🎩
Shimmering Obsidian An Alfred Workflow with dozens of features for Obsidian.
- Installation
- Configuration
- Breaking Changes (when updating from earlier versions)
- Troubleshooting
- Changelog
- Alfred Themes
- Credits & Donations
Feature Overview
For a full documentation & usage guide, follow the links to the respective subsection.
Powerful Alfred-based Quick Switcher
- Search for Notes
- Includes Aliases
- Search Headings (included heading levels configurable)
- Search Starred Notes
- Search Recent Notes
- Browse Folders (move to parent folders, create notes in folders)
- Search Notes via Tags
- Browse a note's links (outgoing, backlinks, external)
- Open External Links of a Note (without switching to the document or opening Obsidian)
- Graph Traversal via Alfred
- Smart Search: A query like
o foobar #moc starred
displays only files named "foobar" with the tag "#moc" that are also starred.
Note-related Features
- Create new Notes (based on Template or via QuickAdd)
- Move Note to a different folder
- Daily Notes
-
🆕 Quickly append to a scratchpad note
Screenshot Features
- OCR Screenshots
-
🆕 Image Screenshot -
🆕 Both work for screenshots taken in quick succession, e.g. during a live presentation or lecture.
Utility Features
- Backup your Vault
- Access various folders like
.obsidian
or.trash
- Update Plugins
- Carl Auto-Responses
🐢
Plugin & Theme Search
- Search Community Plugins and Themes
- Open in Obsidian or GitHub
- Access Plugin Settings
- Search & Create GitHub Issues
- No annoyed developers! When the installed version is out of date, issue creation is blocked and replaced by a shortcut to update the plugin instead.
Workspace Switcher
- Quickly switch workspaces
-
🆕 Save Workspaces - Manage workspaces
- Automatically toggle spellchecking when switching to certain workspaces
Settings & Local Plugin Search
- Search & quickly open specific Settings Tabs, the Theme Browser, or the Community Browser.
- Quickly update all plugins.
- Open Plugin Settings.
- Open local plugin folders in
.obsidian/plugins/
Documentation Search
- Search the Official Obsidian Documentation
- Simultaneously search the Obsidian Hub
- Search the Forum
- Browse Forum Categories
🆕
Vault Switcher
- Switch the Vault controlled by this Alfred workflow.
- Open vaults in Obsidian, Finder, or the Terminal.
CSS-related Features
- Access themes & CSS Snippets via Alfred
- Create new Snippets from Clipboard content
- Quick Access to cheat sheets for theme development, e.g. default variables
- Download a theme's CSS file via Theme Search
- Convert a font file base64-encoded CSS
-
🆕 Convert a SVG to Data URI
Features for Developers
- Quickly open various development-related folders
- Open a local plugin's folder in Finder or the Terminal
-
🆕 Quick Copy of a plugin's ID git clone
a plugin repository via the Plugin Search-
🆕 git pull
a local plugin repository via the Plugin Search -
🆕 Open the Vault's root in the default Terminal or in Finder - Add & Update Beta Plugins via BRAT
- Quick Access to cheat sheets for Plugin Development, e.g. the Obsidian API
Workflow Installation
This workflow requires the Powerpack for Alfred (costs around 30€).
- Install the Obsidian plugins Advanced URI & Metadata Extractor. Enable both plugins.
- Download the latest release at GitHub. Double-click the
.alfredworkflow
file to install it. - Run the Alfred Command
osetup
and select the vault you want to control with Shimmering Obsidian. Obsidian will then restart. (Even if you have only one vault, you need to confirm that one vault once before you can use the workflow.) - Recommended: After installing the workflow, you should configure the settings of this workflow to make use of most of its features. Refer to the Workflow Configuration for further information.
Alfred Themes
I also designed some themes for Alfred you can check out.
Credits
Thanks
- Big shout-out to @koala for developing the metadata extractor plugin, for which this workflow is right now the main client.
- Also thanks to @Vinzent03 for his invaluable Advanced URI plugin, which enables Alfred to control various aspects of Obsidian.
- Main icon by Jack Liu, with some additional icons from Freepik.
Donations
Donations are welcome via PayPal or Ko-Fi.
About Me
In my day job, I am a sociologist studying the social mechanisms underlying the digital economy. For my PhD project, I investigate the governance of the app economy and how software ecosystems manage the tension between innovation and compatibility. If you are interested in this subject, feel free to get in touch!
- Academic Website
- GitHub
- Discord:
@pseudometa#9546
- ResearchGate
[Bug]: The ⇧ ⏎ command closes the Alfred window without allowing for link browsing
Bug Description
If I search for a note using "o", then press ⇧ ⏎, the Alfred window closes without opening the note nor giving me the list of links in the note.
If I search for the same note, open it, then use the "ol" keyword, I get the expected list of links.
Relevant Screenshot
Search for a note:
Use "ol"
List of links is ok:
If I use "o" to search and then press ⇧ ⏎, nothing happens (no screenshots, because the window just closes
To Reproduce
Happens every time.
