Smart Context Plugin for Obsidian

**Smart Context** is an Obsidian plugin that helps you copy contents from folders, open files, multiple selected notes, and even external file paths to your clipboard, with advanced configuration—such as excluding specific heading sections or ignoring entire files via `.gitignore` or `.scignore`. This is particularly useful when working with AI tools like ChatGPT, letting you feed large sets of project notes, research, or documentation as "context" to improve AI responses and accuracy.

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Features

Copy all Markdown (and Canvas) files from a selected folder to your clipboard, optionally including the folder tree. This is perfect for quickly giving AI models an entire project's context.

Copies content from only the currently visible open files, so you can provide precisely the subset of notes you’re focused on to ChatGPT or other tools.

Copies content from every open file in the workspace (regardless of visibility). This is a fast way to gather everything you have open at once.

Configure specific headings (glob patterns) to exclude. For example, headings named "Secret" or "Confidential" can automatically be removed before the content is copied.

Place a `.scignore` or `.gitignore` in your vault or subfolders. Files matching those patterns (e.g., large low-relevance files, secret notes) will be skipped when you copy folder contents or gather external references.

Extend your context by also including notes that your currently open files link to (recursively), building a more complete knowledge graph subset for the AI.

A dedicated **"Build Context"** command opens a modal to pick multiple vault notes in a single session. Each selected note appears as a "pill," and you can keep choosing more until you click **"Build Context"**. This then compiles and copies all selected files into a single context string.

Browse files and folders _outside_ of your Obsidian vault. You can insert their paths into a `smart-context` codeblock in your active note. Useful when referencing external documents or folders.

After copying, the plugin shows a notice summarizing how many files were copied, how many sections were excluded, and more.

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Usage

Main Commands (Command Palette)

1. **Build Context (Multiple File Selection)**

2. **Copy Folder Contents to Clipboard**

3. **Copy Visible Open Files Content to Clipboard**

4. **Copy All Open Files Content to Clipboard**

5. **Copy Visible Open Files Content (With Linked Files) to Clipboard**

6. **Copy All Open Files Content (With Linked Files) to Clipboard**

7. **Open External File Browser**

Context Menu on Folders

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External File Browser (Desktop Only)

When you run **"Open External File Browser"**:

1. A modal appears, starting in the vault’s parent folder.

2. Navigate by:

Any inserted paths appear in a `smart-context` codeblock within the active note, so the plugin can pull them in later during a copy command.

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Using `smart-context` Codeblocks

A codeblock like this:

```smart-context


folderA/subFolder


path/to/someFile.md



</code></pre>

- **Folder Paths**: If a path is a directory, the plugin includes all recognized text files within it (respecting `.scignore` or `.gitignore`).
- **File Paths**: A line referencing a single `.md` or `.canvas` is included as well.
- **Automatic Creation**: If no `smart-context` codeblock exists in your note, selecting a file or folder in the External File Browser or the “Build Context” modal automatically creates one (or appends more paths).
- **Merged with Main Context**: Whenever you run a **copy** command, the plugin merges any paths in your `smart-context` codeblock with your chosen set of notes/folders.

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## Settings

In **Settings → Community Plugins → Smart Context**, you can configure:

- **Excluded Headings**  
  Array of headings (supports glob patterns, e.g., "*Secret*") to remove from the copied text.
  
- **Link Depth**  
  How many "hops" of linked files to follow for "with linked" commands.
  
- **In-links**  
  Whether to also include notes that link *into* your currently selected file(s).
  
- **Ignore Patterns**  
  By placing `.scignore` or `.gitignore` in folders, the plugin can skip large or irrelevant files automatically.

- **Before / After Context**  
  Custom text inserted at the very beginning or end of the final copied content. Can use placeholders like `{{FILE_TREE}}`.

- **Before / After Each Item**  
  Text inserted before/after each primary file’s content. Can use placeholders including:
  - `{{ITEM_PATH}}`
  - `{{ITEM_NAME}}`
  - `{{ITEM_EXT}}` (e.g., "md", "canvas", "js", etc.)

- **Before / After Each Link**  
  Text inserted before/after each *linked* file’s content. Can use placeholders including:
  - `{{LINK_PATH}}`
  - `{{LINK_NAME}}`
  - `{{LINK_TYPE}}` (e.g., "OUTLINK", "INLINK")
  - `{{LINK_ITEM_PATH}}`
  - `{{LINK_ITEM_NAME}}`

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## Formatting

When you copy folder contents, open files, or build a custom set of notes, the output might look like:




 Folder Structure:





File Contents:


----------------------


/


-----------------------




-----------------------




For open or selected files, the format is similar:




Open Files Contents:


----------------------


/


-----------------------




-----------------------




These sections can also include your custom “before/after” text, placeholders, or any heading exclusions you defined.

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## Example




Notes


Some general notes here.



Secret


This should be excluded.



Visible


This will be included.




If you set "Secret" as an excluded heading, the **"Secret"** section won't appear when you copy this file’s contents. If you also had `*.pdf` in a `.scignore`, any PDF files in that same directory would be skipped entirely.