#16

I would love this feature too.

  • Ability to set Obsidian as default app for opening .md files
  • If the .md file is already in one of Obsidian’s vaults, then Obsidian opens that file in that vault.
    • but if the file is not in one of Obsidian’s vaults then:
      1. obsidian simply opens the file as an editor (without graph, backlinks support etc.) and
      2. obsidian offers to import the file into the vault of your choice
4 Likes
#17

Mostly reformulating the post above↑
Expected behavior when Obsidian is set as default app for “.md” files:

When Obsidian receives request to open “a/path/to/<filename.md>”,
Climb up the folder hierarchy and check for existence of sibling folder named “.obsidian”.
When found, open corresponding vault. This will find innermost vault when nested vaults are being used.

current_folder := "a/path/to" // path to file
Loop{
- If current_folder has direct subfolder ".obsidian": 
	- open obsidian://vault/<current_folder>/<filename.md>
	- return
- Else If current_folder has parent folder: 
	- current_folder := parent folder of current_folder
- Else: 
	- Display dialogue with options:
		- open just in markdown editor without vault (default)
		- select which folder from the path to transform into vault
		- move the file into existing vault
			- Display dialogue with options:
				- select one of existing vaults, recently open vault being default
				- cancel
					- return
		- cancel
			- return
}
4 Likes
#18

This behavior would be perfect for Zotero integration with mdnotes – I could open the created .md file within Zotero and jump directly to the notes file in Obsidian. This would also enable the articles themselves to easily serve as “start” parts, which fits in nicely with Zettelkasten principles.

For now, I have to search twice – once in Zotero when finding the article, and another within Obsidian to search for the created .md file

#19

I would also like to see this happen. Using Alfred and or Finder, even with the setting up to Obisian as the default app, no files will open.

#20

You might appreciate:

2 Likes
#21

Thanks @ryanjamurphy I will have a look at that. Downloaded it on iOS and will check it out later. Hopefully I can understand it. :blush:

#22

Just like mentioned above, I am still not able to open, edit, or create any note in Obsidian. The only place this can be done is directly within the vault in Obsidian.

I suspect the problem being the file path to iCloud Drive/Taio/Editor, where all the files exist. It is mandatory that they are there to have a workflow on iOS with Taio and Mac OS with Obsidian.

This is an ongoing problem. Egreg scripts also cannot find the path as well.

This may also he my own ignorance and if so, it would be wonderful if someone could point me in the right direction.

Thx.

#23

No, Obsidian does not handle files the way other apps do. You cannot tell it to open arbitrary markdown files. You must open files from within your vaults. This thread represents the feature request for what you’re looking for, and it is not implemented yet.

The Alfred workflow I linked is a workaround another user created. It lets you search for and open files in your vaults from Alfred by taking advantage of Obsidian’s URL scheme. Once it’s configured, you can e.g., initiate a files search by typing oss (you can customize this command), then hitting enter, then typing your search query. The workflow will return matching notes/files in your vaults and upon selection will open those in Obsidian.

#24

Thank you for clearing up the open files from within finder Feature Request @ryanjamurphy

I do greatly appreciate all your involvement and trying to help. The roadblock I came across with the Alfred Workflow is the current root path of Mobile iCloud folders, at least in my learning mind thinks that is the problem. I have not found a way to set the path in Alfred to correspond and directly link to the proper folder.

This is all a learning experience for me and I perhaps don’t know the proper procedure.

#25

The Alfred workflow can figure that out for you.

Use the prompt oaddvault and search for the folder name of your vault. It will pick up the path contained in the iCloud directory and add the vault to the workflow’s config.

#26

Thx @ryanjamurphy I have did that dozens of times and without good results.

I can get the Alfred Workflow to recognize the root folder and add a daily note. The problem, I have folders and subfolders in the root directory and it doesn’t seem to recognize them. Example:

~icloud Drive/Taio/Editor is found and will add daily notes there.

However, from there, there are many folders and subfolders, i.e.:

~iCloud Drive/Taio/Editor/Inbox

I am sure I am still doing something wrong. Thus all still a learning process for me.

#27

Hm. Not sure what’s going on, but the developer of the workflow is pretty responsive. Maybe create an Issue on the GitHub page I linked above?

#28

Ok. Thx for all your trouble.

#29

Related to this: Open and edit standalone Markdown files

#30

+1 this feature. It’s very important to me.

I want to be able to use the Mac Finder and search tools to locate documents within the Obsidian vault, and open them from within Obsidian. I don’t really care about using Obsidian to open Markdown files outside the Obsidian vault.

I think of it is a way to enter the Obsidian vault through any document, not just the daily note or whatever document happened to be left open when I last used Obsidian. Very useful!

And thanks to @ryanjamurphy for the pointer to the Obsidian workflow. That gets me off to a good start on the functionality I seek — but only a start!

2 Likes
#31

+1 for having Obsidian being the default markdown editor (on mac). Right now, when I do set it as the default editor, Obsidian opens, but the file itself is not opened. Thanks.

2 Likes
#32

Hi everyone! I’m extremely new in here and with Obsidian, but I think this is the right place for my doubt, please bear with me.

Is this the expected behavior?:
I’m on Windows10, I want to open an md file which is already in my vault, I select it on the file explorer or by searching with “voidtools’ Everything” and click “open with / obsidian”. Obsidian launches, but it shows me a screen where I can open or create a vault.

I know it wasn’t going to open the file, but the vault screen puzzled me.

Anyway, count me in the feature request for Windows!.

#33

Yes it’s expected.
Obsidian works on top of a folder of .md files. It knows nothing about files unless Obsidian is open, and then only about the files in the open vaults. It’s frustrating if you want to open a file in Obsidian from operating system, but that’s the way it works.
If you only want to edit a file and don’t need Obsidian specific features, then you can open it in another editor without impacting Obsidian or its access to the file.

1 Like
#34

Understood, thanks a lot for your reply.
But I really hope this gets changed.

#35

For a PC, all you have to do is right click any .md file, select Properties, and then click the Change association button, and select whatever app you want. There is also a general files association area in newer versions of Windows.

Surprises me what Mac folks have to go through to control simple OS aspects.