Import text file and setting file name as the title

[Elin 0]

Hi, I've been trying to import notes saved as text files into an Evernote notebook. However I'm not getting the desired result. I want to import the contents of each text file into its own note while keeping the file name as the node's title.

Using the import function gives me the note but with the first few words of the content as its title. Dragging and dropping the text file into my Evernote notebook on a Mac gives me the note with the file name as the title, which is what I want, but the contents is just an attachment of the text file, which is not what I want.

It's there another way, preferably one that doesn't require coding? Thanks.

[gazumped 11,652]

Depends on the size and number of the files and whether or not you;re a premium user - it's possible to save even text files in RTF format,  and attaching those files to a note will generate the filename as the title.  I don't know whether a free user would be able to read the content of the note,  but I'm premium and it works fine for me...

 

So:  suggestion - batch convert all files to RTF and then dump them in an Import Folder (Windows) to be added to Evernote.

[JimKn 30]

Drag and drop the .txt or .rtf to the name of the notebook in the notebooks sidebar that you want it to be imported in to.  You will see a + symbol if you do it right.  It will put the contents in the body and the title minus the ext as the title.  You can do multiple files at the same time, it will make a new note for each.

[Adjusting 276]

Drag and drop the .txt or .rtf to the name of the notebook in the notebooks sidebar that you want it to be imported in to.  You will see a + symbol if you do it right.  It will put the contents in the body and the title minus the ext as the title.  You can do multiple files at the same time, it will make a new note for each.

 

You can also drag it into the note list.

[JimKn 30]

 

Drag and drop the .txt or .rtf to the name of the notebook in the notebooks sidebar that you want it to be imported in to.  You will see a + symbol if you do it right.  It will put the contents in the body and the title minus the ext as the title.  You can do multiple files at the same time, it will make a new note for each.

 

You can also drag it into the note list.

 

 

For me dragging into the note list only works of there are already notes in it.  If I have an empty notebook it doesn't work, is it supposed to?

 

[Elin 0]

Thanks for the responses.

Dragging a .Txt file into the notebook or the side bar on a MacBook does create a note with the file name as the title. However, the contents are saved as an attachment, one that I can preview by clicking on the eye button or I can download the text file.

I'd like for the contents of the text file to be emptied into the note, like with all other notes that if typically make, and not have the body contents be a file that I have to click on to see.

Thanks.

[JimKn 30]

Thanks for the responses.

Dragging a .Txt file into the notebook or the side bar on a MacBook does create a note with the file name as the title. However, the contents are saved as an attachment, one that I can preview by clicking on the eye button or I can download the text file.

I'd like for the contents of the text file to be emptied into the note, like with all other notes that if typically make, and not have the body contents be a file that I have to click on to see.

Thanks.

 

 

The steps I gave do empty the contents of the .txt or .rtf or ,html file on my system.  Are you sure it is not a .doc or .pdf file?  

 

Video I made showing how I do it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j20_wbGOod8

 

The video shows 4 files, .txt, .rtf, .html and .docx, all but the dock file import as an actual note not an attachment.

 

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

Are your files UTF-8? They need to be.

https://discussion.evernote.com/topic/29148-tip-bug-report-utf-16-and-utf-8-encoding-for-text-files/

If they are working on Mac, they probably are UTF-8, but I thought I'd ask to be certain, because this is an undocumented, but critical limitation in Evernote that will make it impossible to get the content as anything besides an attachment. I don't like to remember how long I spent banging my head against this wall!

[Elin 0]

Yeah, I don't know. I just tried uploading 100 text files that had been created on a PC using Notepad into my Evernote notebook on my MacBook. I dragged them into the left sidebar. 18 out of the 100 notes have this attachment issue while the rest are good.

All files are text files with the .txt extention.

When I look at the created notes with this problem on my Android phone using the Evernote app, the contents are in an attachment. It says I can edit the file using OfficeSuite, or I can click on the attachment and be prompted whether or not I want to use Polaris Office 4 to view.

I guess I can just manually copy and paste those 18 files into notes. It's better than doing it 100 times.

Thanks for everyone's help!

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

Yeah, I don't know. I just tried uploading 100 text files that had been created on a PC using Notepad into my Evernote notebook on my MacBook. I dragged them into the left sidebar. 18 out of the 100 notes have this attachment issue while the rest are good.

All files are text files with the .txt extention.

When I look at the created notes with this problem on my Android phone using the Evernote app, the contents are in an attachment. It says I can edit the file using OfficeSuite, or I can click on the attachment and be prompted whether or not I want to use Polaris Office 4 to view.

I guess I can just manually copy and paste those 18 files into notes. It's better than doing it 100 times.

Thanks for everyone's help!

My suggestion was a long shot, though one that fits some of the behavior you are describing. If you'd be willing to share one of the notes that has the attachment, we could diagnose it for you. Otherwise, I think we are kind of stuck, and you'll want to do the copy/paste.

