From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Sebastian Rose Subject: Re: Re: Orgmode for research information management Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 01:30:05 +0200 Message-ID: <874ou64jgi.fsf@kassiopeya.MSHEIMNETZ> References: <2c75873c0906230106h3daf3d34y230845e15dad278e@mail.gmail.com> <87zlbzt1cl.fsf@fastmail.fm> <2c75873c0906230844j118156a2s9ea4fab4e6d4c34d@mail.gmail.com> <19009.10793.445703.780268@pinto.chemeng.ucl.ac.uk> <2c75873c0906231231i37e90450x5d10779f3d5daa78@mail.gmail.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Return-path: Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1MJFNT-0004uS-FZ for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:26:11 -0400 Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1MJFNO-0004sk-HR for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:26:10 -0400 Received: from [199.232.76.173] (port=56833 helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1MJFNO-0004se-Em for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:26:06 -0400 Received: from mail.gmx.net ([213.165.64.20]:58046) by monty-python.gnu.org with smtp (Exim 4.60) (envelope-from ) id 1MJFNN-0002rx-Pt for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:26:06 -0400 In-Reply-To: <2c75873c0906231231i37e90450x5d10779f3d5daa78@mail.gmail.com> (Graham Smith's message of "Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:31:56 +0100") List-Id: "General discussions about Org-mode." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Sender: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org To: Graham Smith Cc: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org Graham Smith writes: > Strangely, when you are used to a more structured approach this makes > it difficult to start. I'd propose to start by partitioning _what_ you actually need to store on your disk. This is what I do: * The `org-directory' The default is ~/org/ and you could simply live with that default for a while. Changing that later on is easy, as long as most of the targets for your remember templates live there (the org-directory is search if just a filename is supplied for a certain template). Just `mv' the directory and adjust `org-directory'. So no need to worry here. The main purpose of the org-directory is to find files without hassle: * agenda files (I use an extra sub directory for those) * Remember targets I use pretty much the Org-modes defaults for fast note taking (remember) and agenda stuff. Also, it makes sense to store all agenda stuff and notes you want to keep below one directory for easy backup and restore, or synching with your notebook(s). *** Agenda files My org-directory has a subdirectory where I store all my agenda files, regardless of project. I have a file for each customer I work for over a longer period and a private `organizer.org'. Some of those files grew very big during the last two years, but that's absolutely no problem, neither for Org-mode, nor for me. But it makes it soo easy to find stuff again. I just press `C-c ,' repeatedly until the correct file is on screen. For each customer I created a remember template to record new tasks on the fly (e.g. phone calls). Some customers have a somewhat limited `lifetime' in my agenda (one project and that's it). Those agenda files are simply removed from the list of agenda files: `C-c ]' Short projects were the reason to leave all agenda files in the org-directory. I remove old projects from my file system from time to time (their all in my repo anyway). But I still can refer to the project plan if neccessary. *** General note taking As quick notes go to files in my org-directory, it's natural to have a file tree beneeth it, where I sort stuff away that is of more general nature - i.e. not related to special project or customer. Refiling is very easy, so it turns out that two or three files for such notes are sufficient in my case. After a while I file my quick notes away. For that purpos my org-directory has a sub-folder (a tree actually). That tree is for notes I want to keep locally. I publish those notes locally to HTML for browsing. The published content is awailable in our local network here. That's why I have that subtree. Particular private notes may still live in my org-directory. * Projects Here it comes: I use no special concept for Projects. That's the beauty of using emacs and Org-mode: They adjust to what you wanna do. Just keep the structure you're already working with. If you need to create a LaTeX file for your project, just start from an Org-file. Org-mode is with you if your an emacs user, so why worry? I found, that Org-mode does not really add any extras to my project directories. All that it changes is the way that stuff is added. No extra software that eats up my memory, makes me wait to start up, or drives my crazy. Links to source files I work on are sometimes stored next to the TODO entries in the agenda files. That way I can go the source file in question at a later date just by clicking a link. May the Emacs Org-mode be with you! Best wishes Sebastian