Add a link in Logos notes to a file in Obsidian

Arthur Werry
Arthur Werry Member Posts: 21 ✭✭
edited November 2024 in English Forum

In Logos notes, I can add a hyperlink to a web address.  It doesn't appear to be possible to make a similar link to an Obsidian file using the obsidian://open?vault=Main&file= etc. format.

More and more programs are allowing for these kinds of deep links, it would be great to see Logos add this feature as well.

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  • Fabian
    Fabian Member Posts: 1,105 ✭✭✭

    In Logos notes, I can add a hyperlink to a web address.  It doesn't appear to be possible to make a similar link to an Obsidian file using the obsidian://open?vault=Main&file= etc. format.

    More and more programs are allowing for these kinds of deep links, it would be great to see Logos add this feature as well.

    +1

    Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς δόξης· 

  • Fabian
    Fabian Member Posts: 1,105 ✭✭✭

    In Logos notes, I can add a hyperlink to a web address.  It doesn't appear to be possible to make a similar link to an Obsidian file using the obsidian://open?vault=Main&file= etc. format.

    More and more programs are allowing for these kinds of deep links, it would be great to see Logos add this feature as well.

    +1 for URI links

    Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς δόξης· 

  • Michael Ransom
    Michael Ransom Member Posts: 77 ✭✭

    Obsidian is an essential part of my workflow when it comes to notes management. Interestingly, I can open a Logos note from a URL link inside Obsidian, but not v.v. as you point out. Definitely +1 from me.

    Setting the URL thing aside for a moment, I'm interested in hearing how you use Obsidian in conjunction with Logos. I've been using Obsidian for ~2 years, and I think I've found a niche for it as a supplement to the Logos note tool.

    Mike

    Logos 10, 2024 M2 Macbook Air, Sequoia, < == > Obsidian

  • Arthur Werry
    Arthur Werry Member Posts: 21 ✭✭

    To be honest, I haven't put a lot of thought into the full implications of the integration yet.  But I am working on a "second brain" in Obsidian, so it makes sense to put Bible notes into Obsidian in order to have maximum visibility in searches. 

    What are your thoughts?

  • Michael Ransom
    Michael Ransom Member Posts: 77 ✭✭

    As much as I would like to continue this discussion, I'm pretty sure we would end up at odds with the Forum Guidelines about keeping things focused on Logos software. Maybe sometime in the future...

    Mike

    Logos 10, 2024 M2 Macbook Air, Sequoia, < == > Obsidian

  • Paul
    Paul Member Posts: 50 ✭✭

    To be honest, I haven't put a lot of thought into the full implications of the integration yet.  But I am working on a "second brain" in Obsidian, so it makes sense to put Bible notes into Obsidian in order to have maximum visibility in searches. 

    What are your thoughts?

    I use Obsidian for all my notes. Slowly moving them out of Logos. As an Obsidian user, I use Logos links in Obsidian frequently. Notes in Obsidian can contain links many different Logos resources such as passages, books, Factbook entries, Bible word studies, etc.

    I would love for Logos to create additional ways of linking outside of Logos. For example, I'd love to create a link in Obsidian that opened a specific Logos layout.

    One fantastic idea would be for Logos to create an Obsidian plugin that linked scripture passages back to Logos automatically instead of having to create links manually. Yes, I know that I'm only dreaming.

  • Arthur Werry
    Arthur Werry Member Posts: 21 ✭✭

    >For example, I'd love to create a link in Obsidian that opened a specific Logos layout.

    Exactly!  I work on sermons a month in advance... so I have multiple layouts going at any time.  It would be great to hit a keystroke and open the layout for the sermon 3 weeks from now.

    I asked for this over two years ago.

  • xnman
    xnman Member Posts: 2,984 ✭✭✭

    Paul said:

    I use Obsidian for all my notes. Slowly moving them out of Logos. As an Obsidian user, I use Logos links in Obsidian frequently. Notes in Obsidian can contain links many different Logos resources such as passages, books, Factbook entries, Bible word studies, etc.

    I would love for Logos to create additional ways of linking outside of Logos. For example, I'd love to create a link in Obsidian that opened a specific Logos layout.

    One fantastic idea would be for Logos to create an Obsidian plugin that linked scripture passages back to Logos automatically instead of having to create links manually. Yes, I know that I'm only dreaming.

