Named columns in org tables [9.7-pre (release_9.6.9-797-g4d0f89]

Named columns in org tables [9.7-pre (release_9.6.9-797-g4d0f89]

[Paul Stansell]

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Hello,

On this page https://orgmode.org/manual/Advanced-features.html
it says
- '!' :: The fields in this line define names for the columns, so that
  you may refer to a column as '$Tot' instead of '$6'.

However, when I experimented with this I found that the first of the
following two tables works (i.e. the empty cells are filled in
correctly), but the second doesn't (the only difference is the
replacement of $4 with $c3 in the second table):

|---+----+----+----|
| ! | c1 | c2 | c3 |
| # |  1 |  2 |    |
| # |  3 |  4 |    |
|---+----+----+----|
#+TBLFM: $4 = $c1 + $c2

|---+----+----+----|
| ! | c1 | c2 | c3 |
| # |  1 |  2 |    |
| # |  3 |  4 |    |
|---+----+----+----|
#+TBLFM: $c3 = $c1 + $c2

Is this a bug?

Thanks,

Paul

===========================================================

Emacs  : GNU Emacs 28.2 (build 1, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version
3.24.37, cairo version 1.16.0)
 of 2023-03-16, modified by Debian
Package: Org mode version 9.7-pre (release_9.6.9-797-g4d0f89 @
~/.emacs.d/org-mode-git/lisp/)

current state:
==============
(setq
 org-link-elisp-confirm-function 'yes-or-no-p
 org-bibtex-headline-format-function 'org-bibtex-headline-format-default
 org-persist-after-read-hook '(org-element--cache-persist-after-read)
 org-export-before-parsing-hook '(org-attach-expand-links)
 org-cycle-tab-first-hook '(org-babel-hide-result-toggle-maybe
   org-babel-header-arg-expand)
 org-archive-hook '(org-attach-archive-delete-maybe)
 org-cycle-hook '(org-cycle-hide-archived-subtrees
org-cycle-show-empty-lines
 org-cycle-optimize-window-after-visibility-change
 org-cycle-display-inline-images)
 org-persist-before-read-hook '(org-element--cache-persist-before-read)
 org-mode-hook '(#[0 "\300\301\302\303\304$\207"
  [add-hook change-major-mode-hook org-fold-show-all append
   local]
  5]
#[0 "\300\301\302\303\304$\207"
  [add-hook change-major-mode-hook org-babel-show-result-all
   append local]
  5]
org-babel-result-hide-spec org-babel-hide-all-hashes)
 org-confirm-shell-link-function 'yes-or-no-p
 outline-isearch-open-invisible-function 'outline-isearch-open-invisible
 org-agenda-before-write-hook '(org-agenda-add-entry-text)
 org-src-mode-hook '(org-src-babel-configure-edit-buffer
    org-src-mode-configure-edit-buffer)
 org-confirm-elisp-link-function 'yes-or-no-p
 org-speed-command-hook '(org-speed-command-activate
 org-babel-speed-command-activate)
 org-persist-directory "/tmp/org-persist-Cls3dG"
 org-fold-core-isearch-open-function 'org-fold--isearch-reveal
 org-persist-before-write-hook '(org-element--cache-persist-before-write)
 org-tab-first-hook '(org-babel-hide-result-toggle-maybe
     org-babel-header-arg-expand)
 org-link-shell-confirm-function 'yes-or-no-p
 org-babel-pre-tangle-hook '(save-buffer)
 org-agenda-loop-over-headlines-in-active-region nil
 org-occur-hook '(org-first-headline-recenter)
 org-metadown-hook '(org-babel-pop-to-session-maybe)
 org-link-parameters '(("attachment" :follow org-attach-follow :complete
org-attach-complete-link)
      ("id" :follow org-id-open)
      ("eww" :follow org-eww-open :store org-eww-store-link)
      ("rmail" :follow org-rmail-open :store
org-rmail-store-link)
      ("mhe" :follow org-mhe-open :store org-mhe-store-link)
      ("irc" :follow org-irc-visit :store org-irc-store-link
:export org-irc-export)
      ("info" :follow org-info-open :export org-info-export
:store org-info-store-link :insert-description
org-info-description-as-command)
      ("gnus" :follow org-gnus-open :store
org-gnus-store-link)
      ("docview" :follow org-docview-open :export
org-docview-export :store org-docview-store-link)
      ("bibtex" :follow org-bibtex-open :store
org-bibtex-store-link)
      ("bbdb" :follow org-bbdb-open :export org-bbdb-export
:complete org-bbdb-complete-link :store
org-bbdb-store-link)
      ("w3m" :store org-w3m-store-link)
      ("doi" :follow org-link-doi-open :export
org-link-doi-export)
      ("file+sys") ("file+emacs")
      ("shell" :follow org-link--open-shell)
      ("news" :follow
#[514 "\301\300\302 Q \"\207"
 ["news" browse-url ":"] 6 "\n\n(fn URL ARG)"]
)
      ("mailto" :follow
#[514 "\301\300\302 Q \"\207"
 ["mailto" browse-url ":"] 6 "\n\n(fn URL ARG)"]
)
      ("https" :follow
#[514 "\301\300\302 Q \"\207"
 ["https" browse-url ":"] 6 "\n\n(fn URL ARG)"]
)
      ("http" :follow
#[514 "\301\300\302 Q \"\207"
 ["http" browse-url ":"] 6 "\n\n(fn URL ARG)"]
)
      ("ftp" :follow
#[514 "\301\300\302 Q \"\207" ["ftp" browse-url ":"]
 6 "\n\n(fn URL ARG)"]
)
      ("help" :follow org-link--open-help :store
org-link--store-help)
      ("file" :complete org-link-complete-file)
      ("elisp" :follow org-link--open-elisp))
 org-metaup-hook '(org-babel-load-in-session-maybe)
 )

