Obsidian Formatting

Overview

Obsidian uses an enhanced markdown format with YAML frontmatter, wikilinks, and plugin-specific syntax like Dataview and Mapview. This skill provides knowledge for creating properly formatted Obsidian notes, particularly for location-based notes with geographic data.

When to Use This Skill

Load this skill when creating or formatting Obsidian notes, especially:

• Writing YAML frontmatter with proper syntax
• Using Dataview inline queries and code blocks
• Creating wikilinks for internal references
• Embedding images with Obsidian syntax
• Configuring Mapview plugin blocks for geographic visualization

Core Concepts

YAML Frontmatter

YAML frontmatter appears at the top of Obsidian notes between --- delimiters. It stores structured metadata.

Basic structure:

---
field: value
array_field:
  - item1
  - item2
nested:
  key: value
---

Critical rules:

• Must start file (no content before first ---)
• Use 2-space indentation for nested structures
• Arrays use - prefix (dash + space)
• Strings with special characters need quotes
• Wikilinks in frontmatter: '[[Page Name]]' (quoted)
• Coordinates: store as array [latitude, longitude]

Wikilinks

Wikilinks create internal references between notes.

Syntax:

• Basic: [[Note Name]]
• With alias: [[Note Name|Display Text]]
• To heading: [[Note Name#Heading]]
• To block: [[Note Name^block-id]]

In frontmatter: Quote wikilinks to preserve syntax:

Country: '[[UK]]'
Region: '[[Somerset]]'

Dataview Inline Queries

Dataview queries display dynamic content based on note metadata.

Inline queries use backticks with = prefix:

`= this.Country`
`= this.location[0]`

Complex inline query for images:

`= choice(startswith(string(default(this.image, "")), "[["), "!" + this.image, choice(this.image, "![Image](" + this.image + ")", "No Image"))`

This query:

1. Checks if image field starts with [[ (wikilink)
2. If yes: Prepends ! to embed wikilinked image
3. If no: Uses markdown image syntax with URL
4. If empty: Shows "No Image"

Mapview Plugin

Mapview creates interactive maps from note coordinates.

Standard code block:

```mapview
{"name":"Current Note","query":"path:\"$filename$\"","chosenMapSource":0,"autoFit":true,"lock":true,"showLinks":true,"linkColor":"red","markerLabels":"off"}

**Key fields:**
- `query`: Dataview query to select notes (use `path:\"$filename$\"` for current note)
- `autoFit`: Center map on markers
- `lock`: Prevent map dragging
- `markerLabels`: Show/hide marker labels

### Obsidian Markdown Extensions

**Image embedding:**
- Wikilink: `![[image.png]]`
- URL: `![Alt text](https://example.com/image.jpg)`
- With size: `![[image.png|200]]` (200px width)

**Tags:**
- Inline: `#tag-name`
- In frontmatter: Use `tags:` array
```yaml
tags:
  - map/food
  - location

Callouts (admonitions):

> [!note] Title
> Content here

Location Note Formatting

Required Frontmatter Fields

For location notes with Mapview integration:

---
tags:
  - map/TYPE  # map/food, map/photo-location, map/accommodation/campsite, map/other
Country: '[[Country Name]]'
Region: '[[Region Name]]'
location:
  - LATITUDE
  - LONGITUDE
Source:
  - https://source1.com
  - https://source2.com
image: https://example.com/image.jpg  # Or '[[local-image.jpg]]'
publish: true
Done: false  # or visited: false
color: blue
icon: ICON_NAME  # map-pin, utensils, camera, tent-tree
---

Location Coordinates

Store as array of two numbers (latitude first, longitude second):

location:
  - 51.4776031
  - -2.6256316

Do not use:

• String format: "51.4776031, -2.6256316" ❌
• Object format: {lat: 51.4776031, lon: -2.6256316} ❌

Note Structure

Standard structure for location notes:

---
[frontmatter here]
---

```mapview
[mapview config]

Description

[Detailed information about the location]

[Type-Specific Section]

Travel Information

[Directions, parking, accessibility, contact info]

[Image display query]

### Image Display Pattern

Use this Dataview query at the end of notes:

```markdown
`= choice(startswith(string(default(this.image, "")), "[["), "!" + this.image, choice(this.image, "![Image](" + this.image + ")", "No Image"))`

This handles both wikilinks ([[image.jpg]]) and URLs (https://...).

Best Practices

Frontmatter

• Always quote wikilinks: '[[Page Name]]'
• Use arrays for multiple values (tags, sources, location)
• Keep boolean values lowercase: true, false
• Validate YAML syntax (check indentation, colons, dashes)

Content

• Use markdown headings (##) for sections
• Separate frontmatter from content with blank line
• Include Mapview block before content for geographic notes
• End with image display query if image field used

Tags

• Use hierarchical tags: map/food, map/photo-location
• Consistent naming: kebab-case for multi-word tags
• Place in frontmatter for better organization

Wikilinks

• Reference countries/regions as wikilinks for navigation
• Quote wikilinks in frontmatter values
• Use descriptive link text with aliases when needed

Validation

Check notes for:

• ✅ Frontmatter opens and closes with ---
• ✅ Required fields present (tags, Country, Region, Source)
• ✅ Location array has exactly 2 numbers (if present)
• ✅ Wikilinks quoted in frontmatter
• ✅ Tags use array syntax
• ✅ Mapview block includes valid JSON
• ✅ Image display query present if image field used

Common Issues

Issue: Frontmatter parsing fails Cause: Missing quotes around wikilinks or invalid YAML Fix: Quote all wikilinks, check indentation and colons

Issue: Dataview query shows raw code Cause: Dataview plugin not enabled or syntax error Fix: Verify Dataview installed, check backtick and = placement

Issue: Map doesn't display location Cause: Incorrect location format or Mapview plugin disabled Fix: Use array format [lat, lon], enable Mapview plugin

Issue: Image not displaying Cause: Incorrect Dataview query or missing field Fix: Use standard image display query, ensure image field exists

Additional Resources

For detailed syntax and advanced features:

• references/dataview-syntax.md - Complete Dataview query reference
• references/frontmatter-schema.md - Field definitions and types
• examples/complete-note.md - Fully formatted example location note

Use these references when working with complex queries or unfamiliar field types.