Problems loading synced files on new computer

I just got a second computer, and Im having problems opening files.
For context, I store my PDFs in a dropbox location (base catalog), and the data catalog is stored locally on the computer I have from before. Syncing is set up, all library folders and files within it shows up on my new computer.

The problem is that when I want to open a PDF to read on the new computer, it opens a tab for it but nothing shows. No error or anything, just blank.

Does anyone know what is going wrong? If I update a note within a parent item on the first computer, it shows quite immediately on my new one. It is just that the PDFs dont actually load so that I can read and edit them.

Havent had this problem on any other additional computers I used zotero with.

Thank you in advance!
  • Restart in Troubleshooting Mode (Help → "Restart in Troubleshooting Mode…”), which temporarily disables all plugins. If that fixes it, you'll need to identify the plugin that's causing it and then report the problem to the plugin's developer.

    If not, can you provide a Debug ID for reproducing this?
  • Restart in Troubleshooting mode didn't solve it unfortunately.

    The Debug ID is D1799056815
  • [JavaScript Error: "Worker 'import' failed: {"existingAnnotations":[],"error":"{\"message\":\"The PDF file is empty, i.e. its size is zero bytes.\",\"name\":\"InvalidPDFException\"}"}" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/pdfWorker/manager.js" line: 324}]
    The file appears to be empty.

    I'd guess these files are marked as "Online-only" and you haven't opened them from Finder. I don't know if we can trigger those downloads programmatically. iCloud Drive exposes a way of doing that, but I'm not aware of an equivalent for Dropbox.

    After you try to open a file unsuccessfully, if you close it and reopen it, does it work at that point?

    If you first try to open the file via Finder, does it work then?
  • edited 26 days ago
    Ah yes not downloading makes sense.

    I managed to solve it, by making sure dropbox locally downloads all files in the directory. It now works! Thank you for the help!
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