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

[Sébastien Vauban]

Hello,

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.

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
#+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?
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

Best regards,
  Seb

-- 
Sébastien Vauban