Follow org links in the GUI, resolving across the org path

Clicking an internal org link now navigates the outline to its target.
The GUI resolves the link via /<doc>/resolve and acts on the result:
external targets open in the OS handler; internal targets expand the
target's ancestors, scroll to it, and flash it.

Resolution spans the whole org path rather than a single document:

  - file:DOC::TARGET and file:DOC resolve TARGET within the named
    document (a file: link to a document not in the path stays external).
  - id:uuid links are globally unique and resolve in whichever document
    owns the ID.
  - #custom-id, *Headline, and bare fuzzy targets resolve in the current
    document first, then fall back across every other document.

The resolve result gains a `doc:` field naming the owning document. When
it differs from the current document, DocumentModel::followLink switches
the model to that document before revealing the section.

DocumentModel gains revealSection() and followLink(); OutlineView wires
link clicks to followLink and animates the revealed row via the new
sectionRevealed signal.

crates/ork-server/src/state.rs

@@ -1860,20 +1860,28 @@ impl OrkState {
     }
 
     /// Resolve a link target to a structural (and optionally textual) address
-    /// within a document. Mirrors Emacs `org-link-search`'s precedence ladder,
+    /// within the org path. Mirrors Emacs `org-link-search`'s precedence
-    /// but terminates each branch in a section id + offset rather than moving
+    /// ladder, but terminates each branch in an owning document + section id +
-    /// point.
+    /// offset rather than moving point.
+    ///
+    /// `doc_name` is the document the link originates from; internal targets
+    /// resolve there first and then fall back across every other document in
+    /// the path, so a link can reach a heading in another file.
     ///
     /// Returns a small structured blob:
     /// ```text
     /// kind:    dedicated | fuzzy | external | notfound
-    /// section: <section-id>   # omitted for external/notfound
+    /// doc:     <doc-name>     # owning document; omitted for external/notfound
+    /// section: <section-id>   # omitted for external/notfound/bare file:DOC
     /// offset:  <n>            # byte offset within the section, 0 for dedicated
     /// ```
     ///
     /// Dispatch by target syntax:
+    ///   - `file:DOC::TARGET`        -> resolve TARGET inside document DOC
+    ///   - `file:DOC`                -> navigate to document DOC
+    ///   - `file:other` (non-doc)    -> external (handed to the OS by callers)
     ///   - `#custom-id`              -> dedicated (CUSTOM_ID match)
-    ///   - `id:uuid`                 -> dedicated (ID match)
+    ///   - `id:uuid`                 -> dedicated (ID match, searched globally)
     ///   - `*Headline`               -> dedicated (exact headline title)
     ///   - external URL schemes      -> external (handed to the OS by callers)
     ///   - anything else (fuzzy)     -> fuzzy section match (Phase 2: + offset)
@@ -1883,11 +1891,62 @@ impl OrkState {
             return Ok("kind: notfound\n".to_string());
         }
 
-        // External URL schemes are not navigation within the model.
+        // `file:DOC` / `file:DOC::TARGET` links name another document in the org
+        // path explicitly. If DOC is a known document, resolve TARGET within it;
+        // otherwise the link points outside the model and is external.
+        if let Some(rest) = strip_file_prefix(target) {
+            let (file_part, inner) = match rest.split_once("::") {
+                Some((f, t)) => (f, Some(t)),
+                None => (rest, None),
+            };
+            let Some(name) = self.doc_name_for_path(file_part) else {
+                // Not a document we serve — hand it to the OS.
+                return Ok("kind: external\n".to_string());
+            };
+            match inner {
+                // `file:DOC::TARGET` resolves TARGET inside DOC.
+                Some(t) => return self.resolve_in_doc(&name, t.trim()),
+                // `file:DOC` with no target navigates to the document itself.
+                None => return Ok(doc_result(&name)),
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Other external URL schemes are not navigation within the model.
         if is_external_target(target) {
             return Ok("kind: external\n".to_string());
         }
 
