Re: Summation of effort estimates in columnview dblock

[Ihor Radchenko]

Alexander Adolf <alexander.adolf@condition-alpha.com> writes:

>> The manual says:
>>
>>     SUMMARY-TYPE
>>          The summary type.  If specified, the column values for parent nodes
>>          are computed from the children(1).
>
> The manual leaves it to the reader to figure out how the computation
> happens. Nor does it mention that different column types do use
> different computations, nor where to find information about the
> computation applied by each column.

I agree that the manual can be improved. It would be nice if someone
actively using column views contributed such an improvement ;)

> Btw, on the same manual page you are quoting, there is the following
> footnote:
> ---------------------------- Begin Quote -----------------------------
> (54)
> If more than one summary type applies to the same property, the parent
> values are computed according to the first of them.
> ----------------------------- End Quote ------------------------------
>
> At least for EFFORT, this seems ambiguous. I can have
>
>     :format "%EFFORT %EFFORT{:}"
>
> and both columns are present, and computed differently, whereas the
> footnote can easily be read as hinting to the opposite. In fact, the
> footnote is correct for all time format properties _except_ EFFORT.

Not sure here. %EFFORT should not count. I tried the following:

#+COLUMNS: %EFFORT{mean} %EFFORT{+}
* Foo
:PROPERTIES:
:EFFORT:   15.0 <-- gets updated
:END:
** Bar
:PROPERTIES:
:EFFORT:   20
:END:
** Baz
:PROPERTIES:
:EFFORT:  10
:END:

>> In other words, Org mode computes the value of the property for your
>> Task 1, from Task 1.1, and Task 1.2.  Whatever is inside Task 1 does not
>> matter.
>
> This is true for EFFORT, and all other time format (real) property
> columns, but not for CLOCKSUM columns.

Yes, same for other special properties - they cannot be set in
properties drawer and are handled differently.

> What has added to my perceived need of help, prompting me to start this
> thread, is that the manual is extremely tight lips in this area.
>
> It would thus seem helpful to readers (hope not just myself), if the
> "column attributes" section (the one with the SUMMARY-TYPE definition
> you quoted) could be extended:
>
> - With a new paragraph or two at the very end explaining how the normal
>   ("%Property"), and colon summations ("%Property{:}") of time format
>   properties are done, and what gets overwritten when. The section now
>   ends with an example containing such a column, so the explanation
>   would fit nicely there, IMHO.

+1

> - Right after that, with another new paragraph explaining how the
>   summation for CLOCKSUM and CLOCKSUM_T is done in contrast, and
>   mentioning that nothing is ever overwritten for these.

+1

> - The section should also mention that the footnote # 54, which I quoted
>   above, does not apply to the (special-ish) EFFORT property.

It looks like it does apply, AFAIU.

-- 
Ihor Radchenko // yantar92,
Org mode contributor,
Learn more about Org mode at <https://orgmode.org/>.
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