in org-mode, how to fold/hide footnotes?

Question

In Emacs org-mode, is there a way to get inline footnote definitions to appear as collapsed?

So that for instance, a line like this:

This effect is due to the strength of weak ties[fn:: Newman, Mark, Albert-László Barabási, and Duncan J. Watts. 2006. The Structure and Dynamics of Networks. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press].

might simply appear like this:

This effect is due to the strength of weak ties[✭].

I would also need a command to show the footnotes when necessary. So maybe what is needed are two commands: org-hide-footnotes and org-show-footnotes.

Aircrew

Can we narrow down the prospective ending regexp ]. to something more definite? E.g., the first occurrence of ]. following [fn:: -- which means that you couldn't have a second pair of square brackets inside the footnote. Or, perhaps we can say that it will be the first ]. that is at the end of a line with a hard return? Will there potentially be more than one line -- e.g., a paragraph or more, with blank lines between paragraphs? The prospective solution contemplates that this footnote will not be inside the properties drawer, which gets folded separately. – Laryngo

The footnote might not be at the end of a line. But there will never be square brackets inside a footnote. So the first occurrence of a ] signals the end of the footnote. In other words, let's go with your first suggestion. – Aircrew

Answer 1

INITIAL (February 6, 2014):   First working draft.

EDIT February 18, 2014:  Revised the function lawlist-toggle-block-visibility so that it contains a proper if/then/else statement -- i.e., if the line contains the requisite beginning region regexp, then the block visibility will be toggled, else a message saying sorry . . . . Added a citation to a related thread for code folding. Revised the error message to refer to a point rather than a line.

The source code for the answer below is also stored on Github: https://github.com/lawlist/lawlist-org-block-toggle/blob/master/lawlist-org-block-toggle.el

On a related issue (i.e., to completely hide the properties drawer including the word :PROPERTIES:), please refer to the following thread: Completely hide the :PROPERTIES: drawer in org-mode

On a semi-related issue (i.e., to create a custom block to be code-folded), see also: https://tex.stackexchange.com/a/161196/26911

This solution was tested with a fairly recent version of Emacs Trunk (built on January 19, 2014), which contains org-mode version 8.2.5c. Inasmuch as the :PROPERTIES: drawer through its :END: gets folded separately from the footnotes and the html blocks, this solution contemplates that the footnote and/or html code blocks will not be anywhere inside that properties drawer. The footnote can appear anywhere in the text paragraph, but cannot have another pair of square brackets inside the footnote -- since this code looks for the first ending square bracket in order to mark the end of the folded region. This code contemplates that #+BEGIN_HTML and #+END_HTML will both be flush-left with the left-hand margin. The startup views still work the same way -- e.g., the variables org-startup-folded and org-hide-block-startup.

The modification of org-cycle-internal-local enables tab cycling for all forms of folding in org-mode. All we did was fix the pagination of the function to make it more readable, and added the following condition: ((eq org-cycle-subtree-status 'subtree) (org-show-subtree) (message "ALL") (setq org-cycle-subtree-status 'all)). The interactive function org-cycle is still used to tab cycle between all of the various folded / unfolded views. The function lawlist-block-org-cycle-internal-local is a non-interactive supporting function that is used by org-cycle. The two defalias portions of the code in this solution are needed for everything to work properly. Rather than using tab cycling, the user can also call the interactive function directly at the beginning of the headings or subheadings with: M-x org-cycle RET

To toggle visibility of the footnote or html block directly, we use the interactive function lawlist-toggle-block-visibility. Place the cursor anywhere on the line containing the beginning of the footnote or, the beginning of the html block, and type: M-x lawlist-toggle-block-visibility RET

(require 'org)

(defalias 'org-cycle-hide-drawers 'lawlist-block-org-cycle-hide-drawers)

