sync no longer works

FHeimburger
My library had been syncing beautifully, both with the zotero webserver for data and with a box.net account for the storage, using zotero 2.0b4 and firefox 3.0.10 under windows xp. As of four days ago the sync wheel spun continuously, but never seemed to get anywhere. I tried to reset the server data from my home copy, but all that did was remove the server data and then give me an "Error processing uploaded data", Report ID: 61e8f1c2.
I couldn't see any obvious suggestions for the next step in troubleshooting so I thought I would ask here.
Thanks in advance for any help,
Clio
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  • FHeimburger
    me again - my problem persists - most recent id with the same message: 7cc95376
    I am trying to narrow down the possibilities - disabling webdav sync didn't help.
    I signed up for a new zotero account to test whether it is my account which is corrupted. That doesn't let me sync either, but the error message is different: 'Cannot make changes to library' id 7f3ec338

    Can anyone give me any further leads?
    Thanks in advance,
    Clio
  • FHeimburger
    and after the update of zotero I still can't sync but the error has changed - report is 881869028, the message I get is 'Missing child item...'

    Can anybody suggest a course of action. I would really like to get my sync up and running again.
    Clio
  • dstillman
    Zotero 2.0b5 should actually be able to correct that last error if you keep trying, though it could potentially take quite a few tries. But you should also be able to fix it using Restore to Server in the Sync->Reset pane of the Zotero prefs.
  • FHeimburger
    You were right - I got rid of the last error through a server reset. Now I'm back to the errors I had before and still no successful sync.
    I have reposted an error report, 1852622726, with one each of a tentative server reset and normal sync, neither worked.
    Could it be an item in my library? It must be something I added since when it worked, should I try undoing additions in the last week?
    Thanks in advance,
    Clio
  • Stan
    I have a similar problem. Since the upgrade to 2.05 I cannot automatically sync (Mac OS 10.5). I open Zotero and the green circular arrow does not spin. I click on it and nothing happens. I tried, as Dan suggested, a manual reset and seemed to successfully back up the server from my computer - so there seems to be some connectivity. When opening up 2.0b4 on my mac running OS 10.4 the sync works as it should - automatically upon openning the application.
  • taylorspencephd
    Hi! I am new to Zotero, so thanks in advance for your answers to my stupid questions! ;-)

    Where do I find the Sync Preferences Tab? I am trying to set up my syncing capabilities, and cannot find it. Also, I have synced using a shareware software manually between my stored files and data for Zotero on my laptop and my jump drive where I have a backup of my files. Should that work as another way to sync?
  • Stan
    Well today the sync seems to work albeit I am on my University network rather than home network - I doubt that should make a difference.

    Dont worry about questions - I am far from being technically sophisticated. The sync preference tab. On the top of the application you will see symbols in bunches: the second bunch from the left has a symbol that looks to me like a gear and there is an arrow beside it for the drop down menu. Click on the arrow and find the Preferences command - it will open up a further box which is fairly straightforward.

    Re sync strategies - the files are stored under the firefox browser so that is where you might wish to make sure you back up. I personally use time manager (MAC) and I also have another computer that I regularly sync with zotero. If I understand it correctly, the Zotero server should have a copy of everything bar your attachments. I hope that I am right

    Good luck - this is a good research tool and keeps getting better
  • taylorspencephd
    Thanks Stan! That is where I was looking, but I still do not find it. I may have an old version of Zotero? I will check.
  • noksagt
    Also, I have synced using a shareware software manually between my stored files and data for Zotero on my laptop and my jump drive where I have a backup of my files. Should that work as another way to sync?
    See also http://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_portable_solutions
    Your strategy should be fine for the attached files in the storage directory. The biblibographic metadata and notes are stored in a database. You won't be able to merge changes made on multiple machines using your third party tool. You will need to perform a one-way sync & should do it after exiting firefox. Tedious & room for error, but possible.
    That is where I was looking, but I still do not find it. I may have an old version of Zotero?
    Syncing is only available in the beta version & is not in the 1.0 stable version.
  • Gwendolyn
    I have a new sync problem that I would love help with. I had set up a free account with box.net and that was working fine. I since had to reformat my computer and reinstalled Firefox and Zotero and tried to sync again for the first time. But it said the username and password were not correct. I created a new account with box.net, tried putting that information in, and then under the sync tab, when I clicked 'verify server', everything seemed to work out okay. But now when I go to sync, I get the error message: invalid login/pass. What could be wrong to let me verify the server okay but not the sync?

    My apologies in advance if this a stupid question. I am new to a lot of this technology.
  • dstillman
    Did you enter your zotero.org username and password correctly in the top section of the Sync preference pane?
  • Gwendolyn
    Amazing! Thank you. That fixed the problem.

