Lost notes

cinnamonbear
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Lost notes

Postby cinnamonbear » Fri Feb 20, 2015 9:42 pm

I wanted to add a new Cinta Note. When it clicked on the icon something popped up on the screen very quickly about my notes and backups were moved to a different place and I was not able to catch where. Then on opening CintaNotes, all I had was one note from last April. I "had" close to one hundred notes. I probably mistakenly updated to version 2.8.5, I guess hoping that they would re-appear. No such luck.
I had backed up the notes in My Library Documents but it only showed the one from last April. I know I had not deleted them. Therefore I must have done something and the poor things are out there wandering in cyber space hoping to come back home.
Any suggestions what I can do?
Thanks!
gustms
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Re: Lost notes

Postby gustms » Mon Feb 23, 2015 1:36 am

Did you try searching for these files? #notebookname#.hourly.db, #notebookname#.daily.db and #notebookname#.weekly.db

Maybe there is a more recent backup somewhere.
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Re: Lost notes

Postby cinnamonbear » Mon Feb 23, 2015 10:15 pm

Gustms: Thank you for the reply.
Believe me I looked in every nook and cranny for the files and they were nowhere to be found. But, the next day, they magically re-appeared. I gave up trying to figure that one out and am just thankful that they did. I also am checking the back-ups and file history back-ups more closely.
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Re: Lost notes

Postby CintaNotes Developer » Tue Feb 24, 2015 8:58 am

Hi cinammonbear,

Thanks a lot for repoting your problem! Frankly I'm a bit taken aback by this
weird disappearance and re-appearance of your data files.

Could you please answer the following questions that would help in case something
like this happens again in the future:
1) Which folder is CintaNotes installed to?
2) Where are your data files located?
3) Do you use Dropbox or Simplenote sync?

Thanks!
Alex
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Re: Lost notes

Postby cinnamonbear » Wed Feb 25, 2015 10:19 am

Alex: Thank you for your concern.
1. CintaNotes is in Programs (X86)
2.By data files, do you mean where CN is backed up to? on an external drive and file history or C:\Users\ \Documents\cintanotes.db? Or some place else?
3. I do have Dropbox but did not backup CN there (I should probably do so also). I do not use Simplenote sync.
I agree that the loss was weird but know that stuff happens in life and on computers. Just happy the notes re-appeared but it would be most interesting to know what happened.
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Re: Lost notes

Postby CintaNotes Developer » Thu Feb 26, 2015 6:02 pm

Bobbie, thanks for the answers.
They'll be enough for now, please let me know if something similar happens again.
Thanks!
Alex
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Re: Lost notes

Postby cinnamonbear » Thu Feb 26, 2015 8:11 pm

Alex: Oh please, don't even think it!
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Re: Lost notes

Postby CintaNotes Developer » Fri Feb 27, 2015 3:50 am

I think I know what happened:
CintaNotes 2.8.5 changed the algorithm for determing user data folder for cases when CintaNotes was inside of some other folder inside Program Files.
Sounds confusing, but here's an example:
If CintaNotes is istalled to: C:\Program Files (x86)\Soft\Cintanotes (note that "Soft" folder!)
- then in CN 2.8.4 user data folder will be: %APPDATA%\Soft\CintaNotes
- and in CN 2.8.5 user data folder will be: %APPDATA%\CintaNotes

Could this be your case?
Alex
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Re: Lost notes

Postby cinnamonbear » Fri Feb 27, 2015 10:36 am

Alex: It is possible but I think my problem started with a pop up from CintaNotes when I tried to open CN that only lasted for a short time. Then upon CN opening, everything was gone except for the one note. I then, probably not wisely, did the update and afterwards still no notes. Do you know what the pop-up was that came up? I think if you do then, that might answer some of my problem. Upon further thought,if I remember correctly it had to do with file location and I may have clicked on okay since I was pressed for time. Why this would have lost my notes temporarily is still a big question.
This help?
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Re: Lost notes

Postby CintaNotes Developer » Sat Feb 28, 2015 2:56 pm

Hm, maybe you remember what did the popup message say? What exactly about file location?
What kind of popup was that - a yes/no question, or a simple "ok-only" message?
Alex
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Re: Lost notes

Postby cinnamonbear » Sat Feb 28, 2015 8:45 pm

Alex: Sorry, but I cannot be of more help on the pop-issue. I believe it was an "OK" message but not sure. I believe it told about a change of file location. It was a large pop-up in the middle of the screen maybe 4"X6". That's all I can recollect.
Again, sorry I could not be more explicit.
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Re: Lost notes

Postby CintaNotes Developer » Mon Mar 02, 2015 12:25 pm

Ok, never mind. I think that issue shouldn't happen again anyway. But please let me know if it does!
Alex
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Re: Lost notes

Postby cinnamonbear » Mon Mar 02, 2015 9:03 pm

Alex: Will do if it does. Please keep me in mind if someone reports this problem.
Thanks,
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Re: Lost notes

Postby CintaNotes Developer » Tue Mar 03, 2015 3:54 pm

Will sure do!
Alex
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Re: Lost notes

Postby cinnamonbear » Thu May 28, 2015 11:02 pm

Alex: It happened again after the last update that all my files were missing. This time after clicking on numerous logs in app data (which most had 0 kb), I got the correct one and the files "re-appeared". Is it only me? I can't figure out what I have done wrong when downloading and installing the update. Any further clues or ideas?
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Re: Lost notes

Postby CintaNotes Developer » Fri May 29, 2015 5:51 am

Hi cinammonbear,

Sorry to hear!

1) You updated which version to which?
2) "I got the correct one and the files "re-appeared"" - what do you mean? Logs are simply text files. How could files re-appear simply after you clicked on a log file?
Maybe this was a .db file?
Alex
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Re: Lost notes

Postby cinnamonbear » Fri May 29, 2015 2:32 pm

Alex: 2.8.6 is the version I was updated to, do not know what the previous version was, but I assume it was the previous "latest" (which was the one I originally had the problems).

Log files is correct that I found in the App Data, the database file did not bring back the Notes.

Would I better off, deleting and then downloading it again? Could something be corrupted?

Thanks!
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Re: Lost notes

Postby CintaNotes Developer » Tue Jun 09, 2015 12:03 pm

Sorry for the long delay!

I guess it should be easier for you to work with the portable version.
Simply download it and unpack into, say, C:\Apps\CintaNotes.

Then find the cintanotes.db file from the old version (in AppData) and copy it over.
Then run the portable version, it should display your notes.
After that you can safely uninstall the installable CN version.
Alex
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Re: Lost notes

Postby cinnamonbear » Tue Jun 09, 2015 8:29 pm

Alex: Not a problem especially since everything is working well.
I will follow your instructions when the next update is available.
Still no idea how I was able to get the data back the way I did?
Computers have a mind of their own!
Thanks!
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Re: Lost notes

Postby CintaNotes Developer » Fri Jun 12, 2015 5:17 pm

Well I believe there must be a rational explanation for this, but we might never get it :?
Please keep me posted, thanks!
Alex

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