[retrac 0]

I have a folder on my PC with about 100 files, each a recipe. They are PDFs or .doc or .docx files. A few are HTML. I want to dump the folder into a new notebook with each file a separate note accessible on both my android phone and my iPad. I have the premium version. Is this doable? What's the best (and easiest) way? Thanks.

[gazumped 11,652]

PDFs and doc/docx files are readable 'in line' on a desktop for premium users,  but will come up as an icon (click to view the content) on mobile devices.  The click and drag options above will get your files into Evernote - experiment to find the best option for you.  If you're a Windows user you can look into Import Folders - dump the files into a folder to have them added to Evernote autimatically.  If you need to be able to see the content of files on mobile devices without extra taps,  you'd have to open each file and cut/ paste the content as text into the note.

[Lebo 0]

 

Thanks for the responses.

Dragging a .Txt file into the notebook or the side bar on a MacBook does create a note with the file name as the title. However, the contents are saved as an attachment, one that I can preview by clicking on the eye button or I can download the text file.

I'd like for the contents of the text file to be emptied into the note, like with all other notes that if typically make, and not have the body contents be a file that I have to click on to see.

Thanks.

 

 

The steps I gave do empty the contents of the .txt or .rtf or ,html file on my system.  Are you sure it is not a .doc or .pdf file?  

 

Video I made showing how I do it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j20_wbGOod8

 

The video shows 4 files, .txt, .rtf, .html and .docx, all but the dock file import as an actual note not an attachment.

 

 

Good stuff. Thanks a ton. Follow on question:

After import by drag-n-drop, they come in with today's data/time as both the create and update dates on the file. Anyway to have the newly created Evernote read in the create and last mod date on the original file?

[JimKn 30]

 

 

Thanks for the responses.

Dragging a .Txt file into the notebook or the side bar on a MacBook does create a note with the file name as the title. However, the contents are saved as an attachment, one that I can preview by clicking on the eye button or I can download the text file.

I'd like for the contents of the text file to be emptied into the note, like with all other notes that if typically make, and not have the body contents be a file that I have to click on to see.

Thanks.

 

 

The steps I gave do empty the contents of the .txt or .rtf or ,html file on my system.  Are you sure it is not a .doc or .pdf file?  

 

Video I made showing how I do it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j20_wbGOod8

 

The video shows 4 files, .txt, .rtf, .html and .docx, all but the dock file import as an actual note not an attachment.

 

 

Good stuff. Thanks a ton. Follow on question:

After import by drag-n-drop, they come in with today's data/time as both the create and update dates on the file. Anyway to have the newly created Evernote read in the create and last mod date on the original file?

 

 

I don't think there is a way to to get the dates directly. Unless someone else knows of a way you would probably need to make an applescript to do that. I only toyed with applescript with EN so I couldn't really make one for you.

[John Christopher Jones 29]

 

Good stuff. Thanks a ton. Follow on question:

After import by drag-n-drop, they come in with today's data/time as both the create and update dates on the file. Anyway to have the newly created Evernote read in the create and last mod date on the original file?

 

 

I don't think there is a way to to get the dates directly. Unless someone else knows of a way you would probably need to make an applescript to do that. I only toyed with applescript with EN so I couldn't really make one for you.

 

 

 

I actually wrote a script to import your Finder selection as individual Evernote notes and posted here a while back.  It copies the file creation and modification timestamp from the original file and saves the original file path in the Source URL field.

[Frank.dg 1,385]

 

 

Drag and drop the .txt or .rtf to the name of the notebook in the notebooks sidebar that you want it to be imported in to.  You will see a + symbol if you do it right.  It will put the contents in the body and the title minus the ext as the title.  You can do multiple files at the same time, it will make a new note for each.

 

You can also drag it into the note list.

 

 

For me dragging into the note list only works of there are already notes in it.  If I have an empty notebook it doesn't work, is it supposed to?

 

 

There's a very different set of possibilities in Mac vs. PC.

 

Here's my experience on both:

 

On Mac:

• Exactly as @JimKn says... Drag multiple .txt files to the target notebook in the Left Panel and separate notes will be created for each.
  • .txt files will show up with the File name as the Title of a note and the content of the file in the note body
  • Dragging a folder to a notebook in the Left Panel creates a zip file in one note
• Dragging to the Note List does absolutely nothing for me
• Dragging and dropping multiple files into a note includes multiple attachments in that note

On Windows:

• Any which way one drops multiple files of any type (including .txt files) into the Windows client, whether in the Left Panel, the Note List or into a note, one note is created with multiple attachments.
• As @Gazumped explained, if one wants multiple files in separate notes, the only way to batch your transfer is to drop the files into an import folder that the desktop client is watching.
  • BUT... what happens with .txt files is that the note Title is taken from the first line of the file content. The file name does not show as the Note Title. 

