Automation

AI is the new plastic

Last updated Jul 18, 2023 | Originally published Jul 18, 2023

Data was the new oil, and now AI is the new plastic.

From user yabones on HN, discussing media companies’ blatant strategies for using “AI”-based text generators to spam content for Google Search Engine Optimization.

Keeping a Working Copy git repo synchronized with Shortcuts

Published Feb 23, 2023

Use these Shortcuts to automate syncing a git repo on iOS via Working Copy.

Publishing my notes

Last updated May 25, 2023 | Originally published Feb 17, 2023

A plan to make my thinking more public.

A Templater script for updating file titles and dates in YAML

Last updated Dec 15, 2022 | Originally published Dec 15, 2022

This Templater script gives the current Obsidian note a proper YAML title, date, and lastmod field. This facilitates integration with Quartz/Hugo.

It requires MetaEdit (as well as Templater, obviously).

Update file titles and dates with this Templater script

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<%*
let file = tp.file.find_tfile(tp.file.title)
const {update} = app.plugins.plugins["metaedit"].api
const {getPropertyValue} = app.plugins.plugins["metaedit"].api
const {position, ...rest} = tp.frontmatter;
let content = tp.file.content;
let newFileContent = content.split("\n");
let isYamlEmpty = Object.keys(tp.frontmatter).length === 0 && !content.match(/^-{3}\s*\n*\r*-{3}/);

/* reset selection to the top of the document to make sure the action doesn't clear any text */
let editor = this.app.workspace.activeLeaf.view.editor;
if (editor.getSelection === "") {  // no text is selected
} else {
	editor.setCursor(editor.getCursor());
}


async function updateCurrentFile(someContent, someFile) {
	someContent = someContent.join("\n");
	await app.vault.modify(someFile, someContent);
}

let propNameForLastModified = "lastmod";
let fileLastModifiedDate = "\"" + tp.file.last_modified_date("YYYY-MM-DD\THH:mm:ss") +"\"";

if (isYamlEmpty) { // No YAML yet
	newFileContent.unshift("---");
	newFileContent.unshift(`${propNameForLastModified}: ${fileLastModifiedDate}`);
	newFileContent.unshift("---");
	await updateCurrentFile(newFileContent, file);
} else if (rest.lastmod === undefined) { // YAML exists but no date field
	newFileContent.splice(1,0, `${propNameForLastModified}: ${fileLastModifiedDate}`);
	await updateCurrentFile(newFileContent, file);
} else { // YAML exists and a date property exists
	await update(propNameForLastModified, fileLastModifiedDate, file);
}

/* Now we can assume YAML exists, so let's add the rest of the metadata */
let propNameForDate = "date";
let fileCreatedDate = "\"" + tp.file.creation_date("YYYY-MM-DD\THH:mm:ss") + "\"";

if (rest.date === undefined) { // YAML exists but no date field
	newFileContent.splice(1,0, `${propNameForDate}: ${fileCreatedDate}`);
	await updateCurrentFile(newFileContent, file);
} else { // YAML exists and a date property exists
	await update(propNameForDate, fileCreatedDate, file);
}

let propNameForTitle = "title";
let fileTitle = "\"" + tp.file.title + "\"";

if (rest.title === undefined) { // YAML exists but no title property exists
	newFileContent.splice(1,0, `${propNameForTitle}: ${fileTitle}`);
	await updateCurrentFile(newFileContent, file);
} else { // YAML exists and a title property exists
	await update(propNameForTitle, fileTitle, file);
}

new Notice (tp.file.title + "'s title is now " + fileTitle + ". Last modified date metadata updated to " + fileLastModifiedDate + ".", 2000);
_%>

Automatically download Reminders into your Obsidian notes with Shortcuts

Published Nov 1, 2022

Want a quick, hands-free, one-step method to capture reminders and tasks into Obsidian? Take advantage of Reminders, Shortcuts, and Shortcuts’s automations feature.

This Shortcut will extract all reminders currently incomplete in a given list and append them to your daily note.

Here’s a screenshot of the full Shortcut

Download it and set it up (i.e., answer all of the configuration questions). Then, create Shortcuts automations (via the Automations tab in Shortcuts) that run on whatever triggers you want (e.g., “Whenever the Obsidian app is opened” and “9am”). Add a “Run Shortcut” action to that automation, then select the shortcut you’ve just configured.

🎉! Whenever the shortcut is triggered, the reminders in the designated list will be added to your daily note.

You can now say e.g., “Hey Siri, add ‘Pick up milk’ to my Obsidian list,” and that item will (eventually) be added to your daily note.

Use Metadata Menu and Dataview to tag your notes from a selection of existing tags only

Published Oct 28, 2022

A way to standardize tagging your notes in Obsidian.

A Keyboard Maestro macro for quickly and easily opening published notes in Obsidian

Last updated Feb 10, 2023 | Originally published Oct 27, 2022

Similar to Notes/A Shortcut for quickly and easily opening published notes in Obsidian, this macro makes it easy to jump from viewing a published note on the web to editing it in Obsidian.

Don’t forget to switch Mainframe to your vault’s name!

Download the macro here.

I have it tied to a Stream Deck button, but you can configure it to trigger however you’d like.

See a screenshot of the macro

A screenshot of the macro shown in Keyboard Maestro’s editor.

A Shortcut for quickly and easily opening published notes in Obsidian

Published Oct 27, 2022

If you publish your notes to the web in any way and you are on iOS/macOS, here’s a simple shortcut that lets you quickly and easily open a note from your website in Obsidian:

https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/da4da1d4409e4dff9183b70ce6d56558