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Improved search


JSullinger

Idea

I have to admit I am a bit disappointed with Evernote's "powerful search capabilities". It appears that I can not perform a search like "Created: 2011" and just get all of the notes within a selected notebook for 2011. Instead I have to pick "Before One Year Ago" which ends up l lumping all of my 2012, 2011 and 2010 notes together. I tried to do a search like "Created before: 20111231 Created after 20110101" and that syntax doesn't seem to work either.

 

It kind of sucks to limit searches by chunks of time like "everything before or after one year/day/month ago". When you have several thousand notes, it can be a pretty hefty pain to dig through all of the notes when it should be pretty simple.

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I should also note that searching by date using the supported syntax is a bit off as well. When I enter "Created:day-30" I get every note for the last 30 days. Not all of the notes that were created 30 days ago. If I wanted to see all of the notes for the last 30 days, I would just scroll through them or search for content and scroll through the notes.

 

using this "created:20110101 created:-20111231" does not return a list of notes between the two dates either. Instead just the first date query is used and the 2nd is ignored. I get every note since 01/01/2011.

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The search syntax allows for date/ time arguments but I seldom use that;  I prefer to set the title of my notes to include "yyyymmdd" and use "intitle:yyyy*" as a search...

 

Doesn't that defeat the whole point of having a "Created" date? I shouldn't have to do that, the Evernote note should be doing that for me.

 

Also, I saw that search syntax and tried it. What I want to do is "Created:2011" and receive all notes created in 2011. Note every note created after 2011, which is what I get. The ability to combine date searches would fix my problem, but when I combine two searches to give me a date range, the 2nd date is ignored. "Created:20110101 Created:-20120101" does not seem to work.

 

After using Evernote for several years, it becomes apparent that a need to search for notes created in a specific year is required. How can I remember what exact date the note was created on? If I want a note from the summer of 2011, I have to search "Created:20110301" and then cruise all of the notes since then, which would include notes from 2012 and 2013. I just want to search for a specific year.

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Not saying you 'should' use that system,  only that I prefer it.  In my Windows setup "created:2011* -created:2012*" gets me all the notes created since 01 January 2011 created before 01 January 2012.

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The search syntax allows for date/ time arguments but I seldom use that;  I prefer to set the title of my notes to include "yyyymmdd" and use "intitle:yyyy*" as a search...

 

Doesn't that defeat the whole point of having a "Created" date? I shouldn't have to do that, the Evernote note should be doing that for me.

 

Also, I saw that search syntax and tried it. What I want to do is "Created:2011" and receive all notes created in 2011. Note every note created after 2011, which is what I get. The ability to combine date searches would fix my problem, but when I combine two searches to give me a date range, the 2nd date is ignored. "Created:20110101 Created:-20120101" does not seem to work.

 

After using Evernote for several years, it becomes apparent that a need to search for notes created in a specific year is required. How can I remember what exact date the note was created on? If I want a note from the summer of 2011, I have to search "Created:20110301" and then cruise all of the notes since then, which would include notes from 2012 and 2013. I just want to search for a specific year.

 

 

Notice the wildcard that Gazumped is using. I think that should get you what you want. I'll test it out on the Mac.

 

As for me, I prefer the date in the title as well. The created date is often not so useful (for me) because I might scan something in a month or a year after its relevant date. For example, I took some notes in my Moleskine notebook last month and only got around to scanning them yesterday. Yesterday is irrelevant, because the notes were made at a different time. I could manually go through and change all of the dates in the information, but that would require me to move to my Mac (you cannot change created dates on Android or iOS). In addition, I've still got to title the note. Why not do it all at once and save me the trouble? Finally, if I move my notes out of Evernote (I mirror my account in a separate app called nvALT on the Mac) the unique note titles make the notes extremely portable and easily searchable (the created date won't transfer). 

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I have to admit I am a bit disappointed with Evernote's "powerful search capabilities". It appears that I can not perform a search like "Created: 2011" and just get all of the notes within a selected notebook for 2011. Instead I have to pick "Before One Year Ago" which ends up l lumping all of my 2012, 2011 and 2010 notes together. I tried to do a search like "Created before: 20111231 Created after 20110101" and that syntax doesn't seem to work either.

 

It kind of sucks to limit searches by chunks of time like "everything before or after one year/day/month ago". When you have several thousand notes, it can be a pretty hefty pain to dig through all of the notes when it should be pretty simple.

