Re: Org Capture Menu cannot be fully viewed

[pietru@caramail.com]

> Sent: Sunday, December 13, 2020 at 12:06 PM
> From: "Jean Louis" <bugs@gnu.support>
> To: "TRS-80" <lists.trs-80@isnotmyreal.name>
> Cc: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org
> Subject: Re: Org Capture Menu cannot be fully viewed
>
> * TRS-80 <lists.trs-80@isnotmyreal.name> [2020-12-13 01:11]:
> > On 2020-12-12 13:02, pietru@caramail.com wrote:
> > > Dear All,
> > >
> > > When making a relatively long Org Capture Menu for Archaeological
> > > Field Management, the relevant capture window cannot be scrolled down.
> > > This becomes particularly problematic with small field laptops.
> >
> > Hi Pietru,
> >
> > Capture templates are great, but I suppose there are a lot of advantages
> > to doing some custom Elisp which is why I do a lot more stuff that way
> > now that I have learned a little bit of Elisp.
>
> I find myself there. Things that are great in Emacs need not be really
> practically great, that is why we need to make things great again.
>
> In other words program like Org capture is not meant for people having
> too many templates and that shall be explained right away both in
> function definitions and in the manual. Important people lose their
> time and effort in customizing org capture which was not meant to be
> used by people with too many templates.
>
> Which turns back to exact subject of that email. Now question is who
> is going to improve it? Can it be done better?
>
> Can interface be improved that people with larger number of templates
> become free to use it?
>
> My proposal is to quit using blocking interface where user cannot move
> from buffer to buffer, instead to open up new buffer with new key mode
> map that assigns those keys to those capture template functions. That
> way the buffer becomes unlimited, user can open it, it is familiar
> org-mode buffer and it can be unlimited.

Yes, that's the way forward.  If we organise templates in different files
it turns out ok.  Then simply append what we need.  Most field planners
would like to insert what they need without regard if short or long.
Unfortunately some professional terminology is quite verbose in contrast
to how most people use capture.  Field personnel also tend to use small
devices.

> > Sorry, I guess that's not helpful if you are not comfortable with
> > Elisp.  As an aside and thinking long term, I can say the investment
> > was well worth the payoff.  However back to the issue at hand.
>
> I have also realized, that is why I have dropped the Org mode for
> planning and project management, including for capturing notes.
>
> > Maybe if you are willing (or able) to share some more information, we
> > could help you through some basics.  Or maybe someone else might even
> > have some better idea (not involving Elisp) which might be more
> > appealing to you.
>
> Why not provide completing-read for Org capture templates? That would
> solve the problem fully.

I think it might work fine as you say.  Is that similar to what
"%^{prompt|default|completion2|completion3...}" does?  Or something similar?
I also know of icomplete.


> Jean
>
>