+        // `id:` links are globally unique: search the current document first,
+        // then every other document in the path.
+        if let Some(uuid) = target.strip_prefix("id:") {
+            if let Some(name) = self.find_doc_with_section(uuid) {
+                return self.resolve_in_doc(&name, &format!("id:{}", uuid));
+            }
+            return Ok("kind: notfound\n".to_string());
+        }
+
+        // Internal targets (#custom-id, *Headline, bare fuzzy) resolve in the
+        // current document first (Emacs semantics), then fall back across the
+        // whole org path so a link can reach a heading in another file.
+        let local = self.resolve_in_doc(doc_name, target)?;
+        if !local.starts_with("kind: notfound") {
+            return Ok(local);
+        }
+        for name in self.doc_names() {
+            if name == doc_name {
+                continue;
+            }
+            let r = self.resolve_in_doc(&name, target)?;
+            if !r.starts_with("kind: notfound") {
+                return Ok(r);
+            }
+        }
+        Ok("kind: notfound\n".to_string())
+    }
+
+    /// Resolve an internal `target` within a single named document. Returns a
+    /// `kind: notfound` result if the document is missing or has no match.
+    fn resolve_in_doc(&self, doc_name: &str, target: &str) -> Result<String> {
         let Some(d) = self.get_doc(doc_name) else {
             return Ok("kind: notfound\n".to_string());
         };
@@ -1896,13 +1955,13 @@ impl OrkState {
         // because section_id() already prefers CUSTOM_ID > ID.
         if let Some(cid) = target.strip_prefix('#') {
             if let Some(section) = self.find_section(&d.doc, cid) {
-                return Ok(dedicated_result(&self.section_id(section)));
+                return Ok(dedicated_result(doc_name, &self.section_id(section)));
             }
             return Ok("kind: notfound\n".to_string());
         }
         if let Some(uuid) = target.strip_prefix("id:") {
             if let Some(section) = self.find_section(&d.doc, uuid) {
-                return Ok(dedicated_result(&self.section_id(section)));
+                return Ok(dedicated_result(doc_name, &self.section_id(section)));
             }
             return Ok("kind: notfound\n".to_string());
         }
@@ -1913,7 +1972,7 @@ impl OrkState {
             if let Some(section) = d.doc.all_sections()
                 .find(|s| normalize_search(&s.headline.title_text()) == want)
             {
-                return Ok(dedicated_result(&self.section_id(section)));
+                return Ok(dedicated_result(doc_name, &self.section_id(section)));
             }
             return Ok("kind: notfound\n".to_string());
         }
@@ -1926,38 +1985,81 @@ impl OrkState {
         if let Some(section) = d.doc.all_sections()
             .find(|s| normalize_search(&s.headline.title_text()) == want)
         {
-            return Ok(fuzzy_result(&self.section_id(section), 0));
+            return Ok(fuzzy_result(doc_name, &self.section_id(section), 0));
         }
         if let Some(section) = self.find_section(&d.doc, target) {
-            return Ok(fuzzy_result(&self.section_id(section), 0));
+            return Ok(fuzzy_result(doc_name, &self.section_id(section), 0));
         }
 
         Ok("kind: notfound\n".to_string())
     }
+
+    /// Map a `file:` link's file component to a served document name, if any.
+    /// Matches on the file stem (e.g. `notes.org`, `./notes.org`, `notes`
+    /// all map to the document `notes`).
+    fn doc_name_for_path(&self, file_part: &str) -> Option<String> {
+        let stem = std::path::Path::new(file_part.trim())
+            .file_stem()
+            .and_then(|s| s.to_str())?
+            .to_string();
+        if self.get_doc(&stem).is_some() {
+            Some(stem)
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Find the document whose section id (CUSTOM_ID or ID) matches `id`.
+    /// Used for globally unique `id:` links that may live in another file.
+    fn find_doc_with_section(&self, id: &str) -> Option<String> {
+        self.doc_names().into_iter().find(|name| {
+            self.get_doc(name)
+                .map(|d| self.find_section(&d.doc, id).is_some())
+                .unwrap_or(false)
+        })
+    }
 }
 
 /// Whether a link target is an external URL scheme (handed to the OS, not
-/// resolved within the document model).
+/// resolved within the document model). `file:` is handled separately by
+/// `resolve_target` because it can name a document in the org path.
 fn is_external_target(target: &str) -> bool {
-    const SCHEMES: &[&str] = &["http:", "https:", "mailto:", "ftp:", "file:"];
+    const SCHEMES: &[&str] = &["http:", "https:", "mailto:", "ftp:"];
     let lower = target.to_ascii_lowercase();
     SCHEMES.iter().any(|s| lower.starts_with(s))
 }
 
