(Archived) Linking to individual notes, one year later

[tvbarn 0]

Well, I found the topic on this forum wherein promised a year ago (over a year ago, actually) that Evernote would be implementing the ability to link to individual notes.

I just think this is such an essential feature -- I think in hypertext, and whenever I'm working on a note it's natural for me to want to reference another note -- that the failure to provide it makes Evernote seem weaker than it really is.

[engberg 89]

Thanks for the feedback about this feature. This is still something we're planning to implement.

Thanks

[jplumey 1]

Any plans for an implementation of a link. I use Toodle-Do and they don't have an integration with Evernote (yet!) so I want to put in the URL in the Notes section of the ToDo item so that it points to Evernote.

[cdab 0]

this is VERY important to me... please add this!

[dan7000 26]

No kidding.

Dave, we keep hearing that these are really difficult to implement. Here's what you do:

1. each note gets a GUID upon creation.

2. each client gets a routine Display_note_by_GUID().

3. each client gets a routine Get_note_link() that returns an evernote://GUID string

4. each client gets a URL handler for the evernote:// URL.

Really. 1 day of programming per client. What else is there?

[engberg 89]

Notes don't have GUIDs before they are synchronized to the service, and we don't want to have a UI that mysteriously prevents you from copying a link before synchronizing.

Local notes don't have GUIDs, same thing.

If you move a note from a synchronized notebook to a Local notebook and then back to a Synchronized notebook, the service will see it as a new note, with a new GUID. But you (as the user of that machine) would expect that the link to that note would continue to work.

So we need something more robust so that your links work across synchronizations and whatnot for years.

Thanks

[dan7000 26]

Notes don't have GUIDs before they are synchronized to the service, and we don't want to have a UI that mysteriously prevents you from copying a link before synchronizing.

Local notes don't have GUIDs, same thing.

If you move a note from a synchronized notebook to a Local notebook and then back to a Synchronized notebook, the service will see it as a new note, with a new GUID.

Right - that's the problem. There's no reason not to assign a GUID (perhaps a second one) to a note the minute is created in any client, local or not, and keep that GUID with it forever, regardless what notebook it is moved to. This might require adding a field to your datastructure, which I realize is a pain. But beyond that it's pretty straightforward.

[engberg 89]

That proposal would require a significant change to the synchronization model we've been using for the last two years, which would invalidate the existing clients in the field, etc.

The point is just that doing this right isn't as simple as just registering a URL handler ... if it was, we'd have done it already. We know that this is a desirable feature, and we intend to implement it correctly, but this requires a lot of coordination across our product line to make sure it goes well. (We don't want a bad design used, because this puts broken content in the notes that needs to be maintained for years.)

Thanks

[cdab 0]

have said that it's more complicated some would think... what's your time estimate for getting it done?

[engberg 89]

We don't try to give dates for when features and products will be released, because we don't to look like jerks when things don't work out as we planned. It is definitely still something we want to do, however.

Thanks

[lstroyan 1]

So, is it safe to link to the web version of a note?

[engberg 89]

If you are viewing a public notebook, and you click on a note, the URL in the browser will always go to that note in that public notebook. There's no permanent URL for notes within your own account, which require authentication.

[lstroyan 1]

Thanks, Dave. I do realize that if I was not logged in, it would not work. But if I then log in, will re-loading the link take me to the same note?

Thanks,

Lisa

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

There's no permanent URL for notes within your own account

Thanks, Dave. I do realize that if I was not logged in, it would not work. But if I then log in, will re-loading the link take me to the same note?

Since he said there's no permanent URL for your notes, it sounds like maybe. I don't know what prompts the note URLs to change (maybe if you move it to another notebook? Maybe if you make changes to it? I dunno.) Sounds like something you shouldn't rely upon.

[engberg 89]

I think it will tend to work with the current UI, but the links aren't "permanent", so may break at some point in the future if our web UI scheme changes.

The long-term solution will be permanent links that will always work.

[NeilDurant 2]

Any plans for an implementation of a link. I use Toodle-Do and they don't have an integration with Evernote (yet!) so I want to put in the URL in the Notes section of the ToDo item so that it points to Evernote.

This would be a killer feature for me - I use ToodleDo too, and would find that exact use case very compelling.

[favrot 0]

I wanted to add my voice to this thread and say that I also agree that this is a necessary feature. It would save me so much time from having to track down related notes. Search+tags+notebooks are all useful but nothing approaches the ability to interlink notes ala hypertext.

[snsok 0]

I am still using a simple system I posted here a while back. I just create a unique identifier for a group of notes I want to link.

I use a random 3- or 4-digit string placed anywhere within a group of notes I wish to link. Searching on that string brings up all the notes with that string. By using a random string, my search doesn't bring up real words, so there are no accidental finds.

For example, I might embed b9f4 at the bottom of two or three notes I wish to link by search. Later, when I find one note, it's very easy to search for all related notes.

I used a random number generator found at http://www.random.org I generated a couple hundred which I then pasted them into an Evernote for storage. To use a string, I cut it out of that note and paste it so I don't ever reuse a string accidentally.

Works quite well for me.

One other idea:

To link to a file somewhere else on my hard drive or my network, I use the UNC convention for that file in Evernote: file:///c:\myfolder\myfile.txt

[Trager 0]

Sorry to pile on, but I'm definitely in that camp where the ability to link notes would almost infinitely expand Evernote's usability for me. Especially if the link interface were well integrated with the editor (i.e. a nice hotkey to bring up the interface and a text search/completion type input so that I could very quickly put links inline with text as I type).

