Duplicate imports from Import folder

[drmrbrewer 10]

I just dropped 25 documents into my Import folder, and 31 new notes have been added as a result.  Turns out that some of the items dropped into the folder now have duplicate entries in Evernote.  Anyone else seeing this?

 

Version details:

10.54.4-win-ddl-public (3978)
Editor: v166.1.20643
Service: v1.66.1

 

[PinkElephant 8,104]

The system tracks what has already been imported. There are situations when an additional import will happen, like editing a file inside of the import folder.

If it has imported twice, maybe the first import had a problem, which may happen if there was a short network problem. If you are sure anything is working fine, just a duplication issue, I would unconnected the current import folder, create a new one and set up a completely fresh link.

If it repeats itself then, either replace the local database (which may have a corruption), or contact support.

To answer the question: No, no such problem since import folders were introduced on the Mac - one of the big positive added features for the Mac with v10. With legacy import folders were only available on Windows.

[gazumped 11,664]

I had that situation happen to me on Windows 11 once - can't remember the circumstances exactly,  but I'd put 20+ files into the folder,  seen them import,  then rebooted for some reason... and saw Evernote tell me that 20+ files had been imported - again.  I generally clear out my Import Folder after the files have been processed - it's a waste of space (and an invitation to confusion) to have the file both imported and separate.  There's a Windows app called DropIt which automates file management - it can (forinstance) check a folder and move or delete any contents,  as can Power Automate and any number of similar applications.  I tend to use a two-part process...  anything in my Import Folder gets redirected to an external drive Import Archive for a few months which is cleared a couple of times a year.  (I use a similar process when scanning - processed paper stays in a tray for a few weeks in case I need it again...)

[drmrbrewer 10]

@gazumped @PinkElephant this wasn't a case where all files in the folder were imported twice, just a small number of them.  I think I dropped in 25 and soon after it showed that there were 31 new files in the database.  There was no reboot or other significant event in between, nor did I edit any files which might have triggered a re-import.  I too delete any files in the Import folder after import (though I'm not 100% sure when it is safe to do so, i.e. when they are fully imported).  In an older version of the Evernote client for Windows, it used to be the case that files were automatically removed from the Import folder after the import was complete, so we didn't have to do this extra step ourselves.  Sadly, this is no longer the case.

[drmrbrewer 10]

This keeps happening and it's getting on my wick. For example I just imported 20 pdfs via the auto import folder, and ended up with 24 notes.  Better to duplicate notes rather than to remove them, but I hate duplication too.

Does anyone from Evernote tech support read these?  How do I report this, given that my only support channel is via this forum?

[s2sailor 2,193]

13 minutes ago, drmrbrewer said:

Does anyone from Evernote tech support read these?  How do I report this, given that my only support channel is via this forum?

For free users I think there is still support through Twitter, or you can join for a month and then submit a ticket.  FWIW, I haven’t experienced this one myself.

[drmrbrewer 10]

What I've noticed is that, in the several minutes following an auto import, the "updated" field keeps randomly changing to "now" for *some* of the notes, without me doing anything to them.  For example, the following list now shows one of the notes was apparently updated 1 min ago, though this definitely wasn't the case because I imported a whole batch of files (around 15 of them) at the same time.

 

Having notes randomly duplicating doesn't inspire confidence that the opposite won't also happen one day, i.e. randomly deleting notes.

[s2sailor 2,193]

Have you only noticed this with large batches of files?  What happens if you only add say 1 or 3?  It should work either way, but would be helpful to know if this only affects large batches.  My import folder is only used for scans, which is one at a time and maybe why I don’t see it.

[drmrbrewer 10]

@s2sailor Because I'm nervous about this problem, and so that I can keep a closer eye on what's happening (e.g. to see if it has been fixed), I've tried to limit my imports to a maximum of 10 or 20 pdf files at a time (even when I have more to import).  But ideally I'd like to be able to import any number at the same time.  It definitely happens with 10 or 20, quite regularly.  I don't think I've ever seen it happen when importing just one (which I did just now), so it may be that anything more than a small number and things start going awry.

[s2sailor 2,193]

4 minutes ago, drmrbrewer said:

so it may be that anything more than a small number and things start going awry.

That is my thought as well.  Seems like a timing issue that gets increasingly exposed as the number of files is increased and it is possible that the new sync mechanism has exacerbated the problem.  Probably best to limit the number of files for the time being and submitting a problem ticket with this detail would be helpful.

[drmrbrewer 10]

Yeah I think the clue might be (as mentioned above) that notes are imported, sit there for a few minutes, and then later just randomly have a more recent update time, as if some process is going on in the background which updates something about some notes (maybe metadata rather than content), without me doing anything, and maybe the duplication happens at the same time.  It's difficult to follow what's going on when it's changing even as you look at it.

[gazumped 11,664]

I had one anomaly with my Import folders a little while (and a couple of updates) ago.  I imported 20-30 files successfully on one day,  then noticed when I logged in the next day that the same files were imported again.  I meant to do something about it,  but got distracted and had just restarted my desktop (again) when I remembered the issue.  Had no choice but to abort the imports as they went through for the third time...

