Getting started

Install#

Topic Map is in Obsidian's community directory. Install Model Hub first: it holds the AI keys Topic Map uses.

1. In Settings → Community plugins, select Browse, then install and enable Model Hub. Add a provider in its settings and apply a preset on its Tiers tab.
2. Browse again for Topic Map, then install and enable it.
3. For collections of books, install Library Hub the same way. This is optional.

Open Settings → Topic Map → Setup. Under Connections, Model Hub should say Connected.

Make a collection#

A folder of notes is the quickest start.

1. Open Settings → Topic Map → Collections and select New collection….
2. Give it a Name.
3. Set Source to Notes in a folder and enter the folder's path.
4. Choose a Lens: nonfiction for notes that argue, explain or advise; fiction for stories.
5. Select Create.

The collection is saved as a note in the Topic Map folder. Nothing is indexed yet.

Index it#

1. Run the command Topic Map: Collection: Index… and pick the collection.
2. Read the dry run: how many passages it would read and an estimate of the tokens. Nothing has been sent yet.
3. Set a spend limit if you want one, then select Index.

The job shows its progress and its cost so far. You can cancel it; a later run picks up where it stopped.

Search it#

1. Run Topic Map: Use: Search. A pane opens at the side.
2. Pick the collection and ask a question.
3. Select a card to open its passage, with the quoted words highlighted.

Next: find its topics, or draft a write-up. If something did not work, see Troubleshooting.