Org-babel: Uses

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A LaTeX Form

This example uses Org-babel as a user interface for a LaTeX form that might be used by the members of an organization. It uses the literate programming facility of Org-babel to isolate the user from the sometimes arcane LaTeX constructs needed to create a highly-structured form. Org-babel can tangle multiple documents in a single Org-mode file, and this ability is used to create a distribution version of the form separate from one designed for the file cabinet.

Requirement

  • A working LaTeX installation.

Advantages

  • User is isolated from the LaTeX code and thus less likely to alter it inadvertently.
  • Multiple versions of the document are created automatically.
  • Org-mode keywords can help track data entry progress.

Disadvantages

  • This approach is somewhat dated. A modern organization might accomplish this more cleanly with a web-based interface to a database.

Example

TODO Your name

  • Enter your full name on the open line below. 
Tom Dye

TODO Your email address

  • Enter your email address on the open line below. 
tsd at tsdye dot com

No data entry below this line

  • The two source blocks here each produce a LaTeX document after they are tangled with a call to org-babel-tangle. 
\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\begin{document}
\section{Distribution Form}
\begin{description}
\item[Name] <<your-name>>
\item[Email] <<your-email>>
\end{description}
\end{document}

\documentclass[10pt]{article}
\begin{document}
\section{File Form}
<<your-name>> can be reached at <<your-email>>.
\end{document}