Re: things I don't understand about tables

[Jude DaShiell <jdashiel@shellworld.net>]

On Tue, 13 Nov 2012, Jude DaShiell wrote:

> On Tue, 13 Nov 2012, Nick Dokos wrote:
> 
> > Jude DaShiell <jdashiel@shellworld.net> wrote:
> > 
> > > On Mon, 12 Nov 2012, Nick Dokos wrote:
> > > 
> > > > Jude DaShiell <jdashiel@shellworld.net> wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > > Why is it when I try putting a date in this table using the calendar I get 
> > > > > no date entered when in a blank field and hear the message:
> > > > > Before first headline at position 376 in buffer medlog.org
> > > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > How are you trying to insert the date?
> > > > 
> > > > This error is usually produced because some function is trying to do an
> > > > org-back-to-heading, i.e. the function does not expect the table to be
> > > > at top level. In particular, C-c C-d (org-deadline) and C-c C-s (org-schedule)
> > > > *want* a headline and insert the scheduling information after the headline,
> > > > not in the table.
> > > > 
> > > > OTOH, I tried entering a date into a table at top level with C-c .
> > > > which is bound to org-time-stamp, and the date gets inserted with no error
> > > > (and S-RET also works to increment the date in subsequent rows as
> > > > Michael Brand mentioned)
> > > > 
> > > > Org-mode version 7.9.2 (release_7.9.2-577-gb0a051 @ /home/nick/elisp/org-mode/lisp/)
> > > > 
> > > > Nick
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > First I try with c-c c-d that didn't get me into the calendar.  Next I try 
> > > with c-c . and that got me into the calendar and on current date.  
> > > Unfortunately, c-b c-b failed to move me two days back from the current 
> > > date.  This is with emacs 24.x on debian.
> > > 
> > 
> > When org-read-date pops up a calendar, you are not "in the calendar",
> > you are in the minibuffer with the prompt. You can select previous dates
> > by using something like -2 or you can use a set of calendar commands
> > that are bound to keys in the minibuffer. In particular, you can move
> > the cursor in the calendar to the previous day with S-<Left>. There are
> > similar keys for moving forward/backward through days, weeks, months and
> > 3-month periods. All of these are documented in the manual:
> > 
> >    (info "(org)The date/time prompt")
> > 
> > AFAICT, you cannot go "into the calendar": you can switch buffers, but
> > even so the calendar buffer does not seem to recognize any keys. Not
> > entirely sure that I've got this right (and I certainly don't understand
> > what's going on), but it seems to be a correct description of the
> > behavior.
> > 
> > Nick
> > 
> > 
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> jude <jdashiel@shellworld.net>
> Adobe fiend for failing to Flash
> 
> The minibuffer is read only when I try to type -2 and S-left generates 
> some symbols like = and [ but does not change the highlighted date.
> 
> 
> 
> 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
jude <jdashiel@shellworld.net>
Adobe fiend for failing to Flash

When I did c-c . and got current date with surrounding virtual calendar 
months, I noticed the cursor was positioned to the left of the = sign on 
line 25.  When I moved it to the right of the = sign I was able to key in 
-2 and then I hit enter and this time the date moved back two days!  
 Thanks much for the help provided.  I don't have to use Windows or excel 
 for this task now.