(Archived) HOWTO: How do I NOT sync certain notebooks, apart from cancel premium?

[digitaltoast 2]

Simple question really - how do I NOT sync certain folders?

From a PC, I've spent 2 months uploading several hundred small, tagged, transcribed audio snippets. 1.8gb of them in fact.

I wanted to do a screen grab from a new install of EN on a Mac laptop, but before it would let me upload 100k, it wanted to download 1.8gb!

And my mobile seems to be spending a lot of time on the network since I've installed EN too.

I most definitely do NOT ever want the majority of my EN account synced back to any device. I can't understand why it would do this - seems very odd behaviour.

I've definitely told it to not sync, but the only way to upload is to sync, then all hell breaks loose.

Apart from cancelling my premium subscription, how can I do this?

Incidentally, if other people are getting this unwanted "sync all files between devices", it must be hammering EN's bandwidth!

[Metrodon 2,184]

Create local notebooks on your PC and move the notes you don't want sync'd into the local notebooks.

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

I most definitely do NOT ever want the majority of my EN account synced back to any device. I can't understand why it would do this - seems very odd behaviour.

...snip...

I've definitely told it to not sync, but the only way to upload is to sync, then all hell breaks loose.

...snip...

Incidentally, if other people are getting this unwanted "sync all files between devices", it must be hammering EN's bandwidth!

Yes, upload = sync. And syncing the notes across various computers/devices regardless of the OS is one of the big draws of Evernote. I can create a note on my desktop, refer to it on my iPhone or modify it on my Kindle Fire. As Metrodon pointed out, if you want some notes only on a single desktop computer & not sync'd to the cloud (which means not accessible from any other client/computer/device), then move them to a local/non-sync'd notebook.

[digitaltoast 2]

No no, you completely misunderstand: I want to GET RID of these hundreds of small audio files off my PC, load them into the cloud (which I've spent 2 months of Evernote premium doing) BUT have them quickly and easily searchable and sharable from the EN servers. There would be no point having a non-synced local folder on my PC, if I wanted these files to be SEARCHABLE from other machines, would there?

OK, I think that answers my question: If you want to use EN like this, then subscribe for 1 month, do the big upload, then cancel the sub?!?

Crazy - I wonder how they intend to keep a revenue stream? Strange business plan which encourages people to NOT pay a sub...

Totally daft that you can't just sync the index, buy you have to sync the data as well. Imagine if Google said "you can do a search on Youtube, but you have to download every movie in the result first"?!?

And as for your kindle fire, what about if your account gets to 8.1gb? What then? What about if, as in the UK, you have to pay for 3g data? Or don't have a memory card bigger than 2gb?

I know Evernote is young and beta and everything, but still...

I most definitely do NOT ever want the majority of my EN account synced back to any device. I can't understand why it would do this - seems very odd behaviour.

...snip...

I've definitely told it to not sync, but the only way to upload is to sync, then all hell breaks loose.

...snip...

Incidentally, if other people are getting this unwanted "sync all files between devices", it must be hammering EN's bandwidth!

Yes, upload = sync. And syncing the notes across various computers/devices regardless of the OS is one of the big draws of Evernote. I can create a note on my desktop, refer to it on my iPhone or modify it on my Kindle Fire. As Metrodon pointed out, if you want some notes only on a single desktop computer & not sync'd to the cloud (which means not accessible from any other client), then move them to a local/non-sync'd notebook.

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

No no, you completely misunderstand: I want to GET RID of these hundreds of small audio files off my PC, load them into the cloud (which I've spent 2 months of Evernote premium doing) BUT have them quickly and easily searchable and sharable from the EN servers. There would be no point having a non-synced local folder on my PC, if I wanted these files to be SEARCHABLE from other machines, would there?

OK, I think that answers my question: If you want to use EN like this, then subscribe for 1 month, do the big upload, then cancel the sub?!?

Crazy - I wonder how they intend to keep a revenue stream? Strange business plan which encourages people to NOT pay a sub...

Totally daft that you can't just sync the index, buy you have to sync the data as well.

