Search isn't working correctly

[Terrie 0]

HI there, 

I am having issues using search within a notebook.  When I click to search and enter the keyword nothing is returned.  However, when I scroll down to the note I am looking for the key word I was searching, in this case the name of a city, is in the title and numerous times within the note itself.  This is happening in Windows and iOS.  Is anyone else having this issue? 

[gazumped 11,699]

Hi.  Not that I'm aware of.  How are you using search within a notebook?  Does the city name include any unusual characters?

[gsmith58v3 28]

This morning I ran across one exact string that wouldn't return results until I truncated it to 12 characters. This didn't return anything: UI_RE_GEN_STU_FULL_TERM_FREEZE. There are several notes with this string. This truncated piece UI_RE_GEN_STU returned the notes.

I thought it might be the underscores, but this similar UI_RE_GEN_STUDENT_FREEZE string returns notes just fine.

Gremlins. This isn't a big deal when you know the term is there, but if you're searching for something less obvious, it doesn't instill confidence.

Perhaps I'm missing something.

[gazumped 11,699]

Hmmn.  Added UI_RE_GEN_STU_FULL_TERM_FREEZE to an old note and created a new one with that title.  Gave it a few minutes and searched - both turn up immediately.

In both cases here - maybe refresh the search indexes from the server by signing out of Evernote and deleting your local database / power the device off and on / sign in again.

Worst case - you may need a Revo/ Appcleaner uninstall and clean reinstall to refresh everything.

[gsmith58v3 28]

Yeah, that's what I thought too—probably the index. I just hate when odd stuff like this crops up. I used to do that process once in a while, and I specifically purchased Revo for that purpose. I haven't done it for a while, so there is a good chance that you've nailed the issue and the solution.

Thanks for the advice.

[dannydu 24]

Hi, I have noticed an issue just now when searching for a specific note "the go to" for some notes does not work anymore, it does not show the 'searched' note in the go to bar.

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,977]

Please don't double post. It's confusing and adds to the work of trying to help.

[ksrhee2415 2]

I can confirm both the search and filter are not working properly, especially ones that look for "contained". None of the notes with checkboxes, lists, etc. are being identified in my notes.  

[ksrhee2415 2]

Just to clarify I use Mac OS and iOS, and both platforms show the issues.

[gazumped 11,699]

On 12/13/2023 at 3:04 PM, ksrhee2415 said:

I can confirm both the search and filter are not working properly, especially ones that look for "contained". None of the notes with checkboxes, lists, etc. are being identified in my notes.  

Are you on Evernote 10.68.2?  Checkboxes seems to work for me on Windows 11 - Lists...not so much...

[ksrhee2415 2]

OK.  I had a chance to test this.  This is what I found.

If you have a checkbox in isolation, it finds the checkbox, but the minute you create a list with more than one, it does not find it.

I'm using the latest Mac version.  The same issue exists with the iOS version.

 

[Mike P 2,667]

9 hours ago, ksrhee2415 said:

If you have a checkbox in isolation, it finds the checkbox, but the minute you create a list with more than one, it does not find it.

Are you talking about a list of checkboxes or a checlist! The filter and search syntax only works on checkboxes. It does not work on checklists.

[ksrhee2415 2]

7 hours ago, Mike P said:

Are you talking about a list of checkboxes or a checlist! The filter and search syntax only works on checkboxes. It does not work on checklists.

I am talking about a list of checkboxes.  The search for checkboxes does not find the list if there is more than one checkbox.

[Mike P 2,667]

35 minutes ago, ksrhee2415 said:

 The search for checkboxes does not find the list if there is more than one checkbox.

That is not my experience. Just to make sure we are absolutely crystal clear here is a screen shot of a "list" of checkboxes vs a checklist. They are quite different. Note, that to keep a "list of checkboxes" from converting into a checklist you need to put a character infront of the checkbox (a period in my screenshot)

So to reiterate, the filter will only find checkboxes (as many as you like) and will not find checklists. I generally like checklists because of the ease of dragging items around in the list - however the inability to search for them directly is slightly irritating.

[ksrhee2415 2]

Thanks for your reply. I appreciate your explanation of the differences.  Regardless the nomenclature, the behavior I need to have is not happening.

I have tested this multiple times to confirm.  The program does not search for the list of checkboxes.

For example, it will not find a note with the following list of checkboxes.  Again, I'm using Mac, iOS and Web, and I can duplicate this in all of my platforms.

Thanks.

[Mike P 2,667]

2 minutes ago, ksrhee2415 said:

The program does not search for the list of checkboxes.

That is a checklist. They are not checkboxes. Look carefully at my screenshot. They are not green and they do not have a character infront of them. If you "complete" one you will get a tick not a cross.

[ksrhee2415 2]

Again, thanks.  Regardless of the nomenclature, it is annoying that I cannot search for the checklist since that is most likely what I have in my notes

[Mike P 2,667]

Just now, ksrhee2415 said:

Again, thanks.  Regardless of nomenclature, the behavior I cannot search for the checklist.

