Restoring database on Mac - need advice

[fastdude 4]

Running EN v6.3 (downloaded from website) on iMac with OS 10.10.5. Premium member. My EN db on my Mac got blown away (or something). I have one Local notebook with almost 2000 records. ALL notebooks, including my local notebook, disappeared from EN-Mac. All notes and notebooks (except, of course, the local notebook) are in EN-web. I contacted Evernote support. Today a Brian S. emailed me back and sent me to the document "How to back up (export) and restore (import) notes and notebooks". However, I remain confused about my next step. The document says this: 

___________________

To rebuild your Evernote for Mac database, follow these steps:

Export unsynced notes and/or local notebooks (if you have any):

• Select all unsynced notes, or each local notebook, then right-click and select Export No≠..

__________________

MY IMMEDIATE QUESTION: Where is the local notebook file/folder supposed to be on my Mac? It does not appear in my now empty EN-Mac. How can I export it if I cannot find it?

 

I've also sent this message to Brian S. Let's see who comes back faster with the best answer. 

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

23 hours ago, fastdude said:

My EN db on my Mac got blown away (or something)

Any idea how this happened?  When?

You might check to see if the Evernote data folders are still there:
See Location of Evernote Data Folder for EN Mac 

You might also do a Spotlight search on keywords you know were used in your Note titles in your Local NBs.

Do you have any type of backup, Time Machine or otherwise?

Edited December 19, 2015 by JMichael
Fixed link broke by Evernote forum update

[Stuhrer 252]

3 hours ago, JMichael said:

See Location of Evernote Data Folder for EN Mac. 

Just leeting you know: Unfortunately, this link does not work any more.

 

[fastdude 4]

Thanks for the responses.

JMichael: Stuhrer is right: dead link. I have searched every place I would think the data files might be located: Documents, Library, App Folder, even the Trash,

Does anyone know the usual location of EN data files?

ALSO, since I use Time Machine to backup my Mac to an external drive, I'm thinking I can retrieve a day-old copy of the Local notebook. BUT I need to know where it is usually kept.

[Stuhrer 252]

Look here https://discussion.evernote.com/topic/77444-how-to-completely-remove-and-reinstall-en-mac/. This might give you a hint because one needs to know the database location to completely uninstall Evernote.

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

15 hours ago, Stuhrer said:

Just leeting you know: Unfortunately, this link does not work any more.

Yep, Evernote broke all old forum links when they made the forum update.  Just discovered this.

Here's the correct link now (I had to create a new topic):
Location of Evernote Data Folder for EN Mac

[fastdude 4]

Thanks again to both of you. I'm thinking there won't be a simple solution here. WITHOUT a lost Local notebook involved, the procedure is simple, as outlined in the docs both of you sent me. However, locating and recovering those lost notes from the Local notebook is the real challenge.

I see that I'm dealing with SQL files, so that scares me even more, being ignorant of same. I took a look at the files in the current EN Data Folder in my Library. Then I took a look at the same files in Time Machine that are from one day before the crash. The size of older "LocalNoteStore.sqlite" file is much larger than the the current, which leads me to believe that my Local notes are there.

HOWEVER, there are several other EN files also updated on that date, and I do not know which are important for a complete recovery of my Local data. As I do not want to muck things up even further, I have not touched the current files, and I'm stuck using EN, without 2000 Local notes, on the web, on my iPad, and on my iPhone.

EN Support says they have kicked my problem ticket to their Technical Support Team, so we'll see what happens.

[DTLow 5,736]

For 2000 notes, I think it would be worthwhile following up on a restore

One of the good things about EN is that the users master database is In the cloud. Except for local notebooks which I don't use for that reason.  Since you've already blown away your local notebooks, I wouldn't worry about messing up on the Mac.  It can be easily restored from the cloud.

As you've seen, restoring from your time capsule backups is all or none.  You can't do selective notes or notebooks. So, don't even look at the SQL stuff. Restore at the higher level folder level.

One caution;  I would be disconnected from the Internet while I was doing this restore.  You don't want to mess up the data in the cloud.

.

 

 

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

9 hours ago, fastdude said:

there are several other EN files also updated on that date, and I do not know which are important for a complete recovery of my Local data.

Don't overthink it.  Just delete (or better, rename to "OLD " & current name) the current top level Evernote folder, and restore same from Time Machine.

Top Level Folder:  ~Library:Application Support:com.evernote.Evernote for a Direct D/L install.  If this gets your Local NBs back, then export each Local NB to a separate ENEX file.

Do all of this disconnected from the Internet.

