Re: [RFC] Document level property drawer

[Marco Wahl <marcowahlsoft@gmail.com>]

Adam Porter <adam@alphapapa.net> writes:

> Marco Wahl <marcowahlsoft@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> Adam Porter <adam@alphapapa.net> writes:
>>
>>> Gustav Wikström <gustav@whil.se> writes:
>>>
>>>> 3) Properties defined in a property drawer will have precedence over
>>>>    properties defined as a property keyword, if the same property is
>>>>    defined using both conventions.
>>>
>>> That protocol seems unnatural and confusing to me:
>>>
>>> - If precedence were to be defined by something other than file-order,
>>>   it seems to me that those defined with #+ keywords should have
>>>   precedence, because they are more visible, while those in drawers are
>>>   hidden.
>>> - However, it seems to me that the simplest, most natural protocol would
>>>   be for later declarations to override earlier ones.
>>
>> I think it would be quite natural to use the tree structure of Org.  A
>> property setting in a subtree overrides the setting in a parent (which
>> could be the document(= the whole file.))
>
> Hi Marco,
>
> I think you misunderstood his point #3 and my objection to it.  :)

Hi Adam,

that's possible but I don't think so.  But I'm willing to learn if
I didn't get it. :)

Possibly a concrete example can help.  Let's take Org property CATEGORY
for illustration.

First to Gustav's statement 3):

Let the file be this:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
#+title: file
:PROPERTIES:
:CATEGORY: cat-doc-prop-drawer
:END:

* foo
SCHEDULED: <2019-10-02 Wed>

#+CATEGORY:  cat-doc-prop-keyword-1

** bar

:somedrawer:
#+CATEGORY:  cat-doc-prop-keyword-2
:END:
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

With Gustav's proposition the CATEGORY of task foo is
cat-doc-prop-drawer.

Next to your statements:

You say the visibility is better for the #+-property keywords.  I say
they can occur _anywhere_ in the file and even in some drawers.  See
above "#+CATEGORY:  cat-doc-prop-keyword-2".

Further you say 

>>> - However, it seems to me that the simplest, most natural protocol would
>>>   be for later declarations to override earlier ones.

This means that cat-doc-prop-keyword-2 from the example defines the
CATEGORY property which at least I find not so natural.  And I already
stated what I find natural.


Best regards,  Marco