# Batch Edit Yaml Front Matter
Edit front matter markdown files with Jinja2 templates.
## Description:
This is a `python3` (v3.5.3+) class/module that can be used for batch processing and<br>
editing front matter in markdown files. Front matter is managed via<br>
[Jinja2](http://jinja.pocoo.org/) template processor.
## Features:
* Add / Update / Delete any front matter fields
* Preserves front matter element order via [oyaml](https://github.com/wimglenn/oyaml)
* Uses [Jinja2](http://jinja.pocoo.org/) Templates for configuration and processing:
* Use Jinja2 filters for complex processing
* Incrementally process files with multiple templates
* Uses Exceptions around sensitive areas of code
* Examples for implementation:
1. [Basic usage](https://karlredman.github.io/EditFrontMatter/examples/example1/readme.html)
2. [Advanced mulit-pass processor](https://karlredman.github.io/EditFrontMatter/examples/example2/readme.html)
3. [Recursive directory walker that uses multi-threading to edit files](https://karlredman.github.io/EditFrontMatter/examples/example3/readme.html)
* Documented with [Sphinx](https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/) and [hosted on Github](https://karlredman.github.io/EditFrontMatter)
## Documentation:
* [Project Documentation with examples Page](https://karlredman.github.io/EditFrontMatter/)
# Installation:
```sh
pip install editfrontmatter
```
## TL;DR Example Usage:
* Original markdown file with yaml front matter ([example1.md](https://github.com/karlredman/EditFrontMatter/blob/master/examples/data/example1.md))
```md
---
title: "EditFrontMatter Class Example 1"
description: "Edit 2 fields in this front matter"
catagories: [programming, python, markdown]
deleteme: this will be deleted
tags: [front matter, administration, testing]
# comments and spaces will be eliminated (see docs)
author: "Karl N. Redman"
creatordisplayname: "Karl N. Redman"
creatoremail: "karl.redman@example.com"
date: 2019-05-23T17:43:45-05:00
lastmodifierdisplayname: "Karl N. Redman"
lastmodifieremail: "karl.redman@gmail.com"
lastmod: 2019-05-23T17:43:45-05:00
toc: false
type: "page"
hasMath: false
draft: false
weight: 5
---
# EditFontMatter Class Example 1
Edit several fields of front matter.
## Fields affected in this example:
* toc
* note: uses local template variable
* pre: false
* post: true
* draft:
* note: uses jinja2 filter (callback)
* pre: false
* post: true
* hasMath
* note: uses program variable
* pre: true
* post: false
* stuff:
* note: uses program variable to create field
* pre: did not exist
* post: (list) ['one', 'two', 'three']
* deleteme:
* note: removed from final result
* pre: this will be deleted
* post: N/A
```
* Jinja2 template that will update the front matter data of the source markdown file ([template1.j2](https://github.com/karlredman/EditFrontMatter/blob/master/examples/data/template1.j2))
```jinja
{% set toc = "true" %}
toc: {{ toc }}
draft: {{ false | canPublish }}
hasMath: {{ hasMath }}
stuff: {{ addedVariable }}
```
* Python program to edit the markdown file with the Jinja2 template ([example1.py](https://github.com/karlredman/EditFrontMatter/blob/master/examples/example1/example1.py))
```py
#!/usr/bin/env python3
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
from editfrontmatter import EditFrontMatter
import os
def canPublish_func(val):
# do some processing....
return True
def main():
# generic path - overridden by env var `TEST_DATA_DIR`
DATA_PATH = "../data/"
if "TEST_DATA_DIR" in os.environ:
DATA_PATH = os.path.abspath(os.environ.get("TEST_DATA_DIR")) + "/"
# set path to input file
file_path = os.path.abspath(DATA_PATH + "example1.md")
# initialize `template_str` with template file content
template_str = ''.join(open(os.path.abspath(DATA_PATH + "template1.j2"), "r").readlines())
print(template_str)
# instantiate the processor
proc = EditFrontMatter(file_path=file_path, template_str=template_str)
# set fields to delete from yaml
proc.keys_toDelete = ['deleteme']
# add a filter and callback function
proc.add_JinjaFilter('canPublish', canPublish_func)
# populate variables and run processor
proc.run({'toc': 'no effect', 'hasMath': "false",
'addedVariable': ['one', 'two', 'three']})
# dump file
print(proc.dumpFileData())
if __name__ == '__main__':
main()
```
* Final Output:
```md
---
title: EditFrontMatter Class Example 1
description: Edit 2 fields in this front matter
catagories:
- programming
- python
- markdown
tags:
- front matter
- administration
- testing
author: Karl N. Redman
creatordisplayname: Karl N. Redman
creatoremail: karl.redman@example.com
date: 2019-05-23 22:43:45
lastmodifierdisplayname: Karl N. Redman
lastmodifieremail: karl.redman@gmail.com
lastmod: 2019-05-23 22:43:45
toc: true
type: page
hasMath: false
draft: true
weight: 5
stuff:
- one
- two
- three
---
# EditFontMatter Class Example 1
Edit several fields of front matter.
## Fields affected in this example:
* toc
* note: uses local template variable
* pre: false
* post: true
* draft:
* note: uses jinja2 filter (callback)
* pre: false
* post: true
* hasMath
* note: uses program variable
* pre: true
* post: false
* stuff:
* note: uses program variable to create field
* pre: did not exist
* post: (list) ['one', 'two', 'three']
* deleteme:
* note: removed from final result
* pre: this will be deleted
* post: N/A
```