[BUG] <% tp.file.cursor() %> doesn't work.

[qawatake]

Describe the bug
<% tp.file.cursor() %> doesn't work when templating.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. create template macro zettelkasten with ↓
   • template path = _template/zettelkasten
   • focus new pane = on
2. create a file _template/zettelkasten with

# <% tp.file.cursor() %>

3. execute QuickAdd: Run QuickAdd -> zettelkasten from the command palette.

Expected behavior
A file with content # is generated and the cursor position is on the right side of # .

Screenshots
If applicable, add screenshots to help explain your problem.

quickadd_template_bug.mov

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• OS: macOS, Mac mini (M1, 2020)
• Version: Big Sur (v11.6.1)

[chelming]

Fun discovery: if you keep the note title the same, it works the second time you call the quickadd (and add it to your current/existing doc):

# Heading
2022-01-17
- ***cursor is actually here***

# Heading
2022-01-17
- <% tp.file.cursor() %>

[chelming]

it also works if you run it twice and choose "overwrite file"

[macdrifter]

There seems to be a related bug report over at the Templater repo. It's not clear to me after reading that thread if this is a QuickAdd defect or a Templater design/bug conflict. Maybe a feature request for QuickAdd to place the cursor at the bottom of a new file when it is created? Not sure that's the right design either.

[apoyezzhayev]

As a workaround for templates added by "capture", I've used a timeout with the command "Templater: Jump to next cursor location". It seems that the QuickAdd insertion logic is still running when the templater tries to set the cursor.

<%*
// Just some modal form
result = await tp.user.modal_form('add_single_example', {title: "Example"})  
const title = result.getValue('title');  
// I want to get a caption with example 
tR += `> [!example] ${title}`  
-%>

> <% tp.file.cursor() %>
// Add small timeout, e.g. 100, to finish QuickAdd logics and run command
<%* setTimeout(() => {
	app.commands.executeCommandById("templater-obsidian:jump-to-next-cursor-location");  
}, 100) -%>

[LandonSchropp]

@apoyezzhayev I like your approach, but I think I may have figured out a trick that prevents Obsidian from ever rendering the <% tp.file.cursor() %> text. 😄

Instead of using setTimeout, I made my capture part of a macro. QuickAdd macros allow you to run captures as well as commands. So what I did was add the capture inside of my macro that inserts <% tp.file.cursor() %>, and then immediately triggered the Templater: Jump to next cursor position command.

The end result here is a QuickAdd macro that opens today's daily note and inserts my cursor directly at the end of my tasks section. 😎

[edongashi]

@LandonSchropp thanks so much for this tip!

Another thing I found to help was adding "Focus on last note" command if you have your capture set to open the note in source mode and it was previously in preview mode:

[Fred-Vatin]

Most of the time one needs something like this in a template file to be sure the code is executed after all templater and quickadd functions:

<%*
  tp.hooks.on_all_templates_executed(async () => {
  
    app.commands.executeCommandById("templater-obsidian:jump-to-next-cursor-location");  
    
  });
-%>

or if it doesn’t work as expected in some case.

<%*
  tp.hooks.on_all_templates_executed(async () => {
  
    setTimeout(() => {
      app.commands.executeCommandById("templater-obsidian:jump-to-next-cursor-location");  
    }, 100)
    
  });
-%>

Note that the plugin update time on edit will prevent quickadd to go to source mode. There is a workaround:

<%*
// this plugin prevents quickAdd to set the page in source mode. Disable it temporarily.
app.plugins.disablePlugin("update-time-on-edit")
<%*

  // do your things here

  tp.hooks.on_all_templates_executed(async () => {

    // do your other things that needs to wait some promises here
  
    setTimeout(() => {
      app.commands.executeCommandById("templater-obsidian:jump-to-next-cursor-location");  
    }, 100)

    // It can be re-enable here.
    app.plugins.enablePlugin("update-time-on-edit")

  });
-%>

[chhoumann]

@qawatake sorry this has dragged on for so long. Also thanks @chelming, @macdrifter, @apoyezzhayev, @LandonSchropp, @edongashi, and @Fred-Vatin for the deep dives + workaround ideas (macros that call “Templater: Jump…”, setTimeout, tp.hooks.on_all_templates_executed, and the “focus/source-mode matters” notes).

QuickAdd v2.9.2 (released 2025-12-14) changes QuickAdd to trigger the cursor jump only after the target file is opened and is the active file (Templater’s jump handler often bails if the file isn’t active / focus is elsewhere). The goal is that <% tp.file.cursor() %> gets removed and the cursor lands correctly on the first run without needing an extra macro step.

Could you retest on 2.9.2?

• Obsidian → Settings → Community plugins → Installed plugins → Check for updates → update QuickAdd → restart Obsidian
• Re-run your existing Template/Capture/Macro workflow that uses <% tp.file.cursor() %>.

If it still fails, please include:

• your QuickAdd + Templater versions
• whether the note opens in source mode vs preview mode
• whether any plugin is forcing view-mode changes or stealing focus (e.g. “update-time-on-edit” was mentioned)
• whether the created file is actually opened by the workflow (cursor jump requires it to be active)