# Obsidian - My New Tab Screen (Dataview Examples) ![[images/Obsidian-My-New-Tab-Screen-Dataview-Examples.webp]] [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF2g1N1GrmM) · 37:25 · Josh Plunkett · 2023-07-08 > Written from the video's full English automatic captions (en-orig track via yt-dlp, default player client). Chapter times come from the description, and the Dataview code is transcribed from on-screen frames. Text versions of the Dataview examples are on [obsidianttrpgtutorials.com](https://obsidianttrpgtutorials.com/Obsidian+TTRPG+Tutorials/Plugin+Tutorials/Community+Plugins/Dataview/Dataview). ## Outline ### 00:00 Intro - An in-depth look at his **New Tab page**: pressing the **+ New Tab** button opens a custom note instead of an empty tab. - This video doesn't cover setup. That's in an earlier video. The plugin is (he thinks) called **Default New Tab Page**: install it and pick the note you want opened whenever a new tab is created. - Everyone's needs differ. This is his landing page and a shortcut hub for the things he uses most while running his game. - **Layout:** the top is just a **Markdown table with image cells** and link cells underneath. The images are only eye candy. The links are what he actually uses. ![[images/Obsidian-My-New-Tab-Screen-Dataview-Examples-t0110.webp]] *The "Deadly Depth Inn" New Tab page: image links to Faerun, The Journey Board, Chapter 10 – The Sea of Moving Ice and Character Sheets; a player Dataview table; a Session Journals infobox on the right; Recently Modified Notes; and the Initiative Tracker encounter sidebar.* ### 01:27 Map - The first link goes to his **Faerûn map**. He tries to keep the X/Y coordinates of the map's starting point in line with where the party is (he admits it's out of date, since the party is now much further north). - It's his go-to for "where is this location?" When the party heads somewhere, he clicks the map pin to open that place's note and read up on it. ### 02:12 Journey Board - The **Journey Board** tracks the party's adventures. It's now partly a historic record of where they've been. Further down, he plans the characters they'll meet and the key campaign elements. - It also holds snippets and links, like a link to an NPC's note so he can grab their statblock. - It's built with the **Excalidraw** plugin. He could use **Canvas**, but he's "not a fan of Canvas yet" because it's more restrictive. Excalidraw makes it easy to throw in pictures and draft ideas. He usually keeps it open while playing. ![[images/Obsidian-My-New-Tab-Screen-Dataview-Examples-t0220.webp]] *The Excalidraw Journey Board: a flowchart of locations and events the party has visited, with images, sticky-note boxes and a scroll graphic.* ### 03:32 Dungeon Map - The third link goes to the **chapter he's running**. He plays published modules ("I don't have time to do my own world building") and runs sessions straight from the chapter note, with highlighted text and his encounters embedded. - He now keeps the **dungeon map pinned in the left sidebar**, so he can see which room the party is in. He has also added maps for the next couple of dungeons. - **Pinning trick:** drag the image or note into the sidebar, right-click it and choose **Pin**. Clicking it then opens it in the main pane. This is now part of his process for each chapter. ### 05:00 Character Sheets - The last link goes to character sheets. He admits he rarely clicks it. It's mostly there for screenshots, so people who are new to Obsidian or shopping for a campaign manager can see what's possible. Put whatever you like there. ### 05:47 Tables - In edit mode the section is literally a table. The top row holds four **pasted images** (screenshots or images found online) in four cells. - He uses the **ITS Theme** image adjustments to make the images the same size. Without the adjustment, an image "blows up" to full size. The trick is a **pipe** after the image name followed by the adjustment keywords. - Find them in Settings → Appearance → Themes → ITS Theme → **ITS Theme Documentation → Image Adjustments**. You can stack and combine adjustments. - **Escaping pipes in tables:** tables use `|` to split cells, so a pipe inside a link or image embed has to be escaped as `\|`. Removing the backslash breaks the table, because the pipe is read as a new cell edge. - The second row is just **wikilinks to notes** (some renamed with an escaped `\|` alias). They're handy shortcuts he changes as the adventure moves on. ### 09:10 Dataview - The next block is his **player roster**, built with the **Dataview** plugin. He notes there are more rows than there should be and it needs better filters. - A commented-out block (wrapped in `%%`) used to render a **Heatmap Calendar** of session dates with clickable boxes to session journals. It stopped working when 2023 started, possibly because of a date-format issue with Australian dates. He left the code commented out and disabled the **Heatmap Calendar** plugin. ### 11:25 Dataview Table - The roster is a simple `TABLE` query reading from his party folder (**1. The Party/Deadly Depth Inn**). It shows the file plus Class, Race, level and Role columns, filtered by `where Role = "Player"`. - **Player-note frontmatter:** player (the real person's name), class, race, level, modifier, ac, hp, passive perception, role, `noteIcon` (used with **Supercharged Links**, which adds a