Explore template data
Open the Template Data Explorer to browse available fields, copy property paths, and generate template snippets.
The Template Data Explorer shows the full data tree that templates receive for a Zotero item. Use it to discover field paths, inspect values, and copy ready-to-use snippets into your templates.
Open the explorer
The explorer opens in the right sidebar. You can reach it from several entry points.
From the command palette
Run the command
Open the command palette and run:
ZotLit: Open template data explorerIf a literature note is active in the editor, the explorer seeds from that note's Zotero item. Otherwise it opens with an item picker.
From a literature note
Right-click (or click the three-dot menu) on a literature note in the file explorer or tab, then select Explore template data. The explorer opens seeded with that note's item.
From the annotation view
In the annotation sidebar, open the more-options menu on any annotation row and select Explore template data. The explorer opens anchored at that annotation.
From Zotero (item)
The companion adds these entry points in Zotero. Right-click a single item, open the ZotLit submenu, and select Explore template data in Obsidian. Zotero opens the explorer in Obsidian via a protocol link.
From Zotero (annotation)
In Zotero's PDF reader, right-click an annotation. Under the ZotLit submenu (added by the companion), select Explore Annotation in Obsidian. The explorer opens in Obsidian anchored at that annotation.
Browse the data tree
The explorer displays a collapsible tree of every property available under the zt root object. Expand nodes to drill into nested objects and arrays. Primitive values (strings, numbers, booleans) display inline next to their key.
Filter properties
Type in the filter box (placeholder: "Filter properties...") to narrow the tree. Filtering matches key names and stringified primitive values by case-insensitive substring. Matching nodes and their ancestor chains auto-expand.
Switch between note root and annotation root
By default the tree shows the full zt object (note root). To view the data available inside annotation templates, open the more-options menu on an annotation node in the tree and select Explore as annotation template data. The tree re-anchors to that annotation's data shape.
To return, click Back to note root in the breadcrumb.
Copy paths and snippets
Each row in the tree offers actions to copy data into your templates.
Copy path
Click Copy path in a row's more-options menu to copy the engine-neutral property path (e.g. zt.creators[0].lastName). The notice "Path copied" confirms the action.
Copy value
Click the Copy value button on a row to copy its current value. Primitives copy verbatim; objects and arrays copy as JSON. The notice "Value copied" confirms the action.
Copy template snippets
Below Copy path, the menu offers ready-to-use template snippets wrapped in the correct syntax:
- Copy output: renders the value (e.g.
{{ zt.title }}). - Copy if present: wraps the value in a conditional block.
- Copy loop: iterates over an array node.
- Copy joined: joins an array into a delimiter-separated string.
Array nodes show Copy loop and Copy joined. Non-array nodes show Copy output and Copy if present.
When JavaScript Templates is enabled, these snippet items split into Liquid and Eta submenus so you can pick the syntax matching your template. When disabled, Liquid snippets appear inline with no submenu.
A successful copy shows the notice "Snippet copied."