(Archived) ENEX file format issue

[jcolosi 2]

Evernote outputs notes using an ENEX file format.  When importing this format, it is possible for a note to be imported in a format that cannot be synced.  In short, the note must have xml version in the CDATA.  Notes that don't have this will be imported into the tool, but they will never be synced.  It's a quiet failure.

 

I've attached an example enex file.  The file has two notes.  The first can be imported, but will never sync.  The second is in a proper format.

 

The import processing should be _more_ strict that the sync processing.  I'd prefer to have the import fail fast if there's an issue with the format, instead of accepting my input in a way that disables important features like sync.

 

All of this was necessary because the link to the ATOM import has disappeared without explanation.

[jefito 5,589]

I don't see any attachments to this post. You should actually open a support request for this issue. See the link in my signature.

[jcolosi 2]

Maybe you can't attach a .ENEX file.  I'll include the code here:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><!DOCTYPE en-export SYSTEM 'http://xml.evernote.com/pub/evernote-export.dtd'><en-export export-date='20130601T161849Z' application='Evernote/Windows' version='4.x'><note>  <title>This note can be imported, but cannot be synced.</title>  <content>    <![CDATA[<en-note>      This note can be imported into the Windows application, even though it does not have xml version and doctype within the CDATA.  But the sync operation is more strict, and so the note winds up in a "Unsynced Notes" folder.  Those notes cannot be synced because they lacked information on the original import.  In a sense the import failed, but didn't inform the user.    </en-note>]]>  </content></note><note>  <title>A note can be imported and synced.</title>  <content>    <![CDATA[<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><!DOCTYPE en-note SYSTEM 'http://xml.evernote.com/pub/enml2.dtd'><en-note>      In order to be fully functional, a note must have the xml version and doctype in the CDATA.    </en-note>]]>  </content></note></en-export>

[jcolosi 2]

Here is the Evernote activity log.  I can't figure out how to attach anything to a post.  I'm sure it's easy, but it isn't intuitive, at least for me...  I'm using Chrome btw.

08:12:20 [4960] 0% Usage Metrics: sessionCount=4

08:12:20 [4960] 0% Client updateCount=25047, server updateCount=25051

08:12:20 [4960] 0% Retrieving list of changes from the server

08:12:21 [4960] 0% * saved 1 sync chunks, updateCount=25051

08:12:21 [4960] 0% Synchronizing 1 notebook

08:12:21 [4960] 0% Creating local notebook "Food"

08:12:21 [4960] 0% * guid={3FD7EBBE-C1F5-48E6-94FE-A9EF05819336}

08:12:21 [4960] 33% Synchronizing 2 notes

08:12:21 [4960] 33% Updating local note "...", resource count: 0

08:12:21 [4960] 33% * guid={FB8CEC2C-DC5D-4B0D-A21F-036F262444D9}

08:12:21 [4960] 33% * Retrieving note content, length=4801

08:12:21 [4960] 33% * guid={fb8cec2c-dc5d-4b0d-a21f-036f262444d9}

08:12:21 [4960] 67% Creating local note "Note", resource count: 0

08:12:21 [4960] 67% * guid={EFBB6C61-E623-4AE9-AEEC-398D4BE49D60}

08:12:21 [4960] 67% * Retrieving note data, total size=218

08:12:22 [4960] 100% * saved updateCount: 25051

08:12:23 [4960] 0% Updating server items

08:12:23 [4960] 0% Creating server notebook "Imported Notes"

08:12:23 [4960] 0% * guid={1f449fa0-4c98-42de-8a52-c7ce4bfc30ab}

08:12:23 [4960] 0% * updateCount: 25051 --> 25052 (1)

08:12:23 [4960] 33% Updating server note "...", resource count: 0

08:12:23 [4960] 33% * guid={8f038f30-ddf2-4d02-9adb-f78a8373e8e5}

08:12:24 [4960] 33% * updateCount: 25052 --> 25053

08:12:24 [4960] 67% Creating server note "This note can be imported, but cannot...", resource count: 0

08:12:24 [4960] 67% EDAMUserException: errorCode=ENML_VALIDATION parameter="Document is invalid: no grammar found."

08:12:24 [4960] 67% * saved updateCount: 25053

08:12:25 [4960] 67% 1 item was not synchronized

08:12:25 [4960] 67% * Note 5828, error: Document is invalid: no grammar found. (ENML_VALIDATION)

08:12:25 [4960] 67% Session terminated abnormally, elapsed time: 8s

08:12:25 [4960] 67% * sent: 2.7KB, received: 339KB

08:12:25 [4960] 67% * 5s (63%) spent in EDAM RPC

08:13:57 [2568] Closed database: E:\Users\John\AppData\Local\Evernote\Evernote\Databases\jcolosi.exb (19.7MB +8.0KB)

So I'm getting an "ENML validation" on the sync, but no validation error occurred on the import.

 

Again, I've outlined in a previous post that the <note> in the ENEX file must contain the xml version and doctype tag.  The big question I think is why this validation only happens on sync.  It should happen on import as well.  The import should be more strict than sync so you avoid this weird situation where a note has been imported, but cannot be synced.

[jcolosi 2]

unfortunately there is not attachment there. Please do send us the file as an attachment trough your next support email.

-- Jesus 

(Evernote Customer Service)

 

 

 

Jesus, there were only 4 posts in this thread.  Three of them were mine.  If you had even read the second post you would have seen that I had trouble attaching the ENEX file.  So in the 3rd post I included the content of the ENEX file.  It's very short, but completely descriptive of the problem and solution.

 

I posted this on June 5th.  Since I posted it, I've been asked to capture an activity log, and re-install the software.  But if anyone had tested the file (which would be easy for any one of the 50 million people with an Evernote Windows client) they would have seen that the issue is not resolved in the latest version of the software.

 

So please don't email me again.  I'm sure you handle a lot of requests, but I think it would have been easy to see the included ENEX file in the thread.  It's been over a week since I put it up and no one's even tried it.  So I did my part.  A problem with the Evernote Windows client has been identified and outlined.  If no one there is motivated to fix it, then neither am I.

 

I wish you well.

[datagod 0]

Is there an easy way to simply import an xml file AS a .enex file? Is it as simple as changing the extention? I'm trying to import the Universal Decimal Classification (like the Dewey Decimal in the library) as a bunch of tags, but it's in xml format. Is there an easy way to do this? It does NOT need to synchronize afterwards.

 

I'd be grateful for whatever help you can offer.

 

Thanks!

[jefito 5,589]

Is there an easy way to simply import an xml file AS a .enex file? Is it as simple as changing the extention? I'm trying to import the Universal Decimal Classification (like the Dewey Decimal in the library) as a bunch of tags, but it's in xml format. Is there an easy way to do this? It does NOT need to synchronize afterwards.

 

I'd be grateful for whatever help you can offer.

 

Thanks!

No easy way that I know of, though it might not be a difficult thing to write a script for, depending on what your OS is. See http://dev.evernote.com/doc/articles/enml.php