Tables in Vim mode Error: TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'length')

sspaeti · August 13, 2024, 4:14pm

Steps to reproduce

Activate vim navigation
Open Dev Tools and see console
go inside a table and navigate with vim

Did you follow the troubleshooting guide? [Y/N]

Yes, I tried in restricted mode and it happened too. That’s why I knew it’s not related to any plugins.

Expected result

No errors and no lag.

Actual result

I noticed it first as I had quite a lag in when navigating within my files. Usually, it’s blazingly fast. But I guess i narrowed it down to tables and vim mode.

Environment

Obsidian v.1.6.7
MacOS

vim.js:1006 TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'length')
    at t.lineInner (app.js:1:250274)
    at e.line (app.js:1:248273)
    at e.getLine (app.js:1:1137920)
    at clipCursorToContent (vim.js:3093:21)
    at Object.evalInput (vim.js:1709:23)
    at Object.processMotion (vim.js:1371:14)
    at Object.processCommand (vim.js:1346:18)
    at vim.js:999:37
    at e.operation (app.js:1:1146299)
    at vim.js:993:23
    at Object.handleKey (vim.js:864:18)
    at doKeyToKey (vim.js:1053:31)
    at vim.js:997:19
    at e.operation (app.js:1:1146299)
    at vim.js:993:23
    at Object.handleKey (vim.js:864:18)
    at Object.multiSelectHandleKey (vim.js:6237:28)
    at e.handleKey (app.js:1:1156852)
    at e.keydown (app.js:1:1157905)
    at app.js:1:375614
    at e.runHandlers (app.js:1:373670)
    at e.handleEvent (app.js:1:373432)
app.js:1 TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'length')
    at t.lineInner (app.js:1:250274)
    at e.line (app.js:1:248273)
    at e.getLine (app.js:1:1137920)
    at clipCursorToContent (vim.js:3093:21)
    at Object.evalInput (vim.js:1709:23)
    at Object.processMotion (vim.js:1371:14)
    at Object.processCommand (vim.js:1346:18)
    at vim.js:999:37
    at e.operation (app.js:1:1146299)
    at vim.js:993:23
    at Object.handleKey (vim.js:864:18)
    at doKeyToKey (vim.js:1053:31)
    at vim.js:997:19
    at e.operation (app.js:1:1146299)
    at vim.js:993:23
    at Object.handleKey (vim.js:864:18)
    at Object.multiSelectHandleKey (vim.js:6237:28)
    at e.handleKey (app.js:1:1156852)
    at e.keydown (app.js:1:1157905)
    at app.js:1:375614
    at e.runHandlers (app.js:1:373670)
    at e.handleEvent (app.js:1:373432)

Additional information

I made a video, but can’t upload unfortunately.

UPDATE: Also others had the same error, see Reddit. Their resolution didn’t work for me unfortunately.

WhiteNoise · August 13, 2024, 4:25pm

Does it happen in the sandbox vault?

liam · August 13, 2024, 4:28pm

Can you provide a table to test with? I’m unable to reproduce the issue. Also is there any particular vim command/motion that’s triggering it? or does it just happen with h/j/k/l?

sspaeti · August 13, 2024, 4:53pm

It happens with any table. E.g. this one I tried just now:

|            | *Transactional* | *Analytical* |
| ---------- | --------------- | ------------ |
| *Embedded* | SQLite          | **DuckDB**   |

sspaeti · August 13, 2024, 4:55pm

No, it does not happen in the Sandbox. Any idea what the difference to my Vault could be to my vault with restricted mode (would guess should be the same)

WhiteNoise · August 13, 2024, 5:23pm

Try your vault with restricted mode on and default theme and restart obsidian.

sspaeti · August 16, 2024, 7:00am

I tried that:

I searched a bit more, and I also found others having the same behavior. It could also relate to key repeat speed, which I set to as low as possible on mac, so I can just press and stay for repeat.

But it is not related to vim I found, also happens when I use arrow keys. And what is the bad thing here, this worked for my last two years with no problem. So it must have come when I updated all my plugins lately (didn’t update for a long time) or with a newer Obsidian version, although I didn’t update at that particular time. Or my vault has hit a critical mass, but when I only open a singular note, I’d expect it doesn’t matter how big my vault is, it shouldn’t have lags. I also notice it’s mostly with longer markdown files that have links, tables, etc. But yeah, that is the whole purpose I use Obsidian.

I hope it will go away soon, I still haven’t found the culprit, but will certainly update when I have.

UPDATE: I found that the lag that initially made me investigate in searching the error is related to recalculate style. Most of the time is used doing that. I updated the installer version from 1.4.13 to the latest 1.6.7 (as I couldn’t export performance logs), but this didn’t solve the problem either. But the log and a screenshot of that Lag I added on Obsidian Cursor Cannot Keep Up with High Key Repeat Frequency - #16 by sspaeti. I hope that helps find the culprit.

sspaeti · April 20, 2026, 7:57pm

Just an update - in the meantime, I switched to Linux (Arch) and use Obsidian there happily too. But the error still exists - if I navigate with vim motions inside of a Markdown table in the live-preview mode:

Error:
```
TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading ‘length’)
at t.lineInner (app.js:1:265219)
at t.line (app.js:1:263218)
at e.getLine (app.js:1:1946296)
at clipCursorToContent (vim.js:3198:21)
at Object.evalInput (vim.js:1797:23)
at Object.processMotion (vim.js:1436:14)
at Object.processCommand (vim.js:1411:18)
at vim.js:910:37
at e.operation (app.js:1:1955091)
at vim.js:904:23
```