Transclude \ Embed external files (audio, videos, pdfs) present on the computer outside the vault

NOTE: this is a reorganization post.

Add the possibility to Transclude \ Embed files present on the local computer.
That is:

![text](file:///path/to/musicfile.mp3)

This already works for images.
It’s possible to use drag-ctrl-drop to obtain the link.
Simple linking is already supported.

Use this FR for remote files: https://forum.obsidian.md/t/transclude-embed-remote-files-with-http-links/3130

27 Likes
  1. I have lot of talks in iTunes, if would like to write commentary on the talk and link the mp3 into Obsidian note.
  2. Unfortunately I cannot link anything outside valut folder.
  3. I really cannot copy 50GB of duplicate into vault folder just tio be able to link mp3 file
7 Likes

You can link to outside files: use file:///path/to your file.

Can you show me example how?

The file:///path/to your file . should be inside [[ ]] what about spaces in path, I use Mac OS there are many spaces in path.

A file that is not inside your vault will be seen as an external file, so the [[file-name]] syntax does not apply.

So, you can do [any text](file:///path/to/your/file), i.e. you have to use the absolute path.

Thanks for feedback.

But your solution is not what I refer to. The file is mp3 so I want it emblemed as audio file ![[Audio.mp3]] not just as external link and after clicking on it opening it in external audio software. I want to have it emblemed inside as audio file with playback buttons.

3 Likes

I don’t think you can embed an external file in Obs. You can try asking the question in the # general channel.

Tharefore I post it in Feature requests section :smile:
I know it is not possible in way I explained.

1 Like

Retitled to use Embed instead of link.

I’d like to second the request as well. I’d love to be able to embed images from outside the vault.

3 Likes

will be possible for images using markdown links in 0.11

2 Likes

I’m able to LINK to external files as long as there are NO spaces in the path or the filename: how do I have to handle spaces ?

@WhiteNoise for EMBEDDING images on my harddrive but outside of the vault, would you please give me an example of the syntax ?

I’m usinf Obsidian version 0.11

Thanks in advance

0.11 hasn’t been released yet. use %20 or angle brackets. Search the forum too, this has been discussed many times

3 Likes

I apologize, you’re right @WhiteNoise:

  1. my version is v0.10.11

  2. the answer to my question is here (for the next newbie wondering): Link not recognized for folder names with spaces

Thank you !

1 Like

So is it possible now? I would appreciate an example code for how to embed an image from an image outside the vault directory. It is not working for me now, but not sure if it’s not possible or I am just writing it wrong. Thanks :slight_smile:

1 Like

To answer the question from yesterday-me, yes it is. I just had the syntax wrong (and issues with white spaces). These two examples embed the same image file (which lives on a virtual drive mounted with the letter “P:/”)

![](<P:/My Pictures/friends.jpg>)
![](P:/My%20Pictures/friends.jpg)
2 Likes

I have a similar problem to the thread starter: I want to use Obsidian to work on a huge file repository (about 135k files from 25 years of digital life…). Integration into the vault doesn’t work (tried & failed already). Thus repository and vault must live side by side, and I need external links to refer from vault to repository.
Absolute links are fragile (change of computer. NAS, etc.). The need for relative links has been mentioned often here, and I want to add my request on that.

3 Likes

I also want to write notes on audio files from a large set of external files.

Did you find a way of creating an embedded audio player for an external audio file?

Don’t know about Windows, but if you’re on a Mac or Linux machine, you could simply symlink your music folder into the vault.

Nevertheless, I’d advise against this method, since it can put a heavy burden on poor Obsidian—in my case, it’d suddenly have to handle ~200,000 files more … Which increases the vault loading time here by ~8 minutes (!) and makes Obsidian almost unresponsive.

If you still want to try it, here’s an example (Linux):

ln -s ~/Music/Tagged ~/Documents/Vault/Music

Assuming the vault was in ~/Documents/Vault, this would create a folder Music within the vault, containing whatever was in the (external) folder ~/Music/Tagged.