external editor's raw note is not being updated with a change if the change comes via the synchronization process

[taw00]

Operating system

Linux

Joplin version

3.0.15

Desktop version info

Joplin 3.0.15 (prod, linux)

Client ID: 9959465eea794e60b1b95760c308ca91
Sync Version: 3
Profile Version: 47
Keychain Supported: No

Revision: 598677b

Automatic Backlinks to note: 3.0.3
Backup: 1.4.2
Combine notes: 1.2.2
Conflict Resolution: 1.2.3
Favorites: 1.3.2
Hotfolder: 1.2.0
Inline tags: 1.3.0
Inline TODO: 1.7.1
Kminder Mindmap: 0.8.6
Markmap: 1.7.0
Note list (Preview): 1.1.0
Note overview: 1.7.1
Note Rename: 1.0.0
Note Tabs: 1.4.0
Outline: 1.5.13
Quick Links: 1.3.2
Space Indenter: 0.2.5
Tagging: 1.0.3
Templates: 2.4.0
YesYouKan: 1.0.3

Current behaviour

See also: #8984

The external editor logic of Joplin is pretty simple.

• User clicks the Toggle External Editing button on a note …
• Joplin copies a note to ~/.config/joplin-desktop/somehash.md
• Joplin kicks open the external editor which opens that note.
• If you edit the note in the editor and save, it updates the view in the Joplin app.
• If you edit the note in the Joplin app, it will update that somehash.md file in that joplin-desktop folder and the external editor will notice the change to the file it has open to edit.

If you open the note in another instance of Joplin on another computer, Joplin does NOT manage that relationship correctly.

• Have a syncing relationship set up between two computers and their instances of Joplin. (I use Joplin Server, for example.)
• Do all the above on computer installation error #1: Open a note and then open it in an external editor.
• Open Joplin desktop on computer Failed at the [email protected] install script 'node-gyp rebuild'. #2.
• Ensure Joplin instance Failed at the [email protected] install script 'node-gyp rebuild'. #2 is synced.
• Open the same note on Failed at the [email protected] install script 'node-gyp rebuild'. #2.
• Edit and then sync Joplin Failed at the [email protected] install script 'node-gyp rebuild'. #2.
• Sync the Joplin instance on installation error #1
• Notice that the note on Joplin installation error #1 is updated.
• ISSUE! Notice that the note as shared to the external editor on installation error #1 is NOT updated.
• Forcibly save the external editor on installation error #1.
• Notice the changes are reverted.

Q: Why does that external editor not get a notification of the update?
A: Because the external editor's copy in ~/.config/joplin-desktop/ is not updated with the change when the change comes from a syncing process.

Solution! If the note changes in Joplin application (no matter the mechanism), update any associated editor copies in ~/.config/joplin-desktop/

Expected behaviour

Expected behavior is described above, but:

If a note is changed via a newer synced version from another instance of Joplin, the notes raw-copy used to enable an external editor needs to reflect the change as well. Today, Joplin behaves like it forgot it had an external editor opened on the note.

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SIDE QUESTION: why is the buffered note used by the external editor stored in ~/.config/joplin-desktop/? Shouldn't it be in ~/.var/lib/joplin-desktop or something similar?

Cheers -t