HELP! I've lost all my notes!

[ErikJon]

Dear friends,

I am using Windows Vista. Until now I have had about 100 notes and three "sections" in total (the free version is limited to three tabs, as you know). Today I was backing-up my "my documents" folder to an external hard drive (in case the internal should go bad), when it occurred to me that I might not be backing up the CN notes as well.

I discovered that, in the non-portable version, the back-up files were hidden away in the "AppData" folder, completely invisible unless the user specifically went looking for it. So, after making the hidden system files temporarily visible, I finally found the secret spot where I was probably never meant to roam. (No pun intended)

But lately I had been trying to figure out how to re-direct CN to another part of my computer for storing all back-up files, namely to a more easily-accessible and visible location, such as "my documents." This way I would be more likely to back up the file manually, every week, to my external back-up drive, without having to remember to go looking for the CN file specifically, and without having to back up the entire disk and system files, each time. This is when I created a bit of a mess. (I will recount to you what I did, to the best of my memory, but I may have a detail or two out of place)

The CN "help" file said that this was an "advanced configuration." It said,

"Some options of CintaNotes can only be set by editing the cintanotes.settings file. Be sure to edit it using a Unicode-aware text editor (e.g. Notepad)."

and below that,

"backup.folder: the folder where CintaNotes writes backup files to ("backup" by default). Both relative (e.g. "..\..\backup") and absolute (e.g. "F:\backups\cn") paths are supported."

At this point I understood that the location of the back-up folder could be changed, that the "settings" file was where it could be done, and that it had something to do with the "backup.folder" line item, but the "help" file did not seem to give instructions about HOW to make the change, nor did it give any examples of such a change. So, I just tried it on my own, as follows:

I opened "cintanotes.settings" with Notepad++. I searched for "backup.folder" and found it at line 32. It said, "backup.folder = backup." I saw no default path mentioned there, however, so I did not understand how I was supposed to change the path. (You may wish to elaborate in that section of the help file, as many of us have hardly any knowledge of programming).

Since I was on my own, I guessed that I should substitute the path itself for the word "backup", where it said, "backup.folder = backup." (Of course, before I did anything, I backed up my CN database manually, having already had a daily back-up automatically; I also made sure the program was closed first.)

Having located the hidden folder where CN stored backups, I changed the word "backup" so that line 32 now read, ""backup.folder = C:\Users\Erik\HDD support folder\CintaNotes back-up\backup".

I saved and closed the "cintanotes.settings" file with this change.

I opened CN, and there were no notes at all.

I chose "file" > "import" and went directly to the original back-up folder in "C:\Users\Erik\AppData\Roaming\CintaNotes\backup," and attempted to open the manually-backed-up file. I was greeted with an error message: "C:\Users\Erik\AppData\Roaming\CintaNotes\backup\cintanotes Sept.2013.2.daily.db can't be imported with sections. Limit of max 3 sections would be exceeded...Please upgrade... This seemed strange to me, since I never had more than three sections to begin with.

Then I went and made a duplicate of the whole ORIGINAL backup folder, when it occurred to me that I could end up overwriting back-up information.

I tried importing instead the second file--the automatically-backed-up file--from the same date, but was given the same error message.

I tried the back-up file from last week, but received the same error message.

And so on.

The only file I was finally able to open was the one from four months ago, back when I had not three sections but only one, although about thirty important notes are missing from this file.

Finally, I changed the "settings" file back to its original state, by removing the path that I had inserted, and replacing it with the original word "backup", so that it again read, "backup.folder = backup." I saved and closed the file, re-started CN, and saw no improvement. Again, none of the files I sought would open, among those that had three tabs.

Can you please tell me how to restore the palette to what I had this morning, before I made the mistake of asking CintaNotes to store back-up files in a different location?

Could you also tell me precisely where I was supposed to insert the path, into the "settings file", or perhaps give me a brief example?

