Bug: Org 9.3 table columnwidth directive not working [9.3 (release_9.3 @ /Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/lisp/org/)]

Bug: Org 9.3 table columnwidth directive not working [9.3 (release_9.3 @ /Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/lisp/org/)]

[Pankaj Jangid]

Remember to cover the basics, that is, what you expected to happen and
what in fact did happen.  You don't know how to make a good report?  See

     https://orgmode.org/manual/Feedback.html#Feedback

Your bug report will be posted to the Org mailing list.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally reported on Email-Bugs bug#38490

* Steps
  1. Create table
  2. Insert <5> anywhere in any column
  3. Insert text with more than 5 characters in the above column
  4. C-c C-c

* Expected behaviour
  The column width should respect <6> directive

* Result
  The column width exceeds the length specified with <> directive


Emacs  : GNU Emacs 27.0.50 (build 3, x86_64-apple-darwin19.0.0, NS appkit-1894.10 Version 10.15.1 (Build 19B88))
 of 2019-12-04
Package: Org mode version 9.3 (release_9.3 @ /Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/lisp/org/)

Regards,
-- 
Pankaj Jangid

Re: Bug: Org 9.3 table columnwidth directive not working [9.3 (release_9.3 @ /Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/lisp/org/)]

[Fraga, Eric]

You need to type C-c TAB to get the column to adjust to the
specification.  Did you do that?

-- 
Eric S Fraga via Emacs 27.0.50, Org release_9.3-21-g36753e

Re: Bug: Org 9.3 table columnwidth directive not working [9.3 (release_9.3 @ /Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/lisp/org/)]

[Pankaj Jangid]

"Fraga, Eric" <e.fraga@ucl.ac.uk> writes:
> You need to type C-c TAB to get the column to adjust to the
> specification.  Did you do that?

C-c TAB is working but earlier the behaviour was to apply <width>
directive by default on next electric formatting. Has the behaviour
changed in 9.3?

Regards,
-- 
Pankaj Jangid

Re: Bug: Org 9.3 table columnwidth directive not working [9.3 (release_9.3 @ /Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/lisp/org/)]

[Kyle Meyer]

Pankaj Jangid <p4j@j4d.net> writes:

> C-c TAB is working but earlier the behaviour was to apply <width>
> directive by default on next electric formatting. Has the behaviour
> changed in 9.3?

9.2, I believe, more specifically 6d6a30d4c (org-table: Implement shrunk
columns, 2017-06-27).  The relevant NEWS entry, added in 6e5598dc3
(Document new column display, 2017-08-19), is

  *** =align= STARTUP value no longer narrow table columns

  Columns narrowing (or shrinking) is now dynamic. See [[*Dynamically
  narrow table columns]] for details. In particular, it is decoupled from
  aligning.

  If you need to automatically shrink columns upon opening an Org
  document, use =shrink= value instead, or in addition to align:

  #+BEGIN_EXAMPLE
  ,#+STARTUP: align shrink
  #+END_EXAMPLE

Quickly digging, here are some related threads on the mailing list:

  https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-orgmode/2017-07/msg00214.html
  https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-orgmode/2017-09/msg00217.html

Re: Bug: Org 9.3 table columnwidth directive not working [9.3 (release_9.3 @ /Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/lisp/org/)]

[Pankaj Jangid]

Kyle Meyer <kyle@kyleam.com> writes:
> Pankaj Jangid <p4j@j4d.net> writes:
>> C-c TAB is working but earlier the behaviour was to apply <width>
>> directive by default on next electric formatting. Has the behaviour
>> changed in 9.3?
> 9.2, I believe, more specifically 6d6a30d4c (org-table: Implement shrunk
> columns, 2017-06-27).  The relevant NEWS entry, added in 6e5598dc3
> (Document new column display, 2017-08-19), is
>
>   *** =align= STARTUP value no longer narrow table columns
>
>   Columns narrowing (or shrinking) is now dynamic. See [[*Dynamically
>   narrow table columns]] for details. In particular, it is decoupled from
>   aligning.
>
>   If you need to automatically shrink columns upon opening an Org
>   document, use =shrink= value instead, or in addition to align:
>
>   #+BEGIN_EXAMPLE
>   ,#+STARTUP: align shrink
>   #+END_EXAMPLE
>
> Quickly digging, here are some related threads on the mailing list:
>
>   https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-orgmode/2017-07/msg00214.html
>   https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-orgmode/2017-09/msg00217.html

Thanks for sharing this information. I wasn't aware of this change. This
is working fine.

Regards,
-- 
Pankaj Jangid

Re: Bug: Org 9.3 table columnwidth directive not working [9.3 (release_9.3 @ /Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/lisp/org/)]

[Andy Moreton]

On Thu 05 Dec 2019, Kyle Meyer wrote:

> Pankaj Jangid <p4j@j4d.net> writes:
>
>> C-c TAB is working but earlier the behaviour was to apply <width>
>> directive by default on next electric formatting. Has the behaviour
>> changed in 9.3?
>
> 9.2, I believe, more specifically 6d6a30d4c (org-table: Implement shrunk
> columns, 2017-06-27).  The relevant NEWS entry, added in 6e5598dc3
> (Document new column display, 2017-08-19), is
>
>   *** =align= STARTUP value no longer narrow table columns
>
>   Columns narrowing (or shrinking) is now dynamic. See [[*Dynamically
>   narrow table columns]] for details. In particular, it is decoupled from
>   aligning.
>
>   If you need to automatically shrink columns upon opening an Org
>   document, use =shrink= value instead, or in addition to align:
>
>   #+BEGIN_EXAMPLE
>   ,#+STARTUP: align shrink
>   #+END_EXAMPLE
>
> Quickly digging, here are some related threads on the mailing list:
>
>   https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-orgmode/2017-07/msg00214.html
>   https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-orgmode/2017-09/msg00217.html

This is still a regression.

