Export & Import Reference
Notely provides three distinct export systems depending on the scope and format needed:
| System | Scope | Format | Where to find |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Note Export | One note | PDF, HTML | File menu or Toolbar button |
| Workspace Export | Entire workspace | .zip (Raw, PDF, or Web) | File → Export Workspace |
| Note Package | Selected notes + assets | .note (encrypted bundle) | File → Export / Import Note Package |
1. Single Note Export (PDF & HTML)
Exports the currently active markdown note as a standalone rendered document.
PDF Export
- Renders the note through a Headless Chromium window with the active Notely theme CSS applied.
- Local media resolved: Embedded images and diagrams are referenced via their absolute file:// paths before rendering.
- Mermaid diagrams and LaTeX equations are rendered as vector SVG and KaTeX HTML inside the PDF.
- Output path defaults directly to your system Downloads folder (
~/Downloads). - PDF write failures (EPERM, EBUSY on OneDrive paths) are automatically retried up to 3 times with increasing delays (120ms → 320ms → 700ms).
HTML Export
- Produces a self-contained HTML file with inline CSS and resolved media references.
- Suitable for publishing notes to static web servers or opening in any browser without Notely.
Block-Level Exports (Tables & Diagrams)
- Table Image Export (
Download Image): Exports any rendered table as a high-resolution, unclipped PNG image with clean padding and solid background styling viaExportManager. - Table CSV Export (
Download CSV): Exports raw markdown table rows and columns as a clean UTF-8 encoded.csvfile with a byte order mark (\uFEFF) for immediate compatibility with Excel and spreadsheet tools. - Mermaid Diagram Export (
Download): Converts rendered Mermaid SVG diagrams into high-resolution PNG image files viaExportManager.
2. Downloads & Export History Manager
Access via top Workspace → Downloads & Export History menu item or press Ctrl/Cmd + J.
Notely automatically tracks and logs all file exports and diagram renders to a local workspace database (.notes-app/export-history.db).
Features & Capabilities
- Unified Tracking: Tracks PDF exports,
.notepackages, workspace.ziparchives, Excalidraw diagrams, Draw.io diagrams, and exported media files. - Category Tabs: Filter by All, Documents, Diagrams, or Media with live item count badges.
- Instant Actions:
- Show in Folder: Reveals the exported file directly in OS File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS).
- Open: Launches the file in its default system application.
- Downloads Folder: Direct shortcut button to open your system Downloads directory.
- Live File Status: Automatically detects if an exported file has been moved or deleted from disk.
- SQLite Persistence: Stored per-workspace in
{workspace}/.notes-app/export-history.dbusing Node's nativeDatabaseSync(node:sqlite). Reconnects dynamically on workspace switching.
2. Workspace Export (Full ZIP Bundle)
Exports the entire active workspace as a .zip archive. Accessed via File → Export Workspace.
Export Modes
| Mode | What is exported |
|---|---|
Raw Docs (raw) | Plain .md files as-is, preserving original workspace folder structure |
PDF (pdf) | Each note rendered to a themed PDF file inside the archive |
Web / HTML (web) | Each note rendered to a standalone HTML page |
Content Modes (for PDF & Web)
| Content Mode | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Combined | Raw notes and cleansed/structured content merged into one file per note |
| Separate | Raw and Cleansed versions saved as separate files per note |
| Raw Only | Only raw markdown source content |
| Cleansed Only | Only the structured/processed note content |
Archive Structure
- The ZIP root folder is named after the workspace (sanitized):
{workspaceName}_docs_DD_MM_YYYY.zip. - Hidden subsystem directories (
.notes-app/,.git/) are excluded from all workspace exports. - A progress event stream (
workspace-export:progress) reports real-time file count progress to the UI.
3. Note Package Export & Import (.note Bundle)
For sharing specific notes between Notely users. Accessed via File → Export / Import Note Package.
Exporting a Package
- Select notes — choose any
.mdfiles from the current workspace. - Save location — defaults to
{workspaceName}.note. Click Browse to choose a different path. - Password (Optional) — restricts import. Stores a salted SHA-256 password hash in the bundle manifest.
- Click Export Package.
What gets bundled:
| Asset | Source Path | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Markdown notes | {workspace}/**/*.md | ✅ |
| Images / screenshots | media/images/ | ✅ |
| Excalidraw diagrams | .notes-app/excali-diagrams/ | ✅ |
| Draw.io diagrams + thumbnails | media/draw.io/ | ✅ |
| Package metadata manifest | metadata.json inside bundle | ✅ auto-generated |
Assets that are locked, missing, or inaccessible at export time are silently skipped — the note is still exported.
Security
- AES-256 encrypted bundle — not readable by generic ZIP tools.
- Every file in the bundle is SHA-256 hashed and the hashes are verified on import. Tampered packages are rejected.
- Password protection stores a salted SHA-256 signature in the manifest. The password is verified in memory before any files are written.
Importing a Package
- Switch to the Import Package tab.
- Click Browse and select a
.notefile. - Click Import Package.
- Enter the password if prompted.
Notely will:
- Decrypt and verify bundle integrity.
- Authenticate the password against the manifest signature.
- Copy notes into the workspace root (or appropriate subfolder).
- Restore all media assets to their original relative paths.
- Resolve filename collisions automatically — existing files are never overwritten.
- Reload the workspace document list so imported notes appear immediately.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Export failed: EPERM" | Destination inside an actively syncing OneDrive path | Wait a moment and retry, or choose a local (non-OneDrive) folder |
| "Import failed: integrity check" | .note file was modified or corrupted in transit | Request a fresh export from the sender |
| "Incorrect password" | Password doesn't match package hash | Confirm password with the package creator |
| Notes appear in workspace root | Package was exported from a flat workspace | Expected — import mirrors the original layout |
| PDF looks wrong on export | Note uses unsupported CSS or external fonts | Use built-in Notely themes; avoid @import of remote fonts |