[fastdude 4]

GOT IT! Restored from Time Machine the Top Level Folder from the day before the crash, and everything is there. Also reinstalled the latest version of En from the EN website. It syncs with EN-Web. Seems to behaving nominally.

I tried to heed the suggestion from both of you to do this with the internet off. While I had to have the network running to retrieve files from Time Machine. I did pull the internet plug while restoring the Top Level Folder to its Library location.

I am very grateful to the two of you for your assistance, especially in encouraging me to do a restore.

Now, if I could only figure out why EN-Mac crashed in the first place.

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

38 minutes ago, fastdude said:

GOT IT! Restored from Time Machine the Top Level Folder from the day before the crash, and everything is there

That's great!  Did you then export all of your Local NBs to ENEX?

[fastdude 4]

Sorry, I forgot to say that I did export the Local notebook to ENEX, then deleted and reinstalled EN.

[MosesMoses 7]

Has anyone ever obtained a good response from E on why a rebuild is necessary? I have always disliked the potential sustainability issues with solving a database issue with "rebuild your [] database," why the whole database? I have turned to this uncertainty with E because of course I am about to rebuild a 43 GB database, something went wrong Sunday evening, one or more notes are causing an error (s), and I can no longer Sync. I have reached the point where I distinctly want to know what is wrong with the database and why a rebuild is required and not an intervention.  Deleting the possible dodgy note solved the Sync issues for about 3 hours. The 3 hours is over, 

I found the Sync failure in the Activity log, but not sure if I can interpret it, there are errors in the times recorded, e.g., recording future times. 

Any reflections welcome, Thanks,  

Best, 
 

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

2 hours ago, MosesMoses said:

Has anyone ever obtained a good response from E on why a rebuild is necessary?

I have NOT seen a definitive answer if they ( Evernote ) have posted one.

EN Win has some database maintenance tools, but Evernote has never seen fit to provide EN Mac users with the same.
So, unless you can identify, fix, or delete the offending Notes (based on the Activity Log and other inspections), then pretty much all we are left with is the natural rebuild that comes with a clean reinstall.  Of course, if the issue is in data already sync'd to the EN Cloud, then this just replicates the issue.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

[MosesMoses 7]

I was under a little pressure to get Evernote on my Mac working again, I use EN (MAC) as my resource for all my teaching materials, so this evening I gave up reviewing the crash logs and deleting notes that produced a Sync error, I spotted 8 that I had not detected on running EN, the Crash reported a note conflict identifying them.

I followed the instructions provided by JMichaelTX and EN (Matt W,) on rebuilding one's database. Prior to the build I re-installed EN, 

I maintain a backup of the EN database via Carbon Copy Cloner - daily, nearly -, so I went ahead and deleted the numbered folders, kept props. Opened EN, started a Sync, and it is zipping along - Ethernet -

After starting this EN (Matt W.) sent guidelines which included this:

[Still using the old database]

"Go ahead and first download the Evernote application from www.evernote.com/download and replace the previous Evernote application with this one when putting in the application folder. From there please do the following before opening Evernote:

1. Go to Finder's menu bar > Go > Go To Folder and paste **~/Library/Application Support/com.evernote.Evernote/accounts/www.evernote.com/**
2. You will see a folder titled **Chunks**. Delete this folder and start up the Evernote application."  

I did not get the opportunity to try this, I am putting it here just in case another user finds themselves searching the same content I have blown way too much time on, ;-)

Best,

P.s. I will send an Update when the rebuild is done,

P.p.s. On the question, Has anyone ever obtained a good response from E on why a rebuild is necessary?   I am still working on it,

[MosesMoses 7]

Glitch, Empty Trash is running in the background it is now reporting that 787960 - the 43 GB EN database - is in use skipping, continuing the Empty Trash, I will let it complete and try to figure out why EN is still using the trashed database or it maybe one of my plugins, ... If you have any speculations send word,

Thanks,

Best,

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

8 hours ago, MosesMoses said:

Empty Trash is running in the background

I don't know what that means.

8 hours ago, MosesMoses said:

I will let it complete and try to figure out why EN is still using the trashed database or it maybe one of my plugins, ... If you have any speculations send word,

I do not understand the process you are using, but if it does not resolve your issues, then I would suggest a clean reinstall.
See How to Completely Remove and Reinstall EN Mac 

[timoc 11]

This is kind of related, I have created a feature request thread to address backups and restoration in a generic manner.  The basic idea is to use git backup, a well known distributed version control system, to enable backup and restore of notes. Search for git backup if you think this is a reasonable feature, and give some feedback.