Correct. You cannot search for checklists, which in my opinion is an omission. You can use a list of  checkboxes if you do need to search for notes containing checkboxes but you do need to make sure they don't accidentally get converted into a checklist.

Having both checklists and checkboxes is confusing although both are useful once you get your head around them.

[ksrhee2415 2]

Again, thanks!  For myself, I tend to create checklists (a list containing checkboxes) more than likely than a single isolated checkbox or what you suggest (adding a character in front of the checkbox).  This is a shortcoming in the program in my book.

[Tim Hudson 2]

Search has a lot of problems - listed below is a very simple test case that shows a problem with search.

 

I have a notebook with four notes.  One note has only the word tomato in the note with no title.  A search for tomat finds the note.  (tomato without the "o".)

Clearing the search and searching for -tomat also finds the note as well.  Same search, one with a minus sign, one without a minus sign, both find the note regardless. They should be mutually exclusive.

 

Now putting tomato in the title and changing tomato to potato in the note contenT.  

A search for intitle:tomat finds the note.

Clearing the search and searching for -intitle:tomat finds the note as well.  Same search, one with a minus sign, one without a minus sign, both find the note regardless. They should be mutually exclusive.

However, a search for -intitle:tomato does not find the note while a search for intitle:tomato does find the note.  This would seem to be expected behavior.

[gazumped 11,699]

Hi.  If you are a subscriber,  try https://help.evernote.com/hc/requests/new - we're mainly other users here...

[Mike P 2,667]

10 hours ago, Tim Hudson said:

Search has a lot of problems - listed below is a very simple test case that shows a problem with search.

Two questions:

• Do you get the same result on the web version?
• How about using the wild card character. e.g.

  -intitle:tomat*

   

[Tim Hudson 2]

4 hours ago, Mike P said:

Two questions:

• Do you get the same result on the web version?
• How about using the wild card character. e.g.

  -intitle:tomat*

   

On the web version:

For tomato in the note, but untitled

Searching for tomat finds the note

Searching for -tomat finds the note

 

For tomato in the title and potato in the note content

Searching for intitle:tomat finds the note

Searching for -intitle:tomat finds the  note

 

Searching for intitle:tomato finds the note

Searching for -intitle:tomato does not find the note

 

Searching for intitle:tomat* finds the note

Searching for -intitle:tomat* does not find the note

 

For the untitled note with tomato in the note content

Searching for tomat* finds the note

Searching for -tomat* does not find the note

 

Another set of cases (on both Windows desktop and web UNO):

Two notes - one with 2019 in the title and in the note content, one with 2020 in the title and in the note content

Searching for intitle:202 finds the note with 2020 in the title and the content

Searching for intitle:201 does not find the note with 2019 in the title and the content on the desktop, but does find it on the web version  *******

Searching for intitle:20 does not find either the 2020 note nor the 2019 note on the desktop but does find both on the web version *******

Searching for intitle:20* does not find either the 2020 note nor the 2019 note on the desktop but does find both on the web version ********

Searching for intitle:201* does not find the 2019 note on the desktop version but does find it on the web version *********

Searching for intitle:202* finds the 2020 note 

 

These two seem to be correct in that the 2020 note does not contain the independent word 202 and the 2019 note does not contain the independent word 201 

Searching for -intitle:202 finds the note with 2020 in the title and the content

Searching for -intitle:201 finds the note with 2019 in the title and the content

 

However, 

Searching for -intitle:201* finds the note with 2019 in the title and the content on the desktop version but not on the web version ********

But searching for -intitle:202* does not find the note with 2020 in the title and the content.

 

 

Using Windows Desktop verson:

10.74.1-win-ddl-public (20240130023748)
Editor: v176.52.0
Service: v1.90.1
© 2019 - 2024 Evernote Corporation. All rights reserved

on Windows 10

 

 

 

 

 

[Mike P 2,667]

Well it's obviously not straightforward. I would be inclined to clear the local database and see if that helps. Sign out of EN and choose "remove my Evernote data from this device". You can then sign back in. All the data will be downloaded again. This may take some time but EN should be usable in the mean time.

Otherwise you might need to contact support and see if they can solve it. I've just tried all your examples and all of them worked as I would expect so I don't think it is a general problem.

[Tim Hudson 2]

3 minutes ago, Mike P said:

Well it's obviously not straightforward. I would be inclined to clear the local database and see if that helps. Sign out of EN and choose "remove my Evernote data from this device". You can then sign back in. All the data will be downloaded again. This may take some time but EN should be usable in the mean time.

Otherwise you might need to contact support and see if they can solve it. I've just tried all your examples and all of them worked as I would expect so I don't think it is a general problem.

Not sure how you could get "worked as expected" when the web version doesn't work.

For example:

On the web version:

For a note with tomato in the contents of the note, but untitled

Searching for tomat finds the note

Searching for -tomat also finds the note

These are mutually exclusive search requests, yet EN finds the note in both cases.  Working properly for a search for "tomat" would mean that EN would not find a note that only had the word "tomato" in it.  Without the * at the end, it is supposed to find "tomat" separated by "white space", not "tomato".  Searching for "tomat*" should find notes with "tomato", "tomatoes", "tomatosauce", etc.  

