Metadata Validator

Metadata Validator

Describe what a note's properties should look like in a manifest.md, and the plugin checks every matching note, fills in what it can, and keeps the properties in order. Rules add the conditional part, for example "when the status is done, set the end date".

Where manifests live

Manifests sit in a schemas folder (set in the plugin settings) and inherit down the tree. A note gets the closest manifest whose target matches it.

vault/
└── schemas/
    ├── manifest.md            base schema
    ├── rules.md               rules for every manifest below
    ├── sources/
    │   ├── manifest.md        extends base
    │   └── books/
    │       └── manifest.md    extends sources
    └── projects/
        └── manifest.md        extends base

A complete example

One manifest for project notes. It matches notes tagged #project, describes their properties, keeps them in a fixed order, and has three rules.

---
name: Project
description: A finite piece of work with one result.
target:
  query: "#project"
enforce_folder: projects
fields:
  tags:
    type: multiselect
    required: true
    sort: alphabetical
  status:
    type: select
    required: true
    default: inbox
    options:
      - { value: inbox, label: Inbox }
      - { value: wip, label: In progress }
      - { value: done, label: Done }
  priority:
    type: select
    default: normal
    options: [{ value: high }, { value: normal }, { value: low }]
  category:
    type: multilink
    source:
      query: "#category"
  start:
    type: date
  end:
    type: date
  created:
    type: date
    hidden: true
  icon:
    type: text
    hidden: true
    fixed: 🗂️
rules:
  - name: start on wip
    when: "status=wip AND start="
    then:
      set: { start: "{{today}}" }
  - name: end on done
    when: "status=done AND end="
    then:
      set: { end: "{{today}}" }
  - name: created stamp
    when: "created="
    then:
      set: { created: "{{now}}" }
formatting:
  property_order: [tags, status, priority, category, start, end, created, icon]
---

This runs on save, on open, and when you start the vault auto-fix from the sidebar. Missing properties get their default, icon is always the fixed value, the rules fill in the empty dates and the creation time, and the properties are reordered. Anything the plugin cannot fix shows up in the sidebar and as an icon next to the property.

Manifest keys

Field keys

Types are text, number, select, multiselect, list, date, link, multilink, boolean and url.

Query language

Used in target.query, in source.query and in rule conditions.

Rules

A rule says what the properties should look like when a condition holds. It runs on the note's current state, so it behaves the same on save, on open and in the vault auto-fix, and it does nothing when the note is already correct.

rules:
  - name: end on done
    description: Done work gets its end date.
    when: "status=done AND end="
    then:
      set: { end: "{{today}}" }

name and description are optional. The properties modal lists the rules under the schema and shows the description on hover.

when is a query string, or one of these forms, and can be nested.

when: { project: { when: "status=done" } }       # a linked note in `project` matches
when: { tasks: {} }                               # `tasks` has at least one value
when: { and: ["status=done", { not: ["end="] }] } # also `or`
when: { js: "return fm.status === 'done'" }

then holds verbs that run in the order written.

A value is a literal, a template or a selection. A selection { team: { when: "status=left" } } means the links in team whose note matches, and { team: {} } means all of them.

Templates use {{today}}, {{now}}, {{file.name}} or any property. {{project>category}} reads category from the notes linked in project. Filters are name (link to note name), snake, kebab, lower, upper, trim, replace:"a","b", join:", " and date:"YYYY-MM-DD".

Common rules

Dates that follow the status.

  - when: "status=wip AND start="
    then:
      set: { start: "{{today}}" }
  - when: "status=dropped"
    then:
      set: { end: null, priority: low }

Tags that mirror a property. The first rule removes every status/* tag, the others add the right one.

  - then:
      remove: { tags: "status/*" }
  - when: "status=wip"
    then:
      add: { tags: status/wip }
  - when: "status=done"
    then:
      add: { tags: status/done }

Links that belong in another property. When a person in team has left, their link moves to former_team.

  - then:
      add:
        former_team: { team: { when: "status=left" } }
      remove:
        team: { when: "status=left" }

A reading list that sorts itself. Books move between to_read, reading and finished by their own status.

  - then:
      add:
        reading: { to_read: { when: "status=reading" }, finished: { when: "status=reading" } }
        finished: { to_read: { when: "status=done" }, reading: { when: "status=done" } }
      remove:
        to_read: { when: "-status=to_read" }
        reading: { when: "-status=reading" }
        finished: { when: "-status=done" }

A task that follows its project. The values are copied in both directions, so a category removed from the project leaves the task too. A task without a project keeps its own.

  - then:
      set: { category: "{{project>category}}", area: "{{project>area}}" }

State taken from a linked note. A task closes when its project closes, and a project closes when all its tasks are closed.

  - when: { project: { when: "status=done" } }
    then:
      set: { status: done }
  - when:
      and:
        - tasks: {}
        - not:
            - tasks: { when: "-status=done" }
    then:
      set: { status: done }

Overdue work.

  - when: "end<{{today}} AND -status=done"
    then:
      add: { tags: overdue }
  - when: { or: ["end>={{today}}", "status=done", "end="] }
    then:
      remove: { tags: overdue }

Where rules live

Rules go in a manifest, or in a rules.md file anywhere in the schemas folder. A rules.md applies to every manifest in its folder and below. Rules from rules.md files run first, then the manifest chain from the root ancestor down. A rule with the same name replaces the earlier one.

When a note changes, the notes whose rules read it through a link are checked again, so a task follows its project right away. This can be turned off in the settings.