Aliases for note names

[Sellaro]

It would be useful to link to the same file in different ways. On top of the regular [[File Name|Other Name to Display]] notation, it would be great to have some kind of aliasing.

For example: [[Economics]] and [[economics]] would link to the same file without the need to add the extra “|Other Name” thing. Another example: [[GTD]] and [[Getting Things Done]].

The benefit of using aliasing is related to consistency. Users relying on bcklinks and unlinked references would benefit greatly from this feature/plugin.

See more use cases here: Unlinked section includes partial matches

[lukasf]

I’m posting to provide another example and +1 the idea.

I am working with Norse mythology. Many of the translations of the original sources anglicize names and do so with different spellings. Odin might be written “Odin”, but it might also be written “Oðinn” or a kenning might be used: “Lóðurr’s friend”. (Some of the other nouns have many more spellings.) Additionally, sometimes differing names (as opposed to spellings) might refer to the same thing.

I want to be able to quote the translations as they are written, but have backlinks and unlinked mentions work. Currently backlinks can be handled with [[Page|Some text]] notation, but aliases would be easier and faster. Unlinked mentions don’t work at all unless the name happens to be spelled in the translation the same way as the file name.

[mrweckx]

Maybe you can check out an alias feature script i did a couple days ago using python.

Download Implementable Alias feature using Python

Hi everyone, I’ve made an alias plugin for obsidian using python. Check it out on: The purpose is to include in a page a line with #alias=‘myalias’ so everytime you cite that page like [[mypage]] without an alias it rewrites it to [[mypage|myalias]]. It also includes a backup version history function and correction to internal links to the alias ( [[mypage|wrongalias]] => [[[[mypage|myalias]] ) Feel free to check it out, ask anything here or on the github page or develope it if you want. …

It’s working rn so check if it’s useful for you.
I’m also working so it can changes the alias based on the current language you are using (for example ADN in spanish or DNA in english).
I may update if for the language support in a couple of weeks so let me know if you are interested
@lukasf

[lukasf]

@mrwreckx Thanks for the response. If I understand correctly, this makes sure “mypage” always appears as “myalias” in links. My use case is almost the opposite. I want “mypage” to have a canonical spelling—which I’ll use in my notes—but refer to it in many different ways when citing translated works (e.g., “[[mypage|ye olde page]]”, “[[mypage|mypaige]]”).

This is already possible in Obsidian and backlinks work correctly. Unforutately, unlinked references to “mypaige” don’t show up though, because the software has no idea that “mypaige” is an alias for “mypage”. It’d also be nice to just be able to type [[mypaige]] and have it work.

I’m not sure if my use case is common. If not, I’ll probably just whip up some python of my own to manage the aliases for the purpose of finding unlinked mentions.

[PhDResearch]

Absolutely. And at the heading level too, esp. for linking and unmentioned links purposes.

[Simulation1]

+1
I use Obsidian in 3 different languages and it would be useful to give notes alternative names. This way unlinked mentions are made along the way independently of the language and i don’t have to remember in what language the note was.

Use cases:

• abbreviations
• other languages
• alternative spellings
• synonymous terms
• (not showing the Zettelkasten prefix)

Proposal:

1. When an internal link with a custom link name is made it is indexed as a alias. Once you write [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] every time you make a link and search for “AI” “Artificial intelligence” shows up. Backlinks and unlinked mentions are made with both terms.
2. Note name: Artificial intelligence|AI|Inteligencia Artificial|Künstliche Intelligenz
   Only the first term shows up unless the name is clicked to be edited avoiding clutter.
   When making an internal link the note can be found with any of these names and the link is automatically made with the alternative name. [[Artificial intelligence|AI]]

[malecjan]

With nuance, that aliases after pipe character would be stored within file itself, not in filename, e.g. within first header, because “|” is not allowed in filenames, which are currently used as the only way to interlink files in Obsidian.
Storing all aliases in filename would easily excede maximum pathlength for given filesystem.

[malecjan]

@Simulation1

When an internal link with a custom link name is made it is indexed as a alias.

