Given a list of agenda files, I can bring up a global view of all tasks. Then, if I enter into column mode and try to edit one of the columns (say priority), it complains about the marker.
My config is the minimal one found on http://orgmode.org/manual/Feedback.html. The agenda file I used is very simple. --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8--- * TODO One * TODO Two * TODO Three --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8--- I then add this to the agenda file list. And then use 'org-agenda' followed by 't' to bring up a list of all todo items. I enter into column mode and place my cursor into the PRIORITY column. When I try to press '1' to change the priority, I get the following stack trace. The stack trace is: --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8--- Debugger entered--Lisp error: (wrong-type-argument markerp nil) org-columns-remove-overlays() org-agenda-columns() org-columns-next-allowed-value(nil 1) (lambda nil (interactive) (org-columns-next-allowed-value nil 1))() funcall-interactively((lambda nil (interactive) (org-columns-next-allowed-value nil 1))) call-interactively((lambda nil (interactive) (org-columns-next-allowed-value nil 1)) nil nil) command-execute((lambda nil (interactive) (org-columns-next-allowed-value nil 1))) --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8--- It seems that in `org-columns-remove-overlays` the `org-columns-top-level-marker` is nil, so the `set-marker` call fails. I'm not sure of the underlying mechanics of how the markers work, but mabye a nil check here would suffice? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Emacs : GNU Emacs 25.3.1 (x86_64-apple-darwin16.7.0, NS appkit-1504.83 Version 10.12.6 (Build 16G29)) of 2017-09-15 Package: Org mode version 9.1.1 (9.1.1-6-gd40deb-elpa @ /Users/bnbeckwith/.emacs.d/elpa/org-20170925/) current state: ============== (setq org-tab-first-hook '(org-babel-hide-result-toggle-maybe org-babel-header-arg-expand) org-speed-command-hook '(org-speed-command-activate org-babel-speed-command-activate) org-occur-hook '(org-first-headline-recenter) org-metaup-hook '(org-babel-load-in-session-maybe) org-confirm-shell-link-function 'yes-or-no-p org-after-todo-state-change-hook '(org-clock-out-if-current) org-src-mode-hook '(org-src-babel-configure-edit-buffer org-src-mode-configure-edit-buffer) org-agenda-before-write-hook '(org-agenda-add-entry-text) org-babel-pre-tangle-hook '(save-buffer) org-mode-hook '(#[0 "\300\301\302\303\304$\207" [add-hook change-major-mode-hook org-show-block-all append local] 5] #[0 "\300\301\302\303\304$\207" [add-hook change-major-mode-hook org-babel-show-result-all append local] 5] org-babel-result-hide-spec org-babel-hide-all-hashes) org-bibtex-headline-format-function #[257 "\300\236A\207" [:title] 3 "\n\n(fn ENTRY)"] org-archive-hook '(org-attach-archive-delete-maybe) org-cycle-hook '(org-cycle-hide-archived-subtrees org-cycle-hide-drawers org-cycle-show-empty-lines org-optimize-window-after-visibility-change) org-confirm-elisp-link-function 'yes-or-no-p org-metadown-hook '(org-babel-pop-to-session-maybe) org-link-parameters '(("id" :follow org-id-open) ("rmail" :follow org-rmail-open :store org-rmail-store-link) ("mhe" :follow org-mhe-open :store org-mhe-store-link) ("irc" :follow org-irc-visit :store org-irc-store-link) ("info" :follow org-info-open :export org-info-export :store org-info-store-link) ("gnus" :follow org-gnus-open :store org-gnus-store-link) ("docview" :follow org-docview-open :export org-docview-export :store org-docview-store-link) ("bibtex" :follow org-bibtex-open :store org-bibtex-store-link) ("bbdb" :follow org-bbdb-open :export org-bbdb-export :complete org-bbdb-complete-link :store org-bbdb-store-link) ("w3m" :store org-w3m-store-link) ("file+sys") ("file+emacs") ("doi" :follow org--open-doi-link) ("elisp" :follow org--open-elisp-link) ("file" :complete org-file-complete-link) ("ftp" :follow (lambda (path) (browse-url (concat "ftp:" path)))) ("help" :follow org--open-help-link) ("http" :follow (lambda (path) (browse-url (concat "http:" path)))) ("https" :follow (lambda (path) (browse-url (concat "https:" path)))) ("mailto" :follow (lambda (path) (browse-url (concat "mailto:" path)))) ("news" :follow (lambda (path) (browse-url (concat "news:" path)))) ("shell" :follow org--open-shell-link)) org-agenda-files '("~/test.org") org-clock-out-hook '(org-clock-remove-empty-clock-drawer) )