[Plugin] Inline *as-the-hood* spreadsheet (like) editor for tables

Plugins ideas
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Tables can be mess to work with :weary: if you are habituated to divinely spreadsheets, to admit, it is difficult even in WYSIWYG editors. :sweat_smile:
So think how difficult it could be in a Markdown editor.
(Please be little light on me when countering my argument, I could have started this post with an alternate argument and still have expected bricks and bat)

I propose a very revolutionary plugin for that.
Spreadsheets offer a good way of constructing tables.
How about an inline spreadsheet that allow you to navigate across cells on a arrow key press, allowed =functions, in the least?

This could be very good addition when a WYSIWYM (Typora-like) editing mode will arrive.
Some members are also talking about having embedded spreadsheets, though that’s different in context, but they may like this.

An inline spreadsheet will work as a cover making appropriate changes on the .md file and allowing user to navigate, create cells simply by arrow keys.

This plugin may trigger when we use two pipes ‘| |’ or something else like a hotkey.

It will first create a cell and allow input, when you either press enter key or tab key will create new cell below or beside respectively. And diagonal movement will extend the table diagonally, (don’t ask me how to move diagonally).

And when you press esc you will come out of table mode into normal editing.

IMG_20201008_135835
(Image for illustration only, Source Google)

I just expect two things:

  • Navigation
  • Functions

Functions can be implemented this way:
Store only final result in .md file.
Store corresponding functions in a .json file, in same folder but hidden in file tree.

This may arise need for assigning title to each cell, I don’t have any idea how to solve this.

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Something for the developers,

I got know about SheetJs.
This may help you in developing the plugin.
And this plugin may be developed as a core (instead of 3rd party) plugin, because it will provide a USP to your creation.

It will give you another advantage of product differentiation. I suppose no other app has a feature of inline spreadsheet.

Hoping for best :slightly_smiling_face:

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@ahmed: an interesting suggestion.

My other markdown editor is Typora, and there one can copy/paste spreadsheets from Excel, LibreOffice Calc, ……

I hope the WYSIWYG version of Obsidian will support that too, and your suggestion is 1 step further.

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This is very late, but the inability to transclude embed excel sheets would be my number one goal. Following that, being able to quickly edit spreadsheets like this would be amazing. I’ve used the advanced tables plugin (not gone through the intricacies of it) and it was find to use for short tables but if one was going to make anything larger, it would definitely be a struggle. I really support this!

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