When such link is created, a prompt should pop up and Alias should be added to target-note only after confirming the prompt. Escape should cancel prompt without creating the alias, to avoid cases where frequent phrase “Click [[linktarget|here]]” makes from “here” alias for “everything”.

[noheton]

I would love to be able to have notes carry multiple names. It would be great to be able to give a note multiple titles (or aliases) which can be extended later on.

Let me give you my rationale for this:
When I am taking notes currently I have to keep in mind to use the same termininology as the page names so I can easily link them later on through mentions (which causes a high cognitive load - and this grows the more notes you have).
For example (maybe not the best) I have a note called “augmented reality”. Every time I capture a new note I have to write “augmented reality” to get a “mention” if I just abbreviate to “AR” or just use the term “mixed reality” Obisidan cannot help me to establish the link later on.
(By the way my process is “write first” - I only add links occasionally while writing not religiously.)

I think it would be super useful to be able to generate these links after the fact.

Would love to hear your opinion on that.

[lizardmenfromspace]

• Aliases for file references
• Download Implementable Alias feature using Python

[Ampa]

I use note name aliases frequently in WikidPad - which was my note taking app of choice before I discovered Obsidian.

+1 for allowing note name aliases.

[robotsheepboy]

I agree this would be helpful, I usually get around this at present through a liberal use of link aliases e.g. [[differentiation | derivative]] in the body of the text and a liberal use of tags at the end of the relevant notes

[rcorty]

I agree this would be a great feature. How do you think it would make the most sense to tell Obsidian that “AR” is an alias for “Augmented Reality”?

Maybe a special tag in the “Augmented Reality” file like…

#alias:AR

?

At present, it seems like the colon character ends the tag. Could introduce a new tag character, e.g. @, but that seems like a big change in grammar for a relatively small use.

Maybe one could maintain a separate file where one lists all the aliases, such as

Augmented Reality : AR, MR, mixed reality

And a plug-in could parse through the vault and replace [[AR]] with [[Augmented Reality|AR]]?

[KillerWhale]

Just chiming in to absolutely second that feature. DEVONthink has it and, joined to its ability to automatically parse text for aliases even if you haven’t manually put a wiki link in there, it’s a killer linking feature.

[JohnAtl]

Aliases would be really nice. I have somewhat of a workaround for my situation. My research involves brain areas, and they have (horrible) directional adjectives added to them to narrow down where they are. For instance, the prefrontal cortex has an area ‘dorsolateral prefrontal cortex’. So usually these areas could be covered in a single note. I can use the pipe, of course, to show a different title and do something like [[prefrontal cortex|dorsolateral prefrontal cortex]]. But I’ve found something that might be better. A single note, prefrontal cortex, then headers for the different more specific areas. So my link would be [[prefrontal cortex#dorsolateral|dorsolateral prefrontal cortex]] then I’d have the heading ### dorsolateral within my prefrontal cortex note. That lets me be a little more specific about where I am linking, but also lets me keep notes that are anatomically or conceptually related together in the same note.

[EdElgar]

Late the to party on this topic.

Is it still an active request? Was it solved?

My case is linguistic. To have a single definitional note that the reference in more than language points to. For example the note " בַּשִּׁלְטוֹן" can be reached with [[בַּשִּׁלְטוֹן]]and [[command]] and [[rule]].

[den]

1. When I have note [Car] I want to that link will go also when I mention Cars

[icebear]

I keep a multilingual Obsidian. If I have a note titled “España”, any notes with the phrase “Spain” in them will not be included in Unlinked Mentions. It would be great if I could define multiple terms are used to generate the unmentioned links list.

For a non-language usage, consider USA / United States of America / United States / U.S.A. / US / U.S. - it would be great if all of these pointed the one single note on the topic.

Perhaps this could be defined in the first or last line of a note, using a YAML prefix.

[rigmarole]

@icebear

I keep a multilingual Obsidian. If I have a note titled “España”, any notes with the phrase “Spain” in them will not be included in Unlinked Mentions.

That’s another great example use-case for aliases, so I merged into this existing thread.

[Darkholy]

Yep, +1 for this