File Types

Defining File Types

Until now, we have only use files as container of notes but files may also be typed. Unlike notes, there are no default file types declared in nt.libsonnet but custom ones may be declared in config.jsonnet:

local nt = import 'nt.libsonnet';

{
  fileTypes: nt.DefaultFileTypes + { // inherit future file types
    Reading: {
      name: "Reading",
    },
  },
}

Attributes

Attributes may be defined like for note types:

local nt = import 'nt.libsonnet';
{
    attributes: {
        isbn: {
            name: "isbn",
            type: "string",
        },
  },
    fileTypes: {
        Reading: {
            name: "Reading",
            attributes: [
                {
                    name: 'isbn',
                    required: true,
                },
            ],
        }
    }
}

The attribute isbn is now required in the Front Matter.

Schema

A schema could also defined to enforce some structure on the file. Since there is no standard to define a Markdown schema, we use a minimal version. Here is an example:

local nt = import 'nt.libsonnet';
{
    fileTypes: nt.DefaultFileTypes + {
        "Reading": {
            name: "Reading",
            attributes: [
                {
                    name: "isbn",
                    required: true,
                },
            ],
            schema: {
                body: makeHeading(children=[
                    makeHeading(
                        match="^Notes$",
                        allowMultiple=false,
                        children=[
                            makeHeading(
                                matchType="^(Note|Quote|Flashcard)$",
                                required=true,
                                allowMultiple=true),
                    ]),
                    makeHeading(
                        matchType="^BookReview$",
                        required=false,
                        allowMultiple=false),
                ]),
            },
        }
    },
}

The schema expects a Markdown heading Notes containing notes of type Note, Quote, or Flashcard, following by a note of type BookReview. For example, the following file matches this schema:

# Reading: Some Book

## Notes

### Note: Some interesting sentence

Some sentence that was highlighted from the books.

### Quote: An inspiring quote

A memorable quote.

## BookReview: My Review

A great book!

Tip

Use schemas sparingly. Imposing too much structure on notes can make your notes difficult to evolve. Schemas are interesting when reusing the same desk template (not covered for now) between a large number of files.

Processors

Processors transform file extracted objects during parsing. There are only two available processors:

• master: Processes Master notes defined in a file. This processor is automatically run when a note of type Master is detected in a file.
• toc: Generates a new note “Table of Contents” with Markdown links to the different notes present in the file.

Example ("toc"):

config.jsonnet

{
  fileTypes: {
    Reading: {
      name: "Reading",
      processors: ["toc"],
    },
  },
}

The above configuration will automatically generate a Table of Contents for all Markdown files with the type Reading.

The preprocessor toc may also triggered automatically by using the special tag #toc in a file:

---
tags: "toc"
---
# TOC

## Introduction

This is a demonstration of the TOC feature.
This section should not appear in the TOC because it has no child notes.

## Note: Main Concept

This is a main concept note. It should appear in the TOC with a wikilink.

### Note: Sub-concept

This is a sub-concept note. It should appear indented under the main concept.

### Flashcard: Definition

What is the main concept?

---

The main concept is the primary idea being discussed.

## Resources

This untyped section contains resources and should appear
in TOC because it has child notes.

### Quote: Famous Quote

> Knowledge is power.

-- Francis Bacon

### Note: Resource Note

This is a resource note under the resources section.

## Empty Section

This section has no child notes, so it should not appear in the TOC.

The generated note is similar to having written this note:

## Note: Table of Content

* [[#Note: Main Concept]]
  * [[#Note: Sub-concept]]
  * [[#Flashcard: Definition]]
* Resources
  * [[#Quote: Famous Quote]]
  * [[#Note: Resource Note]]