Neurd VS Code Extension

A VS Code extension for working with the Neurd note-taking system, designed for AI-enhanced note-taking and journaling.

Features

This extension provides commands to quickly create new note files based on templates:

• Create Daily Note: Generates a new daily journal entry from the daily template
• Create Weekly Note: Generates a weekly journal entry with automatic week numbering
• Create General Note: Creates a new note with a custom title

Installation

You can install this extension directly from the VS Code marketplace:

1. Open VS Code
2. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X)
3. Search for "Neurd Notes"
4. Click Install

Setup

Standard Neurd Project Structure

The extension works best with Neurd projects that follow this structure:

your-neurd-project/
├── templates/        # Optional - Templates for notes
│   ├── daily.md
│   ├── weekly.md
│   └── note.md
└── content/          # Required - Where notes are stored
    ├── daily/
    ├── weekly/
    ├── notes/
    └── private/      # Git-ignored by default

Compatible with Any Project

The extension can also work with any project structure:

1. Templates can be located in any of these locations:

   • /templates/ directory
   • /.templates/ directory (hidden)
   • /.vscode/ directory
   • Project root directory

2. Output location will be determined dynamically:

   • If a /content/ directory exists, it will use that
   • Otherwise, it will ask if you want to create the Neurd structure or use the project root

If the templates don't exist, the extension will use built-in default templates.

Usage

1. Open VS Code (with or without a project open)
2. Use the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P) and search for "Neurd"
3. Select one of the Neurd commands:
   • "Neurd: Create Daily Note"
   • "Neurd: Create Weekly Note"
   • "Neurd: Create General Note"
   • "Neurd: Create Note From Custom Template" - Select any template file from your workspace
   • "Neurd: Set Default Journal Location" - Set your primary Neurd journal location
4. Choose whether the note should be public (stored in standard directories) or private (stored in the private directory that is git-ignored)

Default Journal

The extension lets you set a default journal location so you can quickly add notes from any project:

1. First-time use: When you run a Neurd command for the first time, the extension will ask if you want to set the current workspace as your default journal location.

2. Changing the default: Run "Neurd: Set Default Journal Location" to change where your notes are stored.

3. How it works:

   • All notes will be created in your default journal location, regardless of which project you're working in
   • If no default is set, notes are created in the current project
   • This lets you maintain a centralized Neurd journal while working across multiple projects

The extension will:

1. Create the appropriate directory if it doesn't exist
2. Generate a new file based on the corresponding template
3. Replace any template variables (like ${date}, ${time})
4. Open the file in the editor for immediate editing

Public vs Private Notes

When creating any note, you'll be prompted to choose between:

• Public - Stored in the standard directories (daily, weekly, or notes)
• Private - Stored in the content/private directory, which is excluded from Git by default

Template Variables

The extension supports two variable syntax styles in templates:

Traditional Style (with dollar sign)

• ${date} - Current date in YYYY-MM-DD format
• ${time} - Current time
• ${datetime} - Current date and time in ISO format
• ${title} - The title you provide (for general notes)

Simplified Style (without dollar sign)

• {date} - Current date in MM-DD-YYYY format
• {isodate} - Current date in YYYY-MM-DD format
• {time} - Current time
• {datetime} - Current date and time in MM-DD-YYYY format
• {year} - Current year
• {month} - Current month (01-12)
• {day} - Current day of month (01-31)
• {title} - The title you provide (for general notes)

Custom Templates

You can create your own templates in the /templates directory of your project:

• daily.md - Template for daily notes
• weekly.md - Template for weekly notes
• note.md - Template for general notes

If these templates don't exist, the extension will use built-in default templates.

Development

Building from Source

1. Clone this repository
2. Run npm install
3. Run npm run watch to compile in watch mode
4. Press F5 to start debugging

Building VSIX

To build a VSIX package for manual installation:

npm install -g vsce
npm install
vsce package

This will generate a .vsix file that can be installed via:

• VS Code -> Extensions -> "..." menu -> "Install from VSIX..."