Anyone Having Problems with Internal Links?

[dbvirago 507]

I did a search, but only found once reference to it in Mac. Since the last update, my internal links fail 95% of the time. When I click on one, it churns for a second and goes to the home screen. As a test, I changed one link to some random string and got the same behaviors, so I assume the query is failing at the database. I have tried recreating the links, but no help.

[gazumped 11,690]

Hmmn.  Not having issues here - have you tried recreating the database?  Maybe nuke the whole thing with Revo and start over?

[dbvirago 507]

Not that big of an issue yet. In the particular case I've been using them, my workflow is changing so they may not be important. I'll at least wait until the next update.

[Boot17 1,463]

It happens to me too on two different Mac machines. Not 95% of the time, but quite often enough that I notice it -- but not usually that big of an issue yet for me either. Opening the internal link in a new window can workaround the issue for me too.

Edit: Has been happening for probably the last few weeks across three or more of the latest releases. On 10.62.5 currently and still happens.

[dbvirago 507]

I'm using tags now to bring the linked notes into the same view as the master, which works better for me anyway.

[PinkElephant 8,158]

Could only try quickly on mobile 10.55.1. Links are working, including the corresponding backlinks.

Will try tomorrow on the Mac.

[dbvirago 507]

Just tried on mobile, it works as expected. This particular use is for a single project on a computer dedicated to that, so mobile isn't an option.

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,970]

V. 10.63.1 is out and can be downloaded from https://evernote.com/download. Release notes include "Fixes an issue where internal app links didn't direct user to the target note (Windows)." Don't know about Mac!

[gazumped 11,690]

16 hours ago, Dave-in-Decatur said:

V. 10.63.1 is out

Hmmn.  Not for me - just downloaded "Evernote-latest" from your link and wound up re-installing 10.62.5.  Odd.

[agsteele 2,952]

10.63.1 was stopped and 10.62.5 reinstated. Howe3ver I do now have 10.63.2

 

[gazumped 11,690]

Yup - me too 

[dbvirago 507]

This was finally fixed, but despite the release notes, it didn't start working again until 10.63.4

[Maurizio Penzo 0]

On 10/15/2023 at 1:35 PM, dbvirago said:

This was finally fixed, but despite the release notes, it didn't start working again until 10.63.4

Not for me. Internal links still bring up wrong notes.I'm on 10.63.4. Windows 11.

 

The link address is correct. If I use in Chrome, and input the address of the internal app link it will open the Evernote desktop app and the correct note. But If I select the internal link on the parent note and double-click on it, it will bring up a wrong note...

 

Workaround:
Select the hyperlink and copy it to the clipboard (format of the internal link will be:  evernote:///view/514215/s4/a1224fdd-2e...)
Paste link in chrome as a normal URL
Chrome will ask to open evernote
Accept
Evernote will  open the correct target note.

This workaround  will decrease your productivity a little... but it gets the job done until they find an effective way to fix it.

 

 

 

[grahamprothero 7]

The internal app links do not work. Evernote hangs on to the location filter that the link is in. So if the linked document is in another location it will not show because the tag that is the location of the link is still active as a filter.The work around (as above) is to make the link a web link instead of an app link. This is slower and depends on having a network connection so not really a permanant solution. 😒

[gazumped 11,690]

3 hours ago, grahamprothero said:

The internal app links do not work. Evernote hangs on to the location filter that the link is in. So if the linked document is in another location it will not show because the tag that is the location of the link is still active as a filter.The work around (as above) is to make the link a web link instead of an app link. This is slower and depends on having a network connection so not really a permanant solution. 😒

Hi.  To be clear - the internal link goes to a unique identifier for notes stored locally;  the web link is just a web address.  If you click or tap an internal link on a mobile - which does not store actual notes locally - it's not a  surprise if it doesn't work.  I don't understand the mention of a tag or filter though - what has this got to do with moving to another note?

NB regardless of the type of link,  it's meant to be used from a note with Evernote and is most likely not browser-friendly.  To open a note from a browser,  look for the Share URL of that note instead.