Nothing new here. Many apps allow lite/ad sponsored/limited/etc versions of their software. IE, Toodledo, Dropbox, etc. And no, you are not sync'ing the data unless you have a premium account and specify which notebooks are to be "offline". You do have to sync the header information for all your notes, though.

I know Evernote is young and beta and everything, but still...

Evernote is not beta.

And as for your kindle fire, what about if your account gets to 8.1gb?

My Evernote account already exceeds 15 gigabytes. See info in red above. I have no notebooks set up as "offline" on my Fire.

[digitaltoast 2]

And no, you are not sync'ing the data unless you have a premium account and specify which notebooks are to be "offline".

Well, that's what I thought, but where, in the Windows or Desktop version, is this setting? The help/FAQ centre only talks about mobile versions.

I've been through all the possible menus, right clicks, context menus, settings, preferences - I must be being a bit thick. Then again, I'm using a beta version 4.5.2.5798 on the PC. Might it be missing from that build?

I uninstalled the version on the Mac because the disk was running out of space and it was just taking ages churning through sync, and an uninstall seemed to be the only way to get my space back.

[Metrodon 2,184]

If you want to use the Windows or OS X desktop versions then you have to download the data.

If you don't want to download the data, then use the web client.

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

Well, that's what I thought, but where, in the Windows or Desktop version, is this setting? The help/FAQ centre only talks about mobile versions.

The desktop clients (Mac & Windows) DO download all the notes. Probably b/c in general, disk is cheap. Seriously, even with a premium account, your database is only going to grow by 12 gigs per year & that's if you nearly max out your upload limit. You're talking about 1.;8 gb. IMO, if 1.8 gb is a problem for a particular computer, then there is a greater problem other than EN wanting to use 1.8 gb. In that case, you should probably stick with using the web client.

(Sniped by Metrodon.)

[digitaltoast 2]

The desktop clients (Mac & Windows) DO download all the notes.

Ah. Right. Major stumbling block there then! As I say, clearly in early beta if no-one's thought what a problem that might be (3 computers, 1 slow country broadband, 30Gb monthly allowance - gulp!)

But (and just to check this) by cancelling "pro" and just keeping under the lower upload quota, it WON'T do this damn syncing thing once my "pro" account is cancelled, correct?

[Owyn 457]

Notes consist of meta-data (title, tags, etc.), content (xml), and resources (images, audio, etc.). Note headers are comprised primarily of meta-data. Individual clients sync with the service to maintain consistency between the service and the client device.

Mobile devices such as Android or iOS phones sync all headers. Content and resources are only synced (retrieved) when needed. Notes which have only header data cached on a device can not be viewed when offline.

Premium users on e.g. iOS have the option to mark specific notebooks to be completely cached for offline use.

[Metrodon 2,184]

The desktop clients (Mac & Windows) DO download all the notes.

Ah. Right. Major stumbling block there then! As I say, clearly in early beta if no-one's thought what a problem that might be (3 computers, 1 slow country broadband, 30Gb monthly allowance - gulp!)

But (and just to check this) by cancelling "pro" and just keeping under the lower upload quota, it WON'T do this damn syncing thing once my "pro" account is cancelled, correct?

I'm not sure how we can be any clearer - the desktop clients download all your notes. They only do it once and then they synchronise changes.

Evernote requires a pretty basic set on infrastructure, a reasonable internet connection, a half decent computer and enough disk space to store your notes if you want to use the desktop clients.

Given that under 2gb of disk appears to be an issue for you, I'd suggest that your setup is not sophisticated enough to run the desktop clients and you should to stick to using the web.

You are also misunderstanding the term beta - Evernote has roughly 15 million signed up users and a dozen or more client applications. You are currently using the beta version of the latest Windows release. I don't believe that Evernote is going to change to work the way you would seem to like it to, with only your note index being downloaded to the desktop client and so you may find that until you can invest in better connectivity and more disk that it is not the right app for you.

[digitaltoast 2]

I'm not sure how we can be any clearer - the desktop clients download all your notes.

Quite, and I think that's a real shame and poor design. Anyway, I've just cancelled premium, so hopefully, if the FAQ and docs are to be understood, after midnight tomorrow I'll be able to install the desktop app again.