(Meanwhile, there is perhaps implied here one obviously good suggestion for a means of greatly improving CintaNotes; namely, to put a new item in the file menu, such as "Save all back-up files to..." (or something similar) whereby the user could choose a new location, such as to "my documents.") This would solve lots of problems, and preclude the need to explain in the "help" file how to do such advanced configuration, assuming that many of us users do not know much about programming.)

I tried attaching my "settings" file, in case it would be of any help to you in isolating my problem, but the forum site would not allow it, saying, "The extension 'settings' is not allowed." I will try to copy and paste the text of it below, instead.

Thank you kindly for your time and help.

Sincerely yours,

Erik Jon


app.mainframe.alwaysontop = 0
app.mainframe.basecolor = #005af0
app.mainframe.capture.hotkey = 123
app.mainframe.capture.hotkey.modifiers = 2
app.mainframe.closetotray = 1
app.mainframe.maxdisplayednotelines = 4
app.mainframe.mindisplayednotelines = 0
app.mainframe.minimizeonenter = 0
app.mainframe.minimizeonescape = 1
app.mainframe.minimizetotray = 1
app.mainframe.noteeditdialog.placement1 = [717,208,1192,756]
app.mainframe.noteeditdialog.placement1.maximized = 0
app.mainframe.noteeditdialog.placement2 = [360,270,860,690]
app.mainframe.noteeditdialog.placement2.maximized = 0
app.mainframe.noteheaderfont = Segoe UI;10;700;0
app.mainframe.notetextfont = Segoe UI;9;400;0
app.mainframe.placement.normalpos = [606,11,1029,719]
app.mainframe.placement.showcmd = 1
app.mainframe.silentclipping = 0
app.mainframe.tagsidebar.displaycounts = 0
app.mainframe.tagsidebar.relevancemarker.width = 0
app.mainframe.tagsidebar.separators.letters = 1
app.mainframe.tagsidebar.separators.topleveltags = 0
app.mainframe.tagsidebar.visible = 1
app.mainframe.tagsidebar.width = 70
app.mainframe.update.autocheck = 1
autoupdate.checkperiod.min = 60
autoupdate.lastnotifiedversion = 2.4.0.2
autoupdate.startafter.min = 15
backup.checkperiod.minutes = 5
backup.daily.enabled = 1
backup.folder = backup
backup.hourly.enabled = 0
backup.weekly.enabled = 1
client.uid = e786090d-f795-456e-96c5-0bda2864a333
clipping.assignactivetags = 0
clipping.openeditor = 0
clipping.showinboxsection = 0
clipping.showuntagged = 1
clipping.titlepolicy = BLANKLINE
clipping.trimwhitespace = 1
clipping.waittime.seconds = 3
confirm.notes.movetorecyclebin.enabled = 1
debug = 0
debug.dbintegritycheck = 0
editor.autoindent.enabled = 1
editor.colors.highlight = #fffaa0
editor.displaydates = 1
editor.focus.title = 1
editor.fonts.monospace = Courier New
editor.links.recognize = 1
editor.links.singleclick = 1
editor.tabwidth = 8
editor.textformatting.enabled = 1
editor.trimlines = 0
export.filename.last = C:\Users\Erik\Desktop\Erik's cinta notes backup try.xml
export.filter.last = 2
export.folder.last =
filters.autoreset.keepeditednotevisible = 0
hotkeys.newnote = 123
hotkeys.newnote.modifiers = 6
hotkeys.show = 123
hotkeys.show.modifiers = 3
import.folder.last = C:\Users\Erik\AppData\Roaming\CintaNotes\backup
language = en
notebook.disconnect.enabled = 1
notebook.disconnect.timeout.seconds = 30
notebook.file = C:\Users\Erik\HDD support folder\CintaNotes homemade back-up folder\cintanotes Sept 2013 2.db
notebook.reload.graceperiod.seconds = 30
noteeditmanager.reopen.ids =
