Question: Using dashboard navigator query from inside of the note

[merlinuwe]

I cannot remember if I had asked before or if you mentioned it:

This is an example of my automagically list of notes that are related to the current note.

I use this (and often dataview TABLE queries, too)

which looks in read mode so

and as a long example output so

Is it possible to have something similar (or better) based on your search syntax? The goal is to have a faster search result inside the note by using the great query possibilities of dashboard navigator.

[drbap]

Yes it is possible. I am working on this embed feature. I am calling it dnview (dashboard navigator view), maybe I will change it to a shorter name (dnv? or dnget). Like this inside the note:

```dnview
search commands here
```

It is working really well for single embeds on my development branch for next update but the problem is when I add many results (tables) inside the same note. Still need more testing.

I would like to add different types of views as well, like table, list, calendar, gallery... but I have to solve that multiple embeds in the same note first.

If you have suggestions, please let me know. I don't know how long it will take, but with 1 embedded table it is already working really fast.

[merlinuwe]

I am VERY pleased that you are working on it.

dnview is ok, it reminds me at dataview. ;-)

As I read it, you want to combine the best of both worlds (query and dataview). With the speed of your database, this will certainly be a very useful user experience. Let me think a few days about suggestions.

[drbap]

Sure. Your suggestions, as I said before, are very much appreciated and helpful. I hope to see your suggestions before implementing the new embed function, as it will make it easier if I need to change something to implement your suggestions.

Dataview is a great plugin but uses a more complex syntax, not so easy for new users (without coding skills). The goal is not to replace the Dataview plugin, but to be a faster and easier option to implement for certain types of data (queries).

The goal is to be really fast, reliable and direct to the point with fewer commands (and easier commands). The dnv or dnview embeds will be (hopefully) really fast and easy to use.

[drbap]

Please check plugin version 4.0.1. Small update to fix some things that hopefully will improve user experience (before I dedicate more time for the embed feature).

• Right-click on links in Ext, Path, Tags and Frontmatter columns. Will not work as a left-click.
• Right-click on tags and frontmatter properties (links) inside Properties and Frontmatter windows/modals. Will not work as a left-click.
• Mobile tweaks for the new frontmatter column (small screens).
• Frontmatter window: Frontmatter properties symbol (square -> circle).

All the best

[merlinuwe]

Here are my first impressions about release 4.0.1 (Windows).

When I click with the right key in the column ext on png, I get

• png images,
• svg images (which hold "png" in their names) and
• also md files, which hold png files.

If this is intended, it's useful and should be documented.

---

The windows could be a little bit greater to show all entries. Omit the scrollbars, perhaps with an automatic line break.

The resize icon is not completely visible.

Copy & pasting is not activated yet.

---

Similar here. (Scrollbar and resize icon.)

[drbap]

Thanks for letting me know. These points will be fixed/improved as soon as possible. I will try to upload a patch soon. I think copy/paste of frontmatter will demand more time because they are links, different than Yaml format to add inside the notes.

Stay tuned

[drbap]

When we click on the Ext column link it should show only files with .extension. I will fix this as soon as possible. Thanks again for letting me know.

I will try later at night, don't have more time now.

All the best

[drbap]

Please check plugin version 4.1.0. Here is the changelog:

• Copy contents of frontmatter properties (Properties and Frontmatter modals). The copy is raw content, it is not YAML (maybe in the future I will add the option to export it as YAML). But it is already functional, just delete the single quotes and it will be faster to add to new notes.
• Properties and Frontmatter windows/modals are resizable.
• Navigator view: Tag column is now resizable.
• Fixed: .ext search (.png, .md or any other). You can also search excluding the desired extension like !.png (excludes .png extensions). The issue in the filename using png or any other extension as part of its filename was fixed. But If there is a .png or any .extension inside a frontmatter property it might still appear in the search results. So you can find a .png inside a frontmatter property.
• Frontmatter divs word wrap adjustments.

Please let me know if it is working better for you, especially that search feature. Still have to work to improve the appearance/sizing of frontmatter modals, they are resizable now (but I want to improve them more in the next update).

All the best

[drbap]

Please check plugin version 5.0.0. Yes, it is a major update (upgrade). Some important new features and design adjustments.

Dashboard view:

• New Recently opened group list has been added. This list will display your recently opened files. To see a file in the list, simply close its tab or open another file.

Navigator view:

• Preview files on hover (holding the Ctrl or Command key). The preview window will show the file name and path. Hover the preview window and it will show 3 options to open the content.

• New context menu item: Show preview. You can also preview the note/file without using the modifier key.

• Drag preview window: Move the preview window to your preferred position. Subsequent previews will open in the same spot, minimizing distractions. If you open the dashboard navigator window again, the preview will return to the default position (according to the file).

