Support escaping symbols used in the syntax of global search

Feature requests
1

The symbols used to form a query for the global search are not usable directly ()[]: OR. They are only usable when they are within a string, delimited by quotation marks " ,
example "(this)".

Proposed solution

Support escaping those symbol, example \(this\).

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2

Use case or problem

Since version 1.4.5, it’s impossible to search for text containing : unless it is within a string delimited by quotation marks ", example "this: text"

Proposed solution

Support escaping :, example this\: text

This is already supported for square brackets \[ \].

3

There is the option to use regex, e.g., both /test:/ and /test\:/ work for me.

4

“Escaping” (colons, square brackets) special characters in code projects is one thing, (example: bash shell syntaxes)

But another thing is if we have to add them manually because an application isn’t able to parse searches with special characters.

Basically, i expect Obsidian to parse special characters for me, for following reasons:

  • to type escape I’ve to press cmd+shift+7 on my keyboard, that’s cumbersome, it’s not just a simple character
  • i don’t want to add escape chars at all, this is a parsing/ computer issue, not my issue
  • Obsidian should care automatically for parsing issues, because a qol requirement to work effortlessly
  • Escaping is a common programmer thing, not user friendly for all others

Related https://forum.obsidian.md/t/toggle-bold-italic-including-extra-spaces-after-1-4-5

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5

You can still put them in a string "[this](here)"

6

Agree, much easier
My point is, Obsidian should be able to parse special chars itself, without user interaction. I see parsing as something technical that should do software, not the user

1 Like