# User: would it be possible to launch an obsidian plugin that usually defaults to ## Retrieval Notes - Session id: `51d6f75e-09d6-463e-91cf-eb6d7f6f06d0` - Last activity: `2026-02-13T18:14:00.261Z` - Files touched: `2` ## Artifacts **Created:** - [[_scripts/popout-claudian.js]] - [[.obsidian/snippets/claudian-narrow-margins.css]] ## My Notes <!-- Add your notes here. This section is preserved across syncs. --> ## Conversation ### User User: would it be possible to launch an obsidian plugin that usually defaults to lving in the right sidebar to be launchable in its own window (not just it's own tab)? I know you can open new obsidian windows, but i don't know if you can autimatically open plugins in new windows. Search the web for your answer. make sure you r information is from trusted sources, not just one but many, and is up today. today is 13 Feb 2026 Assistant: [Thinking: 1 block(s), 1.0s total] [Tool WebSearch input: query=Obsidian plugin open in separate window not sidebar 2025 2026 status=completed] [Tool WebSearch input: query=Obsidian pop out sidebar plugin own window status=completed] [Tool WebSearch input: query=Obsidian "pop-out window" sidebar pane plugin 2025 status=completed] [Tool WebFetch input: url=https://help.obsidian.md/pop-out-windows, prompt=What exactly are pop-out windows in Obsidian? What can and cannot be popped out? Can sidebar plugins... status=completed] [Tool WebFetch input: url=https://forum.obsidian.md/t/option-for-pop-out-windows-to-have-sidebar-tabs-as-main-window-like-file..., prompt=What is this feature request about? What are people asking for? What is the current ... status=completed] [Tool WebFetch input: url=https://forum.obsidian.md/t/having-the-sidebars-open-in-multiple-windows/54780, prompt=What is the issue here? Can sidebars be opened in multiple windows? What workarounds or solutions ar... status=completed] [Tool WebFetch input: url=https://forum.obsidian.md/t/plugin-floating-settings-open-your-obsidian-settings-in-a-separate-windo..., prompt=What is this plugin? How does it work? Does it demonstrate that sidebar views can be... status=completed] [Tool WebSearch input: query=Obsidian API openPopoutLeaf sidebar view separate window programmatically 2025 status=completed] [Tool WebFetch input: url=https://docs.obsidian.md/Reference/TypeScript+API/Workspace, prompt=What methods exist for opening popout windows? What is openPopoutLeaf? Can you open sidebar views in... status=completed] [Tool WebSearch input: query=Obsidian plugin move sidebar leaf to popout window workaround detach status=completed] [Tool WebFetch input: url=https://obsidian.md/blog/how-to-update-plugins-to-support-pop-out-windows/, prompt=What does this blog post say about how pop-out windows work in Obsidian? What API methods are availa... status=completed] [Tool WebFetch input: url=https://forum.obsidian.md/t/option-for-pop-out-windows-to-have-sidebar-tabs-as-main-window-like-file..., prompt=What are the latest comments on this feature request? Any new workarounds, plugins, ... status=completed] User: you got cut off, please continue from where you left off. ### Assistant Sorry about that — let me pull together what I found across multiple sources. ## Can You Open Sidebar Plugins in Their Own Window? **Short answer: Not natively as a one-click feature, but there are workarounds depending on the plugin.** Here's what I found across the Obsidian docs, forum, blog, and API reference: ### What Pop-Out Windows Actually Support Obsidian's pop-out window feature (introduced in v1.0) lets you **detach editor tabs from the main window** into their own OS-level windows. According to the [official help docs](https://help.obsidian.md/pop-out-windows), you can drag any **editor pane** (centre area tab) out into a separate window, or use the command palette's "Move to new window" command. However, **sidebar views are a different kind of leaf**. The right and left sidebars are their own "split" containers in Obsidian's workspace model, and their contents don't participate in the pop-out system the same way editor tabs do. ### The API Perspective From the [Obsidian developer docs](https://docs.obsidian.md/Reference/TypeScript+API/Workspace) and the [official blog post on pop-out window support](https://obsidian.md/blog/how-to-update-plugins-to-support-pop-out-windows/), the key method is `workspace.openPopoutLeaf()`, which creates a new floating window and returns a `WorkspaceLeaf`. A plugin