Re: Can `org-element-map' act on secondary-strings?

[Thorsten Jolitz <tjolitz@gmail.com>]

Jambunathan K <kjambunathan@gmail.com> writes:

> Thorsten Jolitz <tjolitz@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> Nicolas Goaziou <n.goaziou@gmail.com> writes:
>>
>>> You don't need `org-data' type. The tree root doesn't have any property
>>> anyway.
>>
>> I used that because I wanted the whole parse-tree as return value, but
>> no matter what `org-element-map' returns, it changes the parse-tree by
>> side-effects anyway, so I can just ignore the return value and use the
>> modified parse-tree stored somewhere instead - right?
>
> I have a hard time trying to imagine what you are trying to do.  You
> should try to explain to us what you are trying to accomplish.
>
>     Why are you storing a parse-tree?

I'm transforming a parse tree for my needs, using `org-element-map', but
since this functions returns what it mapped and, as Nicolas pointed out,
its kind of fruitless to map top-level 'org-data type (since it has no
property list), I store the parse-tree in some global variable that
gives me easy access to the whole (modified) parse-tree. 

But its not really about storing something, thats just for convenience. I
can (and do) wrap `org-element-map' into a function that receives a
complete parse-tree and returns a complete parse-tree after modifying
some parts of it (without storing something).

>     What does the parse-tree store?

its just about a complete parse-tree as produced by
`org-element-parse-buffer' transformed into a different syntax in
several steps.

>     Does the buffer of which it is a representation change, when the parse
>     tree changes.

no, the parse-tree is only prepared to be digested by a different
programming-language. 

>     How are you trying to "use" the parse tree?  Is it meant for one-way
>     or two-way conversion - i.e., interpretation or exportation.

in the end it will be used for two-way conversion, but I'm still working
on the "from-elisp-to-..." part (while learning how the org-mode parser
and the export framework work).

I don't want to talk too much about the project until I know its going
to work out. When there is something tangible I will announce it...

-- 
cheers,
Thorsten