Show HN: Grid-table – Emacs grid table with rich text, images, formulas

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grid-table is a general grid table component for Emacs, supporting rich text and image rendering, formula calculation, interactive editing, sorting, persistence, and plugin extension. It can be embedded in Org/Markdown as "static preview + active editing".

• Rich text and images: simple Org-style markup and image inline (Unicode border preview) are supported in cells.
• Formula engine: =B2*C2, =SUM(D2:D4), =IF(A1>0, "Yes", "No"), etc.; supports cell/range references.
• Interactive editing: navigation, editing, inserting/deleting rows/columns, column width adaptation, column sorting.
• Persistence: .grid plain text format (with formulas); CSV plugin read/write.
• Plugin system: CSV data source, Org/Markdown static preview, easy to extend.

1. Add the project and plugins directory to load-path (add-to-list 'load-path "/path/to/grid-table") (add-to-list 'load-path "/path/to/grid-table/plugins")
2. Load core and plugin system (require 'grid-table) (require 'grid-table-plugins) ;; or load by need: ;; (require 'grid-table-csv) ;; (require 'grid-table-org) ;; (require 'grid-table-markdown) ;; (require 'grid-table-rst) ; For rST export functionality

You can customize the default directory for saving new .grid files by setting the grid-table-default-save-directory variable in your Emacs config:

• New: M-x grid-table-create
• Open .grid: M-x grid-open or M-x grid-table-find-file
• Save: In the grid buffer, press C-c C-w. It will prompt for a path if the file is new.
• Open CSV: M-x grid-table-find-file-csv
• Export to rST: From a grid buffer, run M-x grid-table-export-as-rst.
• Insert as rST: From a text buffer (e.g., .org file), run M-x grid-table-rst-insert-table-from-file and select a .grid file to insert it as an rST table.

• Navigation: n/p up/down, TAB/S-TAB left/right, g refresh
• Editing: e edit cell, C-c t edit title
• Row/column: C-c r a (add row below), C-c r d (delete row); C-c c a (add column right), C-c c d (delete column)
• Sorting: C-c s sort current column ascending/descending
• File: C-c C-w (save/save as), C-c C-f (open .grid file)

Note: grid-table-insert-column-left supports left insertion. Deleting the 0th row (user-defined header) is protected.

• Start with =: =B2*C2, =SUM(D2:D4), =IF(A1>0, "Yes", "No")
• Reference: cell A1, range A1:B5
• Built-in: SUM/AVERAGE/COUNT/MAX/MIN/IF
• Elisp formulas: =elisp:(+ 1 2) or =elisp:(+ (cell "A1") (cell "B2"))
  • Execute any Elisp code directly within a cell.
  • Access other cells using the (cell "A1") helper function.
  • ⚠️ Security Warning: Executing arbitrary Elisp from a file is a major security risk. Only use this feature in files you fully trust.

More details about Elisp formulas, please refer to ELISP_FORMULA_GUIDE.md.

Execute C-c s on any data column, select ascending or descending to sort (user-defined header remains in the first row).

• Insert block: M-x grid-table-org-insert-block (only :file)
• Refresh preview: M-x grid-table-org-refresh-block
• Open editing: M-x grid-table-org-open-block Note: static preview is read-only; actual modification should be done in the dedicated table window.

• Insert block: M-x grid-table-markdown-insert-block
• Refresh preview: M-x grid-table-markdown-refresh-block
• Open editing: M-x grid-table-markdown-open-block Note: static preview is read-only; actual modification should be done in the dedicated table window.

.grid uses Lisp S-expressions to save: title, user-defined header, and all original values (including formulas).

Data source (hash table) common keys:

• Read/write: :get-row-count, :get-column-count, :get-raw-value-at, :get-computed-value-at, :set-raw-value-at
• Structure: :add-row, :delete-row, :add-column, :delete-column
• Other: :get-header-value, :set-header-value-at, :sort-by-column See plugins/grid-table-csv.el for implementation of custom data source and registration.

• Provider adapter (more stable Provider contract, compatible with current interface)
• Dependency graph and incremental recalculation, more formula functions (e.g. Lookup series)
• Org/Markdown advanced parameters (e.g. :range, :width, etc., optional)

Welcome to feedback and contribute plugins/features. If you have needs in data source or rendering, welcome to submit PR/Issue.