Has anyone already verified whether V10 ENEX export is consistent, complete and bug free?

[eric99 980]

We all backup our EN database at regular times to ensure that our data is safe, recoverable and movable to other platforms. However, is there anybody who actually verified that all data is exported properly for a whole database? I know that legacy does a good job, but considering the V10 bugs in HTML export, I don't know whether I can trust V10 enex export that much?

[Mike P 2,643]

13 minutes ago, eric99 said:

We all backup our EN database at regular times to ensure that our data is safe, recoverable and movable to other platforms. However, is there anybody who actually verified that all data is exported properly for a whole database? I know that legacy does a good job, but considering the V10 bugs in HTML export, I don't know whether I can trust V10 enex export that much?

I'm not sure how you would do that and what level of confidence you would want. I have, on a number of occassions exported notes and reimported them with absolutely no problems. That gives me confidence but certainly does not constitute verification that "data is exported properly for a whole database".

[eric99 980]

7 minutes ago, Mike P said:

I'm not sure how you would do that and what level of confidence you would want. I have, on a number of occassions exported notes and reimported them with absolutely no problems. That gives me confidence but certainly does not constitute verification that "data is exported properly for a whole database".

Thanks, the more people already used it successfully, the more confidence we get.  Maybe there are other users who already used V10 export successfully to migrate to other note taking apps? This would be interesting to know...

An ideal test script should export a complete database, import and compare against the original notes, taking into account that some differences may exist (file dates and other (meta) data underneath). I hope EN engineers have this kind of testing.

 

[agsteele 2,950]

v10 requires that you export each notebook. There is no option to export all your notes in one enex file unless you have fewer than the maximum number of notes permitted in a single operation. I have my maximum number set at 500 but most users are on the default 50 at a time. Even the Legacy version did not retain the notebook structures when a whole database was exported so exporting by notebook was the best option if you wanted to retain the structure of your account.. I have absolute confidence that when I've exported a notebook it has done so accurately and without problem. But like @Mike P I would not claim that is verification. Just another user sharing my experience.

Another way around would be to ask what causes you to doubt the v10 enex export? Why not make some tests and see if that gives you the confidence you seek.

[gazumped 11,667]

24 minutes ago, eric99 said:

I hope EN engineers have this kind of testing.

You could always ask Support...  if nothing else they can (maybe) advise whether they have found any issues with the Enex export process.

[eric99 980]

19 minutes ago, agsteele said:

what causes you to doubt the v10 enex export?

Because if I look at the unresolved  HTML export bugs, I don't believe that EN takes export very seriously. I'm in contact with support for a year now and get always the same answer that they are working on it.

[PinkElephant 8,117]

Did not make a full QA test, running down a structured checklist, drilling deep. But I sometimes use an ENEX export „for this and that“, and it never failed me when reimporting.

About the HTML bug: I have encountered it as well, I issued a support ticket, I was told it is acknowledged and the devs will tackle it.

This was a while ago - maybe they are still in Boot Camp, preparing for the BIG bug showdown. 

Unfortunately I get the impression that management puts vision above user experience. Or they maybe lost transparency about what is solved, and what still needs attention. Not encouraging, either way.

[Davvad 4]

Found two little things exporting from v10, Windows 10 version, maybe will be interesting to someone. 

When tried export of notebook to enex, of one small notebook with just one note, resulting enex file got the name of this one note. When second note was added to this notebook export file was properly named same as notebook. Legacy version doesn't behave that way. Not a big problem but doesn't look nice to me ...

Also tried export of complete notebook to html (each note to separate html) with notes which are just notes containing one jpg picture and some text.

Legacy has option to export all notes in that notebook to multiple html files. You can export notes to folder you choose. This will create many html files and  corresponding subfolders which contains atachments of exported notes. You can  move this html files and subfolders wherever you want like other local folder or gdrive or what ever. Opening resulting html file with browser will open exported note with text and picture which is contained in subfolder created during export. Moving of resulting html files together with subfolders with attachments / pictures doesn't create any problem. So you can have you note looking similar as you have it in Evernote. For me, useful if I want to replace Evernote with local files and indexing, or with gdrive search for notes which I don't plan to edit any more.