[Mike P 2,651]

1 hour ago, gazumped said:

I don't understand the mention of a tag or filter though - what has this got to do with moving to another note?

Because if the parent note is in a filtered list the link from the note to the target is likely to fail. This doesn't happen if you are viewing from a notebook or all notes. See 

 

 

[grahamprothero 7]

On 11/19/2023 at 5:36 PM, gazumped said:

Hi.  To be clear - the internal link goes to a unique identifier for notes stored locally;  the web link is just a web address.  If you click or tap an internal link on a mobile - which does not store actual notes locally - it's not a  surprise if it doesn't work.  I don't understand the mention of a tag or filter though - what has this got to do with moving to another note?

NB regardless of the type of link,  it's meant to be used from a note with Evernote and is most likely not browser-friendly.  To open a note from a browser,  look for the Share URL of that note instead.

This is purely a windows issue nothing to do with accessing a linked note via the browser (all my notes are saved offline (on my PC as well as my mobile)). The web link option is a work around not a solution. It does not seem right that a link needs to access the online copy of a note that already exists on the PC offline. What is the point of having an App link that only works if you access the link via a note that is being viewed from the main notes, or shares the same location (same tag, same notebook)? even the most basic user must be using tags and possibly differant notebooks so the chances of the linked note sharing the same location is minimal. Is it safe to assume this is already classed as a bug?

[gazumped 11,690]

11 minutes ago, grahamprothero said:

Is it safe to assume this is already classed as a bug?

No,  because I'm still not sure what we're actually talking about here...

There are two types of note link.  An "app link" or a "web link".  The app link assumes the app is already installed on the same local device and will open the linked note in Evernote from local storage.  The web link has a global reference that will open the link in Evernote Web from the server,  regardless of where in the world the link is being triggered.  Both work as designed.  It is not possible to change that process because that's how IT works.

[Mike P 2,651]

51 minutes ago, gazumped said:

No,  because I'm still not sure what we're actually talking about here...

I don't think we are talking about the difference between internal app links and web style links, although I could be wrong. The issue I explained is:

On 11/19/2023 at 7:12 PM, Mike P said:

Because if the parent note is in a filtered list the link from the note to the target is likely to fail. This doesn't happen if you are viewing from a notebook or all notes. See 

 

 

This is definitely still happening for me, but it is not consistent. This is the sequence that often leads to failure. It doesn't seem to matter whether the target note is in the note list or not.

• Filter by a tag 
• Go to a note in the filtered note list which contains a link
• Click the link

Opening the link in a new window never fails. Pressing the back button sometimes goes to the target note.

@grahamprothero I have not raised this as a support request because EN Technical support can't reproduce my issues when they happen every time, so there is no point in raising something which is intermittent, until I can figure out a reproducible set of circumstances that always lead to the error.

 

[grahamprothero 7]

This is purely a windows based issue, forget the web link. As Imentioned in my previous post this is aboout the App Link and not the Web Link.The web link is a work around because the Local App Link does not work when the link and linked notes do not share common locations. if this is acceptable can someone provide me with a list of rules on when and how the App Link can be used on a PC based account with offline notes.

 

[AlbertR 542]

1 hour ago, gazumped said:

The App link assumes the app is already installed on the same local device and will open the linked note in Evernote from local storage.

OK, but in case the linked note is not synced already to local storage: I assume that EN syncs the note first to display it from local storage (isn't it? [1]). I do not want do be redirected to a browser. Even if an app link is used from outside EN (i.e. if I've placed it in an Excel cell), I want to EN to work as assumed and display the note in the app (not in browser) [2].

In case of Web links (regardless of used from inside or outside EN), it should to displayed in a browser based EN Web window... [3]

[1] Sorry for mentioning this: Legacy works this way 😀. 

