Evernote for Mac Version 6.1 (452118 App Store) Search Problem

[HarbourCacher 1]

I believe that Evernote has a congenital search issue which they do not know how to fix.  I have experienced it many times and have reported it to support twice, both times to support resulted in no resolution.

 

I use Evernote on my Mac Mini downloaded from the Apple App Store and have kept the updates current.  I use the program to keep copies of my bills and receipts, guatentee information and basic household papers.  

 

In my last instance I have purchased a wallbed from Wilding Wallbeds which includes custom configuring and shipment of an expensive piece of furniture and wanted to review the various papers which included drawings of my configuration, credit card receipts, shipping information etc.

 

Searching for the word "wilding" resulted in only two hits (there should have been many more) and searching "wallbed" resulted in three hits.  I tried searching for just "wall" and got 103 hits including words such as wallet, but only three hits on wallbed.  Interesting that all three of the "wallbed" hits included the word "wilding", but searching "wilding" only resulted in two hits.

 

Support worked with me to resync the database, reinstall the local database, reinstall the program etc. etc.  Attempts to search from the internet interface resulted in the same poor results.  I sent support copies of the failing documents some of which they were able to add to a test database and find and others that they had the same problem that I did.

 

What good is a database that cannot be reliably searched.   You must have faith that you are receiving all the possible hits for a search object or the database cannot be trusted.

[gazumped 11,652]

Hi.  Can't comment on the issue of searching for a specific term - I've never been aware of a problem,  and there's usually 'another way' to find things if my first try doesn't work.  If I knew there were lots of Wildings and could only find a few forinstance,  my inclination would be to search on zip code, order number,  item colour - any common factor;  and to add a tag or tags so I could find all the notes I do turn up again much more easily.

 

Big databases always have issues like this - they require constant curation to ensure that users can find the information that they need easily and accurately - despite the inevitable quirks and limitations of the software (and of the people using it!).

 

I agree,  if the terms are there,  then search should certainly find them;  but if it doesn't,  there's no guarantee that any other software will be any better...

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

I believe that Evernote has a congenital search issue which they do not know how to fix.  I have experienced it many times and have reported it to support twice, both times to support resulted in no resolution.

. . .

 

Searching for the word "wilding" resulted in only two hits (there should have been many more) and searching "wallbed" resulted in three hits.  I tried searching for just "wall" and got 103 hits including words such as wallet, but only three hits on wallbed.  Interesting that all three of the "wallbed" hits included the word "wilding", but searching "wilding" only resulted in two hits.

 

Support worked with me to resync the database, reinstall the local database, reinstall the program etc. etc.  Attempts to search from the internet interface resulted in the same poor results.  I sent support copies of the failing documents some of which they were able to add to a test database and find and others that they had the same problem that I did.

 

What good is a database that cannot be reliably searched.   You must have faith that you are receiving all the possible hits for a search object or the database cannot be trusted.

 

@HarbourCatcher, I completely agree with you that the Evernote Search engine must be 100% reliable.

There is really no excuse for it not to be.  Database search is a very old, well established, technology, IF it is implemented correctly.

Please post the EN Support Ticket#s where you have reported this bug so that hopefully we can get some help from Evernote employees who monitor these forums.

 

I am appalled that @Gaz wants to dismiss this issue as if it is a minor annoyance, something to be expected or tolerated with Evernote, or any app.

 

The primary purpose, indeed even the tag line, that Evernote put forth when first released is to be our "external brain", to remember for us what we may have forgotten.  This directly translates into a 100% reliable Evernote Search engine.  If the the EN Search engine can "forget" (fail to find search term that does exist), then it is like having Alzheimer's.

 

Evernote does NOT provide for a full text search like many other search engines.  It supports only a word search, so you can only search for words that start with the text you enter into the Search box.

 

For this reason, and others, I don't rely on searching the Note content for text (words) for anything of importance.

Instead, I use a combination of Tags and Title keywords (using "tag:TagName" and "intitle:keyword").  I have found these to be very reliable for the most part.

[gazumped 11,652]

Funny, I thought my contribution was practical advice - plus "I agree,  if the terms are there,  then search should certainly find them;.."

 

Also "...and to add a tag or tags so I could find all the notes I do turn up again much more easily."

 

Which is apparently is pretty much how you operate using "a combination of Tags and Title keywords"

 

(Since I'm not a Mac user I couldn't possibly comment on how effective -or otherwise- the normal search process is.)

[Jeremyanywhere 0]

On 9/21/2015 at 5:13 AM, gazumped said:

Big databases always have issues like this - they require constant curation to ensure that users can find the information that they need easily and accurately - despite the inevitable quirks and limitations of the software (and of the people using it!).

 

I agree,  if the terms are there,  then search should certainly find them;  but if it doesn't,  there's no guarantee that any other software will be any better...

Sorry, but we are not talking about a 'big database' here, ala facebook or some other massive cross referencing of vague, non-relational repositories. These are simple text notes which we have taken ourselves, and even the most prolific of note takers is generating absolutely tiny amounts of data in database terms, annually. 

I still have this issue, today April 13th 2016, on the Mac.  

The significant and annoying thing is that the web based tool and the iPhone version all give different results.  For example, I search for a person's name who appears regularly in my notes.  Web App -> 23 hits,  Mac App -> 4 hits, iPhone App -> 3 hits.  So this has nothing to do with "databases always having issues".  This is really very poor. I am so dying to become a paid user because it is such an amazing tool, but I won't until this is property fixed. Complaints about this have been going on for 3 years!! Come on Evernote, get your stuff together!