Link a daily note to the previous one #1706

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1. riccardoferretti

   added

   agent:specTell the agent to spec this issueTell the agent to spec this issue

   on Sep 18, 2026
2. claude

   removed

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   on Sep 18, 2026
3. github-actions

   added a commit that references this issue on Sep 18, 2026

   Add the FOAM_PREVIOUS_DAILY_NOTE template variable

   ...

   14310f2
4. riccardoferretti

   linked a pull request that will close this issueLink a daily note to the previous one #1707on Sep 23, 2026
5. riccardoferretti

   closed this as completedon Sep 23, 2026
6. sschaefer-allegromicro commented on Sep 24, 2026

   

   sschaefer-allegromicro

   on Sep 24, 2026

   More actions

   Hi @riccardoferretti, thanks for adding that feature. I had a need for that just a few days ago when I wanted to copy over all unchecked tasks from the most recent journal entry and found a workaround using a daily-note.js template. As documentation on those is a bit more limited than the .md templates I was wondering if it would be helpful to add this either in the foam-template or documentation? The former would be convenient, but with foam giving .js templates priority over the more common .md templates this is probably not the best way forward.
   Feel free to use (or not) the below template in either the foam-template or documentation if you find it helpful.

   const JOURNAL_DATE_RE = /^(\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2})\.md$/;
   
   function getUnfinishedActionItems(noteText) {
     const lines = noteText.split(/\r?\n/);
     const startIndex = lines.findIndex((line) => /^##\s+Action Items$/i.test(line.trim()));
     if (startIndex === -1) {
       return [];
     }
   
     const items = [];
     for (let i = startIndex + 1; i < lines.length; i++) {
       const line = lines[i];
       if (/^##\s+/.test(line.trim())) {
         break;
       }
       if (/^-\s+\[ \]\s*\S/.test(line.trim())) {
         items.push(line.trim());
       }
     }
     return items;
   }
   
   function findMostRecentPriorNote(workspace, formattedDay) {
     const priorNotes = workspace
       .list()
       .map((resource) => {
         const match = JOURNAL_DATE_RE.exec(resource.uri.getBasename());
         return match ? { uri: resource.uri, date: match[1] } : null;
       })
       .filter((entry) => entry && entry.uri.path.includes('/journal/') && entry.date < formattedDay)
       .sort((a, b) => (a.date < b.date ? 1 : -1));
   
     return priorNotes.length > 0 ? priorNotes[0].uri : null;
   }
   
   async function createNote({ trigger, foam, resolver, foamDate }) {
     const today = dayjs();
     // or you could use foamDate for day specific notes, see FOAM_DATE_* variables
     // const day = dayjs(foamDate)
     const formattedDay = today.format('YYYY-MM-DD');
   
     // if you need a variable you can use the resolver
     // const title = await resolver.resolveFromName('FOAM_TITLE');
   
     console.log('Creating note for today: ' + formattedDay, JSON.stringify(trigger));
   
     let carriedItems = [];
     const priorNoteUri = findMostRecentPriorNote(foam.workspace, formattedDay);
     if (priorNoteUri) {
       try {
         const priorNoteText = await foam.workspace.readAsMarkdown(priorNoteUri);
         if (priorNoteText) {
           carriedItems = getUnfinishedActionItems(priorNoteText);
           if (carriedItems.length > 0) {
             console.log(`Carried over ${carriedItems.length} unfinished action item(s) from ${priorNoteUri.getBasename()}`);
           }
         }
       } catch (e) {
         console.log(`Could not read prior note ${priorNoteUri.path}: ${e.message}`);
       }
     }
   
     const actionItemsSection = carriedItems.length > 0
       ? carriedItems.join('\n')
       : '<!-- - [ ] open task -->';
   
     let template = `# ${formattedDay}
   
   ## Agenda
   -
   
   ## Notes
   -
   
   ## Action items
   ${actionItemsSection}
   
   `
   
   
     return {
       content: template,
       filepath: `/journal/${formattedDay}.md`,
     };
   }