how to organize outlook notes

[xpan]

Hi,

I like keeping small notes of things I see, think, and hear, so I keep a big notes database on outlook. I used to synchronize with my Palm Treo. In my Palm I had everything organized in categories (Memos).

Last week I purchased a Windows Mobile device (HTC Touch) and when I synch-ed with outlook, all my notes went directly to "My Documents" folder on my PPC. I don't want that!

So, the question is, how can I organize me notes? I tried creating folders of notes on Outlook but then ActiveSync couldn't find the notes and synch them to my PPC.

I tried to create a "My Notes" folder in my PPC but this didn't work also...

any ideas? Am I doing something wrong?

[Reid Kistler]

Thus far have avoided 'smartphones' in favor of separate a PPC (Axim) & cell phone(s), and thus don't share your problem: use PhatNotes for all 'free text' notes on the Axim (these sync to PhatNotes app on the desktop), and eWallet for "Information" notes (bank & CC info, website passwords, serial numbers, software registration data & so on).

Would not be surprised to find a version of at least one of those products that would run on your Touch - but this is not a market I have needed to look at.

However, have a question: What is the problem with your notes going to the My Documents folder?

Also, found parts of your question confusing: are you syncing to BOTH the Touch AND a PPC? If so, Directly syncing to each other, or running through a desktop computer first?
Are you using Touch and PPC interchangeably? (Meaning, is the Touch your PPC, and you simply are using one term instead of the other - this does not SEEM to be the case per your post, but....?)
Have you used PPC where you meant PC? (Desktop / Laptop).

Try to clarify your sync procedure (Touch to PPC? Touch to Desktop to PPC? Touch to Desktop?) and it should be easier for people to suggest solutions / work-arounds...

Good Luck!

[oliveuk]

hey Xpan, I am having the exact same problem ;-)

I was a Palm T5 user in the past and what I loved about it was the fact that you could organise the Outlook Notes by categories without using a third party application.

I have now bought a HTC HD touch and the notes are now located in the My Documents folder, mixed with other files and folders which is a mess. I have also lost the categories which is a real pain.

What solutions have you found? I looked on Google and couldn't find any answers. I am a OneNote addict on workstation and I am trying the mobile version this morning.

OLive

[Brad Adrian]

If you're using Windows XP (or earlier), you'll be able to accomplish "sub-folder synchronizing" only through an add-in application such as Easy Sync. If you're using Vista, I don't know of any way to synchronize with any folder other than the "My Documents" folder.

You can look for add-in applications like this by going to the Pocket PC Thoughts Store or Handango and searching for terms like "folder sync."

[Sven Johannsen]

I am a OneNote addict on workstation and I am trying the mobile version this morning.

OLive
Don't expect a pony under your XMas tree. I can almost guarantee you will not be happy with the OneNote Mobile experience. The product does a pretty good job of 'notes' on your WM device being transferred to a specific Mobile folder on the desktop OneNote. The Notes are largely limited to recordings or pictures. ONM was designed for Smartphones (no touch screen) and the product doesn't support ink. Oh, you can pop up the SIP (soft input panel) of you choice and styus type into OneNote Mobile, but you can't draw or write on the screen.

Notes sync are what they are and have always been. Only the root folder of Outlook notes goes and all go into my docs on the device. Same in Vista/WMDC as XP/AS. At least you can sync notes, if you are syncing with Exchange, notes aren't supported.

The workaround is getting a third party Notes app. My personal recommendation would be PhatNotes as has been noted before. They have more than one version and one is designed to work with Outlook, though I don't recall if it significantly increases the features supported (folders, categories). PhatNotes does have a desktop component that is far superior to Outlook notes, that could be substituted. Not sure if I can come up with a good reason to need my notes to be in Outlook if a third party offering provides significantly better features. The notes don't really integrate that much with the rest of Outlook anyway.

[Phillip Dyson]

My personal recommendation would be PhatNotes as has been noted before. They have more than one version and one is designed to work with Outlook, though I don't recall if it significantly increases the features supported (folders, categories). PhatNotes does have a desktop component that is far superior to Outlook notes, that could be substituted. Not sure if I can come up with a good reason to need my notes to be in Outlook if a third party offering provides significantly better features. The notes don't really integrate that much with the rest of Outlook anyway.