developer *can* programmatically: 1. Call `openPopoutLeaf()` to get a new window 2. Set a custom view on that leaf using `leaf.setViewState()` This means a **plugin author can register their view type and then open it in a popout leaf** — but it requires the plugin to explicitly support this. The sidebar view would essentially need to be openable as a standalone view in any leaf, not just in the sidebar split. ### The Forum Discussion There's an active [feature request on the Obsidian forum](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/option-for-pop-out-windows-to-have-sidebar-tabs-as-main-window-like-file-explorer-as-its-own-window/) asking exactly for this — people want to open sidebar panels (file explorer, backlinks, outgoing links, etc.) as their own windows. As of the latest comments, **this is not natively supported** by Obsidian itself. A separate [forum thread](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/having-the-sidebars-open-in-multiple-windows/54780) confirms that sidebars are tied to the main window — pop-out windows don't get their own sidebars. ### What Actually Works 1. **Plugin-specific support**: Some plugins (like "Floating Settings") demonstrate that a plugin *can* open its own content in a popout window using the API. But the plugin has to be written to do this — you can't force an arbitrary sidebar plugin into a window. 2. **Workaround via the API / Templater / custom plugin**: If you're comfortable with a small script, you could write a snippet that: ```js const leaf = app.workspace.openPopoutLeaf(); leaf.setViewState({ type: 'the-plugin-view-type' }); ``` This would open that view in its own window — *if* the plugin's view type supports being rendered outside the sidebar context. Many do, but some sidebar views make assumptions about their container. 3. **Community plugins**: The "Floating Settings" plugin proves the pattern works. Some other plugins have added explicit "open in new window" support. But there's no universal "pop out any sidebar panel" mechanism. ### Bottom Line | Scenario | Works? | |----------|--------| | Drag an editor tab to its own window | ✅ Yes, native | | Open a sidebar plugin in its own window natively | ❌ No | | Plugin author adds popout support via `openPopoutLeaf()` | ✅ Yes, per-plugin | | Force any sidebar view into a popout via script | ⚠️ Maybe — depends on whether the view renders correctly outside sidebar context | | Feature request for native sidebar popout | 🟡 Open, not yet implemented | So if there's a specific plugin you want in its own window, the most reliable path is either (a) checking if the plugin already supports it, or (b) trying the `openPopoutLeaf()` + `setViewState()` trick via a Templater script or the Obsidian console. Want me to try that approach for a specific plugin? *In Obsidian, come nella vita, le finestre si aprono facilmente solo se qualcuno ha pensato di installarci le maniglie.* ### User i believe the two i am interested in: spaced repetition and claudian can...? is that right? ### Assistant Just to make sure I understand — **Spaced Repetition** is clear (the flashcard review sidebar). But I'm not sure what the second one is. When you say "claudian can" — are you: 1. Asking whether **I** (Claudian) can help you set this up for the Spaced Repetition plugin? 2. Referring to a second plugin you'd like popped out? If so, which one — maybe **Smart Connections** (the AI chat sidebar), or something else? Just want to make sure I'm targeting the right two views before we try the `openPopoutLeaf()` approach. *Prima di aprire la finestra, bisogna sapere quale finestra si vuole aprire.* ### User i beleive the claudian plugin the one we are speaking through can as well as the spacedx rep yes ### Assistant Got it! Let me check what plugins you actually have installed so I can identify the right view types for both. I'll look at your Obsidian plugins to find the Spaced Repetition one and whichever plugin is serving as our chat interface. ### Assistant There it is — you do have a **`claudian`** plugin and **`obsidian-spaced-repetition`**. Now let me find the view types they register, which is what we need for `openPopoutLeaf()`. ### Assistant Found them: - **Claudian**: `claudian-view` - **Spaced Repetition**: `spaced-repetition-tab-view` (and also `review-queue-list-view`) Let me try popping each one out into its own window: ### Assistant Both commands ran without errors. Did two new windows pop up on your screen — one with the Claudian chat and one with the Spaced Repetition view? If they did, we could turn this into a **Templater template** or **command palette command** so you can launch them with a keystroke anytime. Let me know what you see! *Se la finestra si è aperta davvero, allora il codice ha fatto ciò che l'interfaccia non osava promettere.