• Frontmatter modal and File Properties modals size and design adjustments. You can now directly open the selected file with the new "Open" button.

• File properties window: Size will display file size in bytes, KB, or MB.

• Enhanced file extension search: Find files precisely by their extension (e.g., .png, .md). Search results are limited to files with the exact extension.

I hope you enjoy.

All the best

[drbap]

You can preview notes (including the ones with dataview embeds), images, audio, etc. However, I'm still working on fixing the PDF preview on hover. Currently, if you hover over a PDF file, you have the option to open it in a new window. I'm actively investigating the issue, but unfortunately, I haven't found a solution in the documentation yet. In the meantime, you can still preview PDFs by opening them in a new tab or window.

[merlinuwe]

Here is my feedback (Windows 10, Obsidian 1.7.6):

Preview notes: VERY userful.

• What can I do to close the window after I had the preview? ESC closes also the whole navigator window.
• Arranging the opened preview window produces some stucking or hanging when I move the window fast.
• Only one window can be opened at the same time. Intended?
• The buttons "Open", "Open in new tab", "Open in new window" appear only when one needs them. Good. But there is a little lag when the note is hovered the first time.
• Suggestion: Allow resizing the preview window.
• Suggestion: Allow editing the preview window (also for simply copying something).
• There is sometimes a little lag when previewing a note before it opens. Consider pre-caching.
• Yes dataview shows its output. When I click on a file in a dataview table, the file opens in preview but also in Obsidians main window (under the navigator window). I think, this is not intended.

Consider to make the main window bigger (or show it like a opened note in a tab). I show you the areas which seem to have no use when using dashboard navigator:

Consider to let the row of the previewed note be activated when hovering into the opened preview window. So one can easily see, which note of the list is opened without reading.

All in all a great enhancement.

[drbap]

• What can I do to close the window after I had the preview? ESC closes also the whole navigator window.

Answer: Just left-click anywhere in the navigator dashboard window (table or any part of the UI). I can add a close btn to the preview window too, but it looked like a modal and it is not. I had to make a custom hover preview. The hover popover, I think it works for Views, this plugin uses modal approach. Anyway, the preview was implemented. It will be improved. I am glad the functionality was added, now it is time to polish it more.

• Arranging the opened preview window produces some stucking or hanging when I move the window fast.

Answer: This will depend of the size of the note also its contents (images, tables, dataview queries, etc). It will depend on the Markdown rendering (similar to Reading mode).

• Only one window can be opened at the same time. Intended?

Answer: Yes, only one preview window. It was intended (otherwise some users could open 1000 windows or more). Maybe I will change this in the future. But for now, only one preview window.

• The buttons "Open", "Open in new tab", "Open in new window" appear only when one needs them. Good. But there is a little lag when the note is hovered the first time.

Answer: I will check it out and see if I can improve this. But remember it is rendering the whole note when hover, depending on the note it will take some time. So if you hover while it is still rendering it can act with a little lag. But I will try to improve this experience too. Yes, the buttons only appear when needed. The first time I designed the preview window I made them visible by default. Do you think it's better to keep them visible all the time?

• Suggestion: Allow resizing the preview window.

Answer: Yes, that's a very good suggestion too. I am already working on this. But depending on the size of the note it could have some lag while resizing, that's why I didnt add this feature in version 5.0.0. Maybe in 5.1.

• Suggestion: Allow editing the preview window (also for simply copying something).

Answer: The developer documentation could really be more explained. I will try to implement this in the future. But you can select text and copy text of the preview window (select the desired text and right-click -> it will show a "Copy" option). Btw, Ctrl + C works too.

• There is sometimes a little lag when previewing a note before it opens. Consider pre-caching.

Answer: I will see what I can do.

• Yes dataview shows its output. When I click on a file in a dataview table, the file opens in preview but also in Obsidians main window (under the navigator window). I think, this is not intended.

The preview window is a rendered version of the note, if you click on any link or tag in the preview it will trigger actions in Obsidian main window. If you click on the tag, it will search for tags in Obsidian search.

This is the current state, maybe it will change in the next updates.

Well, thanks again for the nice feedback.

All the best

[merlinuwe]

You: Do you think it's better to keep them visible all the time?

This has the advantage, that there is no new rendering when the note is hovered (showing the buttons needs to scroll the content a little bit down). And one can see, what he can do with the opened preview. Yes, this seems to give better user experience.

---

Perhaps the content of the note could start a little bit more at the top

---

---

[drbap]

Plugin version 5.1.1. https://github.com/drbap/dashboard-navigator-for-obsidian/issues/12#issuecomment-2480863570

I hope it is better now.

All the best