TheAcharya
Profiles & Formats (Generic Markdown)
I think another useful profile would be Apple Notes.
It can be a to-do list and can it exported as a txt file.
Project Name
- [ ] Marker Position - Marker Name - Marker Notes
- [ ] 00:00:01:24 - Marker 67 - Sample Test
- [ ] 00:00:03:15 - Marker 42 - Sample Test
- [ ] 00:00:03:15 - Marker 44 - Sample Test
- [ ] 00:00:10:13 - Marker 39 - Sample Test
- [ ] 00:00:10:13 - Marker 65 - Sample Test
- [ ] 00:00:16:18 - Marker 46 - Sample Test
- [ ] 00:00:32:21 - Chapter 2 - Sample Test
- [ ] 00:00:36:16 - Marker 45 - Sample Test
- [ ] 00:00:43:09 - Chapter 3 - Sample Test
- [ ] 00:01:07:21 - Marker 43 - Sample Test
- [ ] 00:01:11:22 - Marker 38 - Sample Test
Users import and have simple tracking of their Marker notes across their Apple Devices.
After testing, it seems Apple Notes will not recognise [ ] as a checkbox. However strangely, when copying from Apple Notes and pasting into any text editor, it comes as a markdown format. I thought when importing back, the formatting would be preserved.
Edit - Instead of just focusing on Apple Notes, we can have a generic Markdown profile where users can import or paste into any productivity apps (example - obsidian) that support Markdown.
With the markdown profile, the output would be as such. I have utilised emojis for visual indication of marker types.
Users can early paste / import it any markdown supported notes or productivity app like Notion or Obsidian.
# Marker Data Demo_V3
- [ ] 00:00:01:24 - 🟣 Marker 67 - Note 01
- [ ] 00:00:03:15 - 🔴 Marker 42 - Note 02
- [x] 00:00:10:13 - 🟢 Marker 44 - Note 03
- [ ] 00:00:16:18 - 🟣 Marker 39 - Note 04
- [ ] 00:00:21:06 - 🔵 456
- [ ] 00:00:32:21 - 🟣 Marker 65
- [ ] 00:00:36:16 - 🔴 Marker 46 - Note 05
- [ ] 00:00:43:09 - 🟠 Chapter 2 - Note 06
- [ ] 00:01:07:21 - 🔴 Marker 45 - Note 07
- [ ] 00:01:11:22 - 🟠 Chapter 3 - Note 08
- [ ] 00:01:27:08 - 🔴 Marker 43 - Note 09
- [x] 00:01:28:19 - 🟢 Marker 38 - Note 10
The proposed formatting is pretty arbitrary. If we are going to do a markdown profile, it should be less opinionated. And it should probably be more configurable -- which fields to include, and how to represent them.
How do we know users want a task list? Perhaps users want a basic list instead. Technically only to-do markers should be presented as task items, but the markdown format does not play well with lists that contain mixed list item types in a contiguous list - so either all items are tasks or none are.
And the emojis, while reminiscent of perhaps Final Cut Pro markers, may be completely arbitrary to some users.
I think this feature needs simplification or more thought before implementation.
Honestly this feels like something Marker Data can/should be doing.
It can import the raw data and then present GUI to allow users to format the data.
Remember, our goal with MarkersExtractor is that it is primarily a data extraction tool. IMHO it should not contain export profiles at all and leave all of that up to another app like Marker Data, as the profiles we have already are fairly novel and opinionated at it is. But while we have profiles, we at least want to maintain a balance there.
The proposed formatting is pretty arbitrary. If we are going to do a markdown profile, it should be less opinionated. And it should probably be more configurable -- which fields to include, and how to represent them
My intention was to keep things less complex, I thought of just using the 3 main fields, Timecode, Name, Type and Notes. If users want a full range of fields, they can always use Notion or Airtable? They can always customise the columns to their hearts desire in Notion or Airtable?