I was a bit disappointed that when I cancelled, they didn't want any feedback. Most "optional premium" services ask "was it something we did" or "how can we improve".

[Metrodon 2,184]

Just to be clear, if you install the desktop app then you will download all your notes whether you are a Premium customer or not.

To be honest, yours is the first post on here that I've read asking for only an Index sync, makes me think that your use case is pretty unique rather than being bad design.

Evernote staff read most threads on here so they will see your feedback.

[ThomasB 1]

To be honest, yours is the first post on here that I've read asking for only an Index sync, makes me think that your use case is pretty unique rather than being bad design.

Hi,

I feel I understand digitaltoast's problem. Let me explain it with my needs.

I'm also a Dropbox user and I appreciate their functionnality allowing me to sync only some specific folders on certain computers where I install the software. It's especially useful when I sync my huge Dropbox folder on my small notebook. As a consequence, I've stopped using Evernote from the notebook and started using Dropbox to sync files to my master computer. These files are then automatically imported into Evernote from there.

Indeed, I happen to use a specific computer for certain projects, just like you would have a work computer and a home computer. However, I would not need by recipes notebook synced locally on my work computer. You see?

I tried using separate accounts and shared notebooks, but it's not a perfect fit managing multiple accounts.

So, there is probably a case for a feature request. Let us know when more people feel this need and you plan an implementation. Unless there's already a solution to this scenario.

Regards,

Thomas.

[Metrodon 2,184]

The Evernote solution to this is to use the web client, I haven't seen anything that they have said that indicates that any sort of selective sync on the desktop clients is going to happen in the short to medium term.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

i sympathize with thomasb and digitaltoast.

i would also like to have the ability (as i do on mobile devices) to choose which folders i download into local storage (offline folders). in this respect, the ipad is more functional than my laptop. why? space is limited. with only 64gb available on the macbook air, by the end of this year i will have filled up more than 1/3 with evernote alone. the current osx system assumes a large hard drive, and i think the model (developed years ago with ever-increasing hdd size) doesn't fit the current reality (shrinking storage size because of ssd costs).

i tried to get by just using the web client. i don't want to speak ill of something i have relatively little experience with, but it was really frustrating. i suspect there are just some limits to how functional a web interface can be.

i have posted about this in other threads. i don't think the issue is necessarily widespread, but i suspect that over time there will be more and more people looking for this functionality.

[jefito 5,589]

"Shrinking storage because of SSD costs". Hmmm, I don't think that this is an actual trend; it's a data point that differs with the actual trend that's gone on for years: storage tends to grow, and prices tend to come down. The MacBook Air (and maybe the ultrabooks now in fashion) offer the user a choice, but the tradeoff is very limited storage, currently. That will change over time, but unfortunately for now, you have an under-spec'ed machine for what you want to do with it (hey, we've all been there -- I have a Win XP netbook; fortunately my Evernote database is not nearly so large as yours). Remains to be seen whether Evernote sees this as critical enough to do something about it.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

"Shrinking storage because of SSD costs". Hmmm, I don't think that this is an actual trend; it's a data point that differs with the actual trend that's gone on for years: storage tends to grow, and prices tend to come down. The MacBook Air (and maybe the ultrabooks now in fashion) offer the user a choice, but the tradeoff is very limited storage, currently. That will change over time, but unfortunately for now, you have an under-spec'ed machine for what you want to do with it (hey, we've all been there -- I have a Win XP netbook; fortunately my Evernote database is not nearly so large as yours). Remains to be seen whether Evernote sees this as critical enough to do something about it.

if i said it was a trend, then i misspoke. what i mean to say is that this is the reality. go into a store, and this is the kind of memory size you will find on the shelves.

