Import of tables in Markdown (e.g. from Nuclino)

Problem

Inability to import Markdown tables. We have a large library of information in [Nuclino](https://www.nuclino.com) that we’d like to import into Anytype. Nuclino uses Markdown and can export to Markdown but it supports tables, tables with multi-line content and multiple tables on a single page. I’m unable to import these into Anytype, even if I take them through Notion first.

Solution

We’d like to be able to import Markdown files with simple tables, tables with multi-line content and pages with multiple tables.

Alternatives considered

I’ve successfully imported tables from Nuclino into Notion (with some minor tidy up required). But if I export them from Notion and import into Anytype they don’t come in as tables.

Additional context

Nuclino base their table formatting on Pandoc: https://pandoc.org/MANUAL.html#tables using the extension grid_tables

Here’s a page with a simple table exported from Nuclino:

| Example text row 1 column 1 | Example text row 1 column 2 | Example text row 1 column 3 |
| --------------------------- | --------------------------- | --------------------------- |
| Example text row 2 column 1 | Example text row 2 column 2 | Example text row 2 column 3 |
| Example text row 3 column 1 | Example text row 3 column 2 | Example text row 3 column 3 |

And here’s a page with multiple tables and tables with multi-line context exported from Nuclino:

+---------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+
|Example text row 1 column 1|Example text row 1 column 2|Example text row 1 column 3|
|                           |                           |                           |
|Example multi-line content |Example multi-line content |Example multi-line content |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+
|Example text row 2 column 1|Example text row 2 column 2|Example text row 2 column 3|
|                           |                           |                           |
|Example multi-line content |Example multi-line content |Example multi-line content |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+

+---------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+
|Example text row 1 column 1|Example text row 1 column 2|Example text row 1 column 3|
|                           |                           |                           |
|Example multi-line content |Example multi-line content |Example multi-line content |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+
|Example text row 2 column 1|Example text row 2 column 2|Example text row 2 column 3|
|                           |                           |                           |
|Example multi-line content |Example multi-line content |Example multi-line content |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+
7 Likes

There is no “simple table” block yet, so that will need to come first. Then this is a possibility.

3 Likes

@Oshyan not sure that ‘Nuclino’ should be in the title though. You can’t import tables from Notion either, for instance.

@christiaan As far as I know Notion does not have “simple tables” either though. When you paste this simple table data (markdown) into Notion it converts it into a database. Importing databases from Notion is a whole separate thing. But I will adjust it to show Nuclino is an example, at the least.

@Oshyan ah I see, so importing into a database could be a perfectly fine alternative until and if tables are supported.

1 Like

@christiaan Yes, although I’d say that’s a separate feature request because it requires creating a whole set of “objects” and “relations” based just on a copy/paste. Much more complicated, at least in some sense. But both are good ideas!

1 Like

I see we now have support for Simple Tables :slight_smile:

However, I think I’m right in saying there’s still no way to copy and paste or import Simple Tables that are in Markdown? And no way to go through Notion either (because Notion doesn’t support Simple Tables)?

I think you are right; this is not possible (yet).

1 Like

Man, doesn’t time fly. Since I originally posted this Notion has added support for Simple Tables. And so has Anytype.

I’ve been able to successfully import my Markdown files from Nuclino into Notion, but when I then try to import those Notion files into Anytype I get this problem. Can anybody explain what’s happening here and if there’s any way around it, or is this an Anytype limitation for now?

2 Likes

Posted bug here:

1 Like