(defun lawlist-block-org-cycle-hide-drawers (state)
  "Re-hide all drawers, footnotes or html blocks after a visibility state change."
  (when
    (and
      (derived-mode-p 'org-mode)
      (not (memq state '(overview folded contents))))
    (save-excursion
      (let* (
          (globalp (memq state '(contents all)))
          (beg (if globalp (point-min) (point)))
          (end
            (cond
              (globalp
                (point-max))
              ((eq state 'children)
                (save-excursion (outline-next-heading) (point)))
              (t (org-end-of-subtree t)) )))
        (goto-char beg)
        (while
          (re-search-forward
            ".*\\[fn\\|^\\#\\+BEGIN_HTML.*$\\|^[ \t]*:PROPERTIES:[ \t]*$" end t)
          (lawlist-org-flag t))))))

(defalias 'org-cycle-internal-local 'lawlist-block-org-cycle-internal-local)

(defun lawlist-block-org-cycle-internal-local ()
  "Do the local cycling action."
  (let ((goal-column 0) eoh eol eos has-children children-skipped struct)
    (save-excursion
      (if (org-at-item-p)
        (progn
          (beginning-of-line)
          (setq struct (org-list-struct))
          (setq eoh (point-at-eol))
          (setq eos (org-list-get-item-end-before-blank (point) struct))
          (setq has-children (org-list-has-child-p (point) struct)))
        (org-back-to-heading)
        (setq eoh (save-excursion (outline-end-of-heading) (point)))
        (setq eos (save-excursion (1- (org-end-of-subtree t t))))
        (setq has-children
          (or
            (save-excursion
              (let ((level (funcall outline-level)))
                (outline-next-heading)
                (and
                  (org-at-heading-p t)
                  (> (funcall outline-level) level))))
            (save-excursion
              (org-list-search-forward (org-item-beginning-re) eos t)))))
      (beginning-of-line 2)
      (if (featurep 'xemacs)
        (while
            (and
              (not (eobp))
              (get-char-property (1- (point)) 'invisible))
          (beginning-of-line 2))
        (while
            (and
              (not (eobp))
              (get-char-property (1- (point)) 'invisible))
          (goto-char (next-single-char-property-change (point) 'invisible))
          (and
            (eolp)
            (beginning-of-line 2))))
      (setq eol (point)))
    (cond
      ((= eos eoh)
        (unless (org-before-first-heading-p)
          (run-hook-with-args 'org-pre-cycle-hook 'empty))
        (org-unlogged-message "EMPTY ENTRY")
        (setq org-cycle-subtree-status nil)
        (save-excursion
          (goto-char eos)
          (outline-next-heading)
          (if (outline-invisible-p)
            (org-flag-heading nil))))
      ((and
          (or
            (>= eol eos)
            (not (string-match "\\S-" (buffer-substring eol eos))))
          (or
            has-children
            (not (setq children-skipped
              org-cycle-skip-children-state-if-no-children))))
        (unless (org-before-first-heading-p)
          (run-hook-with-args 'org-pre-cycle-hook 'children))
        (if (org-at-item-p)
          ;; then
          (org-list-set-item-visibility (point-at-bol) struct 'children)
          ;; else
          (org-show-entry)
          (org-with-limited-levels (show-children))
          (when (eq org-cycle-include-plain-lists 'integrate)
            (save-excursion
              (org-back-to-heading)
              (while (org-list-search-forward (org-item-beginning-re) eos t)
                (beginning-of-line 1)
                (let* (
                    (struct (org-list-struct))
                    (prevs (org-list-prevs-alist struct))
                    (end (org-list-get-bottom-point struct)))
                  (mapc (lambda (e) (org-list-set-item-visibility e struct 'folded))
                    (org-list-get-all-items (point) struct prevs))
                  (goto-char (if (< end eos) end eos)))))))
        (org-unlogged-message "CHILDREN")
        (save-excursion
          (goto-char eos)
          (outline-next-heading)
          (if (outline-invisible-p)
            (org-flag-heading nil)))
        (setq org-cycle-subtree-status 'children)
        (unless (org-before-first-heading-p)
          (run-hook-with-args 'org-cycle-hook 'children)))
      ((or
          children-skipped
          (and
            (eq last-command this-command)
            (eq org-cycle-subtree-status 'children)))
        (unless (org-before-first-heading-p)
          (run-hook-with-args 'org-pre-cycle-hook 'subtree))
        (outline-flag-region eoh eos nil)
        (org-unlogged-message
        (if children-skipped
          "SUBTREE (NO CHILDREN)"
          "SUBTREE"))
        (setq org-cycle-subtree-status 'subtree)
        (unless (org-before-first-heading-p)
          (run-hook-with-args 'org-cycle-hook 'subtree)))
      ((eq org-cycle-subtree-status 'subtree)
        (org-show-subtree)
        (message "ALL")
        (setq org-cycle-subtree-status 'all))
      (t
        (run-hook-with-args 'org-pre-cycle-hook 'folded)
        (outline-flag-region eoh eos t)
        (org-unlogged-message "FOLDED")
        (setq org-cycle-subtree-status 'folded)
        (unless (org-before-first-heading-p)
        (run-hook-with-args 'org-cycle-hook 'folded))))))

