Templating blank note edge case fix

helpers/NPFrontMatter.js

@@ -770,9 +770,9 @@ export function getSanitizedFmParts(noteText: string, removeTemplateTagsInFM?: b
     // logError(`Frontmatter getAttributes error. COULD NOT SANITIZE CONTENT: "${error.message}". Returning empty values for this note: "${JSON.stringify(noteText)}"`)
 
     // Add debug logging to understand why fm library failed
-    logDebug(pluginJson, `getSanitizedFmParts: fm library failed with error: ${error.message}`)
-    logDebug(pluginJson, `getSanitizedFmParts: Original text: ${noteText.substring(0, 200)}...`)
-    logDebug(pluginJson, `getSanitizedFmParts: Sanitized text: ${sanitizedText.substring(0, 200)}...`)
+    // logDebug(pluginJson, `getSanitizedFmParts: fm library failed with error: ${error.message}`)
+    // logDebug(pluginJson, `getSanitizedFmParts: Original text: ${noteText.substring(0, 200)}...`)
+    // logDebug(pluginJson, `getSanitizedFmParts: Sanitized text: ${sanitizedText.substring(0, 200)}...`)
 
     // When fm library fails, we need to manually extract the body and attributes
     // Check if the text has frontmatter structure (starts with --- and has another ---)

helpers/editor.js

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import { logDebug } from './dev'
 import { showMessageYesNo, showMessage } from './userInput'
+import { getFolderFromFilename } from '@helpers/folders'
 
 /**
  * Run Editor.save() if active Editor is dirty and needs saving
@@ -37,13 +38,15 @@ export async function checkAndProcessFolderAndNewNoteTitle(templateNote: TNote,
   const isEditorEmpty = editorIsEmpty()
   const theFolder = frontmatterAttributes?.folder?.trim() || ''
   const newNoteTitle = frontmatterAttributes?.newNoteTitle?.trim() || ''
+  logDebug(`checkAndProcessFolderAndNewNoteTitle starting: templateNote:"${templateNote?.title || ''}", frontmatterAttributes:${JSON.stringify(frontmatterAttributes)}`)
   if (theFolder.length > 0 || newNoteTitle.length > 0) {
     if (isEditorEmpty) {
-      logDebug(`insertNoteTemplate: template has folder attribute, so moving empty note to trash and creating a new note in the folder`)
+      logDebug(`insertNoteTemplate: template has folder:"${theFolder}", newNoteTitle:"${newNoteTitle}", so moving empty note to trash and creating a new note in the folder`)
       // invoke the template with the folder attribute
       const emptyNoteFilename = Editor.filename
       const templateTitle = templateNote?.title
-      const argsArray = [templateTitle, theFolder, newNoteTitle]
+      const folderToUse = theFolder.length > 0 ? theFolder : getFolderFromFilename(Editor.filename)
+      const argsArray = [templateTitle, folderToUse === '/' ? '' : folderToUse, newNoteTitle, frontmatterAttributes]
       await DataStore.invokePluginCommandByName('templateNew', 'np.Templating', argsArray)
       // move the empty note to the trash
       await DataStore.moveNote(emptyNoteFilename, '@Trash')

np.MeetingNotes/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 
 See Plugin [README](https://github.com/NotePlan/plugins/blob/main/np.MeetingNotes/README.md) for details on available commands and use case.
 
+## [2.0.1] - 2025-08-02 @dwertheimer
+
+- Add override when inserting a template into a blank note but template has folder or newNoteTitle attribute
+
 ## [2.0.0] - 2025-05-13 @dwertheimer
 
 - Add <current> to append/prepend frontmatter tag

np.MeetingNotes/plugin.json

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   "noteplan.minAppVersion": "3.5.0",
   "plugin.id": "np.MeetingNotes",
   "plugin.name": "✍️ Meeting Notes",
-  "plugin.version": "2.0.0",
+  "plugin.version": "2.0.1",
   "plugin.description": "Create Meeting Notes from events using templates.",
   "plugin.author": "NotePlan",
   "plugin.dependencies": [],

