org-capture : how to choose the target file at the end of the process?

Question

I use org-capture a lot, it's a terrific feature.

However, sometimes i'd like to choose the target of the note during or at the end of the process, not at the beginning from the template.

The process I imagine (below I use the exact terms of the variable org-capture-template, in italic:

1. C-c c
2. choosing the entry for it's template, not caring for it's target
3. typing my note
4. C-c C-c refiles my note at the place I want

So far, my org-capture-template is : (("t" "Test" entry (file+headline "my/path/to/notes.org" "Entries to be refiled") (file "my/path/to/my-org-capture-template.org")))

with org-capture-template.org :

* %?
:PROPERTIES:
:TARGET-FILE:
:TARGET-HEADLINE:
:END:

What I want is C-c C-c running a function inferring the target, file and headline, from the value of TARGET-FILE and TARGET-HEADLINE, and refiling my note accordingly.

Answer 1

There are several ways to choose where a captured entry will go.

You can always use org-refile (C-c C-w) in the capture buffer to move the capture. This will also finalize the capture.

If you want to encode the target headline in the capture template, use file+headline as the target, thusly:

("t" "Todo" entry
  (file+headline "/path/to/file.org" "Target Headline")
  "* TODO %?"
)

Another solution is to use file+function as the target for your capture template. First define a function that prompts for a headline and jumps to it.

(defun org-get-target-headline (&optional prompt)
  "Prompt for a location in an org file and jump to it.

This is for promping for refile targets when doing captures."
    (let* ((target (save-excursion
                     (org-refile-get-location prompt nil nil t)))
           (file (nth 1 target))
           (pos (nth 3 target))
           )
    (with-current-buffer (find-file-noselect file)
        (goto-char pos)
        (org-end-of-subtree)
        (org-return)
    )))

Then add a capture template using this function to get the target:

            '("t" "Todo" entry
              (file+function "/path/to/file.org" org-get-target-headline)
             "* TODO %?")

You will be prompted for the target before being dropped into the capture buffer. This is most useful when the template has :immediate-finish t and you never get a capture buffer to refile from.

And that's not all! There are a number of other ways for a template to select it's target, see the manual for org-capture-templates for a list of them. The most general version is to use function as the target, which lets you give an arbitrary function for both the target file and headline.

EDIT:

As of org-mode 9 the above function no longer works. Instead use

(defun org-get-target-headline (&optional targets prompt)
  "Prompt for a location in an org file and jump to it.

This is for promping for refile targets when doing captures.
Targets are selected from `org-refile-targets'. If TARGETS is
given it temporarily overrides `org-refile-targets'. PROMPT will
replace the default prompt message.

If CAPTURE-LOC is is given, capture to that location instead of
prompting."
  (let ((org-refile-targets (or targets org-refile-targets))
        (prompt (or prompt "Capture Location")))
      (org-refile t nil nil prompt)))

which does the same thing, but also allows you to restrict the set of possible targets.

Answer 2

I'm not aware of any simple way to do what want here.

To run something after your note has been captured, you could try using the org-capture-after-finalize-hook. At that point you may be able to do something like this:

• jump to the last captured note (org-capture-goto-last-stored)
• parse the org element for your custom target information
• call org-refile and pass a custom refile location (RFLOC) based on what you've read from the note