Re: Alternate format for datetree

[Ian Barton <lists@wilkesley.net>]

On 27/08/12 07:08, John Hendy wrote:
> On Sun, Aug 26, 2012 at 11:04 PM, Nick Dokos <nicholas.dokos@hp.com> wrote:
>> John Hendy <jw.hendy@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On Sun, Aug 26, 2012 at 3:11 PM, c b <24x7x366@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> I have been using org-mode for about 18 months now and love it. I recently
>>>> came across the org-capture file+datetree format and it is just what I am
>>>> looking for, except that I need a slightly different format described as
>>>> below
>>>>
>>>> Currently format is
>>>>
>>>> * 2012
>>>> ** 2012-08
>>>> *** 2012-08-26 Sunday
>>>> **** [2012-08-26 Sun 13:00] My note for this Sunday afternoon
>>>>
>>>> Needed format is
>>>>
>>>> * 08
>>>> ** 26
>>>> *** 2012 Sunday
>>>> **** [2012-08-26 Sun 13:00] My note for this Sunday afternoon
>>>>
>>>> Basically, I need to have the "root" of the date tree on the month, followed
>>>> by date and then Year, so that for a particular date, I can see all yearly
>>>> activity.
>>>>
>>>> Is there currently a way to alter this?
>>>>
>>>> If not, how would I go about adding a file+monthtree format for org-capture?
>>>>
>>>> Any suggestions would be appreciated
>>>
>>> I was looking for something similar and someone provided a custom
>>> capture template that allowed for using inactive timestamps vs. the
>>> default datetree format.
>>>
>>> See the example provided here:
>>> - http://osdir.com/ml/emacs-orgmode-gnu/2012-08/msg00396.html
>>>
>>> I fiddled with this a bit, not really being familiar and learned a
>>> good bit in the process to achieve your desired format. Give this a
>>> try:
>>>
>>> #+begin_src .emacs
>>> (setq org-capture-templates
>>> `(("t" "test" entry
>>> (file+headline "~/file.org"
>>> ,(format "%s"
>>> (format-time-string "%m")))
>>> ,(format "** %s \n*** %s-%s \n**** [%s-%s-%s %s %s:%s] "
>>> (format-time-string "%d")
>>> (format-time-string "%Y")
>>> (format-time-string "%A")
>>> (format-time-string "%Y")
>>> (format-time-string "%m")
>>> (format-time-string "%d")
>>> (format-time-string "%a")
>>> (format-time-string "%H")
>>> (format-time-string "%M"))
>>> )))
>>> #+end_src
>>>
>>> One thing I couldn't figure out was how to insert a %? after that
>>> second long format option. If I just put in %?, loading .emacs caused
>>> the error "Not enough arguments to format" or something like that. I'm
>>> sure there's some secret elisp escape syntax I just don't know. I
>>> tried various combinations of \ and '("") with no success.
>>>
>>
>> Try
>>
>> --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
>> ,(format "** %s \n*** %s-%s \n**** [%s-%s-%s %s %s:%s] %%?"
>> --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---
>>
>> You basically need to escape the % from being interpreted by format.
>> C-h f format RET says
>>
>> ,----
>> | ...
>> | Use %% to put a single % into the output.
>> | ...
>> `----
>
> Perfect -- thanks!
> John
>
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>> That'd put the finishing touch on things so your cursor was where you wanted it.
>>>

I would like to use something like this. However, using a recent git 
checkout of org mode and the following simple template from the original 
list message:

("u"
          "Test"
          entry
          (file+headline "~/test.org"
                         ,(format "%s %s"
                                  (format-time-string "%B")
                                  (format-time-string "%Y"))))
I get the following error:

Debugger entered--Lisp error: (wrong-type-argument stringp (\, (format 
"%s %s" (format-time-string "%B") (format-time-string "%Y"))))
   regexp-quote((\, (format "%s %s" (format-time-string "%B") 
(format-time-string "%Y"))))
   org-capture-set-target-location()
   org-capture(nil)
   call-interactively(org-capture nil nil)

I also get the same error from John Hendy's template. Is this a bug in 
recent versions of org, or is there an error in the template lisp? I 
have tried doing a git bisect, but can only go back a few commits, as my 
config now includes  several things that have only recently been added 
to org.

Ian.