    Maybe what would be better is.... if Logos was to create a Obsidian like linking system whereby Logosians could link things like Obisidian does. 

    xn = Christan man=man -- Acts 11:26 "....and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch".

    Barney Fife is my hero! He only uses an abacus with 14 rows!

  • Daniel Wurzberg
    Daniel Wurzberg Member Posts: 163 ✭✭✭

    whould you mind sharing how you organize and connect your notes in Obs?

    I'm only starting, so I'm looking for ideas. tnx

  • Paul
    Paul Member Posts: 50 ✭✭

    whould you mind sharing how you organize and connect your notes in Obs?

    I'm only starting, so I'm looking for ideas. tnx

    This might be much more detail about Obsidian than you really want, especially if you're only starting.

    I have a Bible Notes folder with a folder for each book. I number each folder/book so it sorts appropriately and I can easily move new notes into the correct folder. 101-Genesis; 102-Exodus; etc.

    Within each folder for the book, I create an overview/introductory note for the book. Within the 101-Genesis folder, I have a 101-Genesis note.

    In the folder I create a note for each chapter as needed. Genesis 01, Genesis 02, etc. I use two digit chapter numbers for each note to keep them organized and add aliases as well (Gen. 1, Gen 1, Genesis 1). The aliases help with linking from other notes.

    At the top of each chapter note, I put a link back to the introductory note (101-Genesis). I also add links to the previous and next chapters. Genesis 02 has links back to Genesis 01 and forward to Genesis 03.

    In the chapter note, I create level 6 headings for each verse (just the reference). As I study the passage, I add level 4 & 5 headings for ranges of verses to help with outlining. I keep the outline panel open to jump around to specific verses in the note.

    In the note, I add quotes with links back to Logos. I create other notes in Obsidian that function as a personal Bible dictionary. Backlinks at the bottom of each note are fantastic for quick references to other notes.

    Templates in Obsidian are very helpful to keep consistency in your note format and keyboard shortcuts are helpful for speed & efficiency.

  • Michael Ransom
    Michael Ransom Member Posts: 77 ✭✭

    My approach to leveraging Logos notes content using Obsidian:

    1. I do everything possible to avoid duplicating anything that already exists in Logos. The only common data point between Logos and Obsidian is the bible book/chapter/verse reference. Other than this, the faceted panel menus in Logos provide all of the indexing I need.

    2. When I complete a workflow in Logos (e.g., Inductive Bible Study), I copy the Logos workflow summary paragraph into Obsidian. I try to do something similar for articles and commentary quotations in each new Logos note. The point is to write a very short summary that captures the main point of the Logos note. That summary becomes my Obsidian atomic note.

    3. I use a very simple atomic note template in Obsidian that consists of a series of key::value pairs. Example: Biblical_citation::Genesis 1:1, Atomic_note::, or Questions:: These key::value pairs don't have any equivalent in Logos.

    4. Atomic notes are named with highly descriptive file names. E.g., "The effectiveness of our spiritual armor is proportional to the effectiveness of our prayers"

    5. I link the Obsidian notes in two directions - "Up" to a single Obsidian note (e.g., "Repentance") that aggregates all notes that are focused on that topic. And then I link the note "sideways" to other notes that have any kind of relationship to it, however remote that relationship might be. The "highly descriptive file names" help me do this pretty efficiently.

    6. Opening the local graph in Obsidian shows me all notes that are linked to any given note. So, essentially, I can view the entire ecosystem surrounding any Obsidian note and start to draw conclusions.

    7. The main value-add of Obsidian is its ability to show specific parts of notes. I'm currently working on a study of spiritual warfare. Obsidian excels at its ability to search within notes and build tables that answer questions like "within the general topic of spiritual warfare, show me my note summaries, my questions in each note, biblical citations, and every linked note". And I get only that - none of the other key::value content in the atomic note is displayed. It's an efficient way to declutter what I don't need at the moment.

    I'm a big believer in the value of the Logos note tool. Obsidian simply allows me to aggregate and think about the relationship of thoughts across many different layers and topics. Is this essential and useful? Still exploring...

