Evernote imports .enex files from a doubleclick without user confirmation

[abdu 46]

I exported my notebooks using a tool to .enex files. I doubleclicked on an .enex thinking Windows was going to ask me which app to use. I wanted to see what's inside the file so I was going to use a text editor. What happened is that EverNote imported the file without asking me first. WTH! This operation seems to be too dangerous without prompting the user for confirmation first. I understand that .enex files are associated with Evernote. However if that .enex was an old one, I am not sure what state the notebook would have been in after the import and I might have lost some notes if the import synchronizes with the file. I won't be happy.

[Mike P 2,643]

2 hours ago, abdu said:

I exported my notebooks using a tool to .enex files. I doubleclicked on an .enex thinking Windows was going to ask me which app to use. I wanted to see what's inside the file so I was going to use a text editor. What happened is that EverNote imported the file without asking me first. WTH! This operation seems to be too dangerous without prompting the user for confirmation first. I understand that .enex files are associated with Evernote. However if that .enex was an old one, I am not sure what state the notebook would have been in after the import and I might have lost some notes if the import synchronizes with the file. I won't be happy.

I don't think you really need to worry. My experience is that when EN imports an enex file it creates a new note which is nothing to do with the original note that you exported. If you exported in error you can simply delete it. If you are worried, simply change the association within your operating system to either nothing or a text editor. However, I don't know whether that would survive a new instalation from the frequent updates.

[Boot17 1,455]

If the ENEX is a large one, it could exceed the storage limits and effectively lock you out for a month. I mean that's probably (?) a rare care, but seems like it would be a good idea to confirm on bigger imports vs auto-importing.

[PinkElephant 8,121]

If you double click on a file in Windows, and there is a standard app defined for this format, it will open the file in that standard app. That is nothing we should even need to discuss. With ENEX opening means importing.

Since the import creates a new notebook, names it after the imported ENEX file and stuffs all notes into it, it is very simple to solve the double content. Just erase the notebook, which will send all notes to the trash, and then empty the trash.

Depending on the size of the ENEX file, it will consume a chunk of your upload limit. Usually I have a good part of my allowance unused when it resets itself, so for me this would not be a major issue. If it is for you, use the option on exporting to split the ENEX file into several smaller files.

And the next time, if you want to run secondary actions on a file like opening it with another app: The appropriate move it a right (secondary) mouse click, and then „Open with …“ plus the app of choice.

[abdu 46]

1 hour ago, PinkElephant said:

If you double click on a file in Windows, and there is a standard app defined for this format, it will open the file in that standard app. That is nothing we should even need to discuss. With ENEX opening means importing.

Since the import creates a new notebook, names it after the imported ENEX file and stuffs all notes into it, it is very simple to solve the double content. Just erase the notebook, which will send all notes to the trash, and then empty the trash.

Depending on the size of the ENEX file, it will consume a chunk of your upload limit. Usually I have a good part of my allowance unused when it resets itself, so for me this would not be a major issue. If it is for you, use the option on exporting to split the ENEX file into several smaller files.

And the next time, if you want to run secondary actions on a file like opening it with another app: The appropriate move it a right (secondary) mouse click, and then „Open with …“ plus the app of choice.

I know if a file extension is an associated with an app, doubleclicking opens the app. I already mentioned this fact. The normal operation is it OPENS the app and READS the file. Not some operation that might appear destructive like an import. I didn't know .enex extension was already associated with Everynote.

I imported an enex called 'Medical' which is an export of a notebook called 'Medical'. I don't see another notebook with Medical in the name.

I am saying the proper thing to do is add a confirmation before doing an import. You can discuss this instead of telling me how I can open a file.

 

[abdu 46]

2 hours ago, Boot17 said:

If the ENEX is a large one, it could exceed the storage limits and effectively lock you out for a month. I mean that's probably (?) a rare care, but seems like it would be a good idea to confirm on bigger imports vs auto-importing.

Yes there should be an 'Are you sure?" prompt before importing' Any operation in any app that can have an adverse effect MUST always verify with the user first.

[Mike P 2,643]

1 hour ago, abdu said:

I am saying the proper thing to do is add a confirmation before doing an import.

