How to use the sort by custom meta for the below description ?

[akshatg]

I am here for metadata sorting.

I have Yaml property with name created. I want to use this because my ctime keeps changing while synching.

What do i need to do in the above command to sort with "created" front matter ?

--- sorting-spec: | target-folder: /* < a-z by-metadata: created --- I have tried using this and this is the result I am getting.

[SebastianMC]

Hi @akshatg

what is the format of the values of created Yaml metadata?

The list in the picture seems to show the notes (files) names - are the values of created metadata the same?

[akshatg]

This is in daily note sDD-MM-YYYY

this in the plugin named Front Matter TimeStamp YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ssZ

This plugin puts the created date in the notes and also adds modified time date.

[SebastianMC]

Hi @akshatg,

based on the clarification, the sorting should work without any problems
I know how it sounds :-)

While I don't know the Front Matter TimeStamp plugin, the format it uses is a very standard one, allowing even a simple string-based ordering to work

Assuming that the sorting spec looks like below:

---
sorting-spec: |
  target-folder: /*
  < a-z by-metadata: created
---

you can do a simple exercise:

1. Select two notes in the Daily folder, which are in an incorrect relative order, e.g. based on the screenshot, choose the '02-07-2025' and '30-06-2025'
2. Examine their created metadata value, if they correctly reflect the date

And one more thing to mention: because of the performance, the custom sort plugin does not monitor changes of the metadata of the vault notes. So if metadata values have changed, you need to explicitly trigger the refresh of custom sorting, as mentioned in documentation, either by susspending-then-enabling via the ribbon icon or by issuing the sort on command

[akshatg]

Thanks for the detailed reply.

I am getting the desired results with this

---

sorting-spec: |
target-folder: 🌎 Main
target-folder: Daily
target-folder: References
target-folder: Content creation
target-folder: Clippings
target-folder: Excalidraw

a-z by-metadata: created

---

Now I want to put the folders in a certain order like
🌎 Main
References
Content Creation.

how can I achieve that ?

[SebastianMC]

Similar approach:

---
sorting-spec: |
  target-folder: 🌎 Main
  Main2
---

[akshatg]

thanks :)

[akshatg]

The plugin was a little complex for me to understand but very very useful thanks

[akshatg]

---

sorting-spec: |
target-folder: 🌎 Main
target-folder: Daily
target-folder: References
target-folder: Content creation
target-folder: Clippings
target-folder: Excalidraw
target-folder: Templates

a-z by-metadata: created
target-folder: /
Bases
🌎 Main
Daily
References
Content creation
target-folder: Templates
Daily

---

It says that the Template is having issue.

---

sorting-spec: |
target-folder: 🌎 Main
target-folder: Daily
target-folder: References
target-folder: Content creation
target-folder: Clippings
target-folder: Excalidraw
target-folder: Templates

a-z by-metadata: created
target-folder: /
Bases
🌎 Main
Daily
References
Content creation
target-folder: Templates
Daily
target-folder: Daily
Tracking

---

Here Daily is a note as a template and also a Folder.

Is this doable I file and folder cant have same name if we have arrange through the plugin ?

[SebastianMC]

Hi @akshatg

I'm confused what is your last question / questions about - let's go one by one, one item at a time, and please be a bit more verbose with the reports.

Also, when you post snippets from sorting spec, please employ the formatting for readability, because indentation matters. Before a YAML snippet please put a line with triple quotes followed by 'yaml': ```yaml
(these are the specific type quotes character, copy and paste it from the example if you can't identify it on the keyboard)
After the yaml snippet please put also a line with triple quotes: ```
This will make a huge difference in readability, including the indentation, see:

sorting-spec: |
target-folder: 🌎 Main
target-folder: Daily
target-folder: References

vs.

sorting-spec: |
  target-folder: 🌎 Main
  target-folder: Daily
  target-folder: References

Then, let's return to your questions.

It says that the Template is having issue.

What says the Template is having issue? A screenshot would help.

[akshatg]

Hello,

So I have a daily folder and Inside that I have a weekly folder.

I am able to use the sort successfully in daily parent fodler but not able to do the same in weekly folder.

Here is my code.

Please guide me what to change:

`target-folder: Daily
Weekly
target-folder: Weekly

a-z by-metadata: created
📦Day tracking
Tracking
a-z by-metadata: created
`

[SebastianMC]

Hi @akshatg,

could you please edit your post and use triple ``` instead of a single ` for correct formatting? Or maybe include screenshots of the specs instead? Whatever is more convenient to you.

As of now it is hard to me to correctly read and interpret the sorting spec in your message

[akshatg]

What I want is that I have a folder inside daily named weekly.

In daily folder I am able to arrange files as per sorting but I am not to use sort things right in a folder inside folder.
The files are showing in random order inside weekly folder
But if I put the weekly folder in parent directory and

a-z by-metadata: created

It works file. You can see in screenshot

[SebastianMC]

It is much cleaner now!
The simplest way would be to explicitly target the nested Weekly folder with syntax like:

...
  target-folder: Daily
  target-folder: Daily/Weekly
  Weekly
  📦Day tracking
  Tracking
  > a-z by-metadata: created
...

You can also incorporate a more advanced approach and tell the sorting to be applied to the Daily folder and all its immediate subfolders:

...
  target-folder: Daily/..
  Weekly
  📦Day tracking
  Tracking
  > a-z by-metadata: created
...

or similarly, depending on what you need, you can apply the same sorting to the Daily folder and all the subfolders tree, recursively:

...
  target-folder: Daily/*
  Weekly
  📦Day tracking
  Tracking
  > a-z by-metadata: created
...

[akshatg]

Hi,
thanks some much this worked.

Also can I pin the bookmark or group of bookmarks in the navigator ?

Also can we have way to pin certain notes or folders on top ?

[SebastianMC]

Hi @akshatg,

there is no explicit notion of 'pinning' a note or folder in the plugin.
At the same time there are two or more ways to incorporate an equivalent of pinning notes / folders.
The approach which I use is to involve the integration with the core Bookmarks plugin.
First, ensure (in plugin settings) that 'Bookmarks integration' is enabled
Then, at the top of a the relevant sorting specification tell the plugin to put items, which are bookmarked for sorting.
The syntax for your example would be:

...
  target-folder: Daily/*
  bookmarked:
    < by-bookmarks-order
  Weekly
  📦Day tracking
  Tracking
  > a-z by-metadata: created
...

and eventually right-click on the notes / folders which you want to pin and then select 'Custom sort:' > 'Bookmark it for sorting'.
If you bookmark two or more items, you can change their relative order directly in Bookmarks, inside the 'sortspec' group of bookmarks.

[akshatg]

Thanks