This package implements a minor mode to enable checkboxes in headings in style of org-mode checkboxes as used in lists. It is very light and simple.
This is not a package yet, but if I get good feedback on this one, I am thinking of making it into a Melpa package.
To install either clone this repo, or just download org-heading-checkbox.el somewhere where your Emacs can find it. Alternatively you can also download it and install it with:
`M-x package-install-file’.
Enable the mode with M-x org-heading-checkbox-mode, or from lisp with:
(org-heading-checkbox-mode 1)You could also add it to org-mode-hook:
(add-hook 'org-mode-hook (lambda () (org-heading-checkbox-mode 1))).Create a heading with either “[ ]” or “[x]” after the leading stars, but beffore the heading text. Number of spaces after stars and before the heading itself does not matter. Now you have a heading with a checkbox. You can place point somewhere on the heading line, and use S+up/down to toggle the checkbox.
Currently S+up/down arrows are already bound by org-mode, but so is every other possible modifier or modifier combination. They have really seen to use every meaningful key combo for something in org, which leaves any third party or user with only option to overwrite something, or define own prefixes. I have done it so that keys will toggle on/off the checkbox when a heading has one, but when there is not one, it will just do whatever org-mode already does. But feel free to redefine keys to your liking.
Sometimes just having a graphical representation of something enabled or disabled is enough. But often times, we would also like something to happen when we disable or enable a checkbox. I haven’t come to implement this functionality yet, it is on TODO list :). I have some thoughts on implementing this via text properties, but I haven’t had time to test that idea yet.
However, there are two general hooks defined, which you can use in usual Emacs manner to add your own hooks which will be run when you toggle a checkbox. Yes it is very limited/awkward and inneficient, but it is possible to check some regex at point and do something based on that, but for now it is all there is to it.
If you manually place point between square braces and change char to something else than x or space, or even toggle the box, the heading will not be recognized as a checkbox heading. Depending on your point of view it is a feature or a bug.
This is a work in progress, both conceptually and implementation wise. Hooks per checkbox to be implemented maybe. Trees of headings are not implemented either. Probably lots of bugs in regard to other org-features. Feedback is welcome.
GPL v3, see featured License file for details.