JXA script to convert TaskPaper documents to Markdown format for Obsidian or other needs. Handles projects, tasks, tags, and completion status.

to_markdown.scpt

#!/usr/bin/env osascript -l JavaScript

function run(argv) {
    const app = Application.currentApplication();
    app.includeStandardAdditions = true;
    
    let content;
    if (argv.length > 0) {
        // Use file from command line
        content = app.read(Path(argv[0]));
    } else {
        // Use current TaskPaper document
        content = Application('TaskPaper').documents[0].evaluate({
            script: `function(editor, options) {
                return editor.getTextInRange(0, editor.textLength);
            }`
        });
    }
    
    const lines = content.split('\n');
    let markdown = '';
    
    for (let line of lines) {
        if (line.trim() === '') {
            markdown += '\n';
        } else if (line.trim().endsWith(':')) {
            // Project (header)
            markdown += `## ${line.trim().slice(0, -1)}\n`;
        } else if (line.trim().startsWith('- ')) {
            // Task - check if archived
            const task = line.replace(/\s*-\s*/, '').replace(/@(\w+)(?:\(([^)]*)\))?/g, (match, tag, value) => {
                if (tag === 'due' && value) return `#due-${value}`;
                if (tag === 'done' && value) return `#done-${value}`;
                if (tag === 'start' && value) return `#start-${value}`;
                if (tag === 'project' && value) return `#${value}`;
                return value ? `#${value}` : `#${tag}`;
            }).trim();
            if (task) {
                const isArchived = line.includes('@done') || line.includes('@archived');
                markdown += isArchived ? `- [x] ${task}\n` : `- [ ] ${task}\n`;
            }
        } else if (line.trim().startsWith('+ ')) {
            // Completed task
            const task = line.replace(/\s*\+\s*/, '').replace(/@(\w+)(?:\(([^)]*)\))?/g, (match, tag, value) => {
                if (tag === 'due' && value) return `#due-${value}`;
                if (tag === 'done' && value) return `#done-${value}`;
                if (tag === 'start' && value) return `#start-${value}`;
                if (tag === 'project' && value) return `#${value}`;
                return value ? `#${value}` : `#${tag}`;
            }).trim();
            markdown += `- [x] ${task}\n`;
        } else {
            // Note
            markdown += `${line}\n`;
        }
    }
    
    markdown = markdown.replace(/\n+$/, '\n');
    
    app.setTheClipboardTo(markdown);
    console.log("Converted TaskPaper to Markdown and copied to clipboard");
    return markdown;
}

Usage

TaskPaper → Markdown:

osascript taskpaper-to-markdown.js                    # Current TaskPaper doc
osascript taskpaper-to-markdown.js file.taskpaper     # Specific file

Conversions

TaskPaper	Markdown
Project:	## Project
- task	- [ ] task
- task @done	- [x] task
@due(2025-12-18)	#due-2025-12-18
@start(2025-12-18)	#start-2025-12-18
@project(Name)	#Name (capitalized)
@tag	#tag

Output goes to clipboard for easy pasting between apps.