**Created**:: [[2021-07-10 Saturday]]
**Link**:: https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc
**Duration**:: 8:50
# Summary
In this video, the presenter provides a walkthrough of the miscellaneous features available in Obsidian Excalidraw 1.2.0. Key highlights include the introduction of the auto-save function, Zen mode, view mode, and integration with plugins like Ozone's image editor. The presenter also discusses potential future enhancements for Excalidraw, such as image overlays and custom font support.
# Key Takeaways
- The new auto-save functionality allows drawings to be saved every 30 seconds, particularly useful on mobile devices.
- Zen mode helps declutter the workspace by hiding floating panels, while view mode restricts editing of drawings.
- The Ozone image editor plugin enables transclusion of drawings into documents, enhancing the editing experience.
# Content
Hey, welcome back! This is part 10 of my Obsidian Excalidraw walkthrough. I have some miscellaneous items that I'd like to show you. So, first of all, in settings, I have a couple of settings I haven't shown you until now, and I'm going to do that right now. If I come to my Excalidraw settings, then you can see I have this auto-save functionality you can set up. Auto-save means your drawing is going to be saved every 30 seconds. I did this especially on mobile, as I had a couple of instances when, for some reason, my drawing wasn't saved when I killed the Obsidian application by swiping it off the screen. This feature solves that issue. The thing is, it does sometimes create a bit of a glitch as you draw or disrupts your drawing flow. It is not very frequent, but it is not as smooth as I wanted. Therefore, it is now available as an option that you can turn on. Otherwise, your drawing is saved whenever you close the file, close Obsidian, or move to another pane, so your drawing is saved regularly, just not every 30 or 15 seconds, or whatever seconds if you enable this. [* ](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=0)
Second, when you create a new drawing using, for example, the button here in the ribbon, but also using the command palette or any other means, it will get an automatic file name, and you can set that here. You have the option of adding a prefix and adding a date to the file name, so you can see how this file would look based on this description. If you want to understand how to do your date and time formatting, you have a reference available here. So those were the settings I wanted to show you in Obsidian. [* ](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=42)
Not in Obsidian, but in Excalidraw, you have some other features that I use sometimes. One is the Zen mode and view mode, so you can simply switch between these. If I turn on view mode, then you see that from this point on, my drawing cannot be modified; it can only be viewed. Actually, even the links don’t work, but this is good if you don't want to change your drawing. Zen mode, on the other hand, hides some of the floating panels that block the view. You can turn on and off Zen mode using Alt + Z. Moving further, some of the plugins I enjoy using with Excalidraw include Ozone's image editor, which you can find in community plugins. This is an awesome plugin. What this does is it actually transcludes the Excalidraw drawing. For example, in edit mode, I have my drawing here, or I can have a PNG or SVG or PDF document. In edit mode, I already see a sort of what-you-see-is-what-you-get type of editing feature. [* ](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=150)
What you need to pay attention to is that the way Ozone's plugin works is the file name must include ".excalidraw," or it could also just include ".md" as I explained in an earlier part, which was part five. Otherwise, if you don't have the appropriate file extension in the editor view, Ozone's plugin will not display the picture; it will still work in preview mode, but that’s something to know about the plugin. Still, it's a super fantastic tool and extremely useful, so I recommend that you go ahead and install Ozone's image editor. The full-screen mode plugin is also very helpful. If I press Alt + F11, it brings my drawing full screen. If I press escape, I'm back to the normal view. This is also available in the command palette, so you can also select this command from the command palette. [* ](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=213)
This is very helpful, for example, when you want to draw full screen on a mobile device. In the previous part, I already talked about Templater and Dataview through Excalidraw; these plugins are also great additions to use with Excalidraw. Some items that are on my mind in terms of a roadmap still include implementing image overlays. I want to be able to load a PNG or SVG drawing in the background so you can draw on top of it using Excalidraw. I'm considering solving some of the issues in terms of adding custom fonts, allowing users to change font families. I got a request to include, for example, Chinese handwriting fonts. If I solve this, I can address other custom font requests as well, including the request for users to specify their own custom color palette. [* ](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=368)
Those are some things I'm looking into, as well as creating image map exports. If I export this as an SVG or PNG document, then this document should actually be exported with the links. Imagine a drawing with some web links, and then it would be a nice image map solution. Some of the "one day, maybe" items I have on my mind are improving the chart functionalities. I discussed charts in part three when I talked about groups, layers, and alignment. Yes, indeed, here’s my sample data for charts, and I spoke about that in this part. I also mentioned in Excalidraw Ultimate in part nine that I think with some limited work, I could build a tool to convert Mermaid scripts into Excalidraw drawings. There are some fun Excalidraw projects on GitHub, like this stop-motion project, where you can put together this drawing and create an animation. That would be great to include within Obsidian. These features are really in the "one day, maybe" category. And that concludes my walkthrough of Obsidian Excalidraw 1.2. [* ](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=520)
# YouTube Details
## YouTube Description
If you find this helpful please say thanks by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/zsolt
You can reach me (@zsviczian) in the Obsidian Members Group (OMG) on Discord or on Twitter.
