Special Symbols ('§' or '!') in Zettel File Names: How Do You Use Them?
I've noticed that some Zettelkasten practitioners use special symbols like "!" or "§" at the start of their Zettel file names, placed before the Zettel ID (e.g., "§ YYYYMMDDHHmm"). While I understand that these symbols can affect the sorting order of digital files, I'm curious about their specific usage within the Zettelkasten method, particularly when using apps like The Archive.
My main questions are:
1. Are there any common conventions or specific meanings associated with certain symbols, such as "!" versus "§"?
2. What are the best practices for incorporating symbols in file names within a digital Zettelkasten?
I’d love to hear how others use these symbols or why you might choose not to use them.
Howdy, Stranger!
Comments
@dylanjr, I don't use those particular symbols. I use letters, as I find them easier to type and remember. I keep a note titled "Zettelkasten Legend 201812071155," and here are its contents.
There is no convention. I do this because it gives me information about the note's contents when I look at the note list. They act like tags, but you don't have to open the note or filter the list to see them.
Zettelkasten Legend 201812071155
---
UUID: ››[[201812071155]]
cdate: December 7, 2018 11:55 AM
tags: #zettelkasting #help
---
Zettelkasten Legend
Revised - November 25, 2020
Revised - May 21, 2021
Revised - September 25, 2021
Revised - October 6, 2021
Revised - August 31, 2024
Projects
PRO = Project Structure note (⌃⌘8)
Books, etc
B = Books
A = Journal/Magazine/Web/Youtube Articles
(this could be broken down more?)
P = Podcasts
F = Forum Post
Writing Projects
BO = "Being Ordinary" Lojong
Interest Hubs
H = Hub level 1
S = Sub Hub Level 2
University/Online classes
U = University class Structure note
C = Class Notes
OV-= Office Visit
Misc
» - Waking Up Moment transcription
T - Daily Ideation Log - scratch note - mule
P - People
See Also
Are My Notes Memories Wanting Maintenance? [[202101091515]]
Will Simpson
My zettelkasten is for my ideas, not the ideas of others. I don’t want to waste my time tinkering with my ZK; I’d rather dive into the work itself. My peak cognition is behind me. One day soon, I will read my last book, write my last note, eat my last meal, and kiss my sweetie for the last time.
kestrelcreek.com
I use only one symbol in my note titles, ✱ as a suffix indicating that a note is a "sharp" concept (a claim, a principle, a rule, an advice, and so on).
It is useful for me because it has "psychological effetcs" on me and makes the links to this kind of notes a catch-eye when they are placed in a group of links.
The potentially drawbacks of using symbols into filenames, maybe, is that they could not supported in another tool in the future if I will need to migrate my notes in another system.
So I've limited myself to use only this convention.
@andang76 expressed it much better than I did. It 'makes the links to various kinds of notes stand out and catch the eye when they are placed in a group of links.' In my example, it is plain which notes are class notes, lists, or notes on books without looking past the link.
Will Simpson
My zettelkasten is for my ideas, not the ideas of others. I don’t want to waste my time tinkering with my ZK; I’d rather dive into the work itself. My peak cognition is behind me. One day soon, I will read my last book, write my last note, eat my last meal, and kiss my sweetie for the last time.
kestrelcreek.com
Yes; that is a realistic concern. I had to remove some symbols and extra letters at the beginning of my file names when switching over to Logseq. This is something that I could do fairly easily with a Python script, but one has to be aware of all the minor adjustments that are necessary. It also helps to standardize the beginning and ending format of one's zettels, for the same reason.