blog.lazkani.io-20200902-historical/posts/text-editors/emacs-and-org-mode.rst

.. title: Emacs and Org-mode
.. date: 2020-08-22
.. slug: emacs-and-org-mode
.. updated: 2020-08-22
.. status: published
.. tags: emacs, org-mode, configuration,
.. category: text-editors
.. authors: Elia el Lazkani
.. description: I ditched VSCode and moved back to Emacs... You heard me !
.. type: text

I have recently found out, late I know, that the *VSCode* distribution of the so called *Code - OSS* is exactly that; a distribution.

Let me make it clear, the *VSCode* binaries you download from **Microsoft** has an upstream the **GitHub repository*** named `VSCode <https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode>`_ but in fact is not exactly the same code.
**Microsoft** has already added a few gifts for you, including *telemetry*, not cool huh ?!
Well, they tell you this in the documentation, urrrmmm `somewhere <https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/wiki/Differences-between-the-repository-and-Visual-Studio-Code>`_.

At the same time, I was giving *Jupyter Notebook* a try. I worked on my previous post in it before writing down the final result as a blog post.
But at the back of my mind, there was always `Org-mode <https://orgmode.org/>`_.

Putting one and one together, you've guessed it. I have moved to *Emacs*... again... for the umm I can't remember time.
But this time, it is different ! I hope...

.. TEASER_END

Back story
==========

I was using *Jupyter Notebooks* as a way to write down notes. Organize things.
I had a work around the *output* and was able to clean it.
But let's face it, it might work but it is designed more towards other goals.
I want to write notes and the best way to work with notes is to keep in the text, literally.
I found a *VSCode* extension that can handle *Org-mode* in some capacity (I haven't tested it) so I decided to switch to *Emacs* and keep the extention as a backup.

Emacs Distribution of Doom
==========================

Haha ! Very funny, I know. I went with `Doom <https://github.com/hlissner/emacs-doom-themes>`_.
Why? You may ask. I don't really have a good answer for you except the following.

 * I didn't want to start from scratch, I wanted something with batteries included.
 * At the same time, I've tried *Doom* before and I like how it does things.
   It is logical to me while at the same time very configurable.
 * I was able to get up and running very quickly. Granted, my needs are few.
 * I got *Python* and *Golang* auto-completion and *evil* mode. I'm good to go !

Now let's dig down to my main focus here. Sure I switched editors but it was for a reason; **Org-mode**.

Org-mode Configuration
======================

I will be talking about two different configuartion options here.
I am new to emacs so I will try to explain everything.

The two options are related to the difference between a *vanilla* configuration and *Doom*'s version of the configuration.
The differences are minor but they are worth talking about.

New Org File
------------

If you've used *Org-mode* before and created *org files*, you already know that you need to set a few values at the top of the file. These include the *title*, *author*, *description* and a different other values to change setting and/or behavior.

It is a bit of a manual labor to write these few lines at the beginning of every file. I wanted to automate that. So I got inspiration from `shakthimaan <https://gitlab.com/shakthimaan/operation-blue-moon>`_.

I used his method to create a small ``define-skeleton`` for a header.
It looks something like this.

.. code:: lisp

  (define-skeleton generate-new-header-org
    "Prompt for title, description and tags"
    nil
    '(setq title  (skeleton-read "Title: "))
    '(setq author  (skeleton-read "Author: "))
    '(setq description  (skeleton-read "Description: "))
    '(setq tags (skeleton-read "tags: "))
    "#+TITLE: " title \n
    "#+AUTHOR: " author \n
    "#+DESCRIPTION: " description \n
    "#+TAGS: " tags \n
    )

You can use this later with ``M-x`` + ``genrate-new-header-org``.

.. note::

   ``M-x`` is the **Meta** key and **x** combination.
   Your **Meta** key can differ between the **Alt** on *Linux* and **Command** on *Mac OS X*.

   ``M-x`` will open a prompt for you to write in. Write the name you gave the skeleton, in this case it is ``generate-new-header-org`` and then hit the *Return*.

New Task
--------

`shakthimaan <https://gitlab.com/shakthimaan/operation-blue-moon>`_ already created something for this. It looks like the following.

.. code:: lisp

  ;; Create a new skeleton to generate a new =Task=
  (define-skeleton insert-org-entry
    "Prompt for task, estimate and category"
    nil
    '(setq task  (skeleton-read "Task: "))
    '(setq estimate  (skeleton-read "Estimate: "))
    '(setq owner  (skeleton-read "Owner: "))
    '(setq category (skeleton-read "Category: "))
    '(setq timestamp (format-time-string "%s"))
    "** " task \n
    ":PROPERTIES:" \n
    ":ESTIMATED: " estimate \n
    ":ACTUAL:" \n
    ":OWNER: " owner \n
    ":ID: " category "." timestamp \n
    ":TASKID: " category "." timestamp \n
    ":END:")

This can also be used like the one above with ``M-x`` + ``insert-org-entry``.