Link to the GitHub page: https://github.com/zsviczian/obsidian-excalidraw-plugin
Link to the Excalidraw Automate documentation: https://zsviczian.github.io/obsidian-excalidraw-plugin/
## YouTube Transcript
[hey welcome back this is part 10](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=0) [of my obsidian x coli draw walkthrough](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=3) [and i have some miscellaneous](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=6) [items that i'd like to show you so first](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=8) [of all](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=11) [um in settings i have a couple of](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=12) [settings i haven't](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=16) [uh showed you until now and i'm going to](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=17) [do that right now so if i come to my](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=20) [color draw settings](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=23) [then you can see i have this auto save](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=24) [uh](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=28) [functionality you can set up](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=30) [auto save then your drawing is going to](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=33) [be saved every 30 seconds](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=35) [i did this especially on mobile](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=38) [i had couple of uh examples when for](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=42) [some reason my drawing wasn't saved](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=46) [when i killed the obsidian application](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=49) [by](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=53) [swiping it off the screen um](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=54) [and so this solves that the](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=57) [thing is it does uh sometimes](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=60) [create a bit of a glitch as you draw](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=64) [or disrupts your drawing flow](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=67) [it is not very frequent but it it is not](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=71) [as](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=74) [smooth as i wanted so therefore it is](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=74) [now available](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=77) [as an option that you can turn on](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=78) [otherwise your drawing is saved](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=82) [whenever you close the file or close](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=85) [obsidian](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=87) [or move to another pane so your drawing](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=88) [is saved](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=91) [regularly just not every 30 or 15](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=92) [or whatever seconds if you enable this](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=96) [that's going to happen](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=99) [second when you create a new](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=100) [drawing using for example the button](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=103) [here](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=106) [in the ribbon but also using the command](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=107) [palette or](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=109) [any other means it will get an automatic](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=110) [file name and you can set that here you](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=114) [have](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=117) [the option of adding a prefix and you](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=118) [can add](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=121) [a date to the file name and so you can](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=122) [see](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=125) [this is how this file would look like](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=126) [following this description](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=129) [uh if you want to understand how to](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=132) [do your date and time formatting you](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=136) [have a reference](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=138) [available here so those were the](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=140) [settings i wanted to show you](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=142) [in obsidian](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=146) [and not obsidian in x color draw you](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=150) [have some other features](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=152) [that i use sometimes so one is](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=154) [the uh zen mode](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=157) [and view mode so you can simply](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=160) [switch between these so if i turn on](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=164) [view mode then](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=167) [you see that from this point on my](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=170) [drawing](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=174) [cannot be modified it can only be viewed](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=176) [actually even the links don't work but](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=179) [this is good if you don't](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=182) [want to change your drawing](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=184) [and zen mode on the other hand](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=187) [uh just uh oops that wasn't this is and](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=190) [mode](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=194) [that hides some of the float in](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=194) [panels that block the view](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=198) [and you can turn on and off sand mode](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=202) [using](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=205) [alt z and then going](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=206) [further some of the plugins i enjoy](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=209) [using with x color draw so one is](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=213) [ozone's](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=215) [image in editor and so here's the link](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=216) [you also find it in community](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=220) [plugins and this is an awesome plugin](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=222) [what this does is it actually um](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=226) [transcludes the xcalitro drawing so if i](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=231) [for example look at this document you](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=234) [can see](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=236) [um that if i go into edit mode](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=237) [that in edit mode i have my drawing](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=240) [here or i can have a png or svg or pdf](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=243) [document](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=247) [and during or in edit mode i already](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=248) [see it's sort of what you see is what](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=253) [you](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=256) [get type of editor feature](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=257) [what you need to pay attention to