# Need help with org-roam-dailies-capture-template **URL:** \ **Category:** Troubleshooting\ **Created:** [December 2, 2022, 7:50am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/need-help-with-org-roam-dailies-capture-template/2882 "2022-12-02T07:50:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vikas.mishra](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/org-roam.discourse.group/vikas.mishra/32/1125_2.png) [@vikas.mishra](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/vikas.mishra)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 7:50am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/need-help-with-org-roam-dailies-capture-template/2882/1 "2022-12-02T07:50:11Z")
Hello I am trying to debug a dailies capture template. Here is what I am trying to achieve, I want to create a Dailies template that looks like below when the dailies note doesn’t exist. This is working for me. ```auto #+TITLE: 2022-12-07 #+FILETAGS: daily * Focus * Tasks * Journal ``` When I try to capture in a note that exists, I want to add a timestamp and a second level heading below journal but that’s not working for me. Here is my setup ```lisp (setq org-roam-dailies-capture-templates '(("d" "default" entry "* %<%I:%M %p>: %?" :target (file+head "%<%Y-%m-%d>.org" "Journal") :if-new (file+head "%<%Y-%m-%d>.org" "#+TITLE: %<%Y-%m-%d>\n#+FILETAGS: daily\n\n* Focus\n\n* Tasks\n\n* Journal") :unnarrowed t))) ``` My assumption is that on the line `:target (file+head "%<%Y-%m-%d>.org" "Journal")` , this should search for a Level 1 Heading called Journal and create a sub entry below this. , But it doesn’t do that. Here is what I get. ```auto #+TITLE: 2022-12-07 #+FILETAGS: daily * Focus * Tasks * Journal * 01:19 PM: Let's create a timed log here. ``` Noticed how the time stamped entry is still at Level 1. Any hints on what I am doing wrong will really help. Thanks, Vikas ---
**Author:** ![nobiot](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/org-roam.discourse.group/nobiot/32/159_2.png) [@nobiot](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/nobiot)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2022, 8:05pm UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/need-help-with-org-roam-dailies-capture-template/2882/2 "2022-12-02T20:05:13Z")
> [@vikas.mishra](#): > > `"* %<%I:%M %p>: %?"` Perhaps add another star ”\*”? ---
**Author:** ![vikas.mishra](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/org-roam.discourse.group/vikas.mishra/32/1125_2.png) [@vikas.mishra](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/vikas.mishra)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2022, 2:24am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/need-help-with-org-roam-dailies-capture-template/2882/3 "2022-12-03T02:24:09Z")
I had forgotten to mention that in my post earlier. I had already tried with an extra '\*` didn’t seem to make a difference. ![broken_capture](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/orgroam/original/2X/f/facba2554ac25668dae4130b08cd6be28aaa1d19.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![nobiot](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/org-roam.discourse.group/nobiot/32/159_2.png) [@nobiot](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/nobiot)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2022, 8:09am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/need-help-with-org-roam-dailies-capture-template/2882/4 "2022-12-03T08:09:20Z")
I think what you are going for is something like this: ```auto (setq org-roam-dailies-capture-templates '(("d" "default" entry "** %<%I:%M %p>: %?" :target (file+head+olp "%<%Y-%m-%d>.org" "#+TITLE: %<%Y-%m-%d>\n#+FILETAGS: daily\n\n* Focus\n\n* Tasks\n\n* Journal" ("Journal")) :unnarrowed t))) ``` I only tested it lightly but seems to work. I don’t think `:if-new` is meant to be used “in addition” to `:target` – the former is the replacement of the latter and does not mean “If the new note is being created, use A; if not, use target”. I don’t know why two stars didn’t work, though. ---
**Author:** ![vikas.mishra](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/org-roam.discourse.group/vikas.mishra/32/1125_2.png) [@vikas.mishra](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/vikas.mishra)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2022, 11:38am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/need-help-with-org-roam-dailies-capture-template/2882/5 "2022-12-03T11:38:19Z")
That did work - thank you very much. I didn’t realize that `:if-new` and `:target` are not meant to be used together. I had interpreted it to mean exactly what you said. I didn’t realize that `:target` had superseded `:if-new`. Appreciate the help. ---
**Author:** ![ChuckSneed](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/org-roam.discourse.group/chucksneed/32/1379_2.png) [@ChuckSneed](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/ChuckSneed)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2023, 12:03pm UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/need-help-with-org-roam-dailies-capture-template/2882/6 "2023-12-01T12:03:54Z")
> [@nobiot](#): > > the former is the replacement of the latter If that’s the case should we use `:if-new` instead of `:target`? But then, in your examples in this thread, you use `:target`. I am confused by your statement. Also, I am having trouble in understanding the functionality-wise difference between `:if-new` and `:target`. ---
**Author:** ![nobiot](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/org-roam.discourse.group/nobiot/32/159_2.png) [@nobiot](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/nobiot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2023, 3:29pm UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/need-help-with-org-roam-dailies-capture-template/2882/7 "2023-12-01T15:29:02Z")
I think this would have been a mis-statement on my part. My understanding is that they function in the same way, but :target replaces :if-new. I use :target. I believe you can confirm which is the current by looking at the doc string of org-roam-templates.