Re: Colons in :var header arguments

[Ihor Radchenko]

Stefano Ghirlanda <dr.ghirlanda@gmail.com> writes:

> I have run into an inconvenience in that colons in :var header
> arguments to source blocks are invariably interpreted as referring to
> another file. However, I use cleveref in LaTeX export (via org-ref) to
> automatically format references using labels like tab:data, and in
> these cases :var data=tab:data gives a reference not found because tab
> is interpreted as a filename.

I agree that it is a problem.
Attaching tentative patch that will make Org babel fall back to
searching in current file when FILE in FILE:REF does not exist.

It is technically a breaking change. If this is affecting someone's
workflow, please chime in.

>From 024cc1e6b31e9e3e9e4b8d3aee83221cb3326ee2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
Message-ID: 
<024cc1e6b31e9e3e9e4b8d3aee83221cb3326ee2.1697883034.git.yantar92@posteo.net>
From: Ihor Radchenko <yantar92@posteo.net>
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2023 13:08:55 +0300
Subject: [PATCH] org-babel-ref-resolve: Search current buffer when FILE in
 FILE:REF does not exist

* lisp/ob-ref.el (org-babel-ref-resolve): Only search in other file
when FILE in FILE:REF exists.
* doc/org-manual.org (Passing arguments):
* etc/ORG-NEWS (Babel references =FILE:REFERENCE= now search current
buffer when =FILE= does not exist): Document the change.

Reported-by: Stefano Ghirlanda <dr.ghirlanda@gmail.com>
Link: 
CAK_gY-Q4f82dbDQgyS+FfyeQaHAMXHqygq3e6ZsWnEj-+eoG9A@mail.gmail.com">https://orgmode.org/list/CAK_gY-Q4f82dbDQgyS+FfyeQaHAMXHqygq3e6ZsWnEj-+eoG9A@mail.gmail.com
---
 doc/org-manual.org | 4 ++++
 etc/ORG-NEWS       | 6 ++++++
 lisp/ob-ref.el     | 5 +++--
 3 files changed, 13 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/org-manual.org b/doc/org-manual.org
index c0e9c8d7e..9a51a38a1 100644
--- a/doc/org-manual.org
+++ b/doc/org-manual.org
@@ -17764,6 +17764,10 @@ *** Passing arguments
 
 : :var NAME=FILE:REFERENCE
 
+When =FILE= does not exist, the reference is searched in the current
+file, using the verbatim reference.  This way,
+=:var table=tbl:example= will be searched inside the current buffer.
+
 Here are examples of passing values by reference:
 
 - table ::
diff --git a/etc/ORG-NEWS b/etc/ORG-NEWS
index 985488016..f64081964 100644
--- a/etc/ORG-NEWS
+++ b/etc/ORG-NEWS
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ Please send Org bug reports to mailto:emacs-orgmode@gnu.org.
 
 * Version 9.7 (not released yet)
 ** Important announcements and breaking changes
+*** Babel references =FILE:REFERENCE= now search current buffer when =FILE= 
does not exist
+
+When =FILE= does not exist, the reference is searched in the current
+file, using the verbatim reference.  This way,
+=:var table=tbl:example= will be searched inside the current buffer.
+
 *** New export option ~org-export-expand-links~
 
 The new option makes Org expand environment variables in link and INCLUDE 
paths.
diff --git a/lisp/ob-ref.el b/lisp/ob-ref.el
index fd6927ccf..b7858569a 100644
--- a/lisp/ob-ref.el
+++ b/lisp/ob-ref.el
@@ -156,8 +156,9 @@ (defun org-babel-ref-resolve (ref)
          (when (string-match "^\\(.+\\):\\(.+\\)$" ref)
            (setq split-file (match-string 1 ref))
            (setq split-ref (match-string 2 ref))
-           (find-file split-file)
-           (setq ref split-ref))
+            (when (file-exists-p split-file)
+             (find-file split-file)
+             (setq ref split-ref)))
          (org-with-wide-buffer
           (goto-char (point-min))
           (let* ((params (append args '((:results . "none"))))
-- 
2.42.0

-- 
Ihor Radchenko // yantar92,
Org mode contributor,
Learn more about Org mode at <https://orgmode.org/>.
Support Org development at <https://liberapay.com/org-mode>,
or support my work at <https://liberapay.com/yantar92>