Hello Org,
I like #+LINK keywords because they make documents self-sufficient:
anyone opening my document can follow these links or export the buffer;
they do not need to run some Elisp to add to org-link-parameters.
One thing I don't know how to customize, however, is how these links are
exported when they have no description. Let's say I define this
abbreviation:
#+LINK: bug https://debbugs.gnu.org/
If I jot down references to [[bug:12345]] in my document, these will be
exported as:
<a href="https://debbugs.gnu.org/12345";>https://debbugs.gnu.org/12345</a>
Whereas I'd prefer:
<a href="https://debbugs.gnu.org/12345";>bug:12345</a>
Looking at org-element-link-parser, I see that this is because the
:contents-begin and :contents-end properties are nil, since they
correspond to an unmatched optional group in org-link-bracket-re.
I could probably customize org-link-parameters, but then my document
would not be self-sufficient anymore. Besides, depending on the
document I might use the same abbreviation for different URLs.
Would it make sense to add a way for abbreviated links with no
description to fallback to LINKKEY:TAG[1] instead of the full URL? If
so, what would be the best way to go about it?
(1) A single variable (e.g. org-link-abbrev-default-description), default
nil, which a user could set to 'key-tag or just 'tag.
(2) A third entry in org-link-abbrev-alist(-local), default nil, which a
user could set to 'key-tag or just 'tag.
(3) Something else (e.g. a new alist).
I've attached a very crude patch for (1): now if I stick this footer in
my Org files:
#+LINK: bug https://debbugs.gnu.org/
# Local variables:
# org-link-abbrev-default-description: key-tag
# end:
Then [[bug:12345]] is exported as
<a href="https://debbugs.gnu.org/12345";>bug:12345</a>.
WDYT? If the idea is sound, I will clean up the patch, clarify
docstrings, add :safe predicates and unit tests, and re-submit.
Thank you for your time.
diff --git a/lisp/ol.el b/lisp/ol.el
index 82fc69769..fa0ade8b8 100644
--- a/lisp/ol.el
+++ b/lisp/ol.el
@@ -255,6 +255,16 @@ See the manual for examples."
(`(,(pred stringp) . ,(pred stringp)) t)
(_ nil))))
+(defcustom org-link-abbrev-default-description nil
+ "Fallback behaviour for abbreviated links with no description.
+If this is nil, do not set a description; some export backends
+will use the fully expanded link as fallback. If 'key-tag, then
+use the abbreviated form KEY:TAG. If 'tag, then use TAG."
+ :group 'org-link
+ :type '(choice (const :tag "None" nil)
+ (const :tag "KEY:TAG" key-tag)
+ (const :tag "TAG" tag)))
+
(defgroup org-link-follow nil
"Options concerning following links in Org mode."
:tag "Org Follow Link"
@@ -993,6 +1003,16 @@ and then used in capture templates."
if store-func
collect store-func))
+(defun org-link-abbrev-default-desc (link)
+ (save-match-data
+ (when (string-match "^\\([^:]*\\)::?\\(.+\\)$" link)
+ (pcase org-link-abbrev-default-description
+ ('nil '(nil nil))
+ ('key-tag
+ (list (match-beginning 1) (match-end 2)))
+ ('tag
+ (list (match-beginning 2) (match-end 2)))))))
+
(defun org-link-expand-abbrev (link)
"Replace link abbreviations in LINK string.
Abbreviations are defined in `org-link-abbrev-alist'."
diff --git a/lisp/org-element.el b/lisp/org-element.el
index a693cb68d..a82fce52a 100644
--- a/lisp/org-element.el
+++ b/lisp/org-element.el
@@ -3146,11 +3146,19 @@ Assume point is at the beginning of the link."
;; (e.g., insert [[shell:ls%20*.org]] instead of
;; [[shell:ls *.org]], which defeats Org's focus on
;; simplicity.
- (setq raw-link (org-link-expand-abbrev
- (org-link-unescape
- (replace-regexp-in-string
- "[ \t]*\n[ \t]*" " "
- (match-string-no-properties 1)))))
+ (let ((link-spec (match-string-no-properties 1))
+ (link-beg (match-beginning 1)))
+ (setq raw-link (org-link-expand-abbrev (org-link-unescape
+ (replace-regexp-in-string
+ "[ \t]*\n[ \t]*" " "
+ link-spec))))
+ ;; If there is no description, try to find a fallback.
+ (unless contents-begin
+ (pcase-let ((`(,default-beg ,default-end)
+ (org-link-abbrev-default-desc link-spec)))
+ (when default-beg
+ (setq contents-begin (+ link-beg default-beg)
+ contents-end (+ link-beg default-end))))))
;; Determine TYPE of link and set PATH accordingly. According
;; to RFC 3986, remove whitespaces from URI in external links.
;; In internal ones, treat indentation as a single space.
[1] Or just TAG. If I look at ORG-NEWS for examples, I see a lot of
[[doc:org-symbol][org-symbol]].
