To create a timed network, I use the Note Refactor plugin on a single file with headers/content sorted according to timestamp. The refactored files work well with the “Start graph timelapse” command, until you start moving refactored files into subfolders. This behaviour also occurs for manually created files:
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When moving files within Obisidian, the timelapse timing resets to whatever the vault is sorted at (e.g. Alphabetically, Created or Modified).
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When moving files outside Obisidian, the timelapse timing resets to the order in which moved files are (re)indexed.
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Additionally, when moving files into subfolders in batches, the timelapse starts from the first batch that is moved into a subfolder, then the second, etc. regardless of sorting. This scrambles the original order of creation.
Steps to reproduce
- Create some files (e.g. C, B, A, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1)
- Link files sequentially ( “C” > [[B]], “B” > [[A]], “A” > [[9]], “9” > [[8]] etc.)
- Run graph timelapse command, timelapse starts at “C”
- Sort files Alphabetically
- Move files into a subfolder
- Run graph timelapse again, now starts at “1”
Expected result
Timelapse animation in the order files were created, rather than the order of indexing.
Actual result
Timelapse animation in the order files were sorted/indexed.
Environment
- Operating system: Windows 10
- Obsidian version: 0.12.3
Additional information
The original ordering can be kept by sorting files Old to New. However, this workaround remains problematic when moving files from a single root folder into multiple subfolders: the original creation sequence is reordered according to the order in which files are moved into subfolders.
Suggestion
Run the graph timelapse based on timestamps found in YAML header, and fall back on system file creation date when missing.
