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Group Context

Group context is OpenAgent's rule for treating some Obsidian Canvas groups as default markdown context for a new Codex thread.

It is meant to make one prompt node plus a few supporting markdown files feel lightweight and natural on Canvas.

Short Version​

When you start a new thread from exactly one text node:

  • OpenAgent finds the smallest Canvas group that contains that text node
  • markdown file nodes in that same group are added as default context
  • markdown file nodes outside that group are ignored

The selected text node remains the primary user request.

When It Applies​

Group context applies only during OpenAgent: New thread from selection.

It does not change follow-up behavior.

If the selected node is detected as a follow-up to an existing thread through Canvas edges, OpenAgent keeps the follow-up behavior and does not reinterpret that action as a new thread with fresh group context.

Supported Shape​

The intended shape is:

  • one selected text node
  • one or more markdown file nodes in the same group

You do not need to select the markdown file nodes directly for them to be included.

Membership Rule​

Canvas groups do not carry explicit child membership in the file format.

OpenAgent therefore infers group membership from geometry:

  • a node is treated as inside a group when the node's center point falls inside the group's bounds
  • if multiple groups overlap, OpenAgent uses the smallest group that contains the selected text node

This keeps the rule deterministic even when groups overlap.

Multiple Markdown Files​

If a matching group contains multiple markdown file nodes, OpenAgent includes all of them as default context.

That means:

  • all matching markdown file nodes in the chosen group are read
  • their full contents are added to the prompt context
  • the result node still belongs to the selected text node, not to each markdown file node

What Counts As Markdown Context​

Only Canvas file nodes that resolve to .md files are included.

Other node types are not currently treated as group context.

What It Is Not​

Group context is not:

  • flow execution
  • subgraph traversal
  • edge-based follow-up recovery
  • a general "include everything near this node" rule

It is specifically a new-thread prompt assembly rule for markdown files inside a group.

Example​

Imagine a Canvas group named research with:

  • one text node: Summarize the implementation plan
  • one file node: spec.md
  • one file node: notes.md

If you select only the text node and run OpenAgent: New thread from selection, OpenAgent treats:

  • the text node as the main request
  • spec.md and notes.md as implicit supporting context