gr0grig_obsidian-virt-folder/docs/getting-started.md

Getting Started

Installation

From Obsidian Community Plugins

1. Open Settings > Community plugins
2. Click Browse and search for "VirtFolder"
3. Click Install, then Enable

Manual Installation

1. Download main.js, manifest.json, and styles.css from the latest release
2. Create a folder virt-folder inside your vault's .obsidian/plugins/ directory
3. Place the downloaded files into that folder
4. Enable the plugin in Settings > Community plugins

First Steps

1. Open the Tree View

Run the command VirtFolder: Show tree or click the folder-tree icon in the left ribbon. An empty tree will appear with just a "ROOT" node.

2. Create Your First Hierarchy

Open any note and add a Folders property to its YAML frontmatter pointing to another note:

---
Folders:
  - "[[MyParentNote]]"
---

The note will now appear as a child of MyParentNote in the tree. MyParentNote becomes a root note (visible at the top level).

3. Use Commands Instead of Manual Editing

Instead of editing YAML by hand, use the built-in commands:

1. Open a note you want to organize
2. Run VirtFolder: Add folder (or use the hotkey)
3. Select the parent note from the fuzzy search modal
4. The link is added automatically to the frontmatter

4. Build Your Structure

Repeat for other notes. The tree updates in real time as you add or modify frontmatter links. You can also:

• Drag and drop notes in the tree to reorganize
• Right-click on a tree item to create child notes
• Pin important notes so they appear first

Basic Concepts

The Folders Property

By default, VirtFolder uses a YAML property called Folders to store parent links. You can change this name in settings.

A note with this frontmatter:

---
Folders:
  - "[[Science]]"
  - "[[Favorites]]"
---

will appear as a child under both Science and Favorites in the tree.

Note Categories

After scanning your vault, every markdown note falls into one of three categories:

• Root notes — have children but no parents. These are the top-level entries of your tree.
• Sub-notes — have at least one parent. These appear nested in the tree.
• Orphans — have no parents and no children. These are collected in a collapsible "Orphans" section at the bottom of the tree.

Virtual, Not Physical

VirtFolder does not move files on disk. The hierarchy exists only in YAML frontmatter. Your vault's file structure remains unchanged. This means:

• Notes can have multiple parents
• The same note can appear in different parts of the tree
• Reorganizing the tree only changes frontmatter, not file locations

What's Next

• Tree View — Learn about navigation, drag & drop, and context menus
• Commands — See all available keyboard commands
• Settings — Customize the plugin behavior