 

On the web version:

For tomato in the title and potato in the contents of the note:

Searching for intitle:tomat finds the note

Searching for -intitle:tomat finds the  note

These are likewise mutually exclusive, yet EN finds the note in both cases.  Working properly for a search for "tomat" in the title would mean that EN would not find a note that only had the word "tomato" in the title.  Without the * at the end, it is supposed to find "tomat" separated by "white space" in the title, not "tomato".  Searching for "intitle:tomat*" should find notes with "tomato", "tomatoes", "tomatosauce", etc. in the title.

So those are searches on the web version - the contents of any local information should not impact the web version results.

 

 

In addition, I have a second computer, running Windows 11.  and it is also running desktop version 10.74.1

10.74.1-win-ddl-public (20240130023748)
Editor: v176.52.0
Service: v1.90.1
© 2019 - 2024 Evernote Corporation. All rights reserved

On the Windows 11 computer ("confirmed" meaning I have re-tested these cases on the Windows 11 computer and found the same results as on the Windows 10 computer - thereby, to me, this would indicate an issue with "local" data is likely not the cause - but I will try the clearing of the local data on the Windows 11 computer when finished here - if the results change, I will then perform the clearing on the Windows 10 computer):

For tomato in the contents of the note, but untitled

Searching for tomat finds the note (confirmed) (same on iOS 10.68.0 (1216171))

Searching for -tomat finds the note (confirmed) (same on iOS 10.68.0 (1216171))

these should be mutually exclusive searches , yet EN finds the note in both cases.  Working properly for a search for "tomat" would mean that EN would not find a note that only had the word "tomato" in it.  Without the * at the end, it is supposed to find "tomat" separated by "white space", not "tomato".  Searching for "tomat*" should find notes with "tomato", "tomatoes", "tomatosauce", etc..  

 

For tomato in the title and potato in the note content 

Searching for intitle:tomat finds the note (confirmed)

Searching for -intitle:tomat finds the  note (confirmed)

these should be mutually exclusive searches, yet EN finds the note in both cases.  Working properly for a search for "tomat" in the title would mean that EN would not find a note that only had the word "tomato" in the title.  Without the * at the end, it is supposed to find "tomat" separated by "white space" in the title, not "tomato".  Searching for "intitle:tomat*" should find notes with "tomato", "tomatoes", "tomatosauce", etc. in the title.

 

Searching for intitle:tomato finds the note (confirmed)

Searching for -intitle:tomato does not find the note (confirmed)

these work as expected - i.e. the note with the independent word "tomato" in the title was found with intitle:tomato and the note with the independent word "tomato" in the title was not found with -intitle:tomato

 

Searching for intitle:tomat* finds the note (confirmed)

Searching for -intitle:tomat* does not find the note (confirmed) 

these work as expected - i.e.  the note with the word in the title that starts with "tomat" was found with intitle:tomat* and the note with the word in the title starting with "tomat" in the title was not found with -intitle:tomat*

 

For the untitled note with tomato in the note content

Searching for tomat* finds the note (confirmed) (same on iOS 10.68.0 (1216171))

Searching for -tomat* does not find the note (confirmed) (same on iOS 10.68.0 (1216171))

these work as expected - i.e. searching for "tomat*" should find a note with "tomato" in the note and searching for "-tomat*" should not find a note with "tomato" in the note.

 

Another set of cases (on both Windows desktop and web UNO):

Two notes - one with 2019 in the title and in the note content, one with 2020 in the title and in the note content

Searching for intitle:202 finds the note with 2020 in the title and the content (confirmed)

Searching for intitle:201 does not find the note with 2019 in the title and the content (confirmed)

Searching for intitle:20 does not find either the 2020 note nor the 2019 note (confirmed)

Searching for intitle:20* does not find either the 2020 note nor the 2019 note (confirmed)

Searching for intitle:201* does not find the 2019 note (confirmed)

Searching for intitle:202* finds the 2020 note (confirmed)

 

These two seem to be correct in that the 2020 note does not contain the independent word 202 and the 2019 note does not contain the independent word 201 

Searching for -intitle:202 finds the note with 2020 in the title and the content as "202" is not in the note as a standalone word (confirmed)

Searching for -intitle:201 finds the note with 2019 in the title and the content as "201" is not in the note as a standalone word (confirmed)

 

However, 

Searching for -intitle:201* finds the note with 2019 in the title and the content (confirmed) - the search should not have found this note

But searching for -intitle:202* does not find the note with 2020 in the title and the content.(confirmed) - works as expected

 

So two different computers with version 10.74.1 Windows Desktop (one running Windows 10 and one running Windows 11) get identical results for these tests, but the results are different on the web version.  That would seem to indicate to me that the codings are different between the Web client and the Windows Desktop client, but there is likely not an issue with local data causing this behavior.

 

As a general statement, on the iOS version, the tests with 2020 and 2019 notes generated results even more bizarre.  So as not to confuse the above even more, I will hold off on discussion those.

