On Thu, Jul 30, 2009 at 7:55 PM, Bastien <bastienguerry@googlemail.com>wrote:

> Sebastian Rose <sebastian_rose@gmx.de> writes:
>
> >> Column view by default only shows a single subtree. In order to do
> column
> >> mode over an entire buffer, you have to have text before the first
> headline,
> >> and go there.
>
> I would guess that having text before the first headline is quite a
> common pattern.  Adding one is not that much work either.  Does this
> requirement is okay for you?
>

Yes, that's a fine answer. The only thing I would suggest is that maybe it
should go in the manual (in the section about outlines and headlines) that
most people put some text before the first headline.

Also, I think the documentation on column view could be improved. I think
you should start the section by saying how to activate it (go to beginning
of file and C-c C-x C-c). The summary given is currently:

C-c C-x C-c
    Create the column view for the local environment. This command searches
the hierarchy, up from point, for a :COLUMNS: property that defines a
format. When one is found, the column view table is established for the
entire tree, starting from the entry that contains the :COLUMNS: property.
If none is found, the format is taken from the #+COLUMNS line or from the
variable org-columns-default-format, and column view is established for the
current entry and its subtree.

I found this somewhat hard to understand (what is included by the "local
environment"? Which is the "entire tree"? Why did it only create a column
view for the headline I was on? Why is #+COLUMNS different from the
:COLUMNS: property?).

Thanks!

Ethan