using metadata for filtering

[arcegabriel]

Struggling to make this work
I would like to do a query that shows tasks not complete but excludes tasks on notes that

1. do not have the property "created" (this is a date property)
2. have the property "created" equal to todays date

Appreciate any tips, was trying to make moment work but was getting errors - not recognizing isBefore

[claremacrae]

I'm travelling with only a mobile phone right now.

To help me answer later, please share

• the things you have tried, and the error messages you are getting.
• Also, the URLs of the pages in the docs you have looked at. Thanks.

[arcegabriel]

This is what I have tried

no due date
not done
filter by function task.file.property('created').moment?.isSameOrBefore(moment(), 'day') || false
path does not include System
show tree
full mode

I have checked this page among others
https://publish.obsidian.md/tasks/Scripting/Custom+Filters
Obviously there is an issue with a single line with filter by function.

This is the error
Tasks query: Error: Search failed.
The error message was:
"TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'moment')"
Problem line: "filter by function task.file.property('created').moment?.isSameOrAfter(moment(), 'day') || false"

[claremacrae]

Thanks for the reply.

Part 1

Looking at the page on Properties:
https://publish.obsidian.md/tasks/Getting+Started/Obsidian+Properties

... excludes tasks on notes that

1. do not have the property "created" (this is a date property)

Sure, you would do that with this line, which only matches tasks in files that have a non-empty created property:

filter by function task.file.hasProperty('created')

Part 2

... excludes tasks on notes that

2. have the property "created" equal to todays date

Assuming that your created dates are generated by Obsidian, and look like this:

---
created: 2025-11-07
---

Then you can write this to find tasks in files with today in the created value:

filter by function task.file.property('created') === moment().format('YYYY-MM-DD')

So to match your request to exclude tasks from files with today in the created value, you could write:

filter by function task.file.property('created') !== moment().format('YYYY-MM-DD')

The two combined

So, in summary, these two lines match the request in your initial comment above:

# Require there to be a 'created' property with a non-empty value:
filter by function task.file.hasProperty('created')

# Require the value in the 'created' property to not be today's date:
filter by function task.file.property('created') !== moment().format('YYYY-MM-DD')

[arcegabriel]

Amazing and it works :) Much appreciated 👍