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Add option to skip capture if target file already exists

Open chhoumann opened this issue 6 months ago • 0 comments

Summary

Add an option to prevent capture operations when the target file already exists, useful for one-time note creation workflows.

Problem

Currently, if a capture target file already exists:

  • Content is always added to the existing file
  • No notification that file already existed
  • Can result in unwanted duplicate content
  • No way to prevent accidental additions to existing notes

Use Cases

  • One-time note creation: Daily notes, meeting notes, project kickoffs
  • Prevent duplicates: Avoid adding the same content multiple times
  • Template initialization: Only create initial template content once
  • Error prevention: Avoid accidental captures to wrong existing files

Proposed Solution

Add setting in Capture Choice configuration:

  • "Skip if file exists" checkbox
  • When enabled and target file exists:
    • Show notification: "File already exists, capture skipped"
    • Do not add content to existing file
    • Optionally offer to open existing file instead

Implementation Ideas

  • File existence check before capture operation
  • User-friendly notification system
  • Option to open existing file as alternative action
  • Could be combined with file creation date checks

Benefits

  • Prevents accidental content duplication
  • Better workflow for one-time note creation
  • More predictable capture behavior
  • Reduces user errors

chhoumann avatar May 29 '25 14:05 chhoumann