 

[AlbertR 542]

Huh - could you please try to make a decision matrix? Normally I like to solve such tricky questions but your tests are somewhat complicated to follow 😉

Searching in EN is based/supported by (large) indexes that are calculated during note collection phases on server and on client site. AFAIK index databases are not synced (hasn't been synced at least in Legacy times). So it might be possible that the index DBs might give different results in case of WEB queries (server index) and local APPs (local index and|or server index if local DB is not completely synced) - if there have been errors during index creation/managements.

Moreover there might be minor differences on search methodologies on server vs. client site because it's not the identical (same) code (implemented in different programming languages?...). At least with searching based on tags with special characters and wildcards I've found differences between searches on server and client side...

If I find some time the next days, I'll try to go into this. 🙏

[gazumped 11,699]

Hmmn.  I think there's one bug in there at least - the "-tomat" example works correctly for me if there's another word in the note;  i.e. use tomato and potato and you can exclude a hit on either word.  I'm on Win11 currently and I have titled most of my notes with a year - haven't noticed any anomalies with the intitle: searches there.  While the discussion is interesting I don't plan on spending my day trying to find holes in the search logic - please report any issues to Support so they can figure it out.

[Mike P 2,667]

11 hours ago, Tim Hudson said:

Not sure how you could get "worked as expected" when the web version doesn't work.

It works OK for me on the desktop and web version using examples of your type of searches on my account. I'm just another user so I obviously can't access your account and run your searches on your data!

[AlbertR 542]

So, after some time of tests, I've a good feeling about ENs search quality 👍. All is running fine (EN10-Win-App, EN10-WEB and Legacy 😉)

 

@Tim Hudson - I think You started with Evernote Search Grammar because your example around "tomato" sounds like "potato" from that document...

 

But: The document does not mention a minor difference of interpreting search strings between search for anything and search for anything BUT NOT... You wrote

• Searching for tomat finds the note
• Searching for -tomat also finds the note
• These are mutually exclusive search requests, yet EN finds the note in both cases.

Difference is:

• If EN has to find "tomat", it matches any word that starts with "tomat" and ends with anything thereafter - just like you are searching for "tomat*"
  • This is convenient practice in all search engines
     
• If EN has to find all BUT NOT "tomat" (-tomat), it removes matches with exact word "tomat" found
  • If you want to exclude all with words starting with "tomat", you have to write -tomat*

So 

• Searching for tomat* finds the note
• Searching for -tomat* inhibits the note from result list.
• This is really mutually exclusive 😀

[Tim Hudson 2]

1 hour ago, AlbertR said:

So, after some time of tests, I've a good feeling about ENs search quality 👍. All is running fine (EN10-Win-App, EN10-WEB and Legacy 😉)

 

@Tim Hudson - I think You started with Evernote Search Grammar because your example around "tomato" sounds like "potato" from that document...

 

But: The document does not mention a minor difference of interpreting search strings between search for anything and search for anything BUT NOT... You wrote

• Searching for tomat finds the note
• Searching for -tomat also finds the note
• These are mutually exclusive search requests, yet EN finds the note in both cases.

Difference is:

• If EN has to find "tomat", it matches any word that starts with "tomat" and ends with anything thereafter - just like you are searching for "tomat*"
  • This is convenient practice in all search engines
     
• If EN has to find all BUT NOT "tomat" (-tomat), it removes matches with exact word "tomat" found
  • If you want to exclude all with words starting with "tomat", you have to write -tomat*

So 

• Searching for tomat* finds the note
• Searching for -tomat* inhibits the note from result list.
• This is really mutually exclusive 😀

So what you are saying is that in the positive, searching for "tomat" is the same as searching for "tomat*" but in the negative, searching for "-tomat" is not the same as searching for "-tomat*".  Interesting - had never seen that explanation before.  Thanks

[Tim Hudson 2]

1 hour ago, AlbertR said:

So, after some time of tests, I've a good feeling about ENs search quality 👍. All is running fine (EN10-Win-App, EN10-WEB and Legacy 😉)

 

@Tim Hudson - I think You started with Evernote Search Grammar because your example around "tomato" sounds like "potato" from that document...

 

But: The document does not mention a minor difference of interpreting search strings between search for anything and search for anything BUT NOT... You wrote

• Searching for tomat finds the note
• Searching for -tomat also finds the note
• These are mutually exclusive search requests, yet EN finds the note in both cases.

Difference is:

• If EN has to find "tomat", it matches any word that starts with "tomat" and ends with anything thereafter - just like you are searching for "tomat*"
  • This is convenient practice in all search engines
     
• If EN has to find all BUT NOT "tomat" (-tomat), it removes matches with exact word "tomat" found
  • If you want to exclude all with words starting with "tomat", you have to write -tomat*

So 

• Searching for tomat* finds the note
• Searching for -tomat* inhibits the note from result list.
• This is really mutually exclusive 😀

If I could engage you in a conversation on one more example:

Based on what you were saying, the Web results are correct.  It appears a philosophy change occurred between Legacy and v10 in an intitle search regarding whether the note contains the search string as a standalone word, vs. the note containing the search term in a word that starts with the search term.  The results from the Windows desktop version (whether Win 10 or Win 11) and the iOS version make no sense to me. 

