Create JDex

Your download contains:

  • The JDex files customised for the applications we currently support.
  • Markdown and plain text versions that should work with any notes app.

We can't maintain instructions for every app, so here they are for the two we recommend.

Obsidian

This process is shown in a video on this page.

Obsidian stores its files in a folder in your filesystem that you manage. (Most other apps import the files and manage them for you.)

So the first thing to do is move your JDex files out of your Downloads and into this folder, their permanent home.

You can store them anywhere you want. The recommended location is at ID 00.00 in the folder structure you just copied.1

  1. Move the folder JDex - [System name] from inside the folder JDex files/Obsidian to its permanent home.
  2. If you haven't already, download Obsidian.
  3. From Obsidian, if the start screen isn't already open (you'll see a large purple logo), choose File > Open Vault…
  4. Click Open folder as vault and find the folder you just moved.

Bear

This process is shown in a video on this page.

  1. If you haven't already, download Bear.2
  2. From Bear, choose File > Import From… > Markdown Folder
  3. Navigate to Downloads > Johnny.Decimal [System] > JDex files > Bear
  4. Make sure Use first line as title is selected and nothing else.
  5. Click Import notes.

Footnotes

  1. There's a very-deep-dive into this at blog post 0182. This is advanced reading for the curious: don't let it derail you! ↩

  2. Note that Bear is US$30/year and you can try it for free. This app is going to be the centre of your digital life. It's worth the money and we love its simplicity. Obsidian is free and works great on Mac, but it's a little more complex to set up and manage. ↩