Create a shortcut (or link) from Mac desktop to any note in any notebook

[Mark.Friedman 1]

I need to access various specific notes from any of my Macs.  I want to store them centrally to avoid duplicated data (which one is the 'original' problems) and access them easily, as needed.

 

My need is by no means unique, as I discovered by searching the user groups and forum; yet no simple solution has arisen.  It's true that some technically clever people can implement unique solutions for their own needs, but I, for one, lack those skills.

 

I hope Evernote staff reads this forum because this posting is addressed to the Product Manager for the Mac OS software:

 

It's up to you to prioritize requests and allocate internal resources to fix bugs, produce enhancements and provide functionality that should have reasonably been expected in the core product.

 

If the solution were easy or obvious, you'd have done it by now; but since you already know it will take some analysis, programming and testing, and because you've heard this request over and over again, isn't it time you considered providing a solution?

 

 

Thank you

[ScottLougheed 1,316]

Ok so I am not clear on what it is you are asking. You have a few important notes that you need regular and easy access to from several devices. 

You want CENTRAL storage and you don't want duplicates. 

 

Does Everynote's syncing feature, which syncs all of your notes to their servers so the can be accessed from any desktop and web browser not fit the bill?

 

You can even create shortcuts in Evernote's sidebar to those important notes, and those shortcut preferences are then synced across (most) devices as well as the web interface. 

 

Can you provide more information about the problem and your specific needs?

 

One thing you can also do is right-click/ctrl-click any note and select 'Copy note link'.

 

This will copy a link that looks like

evernote:///view/2315313/s25/212312d12326-r1251123-489b-8bb3-81eaf10076f2/12312d12314-d216-489b-8bb3-81eaf42342123/

 

You can paste this link into Apple's Calendar application, or google calendar, or a word document, or whatever. Clicking on this link on any Mac or iOS device (and probably others) will then launch the evernote application and bring forward that note. 

[Mark.Friedman 1]

Thanks for your reply, Scott.

 

I don't use Word anymore - just text editors (like TextMate and BBEdit).  Neither application knows what to do with that link.

 

Here's, functionally, what I want to do:

 

I retired SOHO Notes because of problems with Mavericks - and I had used it for many years because it kept a menubar icon running with a quick view to my notes.  All I need to do is scroll down a list, find what I want and copy the data.  I didn't have to open an application.

 

EverNote has a menubar app, but it's not for review, it's for data entry.  The data's already there, I want to glance at it.

 

If you could alter the desktop menubar program so I can lookup something without launching the application, that might work.

 

If I could figure out how to use your note link and somehow attack it to either an OS X menu, dock, desktop, ... but I can't.  Maybe you could help me there?

[ScottLougheed 1,316]

 

 

I don't use Word anymore - just text editors (like TextMate and BBEdit).

Well, I mentioned Word but I really meant any program. My point was that if that link is treated like a URL (such as in Calendar or Google Calendar), it opens evernote without a problem. If the program in question does not understand it as URL like any other then yeah, I guess it isn't too helpful.

 

Unfortunately there is no native way to browse notes without opening the application. One option, however, would be to check out the workflows available for Alfred's (With the Powerpack), there are a number of workflows that allow you to search Evernote and get realtime results. You won't get much beyond the name of the note in the results so if you need more you'll have to accept the result which would open Evernote.

 

 http://www.alfredapp.com/powerpack/

 

But why the reluctance to leave evernote running? Evernote is not the biggest resource hog and most computers have no problem functioning with Evernote running. You can do exactly what you are wanting to do (e.g., quickly search for and view a note) through the app itself. 

[Mark.Friedman 1]

You're ducking the specifics of the request, Scott.

 

I know what the alternatives are and none of them fulfill my needs (never mind why - just accept that from my perspective, I have an unfulfilled need).

 

After over 45 years in IT, I have a bit of background in defining systems, and determining and satisfying user requirements.

 

I understood this had to be an internal project - you're going to be writing something that talks to the API.

 

The open question is:  Will EverNote undertake this project who's output has been requested by so many people (not necessarily in this way, of course)?

[ScottLougheed 1,316]

Well, I'm not ducking anything because I am just a normal user like yourself.

 

I accept that you have an unfulfilled need and I am not justifying Evernote's decisions. I'm here to talk with you as one user to another, hoping to give you a hand, perhaps learn a bit about what you are doing and what you need, perhaps I have some insight as a fellow user, perhaps I'll learn something from you too (much of how I use Evernote comes from learning from others indirectly). 

 

Evernote doesn't generally publicize their timeline and their development goals, so there is no way for anyone to answer the question you pose at the end of your post. We'll just have to wait and see. 

 

Now, if you aren't interested in sharing some of your needs and ideas, or perhaps talking about why the alternatives don't work for you (because you are aware and have tried all of them? Every single one?) then farewell and good luck. 

 

If you are interested in some "shop talk" with a fellow user, then I'm happy to talk and share too. 

[Mark.Friedman 1]

Please forgive me, Scott.  I misunderstood the purpose of this forum and your role in it.