When I became capable of rational thought again,  I checked the Import folder and found my files sitting there,  grinning at me...  I chose a couple of files names and ran a search,  then noted the created date and time for each.  I actually had FOUR duplicates of some files (don't know when that happened...) but it was pretty easy to find the blocks of imported notes around those times.  I deleted all but the first block,  and reminded myself to move all the imported files from the Import folder to an archive folder once processed.  

I left two files in the Import Folder so I could check whether this happened every time - and of course they've stayed there ever since,  having been imported once only.

All of which is a very long-winded way to say I haven't watched details change over time - I just wait to get a '30 notes imported' message,  then move those notes from Import to Archive.  (The Archive is because of the occasional 'unknown file type' error I've also been seeing,  and a way to restore a lost attachment if necessary.)

[drmrbrewer 10]

@gazumped I do wait a short time (e.g. 10 mins) and then delete the files in my Imports, once I'm confident that they have indeed been imported, but even in that time there are already duplicates in Evernote.  So I don't even have to leave them there for days, merely minutes is enough.  Of course, there shouldn't be any duplication of files regardless of whether or not the files stay in Imports or are moved out. 

If only they could add back the "auto delete" feature that used to be available, where Evernote will itself delete files from the Imports folder once imported... maybe that would prevent these duplicates because it happens immediately, not minutes or days later... it has been "COMING SOON" for a long time now:

[gazumped 11,664]

29 minutes ago, drmrbrewer said:

it has been "COMING SOON" for a long time now:

Yeah - Evernote has its own definition of that phrase,  meaning "sometime between now and the heat death of the universe..."  

[agsteele 2,946]

Files placed in an import folder should be added to a note once UNLESS the file is amended, gained a new last saved date or for some reason the Operating System amends the last saved date.

In that case Evernote will treat the amended file as new and reimport it.

This feels, to me, as though the duplicated notes are somehow getting a new saved date.  I'm not clear exactly how @drmrbrewer is creating these notes and saving into the import folder but that would be my first place to start exploring a solution.

[drmrbrewer 10]

@agsteele I'm really not doing anything complicated.  I have an Import folder (on my Desktop), and I have a Holding folder (on my Desktop) which I use to place files (all pdf files) that are ready to import into Evernote when there is space.  Then I just select a batch (e.g. 20) of the files in Holding, Ctrl-x to "cut", go over to Import, and Ctrl-v to "paste".  This is just a move from Holding to Import.  And the auto-import then takes over.  I'm not opening the files, not editing them, not saving them, just moving them into the Import folder.  There is no way that the Last Modified date should be changed, and if it is, it's not me that's doing it.  Once auto-imported, I'm not doing anything in Evernote either, not editing any note, not saving anything... just scrolling up and down the notes list and maybe clicking on a couple of the imported notes to check.

[s2sailor 2,193]

56 minutes ago, drmrbrewer said:

and maybe clicking on a couple of the imported notes to check.

This might be it.  Others have reported, and I've seen as well, the updated date being changed by just viewing.

[agsteele 2,946]

Here's a suggestion. Instead of moving the PDFs from from holding into import, rather copy them. That will leave the original notes and allow you to observe the last edited date of the original PDF.

After the Import process, identify any duplicates inside Evernote. Now check the import folder and compare the dates.

Another means of resolving this might be too empty the import folder after the process is complete. I have a batch file on my Windows machine which I have scheduled to run once a day.

[drmrbrewer 10]

1 hour ago, s2sailor said:

Others have reported, and I've seen as well, the updated date being changed by just viewing

🤨sounds like a bug to me, nothing should be updated just by viewing.  Perhaps as a result, those files are imported again?  Thing is that it only seems to happen on a subset of files for me, maybe three or four.  For @gazumped it seemed to happen on the whole folder full of files?

 

1 hour ago, agsteele said:

Instead of moving the PDFs from from holding into import, rather copy them.

I'll try that next time and observe.

1 hour ago, agsteele said:

empty the import folder after the process is complete

I already do.  Not immediately, but after 10 or so minutes.

[drmrbrewer 10]

This is getting beyond a joke... just one pdf sitting in the auto import folder when I opened Evernote just now, and now I see not just a duplicate import, but a triplicate:

Can anyone suggest any alternatives to Evernote?

 

[gazumped 11,664]

My Evernote updated today,  but the Import folder still shows 'coming soon' for automatic deletion.  Meantime I simply delete files once they're imported.

[drmrbrewer 10]

@gazumped automatic deletion would be nice, but it's not the problem I'm getting increasingly frustrated with here.  The problem here is that a single file in the auto import folder is imported more than once... sometimes even thrice.  Surely it's not that difficult to write code which compares the properties of a file in the auto import folder (name, creation date, modification date) and compares it against what has already been imported into the database, and if there is a match, then don't import it again?

