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AppleScript Utils for Evernote

This is just a set of simple AppleScripts that I use to make Evernote on my Mac run more smoothly.

The scripts

Tag multiple notes en-multi-tag.applescript

Allows tagging multiple notes with multiple tags, like the Ctrl-Alt-T keyboard shortcut on the Windows client.

Create notes from templates en_templates.applescript

Allows creation of notes from templates. Any notes with a specified tag (default template) and in a specified folder (default meta)

Add text to multiple note titles add_text_to_note_titles.applescript

Some people use keywords within note titles in addition to tags. This script will add arbitrary text to the titles of all selected notes. The text can be added to the beginning or the end of the title.

Tag multiple notes using "Tag Groups" EN_Tag_Groups.applescript

There are (at least) two camps within the Evernote user community concerning the best way to tag notes. Some people use a lot of tags, with a high level of specificity. Others (like me) use broader tags, but combine them to achieve specific search results. Still others use low specificity tags and not very many of those, which I can't see much use of.

For those of us who use broad tag categories, it can be useful to ensure that the same tags are assigned to notes as they come in (say, notes associated with a project). This script will help do that. The first time it is run, it asks for a group name, and then lets you assign a set of tags to that group. It will then (and in future runs) allow you to assign those tags to a set of notes. It's like running the multi-tag script above several times.

Because this script creates some variables to persist over multiple sessions, it will not work if run as a script from Automator. It must be run as an Application from Automator.

Installation and setup

Just copying these scripts to a place where you can use them will work at its most basic level. However, if you want to get them to work as shortcut keys within Evernote, you need to

  1. Save each script as an Application

    You can do this by opening a Terminal and typing "rake". The applications will all be in the build folder.

  2. Create a service using Automator for each Application

  3. Associate the name of the service with a keyboard shortcut

Instead of 2 and 3, you could just use TextExpander or your favorite keyboard shortcut approach. The only advantage with using Services is that they will appear under the Evernote->Services menu.

A trivial gist for org-mode users

For folks who use Emacs org-mode, I have a trivial AppleScript gist which will copy an Evernote note link to a form used by org. You may be wondering why this README is written in Markdown and not in Org. Truly no good reason.

Bugs and Limitations

There are probably bugs. Some of them are probaby mine. Anyway, let me know if you see bugs.

Why save these scripts as Applications instead of running AppleScript services?

Scripts run from Automator by a "run AppleScript" service pasted in to the Automator window sometimes have undocumented limitations, even though they work fine when run directly. This has been reported by a variety of AppleScript users and developers. The workaround to get keyboard shortcuts and working "Services" menu pulldowns is to save them as Applications, as described above, and have the service run the Application.

Acknowledgements

Justin Lancy's veritrope is the best source for Evernote AppleScripts, and is where I got familiar with the problems others were having. In particular the simple sort routine I use is from Justin. I'd put all my scripts directly on Veitrope, but if I don't use git I'm lost. So they are here