Better handle non markdown files with .md extensions (or indexer struggles in general)

Steps to reproduce

  1. Create a new Vault
  2. Create a note in the new vault
  3. Close the vault
  4. Drop the attached file in the folder
  5. Open the vault

Expected result

Obsidian reads the file and indexes the content imediately, as is a small file in an empty vault.

Actual result

  • Obsidian shows “indexing your vault” message at startup
  • Is not possible to rename any existing note for minutes
  • Is not possible to change the name of any new note from “Untitled” for minutes

Environment

  • Operating system: MacOS BigSur
  • Obsidian version: 0.12.10

Additional information

  • I couldn’t found a way to check on the status indexing process
  • I have a folder with many files like this, also code snippets and proper markdown files, and coming from nvAlt the expectation was that Obsidian just ignore the not properly formatted markdown files. In my folder with 1500 mixed style .md files, Obsidian has not completed the indexing after 8 hours, and I can’t create any note not called “Untitled”.
  • I was able to reproduce the problem in lesser scale with just one file (attached).

antiga olt 5 terranova.md.zip (10.5 KB)

this is neither a small file nor a realistic markdown document.

But yeah, maybe we should just give up on these files.

I don’t think your should name .md files that are clearly not .md.

Hello @WhiteNoise, I understand your point, but “just point Obsidian to your existing text files folder and you’re good to go” is a very interesting proposition and even maybe a common case. And as people store all kinds of unformatted data in their text files, would be nice if Obsidian was more tolerant in these cases. It’s one less barrier to entry. I think your adjusted title for this thread is very on point. Thanks

I want to be clear that Obsidian isn’t meant to manage log files and we won’t attempt to optimize for that case. I still believe that you shouldn’t name your logs .md.

I will keep this bug report active because, if a user erroneously throws us a long log file, or a junk file, or if the indexer simply malfunctionson a legit md files, the indexing process should not stall.

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