And no, the name, creation date and modification date of the file itself have not changed on the filesystem... same as they were a month ago when I put the file into the folder in the first place:

[gazumped 11,664]

2 hours ago, drmrbrewer said:

Surely it's not that difficult to write code which compares the properties

Actually,  I believe it is - for entirely Windows reasons.  Windows defaults very carefully to files being locked against third party access - so much so that there are some apps around that can forcibly unlock a windows file that has been wrongly reserved for another application.  If you've ever had the message about a USB drive being 'in use' by another application when you try to remove it,  you are probably experiencing that effect.  I'm sure there are ways around it,  but if it was easy I think we'd have auto-deletion already.

Plus it is definitely 'not difficult' to delete (or move) the contents of the Import Folder once the files have been processed.  Agreed auto-deletion will be nice,  but until Evernote release the feature,  your frustrations are self-inflicted.

[drmrbrewer 10]

18 minutes ago, gazumped said:

If you've ever had the message about a USB drive being 'in use' by another application when you try to remove it,  you are probably experiencing that effect.  I'm sure there are ways around it,  but if it was easy I think we'd have auto-deletion already

Again, I'm not talking about auto deletion (that's a complete red herring... yes auto deletion would be nice to have but the program should work without it).  Try to forget about auto deletion for now.  In this context, I'm not asking that Evernote deletes any file in my import folder, merely that it imports anything in there only once.  For that, it doesn't need to delete anything.  It just needs read access to the file, and its properties.  In any case, if the problem really was caused by other applications locking this file (and completely preventing access), surely that wouldn't lead to duplication or triplication... if anything the opposite??

Quote

Agreed auto-deletion will be nice,  but until Evernote release the feature,  your frustrations are self-inflicted.

Once again, I'm not talking about auto deletion.  Surely it's not beyond the capability of a program such as this to ensure that a file that sits in a folder (even forever) is only imported once?  I mean, that's the basis of any decent file synchronisation program (e.g. a backup program).  Are you saying that these if a backup program creates duplicates or triplicates of a file on the backup filesystem, merely because you were so stupid enough to actually retain the original file on the source filesystem, this problem is "self-inflicted"?

Anyone from Evernote care to justify why their program is not fit for purpose?

[gazumped 11,664]

2 hours ago, drmrbrewer said:

Anyone from Evernote care to justify why their program is not fit for purpose?

An amazing number of people seem to consider "not fit for purpose" to mean "It doesn't do what I want it to".  So either find an app that does do what you want,  or change what you're doing so it doesn't have the same effect. 

Evernote have never,  to my knowledge,  shuffled their feet in front of the Principle User's desk and tried in halting terms to explain why they are just not able to meet the exacting demands of their audience.  If you want personal feedback use Support.

There are ways to avoid this issue.  Contact Support and please use the work-arounds until they can fix it...

[s2sailor 2,193]

9 hours ago, drmrbrewer said:

This is getting beyond a joke... just one pdf sitting in the auto import folder when I opened Evernote just now, and now I see not just a duplicate import, but a triplicate:

What version are you using?  I haven't seen this problem since v10.59 IIRC.

[drmrbrewer 10]

7 hours ago, gazumped said:

An amazing number of people seem to consider "not fit for purpose" to mean "It doesn't do what I want it to".

For a notes application, I'd say that being able to import notes is part of its "purpose".

7 hours ago, gazumped said:

So either find an app that does do what you want,  or change what you're doing so it doesn't have the same effect.

I've tried both.  The latter (deleting files after import) didn't work (see above).  Regarding the former, there are several but the problem is that I have many years worth of data tied up in Evernote that I can't easily get out.

The frustrating thing about this is that file importing is such a basic piece of functionality, and it should be really simple to implement in a way that actually works... this really shouldn't be a reason to annoy a user so much that they want to jump ship?  There might be other reasons to move, like not being able to afford the monthly fees or finding the interface, but file import... surely not?  It's not just the fact the this basic function doesn't work, it's also that this raises doubts about whether that note you imported 10 years ago is actually still there, or maybe it just got lost because the application kinda lost track of it.

[drmrbrewer 10]

5 hours ago, s2sailor said:

What version are you using?  I haven't seen this problem since v10.59 IIRC

I update every time I'm offered the choice.  Not sure what it was on when this latest triplication happened, but when I opened the program a moment ago it offered another update and it's now on 10.61.7.

I'll leave a couple of pdfs in my import folder and see how many times they are imported from now on.

[agsteele 2,946]

I don't want to offend by stating the obvious but, just in case something has been missed...

Any changes to a file in an import folder will cause it to be uploaded a further time. Is there anything going on on your computer which is causing the updated flag on the file to change?

Again, just in case, have you tried a complete and deep uninstall? It will mean reconnecting your import folders. It is possible that the glitch that was definitely around with 10.59 or thereabouts might have persisted.

On a Windows machine, uninstall using the free Revo Uninstaller then reinstall using the latest download. There's is a similar a program for Macs.

If you've tried these then my apologies for stating the obvious.

[drmrbrewer 10]

2 minutes ago, agsteele said:

Any changes to a file in an import folder will cause it to be uploaded a further time

See the screenshot in the following comment above:

The file hasn't been touched (at least not according to the "official" file properties) since it was put into the folder.

