Obsidian View Mode Plugin

A powerful Obsidian plugin that automatically controls file view modes and enforces editing restrictions based on YAML frontmatter or folder-level settings. Perfect for workflows where certain files need to be protected from editing or automatically set to specific view modes.

Features

• Automatic View Mode Control: Set files to read-only, edit, or locked modes automatically
• YAML Frontmatter Support: Control view modes per-file using frontmatter properties
• Folder-Level Settings: Apply view modes to entire folders and subfolders
• File Locking: Completely prevent editing of sensitive or reference files
• Smart Enforcement: Automatically prevents mode changes and hides edit buttons for locked files
• Temporary Unlocking: Temporarily unlock files for editing when needed
• Flexible Configuration: Customize the frontmatter property name and notification settings

How It Works

The plugin automatically detects and applies view modes when files are opened, based on two priority levels:

1. YAML Frontmatter (highest priority): Individual file control using a configurable property
2. Folder Settings: Automatic application to all files in configured folders

The plugin continuously monitors and enforces these settings, preventing unauthorized mode changes and editing.

View Modes

Available Modes

• read: Read-only mode - file opens in preview mode and cannot be edited
• edit: Edit mode using user's preferred editing style (source or live preview)
• edit-source: Force source mode editing
• edit-preview: Force live preview editing
• lock: Completely locked - file opens in preview mode and cannot be modified

Mode Hierarchy

Files can be controlled at two levels:

• File-level: Using YAML frontmatter (overrides folder settings)
• Folder-level: Applied to all files in a specific folder path

Installation

From Obsidian Community Plugins

1. Open Obsidian Settings → Community Plugins
2. Turn off Safe mode
3. Click "Browse" and search for "View Mode"
4. Click "Install" then "Enable"

Configuration

Basic Settings

1. Go to Settings → Community Plugins → View Mode
2. Configure the following options:

Meta Property Name

The YAML frontmatter property used to control view mode. Default is view_mode.

Examples:

---
view_mode: read
---

---
ViewStyle: lock
---

---
mode: edit-source
---

Show Mode Change Notifications

Toggle whether to show notifications when view modes change. When disabled, mode changes happen silently.

Folder View Modes

Configure automatic view modes for entire folders:

1. Click "+ Add folder" in the settings
2. Enter the folder path (e.g., "Daily Notes", "Projects/Work")
3. Select the desired view mode
4. Save settings

Folder Path Examples:

• Daily Notes - applies to files in the "Daily Notes" folder
• Projects/Work - applies to files in the "Projects/Work" subfolder
• Reference - applies to all files in the "Reference" folder

Usage Examples

Example 1: Reference Documents

Set all files in your "Reference" folder to read-only mode:

1. In settings, add folder "Reference" with mode "read"
2. All files in this folder will automatically open in read-only mode
3. Users cannot accidentally edit important reference materials

Example 2: Template Protection

Protect template files from editing:

---
view_mode: lock
---

Template files will be completely locked and cannot be modified, even temporarily.

Example 3: Work vs Personal Notes

Different editing modes for different contexts:

• Work Projects folder: Set to "edit-source" for structured editing
• Personal Notes folder: Set to "edit" for flexible editing
• Archived folder: Set to "read" to prevent accidental changes

Example 4: Collaborative Workflows

Use "lock" mode for files that are being reviewed or are in final state:

---
view_mode: lock
status: final
---

Example 5: Custom Property Names

If you prefer different frontmatter properties:

1. Set "Meta property name" to "ViewStyle" in settings
2. Use in your files:

---
ViewStyle: edit-preview
---

Example 6: Custom YAML Property Values

You can also customize the actual values used in your YAML frontmatter:

1. Go to Settings → Community Plugins → View Mode → Custom YAML Property Names
2. Configure custom values for each view mode:

Default Values:

• read → Read-only mode
• edit → Edit mode (user preference)
• edit-source → Source editing mode
• edit-preview → Live preview editing mode
• lock → Locked mode

Custom Value Examples:

---
view_mode: read_only          # Instead of "read"
view_mode: editing            # Instead of "edit"
view_mode: source_mode        # Instead of "edit-source"
view_mode: live_edit          # Instead of "edit-preview"
view_mode: protected          # Instead of "lock"
---

Advanced Configuration: You can set completely custom values like:

• read_only, viewing, display_only
• editing, modify, changeable
• source_editing, raw_edit, code_mode
• live_editing, preview_edit, rich_edit
• locked, protected, immutable, final

Commands

The plugin adds several commands to Obsidian:

• Unlock File: Temporarily unlock a locked file for editing
  • Only appears when viewing a locked file
  • File automatically re-locks when navigating away

How It Enforces Settings

Automatic Enforcement

• File Opening: View mode is applied immediately when files are opened
• Continuous Monitoring: Plugin checks and enforces settings every second
• Mode Change Prevention: Blocks attempts to change view modes for locked files
• Button Hiding: Edit buttons are automatically hidden for locked files

Lock Enforcement

• Preview Mode Only: Locked files are forced to stay in preview mode
• Edit Prevention: All editing attempts are blocked
• Visual Feedback: Clear notifications when editing is prevented

Temporary Unlocking

• Command Palette: Use "Unlock File" command to temporarily unlock
• Session-Based: Unlock persists only while viewing the file
• Auto-Relock: File automatically re-locks when navigating away

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit issues and pull requests.

Support

• GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
• GitHub Discussions: Ask questions and share workflows
• Funding: Support development through the funding links in the plugin

Changelog

Version 1.1.0

• Added custom YAML property value configuration
• Users can now define custom names for each view mode
• Enhanced settings interface with organized sections
• Improved visual styling for settings

Version 1.0.0

• Initial release with core view mode functionality
• YAML frontmatter support
• Folder-level view mode settings
• File locking and enforcement
• Temporary unlocking capability
• Comprehensive settings interface