Transferring Evernote data to other apps

[1aur1e 0]

I'm a longtime casual Evernote user and have been considering using it as my primary info organization app. My main concern, and the reason I haven't done so yet, is about what happens to the data (notes, attachments, links etc.) --and the organizing structure-- if you decide you want to stop using Evernote (or Evernote changes drastically or ceases to exist)? I know that it is possible to export notes as PDFs, but that's not viable for recreating all the data that one accumulates over years. Is there a way to export all the data that enables one to open them in one or multiple common apps? If not, is this a concern that longtime users have addressed and what is the thinking about it? Thanks for any input.

[gazumped 11,666]

Hi. 

Evernote exports to its own format: ENEX files.  These can be read and imported by other similar apps.

It's possible also to export Evernote notes to HTML so that -effectively- you get a little website with an index of notes and notebooks; but it's not necessary for Evernote to specifically provide an export format that can be used by other providers. That would be impractical anyway,  because some have a completely different format and structure from Evernote,  and the details of that structure might change at the whim of the other company.  There's no agreed 'standard' that they can comply with.

Check out other note-taking software though,  and you'll find that most of them offer 'import from Evernote' options. Clearly they want to poach as much business as possible for their (much smaller and newer) companies.

 

[DTLow 5,736]

2 hours ago, 1aur1e said:

I know that it is possible to export notes as PDFs

Other export options are .html and .enex   
My "transferring Evernote data to other apps" experience used the .enex format, with separate export for each notebook   

>what happens to the data (notes, attachments, links etc.) 

Notes and attachments are preserved   
My experience with inter-note links is they're not adjusted; they point back to Evernote   
I used a script (applescript) to convert the links to the new platform

 

[1aur1e 0]

Thanks, gazumped and DTLow, for your responses. So.... still not sure I have the whole picture of what leaving Evernote after several years of power organizing, tagging, linking etc. would entail, and I suppose I have a more general question. I'm considering starting to use Evernote to integrate things that I currently do in separate apps and I'm wondering how future proof apps like Evernote are/can be.... if anyone wants to weigh in on that. 

[PinkElephant 8,115]

You have several export options. This is NOT the problem.

ENEX for example (done by the notebooks) preserves everything.

Your problem is - at least this is my impression - that you don’t know what the target solution will digest.

The only solution is to find out. Grab some of your exported stuff, and test it. That is up to you, we are looking after fellow EN users, not after EN leavers. Once beyond the export, I hope you find another nice community to help you further.

Good luck !

[gazumped 11,666]

5 hours ago, 1aur1e said:

I'm wondering how future proof apps like Evernote are/can be...

You're looking for certainty in an uncertain world - who can tell what might (or might not) be available in 2, 5, 10 years' time?  I've been an IT user since before Windows existed (nearly 40 years!) and Evernote is not my first note-taking app.  I've been through Lotus Notes / Borland Sidekick / Lotus Agenda and several others I can't now remember - each time taking my history from one app through to the next.  AFAIK none of them now exist,  although Lotus and Borland were pretty large companies at the time.

I've been with Evernote for 12 years so far.  They currently have a user base that's not quite as large as the population of the US,  but it's close;  hence any new companies in the same market being very keen to tap into the pool of users for their own benefit.  You'll always find a way to 'rescue' (if that's necessary) most of your data from Evernote into a new app - though it may involve some work on your part to recreate a tagging system,  insert a folder structure,  or otherwise make best use of any new features. 

There's no way to guarantee against the possibility you'll have more work to do,  and no-one can offer you any absolute reassurance!

[eric99 980]

5 hours ago, gazumped said:

You're looking for certainty in an uncertain world - who can tell what might (or might not) be available in 2, 5, 10 years' time?  I've been an IT user since before Windows existed (nearly 40 years!) and Evernote is not my first note-taking app.  I've been through Lotus Notes / Borland Sidekick / Lotus Agenda and several others I can't now remember - each time taking my history from one app through to the next.  AFAIK none of them now exist,  although Lotus and Borland were pretty large companies at the time.

I've been with Evernote for 12 years so far.  They currently have a user base that's not quite as large as the population of the US,  but it's close;  hence any new companies in the same market being very keen to tap into the pool of users for their own benefit.  You'll always find a way to 'rescue' (if that's necessary) most of your data from Evernote into a new app - though it may involve some work on your part to recreate a tagging system,  insert a folder structure,  or otherwise make best use of any new features. 

There's no way to guarantee against the possibility you'll have more work to do,  and no-one can offer you any absolute reassurance!

I agree, but EN could at least make the V10 HTML export work properly. As you know, attachments are still unreachable from within the note, a bit ironic for an html document😏  The actual correction is only a matter of a few lines of html, I already patched it myself for testing...

Maybe you can bring this one year old bug to the attention of the developers again (ticket 3340943 and 3309909) ?

[DTLow 5,736]

14 hours ago, 1aur1e said:

I'm wondering how future proof apps like Evernote are/can be

My experience is 12+ Years  with the Evernote Legacy product   
Evernote is still here; I'm  not concerned with losing access to my data

Hopefully, we've assured you that we can export our data whenever required   
i've used this for backup; again I'm not concerned with losing access to my data

As to transfer to other apps; I see two issues   
1. Does the app even support the features; for example tags   
2. Is there a mechanism to support the transfer

[PinkElephant 8,115]

...

3. Is there a way to extract my data from the NEW app in case I want/need it ?
There are many apps that offer import routines - much less offer at least one solid way to export. EN has 3 ...