Re: [PATCH] org-refile.el: Fix the case of emtpy buffer name

[Maxim Nikulin]

In my opinion, patch is the minimal change that fixes particular 
workflow and can be committed in the current form. Commit message may be 
improved a bit.

I have a question (mainly to maintainer) if another approach could lead 
to undesired effects, see below.

I have noticed a couple of old issues that can be improved later since 
they may require more changes than allowed for "TINYCHANGE".

On 14/05/2021 01:20, satotake wrote:
> [PATCH] org-refile.el: Fix the case of emtpy buffer name

Buffer not associated with a file may be more precise since "*scratch*" 
has name.

> * lisp/org-refile.el (org-refile-get-targets): Ensure
> arg of `file-name-non' and `file-truename' is non-nil.

truncated function name

Comments below a loosely related to the suggested patch.

> --- a/lisp/org-refile.el
> +++ b/lisp/org-refile.el
> @@ -310,11 +310,13 @@ converted to a headline before refiling."
>                  (setq f (buffer-file-name (buffer-base-buffer f))))
>                (setq f (and f (expand-file-name f)))
>                (when (eq org-refile-use-outline-path 'file)
> -                (push (list (file-name-nondirectory f) f nil nil) tgs))
> +                (push (list (and f (file-name-nondirectory f)) f nil nil) tgs))
>                (when (eq org-refile-use-outline-path 'buffer-name)
>                  (push (list (buffer-name (buffer-base-buffer)) f nil nil) tgs))
>                (when (eq org-refile-use-outline-path 'full-file-path)
> -                (push (list (file-truename (buffer-file-name 
> (buffer-base-buffer))) f nil nil) tgs))

Notice `file-truename'

> +                (push (list (and (buffer-file-name (buffer-base-buffer))
> +                                  (file-truename (buffer-file-name 
> (buffer-base-buffer))))
> +                             f nil nil) tgs))
>                (org-with-wide-buffer
>                 (goto-char (point-min))
>                 (setq org-outline-path-cache nil)
> @@ -337,9 +339,10 @@ converted to a headline before refiling."
>                                 #'identity
>                                 (append
>                                  (pcase org-refile-use-outline-path
> -                                  (`file (list (file-name-nondirectory
> -                                                (buffer-file-name
> -                                                 (buffer-base-buffer)))))
> +                                  (`file (list
> +                                           (and (buffer-file-name 
> (buffer-base-buffer))

I hope, additional operation in the inner loop has minimal performance 
penalty. Additional variable may be introduced and initialized before 
the loop over headings. It may help to avoid discrepancy similar to 
`file-truename'.

> +                                                (file-name-nondirectory
> +                                                 (buffer-file-name 
> (buffer-base-buffer))))))
>                                    (`full-file-path
>                                     (list (buffer-file-name
>                                            (buffer-base-buffer))))

Earlier patch, that added `file-truename' above, missed this point. At 
first I was surprised why this clause does not require modification.

To maintainers:
What are negative consequences of completely skipping of buffers that 
have no associated files? I mean not to add them to the list for 
iteration. I can anticipate some tests should be fixed but I do not 
think it is a problem. Anyway `org-goto' and `org-refile' do not work in 
such buffers (from my point of view, reaction to such issue should be 
saving content of buffer to some file since critical size of notes is 
achieved):

On 14/05/2021 01:20, satotake wrote:
> In addition to your point, I found that we cannot refile internally even with
>
> my patch. In other words, if we can cache and reuse it, error ("Please 
> indicate a target file in the refile path") is raised
> when we select it as refile target.
> Probably, we need to some additional fixations.
> It may be good to filter `files' which does not have `buffer-file-name'.

> > Have you tried org-capture? 
> Yes. Mostly I use org-capture, especially, for creating TODO tasks.
> I sometimes start with fundamental-mode new buffer.
> After writing some texts, I switch to org-mode and try to call refile.
> I do not know why I do it by myself clearly but I tend to do it when I
> do not have any clear goal for the file.

Thank you for details. I think, it is a kind of valid workflow. 
Personally I would consider it unreliable however. I suppose, 
`org-default-notes-file' (default capture target) better suited for 
temporary notes since it minimizes risk of lost text in the case of 
failure. It requires to change habits a bit to call org-capture with 
simple template in advance.