2021-04-24 2021-04-24 Inline Dataview, Showcases, & a Markdown GUI.

## In The Community - The 2nd community talk will be Zotero 101 with `@argentum` on Saturday 24th at 16:00 CET. You can check the time of the talk in your local time [here](https://sharing.clickup.com/c/h/4gdf2-36/5b21a6f8588e5c6). Links and more information about upcoming talks are on [Discord](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/694233507500916796/835203574560194601). - `@nickmilo` posted the 2021-04-17 community meeting with `@blacksmithgu`, creator of Dataview, to his [Obsidian Publish site](https://publish.obsidian.md/lyt-kit/Timestamps/2020-04-17+-+Dataview). I took part in the showcase portion, and there was a Q&A as well. ## Sneak Peeks - [Effective Remote Work](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cbB-7Ouudk) has a video about the iOS app for Obsidian if you haven't had a chance to peek at what mobile will look like. The new Insider build [v0.12.0](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/obsidian-release-v0-12-0-insider-build/16809) went live. Definitely read the release notes to get an idea of what's coming if you haven't already, but the short version is: - You can now use `task` as a search parameter (similar to `block:`), along with `task-todo:` for only unchecked tasks. Tasks aren't limited to `[x]` anymore: you can use custom characters and target them via CSS. - Search and backlinks are a lot more useful, plus you can get backlinks inside a document on preview mode (edit mode pending a future release). - You can increase and decrease font size without messing with CSS. - Lots of improvements to how plugins get enabled and how they handle safe mode. - Some stuff that will matter to developers, especially theme developers. Note: it usually takes a week or two for insider builds to go live to everyone. ## Plugin News - The update that has made the biggest difference to me _personally_ (especially for this roundup) is [Auto Link Title](https://github.com/zolrath/obsidian-auto-link-title) which lets you paste a URL and automatically have it turn into a markdown link with the link's actual title. - [Obsidian Charts](https://github.com/phibr0/obsidian-charts) via `@doge` now has a GUI to create charts, as well as a live preview option, to make it easier to use. - [Juggl 1.0.5](https://github.com/HEmile/juggl/releases/tag/1.0.5) is out now, with some additional options and a fix for the empty panes in the right sidebar. - `@zsviczian` forked Lars Lockefeer's Obsidian GTD plugin and extended it to add a bunch of features. It's not in the community repo yet, but v0.6 is on [github](https://github.com/zsviczian/Obsidian-GTD-plugin/releases/tag/v0.6). - `@zsviczian` is also working on an [Obsidian plugin for Excalidraw](https://github.com/zsviczian/obsidian-excalidraw-plugin/releases/tag/TEST_1.0.5). It's currently in alpha (in fact it's using an unreleased version of Excalidraw that is meant to fix some issues with Obsidian interaction, more information [here](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/707816848615407697/835233426641780786)) and not yet available in the community repo. - [Markdown Formatting Assistant](https://github.com/Reocin/obsidian-markdown-formatting-assistant-plugin) offers a nice GUI for using snippets for Markdown, HTML and LaTeX and has a color picker to show the history of last used colors. It's not new but it's flying under the radar and will probably make a lot of people waiting for WYSIWYG happy. - There is a new version of the Spaced Repetition plugin ([v1.3.0](https://github.com/st3v3nmw/obsidian-spaced-repetition)). It adds support for flashcards that will help keep them from going out of sync. `@bookthief` [described it](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/707816848615407697/833907413764800567) as a "native SRS flashcards plugin." - There were multiple big updates for dataview this week. [0.2.10](https://github.com/blacksmithgu/obsidian-dataview/releases/tag/0.2.10) added inline fields. [0.2.13](https://github.com/blacksmithgu/obsidian-dataview/releases/tag/0.2.13) allows for views to auto-reload at a configurable interval. Here are some examples [via arminta7](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/707816848615407697/834485643660099606) & [via SkepticMystic](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/707816848615407697/834390000388931604). - `@mano` made a plugin that allows for a vertical tabs feature: [obsidian koncham workspace](https://github.com/manogna4/obsidian-koncham-workspace). - `@foreveryone` had a useful explanation of how to split workspaces when using the [Tabs](https://github.com/gitobsidiantutorial/obsidian-tabs) plugin. - [Obsidian Kanban](https://github.com/mgmeyers/obsidian-kanban) by `@mgmeyers` got added to the community plugins list. ### For Developers - There are some [changes coming to the API](https://github.com/obsidianmd/obsidian-api/commit/0a4b7f048944ff1a7f7603d611f4d7081288e358) that will impact how sections are handled. They're currently live on the Insider release. Discussion [here](http://discordapp.com/channels/686053708261228577/707816848615407697/833482342785875999). For discussion of how to actually deal with this (in terms of the npm stuff), start [here](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/707816848615407697/835190229794160681). - `@zephraph` put together some tools for [programmatically working with plugins](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/707816848615407697/833558301928325132). There's also an [unofficial collection of CLI tools](https://github.com/zephraph/obsidian-tools/tree/main/packages/obsidian-plugin-cli) that helps you build plugins for Obsidian. [Apparently](http://discordapp.com/channels/686053708261228577/707816848615407697/833562130698862603) it'll prompt you for which vault you want to develop in (via a select list; it finds all your vaults), sets up and automatically copies over built code, and prompts to you to install the `hot-reload` plugin if you haven't already (it'll do that for you automatically too). It'll even copy over the manifest file if any changes happen to that. - There was a nifty discussion of what people use to [handle documentation for their plugins](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/707816848615407697/833956511897223208). ## Feature Requests - `@murf` created a [feature request for zooming into headers/headings](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/zoom-into-headers-like-most-outliners-do-with-bullets/17060) similar to how you can zoom into bullets using the Outliner plugin. Currently the closest you can get is the Outline (not Outliner) plugin, which lets you jump to headers. - `@arminta` had an [idea for a plugin](http://discordapp.com/channels/686053708261228577/707816848615407697/833106154619666433) that would allow for a way to see what frequently used terms have _not_ yet been linked, to help surface connections that are not necessarily obvious. ## Workflow Stuff - We've gotten a couple of people asking about how (and whether) people in the medical profession can leverage Obsidian to their advantage. Here's a [graph](https://ptb.discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/709712341066842113/830508714007986269) that focuses on medical/anesthesia knowledge. There was also a reddit thread of [people discussing how they use Obsidian for medical stuff](https://www.reddit.com/r/ObsidianMD/comments/mw1pgw/is_anybody_here_a_medical_student/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share). - Here's a blog post from `@ton` about how to use Obsidian for [customer relationship management](https://www.zylstra.org/blog/2021/02/personal-crm-as-a-not-linkedin/) (CRM). They also have a nifty blog post about how Obsidian has led to a change in their [tagging practice](https://www.zylstra.org/blog/2020/10/new-emergent-tagging-practice/). - There was as little mini share-and-showcase in Discord for [project workspaces](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/694233507500916796/834897381388189748). - `@arminta7` put together a really nice example of how she uses [dataview for tasks and projects](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/dataview-task-and-project-examples/17011) with a video and handy links to other useful resources. ## Tips & Tricks - You can insert page breaks into exported PDFs with the following: `<div style="page-break-after: always;"></div>` (via `@Oliver Balfour`) - [Stack Overflow](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5612105/add-text-to-the-end-of-each-file-with-notepad-and-regex) has an explanation of mass append a new tag to the bottom of a series of files (preferably in a folder) with Notepad++ (backup first! It's easy to mess up). You can probably do something similar with VSCode if you need to. - There was a discussion on Reddit that covered [tips and tricks for using VIM with Obsidian](https://www.reddit.com/r/ObsidianMD/comments/mui5q3/has_any_vim_or_vimlike_user_gotten_comfy_yet/). - There's a new share & showcase for [Note and metadata/YAML templates](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/note-and-metadata-yaml-templates-snippets-showcase/16953) that is intended to serve as a handy meta thread for dataview (see also: [this