I think an easy workaround would be to define block quotes as code blocks
instead.

putting the ":" as a prefix before a paragraph automatically fontifies it
and places it in another color.

This allows me to work in org-mode with visual highlighting of block quotes
as desired.

Now the question is: How do I make org-mode recognize the ">" prefix as a
demarcator of a code block, so that my document remains readable as
Markdown?

Thanks!


On Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 12:03 AM, John Hendy <jw.hendy@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Tue, Jan 22, 2013 at 6:13 PM, Peter Salazar <cycleofsong@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > 1. What's the best way to demarcate block quotes in org-mode? I'd like a
> way
> > to demarcate them that makes it visually clear at a glance that it's a
> block
> > quote and not regular text.
> >
> > I would prefer not to have to put them inside #+BEGIN_QUOTE and
> #+END_QUOTE
> > references, because I'd rather not have any content in my buffer that
> > distracts me from my actual writing.
> >
> > In Markdown-Mode, for instance, I just prefix a block quote with a > and
> the
> > line automatically changes color:
> >
> > http://i.imgur.com/AUsYJ.png
> >
> > Org-mode is infinitely more powerful than Markdown-Mode, so I'd just
> like a
> > way to work with lots of prose and block quotes in org-mode that will be
> > easy and visually pleasing. I'm primarily concerned about how it appears
> in
> > the org-mode editor, not in export.
> >
>
> Looking around, at least some of this appears defined in
> /path/to/org-src/lisp/org-faces.el.
>
> I don't know enough elisp to tell you how to make Org treat ">
> text..." the same as #+begin_quote.
>
> Perhaps you could figure out where the face change is for lines like
> #+latex: and #+begin_src, as they both change the face of the text
> immediately after (no need for an #+end_ command to tell Org to go
> back to the default face). You might be able to add "^> text" to the
> list of face-sensitive regexps to look for (using ^ as symbol for
> beginning of line).
>
> ETA: after some more grepping, it looks like you could add something
> in two places:
>
> 1) org-faces.el
>
> Search the file for "defface" and make a new face. I've not done this,
> but you can definitely copy/yank some existing definitions and tweak
> to your liking.
>
> 2) org.el
>
> Find a matching fontify function to see how the fontification is done.
> They look pretty complicated... but perhaps it's possible to tweak one
> to fontify "^> text...".
>
> Perhaps the easiest would be to find a face you like and just add "^>
> text..." to the existing list of things org already fontifies with
> that style. In other words, add "^> text" regexp to the existing hunt
> for lines that start with #+ in order to get src code fontification
> applied.
>
> > 2. It would also be cool to find a way to make bulleted lists appear in a
> > different color if possible, or a workaround to simulate this.
>
> As in?
> - item 1
> - item 2
>
> I'm sure that's possible, too. Can't imagine this will become global,
> but you could surely create your own git branch if you figure out how
> or someone tells you how.
>
>
> Good luck!
> John
>
>
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> >
>