Errors transfering files to standalone

Ckcahill

Hello,
I'm working with a group library on Zotero and am stuck on an issue we are having with indexing/syncing. Initially the issue was locating and indexing the more than 1300 unindexed files in our library. I figured this out and went through manually indexing these files. As this was an extremely time-consuming task the hope was that I would simply be able to move my fully indexed library to a flash drive that could then be used by others in my group in their Zotero Standalone.

I transferred my "Zotero" folder onto a flash drive and my colleague directed her Standalone to this folder for its library. But we keep running into issues that we thought would not occur. First the standalone recognizes that the library had previously been synced with a different user and claims that it will have to erase "local groups" before syncing. This, however, is not the problem. After receiving permission to erase these groups and sync the library, Standalone then appears to be downloading the entire library from online (the sync bar indicates over 2000 items needing to be downloaded). Then we run into dozens of "Conflict Resolution" items that we are to sort through. Finally, the sync always fails before completing the task.

The main issue is that I thought there would be a relatively seamless transition between accounts; with the Standalone simply using the fully indexed library as its own. Should this be the case? This would seemingly eliminate all of the issues associated with syncing (especially the necessity of downloading 1000s of items from the internet).

Sorry if this is a lengthy email but assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!

Charlie

dstillman

Initially the issue was locating and indexing the more than 1300 unindexed files in our library. I figured this out and went through manually indexing these files. As this was an extremely time-consuming task

I'm not sure why you thought you had to do that. If you were having a problem, you should have reported it. In 3.0.2 we fixed a bug in which an indexing failure on a single attachment could cause the entire reindexing attempt to fail.

The main issue is that I thought there would be a relatively seamless transition between accounts; with the Standalone simply using the fully indexed library as its own. Should this be the case?

No. If you're using syncing and multiple accounts and groups, you shouldn't be transferring the database to another user manually. If you do, Zotero, as you saw, resets the local group data, because the new user might have an entirely different set of subscribed groups and have different permissions for them. So what you were trying to do wouldn't have worked anyway.

Switching accounts will also make a mess of the personal library, which may be where all the conflicts are from. They shouldn't be from the groups, which should have been erased locally. If they are from the groups, that's a bug, and you can provide a Debug ID, but then you should just do a "Restore from Zotero Server" from the Sync->Reset pane of the Zotero preferences on that computer anyway. That will reset only the database, leaving any transferred files in 'storage' in place.

dstillman

(Also, the next major version of Zotero will support on-demand downloading, so it won't be necessary to download thousands of files just to view a few.)

Ckcahill

Thanks for the quick response Dan. The main issue with the unindexed items was that even when we ran the "index unindexed items" script, we still ended up with more than we could account for (from word docs and such). I found a forum on here of others dealing with the issue and found a means of identifying these items and then indexed them individually.

In any case, what we were hoping to do was place my library on a flash drive so that my colleague could use it for her Standalone. The reason that we were hoping to do so was to sidestep the process of syncing with her standalone. Each time she has tried to do so the process takes longer than she has been able to give to it (over 24 hours of syncing). It sounds like you are saying that there is no way for me to "give" her my library? Is this not possible?

Thanks so much for your help!

adamsmith

It sounds like you are saying that there is no way for me to "give" her my library? Is this not possible?"

not for groups, no.

But also - syncing _never_ takes 24hs - Dan would have to confirm current numbers, but last I heard was that - at least for data sync - large syncs with multiple thousand items go through in less than an hour. Files sync cumulatively, so not finishing wouldn't be a problem and you wouldn't re-start from the beginning.

dstillman

when we ran the "index unindexed items" script, we still ended up with more than we could account for (from word docs and such). I found a forum on here of others dealing with the issue and found a means of identifying these items and then indexed them individually.

To be clear, you should basically never need to index attachments individually. If you're doing it, you're likely wasting your time. (There's a complex use case for that function that I won't get into.) If "Index Unindexed Items" left items unindexed that were then actually indexable manually, that was a bug. And there just such a bug before 3.0.2 (though it would've only triggered in rare situations).

Each time she has tried to do so the process takes longer than she has been able to give to it (over 24 hours of syncing).

It's impossible for syncing to take 24 hours, even for initial syncs of very large libraries. If the sync really isn't going through, report it, and we'll look into it.

Bear in mind that many people use Zotero, which means that people probably use it in the same situations that you are. If something isn't working, don't look for a convoluted workaround. Just report the problem, and we'll fix it or tell you how to work around it.

dstillman

What adamsmith says is correct. For files, though, note what I said above. You can, if you really want to, transfer the 'storage' directory to another group member. You'll end up with orphaned files for anything from the source's personal library, but group files will be in place. (At some point in the future there might be a way to deal with orphaned 'storage' folders.) But you cannot transfer the database to another group member in any way other than syncing.

