Is there a way to use Evernote from USB drive and still sync when home?

[D1Poet 7]

I'd really like a portable version of my Evernote DB I could use say with my Work PC but not have to sync the data with the cloud until I got home.  I really don't want the database to live on work pc.  Is there a way to do this?  I'd really like a Evernote to Go type product that would sync with installed windows desktop program but use the data from USB and have an option also not to sync to web.  Then be able to take my USB key, plug it in at home and sync with my main DB and internet.

 

Is this planed, or is there a way to do this?

[ScottLougheed 1,316]

Whether this is planned or not is unknown, as Evernote doesn't publish their plans in advance.

That being said, you could just use the web interface at www.evernote.com at work.

[gazumped 12,020]

..And no,  a USB database would confuse Evernote horribly;  you're likely to have some exotic problems with it,  not to mention security issues.  It would theoretically be possible to reassign your database folder to a removable drive (although I don't know whether Evernote checks for and might block this..) but if that storage space is allocated a different drive letter on different computers it won't work.  And it's the only place your database is then stored (apart from the cloud).  And thumb drives aren't IME the safest medium for storage.  Trust me - portable versions are different from installed apps for a reason,  and Evernote doesn't have a portable version (at the moment...).

[Clint from Bris 0]

Hi D1Poet. I have successfully used Evernote in 2 unconventional ways, and one of them sounds like what you are after:

 

1> Evernote installed on PC, with DB sitting on a USB. For background, I had Evernote on my work PC but I didn't want to keep my notes on the local drive. (Knowing what I know now, the DB data is encrypted so I didn't have anything to worry about).

2> Evernote running off USB, with DB stored on a transient folder on the PC. For background, I wanted to use Evernote at the public library, but wanted to use the standard GUI (not the web-app). The standard for machines in my library is to destroy all session data after the user logs off - which means my Evernote DB was removed from the public machine once I logged off!

 

For 1> You need to change the Local file path (Tools > Options > General) and select an empty folder on the USB. See attachment.

NOTE: I had an annoying problem with this method, as every few minutes the session of Evernote would pause while it applied changes to the DB.

NOTE2: I had Sync turned on, but it sounds like you don't want to sync. You can switch off auto-sync from the options menu, but you'll need to remember to sync separately when you get home - could be problematic if you forget to sync.

 

For 2> You don't need a mobile copy of your Evernote DB - you only a mobile copy of the application files. Copy all the install files (including subfolders) from the Evernote install folder on your PC to an empty folder on the USB, but not the \Databases or \Logs subfolders. That's it! When you insert the USB into another PC, you will need to run the Evernote application manually. It's slow to load (into memory) but once loaded works just like at home.

NOTE3: If you'll be using a machine that does not access internet, this method will not work for you.

NOTE4: If your machine (i.e, the library machine) has a restriction on the 'port' that Evernote uses to sync, this also might not work for you.

 

Clint

 

[B10net 0]

You may want to read this

 

http://netport.org/?p=1904

 

and this

 

http://www.thinstallsoft.com/evernote/

[xbliss 1]

On 7/20/2015 at 9:22 PM, B10net said:

You may want to read this

 

http://netport.org/?p=1904

 

and this

 

http://www.thinstallsoft.com/evernote/

1st link is gone - Even from Google Cache

2nd is there, but wondering whether this still works with recent versions? 

[gazumped 12,020]

On 02/03/2014 at 2:45 AM, gazumped said:

..And no,  a USB database would confuse Evernote horribly;  you're likely to have some exotic problems with it,  not to mention security issues.  It would theoretically be possible to reassign your database folder to a removable drive (although I don't know whether Evernote checks for and might block this..) but if that storage space is allocated a different drive letter on different computers it won't work.  And it's the only place your database is then stored (apart from the cloud).  And thumb drives aren't IME the safest medium for storage.  Trust me - portable versions are different from installed apps for a reason,  and Evernote doesn't have a portable version (at the moment...).

Which bit of "using a USB data store is a REALLY bad idea" did I miss out?

If you can find a copy of Evernote Portable 5.9.1.8742 then by all means try that app;  it's very old and outdated,  and the data files probably won't be compatible with a current desktop version.  You can't apply that installation method to a current Evernote client.