On Fri, Jul 22, 2016 at 1:54 PM, Michael Welle <mwe012008@gmx.net> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> Matt Price <moptop99@gmail.com> writes:
>
> > On Fri, Jul 22, 2016 at 11:38 AM, Matt Price <moptop99@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> (2) Is it possible to set the default value for interactive file
> selection
> >> to something OTHER than the currect directory of the current buffer?
> >> Something like:
> >>
> >> (let
> >>   ((base-dir "./Assignment1/"))
> >>   (org-attach--attach))
> >>
> >> I'd like to set different base directories when attaching files to
> >> subtrees of different first-level trees in a buffer. I guess I would set
> >> the value for the base directory with a property.
> >>
> >
> > OK, I made some progress on this:
> >
> > (let ((default-directory  (concat default-directory "Assignment1/") ))
> > (call-interactively 'org-attach-attach))
> >
> > However, I'd like to do something like:
> >
> > (let
> >     ((parent-basedir nil))
> >   (save-excursion
> >     (outline-up-heading)
> >     (setq parent-basedir (org-get-entry "BASEDIR")))
> >   (let
> >       ((default-directory (concat default-directory parent-basedir) ))
> >     (call-interactively 'org-attach-attach  )))
> >
> >
> >
> > But there are errors I don't understand in this code. Any hints? Thanks
> > again!
> well, I guess the errors are too secret to share them with us? The first
> I can see is that org-get-entry doesn't need parameters. And the overall
> structure looks strange, but that could be just me ;).
>
> :-( No, they're not too secret, I just have a terrible head cold and can
hardly think, so didn't think to include it!

The overall structure feels strange to me -- I just want a way of retaining
a temprary variable value in a let that also includes a temporary excursion
to the parent node. More on that shortly.


> The reason for the current behaviour is the interactive form of
> org-attach-attach. Ad hoc I have no idea how to change that. What I
> would try is to (cd your-wanted-dir) before calling org-attach-attach.
> Maybe a bit of cleanup if useful after calling the function.
>

So it turns out  that, like most interactive functions, org-attach-attach
uses the built-in read-file-name macro, which relies on the value of
"default-directory", which is buffer-local. By calling org-attach-attach
from inside a let statement, I can get the behaviour I want:
(let
  ((default-directory (concat default-directory "Galileo/")))
  (org-attach-attach))


 The problem now is that I need to access a property from the parent node
in order ot dynamically set the appropriate value for default-directory,
and I'm struggling to do that.

Here is a minimal test file:

* Galileo :ASSIGNMENT:
:PROPERTIES:
:BASEDIR:  Galileo
:END:


** testing
#+BEGIN_SRC emacs-lisp
  (let
      ((parent-basedir nil))
    (save-excursion
      (outline-up-heading)
      (setq parent-basedir (org-entry-get (point) "BASEDIR"))
      (message parent-basedir))
    (let
        ((default-directory (concat default-directory parent-basedir) ))
      (call-interactively 'org-attach-attach  )))
#+END_SRC

This seems to work but so far I'm having issues actually opening the
attachment.  This may be due to the way that org-attach constructs links to
attachments (I prefer not to copy, as my disk space is limited).
Anyway, thanks for your help; this seems to be getting closer, despite what
feels like substantial mental impairment due to increased cranial pressure
(ouch!)
Matt


> Regards
> hmw
>
>
>