[bjondersson 0]

Not being able to interlink notes is what is keeping me from actively using Evernote. I was happy when I found Evernote, but was then disappointed when I found that interlinking notes was not possible.

I am sure the Evernote development team has good reasons for why this is technically difficult, and why the feature is not there yet. I would be happy if I could just link to the title of another note. If the a note with that title does not exist, a new note could be automatically be created, like in many wiki apps. For me it would not be that important if the link would stop working if I changed the title of the note it was pointing to. I would think this would make the synchornization problem easier, and no GUIDs would be needed.

Anyway, it is nice to hear that it is intended that interlinking notes will be implemented at some point in the future.

[robparn 0]

Yes, you can add unique keyed numbers to the footnote, of your Evernote notes. = I do use this marker technique for “hooking specialized” note sets together. (Why? Because, if I want to connect only 17 notes, and not add “more tags” for it. Searching for hotlink aword21 – gives a context.

Switching to an answer, for the alternative. Why don’t we have note interlinking?

(Apologies in advance.) You guys have got to think a little different. This is not the old Evernote. = What is the answer?

Stop thinking by direct reference. (aka, You don’t want “this is a jump here unique name” working feature. Why?) Because, having to tediously write an exactly this here / there / URL or GUID or UNC declaration is horrible. = Have you ever looked at a Google search string. Or tried to telled you Dad, go to this page Dad. http: // support.microsoft.com /win2000 /zoneblue /other.index2 /apage.aspx?aa=what%20is%that%saying … and so on.

Answer: How should you think? I’ll tell you. = Think by search! Like Google, only on your desktop, for you and only you / yourself, not of the Internet or by the World-Wide Web.

Contrary to myself, yes on certain occasions, I would prefer to “just have a URL string,” for this that, to a specific note.

Alternative: Now, what if? I could have a ENX-SRC directive, stated by web page address (or emails too?), that “upon entering by Firefox,” asks me for (skip the login – allow the ?log=xxxxx, to be preset by calling,) the password. [if this is necessary for SSL HTTPS session Browser operations?])

-----------------------------

So, why have a search – which works this way? (1) It is not “just one stupid single” note. (2) It reinforces you search for questions and see the answers, to perfect more answers, and clearer answers. (3) Yes, if someone knows your password? Then, they can have unrestricted access to your Evernote notebook collection.

As for “what / where is” the local client copy of Evernote. = You guys are not going to like this. (Now, I see why the Evernote folks are hating this. It would cause major problems for the iPhone client. Plus, knowing Apple, there are deeper issues there. Wtv) Answer: You have to have a “local file URI” which mirrors all Evernote note identities 100%.

So, if you “click show note” search axl rose bands? And context is your Windows client. = Then, your Windows OS sends this to your Windows client. OR your Windows OS touches “the file reference” by means of a mirrored image (of activate association how?) kind of system.

------------------------------

A Partial Solution: (A) If I have a "live on Windows" with the Win v3.5 client - link / URL / URI or whatever you want to call it, that worked - was live - and "did absolutely nothing" on anything else. = That would be enough, for me. ( Though, I still prefer being able to state "searches in HTML code" declarations.

© However, "implementing this" for all platforms - if you have 20 clients / types of machines and devices - you support / run on. (*) Imagine having "per note" 20 strings of 512 characters max size, needing addition to all ENX Accounts to databases to user Tables. [Only 3--4 have "local notebook" support possible; that is what Dave E. hints at being the worst situation. It seems.]

Night – thinking too hard.

[Shepherd Jim 5]

Okay! I'm relatively new to Evernote -- did not take me very long to decide that I must/should/needed to upgrade to Premium.

I have to admit I have been distressed to discover that there is apparently no way to link to individual notes, either from within Evernote notes/notebooks OR from other documents.

Has there been any change in the situation since late April??

I went back and listened to as many of the old Evernote podcasts as I could. There was always lots of discussion about how Evernote was soon going to be ported to whatever was the newest phone OS and how it had been newly translated into this or that eclectic foreign languages.

I am by definition, an "Old *****". And, I don't want to sound too crabby and selfish, but I'm hoping that "spreading the love" does (has) not become too much more important than increasing the quality of the program.

Jim

[pbk105 0]

I am still using a simple system I posted here a while back. I just create a unique identifier for a group of notes I want to link.

I use a random 3- or 4-digit string placed anywhere within a group of notes I wish to link. Searching on that string brings up all the notes with that string. By using a random string, my search doesn't bring up real words, so there are no accidental finds.

For example, I might embed b9f4 at the bottom of two or three notes I wish to link by search. Later, when I find one note, it's very easy to search for all related notes.

I used a random number generator found at http://www.random.org I generated a couple hundred which I then pasted them into an Evernote for storage. To use a string, I cut it out of that note and paste it so I don't ever reuse a string accidentally.

Works quite well for me.

One other idea:

To link to a file somewhere else on my hard drive or my network, I use the UNC convention for that file in Evernote: file:///c:\myfolder\myfile.txt

Clever idea! Thanks for the tip!

--Paul

[MarkDavies10 0]

Hi folks

Just to add my support for this feature request - I would also find this feature incredibly useful.

