Note not saved but not reported

[Gerald Yu 1]

I have updated a note and synced it, and repeatedly my new changes were lost, over-written by an old version.  There was no warning, no error message.  The changes were just lost.  Evernote acted as if it doesn't recognize the edits I have made.

Finally I enabled detailed Activity Log and seem to have found the problem to this particular note -- However the bigger problems is that Evernote encountered a problem and didn't flag it to the User.  So changes were lost but the User was not informed.

The file is 10,202 characters long, mainly of text, some links, some cut-and-paste which may contain formatted text in addition to plain text.  It is a file I use multiple times a day.  There may have been some kind of unacceptable character in the file that Evernote couldn't handle.  The messages in the Activity Log are:

17:55:43 [12520] Client synchronization finished, status: complete
17:56:01 [14764] Note 4285 ENML Validation error: Excessive depth in document: 256 use XML_PARSE_HUGE option
17:56:01 [14764] Can't save note uid=4285, error: CantConvertNoteContent
17:56:32 [9020] Client synchronization started

It is just a text file, including some URL links, also includes some double-byte Traditional Chinese characters and some double-byte Simplified Chinese characters.  There is no graphic, no picture.

1. The file size is below the maximum.

2. There shouldn't be any content that Evernote cannot handle.

3. If Evernote cannot handle some content, it should flag it right away during edit.  It should not have accepted the edit.

4. After accepting an edit, it should be able to save.

5. If it fails to safe, it should notify the User instead of acting like everything was normal.

Please open bug report and fix it.

Sorry I don't have the original buggy note.  In the process of discovering the problem, I've copied it to Notepad and back to Evernote, which eliminated the error.  (That's why I suspect there was some special character that Evernote could not handle and caused the bug.)

[gazumped 12,066]

Hi.  We're a -mainly- user-supported forum,  not an official support option.  On technical issues like this you should contact Support direct if you're a paying customer or tweet them if not..  https://www.evernote.com/SupportLogin.action or https://twitter.com/evernotehelps

It's probably not possible to fix something when the actual cause is unknown - the logs may help,  but don't exactly go into detail.  If this does arise again,  it would be good to keep a copy of the note...

[Gerald Yu 1]

5 hours ago, gazumped said:

Hi.  We're a -mainly- user-supported forum,  not an official support option.  On technical issues like this you should contact Support direct if you're a paying customer or tweet them if not..  https://www.evernote.com/SupportLogin.action or https://twitter.com/evernotehelps

It's probably not possible to fix something when the actual cause is unknown - the logs may help,  but don't exactly go into detail.  If this does arise again,  it would be good to keep a copy of the note...

Thanks for the reply.  I have posted to SupportLogin.action as you suggested.

Actually it is possible to fix at least part of the bug.  There are multiple bugs in this report.  The cause of not being able to save a note cannot be easily reproduced, because in the process of investigating I removed whatever character or symbol that caused the problem (I was trying to get my note to save, not trying to bug fix at the time).  Nevertheless, a good programmer would try some Traditional and Simplified Chinese characters to try to reproduce the bug.  There is something to be done for someone who wants to try.

In addition, the error handling of "ENML Validation error" and "CantConvertNoteContent" can clearly be improved.  When these error(s) occur, Evernote cannot save the note changes.  This should be flagged clearly to the User, maybe using a pop-up, instead of just logging it deep in the Activity Log.  This is clearly something they can improve upon.

It was a very bad feeling when I return to a saved note to find that changes were lost.  For a moment I was thinking if I should switch to a different brand of notes software, Google Keep or One Note.  Evernote definitely needs to flag the user when a note cannot be saved.

[gazumped 12,066]

15 hours ago, Gerald Yu said:

Actually it is possible to fix at least part of the bug.

Not disagreeing there,  but developers are only human(ish)  - given a series of reports where the issue is clear and the evidence incontrovertible,  and one or more that will require more experiment and investigation to nail down,  I know which ones are most likely get fixed first...

[Wcc 0]

This happened at latest desktop version, too.

Oh.....

[Gerald Yu 1]

On 6/30/2017 at 4:03 PM, gazumped said:

Not disagreeing there,  but developers are only human(ish)  - given a series of reports where the issue is clear and the evidence incontrovertible,  and one or more that will require more experiment and investigation to nail down,  I know which ones are most likely get fixed first...

Yes you were clearly disagreeing.

What does it mean "developer are only human"?  Of course they are.  What is the point?  They could either be responsible people or irresponsible people.  They wrote the program and should act responsibly.  I support programs I write, and so should they.

Your replies were trying to marginalize my detailed description.  As a responsible programmer myself, I welcome detailed defect descriptions for my programs.  As a former tester, I know every little bit of incomplete clue is useful in identifying problems.  Your implying I should have identified exactly the cause and defect in the program before reporting, is utterly unreasonable to be expected from a user who have no access to the design nor code.

You should have said: "Wow, losing user data without flagging to the user, that is serious.  Evernote should devote a certain amount of person-hours into trying to reproduce the problem, locate the defect, and to improve the reporting at the very least.  A note-taking app that forgets things is simply useless."

 

gazumped please stop following this topic.  Your comments are not helpful.  They are trying to perpetuate bugs in Evernote.  It's not good for the users.  It's not good for Evernote.

[gazumped 12,066]

5 minutes ago, Gerald Yu said:

I welcome detailed defect descriptions for my programs

Now I'm disagreeing.  Previously you said (amongst other things)

On 29/06/2017 at 5:12 PM, Gerald Yu said:

the error handling of "ENML Validation error" and "CantConvertNoteContent" can clearly be improved.

That,  along with most of the rest,  is a wish list of fixes and improvements which is understandable but not actionable without investigation.

Please don't presume to tell me what I intend with my posts.  If you dislike the content,  hover over my name and choose 'ignore' - I won't trouble you with my opinions again.

[Gerald Yu 1]

57 minutes ago, gazumped said:

Now I'm disagreeing.  Previously you said (amongst other things)

That,  along with most of the rest,  is a wish list of fixes and improvements which is understandable but not actionable without investigation.

Please don't presume to tell me what I intend with my posts.  If you dislike the content,  hover over my name and choose 'ignore' - I won't trouble you with my opinions again.

On this topic, you've always been disagreeing.  You've only tried to tell me to live with the problem.  Where have you supported the idea to improve Evernote?  You want it to remain buggy, because that's your thing -- work around bugs.  No bug, no you.

So I was curious and looked at a selection of your latest posts.  Half of them you added value and helped the people who have questions.  Half of them you just couldn't resist posting a nothing reply.  You have an urge to post, including the times when you can't add value.  Try it, for some of the posts, if you cover up your reply, there is nothing missing.  For some other topics, your reply moved the conversation towards resolving a problem.

This is not a topic where you can help.  Please go help somewhere else where you actually can.

All bug reports are "wish list of fixes".  Things I mentioned are clearly actionable.  The software engineers have more than enough information to take action.  If you don't understand how, don't say they can't be done.  Say you don't understand.

[gazumped 12,066]

13 hours ago, Gerald Yu said:

You want it to remain buggy, because that's your thing -- work around bugs.

Actually,  my 'thing' is getting a job done;  which this discussion is now assuredly not.  I'm sorry you disapprove of (50% of) my posts,  and I really,  really did not set out to disagree with you or have an argument here.  My only point was that Evernote will get things fixed on their own schedule, and since I use Android I'll be as pleased as anyone.  Shouting at them (or me) is unlikely to get that done any faster.