[Orgmode] Having (too) many files in org-agenda-files

[Sébastien Vauban]

Hi,

Of course, I have many, many files in Org mode. All files I write (or touch)
in fact.

Of course, I would like to search through my files at some point in time.
I even would like to search through your files at some point in time, I mean
through =org-mode/contrib/babel= and =Worg= for example.

Hence, I put them in =org-agenda-files=:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
;; set which files to search for TODO entries and scheduled items
;; (avoiding hidden files)
(setq org-agenda-files
      (append (directory-files org-directory t "^[^\\.].*\\.org$")
              (if (file-exists-p "~/Projects/")
                  (directory-files "~/Projects/" t "^[^\\.].*\\.org$")
                nil)
              (if (file-exists-p "~/Public/")
                  (directory-files "~/Public/" t "^[^\\.].*\\.txt$")
                nil)
              (if (file-exists-p "~/Public/www.mygooglest.com/source/sva/")
                  (directory-files "~/Public/www.mygooglest.com/source/sva/" t 
"^[^\\.].*\\.txt$")
                nil)
              (if (file-exists-p "~/Examples/Org-scraps/")
                  (directory-files "~/Examples/Org-scraps/" t 
"^[^\\.].*\\.txt$")
                nil)
              (if (file-exists-p 
"~/Downloads/emacs/site-lisp/org-mode/contrib/babel/")
                  (directory-files 
"~/Downloads/emacs/site-lisp/org-mode/contrib/babel/" t "^[^\\.].*\\.org$")
                nil)
              (if (file-exists-p "~/Downloads/emacs/site-lisp/Worg/")
                  (directory-files "~/Downloads/emacs/site-lisp/Worg/" t 
"^[^\\.].*\\.org$")
                nil)
              ))
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

The problem is the load-time of my Emacs, now:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
Emacs Init startup time: 221 seconds.
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

coming from 20 seconds before the heavy use of Org...

with tens of times such lines in my *Messages* buffer:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
OVERVIEW
Checking for library `filladapt'...
+-> Requiring `filladapt' (already loaded)
Checking for library `filladapt'... Found
Fontifying Axa.org... (regexps............................................)
Checking for library `filladapt'... Found
Fontifying Axa.org... (regexps.............................................)
Checking for library `filladapt'... Found
Fontifying Axa.org... (regexps..............................................)
Checking for library `filladapt'... Found
+-> Requiring `outline-mode-easy-bindings' (already loaded)
+-> Requiring `ispell' (already loaded)
Evaluate code AFTER HAVING LOADED `flyspell'... [2 times]
Starting new Ispell process [en_US] ...
Checking for library `filladapt'...
+-> Requiring `filladapt' (already loaded)
Checking for library `filladapt'... Found
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

You'll tell me: not a problem, you do that only once a day, and you use Emacs
client/server for the rest of the time. True. A bit, because I sometimes have
to restart Emacs for testing a fresh one (not impacted by defvars already
defined, or deffaces, etc.).

Having to wait almost 4 minutes is a real pain. So, here my
comments/questions:

- Isn't it possible to delay the fontification/ispell/etc. to when we really
  display (i.e., pop up) the buffer?  I guess this must be a major component
  of the time this takes.

- Couldn't we have 2 vars: =org-agenda-files= for the files you know you want
  have scanned for the agenda construction, and an extra list such as
  =org-search-files= for files not containing any dates?  Then, some time
  would have to be taken when =C-c a s=, but not before. And not if you don't
  search for anything in your Org files during that Emacs session...

Any other idea?

Best regards,
  Seb

-- 
Sébastien Vauban