(I have also posted this in the Johnny Decimal forum)
I am using JD with the approach of one note per ID for my JD index. I wonder whether best practice is to keep this JD index in its own vault, and have a separate vault for any actual notes and data themselves, or to keep everything in a single vault. I work in an all apple ecosystem, and am using iCloud for sync (though considering shifting to Obsidian Sync to support the developers).
I don’t understand why you would have the index and data in separate vaults.
Same — I don’t know why you’d put the index in a separate vault.
Also perhaps I’ve misunderstood you, but unless JD has changed since i learned it, it assigns numbers to folders, not to files. (But of course you should do whatever works for you.)
As a newbie to Obsidian, I’m wondering why the overwhelming preference wouldn’t be to have everything in one vault?
I mean everything. All your things. And just use folders to separate domains.
What’s the benefit to splitting things across vaults?
First of all keep index and notes together, your obsidian vault is only aware of the files inside the vault. So you can only search, link files in your vault.
The JD system as far I understand it, is mainly for folder structure.
You would need to manually create numbers for each note in the JD structure.
And somehow track the next number in each JD substructure.
Are you not confusing JD System and zettlekasten?
With zettlekasten obsidian will auto-generate a unique number (timestamp)
You could then organize that note in a folder structure where you use JD.
PS: I don’t use either.
In JD you have your index, which is a record of the areas/categories/IDs you have created. So in Obsidian, each index entry is one of your .md files.
Each of those IDs — the thing to which the ID refers — may then exist as just the note; a file; an email; a physical artefact; etc. And your ID tells you where it is by way of a location property.
For me, my file system (on iCloud Drive, a NAS, whatever) wouldn’t ever be integrated with Obsidian. Perhaps that’s where my confusion lies. Why would I want Obsidian ‘controlling’ my files? That sounds terrifying.
But like I say, I’m new to Obsidian. Maybe that’s got some advantages? I don’t know; not saying it’s wrong.
So back to the original question:
Hence, for me, I see my vault as mostly a collection of index entries. Just a bunch of small Markdown files. Therefore, shove ‘em all in one vault! And separate JD systems using folders in your vault. That’s what I’ll be doing.
I see.
Obsidian doesn’t control your files, it’s an editor.
Quick Find and Full-text search seem like the main features of Obsidian then for you.
Do you rewrite / merge similar index notes in a new index note?
Delete the old ones?
Do you organize your JD system based on topics / categories? Or more like on the type of note?
Just interested in your setup
Yep, JD - thats my setup. Though I do occasionally (and I think more and more) take notes pertinent to a particular ID (e.g. minutes of meetings/interactions) in Obsidian, and currently these sit in a separate folder (obviously labeled with the ID) in the Obsidian vault, and in my index entry I note location in the vault (and may start doing a wikilink to the notes themselves in my index entry)
So if I point it at a folder of stuff will it just ignore anything that isn’t a Markdown file?
That said, I still don’t think I want that. It feels like I want my stuff over there, in one folder. And, separately, a clean index of Markdown files, with Obsidian over the top, as my index.
(Sorry, I’m new to Obsidian so I’m still working out the mental model.)
Then for example I’ve got 3 JD systems current running.
D85 the businessD01 the websiteP76 my personal lifeSo this is the context when I say, why wouldn’t I just have those 3 as folders in the same vault? If all I’ve got in there is a bunch of Markdown files. It doesn’t seem worth the bother switching vaults every time I want to move between them?
In a JD context this assumes that every index entry has the full ID, e.g. D85.11.11 and P76.11.11. Otherwise when I search for 11.11 there’d be ambiguity. This is how I’m doing it so this isn’t an issue for me.
Edit: or … can you have multiple Obsidian windows open (on a Mac) at the same time? I’m on my iPad now, can’t test. In this situation maybe it would make sense to split the vaults. And just leave each open in its own window, switching between them as required?
I guess I’ll be testing this out over the next few weeks. Currently only D85 has been migrated to Obsidian.
^^^^^^ [not the usual writer of such long replies teehee enjoy didnt think id write so much]
This sums up greatly what I was about to bring up. Just put ur JD system inside child folders of your main vault. If you dont want the diff JDs indexed just remove them from the setting search features.
JD just seem to me like an another approach to zettlekasten but ish grouped up.
@johnnydecimal . Honestly regarding computer file structure. Depends how u utilize obsidian . if u are using same file structure as on computer why not keep it all in one place. id say less lookup more actually work is better. Since the more locations u have to look at the more time it takes to actually accomplish task.
When using obsidian u can have ur own internal wiki links utilizing [[link-to-.;)]]. Which makes it great to find main branches of work to do (if that makes sense to you. a.k.a : dashboards). On top id say obsidian has a better searching capabilities than native file explorers. When I find folder I want to open inside native folder explorer I have a hotkey to bring me to that folder using obsidian hotkeys (my current workaround for obsidan limited file explorer feature). Save so much time with how many intern folder i have to go into to locate certain info. Its true obsidian currently doesnt have much file explorer capabilities (for other file types) but wouldnt be suprise seeing plugins in the future honestly.
