A cleaner project tree is not proof of a successful move. Success means the destination exists, supported Markdown image and file links now point to it, and the old relative path no longer remains in the manuscript. Treat the tree change and the reference change as one operation.
Read the references before moving anything
Suppose chapters/C02.md links to images/port.png, with a related note in refs/link.md. Search the workspace for port.png and record which files contain it. Inspect the matches for external URLs, page fragments, or unsupported syntax that should not be rewritten.
If the search returns zero, stop and determine whether the asset is unused or referenced in a form outside the editor’s supported path-repair rules. Without this before-state, a broken preview after the move cannot be diagnosed confidently.
Create the destination hierarchy first
If the new home is assets/images, create that path before moving the file. Choose one authoritative destination. When both location and filename must change, consider moving first and renaming second so each reference update has one cause.
Rune Studio can follow file and folder moves made through its project file tools and rewrite supported Markdown image and link paths in txt, text, md, and markdown sources. Relative paths are calculated from the manuscript location. Open tabs can be updated, while closed source files retain their original encoding during a rewrite.
A longer relative path is not necessarily worse
If C02 sits deep inside chapters and the image moves to another branch, the corrected link may contain additional ../ segments. Judge whether it reaches the real destination, not whether the string looks short.
In a focused move check, one supported reference was rewritten, the destination file existed, and the updated source pointed to the new location. That result should not be expanded into a claim about HTML, arbitrary template languages, program strings, or every possible document format.
Verify from three directions
First, inspect the tree and confirm that the file appears at the new path. Second, search the workspace for the old relative path and expect no remaining occurrence among the intended sources. Third, close and reopen the manuscript, then follow the updated link or render the image in preview.
The search count proves only that a string changed. Reopening proves that the new path is usable. External http, https, or mailto links and page anchors should not change merely because they contain similar text.
Test folder moves on a small copy
Moving an entire chapter folder changes the location of the manuscript itself, which can alter every relative path from that manuscript. Copy one chapter and one image, perform the proposed move, and verify it before applying the same hierarchy to the full book.
Deletion has different risk. A warning about the number of files and occurrences using an asset is a reason to inspect, not a promise that deleting it is safe. Path repair after a move does not make a removed destination available.
This workflow fits a local workspace made of Markdown manuscripts, images, and reference files. A proprietary CMS template, source-code repository, or cloud collaboration hierarchy needs its own migration rules. Start by moving one copied image from images to assets/images, then require a real new path, no intended old references, and a successful reopen. Rune Studio’s current path-handling scope is listed on the product page.
Treat case-only renames as a special case
Depending on the Mac volume, Port.png and port.png may be treated as the same name. For a case-only cleanup, use an intermediate filename and verify the resulting path rather than assuming the visible change created a distinct file operation.
After a move, search both the old filename and the old folder name. Supported manuscript links may have been repaired while a project note or asset list still describes the previous location. Automatic reference repair and human-maintained documentation have different scopes.
Keep the pre-move copy until the reopened manuscript and preview reach the asset through the new path. If several links change, inspect each source file rather than relying only on an aggregate occurrence count. The goal is a reproducible hierarchy, not simply a successful drag action.