I'll see if the very latest version has the same problem, else I will try a re-install.  Or maybe just an uninstall. 

Thanks.

[Hydrangeas4ever 0]

I am on a Mac and the same thing is happening (import folder imports in triplicate) both before and after the last update so it isn't just PCs.  

[drmrbrewer 10]

@Hydrangeas4ever sorry to hear that... it's a pretty basic error that shouldn't take this long to fix?  Can't even blame Windows or Microsoft.

[PinkElephant 8,104]

I had it once, but it didn’t repeat itself since. Maybe because I decided to reconnect my Import Folder ? It might be this resets a counter or list, and stops any multiple import.

[drmrbrewer 10]

Well I've gone from a situation where pdfs were being imported multiple times, now to a situation where I dropped two pdfs into my Import folder... and only one of them has been imported!!!  And yes, I have tried disconnecting and reconnecting the Import folder.

[PinkElephant 8,104]

I think support will be the logical next step.

[drmrbrewer 10]

Again... 

[drmrbrewer 10]

In the interests of fairness, I'm here to report that auto import seems to be behaving a lot better in recent weeks.  Perhaps this issue has now (finally) been resolved.  Maybe I can start to get my love back for Evernote.  Famous last words...

[drmrbrewer 10]

It's back again... single pdf sitting in the auto import folder for a short while... multiple copies imported...

[PinkElephant 8,104]

Happens sometimes, I had it once, I think.

Set it up all fresh, new folder, new link, and try again.

[Khurram 0]

Import folder on my desktop being used to dump pdf files from Fujitsu scanner. Evernote was working fine no issues with file imports with older legacy version of Evernote. Updated to the new one and now every time a pdf is imported - it shows up twice. 

What am I missing? Please advise.

[gazumped 11,664]

11 hours ago, Khurram said:

What am I missing? Please advise.

Mostly other users here,  so we don't know.  Try creating a new folder on your system and make that your import folder?

[agsteele 2,946]

12 hours ago, Khurram said:

What am I missing? Please advise.

The Fujitsu software creates the PDF but on many occasions updates the PDF when the scanning process completes. Evernote sees this as a second file and imports it again.

Better to have a separate import folder and manually move the file there after the scanning is finished.

[drmrbrewer 10]

4 minutes ago, agsteele said:

The Fujitsu software creates the PDF but on many occasions updates the PDF when the scanning process completes. Evernote sees this as a second file and imports it again.

Better to have a separate import folder and manually move the file there after the scanning is finished.

I also use a Fujitsu scanner to scan and import the bulk of my pdfs, and I scan first into a "holding" folder, and only then move them into the import folder when they're done (and not necessarily the same day or week or even month).  So whilst I can see the logic in your suggestion, it's definitely not the cause of my woes over the last year or so.

[gazumped 11,664]

1 minute ago, drmrbrewer said:

So whilst I can see the logic in your suggestion, it's definitely not the cause of my woes over the last year or so.

Hmmn.  Maybe create a new folder on your desktop,  assign imports to it,  and delete the original?

[agsteele 2,946]

8 minutes ago, drmrbrewer said:

So whilst I can see the logic in your suggestion, it's definitely not the cause of my woes over the last year or so.

Sorry, I was responding to @Khurram in the post prior to mine.

[Sapagrino 2]

Wow.  Just suffered this problem in a big way.  Added import folder that had a couple thousand notes.  Now have three of almost all of them.  A manual deletion of two thirds seems overwhelming.  I suppose I could delete them all and try a new fresh import, but I will lose a couple hours spent tagging. I wish there was a more reliable way to avoid duplicate imports, like don't import a file with the same name and path as was imported before,  even if it thinks such file "changed." 

This hiccup has made a mess of my planned workflow.  Is anyone aware of any automation tools?  I was using filterize for other things with great success until it closed shop on December 31, 2023.  Has anyone successfully used IFTTT, Zapier, or this "Make" tool that filterize referenced to do de-duping?  Without filterize, I also need a new way to keep the note titles and the attachment names in sync.  Thanks, all.

[gazumped 11,664]

If the notes in your new import folder were still being processed by another app - copied,  moved,  exported... whatever - that may have confused Evernote into believing that each one was 'created' more than once.  But any notes will all have been created on the same day,  so finding the notes should not be a challenge.  I'd suggest you delete the first attempt and try again - having deleted the first Import folder,  created a new one,  and moved the 'old' files into it a smaller tranche at a time.

Evernote is not automation-friendly at the moment - I also used to use Filterize - but there are peripheral processes that can help - I'd suggest DropIt!   http://www.dropitproject.com/  - a file manager that can identify files and move them between folders...  and delete them when necessary... which works with Windows.

It's possible (forinstance) to set up a watched dropit folder such that any file left there will be copied into an import folder to be sent to Evernote.

[Sapagrino 2]

Thanks. Alas, the genius of the tagging I did before I realized my lack of genius in identifying the issue too late was too great to delete En masse, so I am now manually ctrl - clicking my heart out. Live and learn, I hope.  I wish the Evernote sync would have better protected me  A same sized, same named, same locationed imported pdf file should not flummox the import feature just because said file again got touched, opened, etc. 

