FR/Bug: Templates plugin forces visible system folders in Vault root and breaks when absolute paths are used

[turkeys_bungees4]

Steps to reproduce

1. Open a specific subdirectory as an isolated Vault (e.g., ~/Documents/My_Vault).
2. Go to Settings → Templates and try using a centralized templates path outside the vault (e.g., /home/username/Templates). The plugin will fail.
3. Move the templates directory inside the vault root (e.g., Templates) and configure the plugin to point to it. The plugin works, but the folder is locked as an un-hidable visual element in the sidebar workspace explorer.
4. Try renaming the folder to .Templates to hide it; the plugin breaks.
5. Try adding the folder to the native Excluded files setting; the folder remains permanently visible in the sidebar explorer anyway.

Did you follow the troubleshooting guide? [Y/N]

YES

Expected result

If the application is strictly scoped to only read directories inside its own root workspace, the settings UI input field should explicitly validate against absolute system paths or provide clear UI messaging stating that the path must be strictly relative to the internal vault sidebar.
Core utility/automation folders (like Templates) should have a native toggle or workspace flag allowing them to be hidden from the primary file navigation view without breaking the path interpreter or requiring unvetted community plugins.

Actual result

The input box accepts absolute path strings without validation warnings but fails silently during execution. To fix this, the user is forced to clutter their active project vault sidebar with a permanent, visible configuration folder that cannot be hidden or dismissed by any native setting.

Environment

SYSTEM INFO:
Obsidian version: 1.12.7
Installer version: 1.12.7
Operating system: #1 ZEN SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Wed, 10 Jun 2026 08:57:50 +0000 7.0.12-zen1-1-zen
Login status: not logged in
Language: en
Insider build toggle: off
Live preview: on
Base theme: adapt to system
Community theme: none
Snippets enabled: 0
Restricted mode: on
RECOMMENDATIONS:
none

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Additional information

When configuring the core Templates plugin, the configuration input behavior combined with sidebar folder handling creates severe usability issues and UI clutter.First, the “Template folder location” input field allows users to type any directory path string (including absolute Linux system paths like /home/user/Templates or vault-root absolute paths like /Templates). However, the application completely throws a “Folder not found” error for any path string attempting to map to a directory residing outside the physical boundaries of the currently open Vault folder.Second, because the tool is locked into the open vault filesystem, users are forced to create a visible folder inside their project space to store automation templates. There is currently no native way to hide this folder from the left sidebar file explorer.Using a hidden dot-prefix (e.g., .Templates) causes the underlying file reader to treat it as an OS-level hidden directory, causing the plugin to crash with a “Folder not found” error. Conversely, using the built-in “Excluded files” configuration only strips the directory from search results and graph views, stubbornly leaving the folder visible in the primary file navigation tree.

[Pch]

This:

@turkeys_bungees4

2. Go to Settings → Templates and try using a centralized templates path outside the vault (e.g., /home/username/Templates). The plugin will fail.
3. Move the templates directory inside the vault root (e.g., Templates) and configure the plugin to point to it. The plugin works, but the folder is locked as an un-hidable visual element in the sidebar workspace explorer.

… I think this is expected …

Obsidian only manages files that are within your vault …
You can add links to external files located “somewhere” on your device in your notes though .

As for this:

@turkeys_bungees4

4. Try renaming the folder to .Templates to hide it; the plugin breaks.

There’s this FR to which you could add your vote

Enable use/access to hidden files and folders starting with a dot /dotfiles/.dotfolders within Obsidian

Use case or problem Simply put, I think obsidian could benefit from being able to: Show/Hide hidden files. Allow you to use hidden files as part of vault settings/configuration. A use case for the first point is to show/hide “meta” files e.g. .templates. A use case for the second point setting is settings attachments folder as .attachments. This in particular case would also be helpful for compatibility with azure wikis which uses .attachments and unfortunately can’t be changed. Obsidian is…

When it comes to the Excluded files setting, per the doc, what it (currently) does is:

Excluded files will be hidden in Search, Graph View, and Unlinked Mentions (Backlinks and Outgoing links), and less noticeable in Quick Switcher and link suggestions.

Nothing much more

[dawni]

@turkeys_bungees4

To fix this, the user is forced to clutter their active project vault sidebar with a permanent, visible configuration folder that cannot be hidden or dismissed by any native setting.

CSS can facilitate a quick workaround:

.nav-folder-title[data-path="Templates"] {
	display: none;
}

(How to use CSS snippets in Obsidian: https://help.obsidian.md/snippets)