[2] Regarding opening App links from outside EN10 I found two problems:

• If EN10 is not running, it is started (OK), but does not show the target note (Fail). It always shows the note that has been viewed when exiting EN10 the last time.
• If EN10 is already running, the target note is shown (OK), but not in a new note windows as it was configurable in Legacy (compatibility problem).
• Legacy works correct in both cases...

[3] Legacy supports a tricky mode for Web links of form "https://www.evernote.com/shard/..." if used inside EN notes: Before redirecting it to a browers, it checks where the note is available in local (synced) data. If so, the target note is displayed in EN-App itself. This is not following the rule that https:-links should lead to a browser - but it makes life easy for people who do not distinguish between internal (App) links and extern (Web) links carefully 😉

 

[gazumped 11,690]

The link type is relevant because a web link looks like this... https://www.evernote.com/shard/s2/nl/120918/84f36e9b-ab86-3e88-6462-- etc.... and an app link is evernote:///view/120918/s2/84f36e9b-ab86-3e88-6462-7ee0bae3b2a6 etc...  and only a browser can open the first one.  The second one calls the installed app and adds a note reference. I highlighted part of the link because clearly this is the note UI.  The link prefix determines where and how it opens - or doesn't - as the case may be.

Clipper has also changed in that clipping a web page defaults to being done server-to-server with the synced note then being able to display in the app if that's what you require.. although since Elektron came in the difference is almost academic in that the 'installed' app comes with a built in browser wrapper.

Not sure if it still applies to Evernote,  but there used to be a Windows protocol that if an app was installed locally the user would be asked whether you wanted to have links open in the app or the browser,  and that setting would be maintained by a local cookie but I think that was before the link style changed to this format.

As I said to the OP here - if you're getting misfires when following links, it's probably best to go for a clean complete reinstall - I mainly use app links (I'm mainly desktop based these day)  and I've had no trouble with links in my very large account over the past several years.  You could also reinstall Clipper to make sure you have the latest version in case that's a factor.

If you are using the old Legacy app - remember that there's now a translation back-and-forth when viewing notes in both that and the new version.  If it appears that opening a note didn't work - could that be due to a long(er) translation time on some notes.

[Mike P 2,651]

1 hour ago, gazumped said:

I've had no trouble with links in my very large account over the past several years.

So you have tried my process:

7 hours ago, Mike P said:

• Filter by a tag 
• Go to a note in the filtered note list which contains a link
• Click the link

Opening the link in a new window never fails. Pressing the back button sometimes goes to the target note.

and it always works?

[s2sailor 2,222]

2 hours ago, Mike P said:

9 hours ago, Mike P said:

• Filter by a tag 
• Go to a note in the filtered note list which contains a link
• Click the link

Opening the link in a new window never fails. Pressing the back button sometimes goes to the target note.

and it always works?

It consistently does NOT work, at least for me, on the Mac.  Curiously, it brings me to the Home Screen.

[gazumped 11,690]

5 hours ago, Mike P said:

So you have tried my process:

To my mild surprise I managed to find a tag / link pair that I could test this on (it's not a process I use frequently... or at all) and yes - I jumped to the correct note.  I doubt that proves anything one way or the other though...

[s2sailor 2,222]

2 minutes ago, gazumped said:

(it's not a process I use frequently... or at all)

Same here.  I typically search by keyword first.  I was surprised that it was consistent for me and the link brought me to the Home Screen.

[Dave Green 210]

3 hours ago, s2sailor said:

It consistently does NOT work, at least for me, on the Mac.  Curiously, it brings me to the Home Screen.

Inconsistency, sometimes, it works, sometimes Home screen, and sometimes, something else I have looked at recently.

I got to a point where it was consistently going to the Home screen then I held down ⌥ while clicking on Help, and chose Troubleshooting > Reload -- next time, it worked (and continued for a while).

[grahamprothero 7]

So can we agree that this feature does not perform to an acceptable standard?