[Khurram 0]

Tried creating a new folder and relinked. Same issue. Even uninstalled and reinstalled with no luck. Is there an option to delete files in the sync folder on the desktop like in the legacy version once a document is uploaded in Evernote? I will try to go back to legacy soon if this continues. 

[PinkElephant 8,104]

No, no such option. We have debated this: I wouldn't like EN to mess with files on my computers drive. Others think they want the comfort.

It is once opening the folder, ctrl/cmd-A to select all, and then "to the trash". Hardly something to talk about.

[agsteele 2,946]

10 minutes ago, Khurram said:

Is there an option to delete files in the sync folder on the desktop like in the legacy version once a document is uploaded in Evernote?

Not at the moment. I have a simple Windows batch file which I run once a day first thing in the morning to delete files that have already been imported. I could alternatively just move the files to a different location instead of deleting.

[Sapagrino 2]

I have, among other things, an entire set of SharePoint site document repositories sync'd to my hard drive.  Those files need to stay where they are.  I had hoped that by setting a top site folder as a watched import folder, and then going to sleep, would result in waking up to a few thousand Evernote notes, one for each file on the Sharepoint site.  I like that there is an evernote note to tag in addition to having things like Sharepoint Site columns, and I like that I can play around with exporting the Evernote notes (using yrle) to Obsidian.  I'm coming from a place  where all my scanned paper (ScanSnap), tags, and weblinks are in Evernote, all my authoring and associated note linking is in Obsidian, and my file downloads and primary sharing is with SharePoint.  I digress. 

Going to sleep and setting Evernote to reliably import hundreds or thousands of notes from existing folder structures, but only do it once, seems like will always be somewhat unreliable.

I'm still going to play around with round-tripping some samples from Sharepoint to Evernote to Obsidian, adding Obsidian things to the markdown note, and then reimporting the markdown back into Evernote.  Similarly, to detach attachments from Evernote notes back onto the hard drive.  This is all to test portability of the data, what can be kept in sync and dynamic versus a static version.

At the end of the day, I want to have a single chronology of scanned paper, downloads, literature  notes, etc.  I had hoped that Evernote could start by collecting the hard drive file downloads to add to its scanned paper population, before then figuring out what to do with my obsidian notes and attachments.  This doubling up, tripling up, when the watched folder has its own purpose in life is looking non-viable though.  Will give further thought to consolidation workflow, but welcome anyone's thoughts.

[PinkElephant 8,104]

Import folders are not made for mass import.

We had reports in the forum where trying to sync a large number of documents ended up in chocking the import process.

You have more hazzle to find out what imported  than by importing in batches.

Beside this there are the the upload limit of 10 GB per month, and the general system limits to keep in mind.

[Sapagrino 2]

Understood.  Therein the challenge.  It appears nothing is really made for mass import then.  Batching and 10GB per month work fine when they work in tandem reliably (i.e., without hazzzle). 

 

I do the mindful work during the day, I batch import files-left-in-place in very large overnight mindless batches (e.g. 0.2 to 0.5 GB overnight).  I tag, rename, and use-for-purpose during the next day.  Rinse and repeat 20 to 30 days in the month.  If my daytime productivity outpaces 10GB per month, the next two months, that would be a nice problem to have.  But, I can't have this doubling up, and I can't have to delete the originals to mitigate.  I suppose waking up each day with some process to remove the prior night's watched/import folder(s) from Evernote's settings, replacing it that evening with the next watched/import folder is a direction to consider.  I'd need to make sure that everything from the first night's batch was done importing before deleting the folder from being watched.  Productivity based on my ability to predict which folders to click before bed such that it's done by morning.  Hmmm, must be a way.  Will do more thinking.  Perhaps I need to instead push the paper scans out of Evernote into SharePoint and/or Obsidian, and do my consolidation there, outside of Evernote.  I feel like that is giving up on Evernote and I would have much preferred to use Evernote to tag all the many downloads sitting in folders now only as pdfs through this ... overnight mass import into Evernote.

Other than my thought of removing and adding the next queued watched folder as a rigor, any other directions or ideas come to mind?

If the above rigor could somehow work to catch things up quickly, I'd then have to explore later how to periodically do some non-destructive way to rescan the folders for newer or changed files.  That seems doable from the various ideas above but I suspect very difficult in practice. 

Still, even a big one time catch up mass import-fest month or two would bring massive value.  Just can't get sidetracked daily with the doubling up or overly time-consuming checking and fixing.  There must be a way.  Thanks for listening.

[Sapagrino 2]

20 hours ago, gazumped said:

I'd suggest DropIt!   http://www.dropitproject.com/  - a file manager that can identify files and move them between folders...  and delete them when necessary... which works with Windows.

It's possible (forinstance) to set up a watched dropit folder such that any file left there will be copied into an import folder to be sent to Evernote.

