Re: Tagging a region of text without creating a branch

[Matt Lundin <mdl@imapmail.org>]

bar tomas wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> Maybe I use orgmode in a quirky way, but I often find the need of
> tagging internal regions.
>
> I don't have a problem with a creating a heading but what I find
> sometimes inconvenient is that implicitely everything that comes after
> the created headingis in it's scope until the next heading.
> I mean, don't you ever come across a situation like the following?
> 
> * idea1
> Notes about idea1
> More notes about idea1
> still more about idea1

IMO, this is precisely the strength of outlines. You can create
subheadings to organize/categorize your thoughts. But perhaps I still
misunderstand what you are trying to do? I like to think of org
outline headings as data containers or "database records." You attach
metadata (tags, todos, properties, etc.) to the container.

> 
> and you'd like to tag the second line (and only second line with
> :tellSueAboutIt:). If I understand correctly the only way to do this
> with headings is:
> 
> * idea1
> Notes about idea1
> ** :tellSueAboutIt:
> More notes about idea1
> ** :DontTellSueAboutIt:
> still more about idea1
> 
> This is very cumbersome and conceptually confusing.z It would be
> really convenient to sometimes be able to tag an internal region.
> Someone mentioned inline tasks. Is this possible with inline tasks?

Yes. As Bernt suggested, I think inline tasks would achieve your ends
very well here. Inline tasks act like normal headlines for the
purposes of the agenda --- i.e., they will appear in your searches.
But they will not be exported. Neither will they open with other
headlines during cycling.

You can create inline tasks by creating really deep outline headlings
(I believe the default is 15).

Here's an example:

* idea1
  Notes about idea1
*                   *** An inline task :tellSueAboutIt:
  More notes about idea1

*                   *** Another inline task :DontTellSueAboutIt:
  still more about idea1

See the variables org-inlinetask-export and org-inlinetask-min-level.

BTW, There is a mode (freex-mode) that uses pymacs and an external
database to enable tagging of selected "nuggets" of text. But I don't
believe that it works with org-mode. I you don't mind the external
dependencies, you might want to check it out.

http://www.emacswiki.org/cgi-bin/emacs/FreexMode

Hope this helps!
Matt