How can I specify the filename for org-mode export in Emacs?

Question

My org file is named README.org and I want to export to Markdown into a file named README. Every time I run the export it writes to README.md. Here is my org file:

#+PROPERTY: EXPORT_FILE_NAME thing

* Test export

I'm using the EXPORT_FILE_NAME property based on this link: http://orgmode.org/manual/Export-settings.html#index-property_002c-EXPORT_005fFILE_005fNAME-1617 but it doesn't seem to do anything.

Answer 1

According to the cited manual page, EXPORT_FILE_NAME applies only for subtree export.

Whole file export will take its name from the buffer file name.

If you only have 1 level-1 headline, you may add this property to a drawer inside the first heading, and always export as subtree from inside this top-level heading to get your desired file name.

Answer 2

For more recent versions of org-mode a new export setting was added, #+EXPORT_FILE_NAME:, which will set the file name when file is exported.

• For example:

  #+EXPORT_FILE_NAME: README.txt
  

The setting can be overwritten inside the properties drawer under a heading.

• For example:

  * Chapter 2
  :PROPERTIES:
  :EXPORT_FILE_NAME: chapter2
  :END:
  

---

This code was tested using:
emacs version: GNU Emacs 25.2.1 (x86_64-unknown-cygwin, GTK+ Version 3.22.10)
Org mode version: 9.1.2

Answer 3

An easy workaround is to add this at the bottom of the source Org file:

# Local Variables:
# after-save-hook: (lambda nil (when (org-html-export-to-html) (rename-file "README.html" "index.html" t)))
# End:

In this example, assuming the source file is named README.org, it will automatically export the file to HTML and then rename it to index.html.

Answer 4

You can use the function org-export-to-file

This will let you specify the file you want to save to and the back-end for the export.

(org-export-to-file 'html "README.html" )

Answer 5

I was inspired by user3871's amazing idea to go a bit further, including configuring a safety exception so you don't get prompted to allow the code to run when opening the file.

I append this to the file to generate an HTML version of the same file on every save:

# Local Variables:
# after-save-hook: (lambda nil (org-export-to-file 'html (format "dest_dir/%s.html" (file-name-nondirectory (file-name-sans-extension (buffer-file-name))))))
# End:

To make it stop prompting me, I did this rudimentary safe-variable exception:

;; not perfectly secure, just checks for lambdas that call org-export-to-file as the first form.
(defun my-validate-after-save-hook (form)
  (and (eq (nth 0 form) 'lambda)
       (eq (car (nth 2 form)) 'org-export-to-file)))
(put 'after-save-hook 'safe-local-variable 'my-validate-after-save-hook)