[Mike P 2,651]

I've been searching for a good workaround for this problem. I'm now using the following. It depends on another bug/feature - when you change the view the preview pane frequently does not reset in the way you might expect. So the workaround is:

• I'm assuming you are starting from a filtered list
• Make sure the parent note containing the links is selected 
• Clear the filter (using the "clear" button) and you are returned to "Notes" with no filter applied but your parent note is still in the view pane
• Links then work as expected.
• As an added benefit the back button seems to be more predictable and always returns to the parent note.

If instead of a filtered list you have a list produced from a search, the above does not work because it's much more difficult to clear a search and the normal methods I use do not keep the parent note in view. In this case my workaround is:

• Launch the parent note into it's own window
• Clear the search (I go to Home (alt+ctrl+1) - the only time I ever go to Home!)
• The links in the parent note then work as expected

As an aside, I find links always work when the note is displayed in the strange two panel view with no note list. However there is no easy way of opening a note which is in a note list in that view. The easiest way is probably to search for the note again using "switch to" (Ctrl+Q )

[grahamprothero 7]

At least you don't have to click your heels three times. 

[The IT Solutionist 1]

Just started for me in the latest release:

10.68.3-win-ddl-public (20231218124244)
Editor: v176.42.0
Service: v1.83.1

Issue is exactly as described in the original post. Really annoying, since I don't use cross links arbitrarily but only when I know I will have a hard time finding it later. Also started using the internal links in Outlook as handy way to jump where I needed to.

Product has been going downhill for long time now, while the price keeps climbing. 

[gazumped 11,690]

Hmmn. Not having problems myself (AFAIK) and the only work-around is a step you have to take before losing the linked note - and that's to tag the two notes with the same unique random number - I use BitDefender forinstance and unique random passwords are an option - as in hhqnqrnq76ppxr5.

There's no search that I can think of to find a linked note,  unless you created or amended them on the same date,  so a date search could help.

The search index might be corrupted,  so sign out / remove database from device / sign back in may help on a desktop...  or even a full reinstall if an update corrupted the app.

If all the above fails or is not appropriate,  then remembering the time of year and the state of Support,  you could try them - good luck if you do!

[Dave Green 210]

The linked note does contain the title of the note (assuming the default creation method and that the has not been retitled), so one may be able to use the text as a search (intitle:"<text>") to find the note.  This is the basis by which other tools like Obsidian imports rebuild linkage when being initialized with an Evernote export.

[Mike P 2,651]

23 hours ago, Dave Green said:

so one may be able to use the text as a search (intitle:"<text>") to find the note.

Because ctrl+Q searches for titles you can just copy and paste the title directly ino ctrl+Q without needing to bother with the intitle:

[Dave Green 210]

13 hours ago, Mike P said:

Because ctrl+Q searches for titles you can just copy and paste the title directly ino ctrl+Q without needing to bother with the intitle:

Yes (⌘+J on Mac); not sure why I did not say that instead.  Thanks.

[grahamprothero 7]

Kinda finding ways of keeping a leaky bucket full of water by increasing the amount of water your putting in it rather than  stopping the leak. At the end of the day the link linked feature on the windows PC is broken. This feature works perfectly on my Android . As far as I am concerned selecting a link should take me to the linked note, no matter what the location is (as proven by the Offline Android mobile version) I will not be wasting my efforts trying to compensate for bad design. Evernote is not a freebie, I'm not a beta tester. The existing feature should work.

[gazumped 11,690]

I use note links both inside and outside Evernote without any issues.  I can even open other apps from Evernote and jump back to my notes from there.  If anyone is having issues,  it's not because Evernote is badly designed or faulty.

[AlbertR 542]

6 hours ago, gazumped said:

I use note links both inside and outside Evernote without any issues

Note linking itself works if EN is already running. If you click on an internal note URL and EN10 is not running, it starts but comes up without the requested note displayed. 

Around displaying a target note, there is a second problem wie the note list and the navigation panel. See Note navigation in the Note List and Note Panel

 

[Mike P 2,651]

7 hours ago, gazumped said:

If anyone is having issues,  it's not because Evernote is badly designed or faulty.