    Mike

    Logos 10, 2024 M2 Macbook Air, Sequoia, < == > Obsidian

  • ds. P.J. Kotze
    ds. P.J. Kotze Member Posts: 120 ✭✭

    Paul said:

    One fantastic idea would be for Logos to create an Obsidian plugin that linked scripture passages back to Logos automatically instead of having to create links manually. Yes, I know that I'm only dreaming.

    What OS do you use, Win or Mac?

    Windows

    The Logos API are capable of scanning references and opening layouts.

    MacOS

    Using creative Applescripting can also accomplish Reference linking.

  • Anderson Abreu
    Anderson Abreu Member Posts: 580 ✭✭✭

    I put the following suggestion to Logos:

    https://feedback.logos.com/boards/logos-desktop-app/posts/the-logos-notes-system-could-work-with-the-markdown-format-like-the-obsidian-software-creating-a-neural-network-with-your-notes-and-sermons

    Logos could have its grading system redesigned to be more useful. I've started using the Obsidian software for grading notes with links between notes, so I thought it would be wonderful if Logos notes worked like Obsidian or Notion, which also creates links between notes. For those who don't know Obsidian yet, I suggest you look for good videos of it on YouTube. Obsidian uses the markdown format, which allows you to import and export notes to other services. It aims to create a neural network of information, connecting it logically and creating links with existing files.

    The idea is to have a notes system that acts as a "second brain". The notes are linked and interrelated in a fantastic index system, then it presents all the notes in a graphic system reminiscent of a neural network that is very similar to Logos' "Psalm Explorer" tool (which would already help in this process). If Logos had this function of making links between notes and sermons, we could build our entire life of notes, studies and sermons in a way that everything could be classified, interconnected and more easily located whenever we need to remember a note or subject.

    Imagine it all in one place and the power it would bring to Logos. Maybe, who knows, since everything you type in Obsidian is saved as simple .txt files to make it more compatible and exportable, Logos could have the function of letting Obsidian access your notes, or vice versa.

    ____________

    "... And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Ne 8.10)

  • Arthur Werry
    Arthur Werry Member Posts: 21 ✭✭

    Linking and deep linking is the future.  Apps that facilitate linking will thrive over those that don't.

  • Paul
    Paul Member Posts: 50 ✭✭

    What OS do you use, Win or Mac?

    ---

    Using creative Applescripting can also accomplish Reference linking.

    I use a Mac. From what I understand, AppleScript is fairly simple to use, but I am not ready to spend time investigating this right now. Keyboard shortcuts and text expansion suffice currently, although slower than automation.

    Thank you for the suggestion. I can add it to my "someday/maybe" list. Or maybe someone smarter than me has created this and will share.

  • Anderson Abreu
    Anderson Abreu Member Posts: 580 ✭✭✭

    Arthur Werryexactly!!! And even if it is a function that only more advanced users will use, it would add even more value to Logos and keep users even more engaged in the software. I would be willing to do EVERYTHING within Logos to have the incalculable benefit of interlinking notes and content.

    ____________

    "... And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Ne 8.10)

  • ds. P.J. Kotze
    ds. P.J. Kotze Member Posts: 120 ✭✭

    To link a Logos note to an obsidian note:

    1) On Mac I stripped the NoteId from the L4 link that I grab using cmd+c

    2) my filenames in obsidian use this id

    3) I use alias properties in obsidian to make links readable inside obsidian

    Pros: Both apps know what note it should link to in the other app

    Cons: only uuid’s in obsidian graphview

  • ds. P.J. Kotze
    ds. P.J. Kotze Member Posts: 120 ✭✭

    Arthur Werryexactly!!! And even if it is a function that only more advanced users will use, it would add even more value to Logos and keep users even more engaged in the software. I would be willing to do EVERYTHING within Logos to have the incalculable benefit of interlinking notes and content.

    When you do everyting inside Logos you can actually link anything to notes. The links are available from the three vertical dots in any open Panel. In notes you highlight the word, click the link icon and paste the link. 

  • Arthur Werry
    Arthur Werry Member Posts: 21 ✭✭

    >3) I use alias properties in obsidian to make links readable inside obsidian

    Yeah, I just paste the L4 link into Obsidian as a Markdown link so it can read however I want.

    Hookmark would be ideal if Logos would all for deep links.