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Re: Named columns in org tables [9.7-pre (release_9.6.9-797-g4d0f89]

[Bruno Barbier]

Hi Paul,

Paul Stansell <paulstansell@gmail.com> writes:

> Hello,
>
> On this page https://orgmode.org/manual/Advanced-features.html
> it says
> - '!' :: The fields in this line define names for the columns, so that
>   you may refer to a column as '$Tot' instead of '$6'.
> ...
> |---+----+----+----|
> | ! | c1 | c2 | c3 |
> | # |  1 |  2 |    |
> | # |  3 |  4 |    |
> |---+----+----+----|
> #+TBLFM: $c3 = $c1 + $c2
>
> Is this a bug?

It seems to me it's a bug in the documentation.

Currently, column names are not allowed in the LHS (Left Hand Side) of
the formula ('org-table-get-stored-formulas' assumes it).  Although I'm
not sure why.

In other words, you'll need to use the real column number
for the column that holds the results. This should work:

   | ! | c1 | c2 | c3 |
   |---+----+----+----|
   | # |  1 |  4 |  3 |
   | # |  3 | 10 |  7 |
   #+TBLFM: $3 = $c1 + $c2



Bruno

Fwd: Named columns in org tables [9.7-pre (release_9.6.9-797-g4d0f89]

[Paul Stansell]

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Hello Bruno,

It seems to me it's a bug in the documentation.
>
> Currently, column names are not allowed in the LHS (Left Hand Side) of
> the formula ('org-table-get-stored-formulas' assumes it).  Although I'm
> not sure why.
>

 However, the following, with the column name on the RHS, works

|---+----+----+----|
|   |  3 |  4 |    |
| ^ | c1 | c2 | c3 |
|---+----+----+----|
#+TBLFM: $c3 = $c1 + $c2

Could allowing column names on the LHS in my first example be put on a todo
list?

By the way, there is a small error in your example as your $3 should be $4.

Thanks,

Paul

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Re: Named columns in org tables [9.7-pre (release_9.6.9-797-g4d0f89]

[Paul Stansell]

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Hello Bruno,


> Could allowing column names on the LHS in my first example be put on a
> todo list?
>

 It seems to be on a todo list already as the following exists:
- https://list.orgmode.org/877cqwbpa2.fsf@runbox.com

Paul

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Re: Fwd: Named columns in org tables [9.7-pre (release_9.6.9-797-g4d0f89]

[Bruno Barbier]

Paul Stansell <paulstansell@gmail.com> writes:
>
> By the way, there is a small error in your example as your $3 should be $4.

Oops. Sorry. Thanks for reporting it.

Bruno

Re: Named columns in org tables [9.7-pre (release_9.6.9-797-g4d0f89]

[Bruno Barbier]

Hello Paul,

Paul Stansell <paulstansell@gmail.com> writes:

>  It seems to be on a todo list already as the following exists:
> - https://list.orgmode.org/877cqwbpa2.fsf@runbox.com

Right. Thanks for the link!

You just need to wait a little :-)

You should probably send an email to the emacs bug:

   bug#66213: named columns in org tables ()

that it may be closed.

Bruno

Re: Named columns in org tables [9.7-pre (release_9.6.9-797-g4d0f89]

[Ihor Radchenko]

Paul Stansell <paulstansell@gmail.com> writes:

> On this page https://orgmode.org/manual/Advanced-features.html
> it says
> - '!' :: The fields in this line define names for the columns, so that
>   you may refer to a column as '$Tot' instead of '$6'.
>
> However, when I experimented with this I found that the first of the
> following two tables works (i.e. the empty cells are filled in
> correctly), but the second doesn't (the only difference is the
> replacement of $4 with $c3 in the second table):
> ...
> Is this a bug?

In the earlier section https://orgmode.org/manual/Column-formulas.html,
we do explain this caveat:

"The left-hand side of a column formula can not be the name of column,
it must be the numeric column reference or ‘$>’."

Thus, I see no reason to amend the manual. (And I hope that we will
remove this restriction after
https://list.orgmode.org/877cqwbpa2.fsf@runbox.com is merged)

-- 
Ihor Radchenko // yantar92,
Org mode contributor,
Learn more about Org mode at <https://orgmode.org/>.
Support Org development at <https://liberapay.com/org-mode>,
or support my work at <https://liberapay.com/yantar92>