I'm not sure that that is really practical. I don't get a message from Word every time I open a word document saying "do you really want to open this Word file in Word". Other than @Boot17's good point about upload limits, there is no harm done by opening the file. It will always be added to the default notebook and you can delete it if you need to. I'm not sure that an app opening a file that is associated with that app is particularly newsworthy.

 

1 hour ago, abdu said:

I imported an enex called 'Medical' which is an export of a notebook called 'Medical'. I don't see another notebook with Medical in the name.

For info, what EN does to an enex file depends on how you open it in EN. See

 

 

 

[abdu 46]

43 minutes ago, Mike P said:

I'm not sure that that is really practical. I don't get a message from Word every time I open a word document saying "do you really want to open this Word file in Word". Other than @Boot17's good point about upload limits, there is no harm done by opening the file. It will always be added to the default notebook and you can delete it if you need to. I'm not sure that an app opening a file that is associated with that app is particularly newsworthy.

 

For info, what EN does to an enex file depends on how you open it in EN. See

 

 

 

When you open a file in Word, all it does it opens it. No state has changed. No harm done. Opening an .enex file and it says ok imported, it's a jarring UX. Where did it go? Did it merge with an existing notebook? Did it sync with it? Did it overwrite something? Did it add something? Did it...? Did it..? Can I undo the import? Did it sync already with the other devices? Too many uncomfortable questions. Surely you can't compare this experience with opening a file in Word. There's no comparison. In Word, just close the file if you accidently opened it.

What's the objection to a confirmation dialog? There can be a 'Do not show again' checkbox and if you don't want to see it again, simply check the box.
A good UX is one that makes everyone happy. I don't like surprises and importing an .enex file without me knowing exactly what is happening is not a good experience.

If there's a manual or documentation that explains what happens during an import, Well OK. How many people will read the docs just before double clicking an .enex file? Either no one or very very few people.


 

[PinkElephant 8,121]

Why do you ask questions here that you could answer by a simple search of the EN help database ? Is it asked too much to inform yourself ?

Here you go:

https://help.evernote.com/hc/en-us/articles/360035153274

The other approach to learn how it works would be to export a notebook, and import it again. What happens is this: With the double click, the EN application is started, and the ENEX file is imported into a new notebook, with the ENEX file name plus the word "Imported" - slightly different on Windows and Mac.

All imported notes are in there. You can get rid of it again by sending the notebook to the trash - this moves all notes to the trash as well.

That's it ...

About a confirmation notice: Windows Vista had these "Oh, let the user confirm it before ...". A joke back then was if a car would be running on Windows Vista, and had a crash. Popup in the display "We detected a possible crash. Do you want us to open the Airbags ?". And then a list of options, including "Maybe", "Let me think it over" and "Yes please, but do it softly".

No airbags needed on importing ENEX files into EN.

 

 

[abdu 46]

2 hours ago, PinkElephant said:

Why do you ask questions here that you could answer by a simple search of the EN help database ? Is it asked too much to inform yourself ?

Here you go:

https://help.evernote.com/hc/en-us/articles/360035153274

The other approach to learn how it works would be to export a notebook, and import it again. What happens is this: With the double click, the EN application is started, and the ENEX file is imported into a new notebook, with the ENEX file name plus the word "Imported" - slightly different on Windows and Mac.

All imported notes are in there. You can get rid of it again by sending the notebook to the trash - this moves all notes to the trash as well.

That's it ...

About a confirmation notice: Windows Vista had these "Oh, let the user confirm it before ...". A joke back then was if a car would be running on Windows Vista, and had a crash. Popup in the display "We detected a possible crash. Do you want us to open the Airbags ?". And then a list of options, including "Maybe", "Let me think it over" and "Yes please, but do it softly".

No airbags needed on importing ENEX files into EN.

 

 

Why don't you try it for yourself before you jump to the keyboard and reply with an annoying attitude?
Importing by double clicking doesn't work like importing from the file menu. From the file menu, it imports into a new notebook called (imported) notebookbname. So even the docs is not correct. The docs doesn't mention the parenthesis,
When you doubleclick, it imports into a notebook called Misc. I already had a notebook called Misc, so the silly Evernote merged some notebooks into an existing notebook instead of creating a new one. That's clearly a bug. It should have notified me I already have a notebook called Misc. And why on earth there are two different outcomes for an import operations!?

