Specify global tangle file for source code export in Org mode 8.x

Question

I want to specify a default output file for all my tangle exports. I'm using Org mode 8.x. (For Org mode ≥9.0, see How to tangle all code blocks to a common file)

This works:

#+BEGIN_SRC js :tangle "../js/out_file.js"
console.log("hello from org mode");
#+END_SRC
** 
#+BEGIN_SRC js :tangle "../js/out_file.js"
console.log("hello from org mode 2");
#+END_SRC

However, I don't want to keep repeating "../js/out_file.js" on each block.

I've looked at these following two links, which seem to be asking essentially the same question:

link 1

link 2

However, none of the recommendations work: If I just have a SRC block with no tangle arg, I get either "Tangled 0 code blocks from dummy.org" or "Wrote ./org/dummy.org" (which is the default file name)

Here's my final code. Currently, all the methods are uncommented, so it's possible they are interfering with each other, but I have tried each method in isolation to the same effect:

* Header

# method 1
:PROPERITES:
:tangle: "../out_file.js"
:END:

# method 2
#+TANGLE: "../js/out_file.js"

# method 3
#+BABEL: :tangle "../js/out_file.js" 

# method 4
#+PROPERTY: header-args+ :tangle  "../js/out_file.js" 

# method 5
#+PROPERTY: header-args :session *my_js_session* :results silent :tangle "../js/out_file.js" 

** some js source
#+BEGIN_SRC js
console.log("hello from org mode");
#+END_SRC
** 
#+BEGIN_SRC js 
console.log("hello from org mode 2");
#+END_SRC

Can anyone see what I'm doing wrong?

Do I have to somehow evaluate the properties before they take effect?

Are there any org commands I can issue to verify if the properties are properly set?

Answer 1

To set ‘tangle file’ globally we should use #+PROPERTY: tangle "~/.path/to/file.extension".

Unfortunatelly, that change is not enough; we need to trigger a refresh. We put cursor on that line and press C-c C-c which gives Local setup has been refreshed message in a minibuffer (or in *Messages* buffer). We could also reopen file which applies new settings. C-c C-c is a binding for org-ctrl-c-ctrl-c — a ‘swiss knife’ org-mode function which

If the cursor is in one of the special #+KEYWORD lines, this triggers scanning the buffer for these lines and updating the information.

Now, when our changes are ready we can C-c C-v t (or C-c C-v C-t; or M-x org-babel-tangle) to tangle our file.

We can read more about specifying header arguments (not only at global level) at org manual page.