This looks interesting.  I suppose it could be used to copy from a Sharepoint folder to the Evernote watched import folder in overnight batches, wait for a batch to complete, delete everything from the Evernote watched import folder.  Repeat next night with a different batch of Sharepoint folders and files.  Similar trouble as my thought of deleting and changing the watched folder each morning.  But, I suspect this dropIt! approach will throw off lots of side benefits and be a good tool to learn.  I really want to find a way to keep modifying my Evernote note titles like so: "YYYY MM DD - blah blah", and have that Zettel prefix be the trigger to use the title of the note as the new name of the note's attachment.  Also, to set the note's create date to YYYY MM DD.  It was working beautifully for me, via Filterize.

Thanks for the lead!

[drmrbrewer 10]

15 hours ago, PinkElephant said:

Import folders are not made for mass import.

Sorry, I don't buy this argument (or excuse).  If auto import works for 2 or 5 or 10 files there is no earthly reason why it shouldn't work for 1000 files.  

[PinkElephant 8,104]

You don’t need to buy it. Just do what you want, it’s your data.

My experience is it doesn’t work reliably with a large number of files at once.

[drmrbrewer 10]

Yes but my point is that it really should work reliably.

[gazumped 11,664]

19 minutes ago, drmrbrewer said:

Yes but my point is that is really should work reliably.

Possibly - but the point is you already know it causes issues.  If you want to go on experiencing the same situation,  then by all mean proceed;  but unless you contact Support about all this and supply more details about the type and size of your files,  they won't even realise there's an issue.  If they can help they will - eventually - but you might have to wait months or years before they can schedule the necessary changes...  We're (mostly) only users here - just trying to help.

[drmrbrewer 10]

@gazumped I already have been in contact with Support about all of this.  Seemed to grind to a halt when suddenly they changed the support system, maybe as a result of new ownership.

[drmrbrewer 10]

And how else would you suggest importing, say, 50 scanned pdfs, if we can’t rely on the import folder?  Add one by one?

[Sapagrino 2]

Given that it doesn’t work as reliably as it should in a big big way that is known to cause issues no matter what the strategy or batch size (I.e., inability to discern an already imported file was just “touched” by another computer process is to be ignored on a second pass), what is the best way to mitigate, do you think?  …is what we’re struggling with here.  Smaller batches won’t resolve the unreliability, as much as just break the cost into smaller pieces.  Just pondering here, amongst us users.

[s2sailor 2,193]

Folder import should work on any number of files.  It is possible they may consider this an edge condition that they see no need to invest time in fixing, but if that is the case the limitation should be documented, not ignored. This problem does appear to be related to the introduction of RTE.

[gazumped 11,664]

1 hour ago, drmrbrewer said:

Seemed to grind to a halt when suddenly they changed the support system

Hi - well,  you should be able to see the current status here:  https://help.evernote.com/hc/en-us/requests/ so it might be an idea to add a link to this thread and ask whether they're making any progress.  they've been addressing lots of backend issues (see my other post here) so maybe they've been fixing your issues indirectly...

1 hour ago, drmrbrewer said:

And how else would you suggest importing, say, 50 scanned pdfs, if we can’t rely on the import folder?  Add one by one?

Use the import folder by all means - it's going to be a good idea to move the files out of the folder afterward to avoid more issues,  and just check that only 50 came across.

[Momofthrees 20]

Yes, I have reported it here and was basically blown off that "it happens."  Well, it happens every time now and it is not only a waste of time to delete the duplicates, but it's also a waste of my monthly data.

This is a BUG, don't try and tell me otherwise. It needs to be fixed.

[Momofthrees 20]

On 6/21/2023 at 9:01 AM, drmrbrewer said:

Yeah I think the clue might be (as mentioned above) that notes are imported, sit there for a few minutes, and then later just randomly have a more recent update time, as if some process is going on in the background which updates something about some notes (maybe metadata rather than content), without me doing anything, and maybe the duplication happens at the same time.  It's difficult to follow what's going on when it's changing even as you look at it.

Yeah that's exactly what is happening. WHen you are importing large numbers of notes, it is starting the process over before it finishes the second time, and isn't verifying that the notes are already created.

[drmrbrewer 10]

It’s seriously infuriating.  How difficult can it really be to check the name and modification date/time of a file in the folder and not re-import the file again if it is the same as a file you’ve already imported?  I reckon I could code something up in no time that doesn’t get fooled like Evernote does.  If it’s so complicated then maybe explain to us users why it’s so complicated and maybe we might be more forgiving.  And yes I am sure that the modification date/time hasn’t changed for a file that is imported multiple times.

[s2sailor 2,193]

If you haven't already, try upgrading to 10.72.2.  The release notes mention a fix for the date being updated when only viewed.  Maybe the date change was also affecting the import folders.  It may be worth a try.

[Momofthrees 20]

3 hours ago, drmrbrewer said:

It’s seriously infuriating.  How difficult can it really be to check the name and modification date/time of a file in the folder and not re-import the file again if it is the same as a file you’ve already imported?  I reckon I could code something up in no time that doesn’t get fooled like Evernote does.  If it’s so complicated then maybe explain to us users why it’s so complicated and maybe we might be more forgiving.  And yes I am sure that the modification date/time hasn’t changed for a file that is imported multiple times.

