(Archived) Help: Typing Text in Ink Notes?

[Neil Connolly 0]

So I just discovered Ink Notes whilst I was looking for a way to document a very large project I am about to start. I was so excited!

And then I discovered that I cant type onto an ink note to label any drawings..... DEVASTATED.... I may have to go back to OneNote for Project documentation, I really dont want to, I simply want to be able to label a drawing done in an Ink Note. Surely I am not asking for something incredibly complex!

http://www.evernote.com/shard/s137/sh/ad51095b-b630-44b5-b9f8-4544097cc251/98306be43c87ca6c86617169d48a81d1

[Mike Wood 139]

got an iPad? skitch might help...

[GrumpyMonkey 4,320]

So I just discovered Ink Notes whilst I was looking for a way to document a very large project I am about to start. I was so excited!

And then I discovered that I cant type onto an ink note to label any drawings..... DEVASTATED.... I may have to go back to OneNote for Project documentation, I really dont want to, I simply want to be able to label a drawing done in an Ink Note. Surely I am not asking for something incredibly complex!

http://www.evernote....6617169d48a81d1

Hi. Welcome to the user forums!

I took the liberty of re-titling your thread in order to clarify what was in it. Am I correct that you are looking to type onto the Ink Note image? I haven't used Ink in a while, but as I recall, this is not possible.

I wonder if you could give us more details about what you are planning to do with Evernote when you talk about documenting a project. If we had more information, we might be able to suggest workflows or workarounds that would help. With the exception of people who use a stylus and write by hand on the Windows machine, I'd be surprised if the lack of a single feature in Ink ended up being an insurmountable roadblock.

[Neil Connolly 0]

I can always create a diagram in something like Fireworks (adobe) it can be quick and dirty, but then having to open another app, save as a jpg and then import..... I come back to the fact that something like a Google Doc is an easier workflow and in OneNote I can do it all in the same place.

I am not talking about works of arts, usually they are process flow diagrams or even quick and dirty wireframes for website page designs or site structures. I really like the way that Evernote Ink Notes are able to decide what shape I was drawing (using the star button) so if I could just throw a few quick labels onto my simple boxes and circles, then Ink Notes would be perfect.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,320]

I can always create a diagram in something like Fireworks (adobe) it can be quick and dirty, but then having to open another app, save as a jpg and then import..... I come back to the fact that something like a Google Doc is an easier workflow and in OneNote I can do it all in the same place.

I am not talking about works of arts, usually they are process flow diagrams or even quick and dirty wireframes for website page designs or site structures. I really like the way that Evernote Ink Notes are able to decide what shape I was drawing (using the star button) so if I could just throw a few quick labels onto my simple boxes and circles, then Ink Notes would be perfect.

Crystal clear now. OK. I'll give it a think. Hopefully, some other users are around and can jump in with their experiences, but it is a Saturday, so things tend to slow down a bit. My work (writing/research) goes on no matter what day of the week it is, so I'm always on the computer

[Neil Connolly 0]

I guess a part of the problem is that Evernote is a note taking system and not a Diagramming system. Simple diagram elements could be introduced, but then it goes further and further and feature requests become more and more complex.

Simple shapes,connecting lines and/or arrows and text over the top (no shading, gradients, clever stuff) would be just fine for me and fine for the majority I imagine. But then those requests for genuine diagramming tools will start to appear and its a question of where you draw the line (so to speak! Hahaha).

[Mike Wood 139]

Skitch does simple shapes, arrows, text etc... and links simply to Evernote but as you say its like switching to Photoshop or similar.

[Neil Connolly 0]

Thanks for your efforts Mike and GM. You have forced me to think about what I am really trying to do, and when I analyse it like that, I think I am trying to replace my Moleskine!

I have used Moleskine notebooks for years, quadrille paper, a whole stack of them containing my ideas, projects and SKETCHES for the last 6-7 years! I often find I start a project with ideas, sketches and mind maps and I was suddenly excited that using Ink Notes, I could do all of this in Evernote. Maybe this is a good thing, because there is a comfortable and pleasurable experience in writing longhand in a nice notebook with a quality pen whilst sipping a coffee.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,320]

Thanks for your efforts Mike and GM. You have forced me to think about what I am really trying to do, and when I analyse it like that, I think I am trying to replace my Moleskine!

I have used Moleskine notebooks for years, quadrille paper, a whole stack of them containing my ideas, projects and SKETCHES for the last 6-7 years! I often find I start a project with ideas, sketches and mind maps and I was suddenly excited that using Ink Notes, I could do all of this in Evernote. Maybe this is a good thing, because there is a comfortable and pleasurable experience in writing longhand in a nice notebook with a quality pen whilst sipping a coffee.

Glad we could help get the creative juices flowing. I am a big fan of the iPad and regularly use it for all sorts of freehand notetaking or drawing. Everything imports easily into Evernote.

Let's say you only have your Windows machine and your Moleskine, though.

1) If you have an office scanner (copy machine that will scan and send stuff to you), then you could scan and send to Evernote. That would be nice, because Evernote will also OCR your images.

2) Alternatively, you could (if you are willing) tear out the pages and feed it through ScanSnap or that office scanner. This would be a really quick way of getting stuff into your account. Again, everything could be indexed for searching.

3) Finally, there is the photo route. Using your iPhone (whoops, just added a device to your arsenal), you could photograph a note, process it with JotNot or ScannerPro (if you want), and send it into Evernote.

Here is a Japanese product that is pretty much made for people to write on and then put into Evernote using one of the three methods.