The idea was to just copy and paste into any Markdown supported apps?
How do we know users want a task list? Perhaps users want a basic list instead. Technically only to-do markers should be presented as task items, but the markdown format does not play well with lists that contain mixed list item types in a contiguous list - so either all items are tasks or none are.
We also focus only on only to-do markers?
Honestly this feels like something Marker Data can/should be doing.
It can import the raw data and then present GUI to allow users to format the data.
Remember, our goal with MarkersExtractor is that it is primarily a data extraction tool. IMHO it should not contain export profiles at all and leave all of that up to another app like Marker Data, as the profiles we have already are fairly novel and opinionated at it is. But while we have profiles, we at least want to maintain a balance there.
While it is possible, it keep things simple, I felt have a Markdown down profile would be more suited since MarkersExtractor is already processing the metadata and to leverage the codebase.
The idea was to just copy and paste into any Markdown supported apps
Yes, but we still want to make as few decisions as possible, so keep the data clean. Which really means:
- a flat, non-task oriented list
- no emojis if the user can't define them - deleting them can be very tedious if the user does it by hand line-by-line
# Marker Data Demo_V3
- 00:00:01:24 - Marker 67 - Note 01
- 00:00:03:15 - Marker 42 - Note 02
- 00:00:10:13 - Marker 44 - Note 03
- 00:00:16:18 - Marker 39 - Note 04
- 00:00:21:06 - 456
- 00:00:32:21 - Marker 65
- 00:00:36:16 - Marker 46 - Note 05
- 00:00:43:09 - Chapter 2 - Note 06
- 00:01:07:21 - Marker 45 - Note 07
- 00:01:11:22 - Chapter 3 - Note 08
- 00:01:27:08 - Marker 43 - Note 09
- 00:01:28:19 - Marker 38 - Note 10
It is then usually simple to convert the list to a task list, depending on the markdown editing software. Notes lets you change list type very easily. And other markdown editors I've used also do.
It's possible to add option flags to customize the output but it would be ideal to avoid adding more CLI options.
Also consider that markdown supports tables, which could be an option flag.
| Timecode | Marker | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 00:00:01:24 | Marker 67 | Note 01 |
| 00:00:03:15 | Marker 42 | Note 02 |
| 00:00:10:13 | Marker 44 | Note 03 |
| 00:00:16:18 | Marker 39 | Note 04 |
| 00:00:21:06 | 456 | |
| 00:00:32:21 | Marker 65 | |
| 00:00:36:16 | Marker 46 | Note 05 |
| 00:00:43:09 | Chapter 2 | Note 06 |
| 00:01:07:21 | Marker 45 | Note 07 |
| 00:01:11:22 | Chapter 3 | Note 08 |
| 00:01:27:08 | Marker 43 | Note 09 |
| 00:01:28:19 | Marker 38 | Note 10 |
However now we are crossing over into tabular data territory (csv, tsv, excel) and this really would be a fringe feature no doubt.
The idea was to just copy and paste into any Markdown supported apps
Yes, but we still want to make as few decisions as possible, so keep the data clean. Which really means:
- a flat, non-task oriented list
- no emojis if the user can't define them - deleting them can be very tedious if the user does it by hand line-by-line
# Marker Data Demo_V3 - 00:00:01:24 - Marker 67 - Note 01 - 00:00:03:15 - Marker 42 - Note 02 - 00:00:10:13 - Marker 44 - Note 03 - 00:00:16:18 - Marker 39 - Note 04 - 00:00:21:06 - 456 - 00:00:32:21 - Marker 65 - 00:00:36:16 - Marker 46 - Note 05 - 00:00:43:09 - Chapter 2 - Note 06 - 00:01:07:21 - Marker 45 - Note 07 - 00:01:11:22 - Chapter 3 - Note 08 - 00:01:27:08 - Marker 43 - Note 09 - 00:01:28:19 - Marker 38 - Note 10It is then usually simple to convert the list to a task list, depending on the markdown editing software. Notes lets you change list type very easily. And other markdown editors I've used also do.