I found I can just drag the images from my hard drive to the notebook and it would create one copy of the document.  So I have moved from update folders altogether. But I wholeheartedly agree with you!

[drmrbrewer 10]

35 minutes ago, Momofthrees said:

I found I can just drag the images from my hard drive to the notebook and it would create one copy of the document.  So I have moved from update folders altogether. But I wholeheartedly agree with you!

One note per image (or in my case pdf)?

[Sapagrino 2]

 

7 hours ago, Momofthrees said:

I found I can just drag the images from my hard drive to the notebook and it would create one copy of the document.  So I have moved from update folders altogether. But I wholeheartedly agree with you!

7 hours ago, drmrbrewer said:

One note per image (or in my case pdf)?

Unfortunately, when I drag multiple files from Windows explorer to an Evernote notebook, I get one note with multiple files, rather than one note per pdf.  When I do it with just one file, it works, with the Evernote title matching the file name. 

Back to the broader point, so frustrating indeed how hard it is to get Evernote to just reliably ingest large volumes of existing files once and only once, one note per file.  ouch.  Not the kind of fail you'd expect to plague such long-standing platform.  It tags, syncs, and collects paper and web clips so well, and I'm a subscriber since 2011, but it's feeling like it needs to be reserved for that and then its files exported for import into, say, Obsidian and/or Sharepoint. 

I'd rather be importing everything into Evernote, than exporting out of Evernote, but this duplicating triplicating (sometimes, no warning, no de-duping utility) is seriously unacceptable for too many now and future fundamental tasks at hand.

Anyone have a good "export new stuff regularly from Evernote" workflow?  Something that continues to use its strengths, but gives up on trying to watch or import folders, or anything else that relies on large volumes of hard drive files?

[PinkElephant 8,104]

Dragging files onto an EN notebook is not using an import folder. It works differently, as you describe.

For regular exports take a look at the GitHub Evernote Backup project.

[drmrbrewer 10]

5 hours ago, Sapagrino said:

Unfortunately, when I drag multiple files from Windows explorer to an Evernote notebook, I get one note with multiple files, rather than one note per pdf.

So this isn't a viable alternative to the import folder, which seems to be the only sensible way to get more than one pdf file into Evernote.  So they just need to make thie import folder work, consistently.  I still struggle to see why such a mainstream notes tool cannot seem to get something so basic right.

[PinkElephant 8,104]

You can import any file to a note using the blue + menu. I still struggle to see why such a mainstream user cannot seem to get something so basic right.

[drmrbrewer 10]

5 hours ago, PinkElephant said:

You can import any file to a note using the blue + menu. I still struggle to see why such a mainstream user cannot seem to get something so basic right.

I'm not a mainstream user, just a user.  Whereas you seem to be the chief apologist for Evernote.  I don't know what it is that you don't yet understand about this issue, because are you seriously suggesting that it's practical to import e.g. 50 pdfs into Evernote in the way that you suggest?  I specifically do not want one note with all 50 pdfs attached, I want 50 separate notes, each with a different pdf.  Just like the import folder does it, only just with exactly 50 unique notes/pdfs at the end of it, not 100 or 200 or some random number of messed-up duplicates in between.

[agsteele 2,946]

6 hours ago, drmrbrewer said:

I still struggle to see why such a mainstream notes tool cannot seem to get something so basic right.

I think you are being taken around in a circle by the contributions to your point. Since others aren't experiencing as you are it seems that your only option is to open a support ticket and wait the inevitable time for an authoritative answer.

Evernote support does not regularly read these forums so you will only get discussion from fellow users.

[PinkElephant 8,104]

Can just say the same: Import Folders work.

Mid last year after an update I had one occurrence of a multiple import (same file 4-5 times). This happened after an update.

Solution: Erase the existing Import Folder, log out of the client, restart the Mac. Then a fresh login, fresh setup for the Import Folder, done. Worked since.

What might be in my case: I have my desktop synced trough iCloud between 3 Macs. To control the 3 clients which are bound to a physical Mac, I run one Import Folder per Mac, all on the desktop.

Maybe the syncing with iCloud interfered with the import into EN. No clue, since it didn’t repeat itself, just my 5ct …

[drmrbrewer 10]

I’m not on a Mac.  Perhaps you’re now going suggest that I shouldn’t be so dumb and just work around this problem by buying and using a Mac instead?

[PinkElephant 8,104]

Apart this being a pretty clever move, no. Currently Apple is running everything offered on x86 into the ground (except gaming, which is not our subject here). But stick with Windows, it guarantees that your stomach acid level will stay comfortable for you.

Just ignore my comment, it will still serve other users well - those willing to learn and exchange in  this forum.

I start to wonder why you are spending time here …

[agsteele 2,946]

26 minutes ago, drmrbrewer said:

I’m not on a Mac.  Perhaps you’re now going suggest that I shouldn’t be so dumb and just work around this problem by buying and using a Mac instead?

I'm on Windows and don't have this issue as you describe. And nobody suggested you should switch to Mac or even slightly implied dumbness for not doing so.

