Hands off file handling & organisation (like screenshots)

Feature requests
1

Key Advantages:

  • Hands off approach to focus on note taking
  • Move Files when .md files are moved
  • Delete files if they are no longer used
  • ALWAYS have files + .md file together (makes notes portable and easily movable between vaults)

Use case or problem

In Obsidian, Notes can be organized nicely in as many (sub)folders as you like. But files (like Screenshot-1234567.png) lie around somewhere in your Vault.

The existing options are:

  1. Put all files into the Vault Folder or one specific folder
  2. Put the files into the same folder as the .md file (annoying, because it clutters the Obsidian Folder Tree)
  3. Put the files in a subfolder next to the .md file (Sounds nice, but is annoying, because the files ARE NOT MOVED automatically, when you move the .md file)

Proposed solution

The User wants to take notes. Not manage files all day.
The changes I propose are specifically targeted towards new users to make their start into Obsidian easier. I propose a new option to choose from when managing files:

  1. If a file is added to an .md file (Strg + V), the .md file automatically transforms into a folder (folder and .md file have the same name). The file is added into this folder.
  2. If the file is used in different .md files, the file is duplicated into the other folder
  3. If the file is no longer referenced, it gets deleted automatically.
  4. The folder created at 1. is shown as a file in obsidian tree. The file can be expanded (like a folder) to reveal the .md file and the files (if the user wants to see them)

Advantage: The User doesn’t have to care about their files (are there unused ones? Where are my files used?).
And in file explorer: Note and files are always together

Current workaround (optional)

The Community Plugin Folder Notes can create a separate folder for notes. And with the setting: store files in same directory as .md file, the files and the .md file are in the same folder.
The downside is that folders still look like folders and not like notes.
And removing no longer used files has to be managed manually.

I’m afraid this is too complicated for new users and this would stop them from using Obsidian in the first place.

Also when MOVING Notes between VAULTS, with my proposal you ALWAYS have notes + files TOGETHER.

I can’t say this often enough: Users write notes. Users paste in screenshots. Done.
Managing files distracts from note taking.