Import Folders > "Remove source file (COMING SOON)" for over a year!

[jon.r.rose 20]

Okay Evernote,

It's been over a year since the "New" Evernote was forced down our throats with brand new price increases.

All other issues aside, when is the "Remove source file" option actually going to be re-implemented?

It's been sitting in this "COMING SOON" status for a not-so-"COMING SOON" duration.

(I can't understand why so much focus is being put on new features and not enough on fixing old ones, which were broken, or removed with the v10 update)

[PinkElephant 8,117]

No price increases - or prove your statement.

[agsteele 2,950]

It is really easy to set up the removal of files at opening of Windows.

[PinkElephant 8,117]

Automatic removal of files dropped to the import folder(s) is a "feature" nobody really needs.

What damage happens by a few files sitting in the import folder for some time ? Nothing at all - even the disk is not stressed, because data sitting around does not add to wear and tear.

If you want to get rid of the content, go there from time to time, ctrl/cmd-A to select all, and to the trash. Or set up a job that empties the folder on shutdown or on startup.

The current way of performing works as an automatic backup, just in case something goes wrong with the import. Did not happen to me once, but again: Where is the problem ?

[jon.r.rose 20]

Yes, it doesn't cause any damage, and yes, there are other ways of accomplishing this task through other avenues.

It's not a matter of the little effort involved in routinely cleaning out this folder either.  I get how easy that is.

I can easily write a batch file and attach it to the Task Scheduler to accomplish this, the point is, I shouldn't have to.

If this is a feature nobody really needs , why have it in the first place?

Or better yet, why dangle the preverbal carrot of the "COMMING SOON" status in perpetuity?  If they're not going to re-implement it, then just remove it.

Also there are a lot of features in Evernote which I feel "nobody really needs", but who am I to speak for the large Evernote user base?  What might be useful for some, may not be for others.

Admittedly I  posted this in a state of frustration after several features on the Windows platform failed, or were slow going, one right after another (and it wasn't the first time).  I should have chosen my words more carefully, but Evernote really botched this roll-out, and I know I'm not the only one who thinks so.

In summary, if this feature is not necessary, then don't give us the impression that it is.

[jon.r.rose 20]

22 hours ago, agsteele said:

It is really easy to set up the removal of files at opening of Windows.

@agsteeleI appreciate your decisive and diplomatic response to an obviously agitated user.  I know how to do this through Windows as well.  Even with how easy it is to do so, I'm more irritated with the dearth of Evernote's attention to detail on older features and speed, killed by the roll-out last October.  The year long vow to make this particular feature available again doesn't bode well either.

[agsteele 2,950]

@jon.r.roseThanks for your note. The problem with focusing on a relatively small matter to discuss is that you generate very focused answers. I think your bigger point is very helpful. It is difficult to know how much attention is being given to these detailed matters. Neither do we know if it is proving to be more intractable than we might imagine. Because we know nothing.

All we can say is that things do seem to take time before they arrive. Would we like a running commentary on the status of fixes? Probably. Are we going to get it? Almost certainly not and I've concluded that it will achieve nothing for me to vent so I try, as best as I can, to be helpful and gentle. (And, yes, I fail...)

 

[PinkElephant 8,117]

There have been features in the coming soon section that have not materialized yet.

So how do we users treat this ? Anybodies choice - personally I don‘t really care. As long as it is not released it is not there, and that is it. I am not building a personal strategy of usage on maybe-features.

In general I am quite happy that EN is posting comprehensive release notes. This has not always have been the case. I was among the users that claimed these release notes, here in the forum, trough feedback and support.

And I am happy they are taking their time to comment on each release. Helps with knowing what we have, what was fixed, and against our personal bucket list what is still missing.

[Shawn.H 10]

2 hours ago, PinkElephant said:

In general I am quite happy that EN is posting comprehensive release notes

Would you please share where these comprehensive release notes are?  All I see are some quick one liners such as this from today's update:

Yeah I'm the guy that reads release notes. 

