Migrating from v3 to v4

TaskNotes v4 migrates all views to the Bases system. This guide covers what changed and how to update your setup.

Requirements

• Obsidian 1.10.1 or later (required for Bases API)
• Bases core plugin enabled (Settings → Core Plugins → Bases)

What Changed

Views are Now Bases Files

All task views (Task List, Kanban, Calendar, Agenda) are now .base files stored in TaskNotes/Views/. This replaces the custom view system in v3.

v3	v4
Views stored in plugin settings	Views stored as .base files
Custom filter UI	Bases filter syntax
Saved views in settings	Each view is a separate file

Automatic Migration on First Launch

When you first open TaskNotes v4:

1. Default .base files are created in TaskNotes/Views/
2. Ribbon icons and commands now open these .base files
3. Your existing task files are unchanged

Converting Saved Filter Views

If you had saved filter views in v3, you can convert them to .base files:

1. Go to Settings → General
2. Find the "Convert Saved Views" button
3. Click to convert your saved views
4. Converted views appear in TaskNotes/Views/

This is a one-way conversion. The original saved views remain in settings until you delete them.

Breaking Changes

View Configuration

v3 saved views with custom filters need manual conversion to Bases filter syntax. Simple filters (status, priority, due date) convert automatically. Complex filters may need adjustment.

v3 Filter Example:

status: in-progress
priority: high

v4 Bases Syntax:

filters:
  and:
    - status == "in-progress"
    - priority == "high"

See the Obsidian Bases documentation for filter syntax details.

Minimum Obsidian Version

v4 requires Obsidian 1.10.1 or later. If you can't upgrade Obsidian, stay on TaskNotes v3.

New Features in v4

OAuth Calendar Integration

v4 adds Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook integration:

• View external calendar events alongside tasks
• Drag events to reschedule (syncs back to calendar provider)
• Events sync every 15 minutes

See Calendar Setup for configuration.

Kanban Swimlanes

The Kanban view now supports horizontal swimlane grouping:

views:
  - type: tasknotesKanban
    groupBy:
      property: status
    config:
      swimLane: priority

Time Entry Editor

A dedicated modal for managing time entries:

• Alt-drag on calendar to create time entries
• View total tracked time per task
• Edit and delete time entries

Troubleshooting

Views Not Loading

1. Verify Bases core plugin is enabled (Settings → Core Plugins)
2. Check that .base files exist in TaskNotes/Views/
3. Restart Obsidian

Missing Saved Views After Upgrade

Saved views from v3 are preserved in settings. Use the conversion button in Settings → General to create .base files from them.

Filter Syntax Errors

Bases uses different filter syntax than v3. Common issues:

Problem	Solution
status: done	Use status == "done"
Multiple conditions	Wrap in and: or or: block
Date comparisons	Use date(due) < today()

Downgrading to v3

Migration is one-way. If you need to downgrade:

1. Uninstall TaskNotes v4
2. Install TaskNotes v3 from releases
3. Reconfigure your saved views manually

Your task files are unaffected—only view configurations change.

View Templates

For complete .base file examples, see Default Base Templates.