sophokles187_data-cards/docs/faq.md

layout	title	nav_order
default	FAQ & Troubleshooting	6

FAQ & Troubleshooting

{: .no_toc }

Table of contents

{: .no_toc .text-delta }

1. TOC {:toc}

---

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What's the difference between DataCards and regular Dataview?

DataCards is built on top of Dataview and transforms Dataview query results into card layouts. While Dataview displays data in tables, lists, or tasks, DataCards presents the same data in a visually appealing card format with customizable layouts and image support.

Can I use DataCards without Dataview?

No, DataCards requires the Dataview plugin to be installed and enabled, as it uses Dataview to query your notes.

Does DataCards impact performance?

DataCards is designed to be as efficient as possible, but complex queries with many results or large images may impact performance. You can use the lazy loading feature to improve performance with large image collections.

Are my cards automatically updated when I change my notes?

By default, cards are not automatically updated unless you enable the dynamic updates feature. You can enable this globally in the plugin settings or for specific cards with the dynamicUpdate: true setting.

Can I use DataCards on mobile?

Yes, DataCards is fully compatible with Obsidian mobile and includes specific settings for mobile devices to optimize the display.

Setup and Configuration

How do I include images in my cards?

1. Add an image property to your note's frontmatter (e.g., cover: https://example.com/image.jpg)
2. Include that property in your Dataview query
3. Specify the image property in your DataCards settings with imageProperty: cover

Why don't my properties appear on the cards?

Make sure you explicitly include all properties you want to display in your Dataview query. DataCards can only display properties that are included in the query.

Can I control which properties are displayed?

Yes, you can use the properties setting to specify which properties to show, or use exclude to hide specific properties.

How can I change the size of my cards?

Use the preset setting to change the overall layout, and columns to control how many cards appear in each row.

Can I use wiki links in my properties?

Yes, DataCards properly displays wiki links and allows them to be clickable.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

My DataCards block isn't rendering

• Make sure the Dataview plugin is installed and enabled
• Check that your code block uses the correct syntax: ```datacards (with three backticks)
• Verify that your Dataview query is correct
• Check the console for any error messages (Help → Developer → Toggle Developer Tools)

Images aren't displaying correctly

• Verify that you've specified the correct image property name
• Check that the image path or URL is correct
• Make sure you included the image property in your Dataview query
• Try different image formats (URL, path, or wiki link)

My cards are showing empty or "No notes found"

• Check that your query is matching the notes you expect
• Verify that the properties you're querying exist in your notes
• Try simplifying your query to see if that works
• Ensure your frontmatter is correctly formatted

Some properties aren't appearing on my cards

• Make sure you've included all desired properties in your Dataview query
• Check that you haven't accidentally excluded them with the exclude setting
• Verify that the properties exist in your notes' frontmatter

Cards aren't updating when I change properties

• Enable dynamic updates with dynamicUpdate: true
• Try manually refreshing using the command: "DataCards: Refresh DataCards in active view"
• Make sure you're in preview mode, not edit mode

My custom settings aren't applying

• Check the syntax of your settings (should be setting: value)
• Make sure settings are after your query
• Verify that you're using the correct setting names

Error Messages

"Dataview plugin is required but not enabled"

Install and enable the Dataview plugin in Obsidian's Community Plugins settings.

"Error executing Dataview query"

There's an issue with your Dataview query. Check the syntax and make sure it's valid.

"No notes found"

Your query didn't match any notes. Check your query and make sure your notes have the right tags or properties.

Advanced Troubleshooting

Enable Debug Mode

If you're experiencing issues, enable debug mode in the plugin settings to get more detailed information:

1. Open Obsidian Settings
2. Go to DataCards plugin settings
3. Enable "Debug Mode" under Developer Settings
4. Open the developer console (Help → Developer → Toggle Developer Tools)
5. Look for messages starting with "[DataCards]"

Reset Settings

If you're having persistent issues, try resetting to default settings:

1. Open Obsidian Settings
2. Go to DataCards plugin settings
3. Click the reset button on each setting