Markdown files and folders with leading dots are not visible

Steps to reproduce

  1. Create a new page named “.NET Framework” which is similar to the Wikipedia naming
  2. Add any content to the page
  3. Close Obsidian
  4. Note that the vault folder contains a file named .NET Framework.md
  5. Open Obsidian

Expected result

I expect to see my previously created page that exists on disk.

Actual result

The created page that exists on disk is not visible.

Environment

  • Operating system: Windows 10 x64
  • Obsidian version: 0.6.7
  • Using custom CSS: Nope.

Additional information

This also impacts content folders that being with a . character. I get that you want to hide the .obsidian folder and other dot folders but I think that maybe the filter should be a bit more permissive. Maybe allowing dotfiles that end in .md and showing any folders that contain .md files would be an appropriate way to handle the issue.

Ok, i see what you mean.

Steps to reproduce

  • Start by naming any folder on your left vertical tab with any name beginning with a point, like “.dates”.
  • Do whatever you want (in and out of the folder, watch the graph, return to the folder … whatever). Everything seems alright.
  • Close the app Obsidian
  • Reenter the app Obsidian
  • The folder you’ve just created or renamed just disappeared and all its content with it

Expected result

One of two things:

  • Either I receive a message not to name the folder with a point
    or
  • The folder named with " .whatever" should not disappear

Actual result

  • Magic! Folder magically disappeared!

Environment

  • Operating system: MacOS Catalina (10.15.5)
  • Obsidian version: v0.6.7
  • Using custom CSS: Just changed one of the colors of obsidian.css

Additional information

This is not a bug but a design decision. Files and folders begining with a . are intended to be hidden.

We’ll fix the inconsistencies within the app.

3 Likes

Yes files starting with dots are considered in most UI systems and operating system hidden and needs special handling to be shown.

2 Likes

We’ll fix the inconsistencies within the app.

Does this mean dotfiles will be shown or that users will be prevented from making new dotfiles?

considered in most UI systems and operating system hidden and needs special handling to be shown

Maybe, maybe not. I think what is important is what users would expect to happen if they created a file as described above and restarted the application. For me personally, regardless of my experiences with dotfile behaviors in other tools years prior, the tools that I use today such as vscode show me dotfiles without causing me harm. I can handle it.

1 Like

most likely preventing users from creating .dot files.

I ran into this issue too today. I had named a few notes with a leading dot to keep them showing at the top of the list, because using an underscore for this purpose turns following text to italic in the editing pane. Visually this is confusing. Then next time I opened Obsidian, they were gone from the note list (and from the Mac Finder). To get the files back, I had to recover them from a OneDrive backup, but then the links to them didn’t automatically update, to I had to manually search and change every instance. I know not to use dots now; just providing the info for consideration in the update process. (Also, I still don’t like the side-effects of using underscores.)