From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Robert Horn Subject: Re: are super-hidden technical blocks required? Date: Tue, 07 Aug 2012 10:30:39 -0400 Message-ID: References: <87628vxapb.fsf@gnu.org> <50211A74.6070803@grierwhite.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Return-path: Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([208.118.235.92]:46943) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1Syko4-0001XU-26 for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Tue, 07 Aug 2012 10:30:48 -0400 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1Syknx-0007uj-Pb for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Tue, 07 Aug 2012 10:30:47 -0400 Received: from mailbackend.panix.com ([166.84.1.89]:53721) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1Syknx-0007sK-Kg for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Tue, 07 Aug 2012 10:30:41 -0400 In-Reply-To: List-Id: "General discussions about Org-mode." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Sender: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org To: Torsten Wagner , orgmode@grierwhite.com Cc: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org Separating out the issue of how to hide and expose the content, why not use s-expressions for the hidden content? Org is built on a lisp engine and these will fit nicely into automation. It avoids a lot of parsing and other headaches, and an s-expression can hold any of the discussed information. It could be an a-list that is designed for the purpose, or it could be a list structured like the custom configuration list used in emacs config. I think of the latter when considering the potential to steal code for using the contents, updating the contents, and providing a user interface when that is needed. It also provides a model for sharing the list among independent groups of developers with overlapping interests. It permits automatically generated comments, advice, and warnings for those who look at it, much like you find when looking over the tail end of a .emacs file. The property construction could then be a simple :HIDDEN-ALIST-PROPERTIES: (( stuff ........)) It would be very unreadable and unfriendly to the novice, but that is already a characteristic of the data being discussed. R Horn rjhorn@alum.mit.edu