  • Anderson Abreu
    Anderson Abreu Member Posts: 580 ✭✭✭

    ds. P.J. Kotze,  It's not the same and it's not as easy as we're talking about Obsidiam. Logos notes are slow to type. They seem to load or index with every letter you type. It's impossible to type a long text in Logos notes. And this process of copying the link from L4, which I use occasionally, is not at all practical. The idea would be to link one note to another by subject, title, etc. with the same ease and good depth as Obsidiam and providing great searches when looking for a topic.

    ____________

    "... And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Ne 8.10)

  • Raphael Beldzik
    Raphael Beldzik Member Posts: 8 ✭✭

    Not sure if this is the right forum for the request, so I just posted it again under "Suggestions" ;)

    SUGGESTION: Add feature to create a link to obsidian notes - Logos Forums

    Would love the feature too!

  • Anderson Abreu
    Anderson Abreu Member Posts: 580 ✭✭✭

    ____________

    "... And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Ne 8.10)

  • Bradley Grainger (Logos)
    Bradley Grainger (Logos) Administrator, Logos Employee Posts: 12,164

    Please try this again in the latest version of Logos; obsidian: URLs should be supported.

  • Arthur Werry
    Arthur Werry Member Posts: 21 ✭✭

    Perfect! The built-in links work and Advanced URI links work as well.

    Thank you so much!

  • Donovan R. Palmer
    Donovan R. Palmer Member, MVP Posts: 2,924

    I am pleased too… well done Team Logos!

    This works in Capacities as well. Markdown is the operative word. I have been moving in this direction, because as much as I love Obsidian, I have hit some barriers that object and block based knowledge processing overcomes. (think of a crossover of Obsidian, Logseq and Notion)

    Where I mostly use Logos with Obsidian/Capacities, is to form a reference note, from which I harvest main/atomic notes for my digital Zettlekasten slipbox. So deep links are a huge timesaver in keeping the connects to sources in notes.

    Now, if we could get Logos book highlights to sync with ReadWise… Logos would be a Kindle killer on any materials that overlap with Amazon. 😜

  • Rob Dekker
    Rob Dekker Member Posts: 20 ✭✭

    i love this idea. Only i would advocate for a obsidian concept in Logos itself, in stead of just having links to Obsidian. If Logos would adapt a Obisian concept (combining the canvas feature an the notes feature), than I personally wouldn't even use Obsidian anymore. I also added this idea: https://community.logos.com/discussion/245815/obsidion-like-feature-combining-notes-and-canvas#latest

  • Joey Kilgore
    Joey Kilgore Member Posts: 9 ✭✭
    edited April 21

    Hello! I've started using Logos and really enjoyed it, and so I started working on building a plug-in for connecting logos and obsidian.

    I currently have it submitted to the obsidian github so this can become an official plugin, but for the time being you can use the brat plugin to install the logos-ref plugin I've developed while we are waiting for the obsidian devs to make this official! PLEASE PROVIDE SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS PLUGIN! Go to the issues tab of the github page and leave suggestions.

    logos-ref plugin → https://github.com/joey-kilgore/logos-refs

    brat plugin to install unlisted plugins → https://github.com/TfTHacker/obsidian42-brat

  • Mark Honomichl
    Mark Honomichl Member Posts: 2 ✭✭

    Will this be coming to the iOS/iPadOS app any time soon?

  • Joey Kilgore
    Joey Kilgore Member Posts: 9 ✭✭

    Sorry for the slow reply! Just yesterday the obsidian devs were reviewing the plugin. So hopefully soon.

    I am planning to get it running on iOS (I have an iPad as well I hope to get it running on). I actually do have it running already with the BRAT plugin to install unpublished plugins. So it does work, but really excited to hopefully have this as a community plugin anyone can immediately install.

  • Joey Kilgore
    Joey Kilgore Member Posts: 9 ✭✭

    For everyone still on this thread, I am very pleased to announce that logos-refs is now an official plugin you can install in obsidian.

    Please give it a shot and install and see if you like it! I think this is something that there may be particular integration points with Logos (as people have noted including links that would open the document up in Logos itself) that I would like to develop in the future.

    For now the plugin gives an easy way to link all text that you copy and paste from Logos and provide the linking we all know and love in Obsidian. (Working on trying to improve the autogenerate bibliography feature as well!)