is the](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=260) [way ozone's](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=262) [plug-in work is a file name must](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=264) [include dot exculitra or it could also](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=267) [just](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=271) [include dot md as i explained in an](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=271) [earlier part which was](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=275) [part five i talked about this](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=278) [otherwise if you don't have the pontendy](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=284) [or](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=287) [pond x coli draw in](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=287) [the editor view ozone's plugin will not](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=290) [display the picture it will still](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=294) [work in preview mode but that's](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=298) [something to know about the plugin still](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=301) [super fantastic tool and](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=304) [extremely useful so i i recommend that](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=308) [you go ahead](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=310) [and install ozone's image editor uh the](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=312) [full screen mode](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=315) [plugin is also very helpful so if i](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=316) [press](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=319) [i configured it to alt f11](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=319) [and it brings my drawing full screen if](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=322) [i press](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=325) [escape i'm back to the](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=326) [normal view this is also available](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=329) [on the command palette so](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=333) [on the common palette you can also](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=336) [select this command this](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=338) [is um very helpful](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=339) [uh for example when you want to draw](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=343) [full screen](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=345) [on a mobile device and in the previous](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=346) [part i already](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=350) [talked about templater and dataview](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=351) [through xcode for ultimate these](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=354) [items these plugins have](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=357) [also great additions to](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=361) [use with excalibur and then](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=365) [some items that are on my mind in terms](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=368) [of a roadmap still](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=371) [i do want to implement image overlays i](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=372) [i want to be able to load](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=375) [a png or svg drawing in the background](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=377) [and so you can draw on top of it using](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=381) [xcolitra i'm](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=385) [thinking about solving some of the](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=388) [issues in terms of adding](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=390) [custom fonts that you can change one of](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=394) [the font families](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=397) [i got this request to include for](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=398) [example chinese handwriting fonts but if](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=401) [i solve this then](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=404) [i can solve it for other custom fonts as](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=405) [well](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=408) [as well as i received a request that it](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=409) [would be great](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=412) [if you could specify your own custom](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=413) [color palette so those are some things](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=416) [that i'm looking](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=418) [into as well as i'd love to create](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=420) [uh image map exports i](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=423) [if i export this as an svg](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=426) [or png document then this document](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=430) [should actually be exported with the](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=433) [links](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=435) [imagine a drawing with some](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=437) [web links and then it will be a nice](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=441) [image map solution and then some of the](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=445) [one may maybe one day maybe items i have](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=449) [on my mind](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=452) [is to improve the chart](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=452) [functionalities i talk about charts](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=456) [in part three](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=460) [when i talk about groups layers and](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=464) [alignment i think this](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=467) [is where yes indeed so here's my sample](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=468) [data](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=471) [for charts and i i talked about that in](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=472) [this part](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=475) [as well as i mentioned](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=476) [in exclamatory ultimate in part 9](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=480) [that i think with some limited](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=483) [work i could build a tool to convert](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=487) [mermaid uh scripts into xculitro](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=490) [drawings and then there are some fun](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=494) [x-coli draw projects on github](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=497) [like this stop-motion project where you](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=500) [can](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=503) [put together this drawing](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=504) [and then go ahead and animate](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=507) [uh create an animation so that would be](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=511) [great](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=514) [to include within obsidian this feature](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=515) [but](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=519) [these are really these uh one day maybe](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=520) [items and that concludes my walkthrough](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=523) [of obsidian x collet draw](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=526) [1.2](https://youtu.be/D1iBYo1_jjc?t=528)