Please open a support ticket.

[drmrbrewer 10]

24 minutes ago, PinkElephant said:

I start to wonder why you are spending time here …

Because people like you keep saying silly things like "Import folders are not made for mass import" and "Import Folders work".  

[PinkElephant 8,104]

It’s something you seem to utterly lack - it’s called experience.

Or maybe it’s accidental that things work for me, and you are here ranting about yours not working for you, and searching for reasons it can’t work for others.

Sorry, you have an individual problem. If it couldn’t be solved here, support is your next stop.

[drmrbrewer 10]

2 minutes ago, PinkElephant said:

It’s something you seem to utterly lack - it’s called experience.

Right, I've only been using Evernote for 15 years...

[PinkElephant 8,104]

Which proves … ?

[Sapagrino 2]

10 hours ago, PinkElephant said:

For regular exports take a look at the GitHub Evernote Backup project.

https://github.com/vzhd1701/evernote-backup

Thanks.  I'll have a look.  It occurs to me that if there is a way for any non-Evernote product to create an enex file for import to Evernote, then that other product could serve as a bridge to bring in large batches of hard drive files.  I'm unable so far to locate an Obsidian plug in that would create an Enex, and I can understand why.  Obsidian reliably ingests whatever files are in the folder structure.  I'll look more at the github you mentioned...  Thanks.

[drmrbrewer 10]

1 hour ago, PinkElephant said:

Which proves … ?

You accused me of utterly lacking experience.  Did I wrongly assume that you meant experience with Evernote (which clearly I do have)?  What exactly did you mean?  Experience in jujitsu, or horse riding, or something else?

[PinkElephant 8,104]

Maybe experience in problem solving.

[drmrbrewer 10]

Just now, PinkElephant said:

Maybe experience in problem solving.

You know nothing about me!  The fact that I'm intensely irritated by this problem, and wasting my time here and with Evernote support talking about it, demonstrates that I am a problem solver... rather than a problem ignorer or even a problem denier?  But the issue here is that there appears to be no way to solve the problem... there are only (very impractical) ways to work around the problem, like "just import 50 pdfs files one by one" (no thanks), or "just buy a Mac because the Mac version works" (no thanks), or "just report this to support, don't bother using the forum" (been there, done that, fat lot of good it has done... maybe it did for a time -- see my post of 24 Oct 2023 -- but the issue returned before too long).

[Momofthrees 20]

13 hours ago, PinkElephant said:

Dragging files onto an EN notebook is not using an import folder. It works differently, as you describe.

For regular exports take a look at the GitHub Evernote Backup project.

Yes, but I can recreate the problem the OP mentioned with import folders importing mulitple copies of the same note over and over.  He is not the only one having this issue.

[Momofthrees 20]

3 hours ago, PinkElephant said:

It’s something you seem to utterly lack - it’s called experience.

Or maybe it’s accidental that things work for me, and you are here ranting about yours not working for you, and searching for reasons it can’t work for others.

Sorry, you have an individual problem. If it couldn’t be solved here, support is your next stop.

It doesn't work for me either. Here is what support told me to do. Note: I have not done this.

 

Check that your content is present on Evernote web.

Go to File Explorer

Search for %AppData% folder

in the folder look for Evernote and delet the entire folder.

Reinstall Evernote.

 

 

[PinkElephant 8,104]

This means replacing the local database by a fresh copy from the cloud server. It is in some cases the method to get rid of a nagging problem 

You can do as they told. The only issue is probably that it will take several days until the local database is reconstructed. Better not to have any urgent offline job while it still downloads.

[drmrbrewer 10]

In June 2023 I spent a long time providing screen recordings and activity logs to Evernote Support, along with detailed steps to reproduce.  Last message on that support ticket was:

Quote

My name is Geoff, and I am a Support manager here at Evernote.

I wanted to confirm that your request has been escalated to our Technical Support team, and that we'll be following up as soon as we can.
 
We usually can respond within one day, but right now we are seeing more ticket volume than usual and it may be a few days before we can get back to you. I wanted to let you know about this in advance.
 
Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay. We will be with you as soon as possible.

Then nothing, nada, and IIRC the support ticket system was completely unavailable for a time.  But the problem did eventually seem to go away (see here), so maybe I played my part in whatever fix was made behind the scenes.  But then it returned (see here).  Any other thoughts about how I should have proceeded in this situation @PinkElephant?  For such an experienced problem solver, far more experienced than me because you know me so well, you must have some great suggestions to make?

[Momofthrees 20]

1 hour ago, PinkElephant said:

This means replacing the local database by a fresh copy from the cloud server. It is in some cases the method to get rid of a nagging problem 

You can do as they told. The only issue is probably that it will take several days until the local database is reconstructed. Better not to have any urgent offline job while it still downloads.

Which is why I haven't bothered. I ahve 22,000 notes and have been in EN all day working.  I cant wait several days to rebuild my database. And I found a work around for now, by dragging the images to the notebook. So it's not pressing to me to have them fix it, but it is very much a bug.