xmind pal for Obsidian

Embed and preview .xmind mind map files directly in your Obsidian notes.

简体中文

Features

• Code block embedding — Use ```xmind-pal code blocks to embed mind maps in any note.
• Comment embedding — Use %%xmind-pal%% comments for lightweight, non-intrusive embedding. Renders in Reading Mode; stays hidden in Live Preview.
• Frontmatter property support — Reference xmind files via note properties (wikilinks).
• Multiple embeds per note — Each code block or comment can reference a different property or file.
• Thumbnail rendering (default) — Displays the preview image generated by XMind. Fast, native fidelity, no network required.
• Online rendering — Renders via XMind's official embed viewer (exact XMind look, requires network).
• Toolbar with open-externally — Click or double-click to open the .xmind file in its default application for editing.

Installation

Manual installation

1. Download main.js, manifest.json, and styles.css from the latest release.
2. In your Obsidian vault, navigate to .obsidian/plugins/.
3. Create a folder named xmind pal and copy the three files into it.
4. Open Obsidian → Settings → Community plugins → enable "xmind pal".

Usage

The plugin supports two embedding methods: code blocks and comments. Both accept the same syntax for referencing xmind files.

Code blocks

Add an xmind-pal code block in any note:

1. Default property (empty code block)

Use the property name configured in settings (default: xmind):

```xmind-pal
```

The note must have a frontmatter property containing the xmind file link:

---
xmind: "![[my-mindmap.xmind]]"
---

2. Custom property

Specify a different property name:

```xmind-pal
property: my-mindmap
```

3. Direct file link (embed syntax)

```xmind-pal
![[diagram.xmind]]
```

4. Direct file link (wikilink syntax)

```xmind-pal
[[diagram.xmind]]
```

5. Direct file path

```xmind-pal
file: diagram.xmind
```

Property value formats

Property values accept any of these formats:

• ![[file.xmind]] — embed wikilink
• [[file.xmind]] — standard wikilink
• file.xmind — bare file name

Comments

For a lighter-weight alternative, use %%xmind-pal%% comments. Comments render in Reading Mode only and stay hidden in Live Preview, keeping your writing flow uncluttered. They can also be placed inside callouts.

%%xmind-pal%%

The same syntaxes are supported inside comments:

%%xmind-pal property: my-mindmap%%
%%xmind-pal ![[diagram.xmind]]%%
%%xmind-pal [[diagram.xmind]]%%
%%xmind-pal file: diagram.xmind%%

Inside a callout:

> [!note] Mind map
> %%xmind-pal%%

Settings

Setting	Description	Default
Default property	Frontmatter property name used when code block is empty	xmind
Render mode	Thumbnail (XMind preview image) or Online (XMind embed service)	Thumbnail
Region	XMind embed service region: Global (xmind.app) or China (xmind.cn). Only visible in online mode.	Global
Viewer height	CSS height for the embedded viewer	500px
Show toolbar	Display a toolbar above the viewer with file name and open-externally button	On
Double-click to open	Double-click the toolbar to open the xmind file with the default application. Only visible when toolbar is shown.	On

Rendering modes

Thumbnail mode (default)

Reads the preview image that XMind stores inside every .xmind file (Thumbnails/thumbnail.png) and displays it as a responsive image. This is the recommended mode for most users.

• Pros: Fastest loading, 100% native XMind fidelity, no network access, no privacy concerns, supports Obsidian's built-in image Lightbox for zooming.
• Cons: No in-place canvas panning; zooming opens Obsidian's image Lightbox popup. Multi-sheet files show only the first sheet's thumbnail.

Online mode

Uses the xmind-embed-viewer library to render .xmind files via an iframe pointing to XMind's embed service.

• Pros: Interactive canvas with pan, zoom, and full-screen; full feature support.
• Cons: Requires network access; some complex structures (e.g. certain logic charts) may render incorrectly due to upstream library limitations.

Network and privacy disclosure

• Thumbnail mode: No network access is required. The plugin reads the .xmind file from your vault and extracts the embedded preview image locally. No data leaves your device.

• Online mode: Loads the XMind embed viewer from https://www.xmind.app/embed-viewer (Global region) or https://www.xmind.cn/embed-viewer (China region). Your .xmind file data is sent to the iframe via postMessage and processed by XMind's JavaScript code. An active internet connection is required.

No telemetry, analytics, or tracking is included in this plugin. The plugin does not collect, store, or transmit any user data.

License

MIT

Acknowledgments

• xmind-embed-viewer (MIT) — XMind embed viewer library by XMind Ltd.
• fflate (MIT) — High-performance ZIP decompression by 101arrowz.