+/// Strip a leading `file:` scheme (case-insensitive), returning the remainder.
+/// Handles the `file:path` form; the optional `::target` is split by the caller.
+fn strip_file_prefix(target: &str) -> Option<&str> {
+    let lower = target.to_ascii_lowercase();
+    if lower.starts_with("file:") {
+        Some(&target["file:".len()..])
+    } else {
+        None
+    }
+}
+
 /// Normalize a search string the way Emacs `org-link-search` does: collapse
 /// internal whitespace runs to a single space and trim the ends.
 fn normalize_search(s: &str) -> String {
     s.split_whitespace().collect::<Vec<_>>().join(" ")
 }
 
+/// Format a resolution result that names only the owning document (used for a
+/// bare `file:DOC` link with no in-document target).
+fn doc_result(doc: &str) -> String {
+    format!("kind: dedicated\ndoc: {}\noffset: 0\n", doc)
+}
+
 /// Format a dedicated (exact structural) resolution result.
-fn dedicated_result(section_id: &str) -> String {
+fn dedicated_result(doc: &str, section_id: &str) -> String {
-    format!("kind: dedicated\nsection: {}\noffset: 0\n", section_id)
+    format!("kind: dedicated\ndoc: {}\nsection: {}\noffset: 0\n", doc, section_id)
 }
 
 /// Format a fuzzy resolution result with an intra-section byte offset.
-fn fuzzy_result(section_id: &str, offset: usize) -> String {
+fn fuzzy_result(doc: &str, section_id: &str, offset: usize) -> String {
-    format!("kind: fuzzy\nsection: {}\noffset: {}\n", section_id, offset)
+    format!("kind: fuzzy\ndoc: {}\nsection: {}\noffset: {}\n", doc, section_id, offset)
 }
 
 /// One parsed query term.
@@ -2174,12 +2276,25 @@ mod tests {
         state.move_section("w", "three", MoveDir::Down).unwrap();
     }
 
+    /// Build a state from several named documents: (doc_name, content).
+    fn state_with_docs(docs: &[(&str, &str)]) -> (tempfile::TempDir, OrkState) {
+        use std::fs;
+        use tempfile::tempdir;
+        let dir = tempdir().unwrap();
+        for (name, content) in docs {
+            fs::write(dir.path().join(format!("{}.org", name)), content).unwrap();
+        }
+        let state = OrkState::new(dir.path()).unwrap();
+        (dir, state)
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_resolve_custom_id() {
         let (_d, state) = state_with(
             "#+TITLE: W\n* Alpha\n:PROPERTIES:\n:CUSTOM_ID: my-anchor\n:END:\n* Beta\n");
         let r = state.resolve_target("w", "#my-anchor").unwrap();
         assert!(r.contains("kind: dedicated"), "{}", r);
+        assert!(r.contains("doc: w"), "{}", r);
         assert!(r.contains("section: my-anchor"), "{}", r);
         assert!(r.contains("offset: 0"), "{}", r);
     }
@@ -2239,6 +2354,90 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(r.contains("kind: notfound"), "{}", r);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_resolve_file_doc_headline() {
+        // file:DOC::*Headline resolves the heading inside the named document.
+        let (_d, state) = state_with_docs(&[
+            ("a", "#+TITLE: A\n* Start\n"),
+            ("b", "#+TITLE: B\n* Target Heading\n"),
+        ]);
+        let r = state.resolve_target("a", "file:b.org::*Target Heading").unwrap();
+        assert!(r.contains("kind: dedicated"), "{}", r);
+        assert!(r.contains("doc: b"), "{}", r);
+        assert!(r.contains("section: target-heading"), "{}", r);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_resolve_file_doc_custom_id() {
+        // file:DOC::#custom-id resolves the anchor inside the named document.
+        let (_d, state) = state_with_docs(&[
+            ("a", "#+TITLE: A\n* Start\n"),
+            ("b", "#+TITLE: B\n* Beta\n:PROPERTIES:\n:CUSTOM_ID: anchor\n:END:\n"),
+        ]);
+        let r = state.resolve_target("a", "file:b.org::#anchor").unwrap();
+        assert!(r.contains("kind: dedicated"), "{}", r);
+        assert!(r.contains("doc: b"), "{}", r);
+        assert!(r.contains("section: anchor"), "{}", r);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_resolve_file_doc_no_target() {
+        // file:DOC with no ::target navigates to the document itself.
+        let (_d, state) = state_with_docs(&[
+            ("a", "#+TITLE: A\n* Start\n"),
+            ("b", "#+TITLE: B\n* Beta\n"),
+        ]);
+        let r = state.resolve_target("a", "file:b.org").unwrap();
+        assert!(r.contains("kind: dedicated"), "{}", r);
+        assert!(r.contains("doc: b"), "{}", r);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_resolve_file_unknown_doc_external() {
+        // file: link to a document not in the org path stays external.
+        let (_d, state) = state_with_docs(&[("a", "#+TITLE: A\n* Start\n")]);
+        let r = state.resolve_target("a", "file:/tmp/elsewhere.org::*X").unwrap();
+        assert!(r.contains("kind: external"), "{}", r);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_resolve_id_cross_document() {
+        // id: links are globally unique and resolve in whichever doc owns them.
+        let (_d, state) = state_with_docs(&[
+            ("a", "#+TITLE: A\n* Start\n"),
+            ("b", "#+TITLE: B\n* Beta\n:PROPERTIES:\n:ID: uuid-xyz\n:END:\n"),
+        ]);
+        let r = state.resolve_target("a", "id:uuid-xyz").unwrap();
+        assert!(r.contains("kind: dedicated"), "{}", r);
+        assert!(r.contains("doc: b"), "{}", r);
+        assert!(r.contains("section: uuid-xyz"), "{}", r);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_resolve_headline_cross_document_fallback() {
+        // A bare/headline target missing in the current doc falls back across
+        // the org path to a matching heading elsewhere.
+        let (_d, state) = state_with_docs(&[
+            ("a", "#+TITLE: A\n* Start\n"),
+            ("b", "#+TITLE: B\n* Faraway\n"),
+        ]);
+        let r = state.resolve_target("a", "*Faraway").unwrap();
+        assert!(r.contains("kind: dedicated"), "{}", r);
+        assert!(r.contains("doc: b"), "{}", r);
+        assert!(r.contains("section: faraway"), "{}", r);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_resolve_prefers_current_document() {
+        // When both documents have a matching heading, the current doc wins.
+        let (_d, state) = state_with_docs(&[
+            ("a", "#+TITLE: A\n* Shared\n"),
+            ("b", "#+TITLE: B\n* Shared\n"),
+        ]);
+        let r = state.resolve_target("a", "*Shared").unwrap();
+        assert!(r.contains("doc: a"), "{}", r);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_relevel_section() {
         let (_d, state) = state_with("#+TITLE: W\n* Parent\n** Child\n* Other\n");

