How can numbering of specific headings be disabled in Org-mode's LaTeX export?

Question

By default Org-mode exports to numbered LaTeX headings. For example, the following

#+title: Test

* Introduction
* Heading
* Heading
* References

exports to

\section{Introduction}
\label{sec-1}
\section{Heading}
\label{sec-2}
\section{Heading}
\label{sec-3}
\section{References}
\label{sec-4}

It is possible to disable numbering for all LaTeX headings by adding #+options: num:nil as in

#+title: Test
#+options: num:nil

* Introduction
* Heading
* Heading
* References

which exports to

\section*{Introduction}
\label{sec-1}
\section*{Heading}
\label{sec-2}
\section*{Heading}
\label{sec-3}
\section*{References}
\label{sec-4}

Note that \section* is a LaTeX macro for unnumbered section.

Is it possible to tell Org-mode to not number particular headings, i.e. via editing the properties of headings? For example, is it possible to get the following LaTeX exported from Org-mode:

\section*{Introduction}
\label{sec-1}
\section{Heading}
\label{sec-2}
\section{Heading}
\label{sec-3}
\section*{References}
\label{sec-4}

I am running Org-mode 7.6 in Emacs 23.3.1.

Answer 1

You need org-mode 8.3 to do this.

From ORG-NEWS

* Version 8.3
[...]
** New features
[...]
*** Export unnumbered headlines
Headlines, for which the property ~UNNUMBERED~ is non-nil, are now
exported without section numbers irrespective of their levels.  The
property is inherited by children.

For example

(with-temp-buffer
  (require 'ox-latex)
  (insert "
* numbered
** subnumbered
* unnumbered
:PROPERTIES:
:UNNUMBERED: t
:END:
** also unnumbered
")
  (org-latex-export-as-latex nil nil nil t))

produces

\section{numbered}
\label{sec-1}
\subsection{subnumbered}
\label{sec-1-1}
\section*{unnumbered}
\label{unnumbered-1}
\subsection*{also unnumbered}
\label{unnumbered-2}

Edit: Since I wrote this the naming scheme of labels changed, so labels would look different these days.

Edit2: One can set headline properties easily with C-c C-x p.

Answer 2

Note: This answer is now outdated; see here.

---

Selective numbering is not supported at the moment (even in Org-mode master). However you can choose to not number headings beyond a certain depth by specifying something like this:

#+OPTIONS: H:3 num:2

* Introduction

* Heading
** Something 1
*** Something 2

* Heading
** Something 1
*** Something 2

* References

The above will export up to 3 levels of headlines but will number only up to level 2.

\section{Introduction}
\label{sec-1}

\section{Heading}
\label{sec-2}
\subsection{Something 1}
\label{sec-2-1}
\subsubsection*{Something 2}
\label{sec-2-1-1}

\section{Heading}
\label{sec-3}
\subsection{Something 1}
\label{sec-3-1}
\subsubsection*{Something 2}
\label{sec-3-1-1}
\section{References}
\label{sec-4}

PS: I don't see how this is more appropriate in tex rather than stackoverflow.

Answer 3

I think there is still not an option in org-mode. One work around I used recently to use ignoreheading for required node and give latex command explicitly for unnumbered section.

* Abstract                                                   :ignoreheading:
\section*{Abstract}
blah 

ofcourse you should have a filter defined in your init.el for ignoreheading to work.

;;; Nicolas Goaziou, http://article.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.orgmode/67692
(defun org-latex-ignore-heading-filter-headline (headline backend info)
  "Strip headline from HEADLINE. Ignore BACKEND and INFO."
  (when (and (org-export-derived-backend-p backend 'latex)
             (string-match "\\`.*ignoreheading.*\n" headline))
    (replace-match "" nil nil headline)))
(add-to-list 'org-export-filter-headline-functions
             'org-latex-ignore-heading-filter-headline)