wizard icon wherever a player is mentioned) and **status**. Some fields also feed the **Initiative Tracker**. - The goal is to hide players whose status is `inactive`. ### 13:23 Dataview Query Builder - The trick to writing your own queries: go to **obsidianttrpgtutorials.com** → Plugin Tutorials → **Dataview and Other Advanced Plugins**. There you'll find the Getting Started with Dataview video, plugin links, the **Basic Dataview Query Builder** and his **Dataview Examples** page. ![[images/Obsidian-My-New-Tab-Screen-Dataview-Examples-t2230.webp]] *The updated New Tab page: the roster's first column is now "Character Name" and only active players are listed. On the left is a DM Board with AC and passive perception plus New Magic Item, New NPC, New Location and New Guild buttons. On the right is the Session Journals infobox.* - Walking through the builder: Table → paste the comma-separated frontmatter columns → notes from a specific folder (paste the subfolder path) → filter where a field equals a value (`status = active`, and he looks for a way to also require `role = player`) → sort by note name ascending → one result line → show every result. The output closely matches what he already had, apart from the sort. He removes the line breaks it adds. ### 17:48 Dataview Tables - He can't remember the syntax for combining filters, so he searches his own **Dataview Examples** page and finds it. Two `where` lines are applied together: ```dataview TABLE WITHOUT ID link(file.name) AS "Character Name", Player, Class, Race, level, Role from "1. The Party/Deadly Depth Inn" where (Role = "Player") where (Status = "Active") ``` - **Renaming the first column:** `TABLE WITHOUT ID link(file.name) AS "..."` replaces the default "File" header. `link(file.name)` keeps it a clickable link (and Supercharged Links icons still show). - A second **DM Board** table lists Character Name, Player, AC and Passive Perception, so he can make secret checks without asking players. **Buttons** (New Magic Item, New NPC, New Location, New Guild) prompt for a note name, apply a template and file the note in the right folder (covered in another video). - He keeps both player and character names because he's "horrendous with remembering names" and likes to address players in character at the table. ### 23:02 Info Box - **Session Journals** sits on the right using the **ITS Theme infobox callout** (`> [!infobox]`). The ITS docs (Callout Adjustments → Info boxes) explain how to float boxes left, right or center. He uses them all the time, and here it fills otherwise empty space. - The **+New** link points to a **Database Folder** note ("Create New Session Journal"). From there a button creates a new journal entry. He admits it may need some attention since he hasn't used it lately. - **Dataview inside a callout:** prefix every line with `> `. You only need the opening fence. Adding the closing backticks inside the callout breaks the code. ![[images/Obsidian-My-New-Tab-Screen-Dataview-Examples-t2910.webp]] *Edit mode: the commented-out Heatmap Calendar code above, the ITS infobox with a "+New" Database Folder link and a Session Journals Dataview table, and the Character Name player query below.* ### 25:19 Edit Mode - He renames the journal column to **Session Date**. The other columns are **Status** (an emoji), **players** (how many showed up) and **OneLiner** (a short string). - **Session journal frontmatter:** the note name is the date, year first (e.g. 2023-05-28) so it sorts correctly. It also has timeline fields for a timeline plugin ("ignore"), session status (`planned`/`occurred`), `type: Session Journal`, session date, players, status emoji and a one-liner. He writes quick dot points at the end of each session while it's fresh. - **Various Complements** offers suggestions as you type, including in frontmatter, so previously used values like `planned`/`occurred` appear as a drop-down. It can be overbearing (Enter inserts a full link, so sometimes you press Escape), but he thinks the automatic linking is worth it. - He puts a `type` field on most notes as a high-level filter. Status emojis come from the **Windows + .** emoji picker as a visual check that the session happened. - Journal bodies use **no plugins**, because he publishes them with **Obsidian Publish**, which generally doesn't support plugins. ### 28:30 Session Journals - The query breakdown: infobox → title → link → `TABLE WITHOUT ID link(file.name) AS "Session Date", Status, players, OneLiner from "2. Session Journals/Deadly Depth Inn" where (type = "Session Journal") SORT file.name DESC`. - Sorting by file name **descending** puts the most recent session first and shows how many sessions the party has played in this adventure (older entries include Pathfinder 2e test sessions). - He finds this cleaner and easier than the old Heatmap Calendar. - **Recently Modified Notes** at the bottom is another "screenshot" feature he rarely uses. For jumping back he usually right-clicks the back/forward arrows for history, which he thinks comes from the **Pane Relief** plugin. ![[images/Obsidian-My-New-Tab-Screen-Dataview-Examples-t3210.webp]] *The Recently Modified Notes query: file.folder + file.name links, file.mtime as Last modified, the last 30 days, folder exclusions (z_Assets, Inline Scripts, z_Templates, daily notes, BRAT), newest first, limit 10.