Habit Tracker Plugin User Guide

Welcome to the Habit Tracker Plugin for NotePlan! This guide will help you set up and use the plugin effectively to track your daily habits and visualize your progress.

Introduction

The Habit Tracker Plugin automates the process of tracking your daily habits within NotePlan. By logging your habits throughout the day, the plugin generates a visual progress bar for each habit and updates your daily note with a summary. Take a look at the quick video below to see if it's something useful for you.

In the example video, I created a basic template with links at the top that launches the shortcut that logs the activity. The second link opens up the plugin and runs the update.

Installation

1. Download the Plugin: here

2. Locate NotePlan's Plugins Directory:

3. Install the Plugin:

• Copy the huertas.HabitTracker folder into NotePlan's Plugins directory.
• Ensure the folder name is exactly huertas.HabitTracker.

4. Restart NotePlan or Reload Plugins:

• Open NotePlan.
• Go to the Plugins panel.
• Click on Reload Plugins to refresh the list.
• Alternatively, restart NotePlan.

5. Enable the Plugin:

• In the Plugins panel, find ✅ Habit Tracker.
• Ensure it is Enabled.

Initial Setup

Create the "logs data" Note

The plugin relies on a note titled logs data to store your logged habits.

1. Create the Note:

• In NotePlan, create a new note titled logs data.

2. Purpose:

• This note will store all the items you log throughout the day.
• The plugin reads from this note to generate your habit tracker.

Update Your Daily Template

To ensure the plugin works correctly and to display your habit summaries, you need to update your daily template.

1. Add a Heading in Your Daily Template:

• Go to NotePlan Settings > Templates > Daily Template.
• Add the following heading where you want the habit summary to appear:

### Logged Habits for today:

2. Add a Link to Update the Habit Tracker (Optional):

• You can include a link that runs the plugin command to update the habit tracker:

[Update Habit Tracker](noteplan://x-callback-url/runPlugin?pluginID=huertas.HabitTracker&command=Update%20Habit%20Tracker)

• Note: A sample daily template is available here Basic Daily Template.

Set Up the Apple Shortcut

To log habits easily from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you'll set up an Apple Shortcut.

How the Apple Shortcut Works

The Apple Shortcut allows you to quickly log habits directly into your logs data note in NotePlan.

• Shortcut Name: NotePlan Log Item
• Functionality:
• Prompts you to enter or select the habit you wish to log.
• Appends a formatted entry to your logs data note.
• Entry Format: Oct 19, 2024 at 2:30 PM-,Exercise

  Steps to Set Up the Shortcut

1. Download the Shortcut:

• The shortcut is available at https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/fc80e132fab24b86bdcbf3586d89bbdc.
• Open the link on your device and tap Get Shortcut to add it to your Shortcuts app.

2. Configure the Shortcut:

• Open the Shortcut in the Shortcuts app.

• Habit List:

• You can define a list of habits you commonly track for quick selection.

• Note Name:

• Ensure the note name is set to logs data.

3. Customize the Shortcut (Optional):

• Edit the Habit List:
• You can edit the list of habits within the shortcut for easy access.

4. Permissions:

• When running the shortcut for the first time, it may request permission to access your NotePlan notes.
• Grant permission to allow the shortcut to function correctly.

5. Save the Shortcut.

Using the Habit Tracker

Logging Habits Throughout the Day

• On iPhone:

• Run the NotePlan Log Item shortcut from the Shortcuts app or add it to your home screen for quick access.

• Select or enter the habit you completed.

• The shortcut prepends an entry to the logs data note in the format:

  Oct 19, 2024 at 2:30 PM-,Exercise

• At the End of the Day:

• You can log multiple habits at once.

• Alternatively, you can edit or enter logs into the logs data note (must be in the format provided).

Updating the Habit Tracker

• Using the Command Bar:

• Open the Command Bar (press / or Cmd + J).

• Type Update Habit Tracker and select the command.

• This command generates the habit tracker and updates your daily note with a summary.

• Using the Link in Your Daily Note:

• Click on the [Update Habit Tracker] link you added to your daily template.

• This runs the same command as above.

Viewing Your Habit Progress

Daily Summary

• Location: In your daily note under the heading ## Logged Habits for today:.
• Content: A summary of your habits for the current day, displayed as progress bars.

Here is a copy of what the habit summary page looks like, exported to RTF.

Let me know if you have any questions or comments: Admin@huertas.tech