I've uploaded two screencasts to illustrate the issues described in my 
last message:

1. Org Mode-paste subtree low-level item swallowed: 
https://imgur.com/a/CZ5lDaH . This relates to what I assume the passage 
from the manual is trying to say should not happen:

"makes sure that the subtree
remains an independent subtree and does not swallow low level entries."

2. Org Mode-paste subtree on empty heading glitch: 
https://imgur.com/a/AT5pDj6 . See my last message.

Further, you suggest I use C-S-<right> to demote the subtree after 
pasting it at the same level as the subtree at point. But what if I used 
a numerical prefix argument to copy or cut several subtrees, maybe 5 or 
10? Not very convenient at all to demote them all by hand...

I still hold that pasting headings / subtress either at the same level 
or at the child level of the target heading is part of the bread and 
butter of outline editing and should be as straightforward as possible. 
I'm rather sure the current numeric prefixes of org-paste-subtree to 
select a distinct level at which to paste are needed / used much less 
frequently than a "paste at child level" prefix (maybe C-u C-u?) would 
be if it was implemented.

Best

Philipp


On 19.01.2023 10:44, Ihor Radchenko wrote:
> Philipp Kiefer<phil.kiefer@gmail.com>  writes:
>
>> Thanks for addressing my concern, Ihor.
>>
>> So I can force same-level yank by navigating to the beginning of the
>> current headline before calling org-paste-subtree, I see. However, I
>> still do not see a way to force it to paste one level below the current
>> headline, i. e. to add the trees on the clipboard as child-subtrees or
>> the current heading.
>>
>> My best bet currently is probably to create a blank child heading, add
>> some text (there seems to be a glitch turning the blank heading into an
>> empty line when pasting with point on the blank dummy heading when it
>> has no text), go back to the beginning of the line, then paste the
>> subtrees at the level of the dummy heading, navigate back to the dummy
>> heading and delete it. I'd really rather not have to do all that to
>> achieve my simple goal of pasting subtrees at child level.
> Just paste the subtree and press C-S-<right> to demote it immediately.
> It would not save you many keystrokes if there was yet another prefix
> argument.
>
>> As for the claim that the current procedure "makes sure that the subtree
>> remains an independent subtree and does not swallow low level entries.",
>> either I don't understand it or it isn't true. If I have a level 2
>> heading below which is a level 5 heading and I paste subtrees with point
>> on the level 2 heading, the level 5 heading is subsumed under the last
>> subtree yanked from the clipboard in all cases.
> Sorry, but I cannot reproduce.
> Could you please provide detailed instructions about what you did?
>