[added] MyInfo and Evernote

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wsp
Posts: 518
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[added] MyInfo and Evernote

Post by wsp »

Just a few general thoughts about the potential of MyInfo (which I've been using for many years, incidentally).

At the moment I'm transferring almost three thousand notes from one particular notebook (a big project I'm working on) in Evernote to MyInfo (version 7) — a boring, time-consuming task that I expect will take several weeks. The copy-and-paste part of the procedure is reasonably efficient, but replicating the tags from Evernote is slow and cumbersome.

I'm going to all this trouble because Evernote seems to be on a steep downward slope. The latest release is filled with malfunctions, omissions, and instability. Many long-time users are apparently abandoning it.

I am writing this not to complain about Evernote but to suggest that, if there were an automatic conversion process, it would be a wonderful opportunity for MyInfo to gain new users. You can of course do what I'm doing (though I wouldn't recommend it!): copy and paste. But if it were possible to simply import an Evernote notebook into MyInfo (with only minor touching-up of the notes required afterwards), I'm sure that many unhappy people in the Evernote world would be delighted to make the shift.

I'm aware that Evernote is a very powerful app, but my own experience, for whatever it's worth, suggests that there are only three capabilities that I will miss: the ability to consult my files on an iPhone; the OCR of images of text that I occasionally paste into a note; and being able to have two or more notes open at the same time. But I can live with those shortcomings in MyInfo, because it is such an elegantly designed piece of software, and Petko is so exceptionally responsive to complaints and suggestions.

I'd just like to see MyInfo become more hospitable to those unhappy Evernote users who are abandoning ship right now.
Bill
Telesto
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Post by Telesto »

Still using older versions of Evernote; sounds like I don't have to upgrade. Even though my notes (and usage) are pretty basic.

Anyhow, copy/pasting thing is not something I would volunteer for. :roll: There is an API for Evernote to pull data out, as Rightnote can synchronize with Evernote.
There is a trial available. So you might install it, synchronize to RightNote Database. Export it again to RTF or HTML and import it into MyInfo

Not sure how well this whole thing goes with formatting + attachments + tags bit might worth a try. Would save tons of time. But first try with something small.

Of course a plugin for MyInfo to pull directly from Evernote would be even nicer.
wsp
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Location: Washington, DC

Post by wsp »

Thanks for the suggestion. I will look into this.
Bill
Telesto
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Post by Telesto »

I missed the obvious of course: Evernote has an Export function. File -> Export. Probably Export Multiple webpages
wsp
Posts: 518
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Location: Washington, DC

Post by wsp »

Telesto, I haven't experimented yet with this approach, but if it just exports web pages, then it sounds as though I would still be facing the problem of copying and pasting a lot of individual notes. That's time-consuming, and transferring tags is even worse.

I'm still in the process of shifting all my notes on a particular project. You can see what I'm doing here:

https://gmbbibliography.wordpress.com/

It's been a long, boring process, but I now have most of my notes for this website moved into MyInfo, and I don't have to think constantly about the awful prospects of Evernote.
Bill
Telesto
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Post by Telesto »

This is apparently harder than expected. Quite a number of applications who do support some certain export formats (say Enex) drop they tags on Enex import :-(. Everybody is happily locking people in certain eco-system.

Joplin Import filters does manage this though + being open source. Maybe it can be used as ground layer for import filter.
Telesto
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Post by Telesto »

Small update
Current workaround: Export ENEX from Evernote. Import into Joplin (as HTML) And export it again in Joplin as HTML followed by Import into MyInfo. Haven't really tested what happens with attachments and images, though.

https://github.com/laurent22/joplin
https://github.com/laurent22/joplin/rel ... rtable.exe (Portable)
Coolrat
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Post by Coolrat »

I would really like to see a way to export to markdown or html format so that I can get data out of MyInfo and into Trilium or Joplin.
Currently, there does not seem to be an easy way to do this. To me, MyInfo is the very best of the PIM tools (with MyBase a close second), but it no longer runs reliably in WINE in Linux and I have to get my data out. A great deal of my my teaching material is stored in MyInfo but now is no longer accessible to me on my Linux system. Inability to access my data is beginning to interfere with my work. I'll come back to MyInfo once it runs properly in Linux. I will look forward to that day. MyInfo is, by far, the most important tool on my computer.
Telesto
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Post by Telesto »

