full export

[lena]

Like many users on this forum I have been looking for the perfect PIM for ages. UR is definetely the best I have found so far, and I am seriously impressed. However, I am still a bit weary to put all my data in a proprietary system. I could decide to switch to Mac or Linux or I could want to switch to another program, and it would be horrible to effectively lose all my data.

I tried the file->export function, and it does address some of this concern, but if I understand correctly, it is not possible to completely export an item with subitems, while keeping rich text, notes, and item attributes together. An obvious way to do this, would of course be through XML.

Could you please let me know if you plan to offer better exporting options in the near future? This is a dealbreaker for me.

Lena.

[ExtraLean]

For what it is worth, this is a *MAJOR* concern for me as well.

[kinook]

Thanks for the positive feedback. It's clear from the incredible response that we've done a lot of things right with Ultra Recall 1. And we have much more planned for the future to make it even better.

You can currently export all item documents, notes, and rich text (but not attributes) intact by doing a recursive export from UR. You can also export all item attribute data (although without relationships between items).

We recognize the need to allow users to migrate their data if and when necessary, and enhancements to both import and export functionality will be a focus of the next release of UR. However, there is no standard format or schema that can express all of the data, metadata, and relationships that can be created and managed in UR, nor is there any application that offers all of its capabilities and could meaningfully import such a document if it existed.

We welcome specific suggestions that would improve on what's currently offered (some export options under consideration are OPML, combining multiple RTF items into a single document, and an XML dialect that accommodates at least some of UR's logic linking, metadata, and document storage features). Thanks.

[lena]

Originally posted by kinook
We recognize the need to allow users to migrate their data if and when necessary, and enhancements to both import and export functionality will be a focus of the next release of UR.

That's good to know.

However, there is no standard format or schema that can express all of the data, metadata, and relationships that can be created and managed in UR, nor is there any application that offers all of its capabilities and could meaningfully import such a document if it existed.

Of course, I totally understand. But if at least most of my data would be in an open format, I could do something with it. If it were HTML I could read it in any browser, if it were XML I could build a little something to transform it to something usable enough for me.

For me, it would be good enough if logic links were simply treated as copies, just like you do now with the export to RTF files. I would very much like one document though (and I much prefer HTML over RTF). I do understand the difficulties with making a great export option, but I hope this will not refrain you from making a good export option.

I am glad to see that you do take this issue seriously and that you do not have a secret plan to lock me in.

Best regards,
Lena.

[ExtraLean]

Originally posted by lena
I am glad to see that you do take this issue seriously and that you do not have a secret plan to lock me in.

Ahhhh, but not having a secret plan *is* their secret plan to lock you in! lol

[xja]

Originally posted by kinook
We welcome specific suggestions that would improve on what's currently offered (some export options under consideration are OPML, combining multiple RTF items into a single document, and an XML dialect that accommodates at least some of UR's logic linking, metadata, and document storage features). Thanks.

When you export CSV, it would be useful if you could add the text from the Notes and preferably also the unformatted text from the RTF to the data fields exported (right now these fields can only be exported separately as RTF files). You would probably need to put quotes around all field values to deal with commas embedded in the Notes or RTF fields.

[kevina]

Version 1.3 of Ultra Recall has recently been released, which adds the capability requested in this thread: the ability to export the notes field as well as rich text (unformatted) as fields of a CSV export (qualified with the " character).

This feature is available thru the Virtual Attributes Item Text and Item Notes when doing a CSV export (or import).

Also, these Virtual Attributes are also available for searching which provide true phrase search capability of Info Items when using the Matches Wildcard operator with a criteria like *phrase to search*.