When this is done with v10, when you choose to export complete notebook as multiple html you need to select folder to export to and then in this folder subfolder named as notebook will be created. This subfolder  contains html files and additional subfolders which contain attachments / pictures. If you move this folder named as notebook somewhere else, this  will broke note if you try to open it with some browser because in exported html file attachments are referenced by absolute path like D:\some folder\notebook subfolder\ attachment subfolder\attachment.

So, you can't replace Evernote with exported notes, local indexing or gdrive just like that, with minimum effort. Not for lazy people like me

I didn't try what will happen if you move that notebook subfolder and try to import it to something else...

[eric99 980]

2 hours ago, Davvad said:

Found two little things exporting from v10, Windows 10 version, maybe will be interesting to someone. 

When tried export of notebook to enex, of one small notebook with just one note, resulting enex file got the name of this one note. When second note was added to this notebook export file was properly named same as notebook. Legacy version doesn't behave that way. Not a big problem but doesn't look nice to me ...

Also tried export of complete notebook to html (each note to separate html) with notes which are just notes containing one jpg picture and some text.

Legacy has option to export all notes in that notebook to multiple html files. You can export notes to folder you choose. This will create many html files and  corresponding subfolders which contains atachments of exported notes. You can  move this html files and subfolders wherever you want like other local folder or gdrive or what ever. Opening resulting html file with browser will open exported note with text and picture which is contained in subfolder created during export. Moving of resulting html files together with subfolders with attachments / pictures doesn't create any problem. So you can have you note looking similar as you have it in Evernote. For me, useful if I want to replace Evernote with local files and indexing, or with gdrive search for notes which I don't plan to edit any more.

When this is done with v10, when you choose to export complete notebook as multiple html you need to select folder to export to and then in this folder subfolder named as notebook will be created. This subfolder  contains html files and additional subfolders which contain attachments / pictures. If you move this folder named as notebook somewhere else, this  will broke note if you try to open it with some browser because in exported html file attachments are referenced by absolute path like D:\some folder\notebook subfolder\ attachment subfolder\attachment.

So, you can't replace Evernote with exported notes, local indexing or gdrive just like that, with minimum effort. Not for lazy people like me

I didn't try what will happen if you move that notebook subfolder and try to import it to something else...

Yes, there are several path problems in the HTML export. An attached image in a note isn't displayed in firefox but it does in Chrome and Edge.

Have you tried to open an attached pdf file from within the note? I tried it with Firefox, Chrome and Edge, none of them works.

[gazumped 11,667]

So unless you're determined to leave Evernote and want to secure your notes in a different format - which may be irrelevant if your new note-taking home will import ENEX files directly - why are the oddities of HTML export a concern exactly?  If you wanted to export the content I assume someone has tried Legacy HTML? 

If you can't find a way to get the results that you prefer,  then Support would seem to be the people to talk to here.  If they're not receptive,  by all means come and vent - but I doubt anyone has much to add from us users...

[eric99 980]

9 hours ago, gazumped said:

So unless you're determined to leave Evernote and want to secure your notes in a different format - which may be irrelevant if your new note-taking home will import ENEX files directly - why are the oddities of HTML export a concern exactly?

Because HTML is the only human readable format that gives access to my database without any need for any note taking app. I can only speak for myself, but I can't afford to loose my data in any case. Also, HTML is a format that will survive the next 100 years, so it's perfect for archiving...

[Davvad 4]

12 hours ago, eric99 said:

Yes, there are several path problems in the HTML export. An attached image in a note isn't displayed in firefox but it does in Chrome and Edge.

Have you tried to open an attached pdf file from within the note? I tried it with Firefox, Chrome and Edge, none of them works.

