Org capture template not working (when trying to set local notes file)

Question

My goal is to get org-capture to store captured notes in a local "notes.org" file located in the same directory as the current working buffer.

I set the template like so:

(setq org-capture-templates
       '(("x"
     "local notes" entry (file+headline (concat ,(file-name-directory buffer-file-name) "notes.org") "Copied regions")
     "* %^{Title} %U \n %i")
    )
       )

Alas, when invoking the template i get Invalid file location: nil.

How should this be done?

I successfully used this syntax for several years under Emacs 24 and 25, but it fails under Emacs 26. Evidently the restriction to a function noted below was introduced with this version of Emacs. — Liam, Dec 27 '19 at 16:35
Does this answer your question? How to evaluate the variables before adding them to a list? — Drew, Jan 08 '20 at 05:10
If you want to use defun then advice-add will give you the answer — yuskam, May 06 '21 at 14:14

score 6 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 20 '18 at 16:35

6

As the docs say, you can supply a function (with no arguments) to set the file here. Thus:

(setq org-capture-templates
   '(("x"  "local notes" entry 
     (file+headline (lambda () (concat (file-name-directory buffer-file-name) "notes.org")) "Copied regions")
       "* %^{Title} %U \n %i")
))

does the job.

answered Jun 20 '18 at 16:35

Fran Burstall

3,855
11
18

Many thanks! How come (concat (file-name-directory buffer-file-name) "notes.org") is not accapted as a function? – Erik Jun 21 '18 at 07:46
Because it isn't a function! Functions are either pre-defined using defun or on the fly with lambda. – Fran Burstall Jun 21 '18 at 18:09

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 08 '20 at 04:40

0

Change the leading apostrophe to a backquote on the template list. It will work then, no lambda needed!

answered Jan 08 '20 at 04:40

Joel Reymont

101
1

In that case the question becomes a duplicate of https://emacs.stackexchange.com/q/7481/105. – Drew Jan 08 '20 at 05:13

Org capture template not working (when trying to set local notes file)

2 Answers2