versioning of attachments in EN ( the "[ ] "stuff)

[TheDudeAbides 2]

As always, apologies if this has been already discussed to death, I searched the forum but didn't quite find what i was looking for.  

 

1. I often attach open office files to notes, either from Writer or Calc

2. sometimes when I click on the attachment to make changes, I see the name includes " [x] "where x is a number.  Each time, it gets bumped up by one.

3. some folks who inquired about this elsewhere in the forum considered it annoying, I consider it a feature  It gives me some ability to revert to a previous version of the attachment if I need to

4. correct me if I'm wrong, but from me reading other comments here, it doesn't seem like this was deliberately a backup feature?  It was more a side effect?

5. nonetheless, my question is : it only behaves this way for me sometimes. If I go into the attachments folder for EN, for some files I will see as many as 20 numbered copies, for others there is just the one file.  I can't figure out the pattern of when it does so and when it does not

6. I would like to be able to ALWAYS have it work that way

 

Thanks in advance as always, you guys rock!

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

@TheDudeAbides:

 

I don't think Evernote provides attachment versioning as a feature, at least not one that can be relied on.

 

If having access to prior versions of attachments is important to you, you might consider this:

1. Use DropBox to store your attachments
2. Create a file link of the attachment to store in Evernote Note
3. DropBox provides excellent version management, allowing you to easily revert to any prior version

[gazumped 11,652]

In Evernote Windows,  a note attachment opened for editing lives (temporarily) - in the Attachments folder for the convenience of the operating system.  This allows temporary backups to be saved by the Windows software during editing.  When the file is saved back to the note,  it's actually saved back to the Attachments folder and then imported into the note.  But the original 'temporary' file remains.  When that note attachment is opened again,  a file with the same name already exists,  so Windows adds a number after the name - Myfile.DOCX becomes Myfile(2) etc. and the cycle begins again...

 

So the numbering is actually added by the OS and your editing software,  and saved back into Evernote.  If you do a lot of editing,  your Attachments folder is filling up with MyFile(1),  (2),  (3) etc,  duplicating the storage space taken up inside the note with the various generations of file.  The number isn't controlled however - versions of your attachment may have more or less than the correct number attached depending on the software and whether you Save or Save As on completion of your changes.

 

I'd advise you to clear out your attachments folder,  which will be bloating steadily - or at least keep an eye on the disk space in use - and find a different way to version your files.  I open my attachments from the note,  but where necessary Save As back to my desktop,  and add the date (and the time in some cases) to the end of the filename before drag/ dropping that version of the attachment to my note.  (The date/ time stamp is set up in a text expander so needs one keystroke.)

[CalS 5,280]

This is a bug, not a feature.  Not sure why or how, but sometimes the ...(1) file makes it into the note as the attachment of record.  That is it replaces the original named file.  The issue with this is if you are using pivot tables in Excel. Excel now thinks you have an external reference and the pivot tables won't update. 

 

Again, doesn't happen all the time, but when it does it is a major PITA since you have to recreate the pivot table and be careful not to lose any data entered in other worksheets.  Voice of experience.  Purging the attachments folder is the only preventative medicine I know. 

 

Which begs the question why isn't that folder cleaned effectively by the EN software?  Shouldn't really be anything in there unless you have an attachment open.  Just checked, I have 44 files in there, 2 of which aren't backups.  Time to purge.  Micro rant over. 

[TheDudeAbides 2]

Great answers here folks, thanks so much.

 

I think I like JMichael's idea of using dropbox for the versioning and adding links to my notes.

 

Cheers!