Yes I have tried.

With v10 multiple html export in html file I just have icon with pdf file name and I can not open pdf forom Edge. Clicking and nothing.

With Legacy export in exported html file, complete preview of first pdf file page is visible I and I can click on it and open pdf in Edge. Moving this files around doesen't broke anything.

Also, opening exported html files with some editor - I am not expert but it is obvious that v10 and Legacy are completely different.

 

[gazumped 11,667]

3 minutes ago, Davvad said:

I am not expert but it is obvious that v10 and Legacy are completely different.

v10 is a completely rewritten version of the original code.  However for now it still uses the same server-based sync database as previous versions,  so Legacy can access all the same data - though calendar entries,  tasks and other special v10 features will not be visible.  Still it's another work-around - to back up your data to ENEX or HTML,  use Legacy.  Scripting also still works with Legacy,  so some automation is available...

[eric99 980]

2 hours ago, Davvad said:

Yes I have tried.

With v10 multiple html export in html file I just have icon with pdf file name and I can not open pdf forom Edge. Clicking and nothing.

With Legacy export in exported html file, complete preview of first pdf file page is visible I and I can click on it and open pdf in Edge. Moving this files around doesen't broke anything.

Also, opening exported html files with some editor - I am not expert but it is obvious that v10 and Legacy are completely different.

 

Thanks!

Indeed, different from legacy, the V10 html  is very bloated.

Just for testing, I've corrected the pdf-link  in a V10 html so that I can navigate to the pdf from within the note. It's only a few lines of html code!  What is EN waiting for to correct this simple bug (ticket 3340943)

[Jon/t 1,292]

My own opinion on backups is that you only really need them for two reasons.

1. EN loses data and you can import stuff back in.

2. Moving to another service.

For number 1 just doing a regular export in enex format would do the job and if anything gets lost on the EN side of things you can import them back. This is what I do.

For number 2 it's really down to the other service creating some sort of 'import from Evernote' feature.

If folks are downloading all their notes in HTML so they can view them offline then this is what the app is for whichever version you use.

The export functions in PDF and HTML in my mind is really if you want to share specific notes or notebooks with people. I export to PDF a lot and then give the file to clients. In my mind its not really for proper backups... use ENEX format for this.

[DTLow 5,736]

1 hour ago, Jon/t said:

My own opinion on backups is that you only really need them for two reasons.

3. You accidentally delete data and you can recover

This is usually a one-of thing    
I access the record in my html backups and import or copy/paste

4. Evernote access failure

I can access my notes in my html backups

[eric99 980]

1 hour ago, DTLow said:

3. You accidentally delete data and you can recover

This is usually a one-of thing    
I access the record in my html backups and import or copy/paste

4. Evernote access failure

I can access my notes in my html backups

5. html backup gives you an exit from  proprietary file formats in note taking apps

 

[Peter Olins 66]

As a trial, using mac/EN 10.29.7 I exported a 100-note notebook into ENEX format. Import failed after 87 notes...

[eric99 980]

5 hours ago, Peter Olins said:

As a trial, using mac/EN 10.29.7 I exported a 100-note notebook into ENEX format. Import failed after 87 notes...

Thanks for the feedback, any idea about the reason for the crash (out of memory, corrupted note ...?)

[Peter Olins 66]

2 hours ago, eric99 said:

Thanks for the feedback, any idea about the reason for the crash (out of memory, corrupted note ...?)

I will investigate when I get some free time, and report any insights here.

[PinkElephant 8,117]

Just exported a notebook to ENEX that contains 329 notes. The ENEX file had a size of 302,5 MB. I then reimported it. EN created a second notebook with the same name, lead by (Imported).

From checking some notes, the total number and the content was identical. The export and import went without any obvious hiccup.

BTW exporting this notebook took appr. 15sec, reimporting took appr. 45sec. This is absolutely acceptable. Mac client v10.29, MacOS Monterey 12.2.