Obsidian Data Importer

Activation Conditions

• User uploads or provides CSV/JSON data files
• User requests Obsidian import assistance
• User mentions "Handlebars", "JSON/CSV Importer", "bulk import", or "data import"
• User wants to create multiple Obsidian notes from structured data

Quick Start (3 Steps)

1. Provide your data - Upload CSV/JSON file or paste content
2. Confirm mapping - Review proposed field assignments
3. Receive template - Get complete Handlebars template + instructions

System Architecture

obsidian-data-importer/
├── core/              → Processing engines (5 phases + 4 modules)
├── knowledge/         → Reference documentation (syntax, types, errors)
├── templates/         → Pattern library (8 templates + partials)
└── examples/          → Complete demonstrations (12 workflows)

Component Diagram

[Data Input]
    ↓
[DataParser] ──→ [FieldAnalyzer] ──→ [TemplateGenerator] ──→ [Validator]
    ↓                ↓                      ↓                    ↓
 Parsed         Field Inventory        Template String      Validation
  Structure                                                   Report
                                           ↓
                                   [InstructionComposer]
                                           ↓
                                    Complete Package

Workflow Overview

CSV/JSON → Parse → Analyze → Map → Generate → Validate → Deliver

Module Reference

Core Processing Modules

Knowledge Base

Template Library

Base Templates

• base-generic.hbs - Minimal universal structure
• base-full.hbs - Comprehensive with all features
• base-minimal.hbs - Bare essentials only

Domain-Specific Templates

• task-management.hbs - Tasks, projects, status tracking
• reference-material.hbs - Books, articles, sources
• people-contacts.hbs - Networking, relationships
• events-timeline.hbs - Chronological data
• inventory-catalog.hbs - Items, products, assets

Common Tasks (Quick Recipes)

Examples by Complexity

Simple (Start Here)

• 01-task-list-csv - Basic CSV with 5 fields
• 02-contacts-csv - Special character handling
• 03-books-json - Simple JSON structure

Intermediate

• 04-nested-json-projects - 2-level nesting
• 05-array-handling - Repeated elements
• 06-multi-source-merge - Data combination

Advanced

• 07-deep-nested-json - 3+ level hierarchy
• 08-complex-relationships - Entity linking
• 09-computed-fields - Derived values

Troubleshooting

• 10-special-chars-fix - YAML safety
• 11-empty-values - Conditional handling
• 12-type-mismatches - Type corrections

Integration & Extensions

Complementary Obsidian Plugins

• Templater - Post-import transformations and computed fields
• Dataview - Query and aggregate imported data
• QuickAdd - Manual data entry workflows
• Metadata Menu - Interactive frontmatter management
• Tag Wrangler - Hierarchical tag organization

Extending This Skill

1. Add custom templates - Place in

   templates/

   with metadata
2. Create domain patterns - Model specific industries or use cases
3. Build preprocessors - Transform data before import
4. Develop validators - Add custom validation rules
5. Share examples - Contribute to examples library

Graph Structure Optimization

• Use

  [[Wikilinks]]

  for entities that should become nodes
• Create MOCs (Maps of Content) for large imports
• Apply hierarchical tags (e.g.,

  project/alpha/task-001

  )
• Standardize date formats (ISO 8601)
• Preserve source URLs for traceability

Capabilities & Boundaries

✅ What This Skill Does

• Parse CSV and JSON data structures
• Analyze fields with type inference
• Generate YAML-safe Handlebars templates
• Validate syntax and preview output
• Provide complete usage instructions
• Suggest graph optimization strategies

❌ What This Skill Does NOT Do

• Perform the actual import (requires user + plugin)
• Modify source data files
• Install or configure the plugin
• Post-process notes after import
• Fix corrupted YAML in existing notes
• Real-time data synchronization

User Responsibilities

• Install JSON/CSV Importer plugin in Obsidian
• Save generated template to vault
• Execute import through plugin interface
• Review imported notes for accuracy
• Perform any post-import cleanup

Execution Mode

1. Detects format (CSV vs JSON)
2. Parses structure and analyzes fields
3. Generates field inventory with recommendations
4. Proposes template pattern based on data characteristics
5. Requests confirmation of field mappings
6. Constructs template with YAML safety
7. Validates syntax and generates preview
8. Delivers package with instructions

## 📊 Data Analysis

[Field inventory table with types and recommendations]

## 🎯 Recommended Approach

Pattern: [Selected template]
Note Names: [Field for filenames]
Target Folder: [Suggested location]

## ⚠️ Warnings

[Special character issues, data quality concerns]

## ✨ Template

[Complete Handlebars template with documentation]

## 👁️ Preview

[Sample output from first data row]

## 📋 Instructions

[Step-by-step import procedure]

## 🔧 Troubleshooting

[Common issues and solutions]

Metadata

• Obsidian (any recent version)
• JSON/CSV Importer plugin by "filing 42"
• Basic understanding of YAML frontmatter
• Familiarity with Markdown

• JSON/CSV Importer Plugin - Official repository
• Handlebars.js Guide - Template syntax reference
• YAML Specification - Format specification
• Obsidian Forum - Community support

Version History

Support & Contribution

• Check examples/troubleshooting/ first
• Review knowledge/error-resolution.md
• Consult knowledge/best-practices.md

• Add examples to demonstrate new patterns
• Submit custom templates for specific domains
• Report edge cases or issues
• Improve documentation clarity

Reception & Usage