastien
>
>
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>

--
Carsten Dominik
Sterrenkundig Instituut "Anton Pannekoek"
Universiteit van Amsterdam
Kruislaan 403
NL-1098SJ Amsterdam
phone: +31 20 525 7477

Re: [c]ompute property value ?

[Bastien]

Carsten Dominik <dominik@science.uva.nl> writes:

> The problem is that the summary type is a property of the
> column view format, not of the property itself.  

Yes, i inferred that from the fact that the summary type is
automatically updated when changing the property value from 
the column view.

> So it is not entirely obvious how and with what scope this command
> should be interpreted - even though I think we should have it.

So far as C-c C-x C-c does the updating job by computing the summary, i
guess we just need a function that replaces the values of the properties
when they exist (in parent and children).

Such a function should be interactive and might called by
`write-file-hooks'.

> Another issue is that even though column view show the summary values,
> they are not by default inserted into the properties list of the
> parent node.  If the parent node does have the property, its value
> is updated.  If it does not have it, the property will not
> be added.  I thought this would be useful to avoid the property
> drawer filling with stuff you might not want there.

Very right.  

> So for the summing command you propose, we need to decide
> how to handle this question.  Maybe with a prefix
> argument, force the creation of the property in the parent
> nodes?

A prefix argument sounds good to me.  

Certainly all these questions are not #1 priority.  As you said,
proprities are new and it might be wise to wait for more people to
interact with them...

Cheers,

-- 
Bastien

Re: [c]ompute property value ?

[Carsten Dominik]

On Jul 16, 2007, at 11:30, Bastien wrote:

> Carsten Dominik <dominik@science.uva.nl> writes:
>
>> The problem is that the summary type is a property of the
>> column view format, not of the property itself.
>
> Yes, i inferred that from the fact that the summary type is
> automatically updated when changing the property value from
> the column view.
>
>> So it is not entirely obvious how and with what scope this command
>> should be interpreted - even though I think we should have it.
>
> So far as C-c C-x C-c does the updating job by computing the summary, i
> guess we just need a function that replaces the values of the 
> properties
> when they exist (in parent and children).

In fact, constructing the column view *does* replace the property
value where it exists.  Still, an independent function, callable
from hooks would be good.

- Carsten



--
Carsten Dominik
Sterrenkundig Instituut "Anton Pannekoek"
Universiteit van Amsterdam
Kruislaan 403
NL-1098SJ Amsterdam
phone: +31 20 525 7477