np.MeetingNotes/src/NPMeetingNotes.js

@@ -22,7 +22,12 @@ import { checkAndProcessFolderAndNewNoteTitle } from '@helpers/editor'
  * @param {Date} dailyNoteDate -> (optional) Date of the daily note, if not set the current editor will be used
  */
 export async function insertNoteTemplate(origFileName: string, dailyNoteDate: Date, timeframe: string, shouldReplaceContent: boolean = false): Promise<void> {
-  logDebug(pluginJson, 'insertNoteTemplate')
+  logDebug(
+    pluginJson,
+    `insertNoteTemplate starting: origFileName:"${origFileName}", dailyNoteDate:"${dailyNoteDate?.toLocaleDateString() || ''}", timeframe:"${
+      timeframe || ''
+    }", shouldReplaceContent:"${String(shouldReplaceContent)}"`,
+  )
   const templateFilename = await chooseTemplateIfNeeded(origFileName, false)
   if (!templateFilename) {
     return
@@ -44,6 +49,7 @@ export async function insertNoteTemplate(origFileName: string, dailyNoteDate: Da
   const { frontmatterBody: templateBody, frontmatterAttributes } = await DataStore.invokePluginCommandByName('renderFrontmatter', 'np.Templating', [templateContent])
 
   // Check if the template wants the note to be created in a folder (or with a new title) and if so, move the empty note to the trash and create a new note in the folder
+  logDebug(pluginJson, `insertNoteTemplate: about to checkAndProcessFolderAndNewNoteTitle`)
   if (templateNote && (await checkAndProcessFolderAndNewNoteTitle(templateNote, frontmatterAttributes))) return
 
   logDebug(pluginJson, `render() template with frontmatterAttributes: [${Object.keys(frontmatterAttributes).join(', ')}]`)

np.Templating/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 
 See Plugin [Documentation](https://noteplan.co/templates/docs) for details on available commands and use case.
 
+## [2.0.12] 2025-08-02 @dwertheimer
+- Fix templateNew to handle blank meeting note edge case
+
 ## [2.0.11] 2025-07-31 @dwertheimer
 - Fix getFolder to handle <select XXX> and to honor folder attribute in quick-note templates
 

np.Templating/lib/rendering/templateProcessor.js

@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ import { log, logError, logDebug, logWarn, clo } from '@helpers/dev'
 export function logProgress(stepDescription: string, templateData: string, sessionData?: Object, userOptions?: Object): void {
   const verbose = Boolean(sessionData && sessionData.verboseLog)
   logDebug(`🔄 TEMPLATE PROCESSOR: ${stepDescription}${verbose ? ' (verboseLog)' : ''}`)
+  if (!templateData) {
+    logDebug(`🔄 TEMPLATE PROCESSOR PROBLEM FYI: logProgress called with empty templateData`)
+    return
+  }
 
   // Only log template data if verbose mode is on or if it's a key step
   const isStart = stepDescription.includes('START')

np.Templating/lib/support/modules/FrontmatterModule.js

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ export default class FrontmatterModule {
 
   isFrontmatterTemplate(templateData: string): boolean {
     // First check if the template has the frontmatter structure (starts with --- and has another ---)
+    if (!templateData.startsWith('---')) return false
     const lines = templateData.split('\n')
     if (lines.length >= 2 && lines[0].trim() === '---') {
       // Find the second --- separator
@@ -30,12 +31,14 @@ export default class FrontmatterModule {
         }
       }
     }
-
     // Fallback to the original method for edge cases
-    const parts = getSanitizedFmParts(templateData)
-    const hasAttributes = parts?.attributes && Object.keys(parts.attributes).length > 0
-    logDebug(pluginJson, `FrontmatterModule.isFrontmatterTemplate: Fallback check - hasAttributes=${String(hasAttributes)}`)
-    return hasAttributes
+    // dbw note 2025-08-02: I can't imagine why this would ever be needed, so commenting out for now
+    // FIXME: remove this in the future if no edge cases are discovered
+    // const parts = getSanitizedFmParts(templateData)
+    // const hasAttributes = parts?.attributes && Object.keys(parts.attributes).length > 0
+    // logDebug(pluginJson, `FrontmatterModule.isFrontmatterTemplate: Fallback check - hasAttributes=${String(hasAttributes)} templateData:"${templateData}"`)
+    // return hasAttributes
+    return false
   }
 
   getFrontmatterBlock(templateData: string): string {

np.Templating/plugin.json

@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
   "noteplan.minAppVersion": "3.9.10",
   "plugin.id": "np.Templating",
   "plugin.name": "📒 Templating",
-  "plugin.version": "2.0.11",
-  "plugin.lastUpdateInfo": "2.0.11: fix getFolder to handle <select XXX> and to honor folder attribute in quick-note templates",
+  "plugin.version": "2.0.12",
+  "plugin.lastUpdateInfo": "2.0.12: fix templateNew to handle blank meeting note edge case",
   "plugin.description": "Templating Plugin for NotePlan",
   "plugin.author": "Mike Erickson ( codedungeon)",
   "plugin.dependencies": [],

np.Templating/src/Templating.js

@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ export async function templateInsert(templateName: string = ''): Promise<void> {
       const { frontmatterBody, frontmatterAttributes } = await NPTemplating.renderFrontmatter(templateData)
 
