A few important feature requests, mainly about the file explorer

Better File Explorer

There should be more keyboard functionality for the file explorer and there should be an option to have a different view from the current one in the settings, to make it more like the File explorer of windows or an operating system like mac or linux. Where you can click to go to the next section, you and don’t have to see everything irrelevant once you’ve already gone into your desired folder with a bunch of clutter and aiming and shooting like an FPS target practice. Have (an option, so everyone is happy) things more horizontal rather than vertical so when you enlarge the sidebar by dragging it, it can be used like a normal file explorer or split into columns so its not all one narrow vertical list. For example, simply drag on the side bar to make it bigger, or even better have a hotkey to make it wide, have all your folders shown there, click one/ navigate with keyboard the same way you would on windows (even press a letter to jump to the same letter) and press enter to go in your folder, and ONLY see the folders inside, with a keyboard back button or using the mouse back button.I have A LOT of folders! inside folders inside folders with documents in each of them. Some of you may not have a lot of folders so you don’t experience this issue but if you have a lot of folders it’s an issue. The plugin quick explorer somewhat alleviates this but this really needs to be in the core of the program in the way i am mentioning. Some of you may say argue and say it’s not necessary, but whatever your argument is, it should be an option for those who want to have a more traditional, more horizontal file explorer. The current file explorer is very bad for many folders inside folders inside folders. And you can say “just use the quick switcher to search what you want!” But it should be an option to do it the way I am describing. Maybe you’re not searching for a specific document, maybe you just want to look at every file you have in your knowledge base. Maybe you don’t know what you’re looking for. Maybe you think visually and want to see everything and organize it that way. This is a huge feature missing for me, and if there wasnt the plugin I found called quick explorer, I would have uninstalled this program. Quick explorer somewhat alleviates but is not ideal. It’s too small and at the top of the screen, you cant drag things into it. It is simply not good if you have many many folders. And this “regular file view” should be a core option! If you don’t want to use obsidian that way, fine, but it should be an option for those who do. Many people prefer the regular file explorer system that is intuitive and works fine in our operating systems, and if you’d like to achieve mass adoption you can’t force people to try to fit a square peg in a round hole. Technology should mold to people’s desires, not vice versa. If people wish to view files in the standard way operating system way, it should be an option. Simply go in the settings and toggle 1 switch. Everyone is happy. I’m making all these arguments as a preventative measure for people who will say it’s already perfect the way it is. If it was perfect, I wouldn’t have this issue. You can call me the issue, but I can tell you straight up, if there wasn’t the plugin and if I didn’t have some hope of this program advancing in the future, I would have deleted it. I’m giving it a chance and making this suggestion as I can see it’s only one year old, and it has A LOT of potential, just some things need to be improved. I’m using the quick explorer as a bandaid, but I will only continue to use this program if the file explorer is improved in the near future for certain. Thank you!

Different graph view

Have an option to have the graph view like a family tree rather than a bunch of circles. So you can see all your documents and what folder they are in then just click it, or navigate with the keyboard and expand/collapse, or “Go to” the desired location with your keyboard.
→ Different “Graph” views!

Option to change the basic appearance of default theme in application

Bold colour, italics colour, font, accent colour, highlight colour, background colour. I don’t see why you shouldn’t be able to simply change the “accent colour” (The colour change when you make an internal link) natively without downloading a plugin. That is the core feature of this program. You can say that you can just download a theme or change the css yourself, but not EVERYONE knows css or even wants to have to learn it. It wouldn’t negatively affect ANYONE to have the option to change the accent colour, while it negatively affects some people the way it is now. Don’t alienate people or have some elitist mentality, I’m not saying anyone does, I’m just saying that in advance to get my point across. If basic functionality like this was in the program, I’d recommend it to everyone I know. As it is now, definitely not. Is your goal to have only a few people want to use this program, or as many as possible without alienating anyone whatsoever. Having the the option to change appearance simply doesn’t affect the people who like to edit their css, affects many others negatively.

Basic things like the underline plugin, one for centering and the collapse all plugin.

  • Some basic features should be native core plugins that can be enabled or disabled. Such as what i already mentioned:
  • underline hotkey (already exists as a community plugin)
  • collapse all plugin
  • Center hotkey → should do the same thing the underline hotkey does
  • to make vertical columns easy
    • If you have a lot of data, the vertical nature of this program can be problematic if you dont want to use a table. for example, lets say you want to make a list with 30 items in it, a grocery list let’s say. Having the simple ability to have your list in at least 2 columns goes a long long way in saving space, and time, and good looks. A grocery list in a columned table looks ugly. a 50 item grocery list without columns is too narrow and long.
  • The calendar (even though I don’t use this, it seems to be the most popular plugin)

Basically, the more core features that are native in the program the better, to keep people safe. I know plugins are checked etc etc. But there is always a risk, and obvious core features, even if you dont want them to be default, should be core plugins that you can enable.

I agree with almost all of this, the file explorer is often lacking.

I sometimes get frustrated trying to CTRL+Click to select a bunch of items in the file explorer. My Inbox folder is sometimes filled with notes to be filed every few days, and even though many of them are going to the same place, I have to do them each one by one.

Even like a ‘select all in this folder’ function would be nice.

Please post create one post per feature request and make sure there’s a feature request already open for what you are asking. Also please follow the feature report template.

Thanks