# ABC - Accurate 🖇️ Bi-directional 🖱️ Cursor-level linking system

**URL:** https://community.silverbullet.md/t/abc-accurate-bi-directional-cursor-level-linking-system/3536
**Category:** Plugs and Libraries
**Created:** [November 13, 2025, 6:13pm UTC](https://community.silverbullet.md/t/abc-accurate-bi-directional-cursor-level-linking-system/3536 "2025-11-13T18:13:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 20

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![ChenZhu-Xie](https://community.silverbullet.md/user_avatar/community.silverbullet.md/chenzhu-xie/32/1476_2.png) [@ChenZhu-Xie](https://community.silverbullet.md/u/ChenZhu-Xie)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2025, 4:03pm UTC](https://community.silverbullet.md/t/abc-accurate-bi-directional-cursor-level-linking-system/3536/20 "2025-11-24T16:03:13Z")

</div>

> [@rogpi](#):
>
> is it possible to, say by means of right-click or something, to copy into the clipboard the label of a referred before jumping into that far away page where you want to create a reference, because of the virtual page link on the referred at the moment it’s a bit cumbersome for us poor lazy creatures.

Yes(, but currently not possible through `right-click`):

I added a function “ **magneto copy: the nearest label** ”, i.e. `alt-m` to help realize your dream (idea coming from [Copy the nearest Format around Cursor](https://community.silverbullet.md/t/copy-the-nearest-format-around-cursor/3418)).

> [@rogpi](#):
>
> to have a choice in the prompt when creating a reference, it would mean a simple lookup in one of the maintained tables …

when creating a _Flabel+Backrefs_, now could switch from `Prompt` to `Label Picker` through `Ctrl-Alt-,`  
when creating a _Blabel+Forthref_, now every `Prompt` is replaced by `Label Picker` by default.

| ​ | , (\<) | . (\>) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ctrl- | `[[prompt | (select)C]]` copy:L\[1\] | `[[picker | (select)C]]` copy:L |
| Ctrl-Alt- | `[[pickerC | (select)]]` copy:L(A\[2\]) | `[[picker | (paste)C]]` copy:Nothing |
| Ctrl-Shift- | `[[select (or prompt) | C]]` copy:L | `[[paste (or picker) | (select)C]]` copy:L |
| Alt- | GoTo: Flabel | GoTo: Blabel |
| Alt-M | Cursor: Copy Nearest Label | |

