Evernote API'S UpdateNote Method broke after real time editing

[mrdupfx 4]

The UpdateNote method in the NoteStore class in the SDK is now broken.  It successfully updates a note, and even shows the note is updated on the preview pane of notes, but the note is not able to render the updated content in the main note pain on any of the application endpoints (web, iOS, MacOS, etc).  For some reason the main note page is not synching with notes that are updated via the SDK.  Interestingly the getNote method will show the new content (if the note is pinned to the dashboard you can also see the updated content), so something is wrong with caching/synching between the API endpoint, and the main note pages.  

[PinkElephant 8,384]

Nobody here from EN who works on the API issues. You probably need to contact support to get this fixed or improved.

[mrdupfx 4]

who is "support"?

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,990]

https://help.evernote.com/hc/en-us/requests/new. If you search the forum for API, you will find several posts indicating that the recent complete overhaul of Evernote's syncing has left the API behind. But mostly we're other users here, and this is far above our pay grade. There may be a developer's forum somewhere, but that info too is unavailable to the mortal man.

[Guest]

We are aware of the issue.  Thank your for the report.  There is a Developer Support that is different than Customer Support. 

[bwydoogh 71]

Seems this is the reason why Readwise integration is broken: note history shows the changes but note itself shows an older. Seems to happen once you edit that same note yourself. 
 

Ticket created few days ago. 

[rm2kdev 0]

Any ETAs? on this being fixed. My readwise can not update evernote at all and readwise support is telling me the evernote api is throwing errors when their systems try to update evernote.

[bwydoogh 71]

On 7/7/2023 at 7:41 AM, rm2kdev said:

Any ETAs? on this being fixed. My readwise can not update evernote at all and readwise support is telling me the evernote api is throwing errors when their systems try to update evernote.

Nothing. My ticket is open since mid June; no feedback (I’ve sent some reminders). One of the reasons I pay for an Evernote subscription are the integrations. They broke it. Crazy. 😏

 

[agsteele 3,005]

I doubt that a fix to the API will be along anytime soon.  What is really needed is a new API which connects to the new data structures and features. Tasks, Calendars, Note Update etc all need new options in the API.

In layman's language the old API requires the Legacy connections and what most applications do is connect as Legacy.  However, the real time sync has to lock the Legacy data while RTE/Sync is connected so many external applications are effectively locked out and generate errors. 

I don't think that there is a solution for this other than the release of a new API.  My backup utility still works because, I think, I shutdown all Evernote access overnight when it happens I have the backup scheduled to run.

[bwydoogh 71]

I can understand the reasons. But what I cannot understand is how this could ever be released in this way. They knew that things would break. But hey… who cares 🙂…?
 

What options do I have now? Had a great setup with external integrations I relied on (and pay for!). Really disappointed with this ‘new’ Evernote 😔. 

[PinkElephant 8,384]

The integrations were not sold by EN (exxeot a handful of integrations listed on the website). They were sold by others.

The API is there, even for free accounts. You pay the other side, outside of EN to make use of it.

That APIs sometimes lag behind the core app is regrettable - but you make your own income with your core features, not with offering an API, without charging for it.

See Twitter or Reddit - both are currently breaking whole ecosystems by starting to charge for using their APIs.

[bwydoogh 71]

8 hours ago, PinkElephant said:

The integrations were not sold by EN

Did I say this? I said that one of the unique selling points of Evernote was all these integrations. And when choosing a PKM, it could be that this is one of the reasons why you choose a given app. OK? And if that app breaks these integrations (without prior notice), then what? To me, it means: OK, that's the new Evernote.

Quote

See Twitter or Reddit - both are currently breaking whole ecosystems by starting to charge for using their APIs.

But those APIs still work, don't they? It's not about the cost of "paid APIs", it's all about broken integrations due to how Evernote releases their software. I would be only too happy to pay as long as it just "keeps" working.

Quote

That APIs sometimes lag behind the core app is regrettable - but you make your own income with your core features, not with offering an API, without charging for it.

That's your point of view; I don't know what the vision of Evernote was in the past. Do you? Is that the reason why they don't give full attention to the API? I don't know. But do you? It seems like you have inside information 🙂.

[Dave Green 220]

On 7/19/2023 at 2:13 PM, agsteele said:

I doubt that a fix to the API will be along anytime soon.  What is really needed is a new API which connects to the new data structures and features. Tasks, Calendars, Note Update etc all need new options in the API.