In a sense, utilize .md file as a README inside each specific folder. U kind of already doing it with this system ish i believe.
U can use multiple vault at the same time but like what would be the point if they are all located into that one vault? Actually seems like ur referring to having tabs/windows. Obsidian operate like chrome browser when it comes to it so yes u can open up multiple windows at once
After doing quick research on JD system. Idk how i feel about it. Having to number all the child folder with same numbering isnt that waste of time ( what happens when whole folder structure needs rework . u need to go inside whole file structure. actually nvm i see how u do it just remove it and dont change numbering for other section fair but still [my O.C.D hehe]. And lastly couldnt categorizes down the line become areas? [which seem like u kind of address it with one of ur latest video with how the numbering system restarts
Okay ur the creator of this system was not aware gotcha. Was watching ur video explaining system id. So basically JD is only applicable for higher category folder structure since u start using just the id the more child folder we get into actually nvm but they restart. So dont at the id level how u able to easily know the main area its in if we lose id / a new decimal system restarts? (Thought it was the whole point of this system.) . u group ideas so vague ex: u have a folder for travel, events , entertainment . damn thats a lot of entries over a life time in one folder ull have the same problem but instead of horizontal scroll it will be vertical . and then inside this category u place china but what happens if u have something related to china but doesnt fit in travel? Honestly i think ur system still needs work but that like anything i dont think there is a system that work its just a continuous evolution of your knowledge so the more the system is maluable the better
My bad it ended in a rant just couldnt see much benefits but to each their own. i never mind other peoples thoughts/ideas best part of life honestly.
And of course . take this with a grain of salt 
Just trying to push u a little.
Before sending this since there is a lot hehe you’re welcome. Id say sir your problem isnt a folder structure but a linking issue. Since with links you can use multiple place to link back to somewhere and u can leave the file structure alone and allow the linking to do the heavy lifting. And to be fair im not much better im still learning in many ways but wanted to bring to your attention what came up when looking at this.
JD - yes, on the Mac you can have multiple windows - either will different vaults, or with different notes in the same vault.
This screenshot might help clarify my current structure.
So I tested this by having Obsidian open my existing folder structure. It’s certainly interesting: viewable files (.pdf, .mov, .md) just appear, and are viewable. Neat.
It’s a shame that non-viewable files don’t show up as placeholders. Though I get why. The problem I see is that you might forget that you had stuff in the folder if you started to use Obsidian as your file browser.
Maybe I’ll write one! I’d love an all-in-one JD index and file browser. I’m already considering writing an Apple-native app to do that (plus more).
Did you go down another level? Inside each of those category folders you then have IDs. So it gets reasonably granular.
And actually the more I think about this the more I prefer less granular IDs in many situations. See this video for reasons.
I think about this all day and love all the feedback. And I always, always say: adapt this to your own needs. I’ll document what I consider to be the ‘canonical’ solution, but you should use it as a guide. It’s just an idea; ideas are flexible. Make it your own.
Or ignore it! 
It’s not for everyone and that’s okay.
Love the mentality. 
. it always comes down to the individual of course. Best part about it all lol
So question then
For Example :
Wouldnt a main category ex : experiences and then inside u have the 3 diff categories travel , events, entertainment be better or not and why not?
Would love to see u design that plugin hehe
So this particular system is one we really carefully designed over a couple of weeks, so we’ve thought it out and put all of the travel-event-entertainment stuff in there. Here is that category in its entirety.
Then the idea is, everything here can be defined by the date you did it. So within these ID folders, either create subfolders or just name your files yyyy-mm-dd. And now you can store a practically limitless amount of stuff with very little stress. Here’s what I collected at 15.32 Music.
In a way we’ve done this with the ‘headers’ there. The items with a black square and an emoji.
In the past I might have had those headers be categories (i.e. one level up), and my IDs be more specific/granular. But the more I do this the more I realise – again, see video linked above – that my system needs to get you from the whole world and everything in it which is just this massive, massive scope, to the place where you can store your stuff.
Years ago, when the whole world felt smaller – because technology wasn’t literally in your pocket all day – you had less choice. But now with so much choice – email, cloud drive, local drive, server, cloud service, physical thing, note in an app, and so on – I strive to give you less choice.
It’s always been a ‘feature’ of my system. The limitation that the decimal structure imposes. And the more it ages the more I’m leaning in to that. You have too much choice already! And that paralyses you. Narrow your choices. KISS!
There’s an option for that in Settings > Files And Links. The files will open in the default app for that file type (on mobile it may open a share sheet instead).
Thanks! I should have checked.
Ironically Obsidian is the one app whose settings I haven’t pored over. Because I’m actively trying to use it in the default state for a while.
