semantic-markdown-converter 0.3.5

Converts different typed link formats in Markdown into each other and to external formats.

Semantic Markdown to Neo4j

Creates an active data stream from a folder of Markdown notes to a Neo4j database. Designed for visualizing obsidian.md vaults using Neo4j bloom by streaming the vault to neo4j.

Getting started

Requires python 3.5+ and Neo4j desktop

• Install with pip install --upgrade semantic-markdown-converter
• Create a new database in Neo4j desktop and start it
• Run smds --input "folder with notes" --password "neo4j database password"

WARNING: This clears all current data in the active neo4j database!

Supported input formats

There is currently only one input format supported. An issue or use a pull request for different formats are appreciated! In particular for different markdown syntax for interpreting semantic links.

Plain markdown with a rudimentary typed links format.

This collects all notes with extension .md in the input directory (default: markdown/). Each note is interpreted as follows:

• Interprets tags as entity types
• Interprets YAML frontmatter as entity properties
• Interprets wikilinks as links with type inline, and adds content
• Lines of the format "- linkType [[note 1]], [[note 2|alias]]" creates links with type linkType from the current note to note 1 and note 2.
• The name of the note is stored in the property name
• The content of the note (everything except YAML frontmatter and typed links) is stored in the property content
• Links to notes that do not exist yet are created without any types.
• The obsidian url is added as property obsidian_url

Semantic Markdown to Neo4j server

The command smds first uploads the complete folder of notes into the active Neo4j database. Then, it listens to changes in the notes to update the Neo4j database.

Options

• --password: Provide the password of the Neo4j database
• --input: Provide the folder where to look for notes
• --index_content: Set to true if you want Neo4j Bloom to search through the content of your notes when using the search bar. Can impact performance.

Conversion mode

The command smdc only converts

Neo4j

Streams the input into the currently active Neo4j database. WARNING: This clears all the data in your database by default! Run with --retaindb if this is not desired.

1. Start the database in Neo4j you want to use
2. Run using smdc --input "folder with notes" --password "neo4j database password". This can take a couple of minutes for large vaults.

CYPHER

Converts the input into a single .cypher file (default: out.cypher) with statements that create nodes and relationships in Neo4j. This can be loaded in Neo4j desktop as follows:

1. Run smdc --input "folder with notes" --output_format "cypher"
2. Create a new database
3. Manage your database (three dots, manage)
   1. Plugins -> Install APOC
   2. Settings: Add line apoc.import.file.enabled=true
   3. Open project folder, then copy out.cypher to the import folder within the project folder.
4. Start database
5. Open Neo4j browser
   1. Run CALL apoc.cypher.runFile('out.cypher')

Importing with Cypher can take quite a while (multiple minutes). I'll look into alternative methods if people are interested.

Neo4j Bloom

A use case for this converter is to visualize your obsidian.md graph in Neo4j bloom. Neo4j bloom is very powerful graph visualization software. Compared to the Obsidian graph view, it allows

• Coloring and styling notes with different tags
• Coloring and styling relationships with different types
• Selective expansion
• A hierarchical view
• Very strong querying capabilities