Linux Format - UK (2020-03)

60 LXF260 March 2020 http://www.linuxformat.com

TUTORIALS Joplin notes

Save the script to a file, as you can run it to update

the app to a newer version. You can also install a

portable app to store and run from a thumb drive, which

is handy if you switch machines often. On first launch, a

Welcome notebook offers a quick tutorial for Joplin.

Updating Joplin

Joplin updates frequently with bug fixes and new

features. You can get on the project mailing list to be

notified when a new release is ready to download. You

can also go to Help > Check For Updates in the app to

get the latest AppImage from GitHub. Download the

new AppImage and make it executable. The updated

version then takes over, and your notes and settings are

all restored.

Go to Tools > General Options and scroll down to

Application to have the application check for updates

on startup. Check the Automatically Update The

Application option to be notified when there’s

something new. Look for Get Pre-releases when

checking for updates if you want to test beta releases.

When a new release comes out, the notification window

will take you to the download site for the new AppImage.

Import old notes

The next step is bringing your Evernotes into Joplin.

Evernote uses an ENEX extension for its export file. To

create this file, go to your All Notes notebook and select

all. Go to File > Export. If you have a decade’s worth of

notes, be patient! Tags make it through the export-

import process, but you have to create new notebooks

in Joplin. If you really like your notebook collections,

export each notebook separately, as Evernote will name

the export file with the notebook name.

Once the ENEX file is complete, open Joplin. Go to

File > Import > ENEX file. Select the file to import, and

after a while it will appear in Joplin.

One caution: while you may be planning to switch

permanently away from Evernote, you may choose to

keep your app on hand. Joplin does a good job of

importing all material, but if you’ve got a 10-year-old

web clipping with a graphic included, the graphic may

be sitting on an Evernote server, but the export file only

includes the graphic’s URL at the time it was saved, or

perhaps an internal Evernote reference point. If the

here have been a lot of note-taking apps for

Linux over the years, most notably BasKet for

KDE and Tomboy for Gnome. Perhaps you’ve

used a personal wiki to collect thoughts and webpages

to clear your mind and be more productive.

Chances are that you’ve also used the Evernote app

to “Remember everything”. This proprietary app runs on

Windows, Mac, and has mobile apps for iOS and

Android. Until recently, it also ran on Linux via Wine, but

corporate priorities changed. That left the field open for

a new open source contender. Enter Joplin.

Named after the 20th-century composer Scott

Joplin, the king of ragtime music, this JavaScript app

from Laurent Cozic runs on every platform you can

think of (if you count Linux on mainframe). Joplin is a

very handy modern replacement to your existing note-

taker. Nick Peers introduced Joplin (and Standard

Notes) in LXF254. In this article, I’ll go a little deeper to

show you how Joplin can take good care of your ideas,

wherever you may get them.

Ragtime?

Download Joplin at https://joplinapp.org. Scroll down

to the Installation section, and you’ll see the desktop

apps. Click the Get It On Linux button to download an

AppImage, or use the script provided:

wget -O - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/

laurent22/joplin/master/Joplin_install_and_update.sh

| bash

Set up a to-do list in Markdown, and check off your tasks in the WYSIWIG panel.

Moving to better

open source notes

Mike McCallister moves your Evernote files to Joplin, stores them on your

own cloud, and shows off some other neat tricks, which is nice.

Mike McCallister

has spent the

millennium

wrangling

Linux and telling

people about

his adventures.

He’s partial to

openSUSE, but

don’t hold that

against him.

T

JOPLIN

OUR

EXPERT

Credit: https://joplinapp.org

60 LXF260 March 2020 http://www.linuxformat.com

TUTORIALS Joplin notes

Savethescripttoa file,asyoucanrunit toupdate

theapptoa newerversion.Youcanalsoinstalla

portableapptostoreandrunfroma thumbdrive,which

ishandyif youswitchmachinesoften.Onfirstlaunch,a

Welcomenotebookoffersa quicktutorialforJoplin.

UpdatingJoplin

Joplinupdatesfrequentlywithbugfixesandnew

features.Youcangetontheprojectmailinglisttobe

notifiedwhena newreleaseisreadytodownload.You

canalsogotoHelp> CheckForUpdatesintheappto

getthelatestAppImagefromGitHub.Downloadthe

newAppImageandmakeit executable.Theupdated

versionthentakesover,andyournotesandsettingsare

allrestored.

GotoTools> GeneralOptionsandscrolldownto

Applicationtohavetheapplicationcheckforupdates

onstartup.ChecktheAutomaticallyUpdateThe

Applicationoptiontobenotifiedwhenthere’s

somethingnew.LookforGetPre-releaseswhen

checkingforupdatesif youwanttotestbetareleases.

Whena newreleasecomesout,thenotificationwindow

willtakeyoutothedownloadsiteforthenewAppImage.

Import old notes

The next step is bringing your Evernotes into Joplin.

Evernote uses an ENEX extension for its export file. To

create this file, go to your All Notes notebook and select

all. Go to File > Export. If you have a decade’s worth of

notes, be patient! Tags make it through the export-

import process, but you have to create new notebooks

in Joplin. If you really like your notebook collections,

export each notebook separately, as Evernote will name

the export file with the notebook name.

Once the ENEX file is complete, open Joplin. Go to

File > Import > ENEX file. Select the file to import, and

after a while it will appear in Joplin.

One caution: while you may be planning to switch

permanently away from Evernote, you may choose to

keep your app on hand. Joplin does a good job of

importing all material, but if you’ve got a 10-year-old

web clipping with a graphic included, the graphic may

be sitting on an Evernote server, but the export file only

includes the graphic’s URL at the time it was saved, or

perhaps an internal Evernote reference point. If the

herehavebeena lotofnote-takingappsfor

Linuxovertheyears,mostnotablyBasKetfor

KDEandTomboyforGnome.Perhapsyou’ve

useda personalwikitocollectthoughtsandwebpages

toclearyourmindandbemoreproductive.

Chancesarethatyou’vealsousedtheEvernoteapp

to“Remembereverything”.Thisproprietaryapprunson

Windows,Mac,andhasmobileappsforiOSand

Android.Untilrecently,it alsoranonLinuxviaWine, but

corporateprioritieschanged.Thatleftthefieldopenfor

a newopensourcecontender.EnterJoplin.

Namedafterthe20th-centurycomposerScott

Joplin,thekingofragtimemusic,thisJavaScriptapp

fromLaurentCozicrunsoneveryplatformyoucan

thinkof(ifyoucountLinuxonmainframe).Joplinisa

veryhandymodernreplacementtoyourexistingnote-

taker.NickPeersintroducedJoplin(andStandard

Notes) inLXF254. Inthisarticle,I’llgoa littledeeperto

showyouhowJoplincantakegoodcareofyourideas,

whereveryoumaygetthem.

Ragtime?

DownloadJoplinathttps://joplinapp.org. Scrolldown

to the Installation section, and you’ll see the desktop

apps. Click the Get It On Linux button to download an

AppImage, or use the script provided:

wget -O - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/

laurent22/joplin/master/Joplin_install_and_update.sh

| bash

Set up a to-do list in Markdown, and check off your tasks in the WYSIWIG panel.

Moving to better

open source notes

Mike McCallister moves your Evernote files to Joplin, stores them on your

owncloud,andshows off some other neat tricks, which is nice.

MikeMcCallister
has spent the
millennium
wrangling
Linux and telling
people about
his adventures.
He’s partial to
openSUSE, but
don’t hold that
against him.

T

JOPLIN

OUR

EXPERT

Credit: https://joplinapp.org