Actions in a note

A matters block lists Actions inside any note, from one line written the way you capture them.

A matters code block shows Actions inside a note, as the cards you know from the board: the open Actions of a Matter on its page, what you’re waiting on someone for in a meeting note, what’s due in a daily note.

```matters
#Kitchen renovation
```

The block reads what’s in your vault each time something changes, and never writes to the note it’s in.

An empty block

With nothing inside, the block reads the note it’s in:

  • In a Matter’s note: that Matter’s open Actions.
  • In a person’s note (anyone an Action names): the open Actions with them, those waiting on them first.
  • Anywhere else: what’s due today or late, as on the Today page.

What to show

Write one line, with the same tokens as quick add, plus a few words:

You write It shows
#Kitchen renovation That Matter’s open Actions
/call Open Actions of that type
@Charlie Open Actions that name that person
!1 Open Actions with that priority
friday, 15 oct, from mon to wed Open Actions due on or by that date, or within that range
today Due today or late
late Late
waiting Waiting on someone; with a person, waiting on them
next In your next-step status (Next, by default)
someday In your backlog status
done Done instead of open
all Open and done

Tokens of different kinds narrow the list: #Kitchen renovation /buy is that Matter’s purchases. Several of one kind widen it: #Kitchen renovation #Household admin shows both Matters.

A few examples:

  • @Charlie waiting: what you’re waiting on Charlie for.
  • /call today: today’s and late calls.
  • #Kitchen renovation done: what’s been done in the kitchen.

What you see

  • The head says what the block holds, in words: “Open Actions · Kitchen renovation”, “Waiting on Charlie Carter”, “Due today or late · Call”. It shows the Matter’s icon or the person’s initials, and how many Actions match.
  • Cards by priority, then due date, then title, up to twelve. Then a link to the rest: the Matter’s overview when the block holds one Matter, the board otherwise. Cards show their Matter, unless the block holds only one.
  • Nothing to show: one quiet line, such as “Nothing open in Old blog.”
  • A token that matches nothing, such as a Matter you haven’t created, shows struck through in the head and isn’t applied. Fix the spelling and it takes effect.

Select a card to show it in the inspector; double-click it, or ⌘-click (Ctrl-click), to open its note. The + in the head opens quick add with the block’s tokens already in it, so a new Action lands where the block is looking.

In Live Preview, put the cursor inside the block to edit it; it shows its Actions again when the cursor leaves.

A whole view instead

To put a whole board, list, calendar or timeline in a note, with its toolbar and options, embed it from your board file:

![[Matters.base#Board]]

Use #List, #Calendar, #Timeline or #Next actions for the others. The matters block is the light way to show a few Actions; an embedded view is the whole thing.