"an under-spec'ed machine for what you want to do with it" doesn't make much sense to me in this context, because a device with inferior specs (the ipad) actually exceeds my needs in this regard. the fault, in my opinion, doesn't lie with apple for designing a machine with small storage, or with me for buying it. it lies with evernote, which has not designed their app to meet the new reality.

as we store more and more in evernote each year (12-24gb per year) we will quickly outstrip the capabilities of these machines. this is reality. buy a macbook air today and you will have exhausted its memory capacity within a couple of years. the choice now is to upgrade to pro so that you can use a notetaking app, or give up on using evernote offline, and rely on the web. speaking as a frequent traveler, neither of these options is terribly appealing. i doubt that i am the only one with this problem, and i do hope that evernote takes the issue seriously.

evernote could easily solve this by introducing a feature they have already developed and deployed on a number of devices. as you said, it remains to be seen whether evernote will do something about it.

EDIT: by the way, this is not a make or break issue for me. the ipad is capable of handling much of my work, i am quite pleased with evernote overall, and i returned my macbook air (screen and lion problems). in the spring/summer, though, i will consider upgrading to an ivy bridge mba

[jefito 5,589]

"Under-spec'ed" is a non-judgmental word. It just means that you do not have enough machine to do the things that you want with it, for whatever reason. It's a no-fault; not even on Evernote's part. You didn't fully know your requirements before you bought your machine; you can't blame Evernote for that. Machines with small storage capacity are a reality in the marketplace, but they're not the only reality. And not everyone is going to be storing as much as you are.

Calling Evernote "a notetaking app" when you know darn well that it's more than that doesn't seem quite fair. You are certainly not taking 12-24 GB of notes per year. You're probably clipping, scanning, importing etc. -- that's something different than mere note-taking.

I don't really know whether it's easy or difficult to implement what's wanted here. Saying it's easy is easy to say, but...

Look, I do sympathize, but let's be a little fair about this.Besides, it may cause you to get a shiny new toy sooner rather than later!!

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

"Under-spec'ed" is a non-judgmental word. It just means that you do not have enough machine to do the things that you want with it, for whatever reason. It's a no-fault; not even on Evernote's part. You didn't fully know your requirements before you bought your machine; you can't blame Evernote for that. Machines with small storage capacity are a reality in the marketplace, but they're not the only reality. And not everyone is going to be storing as much as you are.

i knew my requirements, and struggled mightily to get the web app to work for me, but it was hopeless. i actually had to turn to my ipad to get things done. not a judgment about the web version, just my workflow i guess. under spec'ed isn't judgmental, of course, but it suggests that there is something lacking in the machine itself, and considering the fact that it is superior to the ipad in just about every way (hardware and operating system), i think the fault lies with evernote here. yes, i am pointing a finger i understand. evernote is working with a 2009/2010 mentality. new decade, new stuff.

Calling Evernote "a notetaking app" when you know darn well that it's more than that doesn't seem quite fair. You are certainly not taking 12-24 GB of notes per year. You're probably clipping, scanning, importing etc. -- that's something different than mere note-taking.

a little unfair of me. that is true

but, the underlying point is the same: i am definitely not a heavy user who needs a super-powered computer. the vast majority of my time is spent in text editors, word, pages, or some other equivalent. if microsoft had better support for my kind of research, i would still happily be chugging along with windows on my netbook. it seems kind of absurd for me to spend more money, for a more powerful machine, just to use evernote. i am currently using an mbp that is so far beyond my needs it is laughable. looking forward to the day when i can downgrade.

I don't really know whether it's easy or difficult to implement what's wanted here. Saying it's easy is easy to say, but... Look, I do sympathize, but let's be a little fair about this.Besides, it may cause you to get a shiny new toy sooner rather than later!!

i say easy, because the concept and code actually exist in some form, but it is true that i am speaking a little too authoritatively about something i know almost nothing about. i'm speaking hopefully, i guess. if evernote had offline notebooks for os, i could get an mba in a few months, and the world would be a better place!

[digitaltoast 2]

So I gave Evernote a break for a few months, give it time to get some bug fixes and essential features

I found easier and better ways of doing things: dropbox for files, Google docs for OCRing and indexing my scans*.

So I download the beta onto my little palmtop with 8Gb SSD on our 2Mb rural broadband and guess what? The damn thing starts trying to sync gigs of data again!