https://www.youtube.com/embed/8AD0g68GYGI?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque

```auto
function getSelectedText()
  local sel = editor.getSelection()
  if not sel or sel.from == sel.to then return nil end
  local text = editor.getText()
  return text:sub(sel.from + 1, sel.to)
end

function setSelectedText(newText)
  local sel = editor.getSelection()
  if not sel or sel.from == sel.to then return nil end
  editor.replaceRange(sel.from, sel.to, newText)
end

function usrPrompt(hinText, iniText)
  local iniText = iniText or ""
  local input = editor.prompt(hinText, iniText)
  if not input then
    editor.flashNotification("Cancelled", "warn")
  end
  return input
end

function pickerBox_labelName(hinText, iniText)
  local iniText = iniText or ""
  local allLabels = query[[
    from index.tag "link"
    where toPage and toPage:find(anchorSymbol, 1, true) and alias:find(suffixBlabel, 1, true)
    order by _.toPage
  ]]
  local labels = query[[from allLabels select {name = _.toPage:gsub(anchorSymbol, ""), description = _.page .. "@" .. _.pos}]]
  local sel = editor.filterBox("🔌 Insert", labels, hinText, iniText)
  if sel then return sel.name end
  if not sel then
    editor.flashNotification("Cancelled", "warn")
  end
  return nil
end

function pickerBox_FlabelRef(hinText, iniText)
  local iniText = iniText or ""
  local allFlabels = query[[
    from index.tag "link"
    where toPage and toPage:find(anchorSymbol, 1, true) and alias:find(suffixBlabel, 1, true)
    order by _.toPage
  ]]
  local Flabels = query[[from allFlabels select {name = _.toPage:gsub(anchorSymbol, "") .. suffixBlabel .. _.alias:gsub(suffixBlabel, ""), description = _.page .. "@" .. _.pos, Flabel = _.toPage:gsub(anchorSymbol, "")}]]
  local sel = editor.filterBox("🔎 Flabel", Flabels, hinText, iniText)
  if sel then return sel.description, sel.Flabel end
  if not sel then
    editor.flashNotification("Cancelled", "warn")
  end
  return nil, nil
end

function pickerBox_BlabelRef(hinText, iniText)
  local iniText = iniText or ""
  local allBlabels = query[[
    from index.tag "link"
    where toPage and toPage:find(anchorSymbol, 1, true) and alias:find(suffixFlabel, 1, true)
    order by _.toPage .. alias
  ]]
  local Blabels = query[[from allBlabels select {name = _.toPage:gsub(anchorSymbol, "") .. siblings .. _.alias, description = _.page .. "@" .. _.pos, Flabel = _.toPage:gsub(anchorSymbol, "")}]]
  local sel = editor.filterBox("🔎 Blabel", Blabels, hinText, iniText)
  if sel then return sel.description, sel.Flabel end
  if not sel then
    editor.flashNotification("Cancelled", "warn")
  end
  return nil, nil
end

command.define {
  name = "Go to: Forth Anchor",
  key = "Alt-,",
  run = function()
    local FlabelRef, Flabel = pickerBox_FlabelRef('Select: Flabel (to GOTO)', js.window.navigator.clipboard.readText())
    if not FlabelRef then return end
    -- editor.flashNotification(FlabelRef)
    editor.navigate(FlabelRef)
    -- local pos = tonumber(FlabelRef:match("@(.*)$"))
    -- if pos then
    -- editor.moveCursor(pos, true)
    -- end
    editor.invokeCommand("Navigate: Center Cursor")
    editor.copyToClipboard(Flabel)
  end
}

command.define {
  name = "Go to: Back Anchor",
  key = "Alt-.",
  run = function()
    local BlabelRef, Flabel = pickerBox_BlabelRef('GOTO: Blabel', js.window.navigator.clipboard.readText())
    if not BlabelRef then return end
    -- editor.flashNotification(BlabelRef)
    editor.navigate(BlabelRef)
    -- local pos = tonumber(BlabelRef:match("@(.*)$"))
    -- if pos then
    -- editor.moveCursor(pos, true)
    -- end
    editor.invokeCommand("Navigate: Center Cursor")
    editor.copyToClipboard(Flabel)
  end
}

local anchorSymbol = "⚓"
local suffixFlabel = "🧑‍🤝‍🧑"
local suffixBlabel = "🔙"
local siblings = "➡️"

-- =========== Forth Anchor + Back Refs ==================

local function tableBack(Flabel)
  local aspiringPage = Flabel .. anchorSymbol
  return query[[
    from index.tag "link"
    where toPage == aspiringPage and alias:find(suffixFlabel, 1, true)
    order by _.thBlabel
    select {ref=_.ref, thBlabel=_.thBlabel}
  ]]
end

function backRefs(Flabel)
  local str = template.each(tableBack(Flabel), template.new[==[​[[${_.ref}|${_.thBlabel}]]​]==])
  if #str == 0 then return "​" end
  return str
end

command.define {
