Export to Anki for beginners

How to ?
1

I don’t know how to export to Anki. I’ve read the instructions but I can’t make sense of them.

When I click “Import” on Anki I don’t see the same dialogue as in the help file here. Instead I just see a list of all my document folders to choose from. I’ve done the “Export” from LR, but it doesn’t tell me where it’s put the export.

I’m using opera and Windows 10.

I am sure I checked on all the tabs of the documentation that can be found here : Language Reactor.

Please could someone explain it as to a 5 year old because I clearly lack the needed techie knowledge.

Thanks for your help :slight_smile:

2

Hi @fairyhedgehog,

Just a friendly user who doesn’t import to Anki from Language Reactor files.

I found this video (starting at the import .CSV to Anki part of video; timestamp: 0:47 ish):

Importing to Anki via Windows (?):

Importing .CSV to Anki Using Excel (as example) or Any other program that allows you to export/save in .CSV (w/Audio):

Importing .CSV to Anki Using Excel (w/ Pictures):

Potentially Helpful Forum Topics/Threads/ Replies (Running List) — You May/May Not Have Come Across in A Forum Search:

Note: Discrepancies may exist between operating systems: Windows vs. macOS vs. etc. Just be aware and try to play around a bit if you can.

P.S. If any of these resources helped, please let us fellow users know so other users can benefit and so I know that I don’t need to add more to the ongoing list, if something helped.

Unfortunately, no LR video of how to do this process and no Youtube tutorials from any LR users, yet (perhaps a good content idea for any LR users who do Youtube content).

3

When I click Export, where is the file exported to?

4

Downloads from Chrome can be viewed in a little download symbol at the top right of Chrome:

image

Image Credit: https://techdows.com/2022/02/chrome-new-downloads-interface.html

Otherwise, to find it on your computer, you might be able to find it by searching for the file name (if your eyes are fast enough to catch it) in your computer’s file search box.

5

So, as I can’t see any download, presumably that means it hasn’t worked.

6

It can be hard to tell whether it’s working correctly. It took me a little experimenting the first time when I tried it.

Depending on how settings are selected and how fast your eyes catch a download in the bottom left corner of the browser:

Then pops up in the top right corner where the download icon should be.

When I first saw this type of download, it appeared and disappeared so fast that I didn’t think it downloaded.

Now, it seems to stay up in the toolbar as an icon, so I’m not sure what your situation is:

Download Icon on Toolbar next to URL:
Download Icon in Chrome

You can also access downloads by clicking on the three dots next to your profile image:

Alternative access to downloads in chrome
Alternative access to downloads in chrome771×1094 67.9 KB

If you don’t see it there, then it probably didn’t download. In which case, check your export settings for LR:

Saved Items → Export → Select Export Option [Print / Excel / ANKI / CSV /JSON] →

  • Untoggle “Only new items, since last export”: If you want all your saved items / your getting the “no new items to export since…” message in the top right of your screen:

Note: Image of an ANKI export by another user. Full image credit to that user.

  • Learning Stage: Select all Marked words you want in the download (i.e., those marked as Learning, Known, and Don’t Learn)
  • Languages: If you learn multiple languages and want to export a specific language list. Or if you want to export all saved content across the languages, you are learning.
  • Item type: Specify just “phrases,” just “words,” or “All types.”
  • Tags: Check all appropriate tagged content based on the available settings.
  • Preferred Translation: Select which translation type you want to be prioritized in the export (i.e., Human/Machine Translation)
  • Other Customizable Settings: Mess around a see what interests you under whichever export tab you want, and experiment with how you want to customize them.

Note: I recommend the Excel option so the above videos I shared help you better, but I also recommend the CSV option to get the media attached to your saved words and phrases (i.e., audio and any screenshots LR captured related to your words/phrases).

If you’re still having troubles:

Do you have a screenshot of your LR settings on the export screen?

Maybe I can spot something in it that might help.

I hope something in here helps!

P.S. I included a little more than you needed to know, so other users can benefit if they find this topic later.