@jacob.4ristotle – Since you started this thread and the whole feature request (which I still agree, should be a core Obsidian hotkey btw) just wanted to let you – and everyone who helped figuring this out! – know:
With your inspiration and help, the plugin is now in the directory and can be installed easily!
@akaalias: I have taken the plunge and started using the plug-in as is. What a joy, what an improvement on inline footnotes. I got yet a bit more joy out of using Obs! Thank you, Alexis.
Hey - I had forgotten about this for several months, using inline notes in the meantime. To wander back, find a flurry of comments, and discover a finished plugin was a wonderful surprise! I Just installed it - thank you to everyone who helped put this together!
Hi @Klaas! I’m super happy to hear you’ve started to use the plugin!
Since we had talked on the phone about further features - like re-indexing^1, using alongside inline footnotes^2 - I wanted to give you (and everyone else interested) a quick update:
In short: I have decided that I will not build out re-indexing of footnotes. The decision is based on time needed and keeping your notes safe.
Let me explain:
Before we spoke, I had a feeling it wouldn’t be straight-forward to implement. It turned out to be more complex and more brittle than expected.
More complex: It’s a hairball. Right after our call, I spent two full days immersing myself into figuring this out. I found so many new special cases that need to be taken into account that increased complexity geometrically. Now, this would take a lot of time but it could be done over a month or two.
More brittle: Things can really break. So, this is why I decided to not move forward, because even with the best of my ability, I would not be able to guarantee there is no serious data-loss when re-indexing in certain cases. Re-indexing with a single malformed (inline or other) footnote could – subtly – mess up the source file to the point of no recovery.
Because of this brittleness, I’ve decided that the heart-ache of unexpected and too-late-to-notice data-loss isn’t worth the “reward” of having indexes in edit mode in-sync with preview-mode.
In my personal experience, I like that using the plugin as-is with simple, increasing indexed footnotes, retains the “edit-mode story”, even though the footnote indexes in edit-mode are not in-sync with preview-mode.
Anyways, I just wanted to let you know and hope you can understand my reasoning even if it may feel like a let-down after our conversation.
TBH, I was surprised when you said it would be possible. When you sounded quite convinced it was possible, being a coding numskull I accepted it. And on that basis I decided not to wait any longer and switch from using inline footnotes to regular ones, that’s how relieved and enthusiastic I was.
Indeed, I have already experienced some confusion in the numbering difference between Edit and Preview, and caught myself thinking “I wonder when will Alexis release the reindexing upgrade?”.
OK, now I know it is not possible, so I will reconsider using regular footnotes. Yes, your plug-in as is, makes it a cinch to make them, but is it worth it? I wonder. I am the only one who can make that decision.
Many thanks for that plug-in, and more many thanks (if that’s possible ) for your effort to try the reindexing route.
Update 2 hours later: I have decided to revert to the inline footnotes because of that numbering confusion. In the theme I use the main text color draws attention more than the inline footnote text, although it is not ideal, of course. But then, nothing in life is perfect.
An aspect I had overlooked in the inline vs regular footnotes debate is refactoring.
If I have regular footnotes in a note and want to excise part of that note to another note or a new note, I have to see which footnotes are included, excise those as a separate action while ensuring that I excise the right ones - it is easy to make a mistake.
OTOH, with inline footnotes, which are embedded in the text in Edit mode rather than at the bottom like regular footnotes, I can do the excise in 1 action without worrying about taking the right ones. In fact, there is a refactoring plug-in that works fine for that.
For me this is another strong argument in favor of inline footnotes. No fiddling with footnotes at the bottom of the page and risking a wrong excise of them, and no confusion over numbering differences between Edit and Preview mode.
Seems to be only partially working on desktop, too. It adds the increasing link to the footnote, but doesn’t jump to the bottom to add the footnore itself
@akaalias thanks for putting in the effort, the plugin proves really handy so far. One thing I’ve noticed is that it fails to add an empty line before the bottom footnote, which requires it to be added manually for it to be rendered as a proper footnote (with the horizontal line right above it).
I also see this. I use the plug-in regularly; it’s very helpful. But with the latest update, it no longer jump to the bottom and add the link. I need to scroll to the bottom and add the link.
Please note that after installation, you still HAVE to manually set up the hotkey yourself!
Glad you found it and I hope the plugin helps you in your work.
AND back 
between footnote and detail.
) for your effort to try the reindexing route.