(defun lawlist-org-flag (flag)
  "When FLAG is non-nil, hide any of the following:  html code block;
footnote; or, the properties drawer.  Otherwise make it visible."
  (save-excursion
    (beginning-of-line 1)
    (cond
      ((looking-at ".*\\[fn")
        (let* (
          (begin (match-end 0))
          end-footnote)
          (if (re-search-forward "\\]"
                (save-excursion (outline-next-heading) (point)) t)
            (progn
              (setq end-footnote (point))
              (outline-flag-region begin end-footnote flag))
            (user-error "Error beginning at point %s." begin))))
      ((looking-at "^\\#\\+BEGIN_HTML.*$\\|^[ \t]*:PROPERTIES:[ \t]*$")
        (let* ((begin (match-end 0)))
          (if (re-search-forward "^\\#\\+END_HTML.*$\\|^[ \t]*:END:"
                (save-excursion (outline-next-heading) (point)) t)
            (outline-flag-region begin (point-at-eol) flag)
            (user-error "Error beginning at point %s." begin)))))))

(defun lawlist-toggle-block-visibility ()
"For this function to work, the cursor must be on the same line as the regexp."
(interactive)
  (if
      (save-excursion
        (beginning-of-line 1)
          (looking-at
            ".*\\[fn\\|^\\#\\+BEGIN_HTML.*$\\|^[ \t]*:PROPERTIES:[ \t]*$"))
    (lawlist-org-flag (not (get-char-property (match-end 0) 'invisible)))
    (message "Sorry, you are not on a line containing the beginning regexp.")))

Laryngo

This doesn't seem to work anymore for me (and github link is broken). In particular if I have multiple footnotes on a line it completely fails. Have you updated it since? If not should I ask again to give visibility in case someone else has? – Presuppose

Answer 2

I don't believe this is possible at the moment. Also using TAB as the expansion key within for it would likely cause even more overloading of the key.

On the other hand, is there any particular reason not to use a footnote section for the footnotes?

C-c C-x f will create/interact with any footnotes you have.

(org-footnote-action &optional SPECIAL)

Do the right thing for footnotes.

When at a footnote reference, jump to the definition.

When at a definition, jump to the references if they exist, offer to create them otherwise.

When neither at definition or reference, create a new footnote, interactively.

With prefix arg SPECIAL, offer additional commands in a menu.

The additional commands being:

      s   Sort the footnote definitions by reference sequence.  During editing,
          Org makes no effort to sort footnote definitions into a particular
          sequence.  If you want them sorted, use this command, which will
          also move entries according to org-footnote-section.  Automatic
          sorting after each insertion/deletion can be configured using the
          variable org-footnote-auto-adjust.
      r   Renumber the simple fn:N footnotes.  Automatic renumbering
          after each insertion/deletion can be configured using the variable
          org-footnote-auto-adjust.
      S   Short for first r, then s action.
      n   Normalize the footnotes by collecting all definitions (including
          inline definitions) into a special section, and then numbering them
          in sequence.  The references will then also be numbers.  This is
          meant to be the final step before finishing a document (e.g., sending
          off an email).  The exporters do this automatically, and so could
          something like message-send-hook.
      d   Delete the footnote at point, and all definitions of and references
          to it.

Manzo