PrimeFlow Folder Node
Link a real folder on your computer, browse it on the canvas, and drop files onto the map as the right kind of node - live, connected, and using zero extra storage.
The Folder node turns any folder on your computer into a live part of your canvas. Browse its files, search, and drag the ones you want onto the map - each file appears as its right kind of node (image, audio, video, PDF, code, text, or archive), connected back to the folder it came from.
PrimeTask never copies or moves your files. The folder stays where you keep it. The canvas becomes a view on it.
Pair this article with PrimeFlow File Linking - the Folder node is where the linking idea really earns its keep.
Folder nodes are part of the Pro tier
Folder, File, PDF, Audio File, Video File, and related nodes require Pro. See License Settings.
Why this is different
- A real folder, not a cloud library. PrimeFlow points at the folder you already keep - your samples, your shoot, your references, your research.
- Zero extra storage. Files never copy. What you already have becomes what the canvas shows.
- Your folder structure is the source of truth. The canvas is a view. Close PrimeTask and the files are exactly where you left them.
- Files become the right kind of node automatically. Drag a sample onto the canvas and you get a playable audio node. Drag a photo and you get an image node. Drag a PDF and you get a reader. You never pick a type.
What you can do
Link a real folder
from your computer to a canvas.
Browse
its contents without leaving PrimeFlow.
Search
by filename across the folder and any subfolders you've opened.
Drag files onto the canvas
each file appears as its right kind of node, connected to the folder.
Drag a subfolder onto the canvas
to place another Folder node for it.
Lock the node
so dragging files out of it doesn't drag the whole node around.
Open the folder in Finder or Explorer
with one click.
Re-link
the node to a new folder when your files move.
Connect the Folder node
to the projects, tasks, and people it supports.
How to add a Folder node
Step 1
Open PrimeFlow and open or create a canvas.
Open **Show Library** and drag **Folder** onto the canvas
or right-click the canvas and choose Folder.
Step 3
Pick a folder from your computer in the dialog that opens.
The node links to the folder immediately. Your files haven't moved.
To change which folder the node points at, use the re-link action on the node.
The built-in file browser
A linked Folder node shows the folder's contents on the canvas:
- Tree view of files and subfolders.
- Counts for files, subfolders, and total size.
- Search by filename filters the visible tree in real time.
- Expand subfolders to drill as deep as you need.
- Refresh to pick up changes you made to the folder outside PrimeTask.
- Open in Finder (macOS) or Explorer (Windows) to jump straight to the folder on your computer.
Lock the node
The Folder node has a lock action. Lock it when you want to browse, search, or drag files out of it without the node itself moving. Unlock it when you want to reposition the node on the canvas.
Drag files onto the canvas - the right node appears automatically
This is where the Folder node does its best work.
- Drag a file from the tree onto the canvas - the file appears as a new node with the right view. Audio plays, video plays, PDFs read, code is highlighted, images show, and anything else opens with your usual app. An edge connects the new node back to the Folder node so the map stays readable.
- Drag a subfolder onto the canvas - a new Folder node appears for it, collapsed and ready to expand.
- The files on your computer never move. Every new canvas node is a link. Delete the node, and the file is still there.
- Keep the canvas tidy by hiding child nodes from the Folder node when you're done with them - and bringing them back later when you need them.
For how each file type looks on the canvas, see PrimeFlow File and PDF Nodes.
Audition a library, keep only what matters
Link the folder, play clips inline from the tree, drop the winners onto the canvas. The rest stays in your folder for next time - out of the way, one search away.
Workflows that change the game
The audio producer's sample library
Link the samples folder. Search for "kick" - the tree filters to kicks. Audition them inline. Drag the ones that fit onto the track canvas where you'll use them. Connect the winners to the release project. Your samples never duplicate, and your library stays the library.
The photographer's shoot day
Link the shoot folder. Expand a subfolder for a date. Drag the best frames onto the client canvas and connect each one to the CRM contact, the company, or the wedding project. What was a folder full of RAWs becomes a visual map of the work.
The video editor and YouTuber
Link the b-roll folder. Browse clips inline, drop the ones that land onto the episode plan, connect them to the shot list and the release date. The raw footage stays raw. The canvas is the story.
