Obsidian Bases Reference

Obsidian Bases Reference

Bases are YAML-based .base files that define dynamic views of vault notes.

Complete Schema

filters:          # Global filters (all views)
  and: []
  or: []
  not: []

formulas:         # Computed properties
  name: 'expression'

properties:       # Display config
  property_name:
    displayName: "Display Name"
  formula.name:
    displayName: "Formula Name"

summaries:        # Custom summary formulas
  name: 'values.mean().round(3)'

views:            # One or more views
  - type: table | cards | list | map
    name: "View Name"
    limit: 10
    groupBy:
      property: property_name
      direction: ASC | DESC
    filters:      # View-specific filters
      and: []
    order:        # Properties to display
      - file.name
      - property_name
      - formula.name
    summaries:    # Property -> summary mapping
      property_name: Average

Filter Syntax

Operators

Examples

# Single
filters: 'status == "done"'

# AND
filters:
  and:
    - 'status == "done"'
    - 'priority > 3'

# OR
filters:
  or:
    - file.hasTag("book")
    - file.hasTag("article")

# NOT
filters:
  not:
    - file.hasTag("archived")

# Nested
filters:
  or:
    - file.hasTag("tag")
    - and:
        - file.hasTag("book")
        - file.hasLink("Textbook")
    - not:
        - file.hasTag("book")
        - file.inFolder("Required Reading")

Properties

Three Types

1. Note properties - From frontmatter: author or note.author
2. File properties - File metadata: file.name, file.mtime, etc.
3. Formula properties - Computed: formula.my_formula

File Properties

The this Keyword

• In main content: refers to base file itself
• When embedded: refers to embedding file
• In sidebar: refers to active file

Formula Syntax

formulas:
  total: "price * quantity"
  status_icon: 'if(done, "done", "pending")'
  formatted: 'if(price, price.toFixed(2) + " dollars")'
  created: 'file.ctime.format("YYYY-MM-DD")'
  days_old: '((now() - file.ctime) / 86400000).round(0)'

Functions Reference

Global Functions

Date Functions

Fields: .year, .month, .day, .hour, .minute, .second, .millisecond

Date Arithmetic

"date + \"1M\""         # Add 1 month
"date - \"2h\""         # Subtract 2 hours
"now() + \"1 day\""     # Tomorrow
"today() + \"7d\""      # Week from today
"now() - file.ctime"    # Milliseconds since creation

Duration units: y/year/years, M/month/months, d/day/days, w/week/weeks, h/hour/hours, m/minute/minutes, s/second/seconds

String Functions

Field: .length

contains(), containsAll(), containsAny(), startsWith(), endsWith(), isEmpty(), lower(), title(), trim(), replace(), repeat(), reverse(), slice(), split()

Number Functions

abs(), ceil(), floor(), round(digits?), toFixed(precision), isEmpty()

List Functions

Field: .length

contains(), containsAll(), containsAny(), filter(expr), map(expr), reduce(expr, init), flat(), join(sep), reverse(), slice(), sort(), unique(), isEmpty()

Filter/map/reduce use: value, index, acc (reduce only)

File Functions

asLink(display?), hasLink(file), hasTag(...tags), hasProperty(name), inFolder(folder)

Link Functions

asFile(), linksTo(file)

View Types

Table

views:
  - type: table
    name: "Tasks"
    order: [file.name, status, due_date]
    summaries:
      price: Sum

Cards

views:
  - type: cards
    name: "Gallery"
    order: [cover, file.name, description]

List

views:
  - type: list
    name: "Simple"
    order: [file.name, status]

Map

Requires lat/lng properties and Maps plugin.

Default Summary Formulas

Number: Average, Min, Max, Sum, Range, Median, Stddev Date: Earliest, Latest, Range Boolean: Checked, Unchecked Any: Empty, Filled, Unique

Common Patterns

# By tag
filters:
  and: [file.hasTag("project")]

# By folder
filters:
  and: [file.inFolder("Notes")]

# By date range
filters:
  and: ['file.mtime > now() - "7d"']

# By property
filters:
  and: ['status == "active"', 'priority >= 3']

Embedding

![[MyBase.base]]
![[MyBase.base#View Name]]

YAML Quoting

• Single quotes for formulas with double quotes: 'if(done, "Yes", "No")'
• Double quotes for simple strings: "My View"

References

• Bases Syntax
• Functions
• Views
• Formulas