Re: [PATCH] inline src block results can be removed

["Charles C. Berry" <ccberry@ucsd.edu>]

On Fri, 14 Nov 2014, Nicolas Goaziou wrote:

> "Charles C. Berry" <ccberry@ucsd.edu> writes:
>
>> More patches (as you can see). Now ox.el, ob-core.el, and ob-exp.el
>> are patched.
>
> Thanks.
>

[skipping to the bottom - omitting useful critiques of code and
  opinions about strategy and tactics from Nicolas]

> WDYT?

After staring at `org-babel-insert-result' for too long, I am beginning to 
feel like Alice in Wonderland. As currently implemented, inline src blocks 
are somewhere between fragile and broken.  I worry about making them even 
more fragile, the logic in `org-babel-insert-result' has plenty of twists 
ans turns, and I cannot commit the effort to dig deeply into them. So I am 
looking for an easy way out.

For now, I'd be willing to make patches that will allow removal of the
inline src block results that do *not* involve these header args:

- :file <fn>
- :wrap <wrapper>
- :results latex html drawer org code

which I can do barely touching `org-babel-insert-result' and this
simplifies matters a lot.

I propose to do this by using the patches of ox.el and ob-exp.el from
my last post. For ob-core.el, I would

- leave defcustom org-babel-inline-wrap as "=%s=" (or use defconst - I
   do not have a strong opinion either way).
- allow replacement of exising results in `org-babel-insert-result'
   like so
   #+BEGIN_EXAMPLE
     -     (existing-result (unless inlinep
     -(org-babel-where-is-src-block-result
     +     (existing-result (if inlinep
     +(org-babel-delete-results-macro)
     +    (org-babel-where-is-src-block-result
   #+END_EXAMPLE
   and defun `org-babel-delete-results-macro' per Nicolas' suggestions
   for `org-babel-delete-babel-snippet' (from earlier patch) to use
   `org-element-context' and friends (and not mess with export
   snippets).
- modify `org-babel-examplify-region' along these lines
   #+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
     (insert
      (replace-regexp-in-string
       "," "\\,"
       (format
        (concat "{{{results("
                org-babel-inline-result-wrap
                ")}}}"
                (prog1 (buffer-substring beg end)
                  (delete-region beg end))))
       nil t))

   #+END_SRC


I believe that this is simple enough to avoid breaking idioms that
folks might use now.

As for the choice between "=%s=" and "%s", the latter was hard coded
until f285b7ed3d097dd1cbb55fa3c31bc92aa0149054 in February 2013 and
has been the default since. It also parallels what happens with
handling src block results. Going forward I do not think this
behavior should change.

I have too litle experience with #+MACROs to know if Aaron's
suggestion to let the user customize the macro is opening up potential
issues when users get `creative'.

I can do what I've outlined in the coming days.

If it is felt that more retooling of `org-babel-insert-results' is really 
needed, I can get to it early next year. In fact, I'll be out of email 
range from late this month till then, so any problems I create now will 
have to wait till then for me to work on them.

Thanks for the critique of my earlier patches and your thoughts.

Best,

Chuck