noteslist.datedisplay.alwaysdisplaysort = 0
noteslist.datedisplay.displaytime = 0
noteslist.datedisplay.mode = NONE
noteslist.displaytextformatting = 1
noteslist.search.highlights.displaycounts = 1
noteslist.tabwidth = 8
recentfiles.list = C:\Users\Erik\HDD support folder\CintaNotes homemade back-up folder\cintanotes Sept 2013 2.db*6d8dd61d-3cfc-4ce1-9028-b839cdba526b
recentfiles.maxpathlength = 100
recyclebin.columnwidths = 100|115|100|100|100|60|100|100|100
recyclebin.dialogmaximized = 0
recyclebin.dialogrect = [208,266,833,668]
sectionbar.keys.ctrlleftright.enabled = 0
sectionbar.tab.width.max = 150
sectionbar.tab.width.min = 100
sectionbar.visible = 1
settingsfile.version = 2504
sqlite.pragma.cache_size = 4000
sqlite.pragma.encoding = UTF-8
sqlite.pragma.journal_mode = DELETE
sqlite.pragma.page_size = 4096
sqlite.pragma.synchronous = NORMAL
sqlite.pragma.temp_store = MEMORY
startup.minimized = 1
startup.multipleinstances.activationmsg = 1
startup.multipleinstances.allowed = 0
system.notelinkprotocol.registered = 0
system.proxy = ;-1;;;DС
tags.lowercase = 0
tagsedit.autocomplete.acceptonclick = 1
tagsedit.autocomplete.acceptonspace = 0
ui.profeatures.hide = 0
ui.trialbutton.hide = 0
viewstate.notebook[1a4a0e5c-f790-42a5-87e7-db6f78c552ba].section[0].reversed = 0
viewstate.notebook[1a4a0e5c-f790-42a5-87e7-db6f78c552ba].section[0].sorting = manual
viewstate.notebook[1a4a0e5c-f790-42a5-87e7-db6f78c552ba].section[0].tagsfilter = {mode=AND;untagged=0;tags=;excluded=}
viewstate.notebook[1a4a0e5c-f790-42a5-87e7-db6f78c552ba].section[0].textfilter = {filterString=;fields=ANYWHERE;siw=0;saf=0}
viewstate.notebook[1a4a0e5c-f790-42a5-87e7-db6f78c552ba].section[1].reversed = 1
viewstate.notebook[1a4a0e5c-f790-42a5-87e7-db6f78c552ba].section[1].sorting = created
viewstate.notebook[1a4a0e5c-f790-42a5-87e7-db6f78c552ba].section[1].tagsfilter = {mode=AND;untagged=0;tags=;excluded=}
viewstate.notebook[1a4a0e5c-f790-42a5-87e7-db6f78c552ba].section[1].textfilter = {filterString=;fields=ANYWHERE;siw=0;saf=0}
viewstate.notebook[1a4a0e5c-f790-42a5-87e7-db6f78c552ba].section[2].reversed = 1
viewstate.notebook[1a4a0e5c-f790-42a5-87e7-db6f78c552ba].section[2].sorting = created
viewstate.notebook[1a4a0e5c-f790-42a5-87e7-db6f78c552ba].section[2].tagsfilter = {mode=AND;untagged=0;tags=;excluded=}
viewstate.notebook[1a4a0e5c-f790-42a5-87e7-db6f78c552ba].section[2].textfilter = {filterString=disciple;fields=ANYWHERE;siw=0;saf=0}
viewstate.notebook[1a4a0e5c-f790-42a5-87e7-db6f78c552ba].sectionfilter = 0
viewstate.notebook[3848e1b8-2341-479a-9d3b-8b27d416655f].section[0].reversed = 1
viewstate.notebook[3848e1b8-2341-479a-9d3b-8b27d416655f].section[0].sorting = created
viewstate.notebook[3848e1b8-2341-479a-9d3b-8b27d416655f].section[0].tagsfilter =
viewstate.notebook[3848e1b8-2341-479a-9d3b-8b27d416655f].section[0].textfilter =
viewstate.notebook[3848e1b8-2341-479a-9d3b-8b27d416655f].sectionfilter =
viewstate.notebook[6d8dd61d-3cfc-4ce1-9028-b839cdba526b].section[0].reversed = 1
viewstate.notebook[6d8dd61d-3cfc-4ce1-9028-b839cdba526b].section[0].sorting = created
viewstate.notebook[6d8dd61d-3cfc-4ce1-9028-b839cdba526b].section[0].tagsfilter = {mode=AND;untagged=0;tags=;excluded=}
viewstate.notebook[6d8dd61d-3cfc-4ce1-9028-b839cdba526b].section[0].textfilter = {filterString=;fields=ANYWHERE;siw=0;saf=0}
viewstate.notebook[6d8dd61d-3cfc-4ce1-9028-b839cdba526b].sectionfilter = 0