On 2/24/2022 at 8:51 AM, PinkElephant said:

The current way of performing works as an automatic backup, just in case something goes wrong with the import. Did not happen to me once, but again: Where is the problem ?

This is a good idea because something is bound not to work with EN and syncing.     

[PinkElephant 8,117]

You should be able to find them yourself, but to shorten it for you: All but the latest (which you can always read in the installed client) are available here:

https://help.evernote.com/hc/en-us/articles/360061990413

This is just Windows, there is one help document for each client.

If you are not happy with them (which I assume by your overly "competent" posting), spare me your words. You can send them directly at EN PM, using the feedback function build into the browser.

[Boot17 1,452]

6 hours ago, PinkElephant said:

As long as it is not released it is not there, and that is it. I am not building a personal strategy of usage on maybe-features.

yeah - this is me too. I have a list of 21 features that I would love for Evernote to implement at some point that I think would make the product better for a majority of people. (Typing '[[' to get a list of notes to link to, linking to headers in the document, collapsible sections or bullets, allow thumbnail image to be set by user, etc..) But I'm personally satisfied with the way Evernote works now.

However, if they ever put one of those features in the "coming soon" section -- I would probably be anxiously awaiting it too. (Perhaps this is one reason why they don't publish a road map. Because if they announce it and then it takes a long time to implement or never happens...)

[PitakM 11]

On 2/24/2022 at 2:51 PM, PinkElephant said:

Automatic removal of files dropped to the import folder(s) is a "feature" nobody really needs.

What damage happens by a few files sitting in the import folder for some time ? Nothing at all - even the disk is not stressed, because data sitting around does not add to wear and tear.

If you want to get rid of the content, go there from time to time, ctrl/cmd-A to select all, and to the trash. Or set up a job that empties the folder on shutdown or on startup.

The current way of performing works as an automatic backup, just in case something goes wrong with the import. Did not happen to me once, but again: Where is the problem ?

I do not agree with your opening statement. I use it frequently.

Problem is that when Evernote is started again it will import all files from all import folders, even the files which have been imported before. So I have to delete the old and new imported notes again and again. That does not improve my workflow. 

[agsteele 2,950]

17 minutes ago, PitakM said:

Problem is that when Evernote is started again it will import all files from all import folders, even the files which have been imported before. So I have to delete the old and new imported notes again and again. That does not improve my workflow. 

THat is incorrect. If it is doing that for you then you have an installation problem. Once imported, documents in an import folder are ignored UNLESS they are are edited/changed/amended in which case Evernote will treat them as a new document but only then.

I have a BATCH script that runs each morning and empties my import folders but that isn't necessary - it just keeps my tidy mind happy

[Powerfab 43]

The issue may occur if the import folder is a OneDrive folder (or other cloud service), on the computer. 

In this configuration, if the files are viewed in file manager, or are synced on another device, they become "updated" on the local folder and EN then considers these to be new files and reimports them from the import folder. 

I now ensure that the EN import folder is only referencing a unique local folder on the computer drive. 

[PinkElephant 8,117]

I don’t think the Import Folders were ever meant to work on every type of cloud synced folders. There are probably too many services with different approaches than to make a „fit for all“ solution.

This said, all of my folders are synced with iCloud. I have no issues to have my Import Folder on my desktop synced at the same time with iCloud. I drop something on that folder, and it imports - just once.

Probably this thread is about a specific issue with OneDrive. My feeling is that in general OneDrive is not very friendly to other tasks on a PC that are not remote controlled by Microsoft.

[stevecu 5]

So, I have used EN for years to scan the clutter off of my desk / counter / kitchen table / etc. this is almost the only thing I use it for. 

I've been away for a while and have a mountain to scan, and a new installation of a new version of EN, and I have to re-connect my old import folders. 

I have about 10 or 12 folders set up to which I scan documents in various categories; Utility bills, Auto maintenance records, etc. 

I used to rely on EN to "move" these scanned documents to an appropriate notebook and then remove them from the folder to which I saved the scan.

If this where just one folder, I might accept the necessity of manually clearing it out from time to time (I guess after manually verifying that all the scans have been successfully stored in EN). When I scan to EN, I do it in large batches. Maybe 100 documents or more. verifying and deleting each one is not practical. 