Debugging Log
[21:44:02.547] Shimmering Obsidian[Script Filter] Queuing argument '(null)' [21:44:02.813] Shimmering Obsidian[Script Filter] Script with argv '(null)' finished [21:44:02.816] Shimmering Obsidian[Script Filter] [truncated] [21:44:10.757] Shimmering Obsidian[Script Filter] Processing complete [21:44:10.758] Shimmering Obsidian[Script Filter] Passing output 'notes 📒/9. Work 📈/91 Spaces/910 Projects/KEEN/KEEN.md' to Call External Trigger [21:44:10.758] Shimmering Obsidian[External] Processing complete [21:44:10.759] Shimmering Obsidian[External] Passing output 'notes 📒/9. Work 📈/91 Spaces/910 Projects/KEEN/KEEN.md' to Write Text File [21:44:10.760] Shimmering Obsidian[Write Text File] Processing complete [21:44:10.760] Shimmering Obsidian[Write Text File] Passing output '/Users/paul/Library/Application Support/Alfred/Workflow Data/de.chris-grieser.shimmering-obsidian/buffer_inputPath' to Arg and Vars [21:44:10.760] Shimmering Obsidian[Arg and Vars] Processing complete [21:44:10.761] Shimmering Obsidian[Arg and Vars] Passing output '' to Script Filter [21:44:10.775] Shimmering Obsidian[Script Filter] Queuing argument '(null)'
Workflow Configuration
Version & System Information
Make sure you have done the following
o ...
main search does not work, I have tried rerunningosetup
and it still does not work.[BUG] Use ⇧ + ↵ on any search result of the main o search to browse the links of that note don‘t work
Hello, this workflow is amazing, thank you a lot!, here are some of the bugs I encountered using this workflow. As mentioned in the topic,when I press ⇧ + ↵, nothing ever happend.
https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/60280844/145703909-6c299a04-06f6-479d-93a9-5e2d183c7949.mp4
But when I press ⇧ + ↵ in
ol
, it works.https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/60280844/145704099-c1508c6d-c0d0-4776-bbac-d4b8add72ba8.mp4
In addition,When I press ↵ in
ot
to select notes, this workflow seems to have stopped.https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/60280844/145704181-542d2add-3ccb-49ae-abac-517d62463055.mp4
The same thing happens in the search folder.
https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/60280844/145704236-255906b7-e29c-4b6f-be2e-fb29a75bcb30.mp4
Below is the running information in Alfred when I press ⇧ + ↵
Below is the running information in Alfred when I press ↵ in
ot
to select notesBelow is the running information in Alfred when I press ↵ to search folders
Headings cannot be opened
Originally posted by @Miaoyifei-mz in https://github.com/chrisgrieser/shimmering-obsidian/issues/38#issuecomment-993111986
Feature Request: Speed up Alias Search / Implement Tag Search
I would like to improve the speed of Alias Search and implement a Search for Tags, but I lack the coding knowledge to implement this in a sufficiently efficient way – Alias search is already pretty slow, as the YAML-Header of every note has to be scanned.
I thought about building some sort of index/cache for that, but I am unsure how to properly keep such an index up to date – any Alias/Tag Search should reflect the current aliases and tags after all.
I only code in my leisure time while having a non-technical job, so learning how to do that takes a bit of time for me – so I'd very much welcome help / pull requests in that regard!
Feature Request: Support opening plugin folder in Finder
Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe. Currently there are a few options with the
op
command, e.g. opening the plugin configuration pane. Is it possible to open the plugin folder in Finder?Describe the solution you'd like Support opening the plugin folder in Finder.
[BUG] Opening note function has stopped working
Issue: I am unable to open notes all of a sudden. When I installed the latest version, it was working just fine. Then something snapped and other features like opening daily note and themes work but not the ability to see or open notes.
Debugging log:
[02:19:34.359] Shimmering Obsidian[Script Filter] Queuing argument '(null)' [02:19:34.522] Shimmering Obsidian[Script Filter] Script with argv '(null)' finished [02:19:34.524] ERROR: Shimmering Obsidian[Script Filter] Code 1: /Users/sharfaroz/Dropbox/Alfred/Alfred.alfredpreferences/workflows/user.workflow.C37FA2C6-89D2-402F-81A1-C16F4519689E/scripts/o_search.js: execution error: Error: SyntaxError: JSON Parse error: Unexpected EOF (-2700)
I am on M1 Mac, 12.1 beta (21C5021h). Workflow version 2.0.2
No switch of view modes
I do not think, it works. If I am in preview mode, it opens a 2nd panel in preview mode, too.
[Bug]: Cannot open Today's note
Bug Description
I typed in Alfred the keyword to open Today's note in Obsidian. But it cannot find the vault. Everything else works fine.
Relevant Screenshot
To Reproduce
Type the keyword in Alfred to open Today's note in Obsidian.
