Quick Capture

Quick Capture lets you instantly record tasks and notes without interrupting your workflow. Whether you're in the middle of editing a document or need to jot down a quick idea, Task Genius provides multiple capture methods optimized for different scenarios.

Overview

Task Genius offers three capture interfaces, each designed for specific use cases:

1. Editor Quick Capture: Inline panel within your current editor (like Org-mode's M-x org-capture)
2. Minimal Quick Capture: Simple modal for fast task entry with due date
3. Detailed Capture: Comprehensive modal with full metadata support and multi-line input

Starting with version 9.9.0, Quick Capture supports both:

• Checkbox Tasks: Traditional task items (- [ ] Task)
• File-Level Tasks: Entire notes as tasks (requires File Indexer)

Capture Methods

1. Editor Quick Capture (Inline Panel)

A lightweight input panel that appears at the bottom of your current editor, inspired by Org-mode's capture workflow.

How to Use:

1. Focus on any editor in Obsidian
2. Trigger the command: Task Genius: Toggle quick capture panel
3. Default Hotkey: Alt+C (customizable in Obsidian's Hotkeys settings)
4. Type your task or note
5. Press Enter to save to your configured capture file

Best For:

• Quick task entry while writing
• Minimal disruption to current work
• Keyboard-driven workflow
• Rapid inbox processing

Behavior:

• Panel appears at the bottom of the active editor
• Input remains focused for rapid successive captures
• Press Esc to close the panel
• Tasks are immediately appended to your capture file

2. Minimal Quick Capture Modal

A simple modal window for fast task capture with optional due date.

How to Use:

1. Trigger the command: Task Genius: Quick capture (Global)
2. Type your task
3. Optionally set a due date using the date picker
4. Press Enter or click "Capture" to save

Best For:

• Quick tasks with deadlines
• Simple capture without metadata complexity
• Users who prefer modal interfaces
• One-off task recording

Features:

• Clean, distraction-free interface
• Due date picker (optional)
• Single-line input for fast entry
• Works from anywhere in Obsidian

Note: While called "Global", this method still requires Obsidian to be open and focused.

3. Detailed Capture Modal

A comprehensive capture interface with full metadata support, multi-line input, and live preview.

How to Use:

1. Trigger the command: Task Genius: Task capture with metadata
2. Enter task content in the right-side input area
3. Configure metadata in the left-side metadata panel
4. Review the preview at the bottom
5. Click "Capture" to save

Interface Layout:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Detailed Task Capture                   │
├─────────────┬───────────────────────────┤
│  Metadata   │   Input Area              │
│  Panel      │   (Multi-line)            │
│  (Left)     │   (Right)                 │
│             │                           │
│ • Due Date  │   - [ ] Write report      │
│ • Priority  │   - [ ] Review code       │
│ • Tags      │   - [ ] Send email        │
│ • Project   │                           │
│ • Status    │                           │
│ • etc.      │                           │
├─────────────┴───────────────────────────┤
│ Preview:                                │
│ - [ ] Write report 📅 2025-01-20 🔺     │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Best For:

• Complex tasks requiring multiple metadata fields
• Batch task entry (multiple tasks at once)
• Project-based task creation
• Tasks with detailed context

Features:

Multi-Line Input

Capture multiple tasks in one session:

- [ ] Task 1
- [ ] Task 2
- [ ] Task 3

All tasks inherit the metadata you configure.

Relative Date Support

Use natural language for due dates:

• 明天 (tomorrow)
• 后天 (day after tomorrow)
• 大后天 (three days from now)
• 下周一 (next Monday)
• (Supports your system's date parsing)

Live Preview

See exactly what will be written to your file before capturing.