Might I suggest an acceptance criteria: when clicking on an Evernote link, if the OS has the rich Evernote client installed then the link should be opened in the rich client, and not the web client. (This feature could have a configurable flag to default to either web or rich client.)

Thanks for listening!

Mark

[NeilDurant 2]

Hi folks

Just to add my support for this feature request - I would also find this feature incredibly useful.

Might I suggest an acceptance criteria: when clicking on an Evernote link, if the OS has the rich Evernote client installed then the link should be opened in the rich client, and not the web client. (This feature could have a configurable flag to default to either web or rich client.)

Mark

I would find this incredibly useful too - not only would it allow inter-linking between notes within Evernote, it would allow us to point to reference materials held in Evernote from other services such as to-do managers, mind mapping tools etc., meaning more integration, and more power. And for Evernote the company, it would mean people would be relying on Evernote more and more, as they integrate it more extensively into their lives.

[riw777 0]

Okay--I almost bought Evernote, but then I ran across this thread... And now I realize it won't work for what I want, so there's no point in buying it. I use a software program called Logos to do Scripture study. What I really want is the ability to link from whatever resource I'm in back to a note in Evernote--IE, when I run into a specific spot, to be able to click on a link, and it pulls up Evernote and it brings me to the right note. To give an example that doesn't relate to Logos, say I'm reading through a Word doc I've read before. I've made notes to myself, but I can't remember where, etc. If I can't link from the doc back to my notes in Evernote, then it's just a mess to find them and track them along with the document text. Being forced to put some random number in each note, and then referencing that random number, is just a pain. If I can do it manually, why can't Evernote do it automatically?

This is a killer for me--no point in buying it without this feature.

Russ

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

If I can do it manually, why can't Evernote do it automatically?

Wow...there's a serious flaw in your logic, there. If I can do laundry manually, why can't Evernote do it automatically? If I can heat up my coffee in the microwave manually, why can't Evernote do it automatically? Polish my nails? Take out the trash?

Anyway, if you read the thread, you will find the explanation.

It's always odd that people think ___ (fill in the blank) should be easy to implement.

[riw777 0]

If I can do it manually, why can't Evernote do it automatically?

Wow...there's a serious flaw in your logic, there. If I can do laundry manually, why can't Evernote do it automatically? If I can heat up my coffee in the microwave manually, why can't Evernote do it automatically? Polish my nails? Take out the trash?

Anyway, if you read the thread, you will find the explanation.

It's always odd that people think ___ (fill in the blank) should be easy to implement.

So, I reread the thread... And I understand this impacts the way Evernote would synch. But is sarcasm a side dish in all your answers? Ever thought about being a little nice to folks who are thinking about buying the product/service? I suppose you wouldn't mind if you went to the grocery store, asked "where's the sugar," and the answer was, "didn't you walk all the aisles before asking? You don't look like you're out of breath to me!"

I don't see why you couldn't have two UIDs, one local, and one that's synch'd, for instance? Is it _that_ hard to add a second one for use in local only notes? I would think it would be easy enough to link the two IDs if you do synch, in some way.

You make it sound like there's no alternatives, and it's like moving a mountain to change what's there.

Russ

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

So, I reread the thread... And I understand this impacts the way Evernote would synch. But is sarcasm a side dish in all your answers? Ever thought about being a little nice to folks who are thinking about buying the product/service? I suppose you wouldn't mind if you went to the grocery store, asked "where's the sugar," and the answer was, "didn't you walk all the aisles before asking? You don't look like you're out of breath to me!"

Actually, I would never walk into a store & ask where the sugar is, without looking for it myself first. . That's what the signs are for. Plus, it's pretty easy to find sugar. And I was simply applying your "logic" to other situations. (shrug)

I don't see why you couldn't have two UIDs, one local, and one that's synch'd, for instance? Is it _that_ hard to add a second one for use in local only notes? I would think it would be easy enough to link the two IDs if you do synch, in some way.You make it sound like there's no alternatives, and it's like moving a mountain to change what's there.

I'm not the one saying why it's difficult to do. However, unless you're intricately involved in the development of EN, it's quite presumptuous of you to make a determination whether something is easy or difficult to implement.

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

Ever thought about being a little nice to folks who are thinking about buying the product/service?

And now I realize it won't work for what I want, so there's no point in buying it.

This is a killer for me--no point in buying it without this feature.

BTW, the taunts people tend to use to try to get their way (cancelling my subscription, I almost bought EN, hold my breath until I turn blue & pass out, etc.) tend to get old really quick.

[riw777 0]

BTW, the taunts people tend to use to try to get their way (cancelling my subscription, I almost bought EN, hold my breath until I turn blue & pass out, etc.) tend to get old really quick.

Perhaps I was just stating the facts to lend support for those who want this feature. But alas, again, I run into someone who thinks it's really cool to sit around in forums making fun of other people, presuming on their motives, etc. Whatever. If this is the way people are treated in these forums, then Evernote is definitely off my list of products to try. I'd prefer a product with support set on something other than snark and sarcasm. If you represent the company, I feel sorry for them.

Russ

[crispinb 8]

This is a really important feature for me too, so I'm also putting in a request for it. Let's not let the content get buried by daft arguments.

Hyperlinks are one of the few real innovations that computers have offered text (search is the only other one that comes to mind immediately). It would be great to have them in Evernote.

