[Orgmode] Re: Automate the writing of proposals (by using dynamic blocks)

[Sébastien Vauban]

Hi all,

Can I bump up this thread?

In particular, I want to draw attention of the following points:

1) Table column names in bold

2) Use two-decimal floats in cells
   - Writing them in Effort\_ALL with 2 decimals
   - Using formatting of decimals

3) Have an hline between individual tasks and total

4) Get rid of stars?

5) Use the total number of days?

Thanks for your help.

Seb

Sébastien Vauban wrote:
> I'm trying to automate the writing of proposals. Just a couple of tasks to
> describe, to evaluate, and then put a price on the total amount. That's about
> it.
>
> Though, I have some problems making that dream a full reality yet, even if Org
> already makes me go really far!
>
> The following is an minimal example of what I try to achieve, and of the
> different problems and questions related to it.
>
> Thanks for helping.
>
> #+TITLE:     Using columnview dynamic blocks
> #+AUTHOR:    Seb Vauban
> #+DATE:      2010-09-08
> #+LANGUAGE:  en_US
>
> * Context
>
> ** Current implementation
>
> This is what I understood.
>
> ** Objectives
>
> This is what should be done.
>
> ** Tasks to do
>    :PROPERTIES:
>    :COLUMNS: %40ITEM(Task) %6Effort(Estim.){+}
>    :Effort_ALL: 0.25 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 7.00 10.00
>    :ID:       ddfb9674-ce79-4ecc-8699-da5af2c12f6b
>    :END:
>
> *** Analyze the steps
>     :PROPERTIES:
>     :Effort:   0.25
>     :END:
>
> *** Implement the full chain
>     :PROPERTIES:
>     :Effort:   1.50
>     :END:
>
> *** Test the whole lot
>     :PROPERTIES:
>     :Effort:   3.00
>     :END:
>
> * Proposal
>
> ** Work
>
> Generated dynamic block:
>
> #+BEGIN: columnview :hlines 2 :id "ddfb9674-ce79-4ecc-8699-da5af2c12f6b"
> | Task                         | Estim. |
> |------------------------------+--------|
> | ** Tasks to do               |   4.75 |
> | *** Analyze the steps        |   0.25 |
> | *** Implement the full chain |   1.50 |
> | *** Test the whole lot       |   3.00 |
> #+END:
>
> Though, I would like to get it more like this:
>
> #+TBLNAME: prestations
> |   | \textbf{Task} | \textbf{Description}     | \textbf{p.j} |
> |---+---------------+--------------------------+--------------|
> |   | Task 1        | Analyze the steps        |         0.25 |
> |   | Task 2        | Implement the full chain |         1.50 |
> |   | Task 3        | Test the whole lot       |         3.00 |
> |---+---------------+--------------------------+--------------|
> | # |               | \textbf{Total}           |         4.75 |
> | ^ |               |                          |        total |
> #+TBLFM: $total=vsum(@address@hidden);%.2f
>
> Wait a minute! I did not say it must be exactly like that, but I would like,
> for example, to get rid of the multiple stars, and have an =hline= separating
> the total from the individual components of the sum.
>
> ** Finance
>
> Then, from the above, we can compute the cost to write in the proposal, like:
>
> | Total of prestations (in man days) |    4.75 | m.d  |
> | Daily rate                         |  400.00 | \EUR |
> | Total price                        | 1900.00 | \EUR |
> #+TBLFM: @1$2=remote(prestations,$total);%.2f::@address@hidden@2$2;%.2f
>
> * Problems, comments and questions <<< <<< <<<
>
> 5 topics:
>
> ** Table column names in bold
>
> I would like (my boss, to be honest) to see the headings of the table in bold.
> Wait, this is minor, but I discovered something special when trying to do so.
> I put =*= around the word =Task= in the =:COLUMNS:= specification of the tasks
> subtree:
>
> #+begin_src org
> ,:COLUMNS: %40ITEM(Task) %6Effort(Estim.){+}
> #+end_src
>
> That automatically inserts an extra =hline= above the table. Quite weird, but
> OK.
>
> #+BEGIN: columnview :hlines 2 :id "ddfb9674-ce79-4ecc-8699-da5af2c12f6b"
> |------------------------------+--------|
> | *Task*                       | Estim. |
> |------------------------------+--------|
> | ** Tasks to do               |   4.75 |
> | *** Analyze the steps        |   0.25 |
> | *** Implement the full chain |   1.50 |
> | *** Test the whole lot       |   3.00 |
> #+END:
>
> ** Use two-decimal floats in cells
>
> I needs amounts such as =0.25=, =0.50= and =1.50= as efforts.
>
> *** Writing them in Effort\_ALL with 2 decimals
>
> Writing the figures with 2 decimals in =Effort_ALL= has no impact on the
> presentation in the table...
>
> What you see in the table comes "verbatim" from the =Effort= property itself:
> if you get there 2 decimals, then you'll have 2 decimals in the table output.
> Though, having a 2-decimal in the property =Effort= gives troubles to the
> table editor:
>
> - Write =:Effort: 3.00=, then =S-right= that value: it begins back from
>   =0.25=...
>
> - Write =:Effort: 3.0=, then =S-right= that value: it goes on to =4.0=.
>
> *** Using formatting of decimals
>
> Trying to declare how many decimals I want. For the sake of clarity, ask for
> 4 decimals:
>
> #+begin_src org
> ,:COLUMNS: %40ITEM(Task) %6Effort(Estim.){+;%.4f}
> #+end_src
>
> It only works for the total, though... Not applied to the column itself.
>
> #+BEGIN: columnview :hlines 2 :id "ddfb9674-ce79-4ecc-8699-da5af2c12f6b"
> | Task                         | Estim. |
> |------------------------------+--------|
> | ** Tasks to do               | 4.7500 |
> | *** Analyze the steps        |   0.25 |
> | *** Implement the full chain |   1.50 |
> | *** Test the whole lot       |    3.0 |
> #+END:
>
> ** Have an hline between individual tasks and total
>
> To get something like this:
>
> #+BEGIN: columnview :hlines HOW? :id "ddfb9674-ce79-4ecc-8699-da5af2c12f6b"
> | Task                         | Estim. |
> |------------------------------+--------|
> | ** Tasks to do               |   4.75 |
> |------------------------------+--------|
> | *** Analyze the steps        |   0.25 |
> | *** Implement the full chain |   1.50 |
> | *** Test the whole lot       |   3.00 |
> #+END:
>
> I guess the implementation must be changed, as neither 2 nor 3 are right
> values for such a thing.
>
> The definition says:
>
>     =:hlines=
>
>     When t, insert an hline after every line. When a number N, insert an hline
>     before each headline with level <= N.
>
> Here, I would wanna change it to: "insert an hline before *and after* each
> level N headline".
>
> In fact, that would become clearer if the only distinction between the levels
> was not limited to the number of stars before the name of the task.
>
> The table I showed above is *not* the only way to make the difference between
> totals and cells explicit. It's just an example...
>
> ** Get rid of stars?
>
> Is there a way to get rid of the common amount of stars?  I mean: if the top
> headline is at level 3, get rid of 2 stars everywhere in the table.
>
> ** Use the total number of days?
>
> As you see in my manual block, I give a name to the cell containing the total,
> so that I can use that figure for computing how much the work will cost.
>
> How can we do such a thing with the dynamic block?

-- 
Sébastien Vauban