Example:

• Input: Write report
• Metadata: Due: 2025-01-20, Priority: High, Tags: #work
• Preview: - [ ] Write report 📅 2025-01-20 🔺 #work

Supported Metadata

Configure any task metadata:

• Due Date: Task deadline
• Start Date: When to begin
• Scheduled Date: Planned work date
• Priority: Urgency level (1-5)
• Status: Task state (not started, in progress, etc.)
• Tags: Categorization tags
• Project: Project assignment
• Context: Work context (e.g., @home, @office)
• (All standard task metadata fields)

File-Level Task Capture

Create entire notes as tasks instead of checkbox items.

Requirements

File Indexer must be enabled:

1. Open Task Genius settings
2. Go to Indexer settings
3. Enable "File-level task indexing" or similar option

Once enabled, the capture modals (Minimal and Detailed) display a tab switcher at the top.

Tab Switcher

Tabs:

• Checkbox Task: Traditional task items (default)
• File Task: Entire notes as tasks

Behavior:

• Switch tabs to change capture mode
• Settings persist between sessions
• Tab only appears if File Indexer is enabled

File Task Mode

When capturing a File Task:

1. Template Integration:

   • Task Genius calls your configured template (if any)
   • Template content is used as the base for the new file
   • File name is generated based on your input

2. Metadata as Frontmatter:

   • All metadata from the metadata panel is inserted as YAML Frontmatter
   • No inline fields are used

3. File Creation:

   • New file is created in the configured target location
   • File name is derived from your task title or template settings

Example Workflow:

Input:

• Mode: File Task
• Title: Website Redesign Project
• Metadata:
  • Due: 2025-02-15
  • Priority: High
  • Tags: work, design
  • Project: Q1 Goals

Result:

File created: Website Redesign Project.md

---
due: 2025-02-15
priority: high
tags:
  - work
  - design
project: Q1 Goals
---

# Website Redesign Project

(Template content if configured)

Best For:

• Project planning notes
• Large tasks requiring dedicated documentation
• Integration with project management workflows
• Notes that need extensive details

Configuration

If the link doesn't work: Obsidian → Settings → Community Plugins → Task Genius

Target File

Specify where captured tasks will be saved.

Setting: "Target File"

Format: File path (e.g., Inbox.md, Daily/Capture.md)

Examples:

Inbox.md
Quick Notes.md
Tasks/Capture.md

File Auto-Creation:

• If the file doesn't exist, Task Genius automatically creates it
• Parent directories are created if needed

Dynamic Date Variables

Use date variables in the target file path for dynamic daily capture.

Syntax: {{DATE:FORMAT}}

Supported Formats: Any valid date format string (e.g., YYYY-MM-DD, YYYY/MM/DD, YYYYMMDD)

Examples:

Daily Note Capture:

Target File: Daily Notes/{{DATE:YYYY-MM-DD}}.md
Result (on 2025-01-15): Daily Notes/2025-01-15.md

Monthly Capture:

Target File: Capture/{{DATE:YYYY-MM}}/Tasks.md
Result (on 2025-01-15): Capture/2025-01/Tasks.md

Weekly Capture:

Target File: Weekly/{{DATE:YYYY-[W]WW}}.md
Result (on 2025-01-15): Weekly/2025-W03.md

Benefit: Automatically capture to today's note without manual file selection.

Insert Position

Choose where in the target file captured items are added.

Setting: "Insert Position"

Options:

Append (Default)

Add captured tasks to the end of the file.

Use Case: Chronological task capture (newest at bottom)

Example:

# Inbox

- [x] Old task 1
- [x] Old task 2
- [ ] New captured task  ← Added here

Prepend

Add captured tasks to the beginning of the file.

Use Case: Newest tasks first (priority-based)

Example:

# Inbox

- [ ] New captured task  ← Added here
- [x] Old task 1
- [x] Old task 2

Replace

Advanced Option (use with caution)

Replace the entire file content with captured tasks.

Use Case: Temporary scratchpad or single-task files

Warning: All existing content is overwritten. Use only if intentional.