 

In other words, I have not yet found a way on the Windows client to have the content of multiple .txt files appear in separate notes and have the File Names appear as the Note Titles. The Note Titles, once again, are taken from the first lines of the files' content. If one drops a .RTF or .srt file into Evernote, the File name appears as the note title (with an attachment in the note), but not so with .txt files. 

[ChelseaH 1]

Hello.  I'm now trying to do the same exact thing as the original OP.  I followed Frank.dg and JimKn's advice (even watched the video) and when I go to import my .txt files into evernote, it does create individual notes with the correct titles, however, the content is an attached file.  I would like the content to be in the note itself.  I'm on a mac.  Thank you!

[obertsevernote 0]

Same problem here,  Windows Client,  single drop a .txt file, it creates a separate note in the notebook,  drag multiple .txt files and they become one note as attachements

I want separate notes for each text file and the title of the text file as the note title, there must be a plugin or something  please this is 2016  

maybe try this into MS onenote and it will work.. maybe switch to Microsoft if Evernote does not care

[fritzmg 0]

This is a bit frustrating. Under Windows, the following happens:

• When importing *.txt files from an import folder, the first line of the content is used as the note's title (as Frank.dg mentioned).
• When importing *.html files from an import folder, the name of the file is used as the note's title, but with the extension.

I would like to import HTML files where I can define more precisely what the note's title should be. I don't want the file name with the extension. I was hoping that Evernote uses the content of the <title></title> tag or may be the first <h1></h1> as the note's title. But unfortunately, that's not the case.

[gazumped 11,652]

Hi.  When importing anything from an import folder,  the note name defaults to the full file name.  Always.  I don't see how Evernote can efficiently discriminate between document files and executables to know when/ when not to quote the extension*.  I routinely save my PDF files via a separate folder where I can edit scans,  OCR and add keywords to the title line before dumping the contents into an Import Folder.  I don't take the .PDF of the end of the text,  but I could.  The same process might apply here?

And @obertsevernote - apologies no-one got around to you but Import Folders are the way to go...  they're a Windows-only tool,  but Macs have scripting.

And for both - if you're a paying customer you can also submit files by email - (one file per email unless you want multiple files in one note again) - but that gives you considerable control over title,  notebook and tag(s).

* Yes,  I know this is a computer and it can be coded to do anything you want.  Moving one file might not be a problem,  but if you regularly shift tens of files into Evernote,  do you really want it to check each file against a complicated preferences list before it moves the content across?  I forsee s-l-o-w-n-e-s-s and a lot of code in that process...

[DTLow 5,736]

On 2016-06-16 at 6:53 PM, obertsevernote said:

I want separate notes for each text file and the title of the text file as the note title, there must be a plugin or something  please this is 2016  

 

On 2016-10-21 at 0:46 AM, fritzmg said:

I would like to import HTML files where I can define more precisely what the note's title should be. I don't want the file name with the extension. I was hoping that Evernote uses the content of the <title></title> tag or may be the first <h1></h1> as the note's title. But unfortunately, that's not the case.

as per @gazumped; We're using Macs and can add customization as needed with scripting

The applescript for my import folder is documented here
- I needed custom titles, tags, and parsing cvs files
Here's an alternate script  http://veritrope.com/evernote-desktop-folder/

For those new to AppleScript; the basic command is
    tell application "Evernote" to create note from file new_file

[andsaito 0]

On 11/18/2014 at 0:09 AM, John Christopher Jones said:

 

 

I actually wrote a script to import your Finder selection as individual Evernote notes and posted here a while back.  It copies the file creation and modification timestamp from the original file and saves the original file path in the Source URL field.

Great work, John! I had 4+ years of notes in Notational Velocity - stored as separate txt files - and wanted to import them into Evernote. Worked like a charm. Thanks for sharing!

[jd007 0]

On 11/18/2014 at 0:39 PM, John Christopher Jones said:

 

 

I actually wrote a script to import your Finder selection as individual Evernote notes and posted here a while back.  It copies the file creation and modification timestamp from the original file and saves the original file path in the Source URL field.

John, I'd like to import txt files (exported from Apple Notes app) and retain the creation and modification dates.. I followed the links to find your script, got an error message:

Account Update Required

There's an issue with your Postach.io account. Please log in to your account for more details or to contact support.

 

Is there any way to still get your script please?

[DTLow 5,736]

12 minutes ago, jd007 said:

John, I'd like to import txt files (exported from Apple Notes app) and retain the creation and modification dates.. I followed the links to find your script, got an error message:

I'd like to see John's script too.  If he doesn't respond, I posted a script here

 

[jd007 0]

10 minutes ago, DTLow said:

I'd like to see John's script too.  If he doesn't respond, I posted a script here

 

Thanks, tried it, didn't work, have reported on my result over in the original forum you linked to.