* - How it works: `link(file.path, file.folder + " / " + file.name) AS "Note"` shows the folder with the name, and `file.mtime AS "Last modified"` uses the Windows modified time. `WHERE file.mtime >= date(today) - dur(30 days)` limits it to the last 30 days, `file.name != this.file.name` excludes the dashboard itself, and `!contains(file.path, "...")` excludes folders he doesn't care about. It ends with `SORT file.mtime DESC` and `LIMIT 10`. You have to maintain the exclusion list yourself. ### 33:13 Conclusion - It's not an overly complex note, just sections pieced together. Others have copied and reworked it with their own text or NPC lists. - Ideas: replace Recently Modified with the **last 10 NPCs or locations touched**. If they work, they'll go on the site under Plugin Tutorials → Dataview and Other Advanced Plugins → **Dataview Examples**. - **Dataview isn't plug and play.** His examples contain his own vault folder paths, so you have to adapt them. - Everything depends on the **Default New Tab Page** plugin. Its only setting is the note to open. "Very simple, very powerful." - He'll post a full write-up on the website. He apologizes for his **TikTok** videos ("trying to breach into that younger audience" beyond graph-view hype). - **Patreon changes:** he's moving everything, including his vault that used to be patron-only, to his free Publish site, so nothing sits behind a paywall. Patreon stays as a way to say thanks. "Happy dice rolling." ## Things mentioned ### Obsidian plugins and core features - **Default New Tab Page** (free community plugin, his recollection of the name): opens a chosen note on every new tab - **Dataview** (free community plugin): `TABLE`, `TABLE WITHOUT ID`, `link(file.name) AS`, `where`, `SORT`, `LIMIT`, `file.mtime`, `file.folder`, `dur()`, `!contains()` - **Heatmap Calendar** (free community plugin): old session heatmap, disabled after a 2023 date issue and commented out with `%%` - **Excalidraw** (free community plugin): the Journey Board, which he prefers over core **Canvas** for now - **Supercharged Links** (free community plugin): icons on links based on frontmatter (`noteIcon`) - **Initiative Tracker** (free community plugin): encounter sidebar that also reads player frontmatter - **Buttons** + **Templater** (free community plugins): New Magic Item, New NPC, New Location and New Guild buttons - **Database Folder** (free community plugin): the "Create New Session Journal" +New entry point - **Various Complements** (free community plugin): autocomplete with frontmatter value memory - **Pane Relief** (free community plugin, his best guess): right-click history on the navigation arrows - A timeline plugin (frontmatter fields in session journals, not covered) - Probably **Obsidian Leaflet** (free) for the Faerûn map with start coordinates (listed in his site's plugin tutorials) - Core features: Markdown tables (escape pipes with `\|`), pinned sidebar tabs, `%%` comments, callouts - **Obsidian Publish** (paid): publishes his session journals and tutorial site (plugins generally don't render) ### Themes and CSS - **ITS Theme** (free, by SlRvb): **Image Adjustments** (pipe modifiers to size images) and the **infobox** callout (`> [!infobox]`), documented in the ITS Theme Documentation ### Websites and tools - [obsidianttrpgtutorials.com](https://obsidianttrpgtutorials.com) (free): Plugin Tutorials → Dataview and Other Advanced Plugins, including Getting Started with Dataview, [Dataview tutorials](https://obsidianttrpgtutorials.com/Obsidian+TTRPG+Tutorials/Plugin+Tutorials/Community+Plugins/Dataview/Dataview), Dataview Examples, Travel Calculation, Buttons with Templater and Bag of Tips Terrific Templates - [Basic Dataview Query Builder](https://s-blu.github.io/basic-dataview-query-builder/) (free web tool by s-blu) - [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md/) (free) - Windows emoji picker (**Win + .**) - [Josh's Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/JPlunkett) (paid, optional): moving to a thanks-only model, with his vault going public on the Publish site - TikTok (his short-form Obsidian clips) ### TTRPG content - D&D 5e **Rise of Tiamat** campaign "Deadly Depth Inn": Chapter 10 – The Sea of Moving Ice, the Ice Lair and Hluthvar session notes - **Forgotten Realms / Faerûn** map - **Pathfinder 2e** test sessions (E01–E03) in his session journals - Player characters: Ariah Eran, Chance, Garvok, Ewyn Stafwind, Rhytsar Kharn, Lav Lazno, Rodge Stagswift and others ### Free vs paid (quick) - Free: Obsidian, every plugin shown, the ITS Theme, the query builder, the tutorials site and his Dataview Examples - Paid: Obsidian Publish (his site), optional Patreon ## Bios - **Josh Plunkett**: Australian GM behind Obsidian TTRPG Tutorials (YouTube and obsidianttrpgtutorials.com). He runs published D&D 5e modules (and Pathfinder 2e tests) from Obsidian. In mid-2023 he was moving his previously patron-only vault content onto his free Obsidian Publish site. - **SlRvb**: Creator of the **ITS Theme**, whose Image Adjustments and infobox callouts Josh uses throughout this dashboard. It's documented on an Obsidian Publish site. - **Michael Brenan (blacksmithgu)**: Developer of the **Dataview** plugin, the query engine behind every table on the page. - **s-blu**: Developer of the free **Basic Dataview Query Builder** web tool, which walks users through building simple Dataview queries step by step.