I just paid my annual subscription fee, only to find that the main feature I have been using has been removed. 

Will it actually be restored? I need it.  

[agsteele 2,950]

It is expected but we have no date. I have, meanwhile, written a simple batch file which clears out the import folders on a daily basis. I imagine it is possible to do similar for MacOS.

[stevecu 5]

How do you verify that the import was successful? I usually shred the original after scanning.

 

[stevecu 5]

Looks like there is a reasonable workaround for this issue. 

You can run the new version of EN and the "Legacy Version" (with the delete option) side by side. 

Problem ... solved?

I hope this feature does indeed "come soon" to the new version.

[agsteele 2,950]

Importing via Legacy and v10 at the same time will likely cause multiple copies of the same note.

For v10 I get a pop up Windows confirmation shortly after the import. Experience shows that I never lose an import so running the daily clean up batch file is quite adequate.

[stevecu 5]

Thanks for the help. 

For now, I've just removed one import folder I set up in v10 and am doing all my importing from the legacy version. I am grateful that EN has continued to support this. 

I understand that it also supports local (unsynchronized) notebooks, where v10 does not. I didn't consider this a necessity when I started using EN years ago, but these days it seems like that may be another necessity. 

[Cajetan 2]

I'd like to have the automatic removal feature back, too. It's one of the main reasons I'm using both versions parallel. Another reason is that Version 10 does the import of plain text files in a different manner than version 6. My use case is this: I use WriteMonkey for journaling. The resulting txt file goes to a Windows folder which I have defined as an import folder in Evernote. Evernote 6 imports the txt file as a "normal" note - the text is directly imported as note text. Evernote 10 imports the txt file as an attachment. If I want to read it I have to double-click it so it opens in Win Editor. Even more, the attachment preview doesn't work properly - the text is spaced in an ugly, difficult-to-read way, and German umlauts are not displayed correctly.

If imported by Evernote 6 and synced, Evernote 10 shows the note as I like to have it - a note with text, not attachment.

 

[gabrielcz78 0]

And now, on 2023 we are talking about same issues.

I Have problem with the "coming soon" too, do it, or delete de "coming...."

I use my script, but, sametimes i get duplicated noted when restarting the pc.

 

[Andretti 4]

I have been a long time user of Evernote on a various number of platforms. Currently there are 16000+ notes in my account.

Once in a while, I noticed that files dropped in the import folder location were not being processed. In the beginning I would troubleshoot the issue until the files were correctly imported and files were removed.

After a while, I noticed that if the import did not work, EN will import it one of the next days. So I stopped spending time on the troubleshooing part. This is without reinstalling Evernote or whatever so to me this was not an "installation issue" (in that case it would fail permanently). I never had to reinstall EN to see the import process kick in again.
In the past, when the deletion of the files in import folders still existed, I knew that if the file was gone, it was properly imported into EN. It was a kind of confirmation that the import process went well.
Today, with these files not being removed at the end of the import process, there's no way any more to tell whether the import went okay or not. So just assuming it went well and removing the files without any confirmation that the douments were properly imported in EN, and based on my past experience, is a "no go".

Creating a batch file that cleans up files at the start of your OS does not check the proper importing of those files and therefore not a solution.

Leaving the files where they are is also not a feasible solution simply because if you're using EN to clean up the pile of papers on your desk, you don't want to create a pile of electronic documents in another place.

Having this option in place in the past means that someone at Evernote did consider it was a feature people may needed. Why not bring the feature back and have the users decide whether they want to get rid of the documents after importing or not. How difficult exactly is it to implement this feature again in EN. I think it should be fairly simple so no idea what is taking them so long...

I do think that displaying "coming soon" is not appropriate anymore at this time.

[PinkElephant 8,117]

It is very simple, I think.

Currently the Import Folder serves as an automatic fallback for all files dropped into it. If you auto delete, you need to make sure (I mean 100%, not just 98.271%) that the import has worked, AND the file is safely stored and synced (!). Import folders import into the local client - if you have a corruption of one file in the local database, sync can fail.

