[Feature] Solution on how to handle new lines

[medunifelix]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

Environment

• OS: Windows 11
• Zotero Version: 7.0.2 (64-bit)
• Plugin Version: 2.4.9

Describe the feature request

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
I really love this plugin, tho there is one thing that currently prevents me from actually using it, namely, how Zotero Notes handle line breaks.
I am using Obsidian to sync my notes to and everything works great except for the fact that Zotero Notes always inserts an empty line in between populated lines. Conversely, whenever I put 2 lines right next to eachother in Obsidian, Zotero merges them into one line, which then also updates Obsidian to put them into one line. Kinda makes it unusable, since that would require me to have empty lines in between each and every line whenever working in Obsidian. When I use shift-enter to force Zotero to not create a new line, the sync adds a backslash in Obsidian at the end of the affected line.

Why do you need this feature?
See above.

Describe the solution you'd like

The solution you'd like
Since I doubt it's easy to change Zotero's behavior in this regard, maybe give us the option to disable the automatic creation of new lines when sync happens. Not sure how to handle that in the backend tho...

Alternatives you've considered
Imho there is not really an alternative. Either you change your workflow and force your brain and eyes to live with the fact that your Zotero notes in Obsidian will be super long and will be missing a crucial element in your visual segmentation toolbox, or you don't.

Anything else?

No response

[windingwind]

Thanks for the feedback. Not very sure, but it sounds like it's the behavior described in https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/#line-breaks, that the plugin obeys while Obsidian does not? Usually, when you have a line right after the previous line without a two-space ending or an extra blank line in between, it's recognized as the same line in most of the standard markdown syntax.

Some examples for your case would also be helpful here.

[vadych]

I also ran into this problem.
When exporting, the line break is escaped with the character \. This can be fixed using the export template.
But when importing back to Zotero, the single line break is apparently simply deleted. This completely breaks the formatting.
Is there any way to control the import during synchronization?

[ellinum]

Same issue for me. The blank line added after headings internal links sometimes creates issues with common editors such as obsidian or logseq.

[windingwind]

You may convert all \\n line breaks to <br>, which is recognized by most editors like Obsidian and also correctly parsed when syncing back.

# This template is specifically for importing/sharing, using better 
# notes 'import from clipboard': copy the content and
# goto Zotero menu bar, click Tools->New Template from Clipboard.  
# Do not copy-paste this to better notes template editor directly.
name: "[ExportMDFileContent]"
zoteroVersion: "7.1-beta.41+355c61e6d"
pluginVersion: "2.5.1"
savedAt: "2025-07-23T09:42:32.769Z"
content: |-
  ${{
    return mdContent.replaceAll("\\\n", "\n<br>\n")
  }}$

[ellinum]

Unfortunately, the issue persists even when creating the template as you listed above.

This is what it currently reads under the built-in template "Export MD File Content" after I have created it with your instructions.
${{ return mdContent.replaceAll("\\\n", "\n<br>\n") }}$

This is what it looks like in the respective editors (Zotero, Obsidian, Markedit)

[windingwind]

@ellinum

I'm replying based on @vadych 's comment

When exporting, the line break is escaped with the character . This can be fixed using the export template.
But when importing back to Zotero, the single line break is apparently simply deleted. This completely breaks the formatting.
Is there any way to control the import during synchronization?\

It's a fix to the mentioned in-block line break issue. As for the line breaks between list items, they can be removed using the export template, as mentioned above.

[ellinum]

@windingwind I suppose you are referring to this comment?

I also ran into this problem. When exporting, the line break is escaped with the character \. This can be fixed using the export template. But when importing back to Zotero, the single line break is apparently simply deleted. This completely breaks the formatting. Is there any way to control the import during synchronization?

How would this look in the export template, If I did not want the empty spaces between list items? I suppose with "export template" you are referring to modifying "Export MD File content"? Or is there another built in template for this already?

Aplogies if this is a newbie questions, but I'm not experienced with modifiying export templates.