# Dex Obsidian Setup

> Turn on Obsidian mode and migrate the vault to wiki links. Use when the user says 'I use Obsidian', 'enable wiki links', 'make this work in Obsidian'. Not for connecting an external tool/API; use `create-mcp`/`integrate-mcp`.

- Skill: `davekilleen/dex-obsidian-setup` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add davekilleen/dex-obsidian-setup`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/davekilleen/dex-obsidian-setup/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: davekilleen (https://skillmd.com/u/davekilleen)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/davekilleen/dex-obsidian-setup

---


<!-- Generated from `.claude/skills/dex-obsidian-setup/SKILL.md` by `scripts/generate-agents-skills.py`. Do not edit. -->

## Purpose

Convert Dex vault to Obsidian wiki link format for graph-based navigation.

## Step 1: Check Current State

Read `System/user-profile.yaml` and check `obsidian_mode` field.

**If already enabled:**
- Say: "Obsidian mode is already enabled. Want to re-run migration? (Safe to run multiple times)"
- If user says no, exit
- If user says yes, continue to Step 3 (skip Step 2)

**If not enabled:**
- Continue to Step 2

## Step 2: Explain Obsidian Integration

Say: "This will enable **Obsidian mode** in your Dex vault:

**What changes:**
- All person/company/project references become clickable wiki links
- Example: `John_Doe` → `[[John_Doe]]`
- Your existing files will be converted automatically

**What stays the same:**
- File structure (PARA folders)
- File contents (just adds `[[ ]]` around references)
- All MCP functionality

**Time estimate:** I'll scan your vault first and show you exactly how long it will take.

**Safety:** I'll create a git backup before any changes. Easy to revert if needed.

Ready to proceed?"

**If NO:** Say "No problem! You can run `/dex-obsidian-setup` anytime." and exit.

**If YES:** Continue to Step 3

## Step 3: Run Migration

Call the migration script using Shell tool (run from the vault root directory):

```bash
python core/obsidian/migrate_to_wikilinks.py
```

The script handles:
- Estimation and user confirmation
- Git backup
- Progress tracking
- macOS notification on completion
- Error handling

Wait for the script to complete and show the output to the user.

## Step 4: Update User Profile

Update `System/user-profile.yaml` to set `obsidian_mode: true`:

1. Read the current file
2. Use StrReplace to update the obsidian_mode field (or add it if missing)
3. If the file uses YAML format, preserve the structure

## Step 5: Optional - Generate Obsidian Config

Ask: "Want me to generate an Obsidian configuration optimized for Dex? This includes:
- Recommended settings (wiki link format, auto-update links)
- Hotkeys for common actions (Cmd+G for graph view)
- Workspace layout (file explorer + backlinks)

These are stored in `.obsidian/` and only affect Obsidian (not Cursor/terminal)."

**If YES:**

Run the config generator (from vault root):

```bash
python core/obsidian/generate_obsidian_config.py
```

Say: "✅ Obsidian config generated! Open your vault in Obsidian to see the optimized setup."

**If NO:**

Say: "No problem! You can always run this later with `python core/obsidian/generate_obsidian_config.py`"

## Step 6: Optional - Start Sync Daemon

Ask: "Want to enable bidirectional sync? This keeps task checkboxes synced between Obsidian and Dex:
- Check a task in Obsidian → syncs to Tasks.md, person pages, meeting notes
- Check a task in Cursor → syncs to Obsidian

Runs in background, zero maintenance."

**If YES:**

Run the daemon installer (from vault root):

```bash
bash core/obsidian/install_sync_daemon.sh
```

**If NO:**

Say: "No problem! You can enable it later by running `bash core/obsidian/install_sync_daemon.sh`"

## Step 7: Completion

Say: "✅ Obsidian mode enabled!

**Next steps:**
1. Open Obsidian: File → Open Folder → select your Dex vault folder
2. Check the graph view: Ctrl/Cmd + G
3. Click any wiki link to navigate

**Tips:**
- Graph filters: Focus on specific areas (People, Projects)
- Search: Cmd/Ctrl + O for quick open
- Backlinks pane: See everywhere a note is referenced

**Resources:**
- See `06-Resources/Dex_System/Obsidian_Guide.md` for detailed tips
- Watch the [beginner's guide](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gafuqdKwD_U) if you're new to Obsidian

You can still use Dex in Cursor/terminal exactly as before. Wiki links work everywhere."

## Notes

- This skill is safe to run multiple times (idempotent)
- Migration creates a git backup before making changes
- Revert anytime with `git reset --hard HEAD~1`
- Works with vaults of any size (10K+ files tested)

## Track Usage (Silent)

Update `System/usage_log.md` to mark Obsidian setup as used.

**Analytics (Silent):**

Call `track_event` with event_name `obsidian_enabled` (no properties).

This only fires if the user has opted into analytics. No action needed if it returns "analytics_disabled".