(Archived) Search functionality fails to support Chinese and other languages in Mountain Lion

[Maxoid 2]

Why does the Evernote search function no longer locate phrases using Chinese characters?!

I just shifted to a new Macbook Retina with Mountain Lion from an older mac running Snow Leopard. Unfortunately the search function in Evernote 3.3.1 now fails to search phrases using Chinese characters, especially multiple character words.

If I open the web version of Evernote, the search functionality works okay. But I need the search function to work offline because I often work in locations without web access.

Also, why did the formatting of numerous notes change when I moved to the Mountain Lion platform?

I love Evernote and over the past two years have built my entire dissertation research database using Evernote. If the search functionality continues to be screwy like this, I'm screwed, as my database is trilingual (English-Chinese-Tibetan). I've encouraged numerous classmates to build their dissertation databases using Evernote, but if the search function fails to be 100% across languages, we're F'd!

Evernote Community to the Rescue!!

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

Why does the Evernote search function no longer locate phrases using Chinese characters?!

I just shifted to a new Macbook Retina with Mountain Lion from an older mac running Snow Leopard. Unfortunately the search function in Evernote 3.3.1 now fails to search phrases using Chinese characters, especially multiple character words.

If I open the web version of Evernote, the search functionality works okay. But I need the search function to work offline because I often work in locations without web access.

Also, why did the formatting of numerous notes change when I moved to the Mountain Lion platform?

I love Evernote and over the past two years have built my entire dissertation research database using Evernote. If the search functionality continues to be screwy like this, I'm screwed, as my database is trilingual (English-Chinese-Tibetan). I've encouraged numerous classmates to build their dissertation databases using Evernote, but if the search function fails to be 100% across languages, we're F'd!

Evernote Community to the Rescue!!

Hi. Welcome to the forums. Could you be more specific about your search problems? I am using Mountain Lion and I see no changes from Lion or Snow Leopard.

[Maxoid 2]

Let me provide an example: On my old computer (Macbook running os x 10.6.8) a search of "蒙古" returns 172 notes that contain this phrase. The web-based version of Evernote returns 168 notes containing this phrase. My new macbook pro (os x 10.8.2) returns exactly 0 notes containing this phrase. Moreover, numerous notes have lost their original formatting (the font type and size has shifted). Searching within notes is similarly dysfunctional.

Originally I used time machine to shift to the new computer. Then I trashed Evernote and reinstalled it. Yet the problem remains. Search functionality is stymied.

I should add, however, that if I search "蒙 古" (note the space between characters), results will be returned (202 notes located).

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

Let me provide an example: On my old computer (Macbook running os x 10.6.8) a search of "蒙古" returns 172 notes that contain this phrase. The web-based version of Evernote returns 168 notes containing this phrase. My new macbook pro (os x 10.8.2) returns exactly 0 notes containing this phrase. Moreover, numerous notes have lost their original formatting (the font type and size has shifted). Searching within notes is similarly dysfunctional.

Originally I used time machine to shift to the new computer. Then I trashed Evernote and reinstalled it. Yet the problem remains. Search functionality is stymied.

I should add, however, that if I search "蒙 古" (note the space between characters), results will be returned (202 notes located).

Something is wrong with your account then, I think. For the exact same term (copied and pasted into my account) I get 145 notes on the Mac and 145 on the Web. If you deleted everything and then reinstalled (and, I mean completely deleted everything, including your database), then it should download from the servers and reindex everything properly.

By the way, this is a little off-topic, but it looks like you and I may share a similar research field. Perhaps we should talk more outside this thread. I am working on premodern Japanese history (http://www.princeton...mayo/index.html).

[Maxoid 2]

Thanks GrumpyMonkey! So how does one permanently delete the database from the mac hard drive? I've looked at other forum posts, but seem unable to locate anything resembling an Evernote database or library. All I see is the Evernote icon in the applications folder. I'm beginning to wonder if the original Time Machine migration screwed things up.

Let's continue the academic conversation. I'm writing a dissertation on the Chinese Qing Dynasty. Writing a local history of Tibetan communities under Qing colonial rule during the 19th century. I've used Evernote to construct an archival database of historical documents from the Manchu court and from local monasteries in Amdo Tibet. But with my search functionality and fonts gone wonky, I'm getting nervous.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

Thanks GrumpyMonkey! So how does one permanently delete the database from the mac hard drive? I've looked at other forum posts, but seem unable to locate anything resembling an Evernote database or library. All I see is the Evernote icon in the applications folder. I'm beginning to wonder if the original Time Machine migration screwed things up.

Let's continue the academic conversation. I'm writing a dissertation on the Chinese Qing Dynasty. Writing a local history of Tibetan communities under Qing colonial rule during the 19th century. I've used Evernote to construct an archival database of historical documents from the Manchu court and from local monasteries in Amdo Tibet. But with my search functionality and fonts gone wonky, I'm getting nervous.

I emailed you about it. Appzapper + Evernote home brew () is probably the best bet. In the meantime, see my page on Spotlight searches (http://www.princeton.edu/~cmayo/evernote-spotlight-search.html). Whatever happens with Evernote's searches, I'd like to stress that on the Mac everything is entirely searchable with Spotlight, so you are just fine. No worries whatsoever on that score.

I am working on sixteenth-century Japan. I've been using Evernote to create a database of my documents (archival materials, scanned primary source collections, etc.). It is a wonderful resource. Please be aware, though, that you will definitely need a combination of Evernote and Spotlight searches. Evernote stumbles a little with Asian languages, but it is a known issue (http://blog.evernote.com/tech/2011/08/25/lucene-explainin/) that is probably not easily resolvable. Heck, even Google doesn't do as well as I'd like. Remember to put quotation marks around character compounds to improve the accuracy of searches in Evernote.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

By the way, you may want to take a look at this thread. Good news for those of us with lots of big PDFs

[Maxoid 2]

Problem solved. Appzapper eliminated the wonky version of Evernote. I replaced it with the version available directly from the Evernote website. Everything is back to normal. Tibetan, Chinese, and other Asian languages now searching flawlessly (or close to). Thanks to Evernote community!

My only question is: Why the heck is Evernote offering a subpar download via the App Store? Are they crazy?

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

Problem solved. Appzapper eliminated the wonky version of Evernote. I replaced it with the version available directly from the Evernote website. Everything is back to normal. Tibetan, Chinese, and other Asian languages now searching flawlessly (or close to). Thanks to Evernote community!

My only question is: Why the heck is Evernote offering a subpar download via the App Store? Are they crazy?

Glad to hear!

Apple has begun enforcing changes to its appstore policies, and these have dramatically impacted the functionality of many apps, including Evernote. I think it is really cool that Evernote continues to offer their home brew. Other developers, fortunately, have done this as well. I imagine the developers are not too keen on supporting two versions, and they probably don't like having to delete their work in order to get it in there.