Re: Summation of effort estimates in columnview dblock

[Alexander Adolf via "General discussions about Org-mode." <emacs-orgmode@gnu.org>]

Hello Ihor,

Many thanks for your swift response.

Ihor Radchenko <yantar92@posteo.net> writes:

> Alexander Adolf via "General discussions about Org-mode."
> <emacs-orgmode@gnu.org> writes:
>
>> I'm using Org 9.7.9, and I'm seeing behaviour of the (undocumented?)
>> "%Effort" vs. "%Effort{:}" in the column view dblock, which confuses me.
>
> The manual says:
>
>     SUMMARY-TYPE
>          The summary type.  If specified, the column values for parent nodes
>          are computed from the children(1).

The manual leaves it to the reader to figure out how the computation
happens. Nor does it mention that different column types do use
different computations, nor where to find information about the
computation applied by each column.

Btw, on the same manual page you are quoting, there is the following
footnote:
---------------------------- Begin Quote -----------------------------
(54)
If more than one summary type applies to the same property, the parent
values are computed according to the first of them.
----------------------------- End Quote ------------------------------

At least for EFFORT, this seems ambiguous. I can have

    :format "%EFFORT %EFFORT{:}"

and both columns are present, and computed differently, whereas the
footnote can easily be read as hinting to the opposite. In fact, the
footnote is correct for all time format properties _except_ EFFORT.

> In other words, Org mode computes the value of the property for your
> Task 1, from Task 1.1, and Task 1.2.  Whatever is inside Task 1 does not
> matter.

This is true for EFFORT, and all other time format (real) property
columns, but not for CLOCKSUM columns.

> In fact, it might be overwritten in some cases.

That's true.

The manual refrains from both, mentioning this fact, and from explaining
in which cases overwriting happens, however.


I can understand that there are - more or less - subtle differences, as
more columns were added over time, each with a different use-case in
mind. In hindsight, some use-cases may seem regrettably narrow, but
that's were we are; it's history.

What has added to my perceived need of help, prompting me to start this
thread, is that the manual is extremely tight lips in this area.

It would thus seem helpful to readers (hope not just myself), if the
"column attributes" section (the one with the SUMMARY-TYPE definition
you quoted) could be extended:

- With a new paragraph or two at the very end explaining how the normal
  ("%Property"), and colon summations ("%Property{:}") of time format
  properties are done, and what gets overwritten when. The section now
  ends with an example containing such a column, so the explanation
  would fit nicely there, IMHO.

- Right after that, with another new paragraph explaining how the
  summation for CLOCKSUM and CLOCKSUM_T is done in contrast, and
  mentioning that nothing is ever overwritten for these.

- The section should also mention that the footnote # 54, which I quoted
  above, does not apply to the (special-ish) EFFORT property.


Many thanks and looking forward to your thoughts,

  --alexander