(Archived) Evernote employee please : DATA LOSS HOW does EN handle Data across multiple platforms?

[lpr 35]

As far as I am concerned Data loss is absolutely unacceptable and for now I have stopped using evernote on any mobile devices for that reason after having noticed some inconsistencies ( notes being moved around, changes getting deleted ) . Unfortunately, I can not on EN5 stop synch with the server image altogether (or can I, i could not find the option) which still allows for 2 different versions of my files to exist simultaneously which raises the question How does EN handle multiple versions of data across platforms , which one serves as Master, which has authority. I would really appreciate a clear and precise answer from an evernote employee on that.

I will explain:

Just before installing the beta version I did a copy of my evernote data folder to be sure, since it's a beta that I would not loose or corrupt any files. BUT! since evernote syncs all my data to it's servers, what happens if I want to use my personal backup to go back to the way things were before I started messing around with the new evernote in the event of a problem? Will it use the files on my computer as a master and re-update the versions on the server to match my backup or will it change my local backup to match the server version and in doing so possibly delete or corrupt my backup?? Which version will dictate changes to the other one??? The potentially corrupted and missing data server version or my good saved backup?? If thats the case then synching would make the entire possibility of personally backing up your EN impossible since it would always change it back to the server version!!!!

As I understand it right now, the version which dictates changed across all platforms is the most recent one. but what would happen then if I replaced the EN data folder with my backup data folder, will it read my local files as recent changes or will it read them as old version and change them to a possibly corrupt server versions.

I have often wondered about that in the past, when I have done updates or reinstalled OSX or Evernote. I always use a personal data backup from my local folder because it seems safer than downloading all my data from the evernote servers. Time machine users might also be wondering how EN handles this.

please, evernote employee, give us a clear answer on this.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,320]

Obviously I am not an Evernote employee, and some of yourquestions I have as well, but one thing I cansay is that you can turn the syncing off. I did this long ago, because I wanted to make sure that I didn't overwrite some thing on accident, or accidentally upload a massive file before it was ready (modifying a photo after it is uploaded, for example, eats up your upload allowance).

[lpr 35]

Can you tell me how in EN 5?

Still, these questions need to be answered, turning off synching is not ideal, it's a last resort in the face of a confusing system . Please EN, an answer on this.

[Lefays 0]

Nor am I an employee, but I would also like one to tell me how precedence is established when syncing notes.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,320]

Can you tell me how in EN 5?

Still, these questions need to be answered, turning off synching is not ideal, it's a last resort in the face of a confusing system . Please EN, an answer on this.

I was going to say "Preferences > sync > manual," but it looks to me like it still syncs at launch and quit. I don't turn off my computer much, so I guess I didn't notice that.

[dagnew 0]

I too, am confused by 'Synch'. I use EN on 2 Macs - only. It's been great for years, but recently I've been getting duplicate Notebooks with slight differences. I've reconciled the differences and gotten all my data as I want, and want to make this version of the data the 'master' (or the only version). I see no way to do so, and don't want to do it all again.

[lpr 35]

Then it would seem like I'm not the only one, still no word from an EN employee....

[Jackolicious 808]

The most recently updated copies of notes is what gets used. If you have an older "outdated" version of a note, it will be overwritten. If modifications are made between syncs to two copies, you will see a sync conflict.

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

As I understand it right now, the version which dictates changed across all platforms is the most recent one. but what would happen then if I replaced the EN data folder with my backup data folder, will it read my local files as recent changes or will it read them as old version and change them to a possibly corrupt server versions.

I'm not an employee but IME, in the example cited above, no, those notes are not considered "new" and when you sync, they will be changed per what's on the Evernote servers. The "key" to each note is the Globally Unique Identifier (GUID). When you change or delete a note, the changes are done per the "newest" change on that GUID. So if you have a muffed up note on the server & your devices & restore from a backup on your desktop, it will see that's an older version of that GUID & change it to match what's on the EN servers. What you have to do is generate a new GUID. This can be done by moving the note to a local (non-sync'd) notebook on a desktop client, syncing, move the note back to a sync'd notebook & then sync. Notes in local notebooks do not have GUIDs.

[lpr 35]

As I understand it right now, the version which dictates changed across all platforms is the most recent one. but what would happen then if I replaced the EN data folder with my backup data folder, will it read my local files as recent changes or will it read them as old version and change them to a possibly corrupt server versions.

I'm not an employee but IME, in the example cited above, no, those notes are not considered "new" and when you sync, they will be changed per what's on the Evernote servers. The "key" to each note is the Globally Unique Identifier (GUID). When you change or delete a note, the changes are done per the "newest" change on that GUID. So if you have a muffed up note on the server & your devices & restore from a backup on your desktop, it will see that's an older version of that GUID & change it to match what's on the EN servers. What you have to do is generate a new GUID. This can be done by moving the note to a local (non-sync'd) notebook on a desktop client, syncing, move the note back to a sync'd notebook & then sync. Notes in local notebooks do not have GUIDs.

Thank you.

Is there a way to see the GUID value for a given note?

[lpr 35]

Wow....

Ok....

This just keeps getting better.

I had more than the allowed 250 notebooks so I spent an entire day reorganizing all my notes in fewer notebooks and using tags to help me sort them . It took hours and hours ... Then once I was done I synched . Can anyone guessed what happened? ALL THE NOTES I HAD MOVED AND CAREFULLY TAGED WERE GONE! I totally panicked obviously before noticing an unusually high level of notes in my trash bin and sure enough, all the notes I had done any changes to had been moved to trash!!!

WHAT IS GOING ON EVERNOTE? Seriously?

I am only using ONE computer , I have not used the mobile app for months for fear of that very thing happening so why is this happening now? Obviously I have no way of checking if everything is there, no way of checking every single notes and remembering the way everything was so this is very scary....

I never had a single problem with EN for 2 years and for the last few months all I seem to have is these scary moments one after the other where I never know if I'm about to loose all my data....

[jefito 5,598]

@lpr: Seriously, you are beyond the help of this user forum; you need to file a support request.