Code Block Configuration

You can write Map of Content (MOC) queries manually in any markdown file by creating a code block with the language set to moc and adding a YAML configuration.

Syntax Overview

A basic moc code block looks like this:

```moc
folder: Diary
element: List
filter: contains("MOC")
recursive: true
```

---

Configuration Keys

folder (Required)

The folder path relative to the vault root where the plugin will search for markdown notes.

• Examples: Diary, Projects/Marketing, or "" (empty string to search the entire vault).
• Supports dynamic parameters: {{this.filename}}, {{this.folder}}, {{this.path}} (see Dynamic Parameters).

element (Required)

The specific markdown element to extract from matching notes. Must be one of the following:

• List: Bulleted or numbered list items.
• Task: Checkbox task items.
• Heading: Note headers (H1 to H6). The entire section (heading + body until the next same-level heading) is extracted.
• Paragraph: Markdown paragraph blocks.
• Blockquote: Markdown blockquotes.

filter (Required)

The matching condition applied to each candidate element. Supports both primitive functions and complex logical expressions.

• Supports dynamic parameters: {{this.filename}}, {{this.folder}}, {{this.path}}.

Primitive condition functions:

• String & text matches:

  • contains("term"): Evaluates if the element text contains the specified substring (case-sensitive). (has_word and has_text are backward-compatible aliases.)

    

• Regular expressions:
  • matches("regex_pattern"): Evaluates the element using a regular expression match. Supports optional slash-delimited format with flags, e.g. matches("/pattern/i").
• Tags:
  • has_tag("#tag"): Evaluates if the element contains the specified hashtag (fully tag-aware, case-insensitive, and matches subtags like #tag/subtag).
• Tasks (only when element is Task or List):

  • is_completed(): Matches completed tasks.

  • is_incomplete(): Matches incomplete tasks.

    

• Frontmatter properties:

  • properties(key == value): Matches files where the frontmatter property key equals value.

  • Supported operators: ==, !=, >, <, >=, <=.

  • Numeric values are compared numerically; ISO date strings (YYYY-MM-DD) are compared as dates; all other values are compared as strings.

  • Examples:

    • properties(status == "active")
    • properties(priority <= 2)
    • properties(date >= "2024-01-01")

    

Complex logical expressions:

Combine primitive conditions using AND, OR, and NOT. Use parentheses to enforce precedence.

Example: filter: contains("MOC") AND NOT (is_completed() OR has_tag("#todo"))

---

recursive (Optional)

A boolean determining whether subfolders of the target folder should also be searched.

• Values: true or false (defaults to false).

---

groupBy (Optional)

Groups the extracted elements under subheadings.

• Values:
  • folder: Groups elements by their source note's folder.
  • cday: Groups elements by their source note's creation date (YYYY-MM-DD).
  • mday: Groups elements by their source note's modification date (YYYY-MM-DD).
  • tag: Groups elements by the hashtag(s) found inside the element's text (elements with no tags fall under "Untagged").
  • property(key): Groups elements by the value of the specified frontmatter property key. Elements from notes where the property is missing or empty are grouped under (none).
  • Example: groupBy: property(status)

---

sort (Optional)

Sorts the matching source notes before processing and extracting elements.

• Format: <field> <direction>
• Fields: name (filename), ctime (creation date), mtime (modification date)
• Directions: asc (ascending), desc (descending)
• Example: sort: mtime desc

---

limit (Optional)

Limits the maximum number of markdown files processed. Must be a positive integer.

• Example: limit: 10

---

offset (Optional)

Skips the specified number of files at the start of the (sorted) file list before processing. Must be a non-negative integer. Use together with limit to paginate results.

• Example: offset: 5 (skip the first 5 files, then apply limit)

---

showCount (Optional)

When set to true, appends a result count summary at the bottom of the MOC block (e.g. 3 results in 2 files). When groupBy is active, each group heading also shows the number of elements in that group.

• Values: true or false (defaults to false).
• Example: showCount: true

---

excludeFolder (Optional)

Explicitly excludes one or more folders from the search results, even when they fall within the configured folder and recursive: true is set. Paths are relative to the vault root.

• Format: a single string or a JSON array of strings.
• Example (single): excludeFolder: Projects/Archive
• Example (multiple): excludeFolder: ["Projects/Archive", "Templates"]

---

excludeFile (Optional)

Explicitly excludes one or more files from the search results. Paths are relative to the vault root and can be specified with or without the .md extension.

• Format: a single string or a JSON array of strings.
• Example (single): excludeFile: Projects/Template
• Example (multiple): excludeFile: ["Projects/Template", "Daily/2024-01-01"]

---

template (Optional)

The name of a template note (not inline text) used to define a custom output format for each matched element. The template is applied after any applyFnR transformations.

Templates are resolved against the Template folder configured in Settings → Maps of Content. To use a template:

1. Set a Template folder in the plugin settings (e.g. Templates).
2. Create a note inside that folder whose content is the format string, using handlebars-style {{placeholder}} syntax — for example a note named bullet-link.md containing - {{content}} — [[{{path}}|{{file}}]].
3. Reference the note's basename (without .md) in the template key: template: bullet-link.

Available placeholders (used inside the template note's content):

Placeholder	Value
{{content}}	The matched element text
{{file}}	Source file basename (without extension)
{{path}}	Source file path relative to vault root
{{link}}	Wiki-link to the source file: [[path|basename]]

• Example: template: bullet-link (where Templates/bullet-link.md contains - {{content}} — [[{{path}}|{{file}}]])

---

applyFnR (Optional)

Applies reusable Find & Replace rules defined in the plugin's settings to the matched block contents. Can be a single rule name string or a JSON array of rule names. If an array is provided, the rules are applied sequentially in the specified order.

• Format: string or string[]
• Example (single): applyFnR: clean-headers
• Example (chain): applyFnR: ["strip-comments", "clean-headers"]

---

blockSeparator (Optional)

Defines the separator rendered between different matched blocks extracted from the same note.

• Values:
  • none (default): Blocks are joined directly (useful for joining consecutive lists).
  • divider: A horizontal rule --- is inserted between blocks.
  • newline: A blank line is inserted between blocks (useful for separating paragraphs).
• Example: blockSeparator: newline

---

noteSeparator (Optional)

Defines the separator rendered between block groups from different notes.

• Values:
  • newline (default): A single empty line separates note sections.
  • divider: A horizontal rule --- is inserted between note sections.
  • none: Note sections are joined directly without extra spacing.
• Example: noteSeparator: divider

---

Dynamic Parameters

You can dynamically include the current note's parameters in the folder and filter options using the following variables:

• {{this.filename}}: Expands to the current note's name (without the .md extension).
• {{this.folder}}: Expands to the name of the folder containing the current note.
• {{this.path}}: Expands to the full path of the current note (without the .md extension).

For example, to list elements from the Diary folder that contain the current note's name:

```moc
folder: Diary
element: List
filter: contains("{{this.filename}}")
recursive: true
```

---