showcase](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/dataview-plugin-snippet-showcase/13673) maintained by `@SkepticMystic`), templater (see also: [this showcase](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/templater-plugin-script-collection/17010) from `@pmbauer` & this [gist](https://gist.github.com/GitMurf) via `@Murf`), and daily notes templates. Here's another nice example of how you can leverage the new plugin functionality for [habit tracking](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/771575014382108672/834807171010002946). - `@tallguyjenks` put together a comprehensive video explaining [how to do stuff in markdown](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEa2diI2qgA). ### CSS - `@foreveryone` figured out how to use CSS to let you create [an inline block embed](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/702656734631821413/833195228940075048). There was a whole discussion about best practices and options so I'm linking you to discord instead of trying to find it on github. - [This CSS](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/702656734631821413/829852861776134176) from `@SlRvb` will allow header titles to wrap, which is great for long titles and small screens. - `@SlRvb` has a nice update to [aside tag CSS](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/702656734631821413/832944617368322089) that handles maximum width and overlapping aside boxes really smoothly. - There are a couple of different ways to [caption a local image](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/why-isnt-there-a-way-to-add-a-caption-to-a-local-image-in-one-of-my-obsidian-markdown-notes/16358/3) with Obsidian. - You can use CSS to [color-code folders](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/adding-color-to-obsidian-a-rainbow-of-possibility/12805/11) thanks to `@Lithou`. - There's a nifty new way to do [highlights](https://github.com/steveyang331/Obsidian-css/tree/main/8%2B8%20highlight%20colors). There are more [examples on Discord](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/744933215063638183/834866132887535627). ### Publish - For Obsidian Publish, it's possible to [hide the file name using CSS](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/768134314864017429/798866681862029352), which is useful if you prefer to use the title from a header. - You can [add custom analytics](https://just-be.dev/notes/Obsidian/Publish) to publish pages using custom javascript if you have a custom domain. - Here's a collection of [handy snippets](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/my-publish-css-incl-4-nifty-snippets/17056) for custom codeblocks, annotations, a site logo, and hiding files in navigation (via `@selfire`). ## PKM - There was a fun [discussion about different ways to conceptualize maps of contents / indexes](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/744933215063638183/833472754006884393). Actually there were [two](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/710585052769157141/833714262643703891). It's a popular topic. - `@joshduffney` put together a substack post about [how to leverage Obsidian for smart notetaking](https://knowledgework.substack.com/p/how-to-take-smart-notes-in-obsidian) that is pretty comprehensive and people seemed to enjoy. - There was a lengthy discussion about [how to use Obsidian for studying for an upcoming AP exam](https://discord.com/channels/686053708261228577/722584061087842365/834046085583863848) that might be useful for students. - Andy Matuschak had a discussion with a redditor over at the Slate Star Codex subreddit that was really interesting about [the nature and purpose and value (or lack thereof) of reading nonfiction books](https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/comments/mvs0vf/what_books_are_for_a_response_to_why_books_dont/) that touches on the importance of engagement and salience. ## Ancillary Tools - [Research Rabbit](https://researchrabbitapp.com/) had a big update that makes it a lot easier to use for discovering relevant scholarly articles on a topic. If you use referral code `l17JvlK` they'll let you jump to the head of the queue. - [Gingko](https://gingkoapp.com/) is fairly popular in this community: it's a tool that lets you do lists, outlines, and cards in a clean pyramid-like interface. - There was a nice discussion on Reddit about [other tools Obsidian users might enjoy](https://www.reddit.com/r/ObsidianMD/comments/mvslt6/any_other_gems_like_obsidian/). ## Housekeeping - I fiddled a bit with the email that this "officially" comes from, so now it should be possible to directly reply to this email so that it'll send to my personal email address ([email protected]).