It's possible to add option flags to customize the output but it would be ideal to avoid adding more CLI options.
This looks good! Users can leverage any markdown apps to convert how each lines would be in there apps?
Yes
It's possible to add option flags to customize the output but it would be ideal to avoid adding more CLI options.
I think we don't need any additional flags.
Also consider that markdown supports tables, which could be an option flag.
However now we are crossing over into tabular data territory (csv, tsv, excel) and this really would be a fringe feature no doubt.
I did thought about this, while a table in markdown looks nice, it does not really serve a purpose. We exactly have (csv, tsv, excel) for this.
I much prefer your list proposal.
Ok I'll modify the branch to output the basic formatting, and we can always revisit with improvements in future if needed.
Would there be a use case for splitting the markers into subheadings based on marker type? If so, it would probably be an option flag.
That way to-do markers can be grouped and made into a task list with completed and incomplete list items. And data divided into hierarchical subheadings is idiomatic for markdown structure as well.
# Marker Data Demo_V3
## Standard
- 00:00:01:24 - Marker 67 - Note 01
- 00:00:16:18 - Marker 39 - Note 04
- 00:00:32:21 - Marker 65
## To-Do
- [ ] 00:00:03:15 - Marker 42 - Note 02
- [x] 00:00:10:13 - Marker 44 - Note 03
- [ ] 00:00:36:16 - Marker 46 - Note 05
- [ ] 00:01:07:21 - Marker 45 - Note 07
- [ ] 00:01:27:08 - Marker 43 - Note 09
- [x] 00:01:28:19 - Marker 38 - Note 10
## Chapters
- 00:00:43:09 - Chapter 2 - Note 06
- 00:01:11:22 - Chapter 3 - Note 08
## Captions
- 00:00:21:06 - 456
Preview
Marker Data Demo_V3
Standard
- 00:00:01:24 - Marker 67 - Note 01
- 00:00:16:18 - Marker 39 - Note 04
- 00:00:32:21 - Marker 65
To-Do
- [ ] 00:00:03:15 - Marker 42 - Note 02
- [x] 00:00:10:13 - Marker 44 - Note 03
- [ ] 00:00:36:16 - Marker 46 - Note 05
- [ ] 00:01:07:21 - Marker 45 - Note 07
- [ ] 00:01:27:08 - Marker 43 - Note 09
- [x] 00:01:28:19 - Marker 38 - Note 10
Chapters
- 00:00:43:09 - Chapter 2 - Note 06
- 00:01:11:22 - Chapter 3 - Note 08
Captions
- 00:00:21:06 - 456
Would there be a use case for splitting the markers into subheadings based on marker type? If so, it would probably be an option flag.
I would like to avoid any option flags for markdown. Or we can just split them by default.
If users don't want to use or need the category they can always delete them.
Apple Notes will not recognise
[ ]as a checkbox. However strangely, when copying from Apple Notes and pasting into any text editor, it comes as a markdown format.
Apple's Notes app is definitely weird that way. It's very much non-committal about working with markdown. It definitely doesn't fully support it. Some formatting is copied to the clipboard with markdown-friendly layout but not all. And pasting markdown into Notes is not recognized at all - it's seen as plain text essentially and will not pick up headings or list formatting. The only reason it does the markdown task list formatting is probably because users begged Apple to add it. I really wish they would go whole-sale with proper markdown support.
I really wish they would go whole-sale with proper markdown support.
I believe proper markdown support is coming in macOS / iOS 26.
To keep things clean at this point, the markdown list will now output the timecode, name, and notes.
For to-do markers, text in parens will be added after the marker name: (Done) or (Not Done) to help differentiate.
After experimenting with also adding (Chapter) for chapter markers and (Caption) for captions, it felt superfluous so I did not add those text bits.