FAQ for Obsidian Tasks users
The questions Obsidian Tasks users ask most when they try Operon, with the short answer and a link to the full page. For the step-by-step move, start with Obsidian Tasks migration.
Migrating
Do I have to convert everything at once? No. Convert a line, a selection, or a note whenever you meet it. Unconverted lines keep working as Obsidian Tasks. See Obsidian Tasks migration.
Will my recurrence survive? Supported 🔁 rules convert into Operon's repeat field. Unsupported expressions may be preserved as information in Note rather than active recurrence; inspect notices and the converted task. See Recurring tasks.
What happens to my emoji? On a converted line, emoji metadata becomes Operon fields (📅→dateDue, ⏳→dateScheduled, priority emoji→your priority, and so on) and the line is rewritten as an inline task. Lines you have not converted are left untouched.
Can I convert a whole outline? Yes. Select it and run Convert Selection to Operon Tasks; indentation becomes parent and child tasks. See Create tasks from selected text.
Can I convert several folders? Yes. Use Tasks bulk conversion in Inline Tasks settings, select the scope, Scan, review, and confirm. It converts eligible Tasks emoji lines; plain checkboxes remain unchanged. Unlike list selection commands, bulk conversion does not create parents from indentation or inherit fields from a containing File Task.
Can each folder use a different template? Use separate batches: choose the Inline default, select one group, Scan and convert, then change the default and scope and Scan again. One batch uses one default template. Supported source emoji fields override conflicting template defaults. See Using inline task templates.
Why must I scan again? The prepared bulk result belongs to the source, template, settings, and scope it read. Changes require a fresh Scan; a stale result must not overwrite current sources.
Can I review a task before conversion? Enable Open Task Creator before conversion, off by default, under Tasks → Inline Tasks → Checkbox Conversion. It affects both Live Preview conversion icons only. Commands and bulk conversion do not open Creator per task. Cancelling Creator leaves the source unchanged.
Running both plugins
Can I keep Obsidian Tasks installed while I move? Yes, and it stays low-friction because the two use different inline formats. Operon treats a line as its own only when the line carries Operon fields ({{key:: value}}) or an operonId, so it leaves your Tasks emoji lines alone, and your ```tasks query blocks keep rendering through the Tasks plugin. Move at your own pace.
Should one line use both formats? No. Keep each line in a single format. A line that mixes Operon fields with Tasks emoji is treated as a hybrid and is not converted, so convert a line fully rather than half. See Obsidian Tasks migration.
Why does a line show rendering from both plugins? Both add their own rendering to - [ ] checkbox lines, so a line that carries both formats can show both. First separate the mixed metadata; a hybrid line is not eligible for automatic conversion. Then use one format consistently.
Does Operon read my ```tasks blocks? No. Operon does not render Tasks query blocks. Use the Filter View for lists, and embed a saved filter in a note with an ```operon block when you want a list inside a note. See Embed a filter in a note.
Differences that surprise people
Why does each task have an operonId? It is the durable identity that lets the same task appear in filters, the Calendar, and the Kanban without becoming a new task. Do not edit or copy it. See Task identity and operonId.
How do statuses work? Operon tasks move through a pipeline of statuses. Those statuses can define either Kanban axis; boards can also group by other properties. You can still complete a task in one action. See Pipelines and statuses.
My priorities look different. Tasks priority emoji map to your configured Operon priority levels by rank, so they follow your own scheme rather than a fixed set. See Task priorities.
Safety
If I uninstall Operon, do I lose my tasks? No. Converted tasks are plain Markdown lines with an operonId; they remain as text. You lose the views and automation, not the tasks. See Markdown task storage.
What if bulk conversion is interrupted? Resolve the recovery state before another batch. Check again rechecks evidence; Restore original sources requires current files and identities to pass safety checks. Complete conversion keeps a result only when all recorded sources are already converted; it does not resume partial conversion. Preserve evidence if later edits prevent recovery. See Tasks bulk conversion.
Can I undo a completed migration from that page? Recovery is for unresolved bulk operations, not permanent Undo. Keep backups before large migrations. A settings backup is not a backup of task notes.
Tasks converted, but views are stale—should I convert again? No. Use Retry view refresh when offered. Retry cleanup addresses pending recovery cleanup without converting sources again.
My Filter View is empty after install. That is normal. Views show Operon tasks, so convert a few lines and they will appear.