Shot Note

http://www.kingjim.co.jp/sp/shotnote/

[Mike Wood 139]

For mind maps I use http://itunes.apple....d369020033?mt=8

And as Grumpy says you can always photo a sketch into EN (iPad has a camera too)

[ohnoezitasploded 0]

Hey there,

         I also really need this feature.  My application is simply to be able to take lecture and meeting notes-- I need to be able to write quickly and legibly, so I can't do handwriting for the text.  And I need to be able to draw the occasional graph or diagram, inline with the text.  I need to be able to do this in real time, so the workarounds of creating a diagram then importing into Evernote don't work for me, and I don't think they're very elegant or workable solutions for anyone.

 

You can mix-and-match text in Skitch, but it's not really good for this sort of thing because the text has a goofy outline stroke + drop shadow that makes it hard to read for large text blocks, plus there's a limit to how much text you can place in a box, and there's no pressure sensitivity for stylus support, and the notes are a fixed size with no mechanism for pagination.

 

You can't do this in Evernote, because while it addresses most of the issues above in Skitch, you either create a text note or an inking note, and that's all you get.  Uh, whyyyyyyyyyyy?

 

My ideal feature set would be that you could insert an inking box like a picture into a regular Evernote note, and within that box you could draw diagrams.  That would avoid a weakness of other note programs that have mixed text and inking such as S Note, where you're constantly in the wrong mode, and either drawing lines when you want to create a text box, or placing a cursor when you want to draw a line.

 

I feel very strongly that this would be an improvement over the current setup.

[johnruppert 0]

Hey there,

         I also really need this feature.  My application is simply to be able to take lecture and meeting notes-- I need to be able to write quickly and legibly, so I can't do handwriting for the text.  And I need to be able to draw the occasional graph or diagram, inline with the text.  I need to be able to do this in real time, so the workarounds of creating a diagram then importing into Evernote don't work for me, and I don't think they're very elegant or workable solutions for anyone.

 

You can mix-and-match text in Skitch, but it's not really good for this sort of thing because the text has a goofy outline stroke + drop shadow that makes it hard to read for large text blocks, plus there's a limit to how much text you can place in a box, and there's no pressure sensitivity for stylus support, and the notes are a fixed size with no mechanism for pagination.

 

You can't do this in Evernote, because while it addresses most of the issues above in Skitch, you either create a text note or an inking note, and that's all you get.  Uh, whyyyyyyyyyyy?

 

My ideal feature set would be that you could insert an inking box like a picture into a regular Evernote note, and within that box you could draw diagrams.  That would avoid a weakness of other note programs that have mixed text and inking such as S Note, where you're constantly in the wrong mode, and either drawing lines when you want to create a text box, or placing a cursor when you want to draw a line.

 

I feel very strongly that this would be an improvement over the current setup.

I feel the same exact way.  i loved Onenote because it did a terrific job in handwritten notes, as well as allowing you to write on top of documents as well.  You cant do this in evernote anymore.  I find it mind boggling that they dont have this feature.  WRITING ON AN IPAD SUCKS.  That device, as it currently is designed, is NOT meant for handwritten notes for the masses.  If it were, it would be able to separate the hand touch and stylus touch.  But, it can't.  I have enjoyed  using evernote, but not enough to standby it without this feature.  

 

That being said, i use evernote on my mbp, and on a samsung windows 7 tablet (full os).  I can only do inknotes on the windows side (which is fine, i guess).  I need this feature for my workflow, any help?   

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

.

i loved Onenote because it did a terrific job in handwritten notes, as well as allowing you to write on top of documents as well.  You cant do this in evernote anymore.  I find it mind boggling that they dont have this feature.   

There's a reason Onenote does not live on all the platforms Evernte does. I'd guess at least part of that is b/c it's not all that easy to add all the bells & whistles ON has across all the platforms. And making those bells & whistles work well across all the platforms may simply not be high on EN's priority list. It's really easy for those not intimate with the inner workings of EN to do arm chair quarterbacking & say some feature(s) should be easy to add or that it's "mind boggling" it's not already there.

[johnruppert 0]

.

i loved Onenote because it did a terrific job in handwritten notes, as well as allowing you to write on top of documents as well.  You cant do this in evernote anymore.  I find it mind boggling that they dont have this feature.   

There's a reason Onenote does not live on all the platforms Evernte does. I'd guess at least part of that is b/c it's not all that easy to add all the bells & whistles ON has across all the platforms. And making those bells & whistles work well across all the platforms may simply not be high on EN's priority list. It's really easy for those not intimate with the inner workings of EN to do arm chair quarterbacking & say some feature(s) should be easy to add or that it's "mind boggling" it's not already there.

perhaps, in a moment of frustration I stepped a little too hard on the accelerator.  Let me rephrase my comment.  I really wish that Evernote had this option.  It would provide for me, the need to only have one application for digital note taking/records management/reference material.  I realize that it can't be everything to everyone, but i would think that this feature would have been there since day 1.   

[ohnoezitasploded 0]

Yeah, thinking on it more, I see that while the analog equivalent of Evernote is the filing cabinet, the analog equivalent of OneNote is a sketch pad.  Put another way, Evernote was developed for saving content created by others so you can find it again one day, whereas OneNote was purpose-built as a note-taking app.

 

But, as other commenters have said, it sure would be handy to have one app that did both.  Smartphones are becoming tablet-tized (and tablet-sized!) so I think it would be good positioning for the future of Evernote.