    Also @Mark Honomichl I just installed it on my iPad (make sure to have bibtex as the citation format in your settings) and it worked. Hope you get some use out of it, and please let me know if there are features I should work on!

  • Paul
    Paul Member Posts: 50 ✭✭

    @Joey KilgoreThank you for creating this. I have it installed and look forward to using the closer integration.

    I have been using Keyboard Maestro to create Obsidian links back to the Logos resource, but I have not been creating bibliographies. I can see where this will be helpful.

  • Mark Honomichl
    Mark Honomichl Member Posts: 2 ✭✭

    @Joey Kilgore That new plugin looks awesome, and I think I will get a lot of great use out of it. What I was wondering though is if links to Obsidian will work in the notes section of the Logos iOS app. Right now, I can create a link in the notes section to an Obsidian note on the desktop, and that works great. However, if I click on it from within the iOS app, nothing happens.

  • Joey Kilgore
    Joey Kilgore Member Posts: 9 ✭✭

    @Mark Honomichl Happy you like it, sorry to hear if the links are a bit of trouble on iOS (I'll look into it, but make sure on your phone you update the logos settings to copy as BibTeX there as well, I've found logos won't sync this setting across devices, so you have to set it on all of them, and then make sure to use the 'paste logos ref' command, not just a normal paste, within obsidian) Also, the GitHub is updates for easily submitting any issues, so please follow-up there!

    I really wish I could find a way to link between the two applications. I think it is possible to link from Obsidian to Logos (use ctrl+alt+c on windows to copy a web link to the reference and you can paste that in Obsidian) but it doesn't appear that Logos has any intention of allowing for URI support within Logos notes.

  • Bradley Grainger (Logos)
    Bradley Grainger (Logos) Administrator, Logos Employee Posts: 12,164

    it doesn't appear that Logos has any intention of allowing for URI support within Logos notes.

    As I posted earlier, this should be supported:

    Is there a specific scenario where it doesn't work?

  • Joey Kilgore
    Joey Kilgore Member Posts: 9 ✭✭
    edited May 10

    I had tried it before but must have done something wrong! I just tried it now with an example URI obsidian://open?vault=synced&file=999.z%20Pensees which will open note titled "999.z Pensees" in my vault "synced" (others can try this, the trick is replacing the spaces with %20).

    Thank you so much for the note @Bradley Grainger (Logos) :)

    I was able to use the copy URL command within Obsidian and it worked perfectly!

  • Antony Brennan
    Antony Brennan Member Posts: 883 ✭✭✭

    Not sure if I'm reading all of this correctly, but you can currently create a link in Logos that opens a particular note in Obsidian. You can also create a link in Obsidian that opens a particular note in Logos.

    In Obsidian you click on the ellipsis (three dots) in the top right of the note and in the dropdown menu click on 'Copy Obsidian URL.'

    Then in a note in Logos you type some text e.g. Obsidian Note, and use your curser to highlight the text.

    Then click on the 'Link' symbol on the toolbar in notes and paste the Obsidian URL into the open link box and click 'Save.'

    Now you have a link which when clicked will open the target Obsidian note in the Obsidian app.

    To do the reverse in Logos you click on the top ellipsis in a Logos note, for a resource you click on 'Share' and then 'Copy Link.'

    Then you go to Obsidian and type [](). In the square brackets you type your text, e.g. 'Logos Link' and in the round brackets you past your Logos link. (There should be no space between the square and round brackets.

    To stop Obsidian opening external links within the Obsidian you can right click on the link and choose 'Open in default browser,' or you can open settings/core plugins then find web viewer and toggle it off so links always open in the default browser/app

    If I am answering the wrong question just scroll on by.

    👁️ 👁️

  • Hans van den Herik
    Hans van den Herik Member Posts: 347 ✭✭

    Excelent plugin. Many thanks! However, it only works when Logos language is set to English. Trying to work with Language set to Dutch gives no results!
    Hans

  • Joey Kilgore
    Joey Kilgore Member Posts: 9 ✭✭

    Interesting 🤔, I'm not sure what is different across languages. Could you open an issue on the GitHub page and we could move the discussion there?

    https://github.com/joey-kilgore/logos-refs/issues