+++
title = "Emacs and Org-mode"
author = ["Elia el Lazkani"]
date = 2020-08-22
lastmod = 2020-08-22
tags = ["emacs", "org-mode", "configuration"]
categories = ["text-editors"]
draft = false
+++

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).

<!--more-->

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...


## Back story {#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 {#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 {#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 {#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.

```emacs-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`.

<div class="admonition note">
<p class="admonition-title">Note</p>

`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_.

</div>


### New Task {#new-task}

[shakthimaan](https://gitlab.com/shakthimaan/operation-blue-moon) already created something for this. It looks like the following.

```emacs-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 {#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.

```emacs-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:")
)
```

<div class="admonition warning">
<p class="admonition-title">warning</p>

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.

</div>


### Final touches {#final-touches}

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

```emacs-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.

```emacs-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! (:when (featurep! :lang org)
    (:map org-mode-map
    (: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 ? {#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 {#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.