- name
- instapaper-import
- description
- Import reading notes from Instapaper exports into the slipbox. Use when user pastes an Instapaper highlight export with article title and notes. Parses title/URL from header, extracts user's own notes (plain text lines), skips original highlights (> lines), then runs slipbot for each.
Instapaper Import
Parse Instapaper highlight exports and create slipbox entries for user's notes.
Input Format
# [[Article Title](url)]
> Original highlight from article (SKIP)
User's note about the highlight (IMPORT)
> Another highlight (SKIP)
Another user note (IMPORT)Key distinction:
> lines= Original article highlights → Skip these- Plain text lines = User's own ideas/takeaways → Import these as notes
Parsing Rules
Header Line
- Extract title from:
# [[Title](url)] - URL may be
instapaper-private://...(private) or regular URL - Source type:
article - Author:
null(Instapaper doesn't include author)
Content Lines
- Lines starting with
>= original highlights → skip - Plain text lines after
>lines = user notes → import - Empty lines → skip
- Each user note becomes a separate slipbox entry
Workflow
- Parse header → extract article title and URL
- Extract user notes → collect plain text lines (not starting with
>) - Precheck → show user: article title, note count, ask for confirmation
- On confirmation → for each note, invoke slipbot:
- Type: note (- prefix) - Source: ~ article, {title} - Let slipbot handle: filename, tags, links, graph update
- Report → count of notes created
Example
Input:
# [[How to Learn Faster](https://example.com/article)]
> Get feedback more often
To learn faster we need faster feedback loops.
> Latent learning occurs without reinforcement
Testing yourself proactively speeds up learning.Extracted notes:
- "To learn faster we need faster feedback loops."
- "Testing yourself proactively speeds up learning."
Slipbot calls:
- To learn faster we need faster feedback loops. ~ article, How to Learn Faster
- Testing yourself proactively speeds up learning. ~ article, How to Learn FasterEdge Cases
- No user notes (only
>lines): Report "no notes to import" - Multi-line user notes: Treat each paragraph as separate note
- Title with special chars: Preserve as-is for source metadata