Link Feature
Create links to other reading log files and cross-reference between them
About the Link Feature
Reading Forest allows you to insert links to other reading log files (.rfnote) in your notes. Connect related books, organize series, create thematic indexes, and flexibly organize your records.
Link Basics
What is a Link?
A link is a reference from the currently open reading log to another reading log file. Clicking a link opens the linked file.
Link Format
Links are written in the following format within notes:
<link file="filename.rfnote">Display Text</link>Example:
<link file="2024 Reading.rfnote">See my 2024 records</link>How to Insert a Link
Method 1: Insert from Menu
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Start inline note editing
Open a book and click the note input field to place your cursor -
Open the "Edit" menu
Click "Edit" in the menu bar -
Select "Insert Link"
The link insertion dialog opens -
Select the target file
Choose the link destination from the list of files registered in the bookshelf -
Enter display text
Enter the text to display for the link (if omitted, the filename is used)
Method 2: Direct Input
You can also type the link format directly in your notes:
<link file="Tech Books.rfnote">View tech book notes</link>If the linked file is in a folder registered with the bookshelf, you can reference it by filename only.
Automatic Link Updates
When you rename a linked file, links to that file can become broken. Reading Forest has a feature to automatically update links when renaming files.
How Automatic Link Updates Work
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Rename the file
Go to "File" menu → "Rename", or click the filename in the header -
Enable "Update links in other files"
Ensure this option is ON in the rename dialog (ON by default) -
Execute the rename
All .rfnote files in bookshelf-registered folders are scanned, and links to the old filename are automatically updated to the new filename
Checking Update Results
A progress dialog is displayed during processing, and when complete, a list of updated files is shown. You can confirm which files had their links updated.
Important Notes
Files in folders not registered with the bookshelf are not updated.
Link updates only target files in folders registered with the bookshelf.
If you have .rfnote files with links in folders not registered with the bookshelf, you'll need to update them manually.
Link Usage Examples
Organizing Book Series
When reading a series, you can link each volume's notes to other volumes for an overview of the entire series.
Example: In "Harry Potter Book 1.rfnote" notes
Other books in this series:
<link file="Harry Potter Book 2.rfnote">Book 2: Chamber of Secrets</link>
<link file="Harry Potter Book 3.rfnote">Book 3: Prisoner of Azkaban</link>Creating Thematic Indexes
Create an index file like "Favorite Books.rfnote" and collect links to each book to use as a thematic index.
Cross-Referencing Related Books
Link books by the same author or books on related topics to help expand your reading horizons.
FAQ
Q: It says the linked file cannot be found
The linked file may have been deleted or moved. Also, if the linked file is not in a folder registered with the bookshelf, it cannot be found. Please add the folder to the bookshelf.
Q: Can I link to files on Google Drive?
Yes, you can. .rfnote files saved on Google Drive can be specified as link destinations if they are registered with the bookshelf.
Q: How do I delete a link?
During inline note editing, select the link text and delete it, or directly edit the source to remove the link element.
Q: Can I create links to external websites?
Reading Forest's link feature is specialized for links between .rfnote files. If you need to link to external URLs, include the URL as regular text in your notes.