[gunars]

Sorry to hear about your problem. A few points:

As you've found, the forum doesn't appear to accept any attachments. I've resorted to emailing files to support@cintanotes.com, which works ok.

The backup.folder line you entered looks ok to me. I've also have my backup folder ("backup.folder = c:\CintaNotes-backup") redirected and also use notepad++ for editing, and it works ok. I tried a test using a path with blanks in it as you have, but that worked ok also.

How many sections do you have in the .db file you're trying to import into? Do the names correspond to what you had before in the backup, i.e. number of different section names in the backup .db plus section names in the current .db are not more than three?

One thing I would do until CN support can get back to you is make sure you've made a copy of what might be the most complete version of your .db file. Keep it on the side where it won't be touched or overwritten by anything. I'd suggest looking in the CN folder (where you have cintanotes.db) as well as all the backup folders you have. Look for the largest .db file and then the latest one of those that appear largest. CN support may be able to get it back in shape for you if you mail it to them. You might also mention what version of CN you're using.

Sorry, that's all I've got. Good luck!

Gunars

[ErikJon]

Dear Gunars,

Thank you so much for trying to help.

I was surprised to hear that you had succeeded in the task wherein I myself had failed!

I have only three sections in my original file--one big one, with about 60 notes, I think, and two tiny ones, with fewer than 20 notes in each. That means three tabs in total, not any more than that.

I have not changed any names manually. The back-up file created manually was named by CN automatically. (Although I have just made a copy of it, re-named it, and tried to open it, but no results.)

I THINK I had backed up my back-up folder already soon enough to prevent overwriting. In the worst case, I think that my second-best file--the automatic daily back-up--may be recent enough not to present any disappointments.

Until today I was using CN 2.4, but I have just downloaded 2.5, and am now using that.

As I have just made the post, I will see if the kind folks at "Support" can help me first, and if not, I will send you my "db" file, if you don't mind.

Thank you, Gunars.

Meanwhile, can anyone else offer a solution to my problem?

[gunars]

Sure, no worries. Let me know if I can help. As far as I know, the CN folks are located in Krasnoyarsk, so it's Sunday evening there. I would give them some time before expecting a reply, but do send them your file to their support email.

Gunars

[CintaNotes Developer]

Hi ErikJon,

sorry to hear about the bad experience you've had. In the future we'll try to make this task more user-friendly.
Specifically, it will be possible to configure the backup folder from the UI, and also there will be a "Browse backup folder"
command available.

You've set "backup.folder" parameter correctly. It should be either a relative path, or an absolute path.
Example of relative path:
backup.folder = my\path\to\backup
Here if CN is located in C:\Apps\CintaNotes, the full backup folder path will be C:\Apps\CintaNotes\my\path\to\backup, and if CN
is in C:\Program Files, the full backup path will be C:\Users\ErikJon\AppData\Roaming\CintaNotes\my\path\to\backup
(The Program Files folder is special in this regard, because it is read-only for programs).

Example of absolute path (this is what you've used):
backup.folder = C:\my\path\to\backup
The exact path "C:\my\path\to\backup" will be taken as the path to the backups folder.

