PDF's not updating Date Modified column. WebDAV sync on second computer problem

redcloud111

Hello all

Debug for computer A: D1485441942

I am having an issue with highlighted PDFs not syncing. On computer A, I highlight the PDF, save, and verify that the file has been changed in the directory. Zotero shows that the file has been changed in the right panel, but in the Date Modified column, it has the old date. Now, I am having an issue where the file syncs to Box's WebDAV directory, but when I go to my second computer (B) and sync, the PDF is not updating. I have tried to, first, reset synch history on A and then, second, sync on B, but no luck.

What I need to be able to do is edit a file on computer A at home, sync, go to work and open Zotero on computer B, sort by Date Modified (because I might forget the title of the article I was highlighting), and see my latest highlights. I can't sort because the file isn't showing as modified, and, even worse, the latest highlights aren't appearing.

I am not sure if the problems are related.

Any ideas?

dstillman

Now, I am having an issue where the file syncs to Box's WebDAV directory, but when I go to my second computer (B) and sync, the PDF is not updating.

If it's syncing to Box from computer A (which you know how? by looking at the ZIP file date online there?) then the problem is on computer B, and we'd need a Debug ID for the first sync from there after uploading from computer B.

dstillman

And see https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/39555/#Item_7 for the complications with the Date Modified field, but that's separate from your syncing issue here.

redcloud111

Dan

Ah, okay. So, if I understand you, the syncing issue is separate from the Date Modified field issue.

On Computer B, I just edited, saved, and synced two pdfs. I drilled down to the proper zotero folder for each file to check the folder name. These were updated in Box (says updated today in both the zip and prop folders).

Debug file: D1258044855.

I am hoping that when I get home to check computer A, I will see the highlights in the pdfs.

Regarding the Date Modified issue, if I understood you correctly, there are resource penalties for making the DM column reflect immediate actual changes to files. So, should I just not expect to see a pdf date change in that column after I save? In essence, it is working the way it is supposed to work?



Thanks!

dstillman

In essence, it is working the way it is supposed to work?

Yes. As I say in the other thread, it's not trying to show you the PDF date at all — it's displaying a totally different date.

I am hoping that when I get home to check computer A, I will see the highlights in the pdfs.

OK, but to be clear, if you don't, I'd need to see the Debug ID for the first sync from there to be able to debug it.

dstillman

But to confirm, yes, the file upload part seems to be working fine.

redcloud111

I was able to get Teamviewer working on the remote computer (A). After uploading the files from B (which you verified as good), I synced on A and checked the two pdfs. No highlights.

The Debug ID for Computer A is D1958335063.

In such a situation, should I reset the sync history on B, do a sync, and then just sync on A? I just want to make sure I got the process correct before.

dstillman

That debug output seems to show it still checking all your files, presumably from a previous Reset File Sync History. There's too much going on there to look at.

But since you can control both computers at once, this should be pretty simple. Disable auto-sync on both, restart Zotero, and let them both sync completely a few times, alternating between the two, so that they're no longer syncing anything new and sync attempts finish quickly.

Then make a change to a single file on A, log the upload sync for it and submit that, verify that the .zip and .prop have been updated on Box, and then log the download sync plus a file opening on B and submit that.

dstillman

(And don't do use Reset File Sync History anymore while we're debugging this.)

redcloud111

Ok. Thanks. I'll try tonight.

redcloud111

The Debug ID for computer A is D1359516998.

The Debug ID for computer B is D488457588.

The PDF in \95SKC9D9 of computer A shows the time stamp change in my Windows directory, and in the corresponding Box WebDAV dir it says "updated today" for both the prop and zip files.

Also, the corresponding PDF in computer B does not show the time stamp change in either the Windows dir or the far right panel in zotero under Modified:

But, alas, the highlight saved in the PDF is not showing.

Thanks!

dstillman

Those Debug IDs are identical, both from the uploading computer...

redcloud111

Hmm, I was using Teamviewer and the copy/paste function must have not copied from the remote machine.

Anyway, I am not having the problem this morning!

1. Could turning off automatic downloads be the trick? I wonder if having two machines simultaneously uploading and downloading have been the problem. I was doing this testing via Teamviewer with automatic downloads on. I wasn't paying attention at all to the fact they might have been conflicting. Also, yesterday, I wasn't getting the alert window that shows you have two versions of the same file that you need to choose. This morning I got that twice (both were the files I was working on yesterday).

2. What sync settings do you recommend: at sync time or when needed?

I think I may leave automatic download off for a bit.

Thanks!

adamsmith

generally sync at sync time is what you want to use.
The main reason to use "when needed" is if you're in a situation where you don't want to have all files on local disk on a computer, e.g. because of space concerns or because you're downloading the whole library & don't have a lot of time.

redcloud111

Ok. So far this morning, all is well. I will leave the settings as is for a time (no automatic download). Thanks for the speedy response!