Re: Point jumps when changing timestamps

[Nicolas Goaziou <n.goaziou@gmail.com>]

Matt Lundin <mdl@imapmail.org> writes:

> I realize that I can change a scheduled timestamp with C-s C-s, and I
> often do. But I often find myself needing to move appointments such as
> the following back and forward a day:
>
> * An appointment
>   <2011-08-04 Thu +1w>
>
> If I am on the headline, the easiest way (for me) to navigate to the
> headline is C-n C-e. Then I can type S-left or S-right and quickly move
> through the dates; the cursor, moreover, will be in a convenient
> position for typing RET and adding a line of notes. This, for me, is a
> bit more convenient than typing C-n C-3 C-f or C-s <, etc.

Ok, it may be convenient in that specific case, but it still looks like
a hack to me. Another solution would be to implement a function to
navigate between time-stamps, similar to `org-next-link'. One can even
generalize this function to move to the next non-structural element
(time-stamp, link, footnote, latex snippet, emphasized text)[1].

> From a UI perspective, however, I would suggest that a bit looser
> behavior adds some convenience to org-mode. For instance C-c C-o will
> currently open a link if the cursor is at the point before or after
> it.
>
>   [[http://www.google.com]]
>  ^ here                    ^ here

This is different. `org-open-at-point' is an end-user function, whereas
`org-at-timestamp-p' isn't. I don't think predicates should be sloppy:
I don't want to implement `org-really-at-timestamp-p'.

Furthermore, being loose isn't always convenient. In the following
example, where will I go if I use C-c C-o on the space between the two
links?

    [[http://www.google.com][Google]] [[http://www.bing.com][Bing]]

I'd suggest to fix `org-at-timestamp-p', and allow, if it must be,
sloppiness in `org-shiftleft' and friends.

    
Regards,


Footnotes:

[1] This and a convenient paragraph motion command could be the roots
of an interesting Org parser.


-- 
Nicolas Goaziou