ui/qml/OutlineView.qml

@@ -70,16 +70,36 @@ ListView {
         return out
     }
 
-    // Open a link target activated from body text. External URL schemes open
+    // Open a link target activated from body text. Resolution and dispatch
-    // in the system handler; internal org links (id:, #custom, *headline) are
+    // happen in the model (via /<doc>/resolve): external URLs open in the system
-    // left for a future navigation pass.
+    // handler; internal links reveal the target section in the outline.
     function openLink(target) {
-        if (/^([a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9+.-]*):\/\//.test(target)
+        docModel.followLink(target)
-                || /^(mailto:|file:)/.test(target)) {
+    }
-            Qt.openUrlExternally(target)
+
+    // Row currently flashing from a reveal (−1 = none).
+    property int flashRow: -1
+
+    // When the model reveals a section, select it, scroll it into view, and
+    // flash it briefly.
+    Connections {
+        target: docModel
+        function onSectionRevealed(row) {
+            if (row < 0)
+                return
+            outline.currentIndex = row
+            outline.positionViewAtIndex(row, ListView.Contain)
+            outline.flashRow = row
+            flashTimer.restart()
         }
     }
 
+    Timer {
+        id: flashTimer
+        interval: 900
+        onTriggered: outline.flashRow = -1
+    }
+
     delegate: Rectangle {
         id: del
         width: outline.width
@@ -92,6 +112,16 @@ ListView {
 
         property bool drawerOpen: false
 
+        // Transient flash overlay when this row is revealed via a link.
+        Rectangle {
+            anchors.fill: parent
+            radius: parent.radius
+            color: theme.linkColor
+            z: -1
+            opacity: outline.flashRow === del.index ? 0.35 : 0.0
+            Behavior on opacity { NumberAnimation { duration: 300 } }
+        }
+
         readonly property string sectionBody: (model.body ?? "").trim()
         readonly property int sectionLevel: model.level ?? 1
         readonly property int indent: (sectionLevel - 1) * outline.indentWidth

ui/src/documentmodel.cpp

@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
 #include "orkclient.h"
 