[dan7000 26]

I don't see why you couldn't have two UIDs, one local, and one that's synch'd, for instance? Is it _that_ hard to add a second one for use in local only notes? I would think it would be easy enough to link the two IDs if you do synch, in some way.You make it sound like there's no alternatives, and it's like moving a mountain to change what's there.

I'm not the one saying why it's difficult to do. However, unless you're intricately involved in the development of EN, it's quite presumptuous of you to make a determination whether something is easy or difficult to implement.

riw777's point is exactly right. All EN has to do is add one field for a global UID. It's bizarre that they are not doing it.

Presumptuous? Sure. But posting ideas like this on the board is one reason this board exists. I think EN is doing a great job, and I'm not questioning their programming or design abilities. But everybody can use outside ideas -- EN knows that's true for design issues, which is one reason Dave monitors these boards. It's true for programming ideas too.

Sometimes people who *are* intricately involved in the development of a product are so married to one complex vision of a solution that they forget to see the simple alternatives. In the case of note linking, that may be the case -- or maybe this easy solution won't work for some other reason we're not privy to. Of course, it may not matter, as it doesn't seem like any actual EN programmers read these boards, but it's worth a shot.

[engberg 89]

Notes on the service already have a global identifier.

http://www.evernote.com/about/developer ... truct_Note

This identifier is assigned when a note is first synchronized to the service. (I.e. the server makes the identifier.)

Using this as part of a URL is useful but not sufficient. Specifically:

1) Notes in local notebooks don't have this identifier

2) Unsynchronized notes don't have this identifier

3) If you move a note from a synchronized notebook to a local notebook, the server records that identifier as "deleted" to notify other clients. If you move it into another synchronized notebook later, it gets a different identifier.

To handle links to notes for people who would hit any of these scenarios, we need to do something more complicated, and we need to make it consistent across all of our many clients. This type of feature hits a lot of products and needs to be coordinated correctly. We do intend to do this in the future, however.

Thanks for the feedback.

[brianhaddock 2]

I agree this would be a much needed feature. In fact, not only linking between notes but linking within notes (i.e. ability to create a index pointing to content within large notes) would be nice. Similar to how you can create an index in a Word document that points to content within the document.

[ignatz 0]

One more voice advocating for this feature. I have recently gone pro and begun using Evernote much more heavily. It will greatly enhance the software for me when I can link across notes.

[jephos 0]

I am in line with previous posters for this feature, and agree with the above poster that it would make Evernote multiplicatively more useful and powerful. I am using it for a large multi-person research project, and being able to link other notes helps me create an internal wiki of sorts. So, I figured I would voice my high support for such a feature.

[Everforumuser 0]

In support of this feature request I'd like to say I also would like to see linking various notes to one another.

[ludu 0]

Now we have the year 2010.

I need this feature too.

ludu

[aaronsaunders 0]

Great service! I would however like to add the weight of my opinion to this feature request. I tried to use Evernote "remember everything" but cannot use it as a database for my notes on scientific literature because I need to link to other notes containing relevant information. The notes themselves are not that powerful - it is the relationships between them I am trying to find...

I think in general I now use Evernote to capture everything and then use other formats - wiki, word processor etc. - to structure information - just having notebooks and tagging is not enough. Adding internal links to notes and the ability to make nested folders would begin to give me the tools to structure information in Evernote.

[Shepherd Jim 5]

Great service! I would however like to add the weight of my opinion to this feature request.......the ability to make nested folders .......

Oh WoW! Well-implemented nested folders would be a killer add for Evernote! YES PLEASE!

[John Davis 0]

Just registered to add my vote for linking to individual notes !

I guess it is not that easy as it has to work on windows, mac, iphone, android etc but still...please work on it !

At least provide wiki-linking like OneNote 2010:

- http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/oneno ... 6.aspx#BM3

Or even better, automatic linking with titles like PpcSoft iKnow 2010

- http://www.ppcsoft.com/iknow-connect.asp

And the linked notes feature in OneNote 2010 which allows you to link to other documents is also very powerful:

- http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/oneno ... 88533.aspx

Just some ideas....

[mrjoeboo 0]

+1 for Linking NOTES together. This would really increase my productivity. Gets cumbersome to keep searching for notes that I already have. Would be greatly appreciated new feature. THANKS!

[flaneige 13]

I understand the feature would be easy to implement for synchronised notes (no local or unsynchronised notes).

That would be a great start!

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

I understand the feature would be easy to implement for synchronised notes (no local or unsynchronised notes).

It appears you missed this part:

Notes on the service already have a global identifier.

http://www.evernote.com/about/developer ... truct_Note

This identifier is assigned when a note is first synchronized to the service. (I.e. the server makes the identifier.)

Using this as part of a URL is useful but not sufficient. Specifically:

1) Notes in local notebooks don't have this identifier

2) Unsynchronized notes don't have this identifier

3) If you move a note from a synchronized notebook to a local notebook, the server records that identifier as "deleted" to notify other clients. If you move it into another synchronized notebook later, it gets a different identifier.

To handle links to notes for people who would hit any of these scenarios, we need to do something more complicated, and we need to make it consistent across all of our many clients. This type of feature hits a lot of products and needs to be coordinated correctly. We do intend to do this in the future, however.

Thanks for the feedback.

[flaneige 13]

Thanks, it was not clear to me that if a note from a synchronized notebook is moved to another synchronized notebook, it gets a different identifier

[engberg 89]

It has the same identifier if you just move it directly between synchronized notebooks, but it has to change if you move it to a local notebook and sync. (This is so that the note is properly removed on the service and on other clients when they sync.)

