JEX Import on Android fails

Support
1

Operating system

Android

Joplin version

3.3.3

Desktop version info

3.1.24

What issue do you have?

WebDav sync was taking too long so I decided to try JEX export/import.

  • I exported a JEX archive from Desktop Joplin. It was 400mb.
  • Copied it to my phone.
  • Tried to import into Android Joplin version 3.3.2
  • It showed an infinite progress bar for a long time (many minutes)
  • Eventually the bar stopped but nothing had changed
  • Later I installed Android Joplin version 3.3.3
  • Now when I choose "import" I get the file selector but I am not able to see any files at all

The latter issue seems like a permissions problem.

I am installing the Android versions from f-droid.

Thanks!

2

Have a look to your space on your phone. Maybe you have not enough space.

3

Thanks. I have around 100Gb free.

4

.jex files are sometimes capricious. I mean it happen that when you export into jex format that it's not done correctly. You know that because when you do two exportations immediatly one after another sometimes the size are not the same. So try first to make at least two exportations into a .jex file in order to be sure it's the same size.
Have you try the RAW export ?

5

Interesting. When I export twice one after the other I observe the following:

  • The file size is exactly the same.
  • The md5sum of the files is different.
    Presumably there is some "export date" encoded in there.

In any case, I am not able to import the JEX on Android because of the bug I mentioned before where the file picker does not show any files at all no matter where I browse.

I don't see an option in the Android interface to import the RAW format. How can I do this?

6

Ok, I got the Android JEX import working. Here's how:

  • Reverted Android Joplin version to 3.3.2 (versions after this can't see any files).
  • Exported a 400mb JEX on my Desktop.
  • Use adb push to copy it to /sdcard/Downloads.
  • Choose import jex in the Android app UI.
  • Navigate to "Downloads" and choose the JEX file.
  • Wait a long time and keep tapping the screen so it stays on.
  • Eventually the infinite progress indicator disappears and I see a message saying successfully impoted.

I think maybe this was an issue with the app timing out or getting backgrounded when I tried an import before. I'm going to file a bug now explaining these issues.

7

PSA: Do NOT do this.

So I copied the JEX over and go it imported. At that point I thought if I enabled webdav sync everything would be good because I have the exact same set of documents on my desktop and Android device.

For whatever reason, Joplin completely violates this logic. After I started sync'ing to Joplin I got hundreds of duplicates of notes, uncategorized. Absolutely mind-blowing behaviour. The one thing I'd expect is notes to have a consistent hash and be basically immutable if they look exactly the same. Gah!

Sorry for my frustration but I have been trying to get my notes to sync over webdav to my phone for days and now I get this situation.

8

I only use desktop and portable versions so I can't answer you about that.

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I suppose that if you can export into RAW you should be able to import RAW...
Be carreful : they say "Joplin export..." in the import menu !!! Maybe it creates confusion and you think there's not imporation !?