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Access local notebooks on a second computer


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I have a local notebook on my desktop pc. I'd like to have access to this notebook on my laptop when I'm traveling. Any suggestions for an elegant solution to this that does not run the risk of data corruption or loss?

One approach is to use a sync utility like FreeFileSync to sync the entire 'Databases' folder between desktop and laptop before the trip, then repeat at the end of the trip. I suppose any changes made on mobile devices after the database folder sync but before I run EN on the laptop will be detected by EN's servers as changes and properly synced. Any potential problems with this option?

The above is not particularly elegant as it syncs far more than is necessary. EN's servers already sync all the synchronized notebooks; all I need to sync is the local notebook. So maybe use a sync utility to sync the backed up enex file across to the laptop, and then import it into EN on the laptop. Then at the end of the trip, make a backup of the enex file, sync it to the desktop, delete the local notebook on the desktop, import the enex file. This requires many steps and is ripe for human error. Plus it would destroy internal note links, so that's a non-starter.

Any other approaches (beyond simply moving notes from local notebook to synchronized notebook)?

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50 minutes ago, tavor said:

I have a local notebook on my desktop pc. I'd like to have access to this notebook on my laptop when I'm traveling. Any suggestions for an elegant solution to this that does not run the risk of data corruption or loss?

Export from the desktop pc; import to the laptop
This can be scripted using enscript
As Noted: The import creates new versions of the notes - internal links are not preserved

I don’t see any other solution if you want to use Evernote.  
Notebooks are either synced or not sync’d 

A nonEvernote solution: As backup, I have an exported copy in html format on a cloud drive.   The notes can be accessed by any device

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10 minutes ago, DTLow said:

Export from the desktop pc; import to the laptop

This can be scripted using enscript

Note: The import creates new versions of the notes - internal links are not preserved

As I noted in my first post, the loss of internal note links makes this option a non-starter.

Other ideas?

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10 hours ago, tavor said:

As I noted in my first post, the loss of internal note links makes this option a non-starter.

Then don’t re-import the entire notebook at the end of the trip.

Just import the updated notes to a temporary notebook.  Manually copy/paste the updated note contents or redo the links for those notes

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Provided that both devices are synced up to date before you start I'd suggest a brute force clone -

  1. log out of Evernote on both machines
  2. on the device with the existing local notebooks,  copy your entire databases folder to a thumb drive and then rename it to databases.old or some such on the device.
  3. on the 'temporary' laptop,  rename the databases folder to databases.old or some such.  Install the copied database from the thumb drive to the same location.
  4. You have now 'cloned' the desktop database (including all links and local notebooks) onto the laptop.
  5. Log into your account on the laptop to check that everything you require is available.*
  6. Do not use Evernote on the desktop machine until you return.  (You could maybe uninstall temporarily?)
  7. When you want to reinstate the desktop do this operation in reverse - sync fully and then exit Evernote and copy the databases folder to the desktop.
  8. (install Evernote first if you zapped it before)
  9. Rename the cloned folder on the laptop and then log in to Evernpote and leave it to sync the latest public (synced) version of the database down from the server.
  10. Tidy up any spare copies of renamed or copied databases that you don't need

Remember the laptop copy of the databases folder -that you're carrying around in a portable and eminently steal-ectable package- is the only record you have of those local notes - I suggest backups and copies.  Lots of backups and copies...