[flaneige 13]

So you could easily make the feature available for synchronized notes only

[engberg 89]

No, the point is that we plan to do it right when we do it, and that's a little more work. Doing the 60% solution would just create a lot of confusion in all of the cases when it breaks.

[crispinb 8]

No, the point is that we plan to do it right when we do it, and that's a little more work. Doing the 60% solution would just create a lot of confusion in all of the cases when it breaks.

I'm a strong advocate of hyperlinks, but this seems like exactly the right approach to me. I think of EN as an application to use in the long-term, and don't mind at all mind a wait for what I consider a necessary feature to be done properly.

[metzmar 0]

Another vote for this feature, intra-note and inter-note linking. I think you're doing the right thing in getting it right by holding off, though. The amount of data that has to be managed must be frighteningly large.

[JMichaelTest 19]

This definitely has my vote.

FYI, it is now approaching two years later.

Original post was in Oct 2009.

[sdipaola 0]

Using onenote2010 with webapps - pretty nice - webapps is a little buggy and has MS only (no android, no chrome, doesn't play nice with gmail)) issues. As usual I check back into EN forums every 6 months - see older posts) to see if interlinking is in yet. Not yet. There are 1000s of us who would jump (back) to EN (from ON, from Gdocs, from tiddlywiki, from ...) when this feature even in a simple form is in. What you can do with interlink ( wikiwords essentially will be a game changer). Tags can only go so far. Thanks all for pushing it. See you in 6 months.

[Metrodon 2,188]

I think you can safely assume that as this hasn't happened in two years it is not high on the EN priority list.

I guess the 'thousands' who are waiting to sign up are just going to have to wait a little longer or find a different app that meets their needs.

[jbenson2 2,149]

metrodon said:

I guess the 'thousands' who are waiting to sign up are just going to have to wait a little longer or find a different app that meets their needs.

Not putting down the reason for the post - "links to individual notes", but...

Evernote is doing something right. Evernote's growth isn’t showing signs of slowing down; they hit 4 million users this month.

It was just three and a half months ago when Evernote surpassed 3 million users and less than eight months since it reached 2 million.

http://blog.evernote.com/2010/08/17/4-million-evernoters-and-counting/

[Metrodon 2,188]

I was being more than a little sarcastic - I really don't see this as a feature that they are interested in implementing and personally it's not one that I'm interested in.

My comment was more aimed at the kind of poster who claims that the one feature they so desperately need is what is stopping many thousands of people from signing up immediately.

The 4 million number is certainly impressive - I'd love to know how many of the 4m are considered 'active', I know that will probably generate an argument as to how you define 'active' though.

[jbenson2 2,149]

Ooops, sorry. I guess it was too early in the morning for my brain cells to be fully working.

The Evernote users cover a wide range:

from first-time users to full-blown software code writers

from users with a few posts/week to users who have stored thousands of records

One stat that blew me away was :

Dave Engberg said on May 24

There were 4,575 requests to our "forgot password" page yesterday (a Sunday)

[flaneige 13]

I think that "hundreds" of current users would be very happy to use that feature, even limited to synchronized notebooks.

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

I think that "hundreds" of current users would be very happy to use that feature, even limited to synchronized notebooks.

It's pretty much that way with every "feature" anyone posts here. Again, it's a matter of balancing priorities with resources. And, in case you missed it:

No, the point is that we plan to do it right when we do it, and that's a little more work. Doing the 60% solution would just create a lot of confusion in all of the cases when it breaks.

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

One stat that blew me away was :

Dave Engberg said on May 24

There were 4,575 requests to our "forgot password" page yesterday (a Sunday)

Yeah, I remember when he posted that - it was a big surprise to me as well.

[sdipaola 0]

There are millions of people using advanced wikis which give them the knowledge base that you get when you can tie thoughts and info together with local hyperlinks, but these wikis are not "what you see is what you edit", nor overly multimedia (mediawiki being one of many exceptions) or smart about desktop/web interfaces like drag and drop, ... like EN is. So I stand by my original statement that hyper linking concepts and knowledge (rather than just using tags to attempt to do so), would bring 1000s of new users ( a conservative estimate). Tags are good and hierarchical tags are better but tags in general are known as a folksonomy - in that they are very unstructured and eventually become unruly at best as systems get large. They are a great as a secondary system for knowledge management but again get clumsy as the primary one.

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

So I stand by my original statement that hyper linking concepts and knowledge (rather than just using tags to attempt to do so), would bring 1000s of new users ( a conservative estimate).

I guess the EN team will have to decide which "thousands" of people they are going to target, then. The "thousands" that will sign up if/when linking to notes is added? Or the "thousands" who will sign up if/when it's adapted for corporate use? Or the "thousands" who will sign up if/when sub-notebooks are added. Or the...etc, etc, etc.

And I stand by my statement:

I think that "hundreds" of current users would be very happy to use that feature, even limited to synchronized notebooks.

It's pretty much that way with every "feature" anyone posts here. Again, it's a matter of balancing priorities with resources. And, in case you missed it:

No, the point is that we plan to do it right when we do it, and that's a little more work. Doing the 60% solution would just create a lot of confusion in all of the cases when it breaks.