So, it's either: make a second evernote account for screenshots and have the annoyance of having to sign in and out OR ... delete the couple of GB of audio clip uploads (the 3rd party "voice2note" never worked properly anyway, most notes weren't transcribed, waste of money) and only use evernote for little notes.

I have a feeling it'll be the latter but before I do that.... Evernote must know how much call there is for selecting folder synching (google it) - how hard can it be? If Dropbox can manage it, why can't evernote? Is there ANY plan to offer this much-requested feature? I see evernote is hiring, perhaps someone experienced at coding could be asked about this?

OR..

I'd be happy to use the webclient until the desktop client is out of beta and production ready, but the evernote screengrabber is pretty good. On my old PC before I removed evernote, there was a thing in the start menu called "clipper", now I've installed on the laptop, it's not there.

I just want to upload 10 or 11 screen grabs each day without having to download 3 GB or so of data.

(*Re: OCR of uploaded scans: Same question I asked before: what's the point of having image recognition in evernote if the text isn't beside the note?!?)

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

hi. mobile applications (isn't a palmtop like this?) usually only download headers. you have to specify whether you want offline notebooks. it should not be actually downloading the content of the notes.

it would be nice on desktop applications if we could make folders online/offline. it would enable me to get a macbook air. but, that is not what we have, and i don't know if evernote is interested in pursuing parity with the mobile applications.

i don't know what you are using, but if you go to the evernote site you can get evernote to install with the clipper (i think) or download clearly (http://www.evernote.com/clearly/). the desktop client has a public version available. there will always be a beta as well, because they are working on improvements, but you don't have to download it if you do not want to.

[heather 604]

I think the issue here is that the user has a database that they keep wiping away. If they'd let it install, just once, then they wouldn't have to keep downloading it again. I'm not sure why they deleted it in the first place after their first upload (space issues seem to be the main consideration), but if you delete your .exb file (on Windows), we're going to have to recreate the database.

On a netbook, we *always* recommend using Evernote Web. It's that simple.

Additionally, if you want to have specific notebooks synced to your desktop, and only those notebooks, I recommend having two accounts. Selectively share the notebooks you want from your main account to your secondary, and then only load up your secondary account on that machine. Then, you can choose which notebooks you want to sync out of the ones that have been shared. It's not the most elegant of workarounds, but it works.

As for the mobile clients, we download headers only for free users. For Premium users, you have the *option* of downloading specific notebooks offline, but headers only by default.

Additionally "Evernote" has been out of beta since 2008. We will constantly have beta/pre-release versions available on these forums for download, but our software is "mature".

This has been explained multiple times throughout this thread, in many ways, but I do hope my word will help staunch the misinformation and confusion of the OP.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

On a netbook, we *always* recommend using Evernote Web. It's that simple.

I wish this wasn't the case. Evernote Web is simply too limited to use on a regular basis. It's the limitation any web-based application has. And, the Macbook Air is not a netbook. Neither are its ultrabook competitors. Like mobile devices, they simply use flash memory, and so have less space. Apple is obviously the worst offender.

Additionally, if you want to have specific notebooks synced to your desktop, and only those notebooks, I recommend having two accounts. Selectively share the notebooks you want from your main account to your secondary, and then only load up your secondary account on that machine. Then, you can choose which notebooks you want to sync out of the ones that have been shared. It's not the most elegant of workarounds, but it works.

It makes searches and evernote usage pretty painful. I've got two accounts, and I tried it, but it didn't go well. I wonder how many people actually go this route. Is there a reason why Evernote will make offline notebooks available on the mobile client, but not on the desktop one?

[jefito 5,589]

On a netbook, we *always* recommend using Evernote Web. It's that simple.

I always felt OK using the Windows client on my netbook. A little cramped, but with some judicious panel hiding, worked OK for me...

[Metrodon 2,184]

I'm guessing that the cost of SSDs will like everything else continue to come down in price. I don't really see a good business case for Evernote to develop selective syncing for a small subset of users who have a large database, a small SSD and are unhappy using the web client when the small SSD element is going to become less and less of an issue.

[Owyn 457]

I probably use the Web client more than any one else in this thread.