Ok, I guess we're done with the backup folder setting for now.
Going further:

>I opened CN, and there were no notes at all.
Are you sure you didn't change the "notebook.file" parameter?
If so, this means that CN couldn't read the setting file after you saved it. Perhaps you've saved it with the wrong encoding.
The good news is that your notes are still there. You just have to find the .db file and open it.

>I chose "file" > "import"
There was no need to use Import here. When CintaNotes couldn't load the settings file, it created a new
database named "cintanotes.db" with 1 default section, and your backup file contained 3 sections, 3+1 = 4,
which is more than 3 sections which are allowed in the free version.

But this is not a real problem, since you could just do a File/Open, go to the
C:\Users\Erik\AppData\Roaming\CintaNotes folder and find the needed .db file.
(Or you could just File/Open one of the backup files and use the Save As command
to copy it to any location.)

Hope that this information helps, please let me know if you still need assistance.

Gunars: thanks for helping out here! It's great when forum members help each other.

[ErikJon]

Hello, my friend.

Thanks for getting back to me so soon.

If I set the "backup.folder" parameter correctly, it was a minor miracle. I am sure that users without any programming knowledge would have failed at that first step, so I hope that the CN programmers opt for my "File>Save back-up files to" suggestion soon, for the sake of these other users.

I do know know what a "notebook.file" parameter, so I must assume that I did not change it. If it was a part of the "settings" file, I certainly did not modify anything other than the one line that I mentioned.

I understand your explanation of how the new database named "cintanotes.db" with 1 default section, calculated that by opening my backup file I would be adding 3 additional sections. While this is certainly logical from the program's point of view, we must understand that an ordinary user would never understand why his back-up file suddenly became so inaccessible, having "follwed the rules" by not having more than three sections. You must agree that this is a problem for the CN staff to correct in the next update.

To be honest, before I saw your post, a bit desperate as I was, I got the novel idea of downloading the ten-day trial license, which would allow me to open my original back-up file, regardless of how many sections are in it. I did that yesterday, and I was able to open my three sections again, temporarily. If the problem ever reocurred, six months from now, I would be stuck, as would hundreds of other users who have yet to discover the bug.

While you and Gunars have been very helpful, I still have no guarantee from the CN staff that this defect in the programming will ever be corrected. Consequently, yesterday, upon opening my back-up file for the first time, I deemed it safer to consolidate its three sections into one very long section, from now on, and so I did. I will never open another "section" again until CN assures us in a future update that this conflict has been addressed.

Unfortunately, for the next ten days I cannot easily put to the test your suggestion, because, if the file opens today, it may be only because I am using the "pro" version for ten days. When my time expires, I will try it.

Thank you so much for your time and help, but please do not let this post be considered "resolved" just yet, until we receive a word from the CN staff.

[gunars]

When CintaNotes couldn't load the settings file, it created a new database named "cintanotes.db" with 1 default section, and your backup file contained 3 sections, 3+1 = 4, which is more than 3 sections which are allowed in the free version.

Assuming the backup file had been created with a 'Main' section and subsequently two others were added, wouldn't the 'Main' entries in the backup be imported into the 'Main' section of the new cintanotes.db? In that case, there would still be a total of 3 sections in the resulting file. If the 'Main' in the backup file had been renamed, then I understand that there would be more than three resulting sections.

Gunars

[gunars]

I still have no guarantee from the CN staff that this defect in the programming will ever be corrected. Consequently, yesterday, upon opening my back-up file for the first time, I deemed it safer to consolidate its three sections into one very long section, from now on, and so I did. I will never open another "section" again until CN assures us in a future update that this conflict has been addressed.

Hi ErikJon,

One suggestion: you can add a tag to each note that corresponds to each of the sections you wanted and use that to view subsets of your notes. These tags can be combined with others when filtering. That way, you can have the same flexibility while using only one section.

Gunars

[ErikJon]

Thank you, Gunars! That is a nice work-around suggestion. I will do that.