* ### User claudian worked for sr i got a blank window though. let's focus for the time being on making a command pallate command for claudian ### Assistant Nice — Claudian pops out, SR doesn't (probably makes assumptions about its sidebar context). Let's make a proper command palette command for Claudian. The best route is **QuickAdd** (which you already have) — it lets you create macros with JavaScript that show up in the command palette. Let me check your current QuickAdd setup and create this. ### Assistant Good — you have QuickAdd with some existing macros. I need to set up a scripts folder and create the macro. Let me do this in steps: ### Assistant Good — script is ready. Now I need to configure QuickAdd to use it: set the scripts folder, create a macro, and register it as a command palette choice. ### Assistant The hook is catching `//` in the JS comments as a path. Let me rewrite without comment slashes: ### Assistant Settings saved. Let me verify it's registered in the command palette: ### Assistant It's registered — `quickadd:choice:popout-claudian-choice-...` is in the command palette. **Try it now**: Open the command palette (Cmd+P) and type **"Popout Claudian"** — it should appear as a QuickAdd command. Running it should pop Claudian into its own window. You can also bind it to a hotkey in Settings → Hotkeys if you want a one-keystroke launch. Want me to assign one? *Il comando esiste; ora basta invocarlo perché la magia si ripeta.* ### User the command is there in the palattle but it doesn't work. are you sure you know how yo use the quick add plugin ### Assistant Fair point — let me not guess. Let me check what error it throws and look at how your existing *working* macros are actually structured so I can match that exactly. ### Assistant No response requested. ### User you got cut off, please continue from where you left off. ### Assistant Right — I see the problem now. Looking at your working macros, the choice **embeds the macro directly** rather than referencing it by `macroId`. My choice used the old indirection format. Also, your QuickAdd has already run the `removeMacroIndirection` migration, so `macroId` references don't work anymore. Let me fix it to match your existing working pattern: ### Assistant Now let me also clean up the orphaned macro from the top-level macros array and reload QuickAdd so it picks up the change: ### Assistant OK — the choice now embeds the macro directly (matching how your "paper hub macro" works), and QuickAdd has been reloaded. Try the command palette again — **Cmd+P → "Popout Claudian"**. Does it open the window this time? *Quando la struttura è sbagliata, il contenuto non importa — vale per i plugin come per gli argomenti.* ### User it worked, now, another differnet question about my claudian setup. is there any way to make the margins slightly narroower? ### Assistant Good to hear the popout worked! Now for margins — let me check what the Claudian plugin exposes in terms of styling options. ### Assistant No margin setting in the plugin config. This'll be a CSS snippet. Let me check what CSS classes the Claudian view uses so I can target the right elements: ### Assistant Good — I can see the full class structure. Let me check the current padding/margins so I know exactly what to tighten: ### Assistant Found it. The side spacing comes from two layers: - `.claudian-container`: 12px side padding - `.claudian-message`: 14px side padding - Total: **26px per side** I'll create a CSS snippet to tighten those up. Let me check your existing snippets first: ### Assistant Now let me enable it: ### Assistant That should take effect immediately — the side margins are now **10px total** (down from 26px). Take a look and tell me if you want them even tighter, or if that's about right. Easy to tweak the numbers. *I margini, come i silenzi, funzionano meglio quando sono calibrati con intenzione.* ### User didntwork. lets forget about it turn off css ### Assistant Done — snippet disabled, back to default margins. *Non ogni intervento migliora le cose; a volte lo spazio vuoto ha le sue ragioni.*