 

Thanks in advance for listening.

 

[Mike P 2,667]

2 hours ago, Tim Hudson said:

Based on what you were saying, the Web results are correct.  It appears a philosophy change occurred between Legacy and v10 in an intitle search regarding whether the note contains the search string as a standalone word, vs. the note containing the search term in a word that starts with the search term.  The results from the Windows desktop version (whether Win 10 or Win 11) and the iOS version make no sense to me. 

So if the web version is correct (well at least consistent) and the desktop version isn't then it is definitely worth trying to clear tre local database and see if that helps. 

[Tim Hudson 2]

31 minutes ago, Mike P said:

So if the web version is correct (well at least consistent) and the desktop version isn't then it is definitely worth trying to clear tre local database and see if that helps. 

Just as an  FYI, I signed out of Evernote and selected the option to remove my data from the device on my Windows 11 PC.  I signed back in and performed the tests again - I got the same results.

***UPDATED*** - I just signed out of Evernote and cleared the data on my Windows 10 computer.  After signing back in, I again get the same results. 

[Tim Hudson 2]

On 2/6/2024 at 12:30 PM, Mike P said:

So if the web version is correct (well at least consistent) and the desktop version isn't then it is definitely worth trying to clear tre local database and see if that helps. 

I just found something that is very interesting.  I sign out - clear the data from my computer - sign back in.  If I quickly do the searches that I was having issues with, the searches work properly.  By the time I have checked them all and then go back to reverify, the searches do not work anymore again.  I have repeated this process three times now.  Same results.  

e.g.

• intitle:201 finds the 2019 note
• intitle:201* finds the 2019 note
• -intitle:201* finds the 2020 note
• intitle:20 finds both notes
• -intitle:20 finds both notes
• intitle:20* finds both notes
• -intitle:20* finds no notes

The results are just like the web version - however, within about a minute or so, the results go back to the erroneous ones shown in the table.  e.g. on the second time through after about a minute, searching for intitle:201 shows no notes found, intitle:201* shows no notes found, and so on.

In fact, if I do the sign-out, clear, sign-in and search for intitle:201 it will show the 2019 note for about a minute and then it will disappear - showing no notes found.  I've attached a video clip (hopefully it works) - at 1:29 the note disappears

 

***EDITED***

I just updated to v10.75.2 Windows Desktop and still have the same issue occuring (disappearing search result).  I am a member of Harmon Enterprises Academy and was suggested to tag @Federico Simionato  

[PinkElephant 8,174]

3 hours ago, Tim Hudson said:

 

• intitle:201 finds the 2019 note                   expected
• intitle:201* finds the 2019 note                 expected
• -intitle:201* finds the 2020 note                expected
• intitle:20 finds both notes                           expected
• -intitle:20 finds both notes                          expected (there is something else than "20" in the title)
• intitle:20* finds both notes                         expected
• -intitle:20* finds no notes                            expected (the wildcard makes the difference)

[Tim Hudson 2]

1 hour ago, PinkElephant said:

4 hours ago, Tim Hudson said:

 

• intitle:201 finds the 2019 note                   expected
• intitle:201* finds the 2019 note                 expected
• -intitle:201* finds the 2020 note                expected
• intitle:20 finds both notes                           expected
• -intitle:20 finds both notes                          expected (there is something else than "20" in the title)
• intitle:20* finds both notes                         expected
• -intitle:20* finds no notes                            expected (the wildcard makes the difference)

Agreed.  If you read the post, all of these results were as expected - they matched what I was seeing in the web-based client.  The issue was that these results in the Windows Desktop client were found immediately after performing a sign-out, clearing the data from the computer, signing back in and performing the tests.  HOWEVER, after about a minute and a half, doing a reverification, the results went back to the erroneous results previously reported. intitle:201 went from finding the 2019 note to not finding the note.  intitle:201* went from finding the 2019 note to not finding the note after about a minute and a half - like it was reading data from one place immediately after the sign-out, clear data, sign-in and test and then went back to  reading different data a minute and a half later and obtaining different results.  Like it was in the process of downloading data back onto my computer and once the downloaded data made it to my machine, search results changed.

The enclosed video shows that a change occurs about 1 minute and 30 seconds into the video, where a search changed from finding a note to then showing not finding a result with no intervention on my part - I did the search and then just sat there, recording my screen,  watching my screen and Evernote changed the results on its own, right there in front of me.  That was totally UNEXPECTED behavior on the part of the Evernote Windows Desktop client.  I have no explanation for it.  I was totally baffled when I saw it. It may be a corruption in my Evernote data that makes its presence known as it gets downloaded back onto my computer, but I don't have a clue as to what to look for.

[Tim Hudson 2]

12 hours ago, AlbertR said:

So, after some time of tests, I've a good feeling about ENs search quality 👍. All is running fine (EN10-Win-App, EN10-WEB and Legacy 😉)

 

@Tim Hudson - I think You started with Evernote Search Grammar because your example around "tomato" sounds like "potato" from that document...