Your last thing about Vista is pointless and serves no purpose. 
BTW, my post wasn't a question. It's about the lack of a prompt when I doubleclicked. I didn't know it was going to import. It wasn't about how to import. You're annoying and seem to take pleasure in showing people that they are inept. 

 

[PinkElephant 8,121]

Yes, you are so right, you know it better than all software engineers, and better than your fellow users in the forum as well.

No software currently works as you desire, so better start with Microsoft and Apple, to redesign their OS. And take care with your double clicking until you succeed.

[Mike P 2,643]

8 hours ago, abdu said:

When you doubleclick, it imports into a notebook called Misc. I already had a notebook called Misc, so the silly Evernote merged some notebooks into an existing notebook instead of creating a new one.

As I explained in my post above, when you double click an enex file it imports the notes in the enex file  into your default notebook. In your case it is called Misc in my case it is called @inbox. The default notebook is indicated by a star on the notebook icon.  There is no merging of notebooks or anything like that.

If you want to import the notes somewhere else you need one of the other two options. Although the documentation does describe the three different ways of importing an enex file, it doesn't tell you the destination of the notes if you double click the enex file, which is oversight.

Surely double clicking an enex file is something you do once, realise it wasn't what you wanted to do, and never do it again. Not worth slowing up everybody's workflow with an unnecessary warning message (which  was the purpose of @PinkElephant's comment about Vista.)

[abdu 46]

11 hours ago, PinkElephant said:

Yes, you are so right, you know it better than all software engineers, and better than your fellow users in the forum as well.

No software currently works as you desire, so better start with Microsoft and Apple, to redesign their OS. And take care with your double clicking until you succeed.

Elephant man, I can propose recommendations and auggestions. BTW I am a software engineer and I can see most software is broken one way or another. Why don't you once in your life time admit Evernote has some faults instead of defending it all the time.

Doubleclicking an .enex file does tell you the destination. In my case, it was the Miss notebook. Someone said it's because it's my default notebook. I don't recall making it the default notebook. It should place it in a new notebook, just like the import from the file menu. Import should work the same way regardless of how the user launches it.
Merging it in my default notebook is not what I wanted. That's why there should be a prompt because for some users it's not the desired effect and there's no way to undo it. The prompt slowed you down and your life became miserable? Then check the 'Do not show again' check box which is the proper UX/UI that should have been done. That's what I proposed. Evernote has issues and bugs. Stop shooting down ideas to make it better. It's stupid. I never understood why some people oppose a suggested feature that is helpful to users and which can be easily turned off. You don't even have to go looking for it to turn it off.

[abdu 46]

8 hours ago, Mike P said:

As I explained in my post above, when you double click an enex file it imports the notes in the enex file  into your default notebook. In your case it is called Misc in my case it is called @inbox. The default notebook is indicated by a star on the notebook icon.  There is no merging of notebooks or anything like that.

If you want to import the notes somewhere else you need one of the other two options. Although the documentation does describe the three different ways of importing an enex file, it doesn't tell you the destination of the notes if you double click the enex file, which is oversight.

Surely double clicking an enex file is something you do once, realise it wasn't what you wanted to do, and never do it again. Not worth slowing up everybody's workflow with an unnecessary warning message (which  was the purpose of @PinkElephant's comment about Vista.)

I wasn't aware I had a default notebook or such thing existed. I have been using it for many many years and maybe it's something I did very long time ago which I don't recall now. The import message could have been more descrptiive by saying something.. notes have been imported into your default Notebook, Misc. 

The notebooks I doubleclicked as testing were imported into Misc. Merge and import mean the same thing to me. Merge is importing into an existing notebook.

[Mike P 2,643]

You have to have a default notebook - there is no choice. That's where EN puts anything it doesn't know what to do with.

5 minutes ago, abdu said:

The import message could have been more descrptiive by saying something.. notes have been imported into your default Notebook, Misc. 

I agree that would be helpful.

 

15 minutes ago, abdu said:

Import should work the same way regardless of how the user launches it.

I don't agree. If I want to add notes to an existing notebook I want the option to do so. At the moment I can drag the enex file into that notebook which works great.