Re: [BUG] org-capture autoload bug? [9.5.2 (9.5.2-gfbff08 @ /home/ignacio/.emacs.d/elpa/org-9.5.2/)]

[Max Nikulin]

On 11/03/2022 01:00, Ignacio Casso wrote:
> Max Nikulin writes:
>
> > On 10/03/2022 19:53, Ignacio Casso wrote:
> > > For example, if we call this:
> > >     (let ((org-capture-templates
> > >            '(("d" "default" entry
> > >               (file+headline org-default-notes-file "Tasks")
> > >               "* %?"))))
> > >       (org-capture nil "d")))
> > > It produces the error:
> > >     (error "No capture template referred to by \"d\" keys")
> >
> > Ignacio, could you, please, try the following?
> >
> >      (custom-set-variables
> >       '(org-capture-templates
> >         '(("d" "default" entry
> >            (file "/tmp/capture-test.org")
> >            "* %?"))))
> >      (org-capture nil "d")
>
> That works, of course, but it's not suitable to my use case. The example
> I have provided has been reduced from a larger function I wrote that
> relies on org-capture functionality to create new entries in an org
> file, using a template specific for that function which is not relevant
> for any other Elisp code calling org-capture. Thus the function binds
> locally and temporarily org-capture-templates, as I've seen other Elisp
> code snippets do. If org-capture is already loaded it works just fine,
> and I would expect it to work too when it is not and the function
> triggers the autoload, but it doesn't.

Ignacio, I think, you can add (require 'org-capture) inside your 
function just before `let' and it would work almost as lazy loading. I 
am unsure if org-capture is the best approach in your case. Have you 
considered yasnippet or Org specific functions to transform and to 
generate content? Even changing arguments of the `org-capture' function 
or introducing another function that has explicit argument with a 
template might be better then marking the template list variable for 
autoloading.

I have no particular opinion concerning adding autoload cookie to 
`org-capture-templates'. Emacs has enough number of them, but Org has no 
such custom variables. Arguments why autoload should be avoided:

info "(elisp) When to Autoload" 
https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/When-to-Autoload.html
> Don’t autoload a user option just so that a user can set it.

The following thread related to Emacs core and linked from 
https://emacs.stackexchange.com/questions/32859/autoloading-defcustoms-good-practice-or-not 
:

Glenn Morris. Re: master f995fbd: * lisp/server.el (server-name): Add 
autoload cookie. (Bug#23576) Thu, 19 May 2016 12:44:49 -0400
https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2016-05/msg00415.html

Org-specific thread:
Achim Gratz. missing autoload cookies for defcustom? Sun, 09 Oct 2011 
17:20:16 +0200 https://list.orgmode.org/87lisub39r.fsf@Rainer.invalid/T/#u

c.buhtz, I am sorry, despite `org-capture-templates' has the :set 
attribute, this is not a really convincing example why 
`custom-set-variables' should be used. The setter was added to ensure 
compatibility with older template format and this example works with 
`setq' as well.