Break a long note into parts
This note has grown too long. Can I split it?
Cut a note at its headings into one note per section, keep the original as an index that links to them, and undo the lot if you change your mind.
What you get: a long note turned into tidy parts in one command, with a preview first and a way back. You need: NotesQ and a signed-in profile. About 4 minutes.
Do it yourself
Section titled “Do it yourself”1. Start with a note that has headings
Section titled “1. Start with a note that has headings”cat move.md# Office move plan ## Before the move Book the van and tell the landlord. ## Moving day Pack the server cupboard last. ## After the move Check the phones and the printer.quox notes new --file move.md --tag office-moveCreated note e4ac2070322d3fb7286f962efa7350110ff97d07 (Office move plan).2. Keep a copy, if you want one
Section titled “2. Keep a copy, if you want one”quox notes duplicate e4ac2070322d3fb7286f962efa7350110ff97d07Duplicated note e4ac2070322d3fb7286f962efa7350110ff97d07 as 14b2ee13a3bb814b5eae6598b58ec3c46c49fcd1.link: /notes?note=14b2ee13a3bb814b5eae6598b58ec3c46c49fcd1The copy is called “Office move plan (copy)” and sits in the same scope as the original.
3. Preview the split
Section titled “3. Preview the split”quox notes split e4ac2070322d3fb7286f962efa7350110ff97d07Split "Office move plan" at level 2 into 3 notes:- Before the move (55 chars)- Moving day (45 chars)- After the move (52 chars) The original would become: # Office move plan ## Contents - [[Before the move]]- [[Moving day]]- [[After the move]] Re-run with --yes to write the children and rewrite the original (both undoable).Without --yes, nothing changes. The split cuts at the shallowest heading under the title; --level 3 cuts at ### headings instead.
4. Split it
Section titled “4. Split it”quox notes split e4ac2070322d3fb7286f962efa7350110ff97d07 --yesbatch ee0d0375-334f-4224-92e3-c6100ae45f28 started (check: quox notes import-status ee0d0375-334f-4224-92e3-c6100ae45f28)🌌 QORTEX │ split │ 3 notes from "Office move plan"index: /notes?note=e4ac2070322d3fb7286f962efa7350110ff97d07children tag: batch-ee0d0375undo: quox notes batch-undo ee0d0375-334f-4224-92e3-c6100ae45f28 --yes && quox notes restore e4ac2070322d3fb7286f962efa7350110ff97d07 --rev 1quox notes ls --tag batch-ee0d0375ID Title Scope Collection Tags Updatede9c1e81980538f051d9ddf103cef867304f8e16f After the move org batch-ee0d0375,office-move 2026-11-04T23:23:46.143Zbe875f4dda3b1ba451f51ebc56d7c8e98825d0fb Moving day org batch-ee0d0375,office-move 2026-11-04T23:23:46.095Z4fa71579ab284e53b1e3e43b4044ce1cfd2e3f25 Before the move org batch-ee0d0375,office-move 2026-11-04T23:23:46.078Z🌌 QORTEX │ notes ls │ 3 of 3quox notes show e4ac2070322d3fb7286f962efa7350110ff97d07id e4ac2070322d3fb7286f962efa7350110ff97d07title Office move planscope orgtags office-movelink /notes?note=e4ac2070322d3fb7286f962efa7350110ff97d07 # Office move plan ## Contents - [[Before the move]]- [[Moving day]]- [[After the move]]Each part is a note of its own, carrying the original’s tags plus the split’s batch tag. The original keeps its id and becomes the index, so links to it still work.
What just happened
Section titled “What just happened”The split ran as one batch job. It wrote three new notes and saved the original’s new text as a fresh revision, so the old text was never lost. The split printed the exact command that reverses it.
Check it yourself
Section titled “Check it yourself”quox notes ls --tag batch-ee0d0375 lists the parts, and quox notes show <id> on the original shows the index.
quox notes batch-undo ee0d0375-334f-4224-92e3-c6100ae45f28 --yes🌌 QORTEX │ batch-undo │ 3 deleted, 0 failed of 3quox notes restore e4ac2070322d3fb7286f962efa7350110ff97d07 --rev 1Restored note e4ac2070322d3fb7286f962efa7350110ff97d07 to rev 1 (new rev 3).quox notes show e4ac2070322d3fb7286f962efa7350110ff97d07id e4ac2070322d3fb7286f962efa7350110ff97d07title Office move planscope orgtags office-movelink /notes?note=e4ac2070322d3fb7286f962efa7350110ff97d07 # Office move plan ## Before the move Book the van and tell the landlord. ## Moving day Pack the server cupboard last. ## After the move Check the phones and the printer.The parts are removed and the original is back as it was. Restoring adds a new revision rather than rewriting history, which is why it reports rev 3. We then removed the note and its copy with quox notes rm <id> --yes.