The game developer
Link the Assets folder. Search "enemy" and drag the sprites and sounds onto a mechanic canvas or a level map. Connect them to the tasks that ship them.
The designer
Link your components and references folder. Drag the styles and screenshots that matter onto the campaign or feature canvas. Reference material stops being a tab you forget and starts being part of the work.
The freelancer
Link the client deliverables folder. Each client canvas pulls just the files for that client, connected to their CRM record and their project. A client question becomes a one-click answer on the canvas.
The researcher
Link the dataset folder. Pull the specific files a question needs onto a project canvas. Your data stays raw. The canvas is your analysis map.
The writer
Link your research folder. Source docs, clippings, and transcripts sit next to the outline as you build it. The final piece lives alongside the evidence it came from.
The trip diary
After a trip, link the photo folder for that trip. Browse by date, drop the shots that matter onto the trip canvas, and connect each photo to the places and people it belongs to. What would have been a folder you'll forget becomes a memory you can revisit with context - for years.
Connect the folder to your work
A Folder node can connect to anything else on the canvas - projects, tasks, contacts, companies, notes. Use connections so "where the files live" and "what they're for" sit in the same view.
For connection behavior, see PrimeFlow Connections and Edges.
Missing folders
If the linked folder is moved, renamed, or deleted, the node shows that the folder can't be found and offers to Relink (point at the new location) or Remove (take the node off the canvas). Your files are never touched.
Color theme support
The Folder node follows the canvas color theme and any per-node appearance override so the browser and chrome stay readable. Appearance is canvas-only.
Things worth knowing
Desktop only
The Folder node works on macOS and Windows - the two platforms PrimeTask ships on.
Your files stay where you keep them
PrimeTask never copies, moves, or edits them. Delete the node, and the folder is untouched.
Large folders work
Files and subfolders load as you open them, so a folder with thousands of items stays responsive. Use search when browsing.
Cloud-synced folders work
Folders synced by iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox, and similar services appear as regular folders on your computer and link just like any other folder. PrimeTask reads from wherever your cloud provider keeps the local copy.
Hidden and system folders
Hidden files show in the tree. System folders can be linked, subject to your operating system's permissions.
Folder nodes and collaborative Spaces
Folder nodes aren't available in Spaces that sync over iCloud or file sync, because folder paths are specific to the computer that holds the folder. Use Folder nodes in Spaces that live on one device. See iCloud Sync and File Sync.
Refresh to see changes
Add, remove, or rename files in the folder from outside PrimeTask? Use the refresh action on the node to update the tree.
Common questions
"Does PrimeTask copy my folder into the app?"
No. The Folder node links to the folder where it lives on your computer. Your files never move, copy, or change.
"What does locking the node do?"
Locking keeps the node in place while you browse the tree and drag files out. Unlock it when you want to move the node on the canvas.
"What happens when I drag a file from the folder onto the canvas?"
A new node appears for that file - the right kind automatically, whether that's audio, video, image, PDF, code, text, or a generic file. It connects to the Folder node it came from. The file on your computer doesn't move.
"What if I move or rename the folder?"
The node will show it can't find the folder and offer to re-link. Point it at the new location.
"Can I link a folder from iCloud, Dropbox, or OneDrive?"
Yes. If the folder appears as a regular folder on your computer, the Folder node can link to it.
"Will the Folder node work across my team's Space?"
Folder nodes are designed for Spaces that live on one computer. In Spaces that sync over iCloud or file sync, the Folder node is not available, because folder paths are specific to a single device. See iCloud Sync and File Sync.
"How large can the linked folder be?"
There's no fixed limit. PrimeTask loads files as you open them and searches filter in memory - very large folders stay responsive.
Where to go next
| If you want to… | Read this |
|---|---|
| Understand zero-storage linking | PrimeFlow File Linking |
| Work with individual file types | PrimeFlow File and PDF Nodes |
| Work with images, videos, posts, and links | PrimeFlow Media and Link Nodes |
| Send audio and video to the floating player | Media Player |
| Understand Space sync limits | iCloud Sync |