Tidy

Tidies the list formatting copied from LLM outputs (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.). Automatically removes extra newlines from lists when pasting into Obsidian.

Features

• ✅ Auto-paste mode: Automatically cleans lists when pasting from LLMs
• ✅ Manual command: Fix existing notes via Command Palette
• ✅ Toggle setting: Turn auto-paste on/off in settings
• ✅ Handles both bullet lists (-, *) and numbered lists (1., 2., etc.)
• ✅ Supports nested/indented lists
• ✅ Handles multiple consecutive blank lines
• ✅ Preserves blank lines at the end of lists

Installation

From Obsidian Community Plugins (Recommended)

1. Open Obsidian Settings
2. Go to Community Plugins → Browse
3. Search for "Tidy"
4. Click Install, then Enable

Manual Installation

1. Download main.js and manifest.json from the latest release
2. Create folder: YourVault/.obsidian/plugins/tidy/
3. Copy both files into the folder
4. Reload Obsidian
5. Enable "Tidy" in Settings → Community Plugins

Usage

🔄 Automatic Mode (Default)

Just copy from any LLM and paste into Obsidian - lists are automatically cleaned!

Before pasting:

- Item 1

- Item 2

- Item 3

After pasting:

- Item 1
- Item 2
- Item 3

🛠️ Manual Command

Fix existing notes:

1. Open Command Palette (Ctrl/Cmd + P)
2. Search for "Fix list spacing in current note"
3. Run the command

⚙️ Settings

Go to Settings → Tidy:

• Auto-fix list spacing on paste: Toggle automatic cleanup (default: ON)

Examples

Simple List

Before:                       After:
- First                       - First
                              - Second
- Second                      - Third
                              
- Third

Nested List

Before:                       After:
- Parent 1                    - Parent 1
                                - Child 1
  - Child 1                     - Child 2
                              - Parent 2
  - Child 2
                              
- Parent 2

Numbered List

Before:                       After:
1. Step one                   1. Step one
                              2. Step two
2. Step two                   3. Step three
                              
3. Step three

Development

Building from Source

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build the plugin
npm run build

# Run tests
node test_comprehensive.js

Project Structure

.
├── main.ts              # TypeScript source code
├── main.js              # Compiled plugin (generated)
├── manifest.json        # Plugin metadata
├── package.json         # npm configuration
├── tsconfig.json        # TypeScript configuration
└── test_comprehensive.js # Test suite

Running Tests

npm run build
node test_comprehensive.js

Expected output: 7 passed, 0 failed out of 7 tests

How It Works

Tidy detects list items with double newlines and removes the extra spacing:

1. On Paste: Intercepts clipboard content, checks for lists with extra newlines
2. Pattern Detection: Uses regex to identify bullet/numbered lists
3. Smart Cleanup: Removes blank lines between list items while preserving:
   • Blank lines after lists (before regular text)
   • Nested list indentation
   • List item content
   • Other markdown formatting

Technical Details

• Regex patterns: Properly grouped patterns for bullet (-, *) and numbered lists (1., 2.)
• Edge cases handled: Multiple consecutive blank lines, nested lists, mixed list types
• Non-destructive: Only processes list items, ignores code blocks and other content

FAQ

Q: Does it work with all LLMs?
A: Yes! Works with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and any other LLM that adds extra spacing.

Q: Will it mess up my code blocks?
A: No! Tidy only processes list items, not code blocks or other content.

Q: Can I undo if something goes wrong?
A: Yes! Use Ctrl/Cmd + Z to undo immediately after pasting or running the command.

Q: Does it work on mobile?
A: Yes! The plugin works on both desktop and mobile Obsidian.

Q: What if I want spacing between some list items?
A: Turn off auto-paste in settings and manually format, or add spacing after Tidy runs.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

Bug Fixes & Improvements

Recent fixes include:

• Fixed regex patterns for better list detection
• Improved handling of multiple consecutive blank lines
• Better edge case handling for nested lists
• Added TypeScript definite assignment assertion

License

MIT

Support

If you encounter any issues or have suggestions, please open an issue on GitHub.