File org-capture entry under current headline at point

Question

Let's say that I have a tree of tasks like so:

* TODO Launch website
** TODO Get database running
*** TODO Select MySQL vs. PostgreSQL

Let's say I'm looking at the "Select MySQL vs. PostgreSQL" and I decide I want to file a task under that headline using my Org Capture template. Is there a way to directly tell org-capture to file the new headline under the current headline (i.e., the headline at (point))? I'm aware of the (clock) capture target, but I don't necessarily want to have to clock in at the current point.

Answer 1

Go to a new line below the headline *** TODO Select MySQL vs. PostgreSQL Then press C-u 0 before your capture key, i.e.

C-u 0 <your_capture_key>

and you're good to go. The indentation level will be three stars, so you have to indent it manually by M- rightarrow

You can also press C-0 <your_capture_key> and Emacs will interpret it as C-u 0

Answer 2

I've implemented the following functions to implement this feature:

• my-org-capture-under-headline: the main command.
• Some advice around org-capture to provide a new C-u 2 prefix argument

;; Create ‘C-u 2 M-x org-capture’ command to refile org-capture template under
;; headline at point.
(defvar my-org-capture-rfloc nil
  "Holds the RFLOC argument to pass to ‘org-refile’.")
(defun my-org-capture-under-headline (&optional goto keys)
  "Capture a headline using ‘org-capture’, according to the template you \
select, and then immediately refile that headline under the headline at the \
current point.  GOTO and KEYS are passed to ‘org-capture’."
  (interactive "P")
  (unwind-protect
      (progn
        (unless (eq major-mode 'org-mode)
          (user-error "Must be called from an Org-mode buffer"))
        ;; Capture refile target at point. For format see
        ;; ‘org-refile-target-table’.
        (setq my-org-capture-rfloc
              (list
               (org-display-outline-path t t nil t)
               (buffer-file-name (buffer-base-buffer))
               nil
               (org-with-wide-buffer
                (org-back-to-heading t)
                (point-marker))))
        (funcall #'org-capture goto keys)
        (when my-org-capture-rfloc
          (org-capture-goto-last-stored)
          ;; Refile last-captured target under the headline stored earlier.
          (org-refile nil nil my-org-capture-rfloc)
          ;; Ensure point is at the newly-captured and refiled headline.
          (org-refile-goto-last-stored)))
    ;; Ensure ‘my-org-capture-rfloc’ is reset.
    (setq my-org-capture-rfloc nil)))
(defun my-org-capture-under-headline-prefix (_orig-fn &rest _args)
  "Provide an additional “C-u 2” prefix arg to `org-capture'.

When ‘org-capture’ is called with this prefix argument, it will capture a
headline according to the template you select, and then immediately refile that
headline under the headline at the current point."
  (let ((goto (nth 0 _args)))
    (if (equal goto 2)
        (apply #'my-org-capture-under-headline _args)
      (apply _orig-fn _args))))
(advice-add 'org-capture :around #'my-org-capture-under-headline-prefix)