 

I DO appreciate your help as a fellow user.  That said, since this is a vendor-run site (it ends in evernote.com), it seemed reasonable that people working for the company would be dropping by.

 

It still does seem reasonable to me that they would use this (or something like this) as a means of interacting with their user base.  But I've been worn before and maybe I am again.

 

If these forums are NOT read by the appropriate people at EverNote, can you suggest a means of reaching out to them?

[ScottLougheed 1,316]

No problem Mark.

Fortunately these forums ARE read by Evernote staff, if you take a minute to drop into a few other posts you'll see them identified by the big green badge (not to be mistaken for the evangelists, who are NOT employees).

So you are not wrong at all! In many cases evernote staff will read posts but may not reply if they have nothing to say. In a case like this I don't expect they will respond because they aren't going to reveal there development plan.

[JackPenland 2]

I played around with some of the ideas in this discussion and I have a solution, at least with regard to the Mac OS.

Step 1 (pictured) - Right Click/Control Click on the note you wish to save and select, "Copy Note Link"

Step 2 (pictured) - Open stickies (I believe textEdit also works) and paste the link in.  You'll get the tile of your note as a link.

Step 3 (pictured) - Drag that link to the desktop.  You now have an icon that is a link to the note.

Optional steps

Step 4 (not pictured) - Put that icon in some folder that makes sense, such as "Direct Links to Evernote Notes."

Step 5 (not pictured) - Drag it to your dock or make an alias and put it where you need it.

Advanced steps

Step 6 - (not pictured) Change the icon so that it visually represents the note.  Here is how to do it on a Mac (http://www.wikihow.com/Change-Mac-OS-X-Icons)

Step 7 - (not pictured) Drag that changed icon to your dock or make an alias of it and put it where you need it.

 

So far, I've not been able to create a desktop link to a folder, FYI.

[Adjusting 276]

http://discussion.evernote.com/topic/19660-alias-or-shortcut-directly-to-notebook/?p=213859

[michelnita 0]

Thanks for explaining JackPenland. 

When I open that link, it keeps opening it in Chrome instead of Evernote. Any way to get around that and open it directly in the note?

 

 

I played around with some of the ideas in this discussion and I have a solution, at least with regard to the Mac OS.

Step 1 (pictured) - Right Click/Control Click on the note you wish to save and select, "Copy Note Link"

Step 2 (pictured) - Open stickies (I believe textEdit also works) and paste the link in.  You'll get the tile of your note as a link.

Step 3 (pictured) - Drag that link to the desktop.  You now have an icon that is a link to the note.

Optional steps

Step 4 (not pictured) - Put that icon in some folder that makes sense, such as "Direct Links to Evernote Notes."

Step 5 (not pictured) - Drag it to your dock or make an alias and put it where you need it.

Advanced steps

Step 6 - (not pictured) Change the icon so that it visually represents the note.  Here is how to do it on a Mac (http://www.wikihow.com/Change-Mac-OS-X-Icons)

Step 7 - (not pictured) Drag that changed icon to your dock or make an alias of it and put it where you need it.

 

So far, I've not been able to create a desktop link to a folder, FYI.

[NorthUtsira 0]

 

Thanks for explaining JackPenland. 

When I open that link, it keeps opening it in Chrome instead of Evernote. Any way to get around that and open it directly in the note?

 

I have this same problem. It seems that in the new version of Evernote, the "copy note link" command gives you a link to the website, and not the custom URL evernote:///view which opens the note in the app.

 

Could anyone (devs?) explain how to get this functionality back? How do we get the custom url for notes in the Mac app? 

[ScottLougheed 1,316]

Thanks for explaining JackPenland. 

When I open that link, it keeps opening it in Chrome instead of Evernote. Any way to get around that and open it directly in the note?

I have this same problem. It seems that in the new version of Evernote, the "copy note link" command gives you a link to the website, and not the custom URL evernote:///view which opens the note in the app.

 

Could anyone (devs?) explain how to get this functionality back? How do we get the custom url for notes in the Mac app?

Discussed elsewhere, on mobile so I'll let you do the searching.

Currently, pasting within Evernote will create n Evernote:/// link. Outside Evernote is an https://

Opt-right click any note to show "copy classic note link" which, when pasted will always paste Evernote:/// no matter where you paste.

[michelnita 0]

Thanks ScottLougheed, that works.

[ScottLougheed 1,316]

Took me a while to wrap my head around too!

[Kirby Krieger 72]

Took me a while to wrap my head around too!

I tested this repeatedly in Evernote, and learned nothing.  Now I know why    .

[NorthUtsira 0]

Perfect, thanks!

[DurhamWill 1]

I figured it out.  Thanks to that Option Right Click hint I was able to do the following.

 

1. Option Right Click on Note to get Copy Classic Note Link

 

2. Go into Safari and click on Bookmarks>Add Bookmark...  This will let you name a bookmark but you can't yet edit the address.  Just name it Evernote Shortcut or whatever you want.  Mine is Evernote ToDo.  

 

3. Once you create the bookmark you will Right Click on that bookmark and then click Edit Address.  Now paste in the Classic Note Link.

 

4. Lastly, just drag that bookmark onto your desktop.

 

BAM!