Debugging Log
Workflow Configuration
Version & System Information
Make sure you have done the following
o...
main search does not work, I have tried rerunningosetup
and it still does not work.[Bug]: Cannot search contents
Bug Description
I can't search the content of my notes
Relevant Screenshot
To Reproduce
Debugging Log
Workflow Configuration
Version & System Information
I got errors running that command:
Make sure you have done the following
o...
main search does not work, I have tried rerunningosetup
and it still does not work.[Bug]: Initial setup does not work
Bug Description
Used plugin fine before update. Obsidian and Shimmering Obsidian are up to date. osetup comes up, returns the relevant vault and successfully restarts Obsidian but then the plugin doesn't function as intended and allows for setup to occur again. Debugging logs attached.
Relevant Screenshot
No response
To Reproduce
In my instance, run osetup and choose vault. Obsidian will restart and require the workflow requires setup again.
Debugging Log
Make sure you have done the following
o...
main search does not work, I have tried rerunningosetup
and it still does not work.Migrate my workflow customizations
.)[Bug]: mkdir: : No such file or directory
Bug Description
When I take a screenshot with OCR, the Workflow seems fine, but it neither creates
OCR-Screenshot.md
nor updates its content if already created.According to the log, it seems like a permission error at the external script at
Screenshot +OCR
. However, Alfred has all permissions it asks on the home screen.I installed tesseract, and all my vaults are on the iCloud. Although I tried to put another vault in my Documents folder, the behavior is the same.
Relevant Screenshot
No response
To Reproduce
true
. If the file doesn't exist you won't find it here either. A manually created file won't get updated.Debugging Log
[23:10:18.176] Shimmering Obsidian[Hotkey] Processing complete [23:10:18.176] Shimmering Obsidian[Hotkey] Passing output '' to Arg and Vars [23:10:18.176] Shimmering Obsidian[Arg and Vars] Processing complete [23:10:18.177] Shimmering Obsidian[Arg and Vars] Passing output '2022-02-15, 23:10' to Run Script [23:10:22.868] STDERR: Shimmering Obsidian[Run Script] mkdir: : No such file or directory /Users/sandro/Library/Application Support/Alfred/Alfred.alfredpreferences/workflows/user.workflow.FEEA6BDC-8168-460F-BBA8-A4B27177F036/scripts/OCR.sh:24: read-only file system: /OCR-Screenshots.md [23:10:22.870] Shimmering Obsidian[Run Script] Processing complete [23:10:22.871] Shimmering Obsidian[Run Script] Passing output '/OCR-Screenshots.md' to Post Notification [23:10:22.872] Shimmering Obsidian[Post Notification] Processing complete [23:10:22.872] Shimmering Obsidian[Post Notification] Passing output '/OCR-Screenshots.md' to Run Script [23:10:23.005] Shimmering Obsidian[Run Script] Processing complete [23:10:23.010] Shimmering Obsidian[Run Script] Passing output '/OCR-Screenshots.md ' to Conditional
Workflow Configuration
Version & System Information
Make sure you have done the following
o ...
main search does not work, I have tried rerunningosetup
and it still does not work.[Bug]: cannot search (o ... search)
Bug Description
cannot search using
o ...
Relevant Screenshot
To Reproduce
No response
Debugging Log
Workflow Configuration 1
Workflow Configuration 2
Version & System Information
Make sure you have done the following
o…
main search does not work, I have tried rerunningosetup
and it still does not work.Migrate my workflow customizations
.)[Bug]: Unable to switch vault
Bug Description
Everything works fine. I can see both vaults (personal, Denodo) and can even switch into their finder location. But when I try to switch the workflow ("ov") from Personal to Denodo (Shift-enter), it just stays within Personal. The ticket symbol stays with personal and all the interactions stays with the Personal Vault.
Just to add, if I switch the sequence of which vault to initialise first, then I get the reverse problem, ie I can interact with the Denodo vault but can't switch into the Personal vault so the vault setup themselves seems to be fine.
Relevant Screenshot
No response
To Reproduce
No response
Debugging Log
Workflow Configuration 1
info.plist.zip
Workflow Configuration 2
Version & System Information
Make sure you have done the following
o…
main search does not work, I have tried rerunningosetup
and it still does not work.Migrate my workflow customizations
.)[FR]: Allow a profile location other than `.obsidian`
Change Requested
When using custom profiles in obsidian, e.g. ('.obsidian-macos'), the workflow setup will not be able to find the plugins, even if you have them installed. The workaround is to open to revert back to the default profile ('.obsidian') and install them there, then switch back to your regular profile. This workaround will be problematic, as the plugins in the default profile will not be updated in line with your regular profile, so a variable would be best in the long term.
Link to the relevant section of the documentation
https://github.com/chrisgrieser/shimmering-obsidian/blob/main/docs/Workflow%20Configuration.md
Feature Request: Support appending suffix to content
Feature Requested
Besides prefix, as suggested in https://github.com/chrisgrieser/shimmering-obsidian/issues/30 and https://github.com/chrisgrieser/shimmering-obsidian/issues/24, it would also be very useful if one can append suffix to the text, i.e.
{var:daily_content_prefix}{var:content}{var:daily_content_suffix}
and{var:append_prefix}{query}{var:append_suffix}
.Relevant Screenshot
No response
Checklist