Ckcahill

Okay, thanks so much for your help. My colleague lent me her laptop and I was able to get the sync to go through but am left with over 2000 unindexed files and 33 indexed files. The numbers for my Zotero are just the opposite with around 2000 indexed. This doesn't change no matter what parameters I enter re max page/characters. This was basically the issue we were trying to work around before leading us to try manually to transfer group files.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. And thanks for the tip re reporting the problem as opposed to finding a workaround...will do from now on.

adamsmith

you have made sure that your version of Zotero is updated to 3.0.3? Standalone doesn't update automatically.
Once you're sure you have the most recent version, go to Preferences-->Search-->Rebuild Index and then select the "Index Unindexed Items" option. Let that run for as long as it takes.
Then recheck those numbers - if you still see most items as unindexed see if you can create an error report ID http://www.zotero.org/support/reporting_bugs and post it here.

dstillman

(Standalone does update automatically, actually. Simon can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it does more or less what Firefox does—that is, update on restart or prompt after 24 hours.)

dstillman

Ckcahill: Did you actually trigger the reindexing? Zotero doesn't currently index synced items automatically.

In any case, follow adamsmith's instructions.

Ckcahill

I update the standalone to 3.0.3 and tried again, no dice. Dan, yes I am triggering the reindexing. I click the button for "reindex unindexed items" and it thinks for a very short time (5 seconds) and then nothing happens.

adamsmtih: I followed your instructions but there were no errors to report.

Ckcahill

I also just rebuilt the index and ended up with 32 indexed items instead of 33 this time.

dstillman

How many unindexed?

Provide a Debug ID for a reindex attempt.

Ckcahill

2386 unindexed. The debug ID that I received after the reindex attempt was D770085908

At one point I also received an "unresponsive script" message: chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/schema.js:689

And an error ID from the synch: 794013027

adamsmith

At one point I also received an "unresponsive script" message: chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/schema.js:689

did you press continue or cancel? (you would need to continue).

dstillman

That debug output shows 2175 instances of files not being found.

untitled text:30691: (2)(+0000003): Attachment file 'D:\New Folder\storage\IJ7MTAAC\71.html' not found

untitled text:82810: (2)(+0000002): Attachment file 'D:\New Folder\storage\NBSKTMKF\books.html' not found

untitled text:117120: (2)(+0000002): Attachment file 'D:\New Folder\storage\J2D9TZAT\17031.html' not found

Ckcahill

I pressed continue that time and then just ran the whole thing again...this time I did not receive the unresponsive script notice.

Here's the debug ID for my last attempt: D1805080497

dstillman

Same as above. Seems like the files just aren't synced.

Ckcahill

Okay, but it thinks it is completely synced...

dstillman

Not if you're getting a sync error. Are you getting that consistently?

http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/changes_not_syncing

Ckcahill

Nope, I just synced and it went through smoothly and says "last sync 3 seconds ago"

dstillman

Then see http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/files_not_syncing

Ckcahill

Okay, I have one question about the link: In step 5 it says that "if they're configured with different Zotero accounts or different WebDAV URLs, files won't transfer between the two."

My colleague and I are using different accounts, though we belong to the same group. But this language made it seem like files won't transfer between us in the group library if we are using different accounts. This isn't correct is it?

dstillman

I actually updated that right after providing the link.

or if they're configured with different Zotero accounts (for personal library files) or different WebDAV URLs, files won't transfer between the two

Ckcahill

ha, okay, sounds good. Well I did the "reset sync" and clearly that changed something: it is now syncing over 2100 files. I'll let you know if this goes through. It looks like it will take some time...

dstillman

OK, great. That shouldn't be necessary under normal usage, but your library may have gotten into a funk somehow.

Ckcahill

Ugh, I'm not sure what is going on. I keep getting the following error when syncing:
The file 'D:\New Folder\tmp\22QZ6GHD.tmp' cannot be deleted. Check that the file is not currently in use and that it is not marked as read-only. To check all files in your Zotero data directory, right-click on the 'zotero' directory, click Properties, and ensure that the Read-Only checkbox is empty."


I have now twice gone through and unchecked the "read only" checkbox only to sync, receive the same message and then find that the box is checked again.

Is there someway to start from scratch and allow me to simply download the group library to her computer... I'm wondering if it is in a funk from attempting to sync it with my library previously.

dstillman

See the remaining part of that message:

Restarting your computer or disabling security software may also help.

There shouldn't be any need to start fresh.

dstillman

Also, that part about Read-Only is somewhat incorrect. For a file it's right, but on a folder, the Read-Only checkbox seems to always have a square in it, since it doesn't check all files when you do Properties. After clearing all subfolders and files once as a troubleshooting step, you shouldn't need to do it again.

But this is still generally caused by security software.

Ckcahill

Okay, it looks like turning off the security might have done the trick...it's been syncing for about 30 minutes now without stopping (it's at 6%). I'll keep you updated and thanks so much for all the help!