Quirks

Here's a series of known quirks to keep in mind when using Kiln.

Same filename, multiple extensions

Obsidian allows you to have multiple items with the exact same name living in the same directory. For example, you might have a folder named Example, a canvas named Example.canvas, and a note named Example.md all sitting side-by-side.

Instead of generating separate, confusing pages for each version, Kiln treats this as a battle for dominance. It consolidates them into a single URL based on a strict override hierarchy.

Right now, the pecking order looks like this (from lowest priority to highest):

Folder -> Canvas -> Base -> Note

This means a Note will override everything else. If there is no note, the Base takes over. If there is no base, the Canvas wins. The Folder is the bottom of the food chain; it only displays if nothing else overrides it.

If you do not wish to have this override happen, just use a different name for your note, you marsupial.

Why do this?

This hierarchy allows you to replace a standard Folder page with a page of your choice:

  • Canvases: Use a Canvas to replace a boring file list with a fun, visual map of the folder's contents.
  • Bases: Use a Base to create a structured database view of the notes inside.
  • Notes: If you want great SEO, nothing beats a good ol' note with high-quality content and smart internal linkage.

In the case of non --flat-urls version of the generated sites, the /index.html file of the folder is still present. It's not linked by any other page. True overrides are only present in --flat-urls mode, where the /index.html of the folder get's overrode by your other files.

So this begs the question: are folder pages still accessible? Yes, but only if you manually search for them in the search bar of your browser, by adding the / to the end of the page.