#1

This feature is a make or break feature, for me. It is the basic functionality that I am trying to find:

In GRAPH VIEW

Visualize the setup:

  1. Let's say that I have a node called "Train Station"
  2. "Train Station" has five nodes linked to it:
           - Train A
           - Train B
           - Train C
           - Train D
           - Train E

Desired Feature:

My goal is to scroll through the notes for the Trains, and NOT have the other trains disappear from the view, nor from the sidebar.

The graph would show that “Train Station” is still active. And when I view the note for “Train A”, I can still see the nodes for “Train B” Train C" “Train D” and “Train E”. These nodes are still showing on the graph, and they are still showing on the right hand sidebar. Since I am looking at “Train A”, that node is highlighted. I can then click on another note (for example, the note for “Train B”) in the right hand sidebar, to view and edit that note. The graph stays the same, except that now “Train B” is highlighted in the graph, while I look at and edit the note.

What happens currently:

As soon as I view the note for “Train A” all of the nodes for the other trains disappear, and I have lost all context for what I am trying to do.

Is this a feature that others want? For me, it seems like a basic functionality/ one of the first core features that would be implemented; so I’m not sure if I’m just looking at this differently than others.

Without this feature, I feel like I have to keep looking for some other app, to meet my basic goals.

Thanks for your consideration.

VISUAL MOCKUPS:

viz-02
viz-021463×847 129 KB

viz-01
viz-011463×847 99.3 KB

Graph view: how to keep a node highlighted?
#2

View Train Station’s local graph, then click “unlink pane” in the note’s top menu. That should get you most of the way there, no?

#3

I’ll try that. Did you happen to see the mockups I just added for clarification. Is that still the same vein that you’re talking about?

#4

Yep! (a) The local graph is just a graph anchored to a given note with customizable depth; (b) unlinking a backlinks pane or local graph pane of a note lets you focus on other notes while still keeping the backlinks/local graph pane.

#5

Thanks for your help! I’ll try that and then post again here.

#6

Okay, so I tried that. And here are the tweaks:

  1. Minor navigation difference: You have to unlink the note from the side panel before you open the local graph. Once you open the graph, that option disappears in the menu on the upper right hand side of the note/ there are different menu options available.

    • Edit: I’m new to this, so I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong, but the above step is no longer working for me. (Not sure what I did differently). To get it to work, I’m having to use the pin button to pin the tree before clicking on the nodes, and then it works as expected.

  2. Yes, that DOES keep the local graph in place and let you click around the notes on the graph, which is GREAT. So, it does indeed get me most of the way there.

  3. What it does NOT do is: It does not keep the tree in the side panel. I would also like to be able to scroll between notes on the local graph, in the side panel.

So: UPDATED FEATURE REQUEST:

To be able to PIN the right hand side bar to the local graph; so that it is a list of all of the notes in that graph.

How you explained to keep the local graph in place, is indeed the most important part of my original request, so THANKS! But, that other feature would also be really helpful.

Thanks again!

#7

Do you mean the backlinks pane for the “Train Station” note? The same procedure you used to get a fixed local graph for the note should also work for the list of backlinks for the note!

#8

That’s not working for me.

It goes like this:

  1. Pin the node of the Train Station.
    • now I can click around the graph, and the graph stays in place; as expected.
  2. Click on “Train A” in the sidebar
    - Now, the page for “Train A” appear; as expected.
  3. What is happening: Now that “Train A” page is open, the backlinks to “Train A” are showing in the sidebar.
    - What I want to happen: To pin the list of backlinks to “Train Station” (the backlinks for the graph node that I pinned), so that the list of links on the sidebar does not change as I click through them. I want to click through “Train A”, “Train B”, “Train C”, etc.

So, what I’m trying to do is also be able to pin the list of backlinks in the sidebar.

#9

The workflow is:

  • Open Train Station's backlinks pane
  • Pin the backlinks pane

The backlinks pane for Train Station now stays fixed while you navigate throughout other notes in Obsidian.