Coolrat wrote: Thu Feb 25, 2021 5:58 am I would really like to see a way to export to markdown or html format so that I can get data out of MyInfo and into Trilium or Joplin.
Currently, there does not seem to be an easy way to do this. To me, MyInfo is the very best of the PIM tools (with MyBase a close second), but it no longer runs reliably in WINE in Linux and I have to get my data out. A great deal of my my teaching material is stored in MyInfo but now is no longer accessible to me on my Linux system. Inability to access my data is beginning to interfere with my work. I'll come back to MyInfo once it runs properly in Linux. I will look forward to that day. MyInfo is, by far, the most important tool on my computer.
Joplin should ideally support OPML: MyInfo does by add-on. Surely my preferred route. Related to HTML.
You may consider 'abusing ' Export website. File -> export -> Export website. Pick a location. Go to pages directory. It should contain HTML. Attachments are put in a different directory.

Yet again another route would be exporting directory as RTF and convert rtf in batch into HTML.

I personally have tree with enough depth and special characters that 'Export directory' will fail one way or another. That's why OPML should be the way to go.

So you may ask for OPML support at the Joplin side. Betting on two horses :wink:
Coolrat
Posts: 112
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2011 9:52 am

Post by Coolrat »

Hi Telesto,

Thanks for your input and advice. That sounds like a good workflow to convert my data.
But like you, I'm guessing that my MyInfo database has so many notes, nested hierarchies, that I'm guessing that exporting all of it would become an unbearable headache.

In MyInfo, if I export to webpage, the content will be exported as HTML with the .index as the main page link. But how can I get these many HTML files into Joplin or Trilium. As far as I can ascertain, neither has HTML input. I will write to the author of Trilium to ask about this.

If MyBase offered an import tool, that would be an option as well, but the fact they are based in mainland China raises serious consternation about data security and longevity of the app.

I have never heard of OPML but will begin reading about it. It's really unfortunate that I have to consider this. MyInfo is my favourite by far.
Telesto
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Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2017 5:32 pm

Post by Telesto »

Coolrat wrote: Mon Mar 01, 2021 6:24 am Hi Telesto,

Thanks for your input and advice. That sounds like a good workflow to convert my data.
But like you, I'm guessing that my MyInfo database has so many notes, nested hierarchies, that I'm guessing that exporting all of it would become an unbearable headache.

In MyInfo, if I export to webpage, the content will be exported as HTML with the .index as the main page link. But how can I get these many HTML files into Joplin or Trilium. As far as I can ascertain, neither has HTML input. I will write to the author of Trilium to ask about this.

If MyBase offered an import tool, that would be an option as well, but the fact they are based in mainland China raises serious consternation about data security and longevity of the app.

I have never heard of OPML but will begin reading about it. It's really unfortunate that I have to consider this. MyInfo is my favourite by far.
* There are actually OPML to HTML converters around. So might do the trick
* And don't think Petko having dropped Linux/MacOS support as a whole. So surely will work someday. Ideally because a sudden upstream fix (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upstream_ ... velopment)) at Chromium. That's the blamed area, as far I know.
Petko
MyInfo Support
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Post by Petko »

Just an update for people landing on this thread from the web: In November 2023, MyInfo has introduced ENEX import functionality, making it possible to directly transfer your Evernote content into MyInfo.

To import, you need to:
  1. Create ENEX file from Evernote: open Evernote, select all notes, and then click File > Export Notes > ENEX format.
  2. Import your Evernote (ENEX) files in MyInfo (File > Import > Evernote ENEX).
Bob_Mack
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Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:21 pm

Post by Bob_Mack »

Petko, I've been trying to do this, but nothing is happening.

I've been following the two steps you listed, with only one difference: I have something like 35,000 notes in Evernote, so I'm not trying to import them all at once, but rather making a separate ENEX file for each one of my roughly 100 notebooks. The largest of these is about 2 GB.

Are those too large, or can you think of something else I might be doing wrong? Thanks!
Petko
MyInfo Support
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Post by Petko »

Bob, I have found a problem when importing ENEX files with embedded images, which is fixed in the latest release - MyInfo 8.3.2.

Please update via Help > Check For Updates, in order to be able to import your files.
Bob_Mack
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:21 pm

Post by Bob_Mack »

Thank you, Petko-- I'll make sure I have the latest version and try again.
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