[Metrodon 2,188]

If it doesn't do what you want it to do then use something else - there must be other apps that do it very well with hundreds and thousands of users.

I don't use EN as a word processor, or a calendar, or for mind mapping etc. I use it as a place to gather data, it has it's limitations but it does what I want it to do.

[crispinb 8]

If it doesn't do what you want it to do then use something else

Or, a better alternative: request the feature for Evernote. Evernote suits my needs, on balance, better than anything else I've found. But it would suit my needs better still if it supported links. Hence the request.

[engberg 89]

Thanks for the feedback. This is still on our list of things we plan to do.

[romangrey 0]

+1 on this feature.

It's the only feature I've been able to come up with that isn't already available that I would be able to put to use immediately.

[pendolino 6]

+11 for this feature. also my current must have feature apart from making evernote faster.

[JMichaelTest 19]

Yes, creating links to related documents/files/pages has been a way of life in the World Wide Web for many, many years now (more than 15 years). So it is surprising that Evernote would have designed an app that doesn't support linking to its on notes early on.

Since Evernote does not support any time of hierarchical organization of notes, providing links to other Notes would be very helpful. At least that way we could create a "master" Note that, somewhat like a table of contents, provides a list of related Notes, and links to them.

This would be very powerful. Of course, it is just a basic feature in today's web world.

[jbenson2 2,149]

Here is the method I use to link certain notes together. It has worked fine and will still work once links are in place.

For example: consider our new refrigerator - I have Evernote notes on: comparison research, specs, dimensions, purchase info, receipt, delivery details, installation photos, the manual, and warranty info. This information is spread out over several notes.

I use my Roboform password manager program to instantly generate an 6 digit alphanumeric code which I paste into the above mentioned notes as the first line in the text. example: TSQK4E

And unlike links, I can easily go from one note to all of the rest of them.

[dan7000 26]

Here is the method I use to link certain notes together. It has worked fine and will still work once links are in place.

For example: consider our new refrigerator - I have Evernote notes on: comparison research, specs, dimensions, purchase info, receipt, delivery details, installation photos, the manual, and warranty info. This information is spread out over several notes.

I use my Roboform password manager program to instantly generate an 6 digit alphanumeric code which I paste into the above mentioned notes as the first line in the text. example: TSQK4E

And unlike links, I can easily go from one note to all of the rest of them.

How is this different from creating a tag called "new refrigerator"?

[jbenson2 2,149]

How is this different from creating a tag called "new refrigerator"?

That is a very good question. There is not much difference at all.

Even though the upper limit is 10,000 tags, I am trying to only use tags on notes that have a good chance of recurring later down the road. I currently have about 700+ tags. As part of my housekeeping, I will go into the Left Panel once a week or so and look for tags that don't have many associated notes. On those tags, I will try to come up a better system. The 6 digit unique code is one of my solutions.

[robparn 0]

..

Actually, I would never walk into a store & ask where the sugar is, without looking for it myself first. . That's what the signs are for. Plus, it's pretty easy to find sugar. And I was simply applying your "logic" to other situations. (shrug)

..

= I'm sure, this is getting very old. But, just wanted to agree BFries.

* You are right. Normally, you don't ask (perform a search) where is the sugar.

* However, "if it is really strange store," then I would.

* What is a good reason, we might prefer to NOT search / ask for help?

Answer: It takes more time. Yes, we want it to work auto-magically.

That is all

[crispinb 8]

Well, I'm all for patience, but I've run out. The trigger for me was this announcement: http://blog.evernote.com/2011/03/22/upd ... nd-iphone/. A shiny new feature within days of the iPad 2 release, yet still no announcement on an intrinsic and essential feature of computer-based text.

It's hard to get away from Evernote, mostly for good reasons (it has so many things right), secondarily for bad (technically hard to migrate, despite EN's genuine efforts to provide export options). But I don't want to get any deeper into a platform whose development team places such a low priority on fundamentals. Unfortunately for me it's time to search for alternatives (which I don't relish at all).

[engberg 89]

We discussed the architecture for this feature last week and still plan to implement it. Since it crosses various clients, it's a bit more complicated than enabling camera support in the iPad app (which is basically just turning on the feature that's already in the iOS client for iPhones).

Thanks for the feedback.

[bernfarr 0]

Here's another vote for linking between notes.

I'm really surprised this hasn't been implemented, it's such a basic form of knowledge organization. I think of Evernote as better version of a TiddlyWiki. Except all wikis allow internal linking.

Please, please add this feature.

[jefito 5,598]

Except all wikis allow internal linking.

Except that Evernote is not a wiki. Look, nearly everybody, Evernote included, wants note links. I take them at their word that it's not trivial to implement them across all of their clients, and that they'll get to it when it's feasible. When that day comes, it will be that glorious future. Well, except for those folks who want 'true' hierarchical tags/notes/notebooks.

[Metrodon 2,188]

Yeah, but Jefito it doesn't do want I want it to do right now this second. Even though the people that make it say it's going to happen at some point in the future (and why would they lie?), it doesn't do it right now, this second, like right now....ad infinitum.

[bernfarr 0]

Except all wikis allow internal linking.

Except that Evernote is not a wiki. ...

No it's better than a wiki and wikis and the web have done this from the start.

I believe internal links implement as pointers to unique note ids. When I click on the pointer, Evernote displays the referenced note. As a software architect, I'm really struggling to see why implementation should depend on the client that you're using. If I can use search results to obtain a list of note references with associated matching contents, then click on those to go to the note that matches, I really don't see why it's not possible without searching.

