On Thu, Jul 30, 2009 at 7:55 PM, Bastien <bastienguerry@googlemail.com> wrote:
Sebastian Rose <sebastian_rose@gmx.de> writes:

>> Column view by default only shows a single subtree. In order to do column
>> mode over an entire buffer, you have to have text before the first headline,
>> and go there.

I would guess that having text before the first headline is quite a
common pattern.  Adding one is not that much work either.  Does this
requirement is okay for you?

Yes, that's a fine answer. The only thing I would suggest is that maybe it should go in the manual (in the section about outlines and headlines) that most people put some text before the first headline.

Also, I think the documentation on column view could be improved. I think you should start the section by saying how to activate it (go to beginning of file and C-c C-x C-c). The summary given is currently:

C-c C-x C-c
    Create the column view for the local environment. This command searches the hierarchy, up from point, for a :COLUMNS: property that defines a format. When one is found, the column view table is established for the entire tree, starting from the entry that contains the :COLUMNS: property. If none is found, the format is taken from the #+COLUMNS line or from the variable org-columns-default-format, and column view is established for the current entry and its subtree.

I found this somewhat hard to understand (what is included by the "local environment"? Which is the "entire tree"? Why did it only create a column view for the headline I was on? Why is #+COLUMNS different from the :COLUMNS: property?).

Thanks!

Ethan