Add Windows Explorer API inside obsidian + open any file(.md, .txt, etc) using open-with by obsidian in file explorer

Feature requests
1

Use case or problem

Imagine What would it fell like if you had to use the Left-Pane (tree view) in Windows Explorer Only; and couldnt use the right-paene(content view).
This is exactly what i feel, when to swtich between various and different files in obsidian.
2ndly, we mostly use Windows Explorer to navigate in our computers. Many a times, i have to create a ‘new’ txt file urgently, that i would also like to save in obsidian vault. I hate it when I have to make the file first (cant do that in obsidian directly, as i told its many a times its urgent). then, open the vault in explorer in another window. then, move that file into the vault’s location.

Proposed solution

Add these two features:

  1. You rememer when we are downloading something from browser a WindowsExplorer popup shows up, asking us where to store that file. Just like that, we want a popup to open (as a File Manager, where i can copy, paste, move, rename, and open multiple instances of FileExplorer window etc. ).

  2. when we install MS Word, it automatically adds an option to ‘create a word document’ when we right-click anywhere inside Windows Explorer. Also, right-clicking any file also shows option of ‘Open-With → MS Word’. Obsidian can this too. And its incredibally necessary feature.

Current workaround (optional)

currently, when its urgent, i just make a txt file inside Windows Explorer, Without Using Obsidian. its faster (But the notepad’s bright white screen hurts my eyes).

2

First of all, I really like the idea of right clicking in any Obsidian folder, and being able to add a note there automatically. That’s a good idea.

There is a lot here. Some of these things you can already do.

Some of these things have workarounds (for now).

Things you can already do:

(Any “command” I mention below can be mapped to a hotkey too.)

  • Right click, open in Windows Explorer
  • When you have a note open, run the command “Open in default app”. It will open in the system’s default app for editing that type of file.
  • Create a new file urgently. Why do you think you have to use Notepad? There are many options:
    • You can use Ctrl-O to open the note switcher. You can type a path to a note. Example Recipes/Pies/Apple Pie. If the note exists, it switches to it. But if that note doesn’t exist, hit Enter, and it will create all those folders, and put the note inside those folders automatically.
    • You can define a custom location where new notes get placed automatically by default.
    • You can use “Unique note creator”, which is a default plugin to make an automatic note with a hotkey. It will have a unique title. For example, use the template “YYYY-MM-DD-HHmm” and it will call the note “2023-01-17-2010”. Instant. You can rename it later. So now you have two different locations you can automatically save notes to.
    • There is a community plugin “QuickAdd” which is very popular for adding notes quickly. (I haven’t tried it.) There may be other plugins.
    • I use an inbox folder for my new notes. So any notes in that folder, I know I have to process them. Later, run the command “Move current file to another folder”.

You can’t copy/paste files from the Files Pane. But maybe you don’t know you can use templates. So if you are trying to manually copy notes because you want a template, explore the “Templates”, and “Templater” plugins.

3

You can use File > Save (or Save As…) in Notepad or other apps. If you bookmark (favorite? star?) your vault folder in Windows Explorer, then it will be easy to find in the Save window.

Why are you saving .txt files in Obsidian?

4

its not that i want to use txt files. but whenever i have to jot down something urgently, for example:
normaly we have windows explorer opened while working. now i have to jot down soemthing quick, would i just create a notepad (.txt) file in the working directory; or open up obsidian, then find the working move to working directory, then make a new file. seems a lot of extra work, no?

By the way i meant that, i want to be able to create a ‘obsidian or .md’ file, just like i can create a notepad or MS Word file(.txt, .docx).

1 Like
5

You can save .md from Notepad — when you name the file, replace “.txt” with “.md”. You could also use a different app that saves .md by default.

You might want to look into a “quick capture” app (like Drafts, but for Windows), or search the forum for “quick capture” for ideas.

2 Likes
6

I’ve been doing something similar by setting Obsidian as the default app for .md files—then double-clicking opens them directly. Works fine without needing any extra integration.