It works just fine/great for single note maintenance and searches. I use it as my bookmark manager.

It breaks down when you have to do heavy maintenance on collections of notes.

No big. I use the Windows client for that task on desktop with a large monitor and full screen for Evernote client. Definitely would find it difficult to use on low res netbook (e.g 1024x768) netbook display.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

I'm guessing that the cost of SSDs will like everything else continue to come down in price. I don't really see a good business case for Evernote to develop selective syncing for a small subset of users who have a large database, a small SSD and are unhappy using the web client when the small SSD element is going to become less and less of an issue.

as one of the small subset of users, i have to respectfully disagree the feature already exists on one platform. evernote would just have to maintain parity across platforms. ssd is still an issue, and has been ever since i started using evernote. during that time, my database continues to grow larger and larger...

[Metrodon 2,184]

Yeah, but the platform it already exists on is a very widely used one. Building the same functionality across the other dozen seems really unlikely based on the affected number of users and maintaining parity is extremely expensive. The reality is that parity will happen for functionality that impacts the most users, bangs per buck. Small subsets of users, expert users who need complex search operators, users with use cases from off the beaten track are less and less likely to be satisfied as Evernote grows. The bulk of Evernote's revenue is going to come from very 'ordinary' users, millions and millions of them - keeping these people happy is where the $$$s are.

Plus, Heather has made their position pretty clear in this thread already.

[jefito 5,589]

I should note that I don't have a huge note database, only about 1.2GB. Fits fine on my 16BD SSD on my netbook.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

heather has made her position clear, but not the rationale for it. and, she has suggested two methods of dealing with the issue, both of which i have tried. i appreciate your (metrodon's) position on it, but i would like to hear hers.

obviously, we don't always get what we want. in this case, though, i think parity would benefit more than the tiny subset of power users (any premium member who maxes out their monthly allowance?) i represent.

[heather 604]

This feature request has been around at Evernote for as long as I have (I know, I put it on the list.) Since before Macbook Airs came out, even, and before SSD storage was the norm.

It *is* a power-user feature.

Basically, the desktop version of Evernote is meant to be the full-featured version of Evernote, You can work with all your notes, at any time, anywhere. If something (hurricane, tsunami, zombie attack) happens to the *planet*, your notes - all of them - would be preserved in all their glory on your desktop copy. (No worries about the server going down - we've got multiple backups, I'm talking worldwide annihilation here.) Not so with the mobile versions, where only the notebooks you deemed "most" important were preserved. Grandma Jean's Secret Apple Pie recipe, handed down through generations? You'll have to fight Zombies to get it back.

I know I'm making light of this, but that's the rationale. I can't say we'll never add it (we never say never), but that's why we *haven't*.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

thanks heather for the response. i guess i am a power user and didn't know it--i am cooler than i thought

i do hope evernote reconsiders this position on parity in this case, if anything, just because i would like to choose how to manage my data instead of having it be an all or nothing sync. i am quite pleased with the choice given to us on the mobile platform.

but, maybe it won't matter in a few years, as i'll probably move the vast majority of my work over to the ipad. i suppose this will put me in another tiny minority, who have jobs that enable them to do this.

[Owyn 457]

I guess I am in the could use the function but surviving quite nicely without it camp.

I use the Windows desktop client as my Evernote maintenance and backup client. It needs the complete database plus a local notebook.

I use offline notebooks with iOS client on my Touch 8GB and the Android client on my Playbook 16GB. I have one small "!Offline" notebook (22 notes at the moment) that I use on the Touch plus a few other notebooks (!Inbox, !Journal, Prj: BlackBerry Playbook) that I have as offline on the Playbook.

Elsewhere I use the Web client, but, elsewhere also usually means Linux so I don't really have an option.

[Banen 0]

I just wanted to say that I agree with the original poster. I think it would be great to be able to select certain notebooks that would not sync down to the pc.

Let me explain why. I use evernote for both work and personal. I need to be able to access my work notes at home, and I certainly want my personal notes to be visible on my ipad, android phone, etc. So all note types are synced and not local.

