How do I backup unused tags?

[Steve Almond 1]

I use Evernote to track my things-to-do, and use tags to group tasks (notes) into projects. Some of my projects are inactive, and have no 'next actions' - i.e the tag has no notes attached. I accidentally clicked Delete unused Account tags the other night, and none of my backups have the lost data; I am a very sad bunny.

How can I backup these unused tags in future? I'd prefer an ENEX, but am happy with e.g. a plain-text list of names - or even a screen I can photograph!.

I was using Evernote's 'export' menu-option, but it - it turns out - only exports notes and their tags, not unused tags. I've tried ENScript.exe (ENScript exportNotes /q any:) and that does the same: notes & their tags, but no other tags. The only thing left for me to try is installing an SDK and 'rolling my own' call to NoteStore.listTags - which I can't be certain will work, given the previous two results.

Do you know of a way to export unused tags from Evernote? Can the API do it?

[Frank.dg 1,385]

Wow... just tested it... The "Delete Unused Account Tags" help menu option does not have a delete confirmation dialogue box. I just hit it to see if it did have one (to offer any suggestions to your above post)... and I had 9 tags deleted. Ouch. At the very least, a list of the tags to be deleted should be presented before one pulls the plug. The other thing is that a sync happens immediately, so without warning, the desktop client syncs through to the EN servers

The OCD beast in me was awakened. While writing this post, what I did was put my iPad in airplane mode and then compared an alphabetical list of my tags on both iPad and Windows desktop. To get an alphabetical list on desktop, one has to hit the tag icon in the Note List toolbar (In your all notes context). You'll then get a drop-down menu you can scroll through. I identified the deleted tags. Although not needed, at least now I know that.

Thank goodness my placeholder/ parent tags were not deleted (since they have no associated notes). That would have been frustrating.
I have a parent tag, "Darth Vader". The children tags, "Princess Leia" and "Luke Skywalker" were deleted. Darth Remained although he had no associated notes. Oh, the irony.

• Darth Vader (0)
  • Princess Leia (0)
  • Luke Skywalker (0)

Our solution for now... be extra careful to not hit that option.

[jbenson2 2,147]

"Our solution for now... be extra careful to not hit that option."

 

I have complained several times about the lack of Evernote documentation, especially with the additional phantom "Ctrl + Help" options. 

 

When and why would I use "Fix All Notes"?

When and why would I use "Fix Lost Resources"?

When and why would I use "Delete Unused Linked Tags"?

When and why would I use "Optimize Database" instead of "Fix All Notes"?

 

I realize there are some computer experts on this forum who can use their experience with other programs to give their best guess. I appreciate their input, but I would like to see a formal response from Evernote employees that is posted in the Knowledgebase.  In my opinion, the Evernote Marketing group would be better served if they spent a bit of their time reviewing and even responding to some of our posts.

 

Regarding the OP question, in Evernote Windows, I backup the .exb file each night (found in >Tools >Options)

I maintain a series of the backups over the past 3 months.

[CalS 5,280]

You could create a note and tag it with all of your next actions tags.  That way all the tags would be used once at least. 

 

Or per JB, just don't use the option.  My experience with EN has been that my tags sort of normalized after a couple of years and now I will add a tag occasionally, or knowingly delete some should I do any cleanup.  Don't really have any unused, other than some action tags like yours that naturally cycle.  But that's my use case.  FWIW.

[Frank.dg 1,385]

You could create a note and tag it with all of your next actions tags.  That way all the tags would be used once at least. 

 

Or per JB, just don't use the option.  My experience with EN has been that my tags sort of normalized after a couple of years and now I will add a tag occasionally, or knowingly delete some should I do any cleanup.  Don't really have any unused, other than some action tags like yours that naturally cycle.  But that's my use case.  FWIW.

 

A very valid and decent preventative measure. Love it!

 

You could even put a motivational quote/ image of some sort in that note... since you're bound to bump into it quite often. Maybe pop an Eisenhower Matrix in there, the GTD workflow diagram, a list of goals... anything that jogs your memory. That will be your master note for all of your next action tags.