  name = "Insert: ForthAnchor + BackRefs (sel: alias)",
  key = "Ctrl-,",
  run = function()
    local alias = getSelectedText() or ""
    local Flabel = usrPrompt('Enter: label (to be Referred)', '')
    if not Flabel then return end
    local aspiringPage = Flabel .. anchorSymbol
    local forthAnchor = "[[" .. aspiringPage .. "||^|" .. suffixBlabel .. "]]"
    local backRefs = '${backRefs("' .. Flabel .. '")}'
    local fullText = forthAnchor .. backRefs
    if alias and alias ~= "" then setSelectedText("") end
    editor.insertAtPos(fullText, editor.getCursor(), true)
    editor.copyToClipboard(Flabel)
    editor.insertAtCursor(alias, false) -- scrollIntoView?
    editor.invokeCommand("Widgets: Refresh All")
  end
}

command.define {
  name = "Insert: ForthAnchor + BackRefs (pick: label)",
  key = "Ctrl-Alt-,",
  run = function()
    local alias = getSelectedText() or ""
    local Flabel = pickerBox_labelName('Enter: label (to be Referred)', js.window.navigator.clipboard.readText())
    if not Flabel then return end
    Flabel = usrPrompt('Enter: label (to be Referred)', Flabel)
    if not Flabel then return end
    local forthAnchor = "[[" .. Flabel .. "|^|" .. anchorSymbol .. "|" .. alias .. suffixBlabel .. "]]"
    local backRefs = '${backRefs("' .. Flabel .. '")}'
    local fullText = forthAnchor .. backRefs
    editor.copyToClipboard(Flabel)
    if alias and alias ~= "" then
      setSelectedText("")
      editor.copyToClipboard(alias)
    end
    editor.insertAtPos(fullText, editor.getCursor(), true)
    -- editor.copyToClipboard(Flabel)
    -- editor.insertAtCursor(alias, false) -- scrollIntoView?
    editor.invokeCommand("Widgets: Refresh All")
  end
}

command.define {
  name = "Insert: ForthAnchor + BackRefs (sel: label)",
  key = "Ctrl-Shift-,",
  run = function()
    local iniText = getSelectedText() or ""
    local Flabel
    if iniText and iniText ~= "" then
      Flabel = iniText
    else
      Flabel = usrPrompt('Enter: label (to be Referred)', '')
    end
    if not Flabel then return end
    local aspiringPage = Flabel .. anchorSymbol
    local forthAnchor = "[[" .. aspiringPage .. "||^|" .. suffixBlabel .. "]]"
    local backRefs = '${backRefs("' .. Flabel .. '")}'
    local fullText = forthAnchor .. backRefs
    if iniText and iniText ~= "" then setSelectedText("") end
    editor.insertAtPos(fullText, editor.getCursor(), true)
    editor.copyToClipboard(Flabel)
    editor.invokeCommand("Widgets: Refresh All")
  end
}

-- =========== Back Anchor + Forth Ref ==================

local function tableBack_noSelf(Flabel, thBlabelNum)
  local aspiringPage = Flabel .. anchorSymbol
  return query[[
    from index.tag "link"
    where toPage == aspiringPage and alias:find(suffixFlabel, 1, true) and thBlabelNum ~= _.thBlabel
    order by _.thBlabel
    select {ref=_.ref, thBlabel=_.thBlabel}
  ]]
end

function backRefs_noSelf(Flabel, thBlabelNum)
  local str = template.each(tableBack_noSelf(Flabel, thBlabelNum), template.new[==[​[[${_.ref}|${_.thBlabel}]]​]==])
  if #str == 0 then return "​" end
  return str
end

local function tableForth(Flabel)
  local aspiringPage = Flabel .. anchorSymbol
  return query[[
    from index.tag "link"
    where toPage == aspiringPage and alias:find(suffixBlabel, 1, true)
    select {ref=_.ref}
  ]]
end

function forthRef(Flabel)
  local str = template.each(tableForth(Flabel), template.new("[[${_.ref}|​" .. siblings .. "​]]"))
  if #str == 0 then return "​" end
  return str
end

command.define {
  name = "Insert: BackAnchor + ForthRef (label: pick)",
  key = "Ctrl-.",
  run = function()
    local alias = getSelectedText() or ""
    local Flabel = pickerBox_labelName('Pick: label (to Compose)', js.window.navigator.clipboard.readText())
    if not Flabel then return end
    local thBlabelNum = #tableBack(Flabel) + 1
    local aspiringPage = Flabel .. anchorSymbol
    local backAnchor = "[[" .. aspiringPage .. "||^|" .. suffixFlabel .. thBlabelNum .. "]]"
    local forthRef = '${forthRef("' .. Flabel .. '")}'
    local backRefs_noSelf = '${backRefs_noSelf("' .. Flabel .. '",' .. thBlabelNum .. ')}'
    local fullText = backAnchor .. forthRef .. backRefs_noSelf
    if alias and alias ~= "" then setSelectedText("") end
    editor.insertAtPos(fullText, editor.getCursor(), true)
    editor.copyToClipboard(Flabel)
