avatarNuno Campos

Summary

The author discusses their transition to using pane/tab management plugins in Obsidian to improve the organization of their workspace, which now includes stacking panes with fixed widths and sliding animations, as well as enhanced navigation and history features.

Abstract

The author of the article, Nuno Campos, shares their recent shift from managing multiple panes in Obsidian without plugins to adopting a set of pane/tab management plugins to handle an increasing number of open panes more efficiently. Initially content with Obsidian's default behavior of resizing panes side by side, the author found the need for a better system as the number of open panes grew. The new setup, facilitated by plugins like Sliding Panes (Andy's Mode), Pane Relief, and Embedded Note Titles, allows for panes to be stacked with fixed widths and includes sliding animations for switching between them. The plugins also provide keyboard shortcuts for pane navigation and history, enabling a more streamlined and productive workflow within Obsidian.

Opinions

  • The author initially did not feel the need for a pane/tab management plugin but recognized the necessity after dealing with multiple open panes.
  • The default behavior of Obsidian, which resizes panes to fit side by side, was deemed inefficient when dealing with numerous panes.
  • The author expresses a clear preference for the new setup with the installed plugins, highlighting the improved usability and aesthetic of the workspace.
  • The sliding animation and fixed pane width introduced by the Sliding Panes (Andy's Mode) plugin are particularly appreciated features.
  • The Embedded Note Titles plugin is valued for allowing note titles to remain visible when panes are stacked.
  • Pane Relief is praised for its commands that facilitate pane switching and moving, as well as for its per-tab opened notes history feature.
  • The author indicates a preference for the Sliding Panes (Andy's Mode) plugin over the simple Sliding Panes mode provided by the Pane Relief plugin.

My Obsidian Setup (Part 10) - Pane/Tab Management

I was not using any pane/tab management plugin until today. I didn’t feel the need for it. But today I found myself with 5+ panes opened and I think to myself that I need a plugin to better manage opened panes. The default behaviour is to open all panes side-by-side, reducing the pane's width. So if you have a couple of panes open, their size will be minimal.

My Old Workspace with 3 panes opened. Image by Nuno Campos

After today’s newly installed plugins, the panes will be stacked on the left or right side. Also, switching panes now have a nice sliding animation.

My New Workspace with 3 panes opened. Image by Nuno Campos
My New Workspace with 3 panes opened. Image by Nuno Campos

The plugins that I have installed today are:

  • Sliding Panes (Andy’s Mode)
  • Pane Relief
  • Embedded Note Titles

Sliding Panes (Andy’s Mode)

This plugin changes the way panes in the center workspace are handled. The panels won't resize to match the workspace anymore; instead, they'll stay with a fixed width (though resizable) and will stack on the left or right side, so you can scroll between them.

By default the header will be moved from the top to the left of the pane in the shape of a spine, so we can actually see the note titles when they are stacked. If you prefer Obsidian’s normal behaviour and have the header on top, you can change this in the plugin’s options.

Embedded Note Titles

If you like the rotated header on the left side, but also want to have the note tile on top, just install the plugin Embedded Note Titles which will do just that, embed the title on the top of the note 😜

Pane Relief

This plugin brings commands to switch between panes or windows (default is ctrl/cmd + Pg Up/Pg Dn), jump directly to the Nth pane (Alt + 1,2,3,…) or move tabs around (ctrl/cmd + Shift + Pg Up/Pg Dn). This way we can easily switch or move panes from the keyboard. This plugin also enables per-tab opened notes history, so we can go back and forward on opened notes in each pane.

Another feature of this plugin is a simple Sliding Panes mode that can be toggled, but I prefer the Sliding Panes (Andy’s Mode) plugin.

And that’s it, nice and easy pane/tab management.

Obsidian
Productivity
Task Management
Notetaking
Notes
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