In frustration, because I want to get off wikis.

[donwells 0]

It seems like you could add a feature to search for an exact match to a string between two special characters. That way one could put the title of a note into another note and search for it easily. This is in many ways the way a wiki wiki web works. Except instead of bumpy case being the syntactic trigger you choose a special character. So instead of MyOtherNote being a link to another note #my other note# is a link to a search result.

[jefito 5,598]

As a software architect, I'm really struggling to see why implementation should depend on the client that you're using.

If you haven't read the beginning of this thread, you should -- Dave Engberg sheds some light on what they see at problematic. I don't fully understand it myself and don't really feel a strong need to, because for me, it really boils down to one thing: trust. I trust them to make good (or at least reasonable) decisions as to what to implement and when to implement it. If I didn't trust them (not the same thing as always agreeing with them), I wouldn't be here. Plus, as he said: if it were easy, they'd have done it already.

[Metrodon 2,188]

This is a feature that Evernote have said themselves that they want to implement, that they see the value in it but it is complicated for them to implement. The key here is 'them' - this may be easy in other products, or seem easy to you as a code monkey, architect, support guy whatever, but for Evernote given their architecture and multi platform support it's harder.

Do you really think they are holding back the functionality just to annoy you? Or as some kind of user punishment?

Seeing as it is a feature that is clearly going to add value (and maybe even some more users) I'm sure they will get it out as quickly as they can given their financial and resource constraints and their own prioritised roadmap.

[bernfarr 0]

...

Nice flame buddy.

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

...

Nice flame buddy.

??? Hardly a flame. More like a fact of life. People have a tendency to think something should be simple b/c they also know how to code. The reality is that unless one works directly with the EN code (or any code, for that matter), you really don't know the complexities/considerations involved with their database & various clients. Like Jeff said, Dave has explained some of the things they need to consider.

[Metrodon 2,188]

...

Nice flame buddy.

Really not trying to flame you - just to make the point that making assumptions from the outside no matter what our own personal experience is a bit of a waste of time.

Now if I was trying to flame you...........

[crispinb 8]

This is a feature that Evernote have said themselves that they want to implement, that they see the value in it but it is complicated for them to implement. The key here is 'them' - this may be easy in other products, or seem easy to you as a code monkey, architect, support guy whatever, but for Evernote given their architecture and multi platform support it's harder.

Do you really think they are holding back the functionality just to annoy you? Or as some kind of user punishment?

Seeing as it is a feature that is clearly going to add value (and maybe even some more users) I'm sure they will get it out as quickly as they can given their financial and resource constraints and their own prioritised roadmap.

I don't know who this was addressed to, but I want to point out that it's possible for a user to say 'this is why Evernote doesn't suit my needs any more' without it being some kind of condemnation of the EN guys or their choices. My position is that links are clearly such a low priority to EN that I am simply not willing to commit more data to it (there's a degree of lock-in involved). I consider links to be as basic to computer-based text as having an entire alphabet available, and given the low priority they've been given, I'm not confident links won't continually be bumped down the list by apparently more exciting stuff. I'm shifting my note storage elsewhere, and won't be purchasing another Premium subscription. Feedback, not flame. In many respects Evernote is truly excellent (particularly the commitment to multi-platform support, which is such a hard thing to do), and I'm sure it has an excellent future.

[Metrodon 2,188]

This is a feature that Evernote have said themselves that they want to implement, that they see the value in it but it is complicated for them to implement. The key here is 'them' - this may be easy in other products, or seem easy to you as a code monkey, architect, support guy whatever, but for Evernote given their architecture and multi platform support it's harder.

Do you really think they are holding back the functionality just to annoy you? Or as some kind of user punishment?

Seeing as it is a feature that is clearly going to add value (and maybe even some more users) I'm sure they will get it out as quickly as they can given their financial and resource constraints and their own prioritised roadmap.

I don't know who this was addressed to, but I want to point out that it's possible for a user to say 'this is why Evernote doesn't suit my needs any more' without it being some kind of condemnation of the EN guys or their choices. My position is that links are clearly such a low priority to EN that I am simply not willing to commit more data to it (there's a degree of lock-in involved). I consider links to be as basic to computer-based text as having an entire alphabet available, and given the low priority they've been given, I'm not confident links won't continually be bumped down the list by apparently more exciting stuff. I'm shifting my note storage elsewhere, and won't be purchasing another Premium subscription. Feedback, not flame. In many respects Evernote is truly excellent (particularly the commitment to multi-platform support, which is such a hard thing to do), and I'm sure it has an excellent future.

Excellent post - if it doesn't do what you want it to do then move on.

[JMichaelTest 19]

. . . My position is that links are clearly such a low priority to EN that I am simply not willing to commit more data to it (there's a degree of lock-in involved). I consider links to be as basic to computer-based text as having an entire alphabet available, and given the low priority they've been given, I'm not confident links won't continually be bumped down the list by apparently more exciting stuff. . .

I hope you're wrong about EN's priority for this feature.

In fact, I wonder what is the basis for your assessment? Just yesterday, the EN CTO made this statement supporting links:

We discussed the architecture for this feature last week and still plan to implement it. Since it crosses various clients, it's a bit more complicated than enabling camera support in the iPad app (which is basically just turning on the feature that's already in the iOS client for iPhones).