I recently had the same problem and went digging for information on Evernote search grammar.  There's a great, comprehensive list found here: http://dev.evernote.com/doc/articles/search_grammar.php

 

To solve your problem - you were so close (!) but just putting the hyphen in the wrong spot.  To search for notes created in 2011, you would enter "created:20110101 -created:20120101" and that should edit out all notes created SINCE Jan 1, 2011 and BEFORE Jan 1, 2012.  A little more complicated than it has to be, but at least gives us the flexibility to be more specific about dates rather than use the default search options.  I'm with you, putting years in the title would be a lot of work that should be handled by the software.

 

Hope that helps!

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As for me, I prefer the date in the title as well. The created date is often not so useful (for me) because I might scan something in a month or a year after its relevant date. For example, I took some notes in my Moleskine notebook last month and only got around to scanning them yesterday. Yesterday is irrelevant, because the notes were made at a different time. I could manually go through and change all of the dates in the information, but that would require me to move to my Mac (you cannot change created dates on Android or iOS). In addition, I've still got to title the note. Why not do it all at once and save me the trouble? Finally, if I move my notes out of Evernote (I mirror my account in a separate app called nvALT on the Mac) the unique note titles make the notes extremely portable and easily searchable (the created date won't transfer). 

 

 

Even though we have had this discussion many, many times, GM, in order to present all users a balanced view, I want to renew my objection to putting the date at the start of the Note Title:

  1. The fact that you have to do this simply points out the problem/weakness with the Evernote Search grammar in specifying dates
  2. It prevents you from sorting Notes by a descriptive title.
  3. Search using a true date field is much more powerful since you can easily search on ranges and and time periods not possible using date text in the Title.
  4. You have chosen to use the iPad to scan docs into Evernote.  I find it much easier to use the Mac (or Win), and thus it is easy to change the Created Date (which I routinely do).
  5. Since I use a Mac (MBA), I can also use an AppleScript to import files, and the AppleScript auto-sets the Note Created Date to the File Created Date
  6. Not using the features of the app you have chosen to use (Evernote) simply due to possible (but unlikely) need to move all data to another system is unwise.  It is highly likely that any future system would support a Created Date field (or similar), and would also support import of that field.  I can say this with confidence since I have used many, many database systems over the years, and converted data from one to another.  The best approach, IMO, is to maximize use of the system you are currently using.

Bottom line is that searching on a date field is much more useful and powerful than searching on a date stored as text.

If Evernote would just tweak their search grammar a bit (like they have suggested with Natural Language search), searching on dates would be much more user friendly.

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As for me, I prefer the date in the title as well. The created date is often not so useful (for me) because I might scan something in a month or a year after its relevant date. For example, I took some notes in my Moleskine notebook last month and only got around to scanning them yesterday. Yesterday is irrelevant, because the notes were made at a different time. I could manually go through and change all of the dates in the information, but that would require me to move to my Mac (you cannot change created dates on Android or iOS). In addition, I've still got to title the note. Why not do it all at once and save me the trouble? Finally, if I move my notes out of Evernote (I mirror my account in a separate app called nvALT on the Mac) the unique note titles make the notes extremely portable and easily searchable (the created date won't transfer).

 

Even though we have had this discussion many, many times, GM, in order to present all users a balanced view, I want to renew my objection to putting the date at the start of the Note Title:

  • The fact that you have to do this simply points out the problem/weakness with the Evernote Search grammar in specifying dates
  • It prevents you from sorting Notes by a descriptive title.
  • Search using a true date field is much more powerful since you can easily search on ranges and and time periods not possible using date text in the Title.
  • You have chosen to use the iPad to scan docs into Evernote.  I find it much easier to use the Mac (or Win), and thus it is easy to change the Created Date (which I routinely do).
  • Since I use a Mac (MBA), I can also use an AppleScript to import files, and the AppleScript auto-sets the Note Created Date to the File Created Date
  • Not using the features of the app you have chosen to use (Evernote) simply due to possible (but unlikely) need to move all data to another system is unwise.  It is highly likely that any future system would support a Created Date field (or similar), and would also support import of that field.  I can say this with confidence since I have used many, many database systems over the years, and converted data from one to another.  The best approach, IMO, is to maximize use of the system you are currently using.
Bottom line is that searching on a date field is much more useful and powerful than searching on a date stored as text.

If Evernote would just tweak their search grammar a bit (like they have suggested with Natural Language search), searching on dates would be much more user friendly.

Objections noted. I disagree with many of the points, but your suggestions are appreciated, and hopefully they will help others.

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