I've uploaded two screencasts to illustrate the issues described in my last message:

1. Org Mode-paste subtree low-level item swallowed: https://imgur.com/a/CZ5lDaH . This relates to what I assume the passage from the manual is trying to say should not happen:

"makes sure that the subtree 
remains an independent subtree and does not swallow low level entries."

2. Org Mode-paste subtree on empty heading glitch: https://imgur.com/a/AT5pDj6 . See my last message.

Further, you suggest I use C-S-<right> to demote the subtree after pasting it at the same level as the subtree at point. But what if I used a numerical prefix argument to copy or cut several subtrees, maybe 5 or 10? Not very convenient at all to demote them all by hand...

I still hold that pasting headings / subtress either at the same level or at the child level of the target heading is part of the bread and butter of outline editing and should be as straightforward as possible. I'm rather sure the current numeric prefixes of org-paste-subtree to select a distinct level at which to paste are needed / used much less frequently than a "paste at child level" prefix (maybe C-u C-u?) would be if it was implemented.

Best

Philipp

Philipp Kiefer <phil.kiefer@gmail.com> writes:

Thanks for addressing my concern, Ihor.

So I can force same-level yank by navigating to the beginning of the 
current headline before calling org-paste-subtree, I see. However, I 
still do not see a way to force it to paste one level below the current 
headline, i. e. to add the trees on the clipboard as child-subtrees or 
the current heading.

My best bet currently is probably to create a blank child heading, add 
some text (there seems to be a glitch turning the blank heading into an 
empty line when pasting with point on the blank dummy heading when it 
has no text), go back to the beginning of the line, then paste the 
subtrees at the level of the dummy heading, navigate back to the dummy 
heading and delete it. I'd really rather not have to do all that to 
achieve my simple goal of pasting subtrees at child level.

Just paste the subtree and press C-S-<right> to demote it immediately.
It would not save you many keystrokes if there was yet another prefix
argument.

As for the claim that the current procedure "makes sure that the subtree 
remains an independent subtree and does not swallow low level entries.", 
either I don't understand it or it isn't true. If I have a level 2 
heading below which is a level 5 heading and I paste subtrees with point 
on the level 2 heading, the level 5 heading is subsumed under the last 
subtree yanked from the clipboard in all cases.

Sorry, but I cannot reproduce.
Could you please provide detailed instructions about what you did?