This looks like a committment to me. Granted, it would be helpful if Dave would provide some type of priority or general time frame. I know this is not likely, but it would still be helpful.

[crispinb 8]

. . . My position is that links are clearly such a low priority to EN that I am simply not willing to commit more data to it (there's a degree of lock-in involved). I consider links to be as basic to computer-based text as having an entire alphabet available, and given the low priority they've been given, I'm not confident links won't continually be bumped down the list by apparently more exciting stuff. . .

I hope you're wrong about EN's priority for this feature.

In fact, I wonder what is the basis for your assessment? Just yesterday, the EN CTO made this statement supporting links:

We discussed the architecture for this feature last week and still plan to implement it. Since it crosses various clients, it's a bit more complicated than enabling camera support in the iPad app (which is basically just turning on the feature that's already in the iOS client for iPhones).

This looks like a committment to me. Granted, it would be helpful if Dave would provide some type of priority or general time frame. I know this is not likely, but it would still be helpful.

Well, Dave's been similarly committed at least since 2008: viewtopic.php?f=30&t=7246#p27248. I don't doubt his sincerity, but the conjunction of that with the fact (from your quote) that they've only just 'discussed the architecture' leaves me with little confidence that hyperlinks are much of a priority. And we all know that low priority items have a way of being perpetually displaced by higher priority ones.

I do take it on face value that the plan is there to implement links, but I've just reached the stage where I want to bail before my already heavy commitment to Evernote (nearly 4000 notes, many laboriously curated rather than just stashed) makes it impossible for me to extricate myself should links not eventuate (I consider them essential). I've kept using EN in part because of all the good things, but also because EN's robust export (enex and html) led me to guess that third-party developers would come up with simple ways to reuse EN's data elsewhere, but this just hasn't happened, and I'm very concerned about getting locked in. Again, no criticism intended here, the exports are good, but don't in practise lead to ways to shift tools wholesale.

[newevernoter 0]

Just out of interest - how do you see linked notes working when you export your data?

Will any other application be able to understand the evernote strategy for linking?

Or when you export, will you lose all the links?

I've no idea what the answer is, just thinking aloud.

[JMichaelTest 19]

Well, Dave's been similarly committed at least since 2008: viewtopic.php?f=30&t=7246#p27248. I don't doubt his sincerity, but the conjunction of that with the fact (from your quote) that they've only just 'discussed the architecture' leaves me with little confidence that hyperlinks are much of a priority. And we all know that low priority items have a way of being perpetually displaced by higher priority ones. . .

Point well made.

In fact, I think it is worthwhile to quote Dave's statement from 2008:

Notes within your account don't currently have a permalink URL that will work on your desktop computer, but we are planning on introducing "links to notes", which would support this.

If you publish a notebook, each of the notes in the public notebook will have a permalink that can be used to reference that public note, however. For example:

http://www.evernote.com/pub/dave/test#c0a8c82f-e5fb-4459-83fb-b3320b08bffd

So, after promising links over 2 1/2 years ago, we still don't have links. In that time Evernote has completely re-written the Windows client twice, and the Mac client twice. Surely the latest round (EN Win 4 and En Mac 2) provided good opportunities to introduce the links feature that seems to be so difficult.

So Dave, we know Note Links are in your plan. That doesn't seem to translate to much if the plan is the distant future. Would you care to be a bit more definitive about the when part of your plans?

[engberg 89]

No, I don't give predictions for when a feature will be available in our products until I've seen it running and handed to QA with my own eyes. This way, I don't look like a jerk if my estimates turn out to be too optimistic, and don't have to reply to a lot of threads quoting those predictions back.

This is a feature that we agree is useful for people who want to internally organize their notes, but the cross-platform nature meant that it hasn't made it to the top of the list quite yet. But it's still an active area of discussion and planning.

Thanks

[JMichaelTest 19]

I just wanted to point out there is another thread requesting this same feature that is even older than this thread. The following thread is over 2 1/2 years old:

Feature Request: Intra-Evernote links...

I admittedly have not thought this fully through, but I was thinking it would be a nice feature to be able to create links within the Evernote database between notes.

For example I often use this for work and take notes about a particular project at many different times. I tag all of those projects with a common tag of course, but in one note there may be a reference to something I covered in another note that may be in an entirely different project. A simple hyperlink between the two could be a good way of jumping back to the reference note if needed. . .

[Metrodon 2,188]

I guess the conclusion to this is that Evernote see the value, it may come at some point in the future but no one is going to guarantee if and when.

If you really need note linking today then Evernote is probably not for you.

[JMichaelTest 19]

If you really need note linking today then Evernote is probably not for you.

Quite illogical.

As expressed by many others, EN provides many great features that we find useful.

Note linking would be a great enhancement and make EN even more useful to us.

[jefito 5,598]

If you really need note linking today then Evernote is probably not for you.

Quite illogical.

Not illogical if by "need", metrodon meant "require" (particularly when the second clause is qualified by "probably"). If, on the other hand, by "need" he meant "really really want but willing to overlook its lack because Evernote has all these other incredibly super features", well, OK.

[JMichaelTest 19]

Let's not distracted by semantics or side-debates.

The point is that it is very concerning (to some of us) that after 2 1/2 years Evernote has still not seen fit to implement note linking.

[engberg 89]

Closing thread devolving into non-constructive sniping.