Dragging Already Created Notes

Hi,

I am new to using note apps, i have been a long time note taker though. My workflow is create a folder for a project, anything realted to the project goes in the folder. Could be .txt .pdf .doc .xls .png .html usually after the prject is complete the folder can contain a lot of stuff. Each year i take that years projects and put it in a folder of that year 2020, 2021, 2022 each year there are projects that are exactly the same or nearly the same as a previous project from anorher year, all these folders are on windows desktop, i simply search the “desktop” for a topic pertaining to the project and can find enough data to get me started on the new project. However lately with win11 and years of project folders its getting harder to zero in on specific things i am look for.

The question: Is there a way in Obsidian to have it recognize the difference between files types?

I am currently createing a notebook, naming it like i could the project folder, opening the real folder i am currently working on and dragging all the stuff into the notebook.

However the results are not so great. I am getting basically a list of same colored links that are not really distinguishable from each other and some images ir screen shots that are able to read.

The problem is a url is the same as a txt a doc is the as a pdf, i have to look at hundred of extensions, rather be able to scan trough the norebook looking for a pdf and simply find it by looking for a little pdf icon or a color of the text itself.

Does this make sense?

I watch a bunch if vudeos and have like every addon running and none have worked out. I am hoping there is something i am missing.

Best,
T

I think your user name explains some possible issues you may be having. :o

  1. It sounds like you may need a general file search/organization tool for disparate file types with different names. I use Everything for that. It doesn’t search contents though.

  2. I don’t understand the question of having Obsidian differentiating between different file types? I don’t think you want to drag everything into a “vault” (which you call notebook?) because Obsidian isn’t really set up to handle masses of non-text files and manage them. I don’t know if anything is.

What you are doing sounds like an organizational issue and/or something that can be done in a file manager better than Obsidian.

In addition, this will convert PDF’s to markdown (apparently), which may make searching easier. I haven’t tried it.

There may be a snippet or plugin that does what you want. I don’t know of any offhand, but try searching the forum and in Settings > Community Plugins > Browse.

Another way is to go to the note menu (the 3 dots in the upper right) and choose “Reveal in Finder” (except instead of “Finder” it’ll say the name of the Windows file browser) so you can browse in an app that has the icons.

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Hi Tondeaf,

Thank you for your reply. It left with a lot to think about. Iver the last few days after your post i went about searching for file management apps instead of note apps and there is bit much out there that does loll amd act basically exactly like windows explorer. I did fin one that totes itself as notes and files management called MyInfo, it is pretty right on in terms of notes and veing able to handle the files, the o ly thin with it that leaves me unsure is the lack of sharing amoung multiple devices like my desktop and laptop, most apps these days have an “omni presence” meaning i can reach it in many different ways. This i am thanking is not a deal breaker though, however it seems no one uses it like no one, its not on youtube, it does have a community nor forum. It makes me a little apprehensive. I wish i knew how to uplod a screen shot to explain the other part that you asked about with recognizing the files. The only way i can think to explain it is with this example. Say you make a blank note book in obsidian, then you open a folder from your desktop with 10 files in it, 2 are .txt files, 2 are .pdf, 2 are .jpg and 2 are .xls files. You take these 10 files highlight them and drag them i to your notebook in obsidian, the 10 files are just that 10 single line items that all look the same. The same color, the same icon etc. Its hard to distinguish which is the .pdf from the .xls in this other program when u do the very same thing the text of a hyper limk is blue, the pdf has an icon and the text is tan, the .jpgs get icons and are viewable in the right hand reading pane. I dont know if this helps to explain that. But wither way i just wanted to say thanks for your invaluable message which has me thinking of this idea in a different way.

CawlinTeffid,

I looked for a plugin but have not found anything yet, i will keep searching.

I was able to add icons when i followed your directions, although not exactly what i was thinking but it is a step in the right direction.

I wanted to say thanks for your response!

I’m hearing you but it really doesn’t sound like Obsidian is your tool of choice for this. More a note taking app and not a document management and search app…

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Can i ask, you mentioned you use “everything” i did a google search but it was a little to broad of a search, might you have a link or url i use to check it out?

Thanks again.

https://www.voidtools.com/

but I don’t know if this will work because it does not search contents. Only file names…

Thank your for the link.

I think I’m gonna try this one. Its kind of like a note program with file management and it regognizes the file types and makes them distinguishable.

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Great! Hope it works out for you. Also thanks for the tip.

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