 

But: The document does not mention a minor difference of interpreting search strings between search for anything and search for anything BUT NOT... You wrote

• Searching for tomat finds the note
• Searching for -tomat also finds the note
• These are mutually exclusive search requests, yet EN finds the note in both cases.

Difference is:

• If EN has to find "tomat", it matches any word that starts with "tomat" and ends with anything thereafter - just like you are searching for "tomat*"
  • This is convenient practice in all search engines
     
• If EN has to find all BUT NOT "tomat" (-tomat), it removes matches with exact word "tomat" found
  • If you want to exclude all with words starting with "tomat", you have to write -tomat*

So 

• Searching for tomat* finds the note
• Searching for -tomat* inhibits the note from result list.
• This is really mutually exclusive 😀

Google's search doesn't work exactly as you said - it gives the option to search for the search term as entered or to search with included results:

But I'll go with the assumption that there was a conscious change by the Evernote developers between Legacy and v10 to perform the intitle search as you described. 

 

[PinkElephant 8,174]

Nobody knows (or should know) how EXACTLY Google search works. At least that’s the official line. Advanced search grammar is documented and should deliver consistent results over clients.

[AlbertR 542]

15 hours ago, Tim Hudson said:

If I could engage you in a conversation on one more example:

OK, you succeeded in getting me back - but failed to trigger your findings on my computer 😉

All tests with [-][intitle:]20[1][*] immediately after startup or after 1-2-5 minutes showed correct results in EN10-Win-APP, EN10-WEP and Legacy.

If the Win-APP changes its behaviour during sync operations it might be the case that a local indexing phase is in process. As long as it detects that local data is not complete, it should use the server generated index. Maybe there are problems with that communication? Don't know and will never know as we cannot look into this...

5 hours ago, Tim Hudson said:

Google's search doesn't work exactly as you said - it gives the option to search for the search term as entered or to search with included results:

Nope. It works exactly as I said but offers (with many words) what EN does silently:

• tomat
  • includes results for "tomato"
• "tomat"
  • searches only for "tomat"

[Mike P 2,667]

12 hours ago, Tim Hudson said:

The results are just like the web version - however, within about a minute or so, the results go back to the erroneous ones shown in the table. 

Might be worth going ot the next stage and completely uninstalling EN, using something like the free Revo Uninstaller. Then download and reinstall. 

[Tim Hudson 2]

On 2/7/2024 at 2:36 AM, Mike P said:

Might be worth going ot the next stage and completely uninstalling EN, using something like the free Revo Uninstaller. Then download and reinstall. 

Mike P. - Just a reply comment (and I really appreciate your replies/comments).  As I mentioned, I have an installation of Evernote on three different computers - one has Legacy (which we will ignore in this conversation), one with Windows 10 as the operating system and one with Windows 11 as the operating system.  I have the disappearing search note issue occuring on both of these computers.  So while a complete uninstall could be an answer, it seems odd to me that the same error occurs on both of my computers.  As I mentioned in my edited note, it was recommended to me to tag Federico Simionato on the video comment, so I am going to see if he reviews it and has any comments - therefore I am going to wait on the total uninstall to see if that happens - don't want to create too much of a moving target.  Again, thanks for all of your comments.

[Tim Hudson 2]

On 2/7/2024 at 2:36 AM, Mike P said:

Might be worth going ot the next stage and completely uninstalling EN, using something like the free Revo Uninstaller. Then download and reinstall. 

Mike P - I had another separate issue with Local Notebooks - EN support had me delete the EN folder in %AppData% on my Windows computers and re-install EN.  While this did not resolve my problem, I re-did their instructions and then followed with a complete uninstall of EN (as you had suggested) with RevoUnInstallerPro v5.2.5 and after signing back in my problem with the Local Notebooks got resolved.  It did NOT resolve my Search issues described above (including the disappearing Search Note issue).  One additional comment - I have an EN Free account, so I recreated the test notebook and test notes and I WAS able to find the intitle:201 note AND it did NOT disappear - mirroring your test results.  I'm beginning to conclude that I have some corruption in my EN account data - if so, it may lead to some answers for this and other issues I have been having that other folks haven't been able to duplicate.

[PinkElephant 8,174]

The integrity of the cloud master database can be checked using the web client. It shows the content on the server (and counts as a separate device).

In general don’t perform search testing using a desktop client while the data is still downloading. During the download the local database is still reorganized. I would only start trying after the local database is complete.

[Tim Hudson 2]

On 2/18/2024 at 11:28 PM, PinkElephant said:

The integrity of the cloud master database can be checked using the web client. It shows the content on the server (and counts as a separate device).

In general don’t perform search testing using a desktop client while the data is still downloading. During the download the local database is still reorganized. I would only start trying after the local database is complete.

If I wait for a period of time on my desktop clients, then the search is not successful.  Only if I do it right away after a complete signout (Remove data from computer) and sign back in does it find the note.  Then shortly thereafter it disappears as a "found note".  Now on the web client, it reliably finds the note.  And as mentioned above, I tried the test on my Evenote FREE account and the search is successful.  The "found note" does not disappear.