Doom specific configuration
---------------------------

Whatever defined so far should work if you just add it to your configuration but if you use *Doom* it would a nice touch to integrate it with the workflow.

In ``~/.doom.d/config.el``, wrap the previous definitions with ``(after! org)``.
It's a nice touch to add these skeletons after *Org-mode* has loaded.

.. code:: lisp

  (after! org
    ;; Create a skeleton to generate header org
    (define-skeleton generate-new-header-org
      "Prompt for title, description and tags"
      nil
      '(setq title  (skeleton-read "Title: "))
      '(setq author  (skeleton-read "Author: "))
      '(setq description  (skeleton-read "Description: "))
      '(setq tags (skeleton-read "tags: "))
      "#+TITLE: " title \n
      "#+AUTHOR: " author \n
      "#+DESCRIPTION: " description \n
      "#+TAGS: " tags \n)

    ;; Create a new skeleton to generate a new =Task=
    (define-skeleton insert-org-entry
      "Prompt for task, estimate and category"
      nil
      '(setq task  (skeleton-read "Task: "))
      '(setq estimate  (skeleton-read "Estimate: "))
      '(setq owner  (skeleton-read "Owner: "))
      '(setq category (skeleton-read "Category: "))
      '(setq timestamp (format-time-string "%s"))
      "** " task \n
      ":PROPERTIES:" \n
      ":ESTIMATED: " estimate \n
      ":ACTUAL:" \n
      ":OWNER: " owner \n
      ":ID: " category "." timestamp \n
      ":TASKID: " category "." timestamp \n
      ":END:")
  )


.. warning::

   If you modify any file in ``~/.doom.d/``, do not forget to run ``doom sync`` and ``doom doctor`` to update and check your configuration respectively.

Final touches
-------------

I wanted to add it to the menu system that comes with *Doom* so I included the following in my ``(after! ...)`` block.

.. code:: lisp
  
  ;; Add keybindings with the leader menu for everything above
  (map! :map org-mode-map
        (:leader
         (:prefix ("m", "+<localleader>")
          :n :desc "Generate New Header Org" "G" 'generate-new-header-org
          :n :desc "New Task Entry" "N" 'insert-org-entry
          ))
  )

Making the final configuration look like the following.

.. code:: lisp

  (after! org
    ;; Create a skeleton to generate header org
    (define-skeleton generate-new-header-org
      "Prompt for title, description and tags"
      nil
      '(setq title  (skeleton-read "Title: "))
      '(setq author  (skeleton-read "Author: "))
      '(setq description  (skeleton-read "Description: "))
      '(setq tags (skeleton-read "tags: "))
      "#+TITLE: " title \n
      "#+AUTHOR: " author \n
      "#+DESCRIPTION: " description \n
      "#+TAGS: " tags \n)

    ;; Create a new skeleton to generate a new =Task=
    (define-skeleton insert-org-entry
      "Prompt for task, estimate and category"
      nil
      '(setq task  (skeleton-read "Task: "))
      '(setq estimate  (skeleton-read "Estimate: "))
      '(setq owner  (skeleton-read "Owner: "))
      '(setq category (skeleton-read "Category: "))
      '(setq timestamp (format-time-string "%s"))
      "** " task \n
      ":PROPERTIES:" \n
      ":ESTIMATED: " estimate \n
      ":ACTUAL:" \n
      ":OWNER: " owner \n
      ":ID: " category "." timestamp \n
      ":TASKID: " category "." timestamp \n
      ":END:")

    (map! :map org-mode-map
          (:leader
           (:prefix ("m", "+<localleader>")
            :n :desc "Generate New Header Org" "G" 'generate-new-header-org
            :n :desc "New Task Entry" "N" 'insert-org-entry
            )))
  )

What do I do now ?
==================

You might be asking yourself at this point, what does this all mean ?
What do I do with this ? Where do I go ?

Well here's the thing. You find yourself wanting to create a new *org file*.
You do so in emacs and follow it with ``M-x`` + ``generate-new-header-org`` (or ``SPC m G`` in **Doom**). *Emacs* will ask you a few questions in the bottom left corner and once you answer then, your header should be all set.

You can follow that with ``M-x`` + ``insert-org-entry`` (or ``SPC m N``) to generate a task. This will also ask you for input in the bottom left corner.

Conclusion
==========

This should help me pick up the usage of *Org-mode* faster. It is also a good idea if you've already configured your *Emacs* to read all your *org file* for a wider **agenda** view.