Un-link Note List and Note Editor OR Help me solve this.

[bumblebeenero 9]

I don't know if this is a feature request or a bug report or kind of both. I also mailed this to feedback@evernote.com. Not sure if they will read the mail leave alone the possibility of getting a reply. Just wanted to know what you guys think about it. 

So, here we go:

One of the things that Evernote does best is the fundamentals: Search, Tags, OCR and Filter notes. I like how one can filter by multiple tags and see what notes to work on. This is my go-to workflow. I filter my notes so that I have a few relevant notes to work on and then start my work - one note at a time. 

The filtered note list prevents me from drifting away. So, I want my filtered list to be always by my side. 

But, this doesn't happen. As soon as I start working on a note and if I click on an internal link, 2 things happen -

1) the link takes me to the relevant note (this is desirable) (bug alert! Internal links in filtered notes don't work properly) and 

2) the note list is reset to the notebook of the current note; in other words, my filtered list is gone. (this is undesirable)

As part of my workflow, after having clicked through multiple internal links, I need to return to my filtered note list again and again to complete the task at hand.

I can't use saved searches in this case because my searches and filtered notes are different for different situations at hand. I only need the filtered notes for, may be, a day or even just half a day and then I don't know if I will ever use these same filters again. New day, new filtered list.

Okay. So, Every time I click an internal link, I have a different note list on the side. This is not very helpful with my workflow.

What I wish for is that the filtered note list should be anchored and must not change when navigating through links and backlinks. Basically, It would be better, easier and faster for me if the note list is un-linked from the note editor. Navigation inside the editor should not concern the note list. Note list should change only when I change the search parameter or select a different notebook or tag. 

Is this possible? Is this a concern for others too? Does anyone else relate to this type of workflow? Is there any other way I can do it? I have no idea. I am no expert. That's why I am posting this here.

I am also sharing some screenshots to explain my workflow and my suggestions with greater clarity. I am curious to know what you guys think.

PS: The screenshots shared here are only examples. This is not what I really do. So, please don't concern with the contents of the notes.

Thanks!

[bumblebeenero 9]

Also, imagine this. When the note list on your side remain anchored / do not change and you click the internal links, you will feel like you are navigating inside the same note. 

In other words, it will give the user a feel of having sub-notes inside a note.

I think working on Notion feels something like this. There is a page and then there is a sub-page. What makes the sub-page different from a link is that you always have a one-click return to the parent page. (This is just a constructive comparison. I feel Evernote is better than Notion anyday.)

In Evernote, this can be solved to some extent by anchoring the search result list / note list. Letting the user navigate freely in the note editor. Actually, this will be far better than it is in Notion because Notion doesn't do filtered list as good as EN does it. EN can have both - Rigidity of folders and sub-folders with the flexibility of tags. (All my opinion obviously can be completely wrong or off the mark).

I think this is similar to a much requested feature.

@Federico Simionato

[Mike P 2,776]

The major problem i have is the bug you have noted - internal links within a note in a filtered list do not work. A list of search results is the same. The link can take you to the Home page or some other random place. I need to get around this bug as 95% of the time I am working from a filtered list.

There are two approaches I use, which I think may also help you in your desire to preserve the filtered list.

• The best approach is to simply open the internal link in a new Window (ctrl+click on Windows). You can then work on that note and the main app still has your filtered list
• The other approach is to clear the filter by clicking the X in each of the blue lozenges. The note you are currently viewing is normally still in the view area. Because the note  is no longer in a filtered list internal links work. When you have finished with the note you can use the back button to return first to the parent note and then to the filtered list. I have never trusted the back button in EN (legacy and V10) but it does seem to work in this situation, although may take more presses than you expect.

First option is best becasue it always works.

An alternative solution might be to capture the list temporarily. This could be done by using a saved search, probably ausing the option of adding it to shortcuts and then deleting it when you no longer need it. Saved searches don't have to be forever. Another way would be to select all the notes in the list, copy the internal links using the blue multislect menu and paste them into a new TOC note. You could even paste them into a checklist and hence record that you have completed your work on each note

[gazumped 11,781]

I agree ToC's seem to be the way to go - https://help.evernote.com/hc/en-us/articles/209005667-Create-a-table-of-contents

[bumblebeenero 9]

21 hours ago, Mike P said:

The major problem i have is the bug you have noted - internal links within a note in a filtered list do not work. A list of search results is the same. The link can take you to the Home page or some other random place. I need to get around this bug as 95% of the time I am working from a filtered list.

Can't agree more. This bug is a hindrance in the first place. I am assuming that Bending Spoons is aware of it and actively working on it - they should if they are not. These kind of things are what I count as fundamental. I believe there has been more discussion on it in the forum.

21 hours ago, Mike P said:

best approach is to simply open the internal link in a new Window (ctrl+click on Windows)

Works on the desktop client but not on the web-app. It's a make do arrangement I would say (others may or may not agree). But, I can work with it, for the time being.

21 hours ago, gazumped said:

I agree ToC's seem to be the way to go

That's more of a make do arrangement. It makes the user less productive. But, hey, at least I can get my work done.

Much has been done by Bending Spoons, still, a lot more is required. And I can only hope they prioritize the fundamentals over new features.

[Mike P 2,776]

13 minutes ago, bumblebeenero said:

Works on the desktop client but not on the web-app.

I actually find the second of my solutions is more reliable on the web than the desktop version so that might be worth investigating.

Fundamentally the bug needs to be fixed. I can't believe that EN introduced there new internal TOC feature without realising that, because they are basically modified internal links, they don't work if you are in a filtered list or a list of search results.

[bumblebeenero 9]

5 minutes ago, Mike P said:

I can't believe that EN introduced there new internal TOC feature without realising that, because they are basically modified internal links, they don't work if you are in a filtered list or a list of search results.

That's a big LOL in the face of BS.

[PinkElephant 8,308]

It's IMHO just another example of a fundamental lack of a QA when launching new functions.

From a QA I would at least expect that a) the new functions are tested and work as designed, especially robust and reliable, and b) cross tested with existing functions, to detect negative impact on what is already there.

My impression is that this basic QA is skipped in favor of a faster release cycle. Which leads to an even faster release cycle, for bug fixing.