✅ Overview
Scimax VS Code implements several features that are not part of the official org-mode syntax specification at https://orgmode.org/worg/org-syntax.html. These features are inspired by Emacs packages like org-ref and scimax, and provide additional functionality for scientific writing.
This document describes these non-standard features and their behavior during export.
Editmarks
The editmark syntax described in 20-editmarks.org is a non-standard syntax for org-mode.
✅ org-ref Citation Links
The citation system (cite:, citet:, citep:, etc.) comes from the org-ref package for Emacs, not from core org-mode.
✅ Citation Styles
| Style | Syntax | Description |
|---|---|---|
| cite | (key) | Basic citation |
| citet | key | Textual citation (Author, Year) |
| citep | (key) | Parenthetical citation |
| citeauthor | Author name only | |
| citeyear | (key) | Year only |
| Multiple | (key1, key2, key3) | Comma-separated keys |
✅ Export Behavior
✅ LaTeX/PDF Export
Citations are converted directly to LaTeX cite commands:
| Org Citation | LaTeX Output |
|---|---|
| (key) | \cite{key} |
| key | \citet{key} |
| (key) | \citep{key} |
| \citeauthor{key} | |
| (key) | \citeyear{key} |
| (k1, k2) | \cite{k1,k2} |
Requires `natbib' or `biblatex' package in your LaTeX preamble.
✅ HTML Export
Citations are rendered as clickable links with CSS classes for styling.
✅ Compatibility Notes
Emacs org-mode users will find this syntax familiar
Standard org-mode uses [[cite:@key]] syntax (org-cite) which is also supported
The org-ref style cite:key is more concise for scientific writing
See References for full documentation.
Emacs-style Command Markup
The command markup syntax `command' (backtick text single quote) is used in Emacs documentation to reference commands, functions, and key sequences.
This renders with dark red highlighting in every theme via a decoration
provider (so it is no longer Leuven-only). The colors are exposed as
scimax.commandMarkupForeground and scimax.commandMarkupDelimiterForeground
and can be customized via workbench.colorCustomizations.
Hover Tooltip
Hovering over command markup shows context-sensitive information:
Command IDs (text matching
namespace.action, e.g. scimax.org.cycleTodo): shows the command title, category, and any keybindings bound to it.Key sequences (Emacs-style like C-c C-c or VS Code-style like ctrl+enter): shows the scimax command(s) bound to that key, including
whenclauses.Other text: shown as plain command markup with no lookup.
Lookups use the same in-memory tables as the help system (C-h k, C-h f),
which are built from this extension's package.json. Bare VS Code commands
or third-party extension commands are not in that table and will display
without a title or binding.
✅ Keybinding
| Key | Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
| C-c ' | scimax.markup.command | Insert command markup |
When text is selected, it wraps the selection. Otherwise, it inserts the markers and positions the cursor between them.
✅ Export Behavior
✅ HTML Export
Command markup is exported as <kbd> elements:
`my-command' → <kbd>my-command</kbd>
The <kbd> element is semantically appropriate for keyboard input and command names.
✅ LaTeX Export
Command markup is exported as \texttt{}:
`my-command' → \texttt{my-command}
✅ Why Non-Standard?
This syntax is not part of the org-mode specification
Standard org code markup uses
codeorverbatimThe `command' style is specific to Emacs/Elisp documentation conventions
We implement it for Emacs users who are familiar with this convention and because we think it looks nicer.
✅ Alternatives
If you need portable org documents, use standard markup:
| Our Syntax | Standard Alternative | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `command' | command | Org code markup |
| `command' | command | Org verbatim markup |
✅ Future Non-Standard Features
This section will be updated as additional non-standard features are added. There are no planned features as of [2026-05-02 Sat].