I would have recommended PhatNotes up to about a week ago too. But I did a hard reset and a restore from back around that time. When I synced with my desktop (phatnotes) I lost everything. Notes that were two years old were gone.

It sort of left me wondering about a more basic notes model.

[Nurhisham Hussein]

I'm using Evernote more and more. The OTA sync is great, even if the WM client is still rough and ready. The only major problem with Evernote is you can't see your notes on your phone without a data connection i.e. don't try it without an unlimited data plan.

[Phillip Dyson]

I'm using Evernote more and more. The OTA sync is great, even if the WM client is still rough and ready. The only major problem with Evernote is you can't see your notes on your phone without a data connection i.e. don't try it without an unlimited data plan.

Not having offline access to my notes is a non-starter. That rules out my public transit commute and any place that doesn't have good coverage.

Travelling on the train to and from work is a perfect place to make and review notes. I really liked PhatNotes, but losing all of my data really left a bad taste in my mouth.

[Reid Kistler]

...Travelling on the train to and from work is a perfect place to make and review notes. I really liked PhatNotes, but losing all of my data really left a bad taste in my mouth.


Presumably no back-up available?

PhatNotes PROMPTS to run a back-up "frequently," AND you can set it to Automatically backup all notes databases - as often as "Every Time I Exit PhatNotes." So there should be little chance of Completely Losing BOTH PDA and Desktop copies of the database files.

Alas, IF your sync was set to "PDA Overwrites Desktop" AND you hard reset your PDA so PhatNotes Database was empty, and then ran Sync... then the program DID what you INSTRUCTED IT TO DO. :eek: Doesn't HELP your situation :(, but seems the most probable explanation as to why the data disappeared.

(Still would be worth looking for any old backup PhatNotes data files you might have hanging around. Even an out-of-date file would be better than nothing.)

Store PhatNotes BU files on both PDA - on SD card - as well as on Desktop, and always make a "special" BU if doing serious manipulation of the PDA: fell prey to the "PDA OVERWRITES...." instructions once :o , and having a ready BU saved the day. :)

[Phillip Dyson]

Presumably no back-up available?

PhatNotes PROMPTS to run a back-up "frequently," AND you can set it to Automatically backup all notes databases - as often as "Every Time I Exit PhatNotes." So there should be little chance of Completely Losing BOTH PDA and Desktop copies of the database files.

Alas, IF your sync was set to "PDA Overwrites Desktop" AND you hard reset your PDA so PhatNotes Database was empty, and then ran Sync... then the program DID what you INSTRUCTED IT TO DO. :eek: Doesn't HELP your situation :(, but seems the most probable explanation as to why the data disappeared.

(Still would be worth looking for any old backup PhatNotes data files you might have hanging around. Even an out-of-date file would be better than nothing.)

Store PhatNotes BU files on both PDA - on SD card - as well as on Desktop, and always make a "special" BU if doing serious manipulation of the PDA: fell prey to the "PDA OVERWRITES...." instructions once :o , and having a ready BU saved the day. :)

Thanks for the reply. I know that I used to do backups because I generally got the reminder when I opened the desktop application. Unfortunately they seem to be no where to be found. I so rarely opened the desktop app. Months would go by, but I did sync more frequently.

If only I know where Phatnotes kept its databases, I could see if its in my Mozy backup.

[Reid Kistler]

If only I know where Phatnotes kept its databases, I could see if its in my Mozy backup.


On Desktop, search for *.wnt - would expect to find either HPC Notes.wnt and/or PhatNotes.wnt, depending upon age of BU (PhatNotes version it was created under).

This file will normally appear somewhere under your 'Documents' folder.

On PPC, you can try looking for *.vol, hoping to come across PhatNotes.vol. Again, it is possible to find "HPC Hotes" instead of "PhatNotes" as the database name.

In theory, the folder should be "in the Pocket PC objects store folder, usually named Databases."

Am able to find the desktop files easily - but not so lucky trying to do a FIND on the PPC! :(