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Multiple Collections#

FoldNotes on the Mac can keep several separate collections of notes. A collection is a folder of Markdown files. One collection is open at a time: its notes are the ones in the Notes List and the editor.

Note

Multiple collections is a macOS-only feature. The iOS companion app uses a single iCloud collection.

What Is a Collection?#

A collection is a folder on disk containing your Markdown notes. Each collection has its own notes, tags, tasks and properties, and its own entries in Spotlight. Task notifications are scheduled across all your collections, not just the open one.

The Collections Menu#

Click the collection's name at the top of the sidebar. The menu lists your collections, each with where its folder is kept: iCloud, On This Mac or External Drive. Click a collection to switch to it (see Switching Collections).

Below the list:

  • New Collection… makes a new folder for notes, in a place you choose, with a Welcome note in it.
  • Open Existing Folder… uses a folder of Markdown files you already have. See Opening an Existing Folder.

For the collection you're in, when it isn't the default:

  • Disconnect “Name”… removes the collection from FoldNotes. Its folder and files stay where they are.
  • Delete “Name”… moves the collection's folder, and every file in it, to the Trash, and removes the collection from FoldNotes. You confirm twice, the second time by typing the collection's name. For a collection in iCloud, this removes its files from all your devices.

Remove a collection in FoldNotes, never in Finder

Don't delete, move or rename a collection's folder in Finder. FoldNotes isn't told, and keeps the collection in its menu. To remove a collection, use Disconnect or Delete in the collections menu.

Opening an Existing Folder#

Open Existing Folder… asks you to choose a folder of Markdown notes, then checks it before using it:

  • Obsidian vaults and Logseq graphs aren't opened as collections, because two apps managing the same files can duplicate or lose notes. To bring an Obsidian vault in, create a new collection, switch to it, and use File › Import from Obsidian…. Your vault's files are not changed.
  • Some folders can't be used: system folders, your home folder itself, ~/Library, the Desktop, Documents and Downloads folders themselves, git repositories, and Xcode or Node projects.
  • A folder of Markdown files that FoldNotes hasn't written shows a warning first: FoldNotes adds front matter (a block of details at the top of a note) when you edit a note, so make sure you have a backup. Tick I understand the risks and have a backup to continue.

Switching Collections#

Switching saves and closes your open notes, then loads the other collection's notes.

When you tap a deep link, Spotlight result, or notification that points to a different collection:

  • If the app isn't running, it switches silently and opens the note
  • If you're actively working, a confirmation alert appears before switching

Default Collection#

The collection FoldNotes sets up on first launch is the default. It can't be disconnected or deleted.

From the Command Line#

The fn command-line tool works with the collections you have in FoldNotes:

# List the collections you have in FoldNotes
fn collections

# Run one command against any collection, without switching
fn list --collection "Research"
fn tasks --due-today --collection "Research"

# Choose the collection later fn commands use (FoldNotes itself isn't changed)
fn collection switch "Research"

# Show the collection fn commands use now
fn collection

To add or remove a collection in FoldNotes, use the collections menu. See CLI Commands for every option.

Collection Export#

You can export an entire collection as a ZIP archive via File → Export Collection.... This is a one-way export — useful for migrating to another app or keeping a portable copy of your notes. Exports can also be scheduled on a daily or weekly basis via File → Scheduled Export….