Task Formatting

Current Behavior:

• Checkbox tasks are automatically prefixed with - [ ] (if not already present)
• Metadata is added as inline fields (for checkbox tasks) or frontmatter (for file tasks)
• No additional template variables or formatting options (planned for future versions)

For Advanced Formatting:

• Consider using File Task mode with templates
• Manually edit captured tasks after creation
• Use Workflows for post-capture automation

Use Cases & Workflows

Inbox Workflow (GTD Style)

Capture everything to a central inbox for later processing.

Setup:

1. Target File: Inbox.md
2. Insert Position: Append
3. Method: Editor Quick Capture (Alt+C)

Daily Routine:

• Throughout the day, press Alt+C to capture tasks as they come up
• At end of day, review Inbox.md and organize tasks (assign projects, dates, priorities)
• Use Bulk Operations to process multiple inbox tasks at once

Benefit: Never lose a task, process later when you have time.

Daily Note Integration

Automatically capture tasks to today's daily note.

Setup:

1. Target File: Daily Notes/{{DATE:YYYY-MM-DD}}.md
2. Insert Position: Append
3. Method: Minimal Quick Capture (for fast entry)

Workflow:

• Quick Capture creates or opens today's note automatically
• Tasks are added to the end of your daily note
• Review and organize tasks as part of your daily review

Benefit: Context-aware task capture tied to specific days.

Project-Based Capture

Capture tasks directly to project files with full metadata.

Setup:

1. Method: Detailed Capture Modal
2. Metadata: Set project field to the target project
3. Insert Position: Append

Workflow:

1. Open Detailed Capture
2. Set Project metadata to Website Redesign
3. Enter multiple tasks in the input area
4. All tasks are tagged with the project and added to your capture file

Alternative (File Task Mode):

• Use File Task mode to create project notes directly
• Each project gets its own file with frontmatter metadata

Benefit: Immediate project association without manual tagging.

Meeting Notes Capture

Quickly jot down action items during meetings.

Setup:

1. Method: Editor Quick Capture (inline panel)
2. Target File: Meetings/{{DATE:YYYY-MM-DD}} Actions.md
3. Insert Position: Append

Workflow:

• During meeting, press Alt+C to open capture panel
• Type action items as they come up
• Press Enter to save, continue listening
• Repeat as needed

Post-Meeting:

• Review Meetings/2025-01-15 Actions.md
• Use Detailed Capture or manual editing to add due dates and priorities

Benefit: Minimal interruption during meetings, structured capture for later processing.

File Task for Project Planning

Create comprehensive project files with metadata.

Setup:

1. Method: Detailed Capture Modal
2. Tab: File Task
3. Template: (Configure a project template if desired)
4. Target File: Projects/{{title}}.md (or similar)

Workflow:

1. Open Detailed Capture
2. Switch to File Task tab
3. Enter project title: Q1 Marketing Campaign
4. Set metadata:
   • Due: 2025-03-31
   • Priority: High
   • Tags: marketing, q1
5. Click "Capture"

Result: New file created: Projects/Q1 Marketing Campaign.md with frontmatter containing all metadata.

Benefit: Structured project initialization with metadata-driven workflows.

Best Practices

1. Choose the Right Capture Method for the Situation

Quick Decision Guide:

• Editing a document? → Editor Quick Capture (Alt+C)
• Need to set a due date? → Minimal Quick Capture
• Complex task with metadata? → Detailed Capture
• Creating a project note? → Detailed Capture (File Task mode)

2. Process Your Inbox Regularly

Don't let captured tasks pile up:

• Set a daily or weekly inbox review time
• Use Task View to see all inbox tasks
• Use Bulk Operations to assign metadata efficiently

3. Use Dynamic Date Variables for Daily Notes

If you use daily notes, always configure:

Target File: Daily Notes/{{DATE:YYYY-MM-DD}}.md

This ensures tasks are captured to the correct day automatically.

