Human readable directory tree with org-attach

Question

By default, org-attach.el names project folders, using a UUID scheme, which is paired with headlines in org-mode, via the :PROPERTIES: drawer.

I would love to find a way to make this directory structure human readable, so that it can be accessed outside of org-mode (e.g., folder names are matched to headline names). So this outline structure:

* This headline
  ** This sub-headline 1
  ** This sub-headline 2
* This second headline

matches to the directory structure:

- This headline
  - This sub-headline 1
  - This sub-headline 2
- This second headline

Obviously, this presents an issue, should either of these get renamed. But maybe there is another way to get this done with UUIDs? Some possibilities:

1. Match a UUID in the :PROPERTIES: drawer to a UUID in the folder's metadata (Spotlight comments on the Mac come to mind)

2. Create a second folder structure via sim-links, that updates when org-attach-sync is called.

Any thoughts, ideas?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Define ATTACH_DIR Property Under Each Heading to Set an Human Readable Directory Path for Attachments

1. Place cursor, a.k.a point, on heading.

   For this example, choose This headline

   * This headline
   ** This sub-headline 1
   ** This sub-headline 2
   * This second headline
   

2. Press key chord C-c C-a s This headline Enter

   Note: You will need to remove the default full path to make directory relative to org file.

   The example should look similar to the following:

   * This headline
     :PROPERTIES:
     :ATTACH_DIR: This headline
     :END:
   ** This sub-headline 1
   ** This sub-headline 2
   * This second headline
   

3. Attach files by pressing key chord C-c C-a a.

   For example, I attached file named junk001.org under This headline

   * This headline :ATTACH:
   :PROPERTIES:
   :ATTACH_DIR: This headline
   :Attachments: junk001.org
   :END:
   ** This sub-headline 1
   ** This sub-headline 2
   * This second headline
   

   Which created the file structure below:

   .
   ├── example1.org
   └── This headline
       └── junk001.org
   
   1 directory, 2 files
   

4. Repeat steps 1-3 for other headings and files.

   If the directory paths change in future it should fairly straightforward to maintain paths by updating ATTACH_DIR values and renaming existing directories to match. It should be possible to automate updating directories to match heading and migrate files.

   * This headline :ATTACH:
   :PROPERTIES:
   :ATTACH_DIR: This headline
   :Attachments: junk001.org
   :END:
   ** This sub-headline 1 :ATTACH:
   :PROPERTIES:
   :ATTACH_DIR: This headline/This sub-headline 1
   :Attachments: junk002.org
   :END:
   ** This sub-headline 2
   * This second headline
   

   Which matches the directory tree below:

   .
   ├── example1.org
   └── This headline
       ├── junk001.org
       └── This sub-headline 1
           └── junk002.org
   
   
   2 directories, 3 files
   

Hope that helped!

---

Note: This answer was validated using the following software:
emacs version: GNU Emacs 25.2.1 (x86_64-unknown-cygwin, GTK+ Version 3.22.10)
org mode version: 9.1.2

Answer 2

Sometimes it is helpful to just say- I don't think that org attach has this capacity. Meaning, I have synced directories, but it does not recursively define a subtree based on the structure of the attached file.

I was trying to do this for some of my source... If someone wants to prove me wrong then go for it. But when I attach and sync the root directory and have the inherit flag set, all of the sub-directories do not get recursively generated in my org file as nodes.