    editor.insertAtCursor(alias, false) -- scrollIntoView?
    editor.invokeCommand("Widgets: Refresh All")
  end
}

command.define {
  name = "Insert: BackAnchor + ForthRef (alias: paste)",
  key = "Ctrl-Alt-.",
  run = function()
    local iniText = getSelectedText() or ""
    local alias = js.window.navigator.clipboard.readText()
    local Flabel = pickerBox_labelName('Pick: label (to Compose)', iniText)
    if not Flabel then return end
    local thBlabelNum = #tableBack(Flabel) + 1
    local aspiringPage = Flabel .. anchorSymbol
    local backAnchor = "[[" .. aspiringPage .. "||^|" .. suffixFlabel .. thBlabelNum .. "]]"
    local forthRef = '${forthRef("' .. Flabel .. '")}'
    local backRefs_noSelf = '${backRefs_noSelf("' .. Flabel .. '",' .. thBlabelNum .. ')}'
    local fullText = backAnchor .. forthRef .. backRefs_noSelf
    if iniText and iniText ~= "" then setSelectedText("") end
    editor.insertAtPos(fullText, editor.getCursor(), true)
    -- editor.copyToClipboard(Flabel)
    editor.insertAtCursor(alias, false) -- scrollIntoView?
    editor.invokeCommand("Widgets: Refresh All")
  end
}

command.define {
  name = "Insert: BackAnchor + ForthRef (label: paste)",
  key = "Ctrl-Shift-.",
  run = function()
    local alias = getSelectedText() or ""
    local iniText = js.window.navigator.clipboard.readText()
    local Flabel
    if iniText and iniText ~= "" then
      Flabel = iniText
    else
      Flabel = pickerBox_labelName('Pick: label (to Build)', '')
    end
    if not Flabel then return end
    local thBlabelNum = #tableBack(Flabel) + 1
    local aspiringPage = Flabel .. anchorSymbol
    local backAnchor = "[[" .. aspiringPage .. "||^|" .. suffixFlabel .. thBlabelNum .. "]]"
    local forthRef = '${forthRef("' .. Flabel .. '")}'
    local backRefs_noSelf = '${backRefs_noSelf("' .. Flabel .. '",' .. thBlabelNum .. ')}'
    local fullText = backAnchor .. forthRef .. backRefs_noSelf
    if alias and alias ~= "" then setSelectedText("") end
    editor.insertAtPos(fullText, editor.getCursor(), true)
    editor.copyToClipboard(Flabel)
    editor.insertAtCursor(alias, false) -- scrollIntoView?
    editor.invokeCommand("Widgets: Refresh All")
  end
}

index.defineTag {
  name = "link",
  metatable = {
    __index = function(self, attr)
      if attr == "thBlabel" then
        return tonumber(string.match(self.alias, suffixFlabel .. "([0-9]+)"))
      end
    end
  }
}

-- =========== Magneto Copy: Nearest Label ==================

function SelectiondistanceToCursor(startPos, endPos, cursorPos)
  if cursorPos < startPos then return startPos - cursorPos end
  if cursorPos > endPos then return cursorPos - endPos end
  return 0
end

function getCursorPos()
  local cur = editor.getCursor() 
  local cursor_pos = (type(cur) == "table" and cur.pos) or cur
  return cursor_pos
end

function findNearestLabel()
  local pageText = editor.getText()
  local curPos = getCursorPos()

  local pattern = "%[%[[^\n%]]+" .. anchorSymbol .. "|"
  local nearest = nil

  local init = 1
  local ok, err = pcall(function()
    while true do
      local s, e = pageText:find(pattern, init)
      if not s then break end
      
      local dist = SelectiondistanceToCursor(s, e, curPos)
      if not nearest or dist < nearest.dist then
        nearest = { start = s, stop = e, text = pageText:sub(s, e), dist = dist }
      end
      
      init = (e >= init) and (e + 1) or (init + 1)
    end
  end)

  return nearest
end

command.define{
  name = "Cursor: Copy Nearest Label",
  description = "Copy the raw page name of the nearest Wiki Link",
  key = "Alt-m",
  run = function()
    local match = findNearestLabel()
    
    if not match then
      editor.flashNotification("No Label found.")
      return
    end

    local inner = match.text:sub(3, -3)
    editor.copyToClipboard(inner)
    editor.flashNotification(inner .. anchorSymbol)
  end
}

```

* * *

Edit: `Alt-m` (_marker_) and `Ctrl-Shift-.` (_quote selection_) is system CMDs by default, one needs to update them like [https://github.com/ChenZhu-Xie/xczphysics\_SilverBullet/blob/main/STYLE/Builtin\_Formats.md](https://github.com/ChenZhu-Xie/xczphysics_SilverBullet/blob/main/STYLE/Builtin_Formats.md)

* * *

1. label 

2. alias

---

_[View the full topic](https://community.silverbullet.md/t/abc-accurate-bi-directional-cursor-level-linking-system/3536)._