* If anything goes wrong at this or any other stage,  just reinstate the original databases folders and go to Plan B

 

 

 

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5 hours ago, gazumped said:

Provided that both devices are synced up to date before you start I'd suggest a brute force clone -

  1. log out of Evernote on both machines
  2. on the device with the existing local notebooks,  copy your entire databases folder to a thumb drive and then rename it to databases.old or some such on the device.
  3. on the 'temporary' laptop,  rename the databases folder to databases.old or some such.  Install the copied database from the thumb drive to the same location.
  4. You have now 'cloned' the desktop database (including all links and local notebooks) onto the laptop.
  5. Log into your account on the laptop to check that everything you require is available.*
  6. Do not use Evernote on the desktop machine until you return.  (You could maybe uninstall temporarily?)
  7. When you want to reinstate the desktop do this operation in reverse - sync fully and then exit Evernote and copy the databases folder to the desktop.
  8. (install Evernote first if you zapped it before)
  9. Rename the cloned folder on the laptop and then log in to Evernpote and leave it to sync the latest public (synced) version of the database down from the server.
  10. Tidy up any spare copies of renamed or copied databases that you don't need

Remember the laptop copy of the databases folder -that you're carrying around in a portable and eminently steal-ectable package- is the only record you have of those local notes - I suggest backups and copies.  Lots of backups and copies...

* If anything goes wrong at this or any other stage,  just reinstate the original databases folders and go to Plan B

Thanks for elucidating the process. I fear this is too many steps and I'm bound to mess this up at some point.

I was thinking maybe I could run both EN desktop and EN laptop off the same databases folder. To elaborate, at home, I'd use EN on desktop and when I'm ready to travel, exit EN on desktop, run sync that mirrors desktop database folder to laptop, then launch EN on laptop. When I return home, exit EN on laptop, run sync, then launch EN on desktop. Any flaws in that process?

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17 hours ago, tavor said:

Any other approaches (beyond simply moving notes from local notebook to synchronized notebook)?

Sorry, but I'm not seeing the problem with this. You could create a notebook to be used only for temporary storage of the local notes. On the desktop, move all the notes from the local notebook into that. Then on the laptop, create the local notebook and move the notes from the temp notebook to it. Reverse the process when you return home. That seems like the simplest solution to me, though it does leave the local notes synced temporarily.

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Hmm, I sorta understand this (if the desire is to have unsynced content that travels with you), and it would be a lot easier if Evernote had encrypted notebooks, but geez, it sounds an awful lot like "I have this wall safe in my basement, and I'd sure like to be able to access to its contents when I'm traveling in my Smart Car". The two concepts just don't work together without a lot of bother.

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32 minutes ago, Dave-in-Decatur said:

Sorry, but I'm not seeing the problem with this. You could create a notebook to be used only for temporary storage of the local notes. On the desktop, move all the notes from the local notebook into that. Then on the laptop, create the local notebook and move the notes from the temp notebook to it. Reverse the process when you return home. That seems like the simplest solution to me, though it does leave the local notes synced temporarily.

If I was willing to have the notes be in a synchronized notebook, then I wouldn't need a local notebook at all. And if I was willing to only temporarily have the notes in a synced notebook, then I'd do what you suggest, but make it even simpler by not bothering with a local notebook on my laptop.

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Just now, tavor said:

If I was willing to have the notes be in a synchronized notebook, then I wouldn't need a local notebook at all. And if I was willing to only temporarily have the notes in a synced notebook, then I'd do what you suggest, but make it even simpler by not bothering with a local notebook on my laptop.

OK, sorry. I understand that note content can sometimes be highly sensitive.

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14 minutes ago, jefito said:

Hmm, I sorta understand this (if the desire is to have unsynced content that travels with you), and it would be a lot easier if Evernote had encrypted notebooks, but geez, it sounds an awful lot like "I have this wall safe in my basement, and I'd sure like to be able to access to its contents when I'm traveling in my Smart Car". The two concepts just don't work together without a lot of bother.

Right. I'm just trying to figure out the way to accomplish this with the least amount of bother and complexity. 

I think @DTLow 's suggestion might be the way to go, as I anticipate only rarely having to edit the notes in the local NB.

17 hours ago, DTLow said:

Then don’t re-import the entire notebook at the end of the trip.

Just import the updated notes to a temporary notebook.  Manually copy/paste the updated note contents or redo the links for those notes

 

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