Therefore, the appearance, at least to me, is that my data in my account is somehow corrupted and impacts the desktop client search functionality.  (I have NUMEROUS other search issues, especially with INTITLE, that might be explained by whatever is going on here).  I could be wrong, but the only place the error/issue occurs is on my desktop client in my PERSONAL account.  I have a support ticket filed to see if EN support can give me any ideas - how to uncorrupt my data or if that is not the case, how to resolve, what appears to be, my isolated problem that others cannot reproduce. 

I am currently exporting all of my notebooks in the event a total reconstruction of my account is needed.  I'm on pins and needles with that if it is required as I have a lot of notes that I can't afford to lose, but way too many to do anything other than an ENEX export by notebook.  Hopefully EN Support will have a working solution.

[gazumped 11,699]

Once you have your local backup complete,  the way to re-download your database from the server and complete a clean reinstall is relatively simple...

1. Sign out of Evernote and uncheck 'save my notes on this device'
2. Uninstall with Appcleaner (Mac) or Revo Uninstaller Free (Windows)
3. Power your device off and back on 
4. Re download the latest version from Evernote.com
5. Reinstall - leave your system running for as long as possible to rebuild the search indexes and complete the local infrastructure.

Takes about 20 minutes and the app is usable immediately,  though maybe slow for a few hours...

[Tim Hudson 2]

9 minutes ago, gazumped said:

Once you have your local backup complete,  the way to re-download your database from the server and complete a clean reinstall is relatively simple...

1. Sign out of Evernote and uncheck 'save my notes on this device'
2. Uninstall with Appcleaner (Mac) or Revo Uninstaller Free (Windows)
3. Power your device off and back on 
4. Re download the latest version from Evernote.com
5. Reinstall - leave your system running for as long as possible to rebuild the search indexes and complete the local infrastructure.

Takes about 20 minutes and the app is usable immediately,  though maybe slow for a few hours...

I've done this - there is no change in behavior.  My thought is that there is something in my account data that gives the Windows Desktop client issues when doing a search.  The web client works.  Creating the test notebook and notes in my Evernote Free account and then searching works.   No one else has been able to replicate my issue.  Their clients/databases work fine. 

I really hate to do this, but I'm beginning to think after I backup all my data via "Export Notebooks" that I will have to delete all my notes FIRST so they are gone from the EN servers, then repeat the procedure you recommend above and then import all of my data back in. I have no way of knowing if importing will bring whatever corruption there might be back to my account.  And I'm REALLY worried that I won't get all of my data back.  And after doing all this work, it still may not solve my problem.

If it were just this little test case, I would have blown it off and let EN deal with it.  But it impacts NUMEROUS search procedures that I am trying to do.  Searches that I thought were functioning, I am now finding they are leaving notes out of the searches, leaving notes in the searches that should have been excluded - just a mess. 

[gazumped 11,699]

10 hours ago, Tim Hudson said:

and then import all of my data back in

Hopefully you're exporting individual notebooks.  Exporting will filter out any corrupted data,  so an import will be a 'cleaned up' version.  But you'll lose any internal links and any incoming external links - new notes get new UIDs.  Importing from an ENEX file also gives you a choice of where to put the new data - so you don't necessarily need to delete an original notebook before you replace it.  You'll at least have a chance to verify that an imported notebook contains the same number of notes as the original.

Beware though that you have an Upload Limit of 10GB per month - you're going to use up a lot of that with a complete account refresh.  Also that re-syncing replaced notes is going to take time - it may take days for major changes to be correctly shown on the server and synced to other devices.  You'll need to be patient with that.

I'd suggest you raise this with Support before taking major action - they may be able to carry out some integrity checks on the server that will save you a lot of time,  even if it takes a while for them to respond to your queries.

[Tim Hudson 2]

On 2/25/2024 at 4:06 AM, gazumped said:

Hopefully you're exporting individual notebooks.  Exporting will filter out any corrupted data,  so an import will be a 'cleaned up' version.  But you'll lose any internal links and any incoming external links - new notes get new UIDs.  Importing from an ENEX file also gives you a choice of where to put the new data - so you don't necessarily need to delete an original notebook before you replace it.  You'll at least have a chance to verify that an imported notebook contains the same number of notes as the original.

Beware though that you have an Upload Limit of 10GB per month - you're going to use up a lot of that with a complete account refresh.  Also that re-syncing replaced notes is going to take time - it may take days for major changes to be correctly shown on the server and synced to other devices.  You'll need to be patient with that.

I'd suggest you raise this with Support before taking major action - they may be able to carry out some integrity checks on the server that will save you a lot of time,  even if it takes a while for them to respond to your queries.

Thanks for your response.  I hadn't thought about the internal links issues - that will cause me some major hiccups.  Also hadn't thought about the Upload Limit.  My export files total 10.2 GB so that would be a problem.  I received an email from EN support this morning and they said they are aware of the issue and are actively working on it, so that is good.  I will sit tight   Thanks again for your response!

[PinkElephant 8,174]

When exporting to ENEX you can split the export file inso several files with a limited size. This way you can import step by step.