    Apparently, even idiots can become academics! ;)
  • dstillman
    We'll fix the error message to indicate which username/password it's referring to.
  • FHeimburger
    Yay - it magically works again for me - big thanks to whoever mended whatever the problem was.
    Clio, very reassured by her now perfectly functional sync
  • dstillman
    it magically works again for me - big thanks to whoever mended whatever the problem was.
    We fixed some server-side issues with large initial syncs.
  • Stan
    Dan, you also seem to have mended the sync issue (unless it was a one off problem on my MAC) successfully. Regrets that now the pulling off citation details from the browser on EBSCO searches works only occasionally - we'll get there eventually.
  • Stan
    Oops spoke too soon, today the sync arrow remains fixed! Am I the only one reporting intermittent problems
  • sjg
    I am unable to do an initial sync with a large library (getting invalid user/pass error).
  • Stan
    It has been stable for me for at least one week now so i assume what ever problem I had has now gone
  • pmellalieu
    I have started to get this same error message. I became aware of it over the last few days - say from 26 June. (Last sync 4 days ago)

    I'm logged in to Zotero.

    I am

    -Using Firefox 3.0.12 on my Powerpc Mac. Leopard.

    - Zotero version (latest) 2.0b6.3

    I tried synchronising new additions to my Creativity in communication group ... and I think that has failed ... or is the cause of the failure.

    I've posted this on several other threads that contain this sync message.
  • pmellalieu
    Relief:

    Data on the Zotero server has been successfully restored.

    I used this advice ... pretty scary ... but it worked.

    Thanks Dan....

    However, I realised AFTER I initiated the Restore, that I should have made a backup of my Zotero database that lives on my Mac. Though hopefully it lives in my TimeMachine somewhere. Does it? Where?

    * Dan Stillman
    * Comment Time Jun 6th 2009

    Zotero 2.0b5 should actually be able to correct that last error if you keep trying, though it could potentially take quite a few tries. But you should also be able to fix it using Restore to Server in the Sync->Reset pane of the Zotero prefs.
  • dstillman
    However, I realised AFTER I initiated the Restore, that I should have made a backup of my Zotero database that lives on my Mac. Though hopefully it lives in my TimeMachine somewhere. Does it? Where?
    Yes, Time Machine should back up your Zotero data directory every hour.

    http://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data

    (Also, please don't cross-post.)
  • fgrady
    I'm also repeatedly getting errors when trying to synch. Report ID 1220053000. Any ideas?
  • dstillman
    fgrady: You're getting a tag-too-long error, and you should be seeing a popup window when you sync that lets you split the long tag into multiple tags. Are you not seeing this?
  • fgrady
    I tried to sync again and this time I got these error messages, report 2108153883.
    I now have the pop up blocker turned off. Don't know if that was the problem the first time around.
  • dstillman
    fgrady: This was a probably on the server that should now be fixed, so you should now see the long tag fixer window when you click the sync icon. Note that you'll see some strange characters in the long tag that you'll need to deal with if you want to keep the tags. You can edit the tag from that window to remove the characters, click Save Tag, and then, when the window pops back up, split up the long tag using a comma. (This should make more sense when you look at the window.)
    I now have the pop up blocker turned off.
    Popup blockers have no effect on Zotero.
  • drewmueller
    Group sync does not work. keep getting
    'last error: Abstract field '3.001 Learning is an adventurous thing: a computational ...' too long

    I have no idea where I can find said abstract, there is no file I have that has such a name or subject matter.
  • dstillman
    drew: Have you used quick search to look for items with those words? (Also, that's not quite the actual value, so check the error message again.)
  • pmellalieu
    Take care with errors identified in tags. These errors can cause your library syncs to fail.

    I've been running Zotero on two Firefox Macs for many months. However, about 6 weeks ago, I couldn't get library syncing to work. I searched all the support forums, tried doing restores from the main computer, full syncs, etc etc. But still - the dreaded yellow triangle and 'unable to sync library'.

    Despite the previous attempts to sync, one recurring error was flagged during the sync process: there was a mismatch between a tag in the remote library and the computer from where I was syncing. If I recall the error correctly: a tag marked 'ethnography' had been replaced by a null field on the remote library.

    So, putting on my detective hat, I searched all my libraries and group libraries for the 'ethnographic' tag. I found it quite quickly in a Group library to which I had subscribed. (I needed only to use the standard Zotero search.)

    I unsubscribed from the Group library, then completed a full sync. From then on, everything has worked fine.

    I suspect that the Group library that caused the problem was 'Cultural+Sustainability.

    I hope this report helps someone.
  • Stan
    I am stuck in enless sync and cannot use Zotero - trying to finish off an article for submission today. I have no idea what has happened. First I noticed that many references had been corrupted - authors names changed for some reason - Krafft becomes Agarawal. I corrected manually. Then I noticed whilst I can link a pdf to attachments I cannot open any pdf file from attachment. Then I noticed the sync arrow in endless loop. I closed the browser reopen it and then get a message asking me to cancel the sync but only if something else is not going on. I press leave it and then the sync stops but indicates an error, I press reset and it goes to endless synch. So I am stuck and cannot find out what to do. Please advise ASAP as I really depend on this application whilst I am writing and submitting and I can't just leave it and come back to it days later
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