I would like to be able to upload much more personal stuff, such as photos into my account. Unfortunately, my company is very strict about the amount bandwidth used. I can get by with a few hundred megs getting downloaded and synced, but if I loaded many of my photos and it grew into many gig's of data, it would not work well for me.

The way Heather talked it, her response makes me think it is possible. Certainly it would be a "power users" feature. Make it part of Pro...I'll buy in.

[Bill Ng 0]

Hello all, I find this discussion from my orginal post there. http://goo.gl/uIE65

I think that as EN has an option to choose which local folder to be synced to the cloud or not, then they should provide another option to choose which folder in the cloud to be synced to the local or not. After looking at all the conversation here, I interestingly found that EN indeed has ability to provide this option, they didn't do it just because they didn't think it is necessary to do so. Or, EN would like to open this option only to the pro/premium users?

Personally, I can not agree more with ThomasB, digitaltoast and GrumpyMonkey. But I think that,

as for the EN PC client, it also has two situations that is in relation to syncing from the cloud to the local or not to do so.

1. Choosing folder(s) in the cloud NOT to sync to any local PC client. (Some notes (not all notes) just need to be only saved in the cloud.)

2. Choosing folder(s) in the cloud NOT to sync to this local PC client, but CAN sync to that local PC client. (Some notes in home computer has no need to be synced to work computer, vice versa. NO, NO, I don't want it only saved in local computer.)

In fact, the first option is enough for me. Of course, the second option would be even better.

As for options of header/offline notes, I think these are more suitable for portable devices. So I won't talk about it as I am discussing the PC client. Hopefully the staff in EN can understand how thirsty we are desire for this option, this is NOT the minor request......

[Metrodon 2,184]

This feature request has been around at Evernote for as long as I have (I know, I put it on the list.) Since before Macbook Airs came out, even, and before SSD storage was the norm.

It *is* a power-user feature.

Basically, the desktop version of Evernote is meant to be the full-featured version of Evernote, You can work with all your notes, at any time, anywhere. If something (hurricane, tsunami, zombie attack) happens to the *planet*, your notes - all of them - would be preserved in all their glory on your desktop copy. (No worries about the server going down - we've got multiple backups, I'm talking worldwide annihilation here.) Not so with the mobile versions, where only the notebooks you deemed "most" important were preserved. Grandma Jean's Secret Apple Pie recipe, handed down through generations? You'll have to fight Zombies to get it back.

I know I'm making light of this, but that's the rationale. I can't say we'll never add it (we never say never), but that's why we *haven't*.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

i don't consider this to be a feature for power users alone, but that is where the evernote staff and i disagree.

the feature on the mobile platforms is really useful, and with the headers you know the notes are there, but can choose whether you want to download them or not. brilliantly executed idea that would be welcomed on other platforms. all of the tools are there (evernote already designed them), and now we just have to convince them to add it. the more users who voice their support for the idea (basically, parity across platforms) the more likely it is to happen.

[Bill Ng 0]

Thanks for above replies. As I said that EN did not add this option, just because they think it is not necessary. (Is there any disadvantage with this option that we don't know?)

What inexplicable is that as EN PC client can selectively sync the local fold(s) to the cloud, why not vice versa? This indeed has nothing to do with the free space of the local HD, I would say, this should be the user's right, this has something to do with that if EN would return this right to the users.

A fact we may not find out is that things that EN can realize may have exceeded their own expectation.

Yes I know, "It *is* a power-user feature. that's the rationale..." But I have to say, I can't see any persuasion for these reasons. But that's it, however...

Sometimes, I imagine if we can vote for desired features

[peterfmartin 221]

What inexplicable is that as EN PC client can selectively sync the local fold(s) to the cloud, why not vice versa? This indeed has nothing to do with the free space of the local HD, I would say, this should be the user's right, this has something to do with that if EN would return this right to the users.

The reason is for security/privacy. Evernote wants users to be able to store data in Evernote on their local machines even when they don't want uploaded it to the cloud.

And I would say that, for $45 a year, we have relatively few, if any, "rights"—or at least beyond what's in the TOS.