In layman's language the old API requires the Legacy connections and what most applications do is connect as Legacy.  However, the real time sync has to lock the Legacy data while RTE/Sync is connected so many external applications are effectively locked out and generate errors. 

I don't think that there is a solution for this other than the release of a new API.  My backup utility still works because, I think, I shutdown all Evernote access overnight when it happens I have the backup scheduled to run.

I think it may be more that the backup utility is only reading from Evernote and not trying to write into the server.  I think you are using evernote-backup and I have not seen a problem running it while Evernote is open.

[IIvan 0]

This puzzling discrepancy between the preview/history and actual content within the client interface. Why would the client maintain two different versions of the content, one for previewing and one for actual editing? This duplication exists not only for the content but also for the title. If there's a new method of storing notes that is incompatible with the API, why continue using the old storage method for previews? The logic behind this decision is difficult for me to grasp.

Can anyone recommend a good alternative to Evernote that offers functional APIs?
 

[bwydoogh 71]

3 minutes ago, IIvan said:

This puzzling discrepancy between the preview/history and actual content within the client interface. Why would the client maintain two different versions of the content, one for previewing and one for actual editing? This duplication exists not only for the content but also for the title. If there's a new method of storing notes that is incompatible with the API, why continue using the old storage method for previews? The logic behind this decision is difficult for me to grasp.

@Federico Simionato said (DM) last week he asked the team for more information about this ongoing issue. I also have an open support ticket, which they tried to close as "solved" last week 🙄. I reopened it and asked for a clear solution. In my case, Readwise pushes updates to Evernote. They arrive in Evernote, but the updates are only visible in the note history. The note itself shows an outdated version, which typically happens after I edit the note. I really hope they are working on this issue, so perhaps give it some weeks 😕.

[eric99 1,029]

On 7/19/2023 at 9:13 PM, agsteele said:

I doubt that a fix to the API will be along anytime soon.  What is really needed is a new API which connects to the new data structures and features. Tasks, Calendars, Note Update etc all need new options in the API.

In layman's language the old API requires the Legacy connections and what most applications do is connect as Legacy.  However, the real time sync has to lock the Legacy data while RTE/Sync is connected so many external applications are effectively locked out and generate errors. 

I don't think that there is a solution for this other than the release of a new API.  My backup utility still works because, I think, I shutdown all Evernote access overnight when it happens I have the backup scheduled to run.

Why does the public API specification need to be changed? The whole purpose of an API is precisely to provide a stable, consistent interface to a service that can sometimes change internally over time. So the public EN API can still hold, but of course the API's underlying implementation needs to be adjusted a bit for RTE.

The API can be extended with the new V10 functionality such as Tasks, Calendars etc. as this does not break existing external integrations (Open Closed principle).

 

[agsteele 3,005]

I'm not the technical expert that you are. You have described the situation much better than I.

The API doesn't, currently, include the new stuff. I don't anticipate that will change any time soon.

[eric99 1,029]

2 minutes ago, agsteele said:

The API doesn't, currently, include the new stuff. I don't anticipate that will change any time soon.

Yes, the new stuff will definitely be a lower priority.  The developers have other problems to solve 😏

[bwydoogh 71]

I got feedback from Evernote that Readwise needs to update the integration. 

I really don't get it : it's just text that is appended. Readwise says Evernote us to blame, Evernote says it is Readwise that needs to fix this. 🤷‍♂️

[bwydoogh 71]

Update on this issue: After numerous emails and back-and-forth communication, Evernote has confirmed that there is an issue with the UpdateNote method. They have assured me that they will be working on a fix in the upcoming weeks.

Finally.

And confirmed by @Federico Simionato 😉.

[MHT20202 1]

Did anyone hear any updates on this issue? updateNote is still completely broken for me,

[NikolayBPetrov 5]

On 8/24/2023 at 12:16 PM, bwydoogh said:

Update on this issue: After numerous emails and back-and-forth communication, Evernote has confirmed that there is an issue with the UpdateNote method. They have assured me that they will be working on a fix in the upcoming weeks.

Finally.

And confirmed by @Federico Simionato 😉.

A few "upcoming weeks" later and this still does not work for me. Anyone else?

[bwydoogh 71]

7 minutes ago, NikolayBPetrov said:

A few "upcoming weeks" later and this still does not work for me. Anyone else?

Fixed for Readwise integration; other integrations may still be broken.