       // Check if the template wants the note to be created in a folder (or with a new title) and if so, move the empty note to the trash and create a new note in the folder
+      logDebug(pluginJson, `templateInsert: about to checkAndProcessFolderAndNewNoteTitle`)
       if (templateNote && (await checkAndProcessFolderAndNewNoteTitle(templateNote, frontmatterAttributes))) return
 
       // $FlowIgnore
@@ -169,6 +170,7 @@ export async function templateAppend(templateName: string = ''): Promise<void> {
       let { frontmatterBody, frontmatterAttributes } = await NPTemplating.renderFrontmatter(templateData)
 
       // Check if the template wants the note to be created in a folder (or with a new title) and if so, move the empty note to the trash and create a new note in the folder
+      logDebug(pluginJson, `templateAppend: about to checkAndProcessFolderAndNewNoteTitle`)
       if (templateNote && (await checkAndProcessFolderAndNewNoteTitle(templateNote, frontmatterAttributes))) return
 
       // Create frontmatter object that includes BOTH the attributes AND the methods
@@ -287,13 +289,34 @@ export async function templateNew(templateTitle: string = '', _folder?: string,
     const templateAttributes = await NPTemplating.getTemplateAttributes(templateData)
 
     let folder = _folder ?? ''
+    let frontmatterBody, frontmatterAttributes
+    logDebug(
+      pluginJson,
+      `templateNew: before renderFrontmatter:\n\targs:${JSON.stringify(Object.keys(typeof args === 'string' ? {} : args))}\n\ttemplateAttributes:${JSON.stringify(
+        Object.keys(templateAttributes),
+      )}`,
+    )
+    // In the case we have been passed rendered arguments (e.g. from the /insert button that rendered the frontmatter already)
+    // if every property in templateAttributes is in args, then we can use args to render the template
+    const argsKeys = typeof args === 'object' ? Object.keys(args) : []
+    const templateAttributesKeys = Object.keys(templateAttributes)
+    logDebug(pluginJson, `templateNew: argsKeys:${JSON.stringify(argsKeys)}\ntemplateAttributesKeys:${JSON.stringify(templateAttributesKeys)}`)
+    const allArgsKeysAreInTemplateAttributes = templateAttributesKeys.length && argsKeys.length && templateAttributesKeys.every((key) => argsKeys.includes(key))
+    if (allArgsKeysAreInTemplateAttributes) {
+      //FIXMME: it is going down this path but the frontmatterBody is empty
+      frontmatterAttributes = typeof args === 'object' ? args : {}
+      frontmatterBody = new FrontmatterModule().body(templateData)
+      logDebug(pluginJson, `templateNew: after skipping renderFrontmatter:\nfrontmatterBody:"${frontmatterBody}"\nfrontmatterAttributes:${JSON.stringify(frontmatterAttributes)}`)
+    } else {
+      logDebug(pluginJson, `templateNew: about to renderFrontmatter`)
+      const { frontmatterBody: fBody, frontmatterAttributes: fAttributes } = await NPTemplating.renderFrontmatter(templateData, args)
+      frontmatterBody = fBody
+      frontmatterAttributes = { ...fAttributes, ...(typeof args === 'object' ? args : {}) }
+    }
+    logDebug(pluginJson, `templateNew: after renderFrontmatter:\nfrontMatterBody:"${frontmatterBody}"\nfrontMatterAttributes:${JSON.stringify(frontmatterAttributes, null, 2)}`)
 
-    let { frontmatterBody, frontmatterAttributes } = await NPTemplating.renderFrontmatter(templateData, args)
-    frontmatterAttributes = { ...frontmatterAttributes, ...(typeof args === 'object' ? args : {}) }
-
-    // select/choose is by default not closed because it could contain a folder name
+    // select/choose is by default not closed with > because it could contain a folder name
     if (/<select|<choose|<current>/i.test(folder) || (!folder && frontmatterAttributes?.folder && frontmatterAttributes.folder.length > 0)) {
-      // dbw note: I'm not sure I understand the second part of this condition, but it's always been that way, so not changing it
       folder = await NPTemplating.getFolder(frontmatterAttributes.folder, 'Select Destination Folder')
     }