Just search the forum if you don’t believe me.

In such a case perfectly imported files can get lost if and when the local database needs to be replaced. Everything that has not reached the server is lost in such a case. So the challenge is not to erase after import - the challenge is erase after successful sync to the server.

I rather prefer EN not erasing files on my local drive. My import folder is still way below 1GB, even after extensive use. From time to time I remove the content - that’s a 30 second operation. If I wanted, I could script it, for say remove everything after 30 days. Not worth the effort to program it, it would pay back in my next life only.

[akrde 19]

I've been using the "Remove Source File" feature in the legacy app for years and never had any issues with it. I would love to see Evernote add this feature to the new client soon as promised.

[PinkElephant 8,117]

Legacy synced to its local database. When something was imported, it was saved. Easy to then remove files.

v10 syncs to the server. Content is only finally saved when it has reached the server. You would run the risk that the sync to the server has failed, and your Import Folder was trashed ?

[akrde 19]

20 minutes ago, PinkElephant said:

v10 syncs to the server. Content is only finally saved when it has reached the server. You would run the risk that the sync to the server has failed, and your Import Folder was trashed ?

So v10 syncs import files to the server first, then it downloads the files again for saving them in my local database? Really?

[agsteele 2,950]

No, the note is created but the whole process is only complete once the server sync is completed.

[akrde 19]

On 4/30/2023 at 12:17 PM, Andretti said:

Having this option in place in the past means that someone at Evernote did consider it was a feature people may needed. Why not bring the feature back and have the users decide whether they want to get rid of the documents after importing or not. How difficult exactly is it to implement this feature again in EN. I think it should be fairly simple so no idea what is taking them so long...

Totally agreed!

[agsteele 2,950]

For whatever reason it hasn't been as simple to implemet as it is to describe.  For many months it announced as Coming Soon but that has quietly disappeared.  In Legacy Import Folders were a Windows only feature - unavailable to Mac users. Perhaps it is more challenging to deliver via the Electron Framework for all desktop platforms...  I couldn't say. But it isn't coming back anytime soon.  I have a batch script which runs when I log onto my PC that cleans up files but that comes at the small risk that a document was imported is still removed and possibly lost.  So I have to be careful to watch that an import takes place.  It always does unless, for some reason, I've cleaned my Evernote data from the computer. In that case the Import Folder links are also removed.

 

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,960]

2 hours ago, PinkElephant said:

Legacy synced to its local database. When something was imported, it was saved. Easy to then remove files.

v10 syncs to the server. Content is only finally saved when it has reached the server. You would run the risk that the sync to the server has failed, and your Import Folder was trashed ?

So maybe with the new, smoother and more reliable sync architecture completed, rolling out, and then perhaps remaining glitches tided up, it might make sense to revisit the deletion of imported files.

1 hour ago, agsteele said:

For many months it announced as Coming Soon but that has quietly disappeared.

I still see it in Windows desktop app v. 10.55.2: Settings > Import folders > ... menu to the right of a notebook in the list.

[agsteele 2,950]

30 minutes ago, Dave-in-Decatur said:

still see it in Windows desktop app v. 10.55.2: Settings > Import folders > ... menu to the right of a notebook in the list.

Ah, it was moved... It used to be in the Coming Soon section of the Release Notes. I confess that I don't often read the Settings dialogues :) 

 

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,960]

25 minutes ago, agsteele said:

Ah, it was moved... It used to be in the Coming Soon section of the Release Notes. I confess that I don't often read the Settings dialogues :) 

 

Me either -- I had to hunt for it!

[s2sailor 2,204]

I use to scan directly into Evernote and recently (on a Mac) set up an import folder Instead.  Evernote “was” deleting the files after import.  I actually wanted the files to stay around as backup so went looking in the settings for a switch.  I only found the coming soon message indicating that it should be saving the files.  I ended up reloading the database due to a different problem (stuck task syncing - discussed elsewhere) and the next time I scanned, the file was now saved (as I wanted) and not being deleted.  Strange …

[stjohn911 1]

It's about time to get this feature added. I don't like having to check if the file has been imported and then delete the source file - I don't need duplicate locations of files. Please fix this and possibly make it an option. The longer you delay, the more I think about an alternative to Evernote. Thanks, Mike

[PinkElephant 8,117]

Only other users here.