[MosesMoses 7]

All done. Thank you JMichaelTX for being so present. I had deleted a database folder -one of the numbered folders - and placed it in the Trash (MAC), for some reason upon emptying Trash, an alert warned me that the folder was still in use by Evernote (E). I could only delete said folder with E closed, otherwise the alerts.    At present, the rebuild has completed and I am running E 6.6 (Mac); the new Tag filter feature is a winner. 

The Note Conflicts (Eight) I saw in the Crash Reports upon failure to Sync, did not produce a copy of the note with "Conflict" in the title - an event I have previously seen for conflicts.

I will continue to try and construct a reply to "I have always disliked the potential sustainability issues with solving a database issue with "rebuild your [] database," why the whole database?
 
Best,
 

[MosesMoses 7]

Reflections on the Rebuild, 

So I have another recommendation to Rebuild the Evernote Database after submitting a ticket for E frequently freezing, showing only the Title of a Note and not the contents. The RAM footprint is in the 10+ GB range. I keep Activity Monitor open if E is open to shut E in such situations. 

I am running:

Mac, 10.10.5
Evernote, 6.10 Beta 2 (454143 Direct)
44 GB Database

E is at the center of my workflow, I teach and use it to host all content via direct links to E notes or via postach.io. Also, all my research and notes.

I thought it remote that I would follow in the steps of those who curtail or abandon their use of E but here I am searching for other options. I do not think OneNote would support my ways of using E and I do not like the UI.  

If anyone comes across this note and has favourite options they can share ... Thank you,

If anyone can recommend a thread where to post this particular observation of E and request, please do.

On occasions my workflow has been messed up  with E freezing, I am surprized I am in the camp of saying E is not reliable enough, and the rebuild philosophy with no real knowledge of what the issues are that necessitate a rebuild rather than say an intervention is not within my understanding of sustainability.

Thanks for any feedback,

Best,
 

[DTLow 5,736]

17 minutes ago, MosesMoses said:

On occasions my workflow has been messed up  with E freezing, I am surprized I am in the camp of saying E is not reliable enough, and the rebuild philosophy with no real knowledge of what the issues are that necessitate a rebuild rather than say an intervention is not within my understanding of sustainability.

My devices often go wonky and I can spend hours/days researching the issue.
I often find it easier to simply reboot the device and/or reinstall the app and/or rebuild the database.

If you want to spend the time, follow up; even contact support.
If you discover a bug in Evernote, post the results.  We all benefit from improving the software

[MosesMoses 7]

On 10/20/2016 at 9:05 AM, DTLow said:

My devices often go wonky and I can spend hours/days researching the issue.
I often find it easier to simply reboot the device and/or reinstall the app and/or rebuild the database.

If you want to spend the time, follow up; even contact support.
If you discover a bug in Evernote, post the results.  We all benefit from improving the software

 

 

Thanks for replying; I am in the same boat, it is good to know I am not alone on those days,   

On Tuesday Evernote hanging burnt most of my plans, yesterday the efficiency of the Tag system saved my skin, C'est la vie, 

Moved on to Beta 3, and I am currently not seeing the same frequency of hangs, notes are loading quickly in the viewing pane, including media heavy notes, 

[MosesMoses 7]

On 10/21/2016 at 9:42 AM, MosesMoses said:

Thanks for replying; I am in the same boat, it is good to know I am not alone on those days,   

On Tuesday Evernote hanging burnt most of my plans, yesterday the efficiency of the Tag system saved my skin, C'est la vie, 

Moved on to Beta 3, and I am currently not seeing the same frequency of hangs, notes are loading quickly in the viewing pane, including media heavy notes, 

 

Ten days on with Version 6.10 Beta 3 (454241 Direct), and it is running smoothly !!!

 

[DTLow 5,736]

5 minutes ago, MosesMoses said:

Ten days on with Version 6.10 Beta 3 (454241 Direct), and it is running smoothly !!!

 

Note, version 10 is out of beta.  You might want to upgrade to the official release

 

[MosesMoses 7]

3 hours ago, DTLow said:

Note, version 10 is out of beta.  You might want to upgrade to the official release

 

 

 

Thank you DTLow, I saw that but refrained from trying it out, as of today I am not getting Hangs with the latest Beta, this situation is a rarity  ... Grrr, it crossed my thoughts that I might have success with customizing the theme of version 6.10 GA, so going to dive in, thank you again,   

[MarleyBit 0]

I have Evernote 7.14. My iMac crashed & I had to do a clean install. Migration brought back the Evernote app but not the data. How do I recover?