The old behaviour allowed display of fixed width columns, even if that
is wider than the content of cells in that column. This is useful for
display of several related tables with aligned column dividers.

How do I get the old behaviour back, rather than the new breakage ?

    AndyM

Re: Bug: Org 9.3 table columnwidth directive not working [9.3 (release_9.3 @ /Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/lisp/org/)]

[Nicolas Goaziou]

Hello,

Andy Moreton <andrewjmoreton@gmail.com> writes:

> This is still a regression.
>
> The old behaviour allowed display of fixed width columns, even if that
> is wider than the content of cells in that column. This is useful for
> display of several related tables with aligned column dividers.
>
> How do I get the old behaviour back, rather than the new breakage ?

I will try to ignore the sarcasm, or whatever you may call it, from your
answer.

AFAICT, you still can have cells wider than their contents, e.g., try
`C-c TAB` on the table below.

    | <30> |
    | foo  |

Regards,

-- 
Nicolas Goaziou

Re: Bug: Org 9.3 table columnwidth directive not working [9.3 (release_9.3 @ /Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/lisp/org/)]

[Andy Moreton]

On Fri 06 Dec 2019, Nicolas Goaziou wrote:

> Hello,
>
> Andy Moreton <andrewjmoreton@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> This is still a regression.
>>
>> The old behaviour allowed display of fixed width columns, even if that
>> is wider than the content of cells in that column. This is useful for
>> display of several related tables with aligned column dividers.
>>
>> How do I get the old behaviour back, rather than the new breakage ?
>
> I will try to ignore the sarcasm, or whatever you may call it, from your
> answer.

No sarcasm intended, merely a re-statement that this change is a
regression of user visible behaviour.

> AFAICT, you still can have cells wider than their contents, e.g., try
> `C-c TAB` on the table below.
>
>     | <30> |
>     | foo  |

That still does not match the old behaviour though, as the table still
shows the `org-table-shrunk-column-indicator' overlay which is
undesireable.

Dynamic shrink/expand is a fine feature to add, but why was it done in a
way that broke the documented existing behaviour ?

    AndyM

Re: Bug: Org 9.3 table columnwidth directive not working [9.3 (release_9.3 @ /Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/lisp/org/)]

[Nicolas Goaziou]

Hello,

Andy Moreton <andrewjmoreton@gmail.com> writes:

> That still does not match the old behaviour though, as the table still
> shows the `org-table-shrunk-column-indicator' overlay which is
> undesireable.

Why is it undesirable?

> Dynamic shrink/expand is a fine feature to add, but why was it done in a
> way that broke the documented existing behaviour ?

I think the current state is better. However, I initially explained the
motivation behind this change (see links in this thread).

Feel free to suggest, and possibly implement, if users agree, a better
way. Or, please point where the documented behaviour does not match the
current state.

Regards,

-- 
Nicolas Goaziou

Re: Bug: Org 9.3 table columnwidth directive not working [9.3 (release_9.3 @ /Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/lisp/org/)]

[Andy Moreton]

On Sat 07 Dec 2019, Nicolas Goaziou wrote:

> Hello,
>
> Andy Moreton <andrewjmoreton@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> That still does not match the old behaviour though, as the table still
>> shows the `org-table-shrunk-column-indicator' overlay which is
>> undesireable.
>
> Why is it undesirable?

It also always shows the shrink/expend overlay, even if that is not
desired. I find it visually intrusive, and the extra character
introduces a new misalignment.

>> Dynamic shrink/expand is a fine feature to add, but why was it done in a
>> way that broke the documented existing behaviour ?
>
> I think the current state is better. However, I initially explained the
> motivation behind this change (see links in this thread).

While everyone has their own preferences, developers should not impose
their preferences on users, who may decide to make different choices.

The dynamic shrink feature added a new capability that many will find
useful, but it also removed the ability to do things the older and
simpler way. It should have been added as an option, so either static
or dynamic behaviour can be selected by the user.

    AndyM

Re: Bug: Org 9.3 table columnwidth directive not working [9.3 (release_9.3 @ /Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/Resources/lisp/org/)]

[Nicolas Goaziou]

Hello,

Andy Moreton <andrewjmoreton@gmail.com> writes:

> It also always shows the shrink/expend overlay, even if that is not
> desired.

Why is it not desired? Are you talking about the "…" or the whole
overlay, including the spaces?

> I find it visually intrusive, and the extra character
> introduces a new misalignment.

I do not notice any misalignment, unless I type in the column, in which
case, I realign it the usual way, e.g., with TAB.

Could you show an ECM?

> While everyone has their own preferences, developers should not impose
> their preferences on users, who may decide to make different choices.

If you read the initial thread, you will notice that I asked for
feedback during the development of the feature. I also integrated
suggestions. As a developer, I cannot do more. In any case, I did not
impose this on anyone. We're going nowhere with your remark.

> The dynamic shrink feature added a new capability that many will find
> useful, but it also removed the ability to do things the older and
> simpler way.

I don't know. You still have to point out what "things" you are talking
about. So far, you only expressed your dislike of the change. I think
I got it already.

> It should have been added as an option, so either static or dynamic
> behaviour can be selected by the user.

I didn't think so two years ago, when I implemented this, and I still
don't think so.

Regards,

-- 
Nicolas Goaziou