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I like Apple Notes and would use it if it did not have the following limitations: - You cannot link between notes like a wiki (like Evernotes evernote://$note-

I like Apple Notes and would use it if it did not have the following limitations: - You cannot link between notes like a wiki (like Evernotes evernote://$note-guid) - You cannot export all your notes in a standardised format. - You cannot store notebooks in specific offline only encrypted disk images for privacy. - Cannot change background (must use paper emulation)

submeta 6y ago
> You cannot export all your notes in a standardised format. This! When I tried to export my notes I realized how hard to impossible it was to get them out. An absolute no-go for me. So I gave up on accumulating notes in this otherwise beautiful and practical app.
- Terretta 6y ago
  Exporting your Apple Notes to Markdown-style at ease: https://medium.com/macoclock/exporting-your-apple-notes-to-markdown-style-at-ease-2359a3acb6a9 https://medium.com/macoclock/exporting-your-apple-notes-to-m...
- alex_free 6y ago
  You can export to plain text by saving notes to the files app.
  - hajimemash 6y ago
    Does this work if you have 1000 notes?
- dunham 6y ago
  Yeah, being able to get my data back out is a hard requirement for me too. It's one of the things that put me off of OneNote. A few years ago I wrote a few python scripts to export the Notes.app database to html and bear formats. I haven't really maintained them (although I still run it in a cronjob for backups), but I put them up on github in case it was useful to someone. https://github.com/dunhamsteve/notesutils https://github.com/dunhamsteve/notesutils
Terretta 6y ago
Workarounds / alternatives for the limitations: 1. You can link between Notes. On a note, click collaborate icon, click add people, in share options tap icon for Copy Link, and then dismiss the To: dialog with the “Copy Link” text top right. Paste that link in another note. Now they’re cross-linked like a wiki. Instead of doing all this, create/use a shortcut. 2. Use Exporter: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/exporter/id1099120373?mt=12 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/exporter/id1099120373?mt=12 3. Protect any given note with a key. The note data is encrypted, and stored encrypted anywhere it is stored. 4. Surely changing the background is an optional feature, not a limitation? There are a ton of features Notes doesn’t have, but not having them may not be in the “limitation” category. // FWIW, I mostly use Ulysses.
- alt219 6y ago
  Fantastic, thank you for #1. Earlier today I was bemoaning the lack of wiki-like linking in Notes. Glad to learn there’s at least this workaround.
- justsomeuser 6y ago
  1. You can link to a note but it just seems like a second class feature - you need to share the note with yourself. Id like the ability to have off line only notebooks with links. 2. Thanks. 3. Per note encryption is useful, but it would be nicer to have the entire notebook stored off line on an encrypted disk. E.g. If I share my computer with people its easy to see what sets of files/notes are "open" by looking at Finders mounted disks list. If the data does not get transferred over the network it adds another layer of security - I do not have to rely on Apples implementation. 4. It is a limitation to me as reading/writing is the primary feature and its a personal preference to have a solid background. Same category as font size adjustment. Minor inconvenience.
  - psukhedelos 6y ago
    1. I really hope we see a future feature that addresses this. ... 4. In the latest MacOS/iOS betas this has been updated to a solid background! https://www.macstories.net/stories/everything-changing-in-apple-notes-and-reminders-in-ios-and-ipados-14/ https://www.macstories.net/stories/everything-changing-in-ap...
codq 6y ago
Paper background is gone in iOS 14.

submeta 6y ago

> You cannot export all your notes in a standardised format. This! When I tried to export my notes I realized how hard to impossible it was to get them out. An absolute no-go for me. So I gave up on accumulating notes in this otherwise beautiful and practical app.

Terretta 6y ago
Exporting your Apple Notes to Markdown-style at ease: https://medium.com/macoclock/exporting-your-apple-notes-to-markdown-style-at-ease-2359a3acb6a9 https://medium.com/macoclock/exporting-your-apple-notes-to-m...
alex_free 6y ago
You can export to plain text by saving notes to the files app.
- hajimemash 6y ago
  Does this work if you have 1000 notes?
dunham 6y ago
Yeah, being able to get my data back out is a hard requirement for me too. It's one of the things that put me off of OneNote. A few years ago I wrote a few python scripts to export the Notes.app database to html and bear formats. I haven't really maintained them (although I still run it in a cronjob for backups), but I put them up on github in case it was useful to someone. https://github.com/dunhamsteve/notesutils https://github.com/dunhamsteve/notesutils

Terretta 6y ago

Workarounds / alternatives for the limitations: 1. You can link between Notes. On a note, click collaborate icon, click add people, in share options tap icon for Copy Link, and then dismiss the To: dialog with the “Copy Link” text top right. Paste that link in another note. Now they’re cross-linked like a wiki. Instead of doing all this, create/use a shortcut. 2. Use Exporter: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/exporter/id1099120373?mt=12 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/exporter/id1099120373?mt=12 3. Protect any given note with a key. The note data is encrypted, and stored encrypted anywhere it is stored. 4. Surely changing the background is an optional feature, not a limitation? There are a ton of features Notes doesn’t have, but not having them may not be in the “limitation” category. // FWIW, I mostly use Ulysses.

alt219 6y ago
Fantastic, thank you for #1. Earlier today I was bemoaning the lack of wiki-like linking in Notes. Glad to learn there’s at least this workaround.
justsomeuser 6y ago
1. You can link to a note but it just seems like a second class feature - you need to share the note with yourself. Id like the ability to have off line only notebooks with links. 2. Thanks. 3. Per note encryption is useful, but it would be nicer to have the entire notebook stored off line on an encrypted disk. E.g. If I share my computer with people its easy to see what sets of files/notes are "open" by looking at Finders mounted disks list. If the data does not get transferred over the network it adds another layer of security - I do not have to rely on Apples implementation. 4. It is a limitation to me as reading/writing is the primary feature and its a personal preference to have a solid background. Same category as font size adjustment. Minor inconvenience.
- psukhedelos 6y ago
  1. I really hope we see a future feature that addresses this. ... 4. In the latest MacOS/iOS betas this has been updated to a solid background! https://www.macstories.net/stories/everything-changing-in-apple-notes-and-reminders-in-ios-and-ipados-14/ https://www.macstories.net/stories/everything-changing-in-ap...

codq 6y ago

Paper background is gone in iOS 14.