 #include <QDebug>
+#include <QDesktopServices>
 #include <QRegularExpression>
+#include <QUrl>
 
 static const QStringList DONE_KEYWORDS = {"DONE", "CANCELLED", "CANCELED"};
 
@@ -276,6 +278,77 @@ bool DocumentModel::cycleCheckbox(int row, int checkboxOrdinal, bool forward)
     });
 }
 
+int DocumentModel::revealSection(const QString &sectionId)
+{
+    if (sectionId.isEmpty() || !m_sections.contains(sectionId))
+        return -1;
+
+    // Walk up the parent chain and expand every ancestor so the target becomes
+    // visible. (The target itself is not expanded — only revealed.)
+    QString cur = m_sections[sectionId].parentId;
+    bool changed = false;
+    while (!cur.isEmpty() && m_sections.contains(cur)) {
+        if (!m_expanded.contains(cur)) {
+            m_expanded.insert(cur);
+            changed = true;
+        }
+        cur = m_sections[cur].parentId;
+    }
+    if (changed)
+        rebuildVisibleRows();
+
+    const int row = m_visibleRows.indexOf(sectionId);
+    if (row >= 0)
+        emit sectionRevealed(row);
+    return row;
+}
+
+QString DocumentModel::followLink(const QString &target)
+{
+    if (!m_client || m_document.isEmpty())
+        return QStringLiteral("error");
+
+    QString doc = m_document;
+    if (doc.startsWith('/'))
+        doc = doc.mid(1);
+
+    // Resolve the target via the document's /resolve file.
+    const QString resp =
+        m_client->rdwr(QStringLiteral("/%1/resolve").arg(doc), target);
+
+    // Parse the small "key: value" blob.
+    QString kind;
+    QString section;
+    QString targetDoc;
+    for (const QString &line : resp.split('\n', Qt::SkipEmptyParts)) {
+        const int colon = line.indexOf(':');
+        if (colon < 0)
+            continue;
+        const QString key = line.left(colon).trimmed();
+        const QString val = line.mid(colon + 1).trimmed();
+        if (key == QLatin1String("kind"))
+            kind = val;
+        else if (key == QLatin1String("section"))
+            section = val;
+        else if (key == QLatin1String("doc"))
+            targetDoc = val;
+    }
+
+    if (kind == QLatin1String("external")) {
+        QDesktopServices::openUrl(QUrl(target));
+    } else if (kind == QLatin1String("dedicated") || kind == QLatin1String("fuzzy")) {
+        // The resolver may hand back a target in another document (file: links,
+        // globally unique id: links, cross-file headline fallback). Switch the
+        // model to the owning document before revealing the section.
+        if (!targetDoc.isEmpty() && targetDoc != doc)
+            setDocument(targetDoc);
+
+        if (!section.isEmpty())
+            revealSection(section);
+    }
+    return kind.isEmpty() ? QStringLiteral("notfound") : kind;
+}
+
 void DocumentModel::loadDocument()
 {
     beginResetModel();

ui/src/documentmodel.h

@@ -83,9 +83,26 @@ public:
     // the section body back via /body and refreshes the row. Returns success.
     Q_INVOKABLE bool cycleCheckbox(int row, int checkboxOrdinal, bool forward);
 
+    // Reveal a section by id: expand all its ancestors so it becomes visible,
+    // and return its visible row index (-1 if the id is unknown). Emits
+    // sectionRevealed(row) so the view can scroll to and flash it.
+    Q_INVOKABLE int revealSection(const QString &sectionId);
+
+    // Resolve a link target via /<doc>/resolve, then act on it: external
+    // targets open in the OS handler; internal targets are revealed in the
+    // outline. Resolution spans the whole org path — file:/id:/fuzzy links may
+    // resolve into another document, in which case the model switches to the
+    // owning document before revealing. Returns the resolved kind
+    // ("dedicated"/"fuzzy"/"external"/"notfound"), or "error" if not connected.
+    Q_INVOKABLE QString followLink(const QString &target);
+
 signals:
     void documentChanged();
 
+    // Emitted when a section has been revealed (ancestors expanded); `row` is
+    // its visible index. The view scrolls to and highlights it.
+    void sectionRevealed(int row);
+
 private:
     struct Section {
         QString id;           // section UUID/custom-id