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Parallel Paragraph Reader pairs your two language versions
Read matched language paragraphs.
MIT · no telemetry · core features free
- version
- 1.1.0
- downloads
- 25
- review
- Passed
- health
- Excellent
- license
- MIT
- listed for
- Desktop, Mobile
- obsidian
- 1.13.4 or later
Physical phones, tablets, screen reader output, custom themes, Linux CI, live payments and live GitHub device sign-in were not tested.
Directory facts fetched from community.obsidian.md/users/theluckystrike.
About Parallel Paragraph Reader
You already have two language versions in Markdown notes and want to compare their prose.
Choose two Markdown notes to read their prose in matched rows. Each row grows to fit its longer paragraph. The reader pairs by order; it doesn't translate or infer matching meanings.
Play demoFree features
Choose two Markdown notes
Run Choose two notes and select the left note first, then the right note. The new reader tab shows both paths.
Pair prose blocks by order
Blank lines separate prose blocks, and extra blocks get a No paragraph cell opposite them. Headings, lists, tables, quotes, YAML and code are excluded. Each source can contain up to 100 prose blocks and 1,000,000 characters.
Equal row height
Both cells share a row whose height follows the taller paragraph. Use Read row to mark a pair in the open pane.
Stack pairs in a narrow pane
Below 600 pixels of pane width, the right paragraph moves below its left partner. The next pair follows both cells.
Open the source paragraph
Select Open left or Open right to open that source in a new tab. The cursor moves to the recorded paragraph start line. Reload notes after editing a source.
Read literal text in its direction
Cells use automatic text direction, so Arabic can run right to left beside English. Markdown and HTML inside supported prose remain literal characters. HTML image text does not load its URL.
Free reading pairs prose by order; saved alignment maps and remembered rows need Pro.
Pro features
Pro costs $5 a month or $15 one time through GitHub Sponsors. One sponsorship turns on Pro in every plugin that has it.
Save manual alignment maps Pro
Enter one numbered paragraph pair per line, using a dash for an empty cell. Each paragraph must appear once in source order. Pro stores maps locally and ignores them when prose changes.
Remember the last row Pro
Select Read row or open a source link to save your place with Pro. Reopen the same ordered pair to restore it. Scrolling alone does not select a row.
Set up Parallel Paragraph Reader
needs
- Obsidian 1.13.4 or later
steps
Enable Parallel Paragraph Reader and start with two short passages whose paragraph order is similar.
Run Choose two notes and choose the original first, then the second language.
Compare the first rows before reading further.
After editing a source, select Reload notes before using another source link.
If the app can't find a new plugin yet, try again later. Obsidian says a plugin that passes the review shows in the app within 24 hours.
Known limits of Parallel Paragraph Reader
- The reader pairs prose by order; it cannot translate, infer matching meanings, merge paragraphs or synchronize two independent scroll panes.
- It excludes YAML, headings, lists, tables, quotes and code, including prose lines that contain a pipe character.
- Each source is limited to 100 prose blocks and 1,000,000 characters.
- Source changes require Reload notes before using recorded source links.
- Manual maps require each paragraph once in source order, with optional empty cells.
- Changed prose invalidates saved maps and rows; renaming a source changes the saved pair key.
- Pro retains up to 50 saved pairs, including note paths and prose text used to check map validity.
- Scrolling alone does not select or save a reading row.
- Physical phones, tablets, screen reader output, custom themes, Linux CI, live payments and live device sign-in were not tested.
Need a change for your team? I build custom Obsidian plugins and features.
Questions about Parallel Paragraph Reader
Does it translate or match sentences by meaning?
No. It pairs existing prose blocks by order. Manual maps can add gaps, but cannot merge paragraphs or infer meaning.
Does reading edit either source note?
No. Reading and source navigation leave the text unchanged. Pro saves maps and row positions separately in plugin data.
What happens after I rename a source?
The saved pair key uses the ordered note paths. A rename changes that key, so choose the notes again.
What does Pro save in my vault?
Saved pairs can contain note paths and prose text used to check map validity. The plugin retains up to 50 pairs. Include plugin data in your vault backup.
Network use
After you select Sign in with GitHub, github.com receives the public client ID, read:user scope and device-flow polling requests. Signed-in checks send your token and sponsorship query to api.github.com, asking for your tier and total payment. Checks reuse positive answers for seven days, can retry failures after six hours or run on Refresh, without sending vault data.
Questions or ideas?
Tell me what is broken in Parallel Paragraph Reader, or what it should do next.
Parallel Paragraph Reader 1.1.0, MIT license
MIT · no telemetry · core features free
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