Fix #16: templates should be optional

README.md

@@ -194,12 +194,15 @@ require('telekasten').setup({
     weeklies_create_nonexisting = true,
 
     -- template for new notes (new_note, follow_link)
+    -- set to `nil` or do not specify if you do not want a template
     template_new_note = home .. '/' .. 'templates/new_note.md',
 
     -- template for newly created daily notes (goto_today)
+    -- set to `nil` or do not specify if you do not want a template
     template_new_daily = home .. '/' .. 'templates/daily.md',
 
     -- template for newly created weekly notes (goto_thisweek)
+    -- set to `nil` or do not specify if you do not want a template
     template_new_weekly= home .. '/' .. 'templates/weekly.md',
 
 	-- image link style
@@ -241,6 +244,13 @@ END
 | `plug_into_calendar` | activate calendar support if true (needs calendar-vim plugin) | true |
 | `calendar_opts` | options for calendar, see below | see below |
 
+**Please note:** If you do not want to use a template, set its associated option to `nil` or remove it from your config.
+```lua
+    -- template for new notes (new_note, follow_link)
+    -- set to `nil` or do not specify if you do not want a template
+    template_new_note = nil,
+```
+
 The calendar support has its own options, contained in `calendar_opts`:
 
 | calendar setting | description | example |
@@ -416,18 +426,18 @@ The functions `goto_today`, `goto_thisweek`, `find_daily_notes`, `find_weekly_no
 non-existing notes. This allows you to 'go to today' without having to create today's note beforehand. When you just
 type `[[some link]]` and then call `follow_link`, the 'some link' note can be generated.
 
-The following table shows which command relies on what config option:
+The following table shows what action creates what kind of non-existing note:
 
-| telekasten function | config option | creates what |
+| ACTION | config option | creates what |
 | --- | --- | --- |
-| `goto_today` | `dailies_create_nonexisting` | today's daily note |
+| `goto_today()` | `dailies_create_nonexisting` | today's daily note |
 | [ENTER] on a day in the calendar | `dailies_create_nonexisting` | selected day's daily note |
-| `find_daily_notes` | `dailies_create_nonexisting` | today's daily note |
-| `goto_thisweek` | `weeklies_create_nonexisting` | this week's weekly note |
-| `find_weekly_notes` | `weeklies_create_nonexisting` | this week's weekly note |
-| `follow_link` | `follow_creates_nonexisting` | new note |
-| `new_note` | always true | new note |
-| `new_templated_note` | always true | new note |
+| `find_daily_notes()` | `dailies_create_nonexisting` | today's daily note |
+| `goto_thisweek()` | `weeklies_create_nonexisting` | this week's weekly note |
+| `find_weekly_notes()` | `weeklies_create_nonexisting` | this week's weekly note |
+| `follow_link()` | `follow_creates_nonexisting` | new note |
+| `new_note()` | always true | new note |
+| `new_templated_note()` | always true | new note |
 
 If the associated option is `true`, non-existing notes will be created.
 

doc/telekasten.txt

@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ telekasten.setup({opts})
 
 
       -- specific note templates
+      -- set to `nil` or do not specify if you do not want a template
       template_new_note = '/path/to/file',    -- template for new notes
       template_new_daily = '/path/to/file',   -- template for new daily notes
       template_new_weekly = '/path/to/file',  -- template for new weekly notes
@@ -182,21 +183,27 @@ telekasten.setup({opts})
 
                                    *telekasten.settings.template_new_note*
     template_new_note: ~
-        Markdown template for new notes.
+        Markdown template for new notes. Set to `nil` if you don't want a
+        template.
 
-        Default: '~/zettelkasten/templates/new_note.md'
+        Default: `nil`
+        Example: `'~/zettelkasten/templates/daily.md'`
 
                                   *telekasten.settings.template_new_daily*
     template_new_daily: ~
-        Markdown template for new daily notes.
+        Markdown template for new daily notes. Set to `nil` if you don't want
+        a template.
 
-        Default: '~/zettelkasten/templates/daily.md'
+        Default: `nil`
+        Example: `'~/zettelkasten/templates/daily.md'`
 
                                  *telekasten.settings.template_new_weekly*
     template_new_weekly: ~
-        Markdown template for new weekly notes.
+        Markdown template for new weekly notes. Set to `nil` if you don't want 
+        a template.
 
-        Default: '~/zettelkasten/templates/daily.md'
+        Default: `nil`
+        Example: `'~/zettelkasten/templates/daily.md'`
 
 
     Valid keys for {opts.calendar_opts}
@@ -531,7 +538,7 @@ The specific templates and settings used are:
 
 See also |telekasten.template_files| below for more on the specific templates.
 
-The folloet ing table shows you what action creates what kind of non-existing
+The following table shows you what action creates what kind of non-existing
 note:
 
 +----------------------------------+--------------------------------+

lua/telekasten.lua

@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ M.Cfg = {
 	weeklies_create_nonexisting = true,
 
 	-- templates for new notes
-	template_new_note = home .. "/" .. "templates/new_note.md",
-	template_new_daily = home .. "/" .. "templates/daily_tk.md",
-	template_new_weekly = home .. "/" .. "templates/weekly_tk.md",
+	-- template_new_note = home .. "/" .. "templates/new_note.md",
+	-- template_new_daily = home .. "/" .. "templates/daily_tk.md",
+	-- template_new_weekly = home .. "/" .. "templates/weekly_tk.md",
 
 	-- image link style
 	-- wiki:     ![[image name]]
@@ -208,9 +208,11 @@ end
 local function create_note_from_template(title, filepath, templatefn, calendar_info)
 	-- first, read the template file
 	local lines = {}
+	if file_exists(templatefn) then
 		for line in io.lines(templatefn) do
 			lines[#lines + 1] = line
 		end
+	end
 
 	-- now write the output file, substituting vars line by line
 	local ofile = io.open(filepath, "a")
@@ -998,13 +1000,6 @@ local function Setup(cfg)
 		M.Cfg.find_command = nil
 	end
 
-	-- refresh templates
-	M.note_type_templates = {
-		normal = M.Cfg.template_new_note,
-		daily = M.Cfg.template_new_daily,
-		weekly = M.Cfg.template_new_weekly,
-	}
-
 	-- this looks a little messy
 	if M.Cfg.plug_into_calendar then
 		cfg.calendar_opts = cfg.calendar_opts or {}
@@ -1022,6 +1017,18 @@ local function Setup(cfg)
 	-- setup extensions to filter for
 	M.Cfg.filter_extensions = cfg.filter_extensions or { M.Cfg.extension }
 
+    -- provide fake filenames for template loading to fail silently if template is configured off
+	M.Cfg.template_new_note = M.Cfg.template_new_note or 'none'
+	M.Cfg.template_new_daily = M.Cfg.template_new_daily or 'none'
+	M.Cfg.template_new_weekly = M.Cfg.template_new_weekly or 'none'
+
+	-- refresh templates
+	M.note_type_templates = {
+		normal = M.Cfg.template_new_note,
+		daily = M.Cfg.template_new_daily,
+		weekly = M.Cfg.template_new_weekly,
+	}
+
 	if debug then
 		print("Resulting config:")
 		print("-----------------")