EN database grows huge (32GB), single 15MB note is 3GB in database

[cuco 2]

My EN database grown by 50% since EN 5.  I updated EN on one of my machines, it's Mavericks 10.9.4, with latest EN 5.6 Beta 9.

I have 12,000 notes in this database, size is 32GB. Before I used EN 3.x then upgraded to EN 5.1 and the database used to be somewhere around 20GB. I don't know if the issue is linked to EN 5 Beta, but I haven't seen the database growing to 32 GB with the previous versions, so I assume it did grow with the 5.6 Beta.

I looked deeper in the directory and it turns out, individual notes in the EN database take each 1 GB or more, even though the note content is a few MBs.. See the pic below.. the note just has one Powerpoint.  The powerpoint slides document is 15MB is size, it has 100 pages, there are pictures and some text, but not a lot of text. The filesize in the database is 3 GB !! There are hundreds of files, which I assume represent individual notes and their size by far exceeds the size of the content.

I could try to purge the database, but I am hesitant because it will take me 2 days to re-download.

 

I haven't noticed any other issues with datbase or with EN, it runs pretty smoothly.  Overall I am pleased with the complete rewrite of the code.

 

(I noticed the text in the bubbles got cut out.. but I think you get the idea)
=====================================================

 

 

[flyee 4]

Guess you have same issue with me <https://discussion.evernote.com/topic/65674-outrageous-huge-ppt-local-cache/>.

 

No one cares in this forum as far as I see.

[Wordsgood 526]

I wouldn't say no-one cares. It could just be that no-one has a solution to offer. With the exception of a few rare instances when actual EN staff chime in on a thread, we are all just other users.

I have zero Mac experience, but you could both try contacting Support if other Mac users aren't able to help. If you have free accounts, there is the option to get a one month subscription so you can work with EN Support.

Good luck! ☺

Guess you have same issue with me <https://discussion.evernote.com/topic/65674-outrageous-huge-ppt-local-cache/>.

No one cares in this forum as far as I see.

[gazumped 12,222]

As you already know,  the only way (AFAIK) to refresh your database is to re-download it from the server.  If you do take that step,  make sure you backup what you have,  and export any local notebooks or unsynced notes to enex files.  A day or two isn't too bad if you choose your time well - a weekend,  or maybe save it for a holiday period.  Regard it as a chance to refresh you too!

 

I've got a situation where I have two laptops,  one working and one not;  and I'm being tempted to try copying the database folder from one to the other to avoid some downtime..  not recommending this for you or for Macs in general,  (Windows person here) but just sayin'...

[jefito 5,598]

At a guess (based on the "-inline.pdf" filenames shown in the linked topic), the large files are local-only, meaning that they're not synced items; they may only be prebuilt files used for, say, faster display in the desktop client. Guessing again, I'd say that if you deleted the PDF file,Evernote would build it again (maybe a freshly rebuilt file would be smaller). We'd need something definitive from Evernote on this, I think.

 

Even so, those are pretty big files. That might bear reporting via a support request.

[JMichaelTX 4,119]

My EN database grown by 50% since EN 5.  I updated EN on one of my machines, it's Mavericks 10.9.4, with latest EN 5.6 Beta 9.

The powerpoint slides document is 15MB is size, it has 100 pages, there are pictures and some text, but not a lot of text. The filesize in the database is 3 GB !! 

 

Guess you have same issue with me <https://discussion.evernote.com/topic/65674-outrageous-huge-ppt-local-cache/>.

 

It is pretty clear to me that these are the same issue:  Evernote is creating a hugely excessive PDF file from the PPT attachment.

 

I highly recommend that you report this as a bug via the EN Support Ticket (see link below).  Whether it is a bug or design flaw, it needs to be fixed.

Even though the PDF created is not sync'd, creating this size of file will rapidly consume all of the users local storage.  This is unacceptable.

 

Although this is not very convenient, if local storage space is running out, you might zip the PPT files before attaching to Evernote until Evernote provides a fix for this issue.

 

I see no need to uninstall/reinstall Evernote.  I don't think that would help.

[flyee 4]

The "uninstall - delete cache - install" is not helping. I've reported this issue.

 

Will update after any feedback from EN.

[cuco 2]

Thank you fellow evernoters

 

1. I will re-download all notes. No, all my notes all online, none is offline.

2. Yes, you bet I will contact Evernote, I have premium account. Hope adding my report on top of the pile will speed up resolution.

3. If nothing helps and not solution - I will just sit still and watch that database folder if it grows. I would rather stick with the latest Beta, than with the Version 3.x (IMHO the version 3.x was the only one really working well with exception of occasional crashes, the version 4 was just buggy old code with new GUI).

 

I'll report here if I make any progress.

 

POST EDIT:

 

I confirmed - the EN 3.x database which I still have installed on one of my other remote machines is about 20 GB. So it's exactly 50% growth.

 

Ticket submitted. 

 

Ticket# 729120 - Database growing huge (32GB ++)

 

Thank you for contacting Evernote Support.

As a valued customer of Evernote, you will receive support within 1 business day.

[Jackolicious 808]

flyee, did you delete the cache and reinstall beta 10? This issue should be fixed. If not, please PM me.

[flyee 4]

Hi JM, Jack and cuco, THANK YOU GUYS !!

 

Great news! Beta10 definitely fixed this bug! After re-caching, the biggest inline preview is about 4x the original slide in my account.

 

So what I did is that:

1. clean all evernote staffs using cleanmymac/appcleaner/... (I guess it should be enough just deleting the caches)

2. install/update to beta 10

3. wait for EN to download/re-cache everything

 

Actually, after these steps, old ppts will not generate the pdf previews by now.

You can open a note with ppt and wait for a while so that EN can generate the pdf.

[JMichaelTX 4,119]

Thanks for the test flyee.  That is good news.

 

However, having PDFs that are 4X the PPT still gives me a concern.  In fact even 1X gives me concern.

This has the effect of doubling or worse of your Note size as stored on your PC/Mac.

If you have a SSD they are usually a lot smaller than HD, maybe only 128GB or 256GB.

This is a big issue.

 

Jack could we please have an Option/Preference to turn on/off inline preview PDF generation?

[Jackolicious 808]

Noted and thanks for confirming the fix!

[flyee 4]

Thanks for the test flyee.  That is good news.

 

However, having PDFs that are 4X the PPT still gives me a concern.  In fact even 1X gives me concern.

This has the effect of doubling or worse of your Note size as stored on your PC/Mac.

If you have a SSD they are usually a lot smaller than HD, maybe only 128GB or 256GB.

This is a big issue.

 

Jack could we please have an Option/Preference to turn on/off inline preview PDF generation?

 

Noted and thanks for confirming the fix!

 

 

Agree with JM.

 

Actually, I guess EN is downloading everything in cloud to your local cache. (And generating these previews locally.) 

Sure you can say EN do this to enhance user experience.

 

But, EN is NOT a file sync service like dropbox, google drive, one drive, box, etc. 

There ought to be an option to control it.

 

For instance, a (premium) user could put his/her old staffs like pdf books, slides, device manual, receipts, (which won't be used recently/frequently,) to evernote to spare the disk space. When these things are needed, user can search for in in EN with great power of text recognition by EN. And I think this is the way we are supposed to use EN.

 

In this case, we definitely do not want EN to cache everything. Otherwise, we could just upload them to any file hosting service with a proper filename for search.

 

So, it would be great if EN can selectively cache/download our notes. (After all, even file sync services themselves like DropBox can do this.)