How to export the notes with no direct access to the app?

catcarrot · 2023-02-08T14:07:30.258Z

My laptop won't start for some reason, and I therefore have no direct access to the Joplinapp to export the content. But I do have access to the computer's home directory via a live cd.

Is there a way for me to export the content of my Joplin in this situation? I have otherwise no back-up of my notes.

The OS is linux mint.

Please advice.

dpoulton · 2023-02-08T14:35:56.307Z

@catcarrot welcome to the forum.

Copy out the folder ~/.config/joplin-desktop and its entire contents. Use it to replace the same folder of a new install to get your notes back.

catcarrot · 2023-02-08T15:00:27.277Z

Thak you very much, dpoulton, for the greeting and the answer.

1 - You're saying that I should copy (and save elsewhere) the current joplin-desktop folder, and then replace with it the new folder that will be created after a new installation.

2 - How do I do the replacement? Command "paste in", and then to be asked "there's already a folder with that name, do you want to replace it?", and "yes"?

3 - There's also a folder named "Joplin" there. Don't need that one, right?

4 - Also, if you don't mind, is this method fool-proof? Anything I should be extra mindful about?

dpoulton · 2023-02-08T16:06:48.098Z

catcarrot:

1 - You're saying that I should copy (and save elsewhere) the current joplin-desktop folder, and then replace with it the new folder that will be created after a new installation.

Yes. When you run the newly installed copy of Joplin it will create a joplin-desktop folder and you will see the default "Welcome Notes".

catcarrot:

2 - How do I do the replacement? Command "paste in", and then to be asked "there's already a folder with that name, do you want to replace it?", and "yes"?

Shut down the new copy of Joplin (CRTL+Q or File > Quit). Delete the new ~/.config/joplin-desktop folder. Copy the old one into ~/.config/

catcarrot:

3 - There's also a folder named "Joplin" there. Don't need that one, right?

No, you don't need it. But if you have added lots of words to your spellcheck dictionary you may want to copy just the file Custom Dictionary.txt out of there and put it in the same folder for the new install. In case you later see it, there is also a folder ~/.joplin. You do not have to worry about that one, it's just where the AppImage is stored.

catcarrot:

4 - Also, if you don't mind, is this method fool-proof?

It depends on how skilled the fool is at being a fool

As long as the data is not currently corrupted or gets corrupted during the copy process you should be fine. Often, to test things, I shut down Joplin and rename my joplin-desktop folder. I then restart Joplin to get a default install with the welcome notes. When I have finished I shut down Joplin, delete the new joplin-desktop folder and rename my original one back to joplin-desktop. Joplin has always started up intact with the notes as they were before I started. This is basically what you are doing; you are just replacing the data folder.

catcarrot:

Anything I should be extra mindful about?

Don't delete the backup until you are certain that the new copy of Joplin is running OK.
Remember to backup

catcarrot · 2023-02-08T17:00:26.468Z

Great! Thank you very much!

I shall test it first on another pc to make sure.

Definitely a must to have a backup. I could've lost all my notes - lucky that I didn't. Lesson learned.

system · 2023-03-10T17:00:34.240Z

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