[Bug] Inserting a link to another note in the middle of a note inserts at the end of the note.

[Calorion]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

Are you using the latest Zotero and the latest plugin?

• I have confirmed I'm using the latest Zotero and the latest plugin

Environment

• OS: macOS 12.7.6
• Zotero Version: 8.0-beta.16+5b82a3838
• Plugin Version:3.0.0-beta.2

Describe the bug

Similar to #1239, when I insert a link to another note using “Link To” in the middle of a note—that is, using “Insert To:” and choosing an item from the Table of Contents—the link always appears at the bottom of the note…the first time. If I perform the same action a second time, or edit the note at all before I use “Link To,” the link appears where it should.

Debug Output

Debug Output.html

Anything else?

First attempt:

Second attempt (correct):

[windingwind]

Is the note generated by a template and not edited since then?

The note parsing relies on some implicit rules (like no multiple row-elements should be in the same row), while some templates may not obey them, and it will only be auto-formatted the next time the note is saved via the note editor.

Try to edit the note (like typing a space) and then redo. If it then works, we can try to figure out what should be corrected with your template.

[Calorion]

Is the note generated by a template and not edited since then?

Yes.

Try to edit the note (like typing a space) and then redo. If it then works, we can try to figure out what should be corrected with your template.

Yes, that works consistently.

The template is Reference Note.

[Calorion]

bump

[windingwind]

1. don't use unrecognized tags like header
2. don't include comments in the template content. for extra information, include them in the yaml's comment.
3. keep one-line tags (e.g h1) with its inner tags in one line without line breaks.

Consider using the markdown mode instead of the raw HTML, so that the content are automatically parsed (to the best effort).

Fixed version:

# This template is specifically for importing/sharing, using better 
# notes 'import from clipboard': copy the content and
# goto Zotero menu bar, click Tools->New Template from Clipboard.  
# Do not copy-paste this to better notes template editor directly.
# Based on [Paper Notes](https://github.com/windingwind/zotero-better-notes/discussions/1099)
name: "[item]Reference Note"
zoteroVersion: "8.0.SOURCE.a2a6df529"
pluginVersion: "3.0.0-beta.2"
savedAt: "2025-11-15T22:17:54.571Z"
content: |-
# Format from https://github.com/windingwind/zotero-better-notes/discussions/1246#discussioncomment-11752668
# This uses the [Reference Note citation style](https://github.com/Calorion/zotero-better-notes-reference-note-template) 
  <h1><a href="zotero://select/items/1_${topItem.key}">${Zotero.QuickCopy.getContentFromItems([topItem],'bibliography=1312348e-7e30-40e8-ae0a-20b3d3f030b6').html.replaceAll("\n", "")}</a></h1>
  <p><i>Reference notes</i></p>
  <h2>Metadata</h2>
  <ul>
  <li>
  <strong>Item Type: </strong>${topItem.itemType}
  </li>
  <li>
  <strong>Date Added: </strong>${new Date().toLocaleString()}
  </li>
  <li>
  ${{
  	const doi = topItem.getField("DOI");
  	if (doi) {
  		return `<b>DOI: </b> <a href="https://doi.org/${topItem.getField('DOI')}">${topItem.getField('DOI')}</a>`;
  	} else {
  		return `<b>URL: </b><a href="${topItem.getField('url')}">${topItem.getField('url')}</a>`;
  	}
  }}$
  </li>
  <li>
  <strong>Attachments: </strong>
  ${{
  	const attachments = Zotero.Items.get(topItem.getAttachments());
  	const pdf = attachments.filter((i) => i.isPDFAttachment());
  	if (pdf && pdf.length > 0) {
  		return `<a href="zotero://open-pdf/library/items/${pdf[0].key}">${pdf[0].getFilename()}</a>`;
  	} else if (attachments && attachments.length > 0) {
  		return `<a href="zotero://open-pdf/library/items/${attachments[0].key}">${attachments[0].getFilename()}</a>`;
  	} else {
  		return ``;
  	}
  }}$
  </li>
  </ul>	
  <h2>↑Referred from</h2>
  <h2>↓References</h2>
  <h2>↔︎Related to</h2>
  <h2>Source notes</h2>
  <p></p>

[Calorion]

But that loses my comments when I Share it, because they’re not imported to begin with.

[windingwind]

Then consider using sth like this (// @comment ...):

I also updated it to use markdown so that there's no risk of using unrecognized html tags.

# This template is specifically for importing/sharing, using better 
# notes 'import from clipboard': copy the content and
# goto Zotero menu bar, click Tools->New Template from Clipboard.  
# Do not copy-paste this to better notes template editor directly.
name: "[item]Reference Note"
zoteroVersion: "8.0.SOURCE.a2a6df529"
pluginVersion: "3.0.0-beta.2"
savedAt: "2025-11-16T21:22:25.309Z"
content: |-
  // @use-markdown
  // @comment Based on [Paper Notes](https://github.com/windingwind/zotero-better-notes/discussions/1099)
  // @comment Title
  // @comment Format from https://github.com/windingwind/zotero-better-notes/discussions/1246#discussioncomment-11752668
  // @comment This uses the [Reference Note citation style](https://github.com/Calorion/zotero-better-notes-reference-note-template)
  # [${Zotero.QuickCopy.getContentFromItems([topItem],'bibliography=1312348e-7e30-40e8-ae0a-20b3d3f030b6').html.replaceAll("\n", "")}](zotero://select/items/1_${topItem.key})
  _Reference notes_
  ## Metadata
  - **Item Type:** ${topItem.itemType}
  - **Date Added:** ${new Date().toLocaleString()}
  - ${{
  	const doi = topItem.getField("DOI");
  	if (doi) {
  		return `**DOI:** [${topItem.getField('DOI')}](https://doi.org/${topItem.getField('DOI')})`;
  	} else {
  		return `**URL:** [${topItem.getField('url')}](${topItem.getField('url')})</a>`;
  	}
  }}$
  - **Attachments:** ${{
  	const attachments = Zotero.Items.get(topItem.getAttachments());
  	const pdf = attachments.filter((i) => i.isPDFAttachment());
  	if (pdf && pdf.length > 0) {
  		return `[${pdf[0].getFilename()}](zotero://open-pdf/library/items/${pdf[0].key})</a>`;
  	} else if (attachments && attachments.length > 0) {
  		return `[${attachments[0].getFilename()}](zotero://open-pdf/library/items/${attachments[0].key})</a>`;
  	} else {
  		return ``;
  	}
  }}$
  ## ↑Referred from
  ## ↓References
  ## ↔︎Related to
  ## Source notes
  <p></p>

[windingwind]

Since it's not a bug, I'll convert it to discussions