If you want to contact EN, issue a support ticket.

Personally I think the Import Folder as it is today does what we want it to do: Make notes out of files I want to save.

I am no fan (absolutely not) of any app starting to mess around with my files, on my computers drive. Beside this, being on a Mac, that app could only send the files to the trash - which is of no use if getting them off the drive would be the target, because the trash is just another place on the drive. So I rather enjoy I have a automatic backup location for the files I have send to EN, while they stay in the Import Folder.

Emptying the Import Folder once in while is really no problem.

[jon.r.rose 20]

@PinkElephant  Different users, with different needs and different OS' took advantage of different features in the old Evernote. There are features on the old version of EN I didn't see the benefit for either, but I can't and won't speak for everyone.  Providing alternatives or workarounds doesn't negate the fact that this specific feature has been in the "Coming Soon" status for quite some time.  Workarounds are also no substitute for in-app simplicity.  Until this is removed, or implemented, users will continue to question its status.  To your credit though, this is something which should be addressed to EN directly.  Since my initial post, I've since realized this is not the right forum to inquire about missing features.

[PinkElephant 8,117]

Different users ... Mac users didn't even have Import folders with their legacy version. That's because the much hyped legacy was just a hodgepodge of unrelated code, granting this feature to this group of users, and not to that group. OK, we got Tabs for a change, which were refused to Windows legacy. Now we all have Import Folders, and no Tabs. The glass always seems to be half full (or empty) somehow.

If you read the current release notes, you see that the "Coming soon" was long removed. The title of this thread is wrong, because they don't tell it would be coming any more. So no claim it will be coming, not soon, not later, maybe never.

Problem solved ...

If you don't like it, contact support.

[jon.r.rose 20]

@PinkElephant  I agree with you that support should be contacted.  But at least for Windows users, "Coming soon" is still there. So...Problem not solved.

[stevecu 5]

On 4/30/2023 at 6:17 AM, Andretti said:

I have been a long time user of Evernote on a various number of platforms. Currently there are 16000+ notes in my account.

Once in a while, I noticed that files dropped in the import folder location were not being processed. In the beginning I would troubleshoot the issue until the files were correctly imported and files were removed.

After a while, I noticed that if the import did not work, EN will import it one of the next days. So I stopped spending time on the troubleshooing part. This is without reinstalling Evernote or whatever so to me this was not an "installation issue" (in that case it would fail permanently). I never had to reinstall EN to see the import process kick in again.
In the past, when the deletion of the files in import folders still existed, I knew that if the file was gone, it was properly imported into EN. It was a kind of confirmation that the import process went well.
Today, with these files not being removed at the end of the import process, there's no way any more to tell whether the import went okay or not. So just assuming it went well and removing the files without any confirmation that the douments were properly imported in EN, and based on my past experience, is a "no go".

Creating a batch file that cleans up files at the start of your OS does not check the proper importing of those files and therefore not a solution.

Leaving the files where they are is also not a feasible solution simply because if you're using EN to clean up the pile of papers on your desk, you don't want to create a pile of electronic documents in another place.

Having this option in place in the past means that someone at Evernote did consider it was a feature people may needed. Why not bring the feature back and have the users decide whether they want to get rid of the documents after importing or not. How difficult exactly is it to implement this feature again in EN. I think it should be fairly simple so no idea what is taking them so long...

I do think that displaying "coming soon" is not appropriate anymore at this time.

Couldn’t have said it better. Thank you.

I really don’t understand why others here who seem well intentioned, and intelligent keep trying to convince us that we don’t really want or need this feature. My whole use case for EN is based on this feature. Without it, I may as well just used the crappy app that came with my scanner and cancel my EN subscription.