4. Leverage Detailed Capture for Batch Entry

Instead of capturing one task at a time:

• Open Detailed Capture once
• Enter 5-10 tasks in the input area
• Set shared metadata (project, priority)
• Capture all at once

Saves time compared to individual captures.

5. Combine with Keyboard Shortcuts

Recommended Hotkeys:

• Alt+C: Editor Quick Capture (default)
• Ctrl+Shift+C: Minimal Quick Capture
• Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C: Detailed Capture

Tip: Assign hotkeys in Obsidian's Hotkeys settings for muscle-memory efficiency.

6. Use File Tasks for Large Initiatives

For tasks that need extensive documentation:

• Use File Task mode instead of checkbox tasks
• Create dedicated files for projects, goals, or complex tasks
• Benefit from templates and structured metadata

Limitations

No External Triggering

Quick Capture requires Obsidian to be open and focused. It cannot be triggered from outside Obsidian (e.g., global system hotkey).

Workaround:

• Use Obsidian's URI protocol with automation tools (e.g., AutoHotkey, Keyboard Maestro)
• Consider third-party integrations (check community resources)

Limited Template Support (Checkbox Tasks)

Template variables (e.g., {{date}}, {{time}}, {{content}}) are not currently supported for checkbox task capture.

Workaround:

• Use File Task mode for template-based capture
• Manually edit tasks after capture
• Use Workflows for post-capture formatting

Single Target File

Each capture method uses one configured target file (though it supports date variables).

Workaround:

• Use different capture methods for different targets
• Manually change target file in settings when needed
• Use Project metadata to organize tasks within a single capture file

No Multi-File Capture

Cannot capture to multiple files simultaneously.

Workaround:

• Capture to inbox, then use Task Mover to distribute tasks
• Use Bulk Operations to move tasks to different project files

Troubleshooting

Capture Panel Not Appearing

Issue: Pressing Alt+C does nothing.

Solution:

• Ensure you're focused on an editor pane (not settings, graph, or other views)
• Check if the hotkey is conflicting with another plugin (Obsidian Settings → Hotkeys)
• Try triggering via command palette: Ctrl/Cmd+P → Task Genius: Toggle quick capture panel

Tasks Not Saving to Target File

Issue: Captured tasks disappear or don't appear in the target file.

Solution:

• Verify the target file path in settings (Settings → Quick Capture → Target File)
• Check if the file exists or if auto-creation is working
• Ensure you have write permissions to the target directory
• Check the console for errors (Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+I)

Date Variables Not Working

Issue: {{DATE:YYYY-MM-DD}} appears literally instead of being replaced.

Solution:

• Verify the syntax is exact: {{DATE:FORMAT}} (case-sensitive)
• Ensure you're using a valid date format string
• Restart Obsidian to reload settings
• Check Task Genius version (date variables require 9.9.0+)

File Task Tab Not Showing

Issue: The "File Task" tab doesn't appear in capture modals.

Solution:

• Verify File Indexer is enabled in Task Genius settings
• Check Settings → Indexer → Enable file-level task indexing
• Restart Obsidian after enabling
• Ensure you're using Task Genius 9.9.0 or later

Metadata Not Applying

Issue: Metadata from Detailed Capture isn't added to tasks.

Solution:

• Checkbox Tasks: Metadata should appear as inline fields (e.g., [due:: 2025-01-20])
• File Tasks: Metadata should be in YAML frontmatter
• Check the preview pane before capturing to verify formatting
• Ensure metadata fields are filled correctly (no invalid values)

Preview Showing Wrong Format

Issue: Preview doesn't match what actually gets captured.

Solution:

• This may indicate a bug—report to the developer
• Double-check your settings (Insert Position, Target File)
• Try capturing a test task to a scratch file

Related Features

• Task View: Process captured tasks in the dedicated task view
• Bulk Operations: Efficiently organize captured tasks
• Task Mover: Move captured tasks to permanent locations
• Workflows: Automate post-capture actions
• Date & Priority: Learn about task metadata captured in Detailed mode