Dataview Troubleshooting

When Dataview isn't working as expected, the issue usually falls into one of these categories: metadata isn't indexed, query syntax is wrong, or field names don't match. This skill helps you diagnose and fix it.

"My Query Shows No Results"

Step 1: Verify the metadata exists

Check: Are your notes actually using the field you're querying?

---
author: "Jane Smith"  # This is indexed
---

# My Note

Some content here.  # This is NOT indexed

Solution: Add metadata explicitly. Use frontmatter or inline fields [field:: value].

Step 2: Verify field naming

The problem: Field names are normalized. Author Name becomes author-name.

Check: Use the exact normalized field name:

• "Author Name" → query as author-name
• "Status" → query as status
• "Book Rating" → query as book-rating

Solution: Always use lowercase with hyphens when referring to fields in queries.

Step 3: Verify the source matches

The problem: You're querying a tag or folder that has no matching notes.

LIST
FROM #books  # But you never tagged anything with #books

Solution:

• Check that the tag actually exists in your vault
• Check the exact tag name: #books is different from #book
• If using folders: FROM "Book Notes" must match the exact folder name

Step 4: Check implicit field availability

The problem: Not all implicit fields are available in all query types.

LIST
WHERE file.tasks.length > 0  # Works

TASK
WHERE file.tasks.length > 0  # DOESN'T WORK - use length(rows) instead

Solution: See the reference guide for which implicit fields work where.

"My Field Isn't Being Indexed"

Problem: Field is in body text, not metadata

# My Note

author: Jane Smith  # This looks like metadata but ISN'T

Solution: Put it in frontmatter or use inline syntax:

---
author: "Jane Smith"
---

# My Note

Or inline:

# My Note

From [author:: Jane Smith]

Problem: Typo in field name

Check: Field names must use hyphens for spaces in inline fields:

[book rating:: 4.5]  # WRONG - spaces in inline field names
[book-rating:: 4.5]  # RIGHT

But in YAML frontmatter, spaces are fine:

---
book rating: 4.5  # Fine in YAML
---

Problem: Special characters in field name

[my!field:: value]  # WRONG - special characters stripped
[my-field:: value]  # RIGHT

Solution: Use only letters, numbers, hyphens, underscores.

Problem: Empty/null values

---
author: ""    # Empty string
author:       # Null
---

Both are "falsy" but behave differently. Use default() in queries:

WHERE author != null

"Tasks Aren't Appearing"

Problem: Using TABLE or LIST instead of TASK

TABLE file.tasks  # WRONG - shows array, not individual tasks

TASK  # RIGHT - shows actual tasks

Solution: Use TASK query type for tasks.

Problem: Task metadata on wrong line

- [ ] My task [due:: 2024-03-15]  # RIGHT
- [ ] My task                      # WRONG - task metadata on next line
[due:: 2024-03-15]

Solution: Put task metadata [field:: value] on the same line as the task checkbox.

Problem: Filtering on parent task hides children

TASK
WHERE priority = "high"  # Only HIGH priority tasks shown

If a parent task is low-priority, its high-priority children won't show. This is by design.

Solution: If you need child tasks to show regardless of parent, use JS instead.

"Date Queries Aren't Working"

Problem: Date not recognized as date type

---
due: "2024-03-15"  # Text, not date
due: 2024-03-15    # This IS a date
---

Solution: Remove quotes from dates in frontmatter. Dataview auto-recognizes YYYY-MM-DD format.

Problem: Comparing dates without date() function

WHERE due >= 2024-03-15  # WRONG - comparing text to number
WHERE due >= date(2024-03-15)  # RIGHT

Solution: Wrap dates in date() function.

Problem: Duration math failing

WHERE started + dur(30 days) < date(today)  # RIGHT
WHERE started + "30 days" < date(today)     # WRONG

Solution: Use dur() for durations, not strings.

"My Query Is Slow"

Problem: Querying entire vault with expensive operation

TABLE file.outlinks  # Shows all outlinks for every note

Solution: Add a FROM clause to narrow scope:

TABLE file.outlinks
FROM #books

Problem: Complex grouping on large dataset

Solution: See references/performance-tips.md for optimization strategies.

Quick Diagnostic Checklist

Before reporting an issue:

• Is the field actually in frontmatter or inline [field:: value]?
• Are you using the normalized field name (lowercase, hyphens)?
• Does the FROM source (tag/folder) actually exist?
• Are you using the right query type? (LIST/TABLE for pages, TASK for tasks)
• For dates: using date() function and YYYY-MM-DD format?
• For tasks: is the metadata [field:: value] on the same line as the checkbox?
• Using correct syntax: hyphens in field names, not spaces, in inline fields?

When to Use JavaScript Instead

If your query is too complex or does something "weird", consider using DataviewJS:

• Accessing fields that TASK doesn't support natively
• Custom rendering (beyond list/table/calendar)
• Complex multi-step logic
• Combining data from multiple sources differently

See the dataview-javascript skill for details.

Still Stuck?

See references/error-messages.md for specific error messages and what they mean.