Problem with Image Loss when using Custom Attachment Location and Clear Unused Images

Help
1

I am experiencing frequent image loss in my notes, and I suspect it is related to my image management workflow using a combination of plugins. This issue severely impacts my work, forcing me to spend a significant amount of time manually checking hundreds of notes for missing images and then trying to restore them.

My Image Management Workflow:

I use the following plugins to manage attachments in my Obsidian vault: Custom Attachment Location, Clear Unused Images, and Image Converter.

  1. Collecting Attachments (Custom Attachment Location):
  • I manually use the “Collect attachments in this folder” command from the Custom Attachment Location plugin on specific note folders.
  • This action changes the image link format to a relative path, like the following example:![[01_实验记录/01_XXX/attachments/20241028_周一_xxx/file-20251026221103000.webp|276x280]]
  1. Cleaning Unused Images (Clear Unused Images):
  • Over time, some images become unused. I run the Clear Unused Images plugin to automatically clean up these unlinked files.

The Resulting Issue:

After performing these steps, certain notes frequently show broken image links (images are lost or cannot be found). I am unsure whether the issue lies with Custom Attachment Location’s path manipulation or Clear Unused Images’ deletion logic, or a conflict between the two.

My Questions to the Community:

  1. Has anyone encountered this specific issue (image loss when using both Custom Attachment Location and Clear Unused Images)?
  • If yes, what was your solution?
  • If no, how should I best proceed with troubleshooting the root cause (e.g., checking plugin logs, specific settings)?
  1. Do you have any recommendations for a better, more robust image management solution?
  • My note volume is high (I generate notes almost daily).
  • I use Nutstore (坚果云) for syncing my vault, which might be a factor.

Software and Plugin Versions:

Software/Plugin Version
Obsidian 1.10.3
Custom Attachment Location 9.17.11
Clear Unused Images 1.1.1
Image Converter 1.3.18
2

Since Clear Unused Images removes files, I think it’s an obvious suspect. Try not using it for a while and see if the problem continues.

Some sync systems like iCloud or OneDrive will try to save storage on your device by removing files that are stored in the cloud. They leave a placeholder behind that downloads the file when you open it. This causes problem with Obsidian, which expects the actual file to always be present. If Nutstore does this, you would probably notice note links breaking too, so I’m guessing this isn’t the cause of your problem. But to be sure, you can look for a setting to tell it to keep your files downloaded (at least the files in your Obsidian vault).