So just to clarify, you are saying that EN is designed to not be able to use note links from a note which is in a filtered list.

https://app.screencast.com/lYxTZSkoe5wGK

 

[gazumped 11,690]

5 hours ago, Mike P said:

So just to clarify, you are saying that EN is designed to not be able to use note links from a note which is in a filtered list.

https://app.screencast.com/lYxTZSkoe5wGK

I -just- survived the Holidays and am having difficulty getting my head around this question - also: I can't access the screencast for some reason... 

1. I looked for URLs by filtered list and established that I can jump to a another linked note and use the backlinks to jump back
2. I copied the link I used in (1) and closed the Evernote app
3. Using the copy link in a (Chrome) browser prompts the browser offer to open the Evernote app to use it - (it's an evernote:///view/120918/s2/f810... link)
4. Copying the link to another installed app I get Evernote opening up to display the linked page again.
5. Copying the link to another web app I now get Evernote opening up to display the linked page again.
6. Copying the web link for the same note I now get https://www.evernote.com/shard/s2/nl/120918/f810... opening immediately in the web client.
   (W11 / EN10.68.3)

So I don't seem able to replicate any issues here... whether a note is tagged or filtered and linked from inside or outside Evernote I seem able to get to it directly.  ??

[Mike P 2,651]

1 hour ago, gazumped said:

I can't access the screencast for some reason... 

I don't know why you can't access it as it's set as "anyone with the link". Here is a gif of the screen cast. What you are seeing is:

• A list filtered by the tag +dashboard with the note Reading Dashboard in view
• The link to master dashboard is clicked and instead of getting the master dashboard it goes to learning dashboard version 2.

I'm glad you are not having the issue. I think though that there are sufficient people who are to warrant further investigation. To reiterate what I have said earlier in the thread if I remove the filter the note stays in view and everything then works fine. Sometimes clicking the link once seems to do nothing but it actually removes the filter. Second click then works as expected.

 

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,970]

9 hours ago, AlbertR said:

Note linking itself works if EN is already running. If you click on an internal note URL and EN10 is not running, it starts but comes up without the requested note displayed. 

I just tested and can confirm this rather surprising behavior. I never noticed it before because normally there is never a time when Evernote is not running on my computer. So, @gazumped, is Evernote running on your system when this works:

1 hour ago, gazumped said:

4. Copying the link to another installed app I get Evernote opening up to display the linked page again.

 

[gazumped 11,690]

3 minutes ago, Dave-in-Decatur said:

is Evernote running on your system when this works:

Curioser & Curioser....  In my example I quit out of Evernote before trying the link,  and either the browser offered to reopen it... and then did;  or from another app Evernote was relaunched to show the note.  I checked my tray icons,  and there's no Evernote icon after I quit out,  neither is Task Manager showing any process.

OK - I got it!  I Filtered by one notebook and copied several note links from that notebook into a new ToC note.  Using that note via the filter,  if I click on a link I wind up at the home page,  not the page I was looking for.

...and now those links are working to go to the individual pages again...because I'm looking at the notebook listing.

...and if I go back to the Filter I get home pages again.

I think I need to go lie down now...  

 

[Mike P 2,651]

2 minutes ago, gazumped said:

OK - I got it!  I Filtered by one notebook and copied several note links from that notebook into a new ToC note.  Using that note via the filter,  if I click on a link I wind up at the home page,  not the page I was looking for.

...and now those links are working to go to the individual pages again...because I'm looking at the notebook listing.

...and if I go back to the Filter I get home pages again.

I think I need to go lie down now...  

Thankyou for having the patience and tenacity to bother to understand and then replicate the problem!

[Jackz 1]

Any update on this issue? I am experiencing the same issue where when I have a filter on, the link does not send me to the correct location or does not provide me with the linked note. I have to remove the filters for the linked note to show up. Seemingly this feels like a bug. 

[gazumped 11,690]

No updates that I'm aware of...  contact Support with your details to get this fixed sooner rather than later...