From 52de54b8cf5b91ac01d3a566b3c1ca6176a9cb1d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "Arthur A. Gleckler" <aag@alum.mit.edu>
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2019 17:03:33 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] ob-core.el: block result output to buffer

* lisp/ob-core.el (org-babel-execute-src-block): Support buffers.
Allow specifying that results from executing a block should go to a
buffer.

When a :buffer is specified, output goes to that buffer, which is
erased first, e.g.:

  #+begin_src sh :results buffer :buffer *foo*
  echo foo
  #+end_src

When no :buffer is specified, buffer "*org results*" is used, e.g.:

  #+begin_src sh :results buffer
  echo foo
  #+end_src

Also fixed typo: "it's" vs. "its".
---
 doc/org-manual.org |  8 ++++++++
 lisp/ob-core.el    | 44 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----------------
 2 files changed, 36 insertions(+), 16 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/org-manual.org b/doc/org-manual.org
index f2f059e77..8e2715eeb 100644
--- a/doc/org-manual.org
+++ b/doc/org-manual.org
@@ -17333,6 +17333,14 @@ default behavior is to automatically determine the result type.
   TAB-delimited output.  You can choose a different separator with
   the =sep= header argument.
 
+- =buffer= ::
+
+  Save results to a specific buffer.  Erase the buffer, save the
+  results of execution of the code block to that buffer, then display
+  it.  The buffer name may be specified in the =:buffer= header
+  argument.  If it's not specified, the buffer =*org results*= is
+  used.
+
 *** Format
 :PROPERTIES:
 :UNNUMBERED: notoc
diff --git a/lisp/ob-core.el b/lisp/ob-core.el
index 97ec18fd1..1537b4363 100644
--- a/lisp/ob-core.el
+++ b/lisp/ob-core.el
@@ -707,22 +707,33 @@ block."
 			       (not (listp r)))
 			  (list (list r))
 			r)))
-	      (let ((file (and (member "file" result-params)
+	      (let ((buffer (and (member "buffer" result-params)
+				 (get-buffer-create
+				  (or (cdr (assq :buffer params))
+				      "*org result*"))))
+		    (file (and (member "file" result-params)
 			       (cdr (assq :file params)))))
 		;; If non-empty result and :file then write to :file.
-		(when file
-		  ;; If `:results' are special types like `link' or
-		  ;; `graphics', don't write result to `:file'.  Only
-		  ;; insert a link to `:file'.
-		  (when (and result
-			     (not (or (member "link" result-params)
-				      (member "graphics" result-params))))
-		    (with-temp-file file
-		      (insert (org-babel-format-result
-			       result
-			       (cdr (assq :sep params))))))
-		  (setq result file))
-		;; Possibly perform post process provided its
+		(cond (buffer
+		       (with-current-buffer buffer
+			 (erase-buffer)
+			 (insert (org-babel-format-result
+				  result
+				  (cdr (assq :sep params)))))
+		       (display-buffer buffer))
+		      (file
+		       ;; If `:results' are special types like `link' or
+		       ;; `graphics', don't write result to `:file'.  Only
+		       ;; insert a link to `:file'.
+		       (when (and result
+				  (not (or (member "link" result-params)
+					   (member "graphics" result-params))))
+			 (with-temp-file file
+			   (insert (org-babel-format-result
+				    result
+				    (cdr (assq :sep params))))))
+		       (setq result file)))
+		;; Possibly perform post process provided it's
 		;; appropriate.  Dynamically bind "*this*" to the
 		;; actual results of the block.
 		(let ((post (cdr (assq :post params))))
@@ -735,8 +746,9 @@ block."
 		      (setq result (org-babel-ref-resolve post))
 		      (when file
 			(setq result-params (remove "file" result-params))))))
-		(org-babel-insert-result
-		 result result-params info new-hash lang)))
+		(unless buffer
+		  (org-babel-insert-result
+		   result result-params info new-hash lang))))
 	    (run-hooks 'org-babel-after-execute-hook)
 	    result)))))))
 
-- 
2.20.1