New draft with current date

[OP44]

Hello Community

This is my first post
I am asking if there is a way I can create a new draft with current date inserted as the title?
Hope my question was clear, thanks in advance

[you_saythat]

Hi! That bot’s annoying!

Anyway, yes, Drafts can do this. You’ll need to set up a document template for this which will initiate the date action when it’s opened. You give that document a name and then whenever you want a document that starts with the date (or anything else) as text, you just use that template.

The basics are covered in this ‘how to’ on The Sweet SetUp website: Automating Drafts to Create Custom Documents in Seconds – The Sweet Setup

Now, you’ll also need to enter the correct command to insert the correct current date (and time if you wish) each time you start a new document using this template. The command would be the first line of text at the top of the document template.

Here’s a thread that explains the syntax (syntax = correct command) required: Insert the Date Created in a draft

Hope that helps and that that pesky bot stays squished!

[jsamlarose]

Is there a way? Yes!

I don’t personally have time to put an example together right now, but this can be done with a simple action. A quick look in the directory turns up this one, but from the sounds of your request, you don’t need half of the things this action actually does: New Draft++ | Drafts Directory; it might provide something for you to experiment with, if you feel confident enough to do so, however.

[you_saythat]

Yup, this is good too! Setting up your own document template - see above - has the advantage of everything being as the OP wants it without needing to delete anything.

The action you’ve listed is very useful because it illustrates how this all works and certainly could be used (but it’s probably more trouble than just opening a blank doc and inserting the date using a simple ‘date’ action.

If the oOP makes their own doc template, it’ll take time setting up but will then ‘just work’. It’ll also be an opportunity to learn a little about the power of drafts

[agiletortoise]

See the below tip for a multi-use way of creating new drafts with content (including dates):

TIP: Creating New Drafts with Templates

UPDATE 2023/11/05: Added “Apply Template” section below with example action for applying template to an existing draft. 2023/03/09: Added “Placeholder” example actions discussion below to support navigation between <|field> fill-in placeholders in the resulting template. 2021/09/01: Updated action to support a “Omit First Line in New Draft” option, that allows you to use a friendly name for the template in the first line, like “Meeting Notes Template” that helps when selecting templates in th…

[OP44]

I wish it was simpler! But as you said it is sometimes better to insert date manually