The imported notes are technically new notes, so the links between them will be broken. The links use the UUID of each note (a universal identifier for each note), and these will have new UUIDs after the import.

[Empireguys 1]

I'm also having issues with the search or filter. 

If I search or filter for a tag (any) I don't see any recent notes. 

I used to be able to add a new note and tag it with say "Santander" then choose to filter by "Santander" and return all notes with "Santander. However now I see all the "Santander" notes except the one I just created. 

Is this a cloud issue?

[AlbertR 542]

Maybe - but I suggest to search for "tag:Santander"

[Empireguys 1]

21 minutes ago, AlbertR said:

Maybe - but I suggest to search for "tag:Santander"

I had already tried that - same response. 

[Mike P 2,667]

54 minutes ago, Empireguys said:

Is this a cloud issue?

Does it work on the web version?

[Empireguys 1]

17 minutes ago, Mike P said:

Does it work on the web version?

oh yes it does. Strange

[Mike P 2,667]

Just now, Empireguys said:

oh yes it does. Strange

OK, so it sounds like it is a local database problem. Either you have to wait and hope it gets there in the end or refresh your local data base. You can do that by signing out of EN and choosing  "remove my Evernote data from this device". You can then sign back in. All the data will be downloaded again. This may take some time but EN should be usable in the mean time. It's always good to double check that everything is correct on the server before you do this as anything not synchronised will be lost. You can do this on the web version.

[Empireguys 1]

30 minutes ago, Mike P said:

OK, so it sounds like it is a local database problem. Either you have to wait and hope it gets there in the end or refresh your local data base. You can do that by signing out of EN and choosing  "remove my Evernote data from this device". You can then sign back in. All the data will be downloaded again. This may take some time but EN should be usable in the mean time. It's always good to double check that everything is correct on the server before you do this as anything not synchronised will be lost. You can do this on the web version.

Good idea. However, it's the same result on the iOS app and the Mac OS app. Strange the same note(s) is/are missing from both apps but not the cloud. Even as the note was made on the apps only. 
I will give it a try. 

[Alessandra 31]

I am sorry if this has been answered in some post above. Trying to adjust away from the unsurpassed Legacy

10.79.3-win-ddl-public (20240307101007)
Editor: v177.6.1
Service: v1.95.0
 

How do I search for ALL and ONLY notes with an exact word in the title? In legacy it was  intitle:word  If I wanted all notes with a word stem in the title it was intitle:word* (which would return word, words, wordle, etc)

intitle:word in the current version returns what intitle:word* used to but what do I do to get what the old intitle:word showed?

AI is useless since it only returns what it thinks is most relevant and what it thinks is mostly unhelpful

Thank you for your help

[Jon/t 1,319]

12 minutes ago, Alessandra said:

exact word in the title

I think exact match needs quotes so intitle:"something"

[gazumped 11,699]

Hi again - I tried a couple of searches with intitle:<keyword> which as you'd expect only came up with notes with that word in the title.  Are you saying that you get too many hits,  or too few? - and @Jon/t has a point for phrases!

[Alessandra 31]

I get too many hits. I tried intitle:<keyword> and I get exactly the same result as intitle:keyword. Namely hits that include any word that starts with the keyword. However, intitle:"keyword" works. Thanks @Jon/t

21 minutes ago, gazumped said:

Hi again - I tried a couple of searches with intitle:<keyword> which as you'd expect only came up with notes with that word in the title.  Are you saying that you get too many hits,  or too few? - and @Jon/t has a point for phrases!

 

[Jon/t 1,319]

5 minutes ago, Alessandra said:

However, intitle:"keyword" works.

As an aside you can also use quotes in Ai search so its possile to do something like:

Show me all the notes with "Bob Dylan" in the title in my Music Collection notebook

[VincentC 272]

18 minutes ago, Jon/t said:

Show me all the notes with "Bob Dylan" in the title in my Music Collection notebook

And, off topic, but one wonders what the result is for such a search in @Jon/t's Evernote account! 😀

[gazumped 11,699]

45 minutes ago, VincentC said:

And, off topic, but one wonders what the result is for such a search in @Jon/t's Evernote account! 😀

Hey - don't mess with The Bard! (and I don't mean @Jon/t)

[Jon/t 1,319]

2 hours ago, VincentC said:

And, off topic, but one wonders what the result is for such a search in @Jon/t's Evernote account! 😀

The result is too much Bob Dylan 😂

1 hour ago, gazumped said:

Hey - don't mess with The Bard! (and I don't mean @Jon/t)

So much to collect! Like a new album every 5 minutes. 

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,977]

@Alessandra, apologies for continuing to drift the thread on you! But I feel I need to report to my friends here that in a few days, my wife and I are going to see Dylan on his current U.S. tour. I'll try to keep you all in mind!

[Jon/t 1,319]

9 hours ago, Dave-in-Decatur said:

But I feel I need to report to my friends here that in a few days, my wife and I are going to see Dylan on his current U.S. tour. I'll try to keep you all in mind!

Oh wow... very jealous! Report back on what the gig was like.