Just because it is hard to implement, and make reliable, doesn’t mean is shouldn’t be implemented. It just means the developers are earning their salaries.

[stevecu 5]

On 5/2/2023 at 10:13 AM, PinkElephant said:

Legacy synced to its local database. When something was imported, it was saved. Easy to then remove files.

v10 syncs to the server. Content is only finally saved when it has reached the server. You would run the risk that the sync to the server has failed, and your Import Folder was trashed ?

This seems like an argument that syncing directly to the server is dumb. Use a local database and then sync. I guess this is why the legacy version was so reliable (and feature rich).

[stevecu 5]

On 6/27/2023 at 5:27 PM, jon.r.rose said:

@PinkElephant  I agree with you that support should be contacted.  But at least for Windows users, "Coming soon" is still there. So...Problem not solved.

And to be clear, removing the "coming soon" message doesn’t solve the problem. Nor does trying to convince people that they’re better off without the feature they’ve come to rely on.

Can’t we agree that removing useful features is bad?

[stevecu 5]

Good developers solve hard problems.

[stevecu 5]

Oh, and BTW I’ve recently switched to a Mac. So now I want the feature there too.

[agsteele 2,950]

I'd be happy to see this option available but it was the work of five minutes to replicate it outside the app. A simple batch file which I have working on a trigger on my PC clears my import folders.

[jon.r.rose 20]

1 hour ago, stevecu said:

And to be clear, removing the "coming soon" message doesn’t solve the problem. Nor does trying to convince people that they’re better off without the feature they’ve come to rely on.

Can’t we agree that removing useful features is bad?

@stevecu Agreed, it doesn't fix it, but if EN doesn't plan to implement it, why give EN users the impression it's coming down the pipeline.  Like "agsteele" I've developed a similar approach to this issue; although not ideal, it works.  I simply got tired of waiting, but still hopeful it will be re-implemented.

[stevecu 5]

2 hours ago, agsteele said:

I'd be happy to see this option available but it was the work of five minutes to replicate it outside the app. A simple batch file which I have working on a trigger on my PC clears my import folders.

Does the batch file verify that it’s been synchronized?

[stevecu 5]

11 minutes ago, jon.r.rose said:

@stevecu Agreed, it doesn't fix it, but if EN doesn't plan to implement it, why give EN users the impression it's coming down the pipeline.  Like "agsteele" I've developed a similar approach to this issue; although not ideal, it works.  I simply got tired of waiting, but still hopeful it will be re-implemented.

It feels like removing the coming soon. Tag would be letting them off the hook.

[agsteele 2,950]

7 hours ago, stevecu said:

Does the batch file verify that it’s been synchronized?

No, that happens when Evernote pops up a confirmation. So whilst the batch file couldn't confirm the arrival of the file in the app, it isn't necessary.

[jon.r.rose 20]

@stevecu You may already be aware of this (idk), but don't confuse "batch" with "bash".  A batch file (or ".bat") is a Windows based script where as a bash file ( or ".sh") is for Macs.  A batch file won't work with Macs (as far as I know).

[agsteele 2,950]

But I think you could script the same thing on a Mac. My script deletes all files in my Import Folder based on a trigger that suits me best.  In my case, when I next start the PC - generally the next morning.  I have multiple lines in the script which empty the three separate Import Folders that I have in use.

For a Mac bash file you'd need a line something like

rm -rf ~/ImportFolderName/{*,.[^.]*}

 

[PinkElephant 8,117]

Sure, there are several ways:

The most comfortable is an app like Hazel or Alfred, that makes scripting a kindergarten challenge.

Or use Mac shortcuts 

Or use Apple Script, the most flexible, but harder to master either

[stevecu 5]

To be clear, as I stated in a much earlier post in this thread, I have my workaround. I just have my import folders set up in the legacy version on my Windows laptop.

But this is not a solution, it’s a workaround. I have patience and hope that eventually this feature will be implemented in the new version.

Oh, and BTW I’ve recently switched to a Mac. So now I want the feature there too.

[PinkElephant 8,117]

For the Mac, I can recommend either Alfred or Hazel, depending on your use cases. This proposal is not meant to replace any tools from EN (existing or future), it’s more to improve the Mac’s functionality:

Alfred allows to build workflows visually, from „construction blocks“, plus it extends the spotlight search capabilities.

Hazel is a tool specialized in extended automation for file operations, going way beyond what the native Finder will do.

[agsteele 2,950]

11 hours ago, stevecu said:

I have my workaround. I just have my import folders set up in the legacy version on my Windows laptop.

Great if that works for you. Don't you find that you are using significantly more data storage with the additional Legacy application and the additional Legacy data?

As ever, the normal health warnings apply. Legacy is on its last legs so you will want a plan for when it finally dies in case the function doesn't appear on your new Mac

[PinkElephant 8,117]

A new Mac will be on MacOS Ventura. Legacy can technically be installed - but it is close to be unusable. First Ventura restricted the width of the note to a slot, and then with another update some plugins were removed from the OS that legacy uses to show previews, for example for pdfs. All these changes came from MacOS, legacy itself is unchanged. Nothing will happen, because legacy is deprecated.

I would avoid to install legacy on any newer Mac. Not worth the effort, and it will install a second full database on the system drive.

[chasedeluca 5]

Workaround for Windows, using AutoHotKey

I've been lurking in this thread for months, similarly annoyed at that this feature was "COMING SOON", but never came. Today I noticed that "Remove source file (COMING SOON)" was finally removed from the Import Folder setting, in Windows. (I'm running v.10.63.4). If Evernote won't be adding this feature, it was time to roll my own.

So, today I created a workaround using AutoHotKey. The script runs in the background, waiting for the Evernote windows notification that pops up with each file import. It then scans through the import folder (recursively) and deletes any matching files. Currently, the script only searches one path (folder). This is enough for me, as I keep all my import folders in one place.

I only just programmed this today, so I imagine there are some edge cases (files with odd characters, for instance) which might break the script. But so far, for me, this script meets my needs.

In particular, I like that the file is not deleted until the Evernote Notification comes up. This gives me a reasonable assurance that the file actually got imported. Also, I send the source file to the Windows Recycle Bin, so that I can restore it and import it manually if there's any problem.

If you want to use the script, you'll need AutoHotKey installed on your computer. You'll also need to edit the script to indicate the path to your import folder. And you'll need to add the script in your windows Startup folder, or use any other trick you like to get the script to run in the background on Windows startup.

I look forward to people's feedback, and encourage others to modify the script and share their improvements.

I hope this is helpful!

EverDropWatch.ahk

[agsteele 2,950]

Nice approach.I'll probably stick with my scheduled BAT file but your approach is neat.

[chasedeluca 5]

On 10/12/2023 at 4:06 PM, agsteele said:

Nice approach.I'll probably stick with my scheduled BAT file but your approach is neat.

Thanks! Yeah, I seriously considered your BAT approach and tried to consider how I could make it work for me. What I like about your BAT file is that it runs once, and then releases its system resources. Also, a BAT file doesn't require any additional installed tools.

But I don't keep Evernote running all the time, and I sometimes don't reboot for weeks. There was a chance I would reboot with un-imported files sitting in the Import Folder. I wanted more assurance the file had been imported, before it got deleted.

Thanks for your help in this thread, @agsteele

[agsteele 2,950]

Even if Evernote was to restore the function, I'd keep my batch file which also empties the directory that Evernote creates when we open attachments to notes.

[southernforge 69]

On 2022. 2. 24. at 오전 3시 31분, agsteele said:

It is really easy to set up the removal of files at opening of Windows.

By means of a batch file called in the registry or, a scheduled task?  I assume it's something like,

c:
cd /"c:<users>/path to import folder/Evernote_Intake"
del * /s
END

or, am I overthinking it?

 

thank you

[agsteele 2,950]

@southernforge You have right idea. My code is slightly more fussy but amounts to much the same. I schedule it to run when I reboot my PC which I do most mornings. There are a number of triggers to chosen from.

I detailed it all in a post a bit over a year ago.