[Bartosz 0]

Just stopping by to say thanks for this solution. It worked great for me. I appreciate everyone's tips!

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

The title of this thread is: "Create a shortcut (or link) from Mac desktop to any note in any notebook"

Here's a great solution that I use daily:
EN Create Note Link as File AS.applescript (file on Gist).

EDIT:  Mon, Feb 8, 2016 at 7:37 PM CST -- Fix broken link.

[Brendan Murphy 26]

On December 2, 2015 at 5:12 PM, JMichaelTX said:

The title of this thread is: "Create a shortcut (or link) from Mac desktop to any note in any notebook"

 

Here's a great solution that I use daily:

AS:  Save EN Note Link as File

@JMichaelTX, the original page with the script isn't working.  Can you provide the script you use?

[DTLow 5,736]

36 minutes ago, Brendan Murphy said:

Can you provide the script you use?

Can you give details on your use for this?
From what I can see, its easy to get the link (url) for a note, without the need of using Applescript

[Brendan Murphy 26]

I'd like to be able to create a shortcut from outside of EN that goes directly to the note.  Something that I could add for example to the toolbar on Finder. 

[DTLow 5,736]

50 minutes ago, Brendan Murphy said:

I'd like to be able to create a shortcut from outside of EN that goes directly to the note.

You should be aware of the various options to obtain a note's link  
Right click on a note and select Copy Note Link
Holding down the option key gives you the classic link

Open your browser and paste the link into the address bar - just the paste and nothing else.
You can now drag the address to your desktop and you'll have a shortcut to your note.

[Brendan Murphy 26]

Yes, I'm aware of those options and steps.  Just wanted a one-click method, so if someone already had a script out there that would be great.  If not I'll work on one my own. 

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

2 hours ago, Brendan Murphy said:

@JMichaelTX, the original page with the script isn't working.  Can you provide the script you use?

Sorry about the broken link -- I'm not sure what happened.

I have updated the above post with this link.  Please let me know if you have any further issues.

EN Create Note Link as File AS.applescript

[DTLow 5,736]

13 minutes ago, Brendan Murphy said:

Just wanted a one-click method, so if someone already had a script out there that would be great.  If not I'll work on one my own.

Understood
Good luck - I'd be interested in seeing the script when it gets resolved.

[Brendan Murphy 26]

20 minutes ago, JMichaelTX said:

Sorry about the broken link -- I'm not sure what happened.

I have updated the above post with this link.  Please let me know if you have any further issues.

EN Create Note Link as File AS.applescript

Awesome.  Thanks. 

[DTLow 5,736]

14 hours ago, JMichaelTX said:

EN Create Note Link as File AS.applescript

Thanks for posting the script - I'm learning from it
Is there any control over the type of link retrieved (Public, Private, Classic)?

[Brendan Murphy 26]

@DTLow, It appears the only link stored as a note property is what I think you mean by "Classic".  Example: evernote:///view/234233143/s6/787ee3bb-3e13-48e3-aaee-bcf9677dbe77/787ee3bb-3e13-48e3-aaee-bcf9677dbe77/.  By "Public", I'm assuming you mean the link used to share a note with someone else.  It looks like EN generates this link when you select the option to share a note.  And it's not static.  If you share a note, then turn off sharing, then turn it back on, you'll get a different link than the first time.  So there is something EN is doing behind the scenes to generate that.  Not sure what you mean by "Private" link.  

[DTLow 5,736]

29 minutes ago, Brendan Murphy said:

Not sure what you mean by "Private" link.  

I haven't looked at sharing yet - just copying note links

From the Evernote Documentation

Note Links are used to reference a note in a web browser that when the recipient of the link already has access via notebook or individual note sharing. In-App Note Links also known as ‘Classic Note Links’ are used to reference a note in Evernote clients like when notes are linked to from within other notes and to open notes in a Evernote client in situations were it is known that the user already has access to the note. Public Links are used to share a note with users who do not already have access though a web browser. Public links give access to view the note regardless of the share settings. The user can then save that note to their Evernote account. Public Links can be disabled by the user on a individual basis.

When I copy a link on my iPad, I'm presented with two choices

When I copy a link on my Mac,it says Copy Note Link; I can hold down the option key and it says Copy Classic Link

 

[Brendan Murphy 26]

24 minutes ago, DTLow said:

Note Links are used to reference a note in a web browser that when the recipient of the link already has access via notebook or individual note sharing. In-App Note Links also known as ‘Classic Note Links’ are used to reference a note in Evernote clients like when notes are linked to from within other notes and to open notes in a Evernote client in situations were it is known that the user already has access to the note. Public Links are used to share a note with users who do not already have access though a web browser. Public links give access to view the note regardless of the share settings. The user can then save that note to their Evernote account. Public Links can be disabled by the user on a individual basis.

 

I think "In App Note Links", "Private link", and "Classic Note Links" are essentially the same thing.  The difference I'm seeing between "Copy Note Link" and "Copy Classic Link" is that the first one generates a url to the note, while the second uses internal note link property.  The only attribute that I'm seeing can be accessed via AppleScript is the note link which starts with "evernote:///view/..."