Import & export

Where to find it

Notes

An exported notes collection is one file: the collection’s name, then a heading for each book, each chapter, and each note. Footnotes are gathered at the end.

# My Notes

---

## John

### Chapter 1

#### Introduction

The Gospel of John opens with...

#### 1:1

"In the beginning was the Word" echoes Genesis 1:1.[^John-1:1-1]

#### 1:14-18

The Word became flesh.

---

[^John-1:1-1]: Greek λόγος — word, reason, plan.

What the importer reads

Import is more forgiving than export. It reads the layout above, a file holding one book, and the layout earlier versions exported, which starts with YAML frontmatter naming the book:

---
type: notes
book: John
bookNumber: 43
---

# John

## Chapter 3

### 3:16

For God so loved the world...

Heading levels do not matter, so a single book’s notes and a combined file both work. A heading that looks like a reference but is not a real verse fails the import with the heading named, rather than guessing.

Footnotes

Footnotes use standard markdown syntax — [^id] inline, [^id]: text for the definition, with four-space indentation for continuation lines. On export each marker is rewritten into an identifier made from the book, verse and footnote, so that a combined file cannot collide with itself. Import also reads definitions written directly under a note, and Obsidian-style > [!footnote] callouts.

Import behaviour

• Every book in the file is imported.
• An imported note replaces the note that starts at the same verse; other notes in the collection are left alone.
• Markdown inside code blocks is never mistaken for a heading or a footnote.

Devotionals

A single devotional is ordinary markdown with YAML frontmatter. Everything except title is optional.

---
title: "Finding Peace in the Storm"
subtitle: "When life feels overwhelming"
author: "Pastor Michael"
date: "2025-01-15"
tags: ["peace", "trust", "anxiety"]
category: "devotional"
series:
  name: "Storms"
  order: 1
keyScriptures:
  - ref: "Mark 4:39"
    sv: 41004039
---

## Summary

Peace comes from trusting the One who commands the wind.

### The Storm

![Stormy sea](media/storm-sea.jpg)

Life brings unexpected storms...[^wind]

> "Peace, be still."
> — Mark 4:39

1. Remember His presence
2. Trust His power
3. Rest in His love

[Morning meditation](media/peace-meditation.m4a)

[^wind]: The Sea of Galilee is known for sudden squalls.

category is one of devotional, exhortation, reflection, study, prayer, testimony or other; an older file’s sermon is read as exhortation. The iPhone and iPad app keeps testimony but does not yet offer it as a choice. A ## Summary section at the top becomes the devotional’s summary.

Several devotionals in one file

Export to Single File and a collection’s markdown export write each devotional as a ## heading, with its details on one line beneath it, and the importer reads the same layout back:

## Finding Peace in the Storm

*When life feels overwhelming*

**Author:** Pastor Michael | **Date:** 2025-01-15 | **Tags:** peace, trust | **Category:** devotional

Life brings unexpected storms...

Entries can also be separated by a --- line. In an export, each devotional’s footnotes are numbered 1, 2, 3 in reading order under a ### Footnotes heading.

Blocks

Paragraphs, headings, blockquotes, tables, and bulleted and numbered lists map directly to the editor. Two conventions are worth memorising:

• Images use image syntax — ![caption](media/file.jpg).
• Audio uses link syntax — [caption](media/file.m4a) — not image syntax.

Import behaviour

• Each file becomes one devotional; a folder of files becomes that many entries.
• Imports always add new devotionals, so importing twice creates duplicates.
• Media files are copied into the app’s storage.

Media

Media referenced by markdown lives in a media/ folder alongside it, and the markdown links to each file by name.

For transfer that preserves identifiers and media exactly, use a .lamp package instead — see The module system.