Feature Request: Optional Arguments

[m4x74]

I would like to use {{VDATE}} as an optional argument, to create tasks with or without a due date. With {{VALUE}} it is possible to skip by just not entering anything. For {{VDATE}} this results in the string Invalid date. This feature was basically already described in this comment on the Obsidian Forum.

A more general feature, which would be even better: QuickAdd asking for arguments based on previous arguments (see example below).

{{VALUE: no due date, with due date}} {{IF: with due date: {{VDATE:Due day?, YYYY-MM-DD}}}}

[FeralFlora]

Hoping this gets fixed soon!

[Iconca]

Hi, I think I have a similar request. From what I managed to read it is impossible, but maybe I'm missing something. I wonder if there is a possibility to skip any of my pre-programmed steps. I try to use Quick Add for adding a few specific dataview properties. But I don't always need all of them, thus I usually end up with a bunch of empty fields. They are supposed to be a remainder. A choice. So I would appreciate a function like a "skip this one step" button.
It looks like this.

- [r] (bookmark_type:: {{VALUE:TO READ:,TO SEE:, TO GO:}}), (item:: {{VALUE:movie,book, event}}),  [title:: {{VALUE:<title>}}], [author:: {{VALUE:<author>}}], [category:: {{VALUE:<category>}}], [publish_date:: {{VALUE:<publish_date>}}],➕ {{date}}

So if I know only the title, I get

• [r] (bookmark_type:: TO READ:), (item:: book), [title:: The Likeness], [author:: ], [category:: ], [publish_date:: ], ➕ 2024-07-06

And I would prefer just this

• [r] (bookmark_type:: TO READ:), (item:: book), [title:: The Likeness],➕ 2024-07-06

I managed only to think of this workaround. 
{{VALUE:<[author:: ]coma>}}
It gives me a prompt which I have to manually rewrite or live empty and click OK, but it defeats a bit the premise of automatization.
I realize It may be easier said than done but I would really appreciate such a function :)

[chhoumann]

Coming back to this very late - sorry about that.

The concrete request shipped: the |optional flag landed in QuickAdd 2.13.0, and it works on {{VDATE}}, {{VALUE}}, and option lists alike:

{{VDATE:Due day?,YYYY-MM-DD|optional}}

Submit the prompt empty (or hit Skip) and the token resolves to nothing instead of Invalid date. Tip: literal decoration inside the date format disappears with it, e.g. {{VDATE:due,[📅 ]YYYY-MM-DD|optional}} drops the emoji too when skipped.

@Iconca: same flag for your bookmark line - [author:: {{VALUE:author|optional}}] lets you skip the prompt and leave the value empty. One caveat: literal text around a {{VALUE}} token (the [author:: ], part) stays in the output, so a skipped field renders as [author:: ] rather than vanishing entirely. If you want whole segments to disappear conditionally, that's user-script territory in a Macro, where you have full logic available.

Which is also the answer to the generalized {{IF:...}} idea: conditional prompting inside the format syntax was deliberately not built - once you need branching, a Macro user script is the better tool and already handles it.

Docs: https://quickadd.obsidian.guide/docs/FormatSyntax#optional-fields

Closing as resolved.

[Iconca]

Hi